Skills and labour shortages hinder rural business performance and growth NICRE’s latest State of Rural Enterprise Report Labour and skills availability: impacts on rural enterprise finds more than half of rural businesses in the North East, South West and West Midlands find it difficult to recruit or retain suitably-skilled staff, with a high proportion of… Read more
The Business Desk : Social Enterprises vital to post COVID-19 recovery Financial Times: Starting a business in the midst of a pandemic The Times: Number of new companies set up this year is likely to break record The Times: How small businesses can get one over the big boys in Zoom revolution IPSE: IPSE sets out… Read more
On Wednesday June 3rd we were at the University of Warwick – Warwick Business School‘s campus at The Shard for our Research Showcase. At these events we bring together colleagues, partners and stakeholders to explore our latest research insights. The presentations explored themes of entrepreneurship, innovation and business growth, highlighting the mix of current research… Read more
In 2018, Rachel Reeves described the “everyday economy” as the ‘services, production, consumption and social goods that sustain all our daily lives’ (Reeves 2018). The term ‘everyday economy’ resurfaced in the new small business strategy published by the government last year (HMSO 2025). One chapter of the strategy focused specifically on SMEs as the ‘crucial… Read more
Business networking is often seen as a key pathway to entrepreneurial opportunities. Networking events, mentoring, learning hubs, and programmes all encourage entrepreneurs to build relationships, exchange knowledge, and access resources that support business development and growth. These spaces are often presented as open and inclusive, offering support to diverse entrepreneurs. But evidence from practice suggests… Read more
This working paper co- authored by ERC Director Stephen Roper and Anastasia Ri, Assistant Professor of Research at the ERC published by the Productivity Institute investigates how firms navigate the dual challenges of digitalisation and climate change. The comprehensive approach considers climate change strategies, distinguishing adaptation-only, mitigation -only and ‘dual’ adaptation and mitigation strategies. Drawing… Read more
Summary of TPI Firms Research Programme 2023-2026 This report co-authored by ERC Director Stephen Roper synthesises five research projects supported by The Productivity Institute (2023–2026) examining how digitalisation influences firms’ productivity, business model innovation, climate strategies, and investment decision-making. Drawing on UK wide surveys, international firm-level datasets, and in-depth qualitative studies, the evidence shows that… Read more
Today we relaunch the ERC’s podcast series Exploring enterprise in collaboration with Business111.com . In this episode Professor Mark Hart of the Enterprise Research Centre speaks with Liz Barclay to explain why micro-businesses are far more important to the UK economy than policymakers recognise. Drawing on decades of research, he reveals how these smallest firms… Read more
The Enterprise Research Centre (ERC), in collaboration with the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), has announced the successful recipients of the LSBS Small Grant Funding call. Funded by DBT (£25,000 in total), five projects have been selected following a competitive process to undertake secondary analysis of the Longitudinal Small Business Survey (LSBS). The successful projects… Read more
New GEM 2025/2026 Global Report Finds Record Startup Activity — But Warns of Growing AI and Survival Gaps The newly released GEM 2025/2026 Global Report, launched at Tecnológico de Monterrey in collaboration with GEM Mexico and the Instituto de Emprendimiento Eugenio Garza Lagüera, finds that entrepreneurial activity remains strong across the globe — but structural weaknesses threaten long-term sustainability. Drawing… Read more
Last week we published the latest State of Small Business Britain report. 2025 was another challenging year for the UK’s small businesses and those working to support them. On one hand, there was much to be positive about. The evidence continues to show that the UK has a vibrant entrepreneurial culture, and that digital technology adoption… Read more
State of Rural Enterprise Report:
Skills and labour shortages hinder rural business performance and growth NICRE’s latest State of Rural Enterprise Report Labour and skills availability: impacts on rural enterprise finds more than half of rural businesses in the North East, South West and West Midlands find it difficult to recruit or retain suitably-skilled staff, with a high proportion of… Read more
COVID-19 Press coverage for the ERC
The Business Desk : Social Enterprises vital to post COVID-19 recovery Financial Times: Starting a business in the midst of a pandemic The Times: Number of new companies set up this year is likely to break record The Times: How small businesses can get one over the big boys in Zoom revolution IPSE: IPSE sets out… Read more
Research Showcase 2026
On Wednesday June 3rd we were at the University of Warwick – Warwick Business School‘s campus at The Shard for our Research Showcase. At these events we bring together colleagues, partners and stakeholders to explore our latest research insights. The presentations explored themes of entrepreneurship, innovation and business growth, highlighting the mix of current research… Read more
Rethinking the Everyday Economy: Why Improving “Average” Firms Matters Most
In 2018, Rachel Reeves described the “everyday economy” as the ‘services, production, consumption and social goods that sustain all our daily lives’ (Reeves 2018). The term ‘everyday economy’ resurfaced in the new small business strategy published by the government last year (HMSO 2025). One chapter of the strategy focused specifically on SMEs as the ‘crucial… Read more
Where Do I Fit In? Why Belonging Shapes Participation in Business Networking
Business networking is often seen as a key pathway to entrepreneurial opportunities. Networking events, mentoring, learning hubs, and programmes all encourage entrepreneurs to build relationships, exchange knowledge, and access resources that support business development and growth. These spaces are often presented as open and inclusive, offering support to diverse entrepreneurs. But evidence from practice suggests… Read more
How does digitalisation support firms’ strategies for climate change mitigation and adaptation
This working paper co- authored by ERC Director Stephen Roper and Anastasia Ri, Assistant Professor of Research at the ERC published by the Productivity Institute investigates how firms navigate the dual challenges of digitalisation and climate change. The comprehensive approach considers climate change strategies, distinguishing adaptation-only, mitigation -only and ‘dual’ adaptation and mitigation strategies. Drawing… Read more
Adoption, implementation, alignment – maximising the performance benefits of digital investment
Summary of TPI Firms Research Programme 2023-2026 This report co-authored by ERC Director Stephen Roper synthesises five research projects supported by The Productivity Institute (2023–2026) examining how digitalisation influences firms’ productivity, business model innovation, climate strategies, and investment decision-making. Drawing on UK wide surveys, international firm-level datasets, and in-depth qualitative studies, the evidence shows that… Read more
Exploring Enterprise – Micro-Businesses: The Untold Story
Today we relaunch the ERC’s podcast series Exploring enterprise in collaboration with Business111.com . In this episode Professor Mark Hart of the Enterprise Research Centre speaks with Liz Barclay to explain why micro-businesses are far more important to the UK economy than policymakers recognise. Drawing on decades of research, he reveals how these smallest firms… Read more
LSBS Small Grant Awards Announced
The Enterprise Research Centre (ERC), in collaboration with the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), has announced the successful recipients of the LSBS Small Grant Funding call. Funded by DBT (£25,000 in total), five projects have been selected following a competitive process to undertake secondary analysis of the Longitudinal Small Business Survey (LSBS). The successful projects… Read more
GEM 2025/2026 Global Report
New GEM 2025/2026 Global Report Finds Record Startup Activity — But Warns of Growing AI and Survival Gaps The newly released GEM 2025/2026 Global Report, launched at Tecnológico de Monterrey in collaboration with GEM Mexico and the Instituto de Emprendimiento Eugenio Garza Lagüera, finds that entrepreneurial activity remains strong across the globe — but structural weaknesses threaten long-term sustainability. Drawing… Read more
The State of Small Business Britain 2025 Navigating uncertainty
Last week we published the latest State of Small Business Britain report. 2025 was another challenging year for the UK’s small businesses and those working to support them. On one hand, there was much to be positive about. The evidence continues to show that the UK has a vibrant entrepreneurial culture, and that digital technology adoption… Read more
State of Small Business Britain Conference 2025 Presentation Videos
Presentation videos from the State of Small Business Britain conference 2025 are now available on the ERC YouTube channel.
Interesting links
Here are some interesting links for you! Enjoy your stay :)Pages
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