Joanne Turner
Research Fellow - innovation Studies
Leadership in ‘laggards’ key to post-Covid productivity gains
New study challenges assumption that most productive firms will drive future productivity gains Inspirational leadership shown to boost productivity in firms of all sizes and sectors, even those starting with low levels Research provides evidence to support recent public investment in ‘soft skills’ training for business leaders New research from the Enterprise Research Centre suggests… Read more
Bettina Becker
Associate Professor
Is Declining Dynamism to blame for our Productivity woes?
Over the past decade, we have seen a historic slowdown in productivity growth. While there is some cause for optimism based on the rapid adoption of tech during the pandemic, boosting productivity should still be the top priority for any government. After all, more than anything else, it is what determines wages and living standards…. Read more
Is our obsession with fast growth and job creation stifling productivity?
As he stood at the Dispatch Box on November 23rd, Chancellor Philip Hammond laid bare to Parliament a problem that has been vexing economists since the 2008 crash. The UK, he intoned, has a truly dreadful productivity rate. To illustrate the point, he told MPs gathered for the Autumn Statement that the average UK worker… Read more
Productivity Puzzles, Long Tails and Productivity Heroes: developing a new focus for small business policy in the UK
Published: 21 February 2024
ERC Insight paper
ESRC invests £11 million to tackle productivity puzzle
Researchers are closer to unravelling some of the complex reasons behind the UK’s stagnant productivity, thanks to a new £11 million research investment by the ESRC. The ERC team at University of Warwick are delighted to be leading one of the seven projects being funded: Mental health and well-being practices, outcomes and productivity: A causal… Read more
Jun Du
Professor of Economics
Jun Du is Professor of Economics at Aston Business School and Founding Director of the Centre for Business Prosperity. From August 2026, she will be Managing Director of The Productivity Institute. She is a leading expert on UK trade, internationalisation, and productivity, with research funded by the ESRC, the Leverhulme Trust, and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT). Her work informs policy debates on post-Brexit trade, SME export performance, and industrial competitiveness.








