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

Income Protection for Micro-entrepreneurs Under COVID-19: Serving Neoliberal Interests or Small Traders?

The Institute of Small Business and Entrepreneurship Conference in Cardiff, October 2021, was a joyous occasion that brought researchers together face-to-face for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The paper awarded ‘Best in Conference’ analysed UK policy to protect the income of small traders and microbusiness directors during COVID19, asking whether the policy… Read more

Helping firms along the right road?

Over the last year businesses across the country have been supported by the government through the furlough scheme, loans and grants. But what effects have these schemes had on firms and how will this shape their performance in the future? It’s early days of course and the impacts of COVID-19 continue to be felt in… Read more

Innovate short, innovate long

The dire consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on many firms across the UK continue with depressing implications for employment and future prosperity. The government has invested heavily in supporting businesses through the furlough scheme, loan schemes and rate relief. The strengths and limitations of these measures have been widely covered in the media, but less… Read more

Crisis entrepreneurs

Is now a good time to start a new business? In this FT article published this morning, ERC Deputy Director Mark Hart says we could be seeing an uptick of “crisis entrepreneurs” adding that these are people who have lost their job during the pandemic and have no other choice in the current labour market than… Read more

The second lockdown risks an insolvency tsunami

Thousands of businesses across England will remain shuttered today as the new month-long coronavirus lockdown takes effect. Citing new scientific evidence showing an expected surge in cases nationwide over the coming weeks, the Government finally bowed to pressure and abandoned its previous regional tiering strategy last weekend. Critics argue that a sharp ‘circuit breaker’ lockdown… Read more

Support for entrepreneurs critical for post-Covid recovery – GEM

      Global Entrepreneurship Monitor report calls on policymakers to create right conditions for an enterprise-led economic recovery worldwide. Policymakers around the world must provide clear advice and practical support for entrepreneurs to ensure global economies recover from the devastation of coronavirus, a new report says. Presenting a snapshot of support measures introduced by… Read more

Diagnosing COVID-19 Impacts on Entrepreneurship – Exploring Policy Remedies for Recovery

The impact of policy decisions can play an important role in entrepreneurial success. A new GEM report: “Diagnosing COVID-19 Impacts on Entrepreneurship – Exploring Policy Remedies for Recovery”,  sponsored by Shopify, features over 50 GEM research teams around the world sharing how their government’s response to COVID-19 compared to previous crises and the entrepreneurship policy… Read more

June 2020 Press Coverage

Business News Wales: Lack of support for workers’ mental health “cuts firm productivity by a quarter”  IPSE: IPSE sets out case for more support for self-employed in latest Treasury Committee evidence                      

ERC research used in new business diagnostic and recovery tool

The ERC have partnered with business support organisation Oxford Innovation to create a new GROWTHmapper® Recovery diagnostic and recovery planning tool. The tool helps SMEs assesses their immediate and future needs in the context of the Covid19 crisis, working in conjunction with an accredited GROWTHmapper® coach or advisor. A suite of tools developed by the… Read more

Business Support Tools : Oxford Innovation GROWTHmapper® Recovery

Business Support Tools : Oxford Innovation GROWTHmapper® Recovery ERC have supported Oxford Innovation in the creation of the GROWTHmapper® Recovery diagnostic and recovery planning tool. The tool helps SMEs assesses their immediate needs and, in conjunction with an accredited GROWTHmapper® coach or advisor, creates an effective business management and recovery plan for the current Covid19 crisis. A… Read more

Covid-19: How can SMEs innovate their way out of the crisis?

Mark Hart authored a blog for The Aston Angle looking at how businesses will be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.  Some sectors may benefit financially, while others will suffer huge losses. Those countries with more service-oriented economies, like the UK, will be more negatively affected and will suffer larger negative employment effects. The UK economy was… Read more

Re-booting start-up policy in response to the COVID-19 crisis

On May 12th Mark Hart was an invited speaker on the Re-booting start-up policy in response to the COVID-19 crisis OECD webinar with participation of delegates from the Working Party for SMEs and Entrepreneurship (WPSMEE) and Local Economic and Employment Development (LEED) Committee.    

Bouncing back from the Covid-19 crisis: reflections on mental health and resilience

Bouncing back from the Covid-19 crisis: reflections on mental health and resilience Firms that survive adversity often have the abilities, characteristics and actions of their employees to thank. As many reflected during Mental Health Awareness Week last week, it is worth remembering that the current crisis will undoubtedly have impacted upon the mental health of… Read more

BackinBusiness : No Country for self-employed podcast

Professor Mark Hart, Deputy director of the ERC whose research shows many self-employed are slipping through the safety net joined the BackinBusiness team for this podcast alongside two self-employed people  to discuss the impact of the lockdown on their businesses,  Government loans and disappearing customers which are all  of concern at this time. Listen to… Read more

Left in the cold: How company directors are excluded from the Government’s coronavirus support schemes

The Government’s various coronavirus support schemes aim to provide a safety net for both employees and the self-employed during the suddenly-imposed ‘lockdown’ period now affecting the UK economy. But while the headline measures announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak over recent weeks – including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (JRS) aimed at employees, Coronavirus Business Interruption… Read more

The business effects of pandemics

Published today this ERC rapid review Insight paper considers the existing evidence on the business effects of pandemics, with a particular focus on the impact on small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Evidence from previous pandemics is reviewed, and in addition, we provide an overview of early assessments of the emerging evidence on the business impacts… Read more

Press Coverage : Covid19: Critique and Proposals to Develop More Comprehensive and Inclusive Support for the SelfEmployed. Research Report. April 2020

Birmingham Live: Coronavirus crisis could mean 100,000 jobs lost around Birmingham, expert warns Radio Interview on You-Tube Telegraph : Blackhole of financial support threatens to ‘decimate’ generation of entrepreneurs Mirror : Seven million workers to be paid by state as firms join coronavirus furlough scheme                

Covid-19 and the implications for future innovation

Over the last few days we have seen some inspiring and innovative responses to the Corona Virus crisis by UK firms and universities. The JCB-Dyson collaboration to produce ventilators and the UCL-Mercedes AMG collaboration to develop other breathing aids are outstanding examples. Necessity is the mother of invention after all. But what of the wider… Read more

The duration of the economic restrictions is decisive for the German Mittelstand

As in the UK, significant parts of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Germany are affected by the corona virus pandemic. In this difficult economic situation, the Federal Government in Germany has sent a very positive signal with its comprehensive support measures targeted not only at large corporations, but also at medium-sized, small and micro… Read more

‘Stay Home’ and Work? Implications of COVID-19 and the UK Governmental Response for Self-Employed Women

Given last week’s government announcement of the stimulus bill meant to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 crisis on the UK economy, it is important to recognise the implications for women broadly, and self-employed women more specifically. Such bills are notoriously gender blind, thus discounting the impact on the extent to which self-employed women are… Read more

ASTON MEANS BUSINESSS – SMEs dealing with COVID

With the COVID-19 pandemic threatening to shut down the economy, we’re working with Aston Centre for Growth to turn the podcast’s attention towards how SMEs are dealing with the crisis. This special series is called ‘Aston means business: SMEs dealing with COVID-19’. In each episode, we’ll be talking to current and previous business participants in… Read more