Out and About with ERC
Cities and Local Growth Unit Policy Teams Away Day
The ERC were pleased to host and take part in the Cities and Local Growth Policy Teams Away Day, held at the Shard on Thursday 12th January. Stephen Roper and Mark Hart presented ERC research on innovation and SME growth, and took part in stimulating discussion with the policy teams on the themes of the Government’s new Industrial Strategy and place.
On Monday the 23rd of January Jun Du and Enrico Vanino presented the outcome of the ERC Project 3 on the wider economic impact of fast growth firms in the UK to the "disruptive businesses" unit of BEIS. The presentation focused the analysis of the economic impact of high-growth firms on the employment and productivity growth of non-fast-growing firms in their regions and industrial sectors. The audience found particularly interesting the opposite effects on the employment and productivity growth of surrounding firms, stressing the importance of a disaggregated regional analysis to carefully identify the local patterns and the main drivers of these externalities at the region-industry level. The debate has been particularly fruitful, in particular regarding the interpretation of the subtle differences across different sub-samples and the derivation of appropriate policy implications. Finally, after the presentation the participants had some time to talk about the work and analysis carried on by the disruptive business unit, discussing possible synergies and cooperation opportunities.
Mark Hart attended the APPG for Women and Enterprise on 30th January which was chaired by Craig Tracey MP and included a presentation on the Women’s Business Council. ERC are assisting the work of the APPG through its data and evidence working group.
New Design Council Research Programme
Vicki Belt and Stephen Roper have both taken part in expert steering group meetings this month for a new research programme funded by the Design Council. The research seeks to get under the skin of some of the findings from last year’s Design Economy research, and further explore what drives innovation and productivity in this sector, as well as exploring the supply of, and demand for, design skills in the UK.
Mark Hart participated in roundtable on 6th February on the theme of “Industrial Strategy: unlocking regional and local growth through manufacturing” organised by ResPublica with a specific focus on the Food and Drink Sector in the UK. This was attended by MPs, Nestle, EEF, LEPs, academics and organisations representing the Food and Drink sector.
Citi Microentrepreneurship Awards 2016/17
Vicki Belt, ERC Deputy Director of Impact and Engagement, took part in the judging panel for this year’s UK Citi Microentrepreneurship Awards, held on 10th January. The awards are in their fourth year, and are sponsored by the Citi Foundation and Responsible Finance. They celebrate the economic and social impact of responsible finance providers on the people and places of Britain, and champion outstanding microentrepreneurs who are creating jobs, services and prosperity in their communities. The Awards Ceremony will take place in Cardiff on the 28th March.
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