Placed based development and regeneration

Setting the agenda

CEEDR research has focused on the economies of more deprived and disadvantaged localities. We have a particular interest in the implications of planning, regeneration and place-based governance on local communities and neighbourhoods. Enterprise activity is largely embedded in specific places and our research shows how an understanding of this is so important when trying to improve the economic, social and environmental conditions of UK regions, cities, towns and rural areas

You'll find a selection of recent research projects below:

Book Chapters

Syrett, S. (forthcoming 2010) 'Theorising marginalisation in cities and regions', in M. Danson and P. de Souza (eds) Peripherality, marginality and border issues in Northern Europe, Routledge.

Syrett, S. and Silva, C.N. (2005) 'Metropolitan governance and regionalism: the case of Lisbon' in I. Sagan and H. Halkier (eds) Regionalism Contested: Institutions, Society and Territorial Governance, Ashgate, Aldershot, pp.247-264..

Syrett, S. (2002) 'Economic change and regional development in Portugal', in S. Syrett (ed) Contemporary Portugal: Dimensions of Economic and Political Change, Ashgate, Aldershot, pp.47-82.

Syrett, S. and Baldock, R. (2001) 'Changing times, changing styles: new forms of economic governance in London', in S. Syrett and R. Baldock (eds) (2001) Governing London: Competitiveness and Regeneration in a Global City, Middlesex University Press, London, pp.1-22.

Syrett, S. and Baldock, R. (2001) 'Governing London: challenges for the new economic governance' in S. Syrett and R. Baldock, R (eds) (2001) Governing London: Competitiveness and Regeneration in a Global City, Middlesex University Press, London, pp.48-160.

Syrett, S. & North, D. (2008) Renewing Neighbourhoods: Work, Enterprise and Governance, 290 pages, Policy Press, Bristol, ISBN: 978 1 86134 861 6

North, D., Syrett, S., & Etherington, D. (2007) Devolution and Regional Governance: Tackling the economic needs of deprived areas, 119 pages, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, York, ISBN: 978 1 85935 614 2

Syrett, S. (ed) (2002) Contemporary Portugal: Dimensions of Economic and Political Change, Ashgate, Aldershot. ISBN 0 7546 1265 1 (235 pages)

Syrett, S. and Baldock, R. (eds) (2001) Governing London: Competitiveness and Regeneration in a Global City, Middlesex University Press, London.ISBN 1 898253 45 5 (163 pages)

Commissioned by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation

This study for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation examined the actual and potential roles of the social economy in bringing about inclusive growth that generates more and better jobs in UK cities, particularly for people who are either in - or at risk of - poverty. The research, which was conducted in partnership with researchers at the Open University, involved a review of the international academic and policy literature, and case study examples of social economy development in 14 international and 10 UK city regions. It was also informed by roundtable discussions held with stakeholders and experts in Cardiff, Glasgow and Sheffield.

Key points:

The social economy constitutes a range of organisations that have a core social mission, different levels of participative and democratic control by members, and use financial surpluses or profits primarily to achieve their social missions. These include social and community enterprise; voluntary and community sector organisations; housing associations; co-operatives and mutuals; informal self‑help initiatives; social finance and support providers; and alternative business models.
The social economy accounts for about 6.5% of European employment. In some countries, such as Sweden, Belgium, Italy, France and the Netherlands, it accounts for between 9% and 11.2%. In the UK, the contribution to employment is relatively low at 5.6%, mostly from the voluntary and community sector (82%). Yet, these data are likely to underestimate the true size of the social economy.
Relative to comparable countries in Europe, the UK appears to have a strong voluntary and community sector and a growing social enterprise sector, but fewer organisations with alternative governance models, such as co-operatives, or employee-owned businesses.
There are three broad clusters of activity whereby the social economy has been shown to promote inclusive growth: (1) Creating jobs, strengthening skills and employability; (2) Building diversified local economies; (3) Contributing to wider economic and institutional transformation.
Analysis of current policy and practice identified areas where UK cities appear to lag behind some of the international city cases, as well as examples of good practice and future potential.
Successful social economy development often arises from an enabling context, or social economy ‘ecosystem’ of various elements of support provision and a high level of collaboration between actors, both within the social economy and the public and private sectors.

Read the full report.

Review of the Cross River Partnership Economic and Community Benefit Theme 2 Business Support Projects, (2001)

For the Cross River Partnership

An examination and assessment of a wide range of business support provision in London was carried out for the Cross River Partnership. Conclusions and recommendations related to the need to do more to stimulate and support entrepreneurial activity and a number of detailed suggestions for improving existing support measures, including with respect to social enterprise support.

Contact CEEDR for more details on this project.

The Economies of Deprived Neighbourhoods

Commissioned by Department of Communities and Local Government (CLG)

This research commissioned in 2006, involved managing a programme of reviews of the evidence base in respect to various key policy issues related to the economies of deprived neighbourhoods. This involved working closely with policy advisors and research managers in a number of government departments and undertaking original mixed method, primary research within a number of case study localities.

The project produced three related reports published by CLG, which together addressed the notion of sustainable employment as a route out of poverty and social exclusion:

The Dynamics of Local economies and Deprived Neighbourhoods;
Worklessness in Deprived Neighbourhoods: A Review of Evidence;
Informal Economic Activities and Deprived Neighbourhoods.

Contact CEEDR for more details on this project or download main report

Commissioned by the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit (NRU), for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister

Launched in 2002, the Deprived Urban Post Office Fund (DUPOF) was a £15m fund run by the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit to provide grants of up to £50,000 to sub-post offices in the most deprived areas of England to help them refurbish and diversify their businesses. It was aimed at reducing the risk of closure of those sub-post offices that were not part of the Post Office's rationalisation and closure programme. The aim of the evaluation was to assess the impact of DUPOF on the performance of the sub-post offices themselves, upon other local businesses and upon local communities. The research involved an analysis of applications to the Fund, a survey of a sample of successful and unsuccessful applicants, and an in depth study of 12 assisted sub-post offices which involved a survey of general public and business customers and non-users. A follow-up survey of assisted sub-post offices was undertaken in order to assess the longer term impact. As well as a final report, the research led to the production of a Good Practice Guide for Post Office Diversification.

Contact CEEDR for more details or Download the full report.

This project was commissioned by Re (Regional Enterprise) Ltd to develop an economic development strategy for the London Borough of Barnet. This project required bringing together recent research and data for Barnet in order to produce the first triennial economic strategy for the Borough. The production of the economic strategy required three main strands of work: an economic assessment of the Borough; an input of views from Barnet's stakeholder views; and the development of proposals for Council action, setting out options for the subsequent development of an economic strategy. The focus of the strategy was translating updated data and evidence into a programme of support for economic growth in the Borough. (December 2013-March 2014)

The Final Revised Report to Re (Regional Enterprise) Ltd can be accessed on the LB of Barnet website at: Barnet's Economic Development Strategy

Devolution and Regional Governance: Tackling the Economic Needs of Deprived Areas

Commissioned by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation

This project assessed the actual and potential impact on the economic and employment needs of disadvantaged places of new and emerging governance structures at the regional and sub-regional scales. It was concerned with identifying and evaluating examples of good practice where integration between different levels of governance and economic and social policy agendas has benefited deprived localities and the people who live and work within them. The areas studied were characterised by a range of different regional economic governance arrangements as well as different types of deprived areas (i.e. inner cities, coalfields, and rural areas). They comprised four English regions (the North East; East Midlands; London; and the South West), Scotland, and Wales. The study was published by the JRF in three volumes:

'Devolution and regional governance: Tackling the economic needs of deprived areas';
'Devolved governance and the economic problems of deprived areas: the cases of Scotland, Wales and four English regions';
'Interventions to tackle the economic needs of deprived areas: analysis of six policy case studies'.

Contact CEEDR or visit the Joseph Rowntree Foundation website for more details on this project.

Understanding local economic development strategy and local economic assessments at the local and sub-regional level

Commissioned by the Department of Communities and Local Government (CLG)

This research commissioned in 2008, contributed to the consultation exercise over the implementation of the recommendations of the Subnational Review of Economic Development and Regeneration (SNR) undertaken by the government. The recommendations of the Subnational Review included a proposal that a statutory duty should be imposed upon local authorities to assess the local economy. The objective of this review was to better understand what was currently going on in terms of the scale and range of local level assessments/audits currently being undertaken by the existing range of bodies operating at the sub-regional and local level. The project comprised two elements. First the assembly of a comprehensive list of all sub-regional partnerships operating within England and their principal types of local economic activity. Second a review of the economic development strategies and local economic assessments/audits currently being undertaken by local authorities (of differing types) and a range of sub-regional bodies. For this second element, primary and secondary research was undertaken in four regions: the North East, the South West, the East Midlands and London.

The key findings of this work were published in a report entitled: Review of economic assessment and strategy activity at the local and sub-regional level, by CLG. The report reviews the range of types of economic assessments currently being produced at the local and sub regional level. It also examines the changing forms of sub regional structures and identifies tensions that need to be addressed in the development of future economic assessments and strategies.

Contact CEEDR for more details.

Baseline Study and Economic Assessment of ELLV Objective 2 Area, (1996)

For Government Office for London - study undertaken in collaboration with CRESR , Sheffield Hallam University

This study provided a series of baseline indicators for subsequent evaluations of the Objective 2 programme. Using the baseline study and a range of secondary data, the Economic Assessment reviewed economic trends and prospects, business trends and prospects, employment and social issues, and physical infrastructure. The implications for the 1997-99 Objective 2 programme were also considered.

Contact CEEDR for more details on this project.

Key Sectors in Enfield and the Lee Valley Corridor, (2000)

For Enfield Council

A study building on the Key Sectors in North London project but focussed on Enfield and Enfield's Lee Valley corridor, with a view to informing the Borough's Economic Development Plan for 2000-2001.

Contact CEEDR for more details on this project.

Enhancing Choice in Public Sector Services in Rural England

Commissioned by the Countryside Agency

This study, commissioned in 2006, examined the operation of the 'quasi markets' for health and education in rural areas and the effects of government plans to extend choice in public services. The research examined the behaviour of providers in the public, private and voluntary sector and the extent to which they are able or willing to provide a choice of services of a suitable quality for all people in rural areas including those from disadvantaged groups. In contexts where there may not be a choice, the study identified the types of the additional investment by the public sector required to provoke a response by the existing or potential providers, or identifying alternative policies. The research team included inputs from the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) and Edmund Waterhouse.

Contact CEEDR for more details on this project.

Commissioned by Research England and British Business Bank

This project examined the support environment that encourages entrepreneurship around universities. The work involved producing a literature review on the concept of the entrepreneurial university eco-system, including a summary of the likely key relevant features of the London eco-system. Specific attention was given to networking, business support and finance. The Middlesex team included Robyn Owen and Fergus Lyon from CEEDR with Hsing-Fen Lee and Simon Best from MLO. The project was led by the consultants SQW.

Download the Literature Review and Technical Note

ESRC Seminar Series: Entrepreneurship in Homes and Neighbourhoods

Commissioned by the Economic and Social Research Council

This seminar series aims to advance knowledge on the roles of homes and neighbourhoods in firm formation and entrepreneurship and inform/influence enterprise and housing policy and practice. By gaining a better understanding of the significance of the embeddedness of entrepreneurship in homes and neighbourhoods we seek to critically advance the view that entrepreneurial activities are local assets that require more attention in enterprise, neighbourhood and housing research and policy, and open up new perspectives for economic growth.

This series will comprise three two-day and three one-day seminars over the course of three years:

Seminar 1: Understanding connections between entrepreneurship, home and neighbourhoods, 23rd and 24th January 2014, University of Glasgow, Glasgow.
Seminar 2: Home-based businesses in their local settings, 16th September 2014, Middlesex University, London.
Seminar 3: Entrepreneurship and homes – regulation, finance and planning, 15th January 2015, BIS, London.
Seminar 4: Entrepreneurial neighbourhoods, 9th and 10th September 2015, Delft University of Technology, Netherlands.
Seminar 5: Pathways to Inclusive Entrepreneurship and Growth, 22nd January 2016, 10 am –4 pm at the Scottish Government, St Andrews House, Edinburgh
Organisers and contact: Dr Darja Reuschke, University of St Andrews,
Tom Craig, Entrepreneurship Team, Scottish Government

*Places are limited. For registration, please, send an email to Darja Reuschke.
Download the programme here
Seminar 6: Research agenda and policy implications

The seminar series is a joint initiative by researchers from the Universities of St Andrews, Middlesex, Glasgow, and Delft. The organisers comprise: Dr Darja Reuschke (St Andrews); Prof Stephen Syrett (Middlesex); Prof Colin Mason (Glasgow); Prof Maarten van Ham (Delft University of Technology) and Prof Duncan Maclennan (St Andrews).

Negotiating Skills for Sustainable Growth: Trade Unions and the Sector Skills Councils

Commissioned by Wales Institute of Social Research and Data Methods (WISERD)

This research was commissioned in 2010 to explored trade union roles and participation on the UK Sector Skills Councils (SSCs). The research, small scale and exploratory in nature, analysed through a survey of union representatives and other trade union stakeholder how trade unions are engaged organisationally, and their influences on skills policy agendas. The study took a case study approach focusing on apprenticeships, initiatives to promote more women in vocational training such as the women and work sector skills initiative. Given the close interest of Union movement in international and specifically European models of good practices the research analyses the Danish VET system and assesses the lessons that can be drawn from Denmark. The paper concludes with an analysis of future potential directions in bargaining and influencing skills that trade unions can take through the SSCs.

Improving Labour Market Outcomes in South Africa

Commissioned by the British Council

This project (commissioned between 2009-2013), investigated the interaction between employers and job seekers in the recruitment and selection process. The research found that interventions from local government, employers' groups and trade unions had achieved very limited impact and identified a number of failings both on the supply side and the demand side of the local labour market and set out a series of interventions to address these failings. British Council funding was used to develop a set of development programmes for job seekers, a programme of support for employers and briefings for Trade Unions, NGOs and policy makers.

Activities included delivering development workshops to unemployed job seekers in the most disadvantaged areas, seeking to equip participants with job search, employability and entrepreneurial skills and enabling the job seekers to more effectively align themselves with the needs of employers. The development workshops started in 2009, and in the four years since, over 3,000 unemployed people have graduated from these workshops. An independent evaluation found that over 80% of participants had progressed within 3 months either to employment, officially accredited training or had started their own business enterprise.

Download independent evaluation summary report:

Improving Labour Market Outcomes in South Africa

Commissioned by the British Academy

‘Modern slavery’ is a relationship based on severe exploitation – often, though not always, economic exploitation. It is defined by a range of ‘slavery-like practices’, which can include forced or compulsory labour, servitude, forced or servile marriage, the sale or exploitation of children, human trafficking, and debt bondage. In all instances, this exploitative relationship is characterised by the control over a person through the prospect or reality of violence, and is enabled by a poor human rights framework.

Modern businesses rely on global supply chains which connect consumers to goods and labour. One alarming feature of modern business in both the developed and developing world is the prevalence of modern slavery. The scale and complexity of modern supply chains means they can be extremely difficult to govern, and exploitative practices are often difficult to detect. Modern slavery has consequently become a hidden crime of global significance. In developing countries where regulation is weak, there is considerable potential for exploitation, especially low down in the supply chain.

To address these abuses, the United Nations (UN) included within the Sustainable Development Agenda a specific target for states. National governments were called upon to take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking, and to secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour by 2030. This specific development goal, SDG 8.7, was closely connected to other ambitions including promoting decent work, gender equality and the right to education. In addition to the UN’s Sustainable Development Agenda, several states have introduced domestic legislation. One of the most notable examples is the UK’s 2015 Modern Slavery Act, which requires companies to confirm the steps taken to ensure that slavery and human trafficking are not taking place in the business (or in any supply chain) or declare that no steps to confirm the existence of slavery or trafficking have been taken. In so doing the Act gives law enforcement the tools to fight modern slavery, ensure perpetrators can receive suitably severe punishments for these crimes and enhances support and protection for victims.

Businesses need efficient global supply chains, but face legal, reputational and economic risks from issues around slavery, human trafficking and child labour. Productive global supply chains require well trained, healthy and educated people. Moreover, they create millions of new consumers. The failure to tackle the human rights abuses in production and services has the potential to damage the finance and reputation of businesses, as investors and consumers are increasingly sensitive to the ethical performance of the companies they engage with, as well as their record on human rights.

One key challenge for businesses was how best to respond to (the risk of) human rights abuses within the production process across all sectors. Global businesses are often exceptionally complex and the challenge of governing across the supply chain is not to be understated. Companies are often reliant on tools, such as social auditing, to detect risks within their supply chains, which may not identify all existing and potential abuses and which are rarely open to public scrutiny. Many human rights violations take place in the informal sector, which makes them even more difficult to detect. Hence, businesses cannot be fully sure that this approach is an effective way of tackling modern slavery, human trafficking and child labour, or whether their responses to these problems actually drive bad practice even further underground. Current understanding of what works in addressing modern slavery, human trafficking and child labour is very limited.

Recognising the existing evidence gap, in November 2017, the British Academy - the UK’s independent national academy representing the humanities and social sciences - initiated a programme, ‘Tackling Slavery, Human Trafficking and Child Labour in Modern Business’, with support from the UK’s Department for International Development. The programme aims to promote ground-breaking research and make evidence widely available and accessible to those seeking to develop and support more effective policies, business models and interventions in relation to Sustainable Development Goal 8.7. This programme has funded eight innovative and interlinked research projects which seek to identify promising practices and share knowledge about what works at scale in different contexts.

The projects was led by multi-disciplinary research teams from universities in the UK and the USA, including Bath, Bristol, Brown, Coventry, Leeds Liverpool, Nottingham, and Sussex and are global in nature. Field research took place in Bangladesh, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Mexico, Peru and Vietnam.

The projects compared production processes across different sectors including chocolate and textiles, beef production and timber, construction and domestic work, among others. In addition, there were detailed single case studies of the development of smartphone technology in East Asia, child sex trafficking in Jamaica, and debt bondage and seafood production in Indonesia. Though it was not the sole topic of research, all eight projects addressed issues around gender (including childhood), and also aimed to work with researchers and other stakeholders in developing countries to help build local capacity in tackling the challenges of modern slavery, human trafficking and child labour.

Read our publication in the British Academy Review, No.32, Spring 2018

Renewing VET provision: Understanding feedback mechanisms between initial VET and the labour market

Commissioned by the European Commission Vocational and Education Agency (Cedefop)

This study was carried out by Dr David Etherington (CEEDR) and Professor Carol Costley (Work and Learning Research Centre) as part of a wider Consortium also involving 3s Consulting ( lead partner in Vienna), Tallinn University, Estonia and Consoltor, Norway.

The key finding was that the role and position of actors and the involvement of stakeholder was the most decisive criterion in characterising differences in feedback mechanism in particular the role of social partners. However there were also big differences in the involvement of other stakeholder groups such as teachers or students, and among the social partners.

The study found also that the nature of social dialogue as it shapes cooperation was central in terms of providing a close link between education policy and the labour market as well as meeting some of the key challenges posed by the current economic crisis and downturn.

The economic crisis has led to reinforcement of social dialogue in VET in many countries (e.g. in France, Spain and Sweden). In some countries this led to new forms of apprenticeship like systems (e.g. in Sweden and England) which are also trying to introduce new feedback mechanism with a stronger involvement of the social partners. Download published report

Commissioned by Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)

UK research on pregnancy and maternity related discrimination at work[1] found that small employers had the lowest awareness about the rights of pregnant and newly maternal employees, and that they were least likely to provide options for flexible working. In the UK, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) account for 99.9% of the business population, three fifths of the employment and around half of turnover in the private sector. Whilst this research has highlighted the concerning extent of pregnancy and maternity related discrimination in differently sized UK workplaces, the study neither included specific recommendations on how to improve maternity support in SMEs, nor the experiences of new fathers. However, the management of new parenthood in SMEs is very different from large firms as SMEs are characterised by a number of key features, including resource scarcity and preference of more informal approaches to staff management. They often do not have a dedicated Human Resources department and no written maternity/paternity policies. SME owners/managers are also often more resistant to maternity/paternity protection regulations than large firms, fearing the time and costs involved.

Our 3-year study, which is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), addresses an important gap in detailed knowledge on transition to parenthood in UK SMEs and is designed to have a direct impact on practice and policy as well as academic understanding of the management of maternity/paternity in SMEs. It is timely as it feeds into current/recent UK policy debates on parental leave, flexible working, and on how to support fathers in the workplace. However, while focusing on the UK, our project addresses a global problem: SMEs are globally under-researched although they employ the majority of (parental) workers worldwide.

The project includes key stakeholders in the co-design of context-sensitive, low-cost and scalable solutions for effective management of new parenthood in SME workplaces through: 1) our practice-based co-investigators Working Families and the Fatherhood Institute; and 2) our Advisory Board – confirmed members include the International Labour Organization (ILO), Equality and Human Rights Commission, Maternity Action, Acas, Federation of Small Businesses, Medical Women’s Federation, SME (owner-) managers, SME employees – including expectant/new mothers and fathers, and policy makers.

We adopt a mixed methods design, combining quantitative and qualitative elements. Specifically, data collection will include the following elements:

1. Employing a longitudinal and participatory approach, qualitative data will be collected on experiences in relation to pregnancy, maternity/paternity/adoption/shared parental leave, flexible working, breastfeeding and childcare support, and accompanied by an awareness raising intervention co-designed by (owner-)-managers and employees. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted with (owner-)managers and employees in three phases over a one-year period. In addition, focus groups will be conducted with a) prospective/expecting parents; b) co-workers to explore perceptions and experiences related to new parenthood and work; c) parents who requested flexible working.

2. Two large-scale cross-sectional surveys of employees and employers working in SMEs to complement the qualitative data and more broadly explore attitudes, intentions, experiences and social norms around pregnancy, breastfeeding and childcare support, parental leave and flexible working for parents and the availability to and take-up by mothers and fathers to further inform academic and policy debates.

Key outputs will include a final report, data-sets emerging from the different methods, an awareness raising toolkit with a focus on SME specific low-cost solutions, a video designed to support positive employer-employee interactions, and a series of factsheets and related short video documentaries. Dissemination, user engagement and impact activities will include a stakeholder engagement event and a one-day academic conference, presentations at academic conferences and publications in peer-reviewed journals.

For more information on this study, please contact project leader Dr Bianca Stumbitz ([email protected]).

[1] See https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/managing-pregnancy-and-maternity-workplace/pregnancy-and-maternity-discrimination-research-findings.

Commissioned by The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

The Government’s National Security Strategy (NSS) and Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR), introduced ‘Promoting our Prosperity’ as a national security objective. This included commitments to refresh defence industrial policy as one of a number of measures to help the UK’s defence industry grow and compete successfully, to drive greater innovation in defence procurement, and to ensure that future investment decisions contribute to a more dynamic and productive economy. To support this work BIS identified a need to better understand the contribution that the defence sector currently makes to the UK economy and commissioned this project to refresh, and develop further, the evidence base to support the UK government in assessing the costs and benefits of investment decisions in defence. A particular focus of the project was on identifying the wage premium associated with skilled jobs in the UK defence sector in comparison with jobs requiring the same skills in other sectors. For this purpose an experimental approach (e.g. Propensity Score Matching) was employed.

Download report

Client - Economic and Social Research Council

In 2010 the Coalition Government (CG) introduced a more stringent workfare (or work first) regime than under previous New Labour Governments - access to benefits became conditional on tougher work and work-search requirements, and the reforms also involved an increased use of the benefit cap and sanctions. The CG established its flagship welfare to work programme via the Work Programme involving an extension of the market in the provision of welfare to work services for long term unemployed. The report, drawing on stakeholder interviews and literature/evidence based review; (1) analysed and assessed the implementation of the Coalition Government welfare reforms with a specific focus on different aspects of welfare and benefit conditionality;(2) Assessed the extent to which conditionality reinforces poverty and social exclusion of benefit claimants; and (3) Considered how the welfare reforms and increases the conditionality impact on the social rights of claimants. Our findings suggested that conditionality itself seemed to play a relatively minor role in driving employment outcomes – particularly for the more disadvantaged groups - and there are potential longer term dis benefits, including issues of poverty, as well as low pay and continued poverty in work.

Download here

Commissioned by the Economic and Social Research Council

This series will comprise three two-day and three one-day seminars over the course of three years:

Seminar 1: Understanding connections between entrepreneurship, home and neighbourhoods, 23rd and 24th January 2014, University of Glasgow, Glasgow.
Seminar 2: Home-based businesses in their local settings, 16th September 2014, Middlesex University, London.
Seminar 3: Entrepreneurship and homes – regulation, finance and planning, 15th January 2015, BIS, London.
Seminar 4: Entrepreneurial neighbourhoods, 9th and 10th September 2015, Delft University of Technology, Netherlands.
Seminar 5: Pathways to Inclusive Entrepreneurship and Growth, 22nd January 2016, 10 am –4 pm at the Scottish Government, St Andrews House, Edinburgh
Organisers and contact: Dr Darja Reuschke, University of St Andrews,
Tom Craig, Entrepreneurship Team, Scottish Government

*Places are limited. For registration, please, send an email to Darja Reuschke.
Download the programme here

Seminar 6: Research agenda and policy implications

Commissioned by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS)

A growth hub is a local public/private sector partnership led by the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP). Partners often include chambers of commerce, Federation of Small Businesses and other business bodies, universities/university business schools, private sector bodies, and national government. The growth hubs partnerships are designed to promote, co-ordinate and deliver business support within an LEP, providing a mechanism for integrating national and local business support so it is easier for businesses to access. This simplification aspect is a central purpose of the growth hubs. There is now a complete network of thirty nine growth hubs. The purpose of this project is to provide an initial evaluation of the growth hubs by 1) reviewing the Annual Report and other documents produced by each hub 2) classifying the hubs into five types based on their delivery model, as well as other factors 3) conducting interviews to further clarify and assess the nature of the delivery model and its impact 4) Assessing each growth hub’s progress in terms of simplifying business support.

In the absence of existing in depth research and monitoring of the enterprise dynamics in the Barnet economy, CEEDR was commissioned by the London Barnet of Barnet to undertake research into the enterprise dynamics in the Barnet economy. This project had three aims: (1) to gain greater understanding of the Barnet business economy to provide informed basis for strategy development and policy actions; (2) to gain greater understanding of business needs and how these are being met through current business support provision; (3) To identify key indicators to monitor performance of the business economy and the impact of support actions. A mixed method approach was adopted combining analysis of existing secondary materials and quantitative data with original primary data collection and analysis. (September 2012 to January 2013)

Impact on local economic growth and governance

The objective of transforming the prospects of disadvantaged areas and promoting local economic growth has been a recurrent policy concern of successive governments. At CEEDR we have worked with all levels of government to help address the problem.

Policy development

We have helped to inform policy development in the area of local economic growth, working closely with the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG, formerly ODPM);other Government departments (including Business Innovation and Skills, Work and Pensionsand HM Treasury); and many local authorities and sub-national. Our work includes:

original empirical research;
reviews of the existing evidence base; and
evaluation of existing policies.

Our research findings have been influential for over a decade. Notable examples include:

Heseltine Review: Professor Stephen Syrett was an invited speaker to the Lord Heseltine Review on UK Competitiveness, in relation to the role of local areas in promoting economic growth (12 July 2012).
Advice to DCLG: Professor Stephen Syrett was appointed as a Member of Department of Communities and Local Government Expert Panel on 'Neighbourhoods, Cities and Regions Analysis' (NCRA) (2007-2010) and an invited expert in the DCLG Enquiry Week (March 2012) and other policy review events. Our work was also cited in the major restatement of the regeneration policy agenda by DCLG entitled Transforming places: Changing Lives. A Framework for Regeneration (2008).
Participation in the Review of Sub-National Economic Development and Regeneration (SNR) (2006-07), a major cross-governmental review led by HM Treasury. CEEDR submitted a written paper (November 2006)and our work is cited in the Review (2007). Professors North and Syrett were invited experts at successive HM Treasury workshops (July and October 2006).

Enterprise and work in the regeneration of deprived neighbourhoods

We have conducted a number of major reviews of the existing evidence about enterprise and work in regenerating deprived areas for the ODPM/DCLG, as well as undertaking original primary analysis for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and DCLG.

The impact of our work includes:

Local Enterprise Growth Initiative: Our research findings on the weak business base and entrepreneurial culture of deprived areas were taken forward in the design and introduction of a major government initiative in 2005 (£100m per year).
Production of think-pieces for DCLG and DWP: Professor Stephen Syrettwas commissioned to produce a think-piece on 'Tackling worklessness in deprived places', presented to a DWP/CLG seminar, and another on 'How the regeneration problem should be addressed', presented to a CLG 'Regeneration Futures' roundtable (August 2009).
Guidance related to Post Office closures in deprived areas: CEEDR research led to the publication of a widely circulated and cited good practice guide for Post Office diversification (2005).
Evidence presented to Scottish Parliament: Professors David North and Stephen Syrett were invited to present evidence to the Finance Committee of the Scottish Parliament as part of their cross-cutting review of expenditure on area based deprivation.

Governance and processes

Our research work has examined governance practices and processes related to local economic policy, and provided data for understanding the workings of local economies. Impacts include:

London Borough of Barnet's economic development strategy: We have an ongoing involvement in the development of this strategy (2012-13).
Advising the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS): In 2012, we were invited to provide BIS with economic and business intelligence for London on an ongoing basis.
Local Area Agreements and local economic development: Our research report published by DCLG was launched by the Rt Hon Rosie Winter, Minister of State in July 2009, and fed into wider consultations for the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act (2009).
Local Economic Assessments: Findings from our research on Local Economic Assessments (LEAs) (2008) was a key background document circulated to stakeholders as part of the consultation process over what statutory requirement should be placed upon local authorities to produce LEAs.

Economic Indicators for the North Wales Economy (1998)

For CELTEC - North Wales TEC

CEEDR and the Centre for Applied Research in Economics (CARE) at Middlesex University Business School developed a set of economic indicators to enable CELTEC to monitor trends in the local economy and produce medium term forecasts. The results have been incorporated into a quarterly review of the economy published by CELTEC.

Contact CEEDR for more details on this project.

Journal Articles

Syrett, S. and North, D. (forthcoming 2010) 'New Labour and the economic revitalisation of deprived neighbourhoods' Local Economy (Special Issue: Thirteen Years of New Labour, vol. 25, no.5.

Etherington D and Jones M (2009) 'City Regions and New Geographies of Uneven Development and Inequality', Regional Studies, 43,2, 247-265

North, D. & Syrett, S. (2008) 'Making the Links: Economic Deprivation, Neighbourhood Renewal and Scales of Governance, Regional Studies, Vol 42, No. 2, pp. 133-148.

Evans, M. and Syrett, S. (2007) 'Generating social capital? The social economy and local economic development', European Urban and Regional Studies, vol.14, no.1, pp.53-72.

Syrett, S. (2006) 'Governing the global city: Economic challenges and London's new institutional arrangements', Local Government Studies, vol.32, no.3, pp.293-309. (Special issue on the governance of London).

Silva, C.N. and Syrett, S. (2006) ' Governing Lisbon: evolving forms of city governance', International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, vol.30, no.1, pp.98-119

Syrett, S. and Baldock, R. (2003) 'Reshaping London's economic governance: the role of the London Development Agency', European Urban and Regional Studies, vol.10, no.1, pp.69-86.

Syrett, S. and Silva, C.N. (2001) 'Regional Development Agencies in Portugal: Past Developments and Future Challenges', Regional Studies, vol.35, no.2, pp.174-180.

North, D. & Baldock, R. (2000) 'From Crisis Manager to Strategic Partner: The Changing Role of Four London Boroughs in Economic Regeneration', Town Planning Review , 71.4, pp 435-454

Local Area Agreements and Local Economic Development

Commissioned by the Department of Communities and Local Government

This research commissioned in 2008, investigated the adoption of economic related indicators within Local Area Agreements and their relation to local processes of economic development. The research provided CLG with a better understanding of the factors that influenced the selection of LAA economic related indicators within particular local areas and the nature of the relationship between these indicators and the particularities of local economies and processes of local economic development. The project involved an in depth investigation of 10 case study areas from across England purposively selected to cover a range of different economic conditions, governance arrangements and types of economic related indicators selected. Within each case study area, primary data was assembled through face-to-face interviews conducted with key stakeholders involved in the LAA process. CLG has used the findings of this work both in relation to the implementation of the recommendations of the Sub National Review on Economic Development and Regeneration and in reviewing the overall LAA process.

Contact CEEDR for more details on this project.

Mapping Partnerships in North London (2000)

for North London TEC

This project for North London TEC Learning and Skills Council (LSC) transition committee involved mapping current economic regeneration partnerships located in the four London boroughs of Haringey, Enfield, Barnet and Waltham Forest that will be contained within the proposed new North London LSC. The study found nearly fifty partnerships and details contact names, key partner organisations, activities undertaken, and funding stream data.

Contact CEEDR for more details on this project.

Commissioned by the Small Business Service (now the Department for Business Innovation and Skills)

This project commissioned in 2002, developed a set of methodologies to measure the impact of different forms of enterprise (social and conventional) on local economies in disadvantaged rural and urban areas. The qualitative and quantitative impacts measured by the tools include: jobs created, services provided, money circulating in the local economy, building 'social capital', and building experience and skills. The results can be used to identify which types of enterprise have a larger impact on disadvantaged areas and to provide evidence of impact of public sector intervention.

Contact CEEDR for more details on this project.

Key Sectors in North London (1999)

For North London TEC

The purpose of this study was to help identify the key sectors to support in North London over the next ten years and to advise on the further research necessary to enable a full assessment of the support needs of each of these sectors. After an overview of sectoral performance for the 1991-97 period, various alternative ways of defining sectors were considered including the notion of 'economic clusters'. Various criteria for identifying key sectors were considered and then 7 key sectors identified and examined in greater depth.

Contact CEEDR for more details on this project.

Taking North London Forward: A Preliminary Study, (1997)

For North London TEC

This study was concerned with providing an overview of recent trends and an analysis of current strengths and weaknesses of the North London economy, using a wide range of existing studies and data sources. It included analysis of trends and prospects in key sectors and different types of business, labour market trends and training provision, demographic and social trends, and physical development and transport.

Contact CEEDR for more details on this project.

Publications

Books

Syrett, S. & North, D. (2008) Renewing Neighbourhoods: Work, Enterprise and Governance, 290 pages, Policy Press, Bristol, ISBN: 978 1 86134 861 6

North, D., Syrett, S., & Etherington, D. (2007) Devolution and Regional Governance: Tackling the economic needs of deprived areas, 119 pages, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, York, ISBN: 978 1 85935 614 2

Syrett, S. (ed) (2002) Contemporary Portugal: Dimensions of Economic and Political Change, Ashgate, Aldershot. ISBN 0 7546 1265 1 (235 pages)

Syrett, S. and Baldock, R. (eds) (2001) Governing London: Competitiveness and Regeneration in a Global City, Middlesex University Press, London.ISBN 1 898253 45 5 (163 pages)

Book chapters

Syrett, S. (forthcoming 2010) 'Theorising marginalisation in cities and regions', in M. Danson and P. de Souza (eds) Peripherality, marginality and border issues in Northern Europe, Routledge.

Syrett, S. and Silva, C.N. (2005) 'Metropolitan governance and regionalism: the case of Lisbon' in I. Sagan and H. Halkier (eds) Regionalism Contested: Institutions, Society and Territorial Governance, Ashgate, Aldershot, pp.247-264..

Syrett, S. (2002) 'Economic change and regional development in Portugal', in S. Syrett (ed) Contemporary Portugal: Dimensions of Economic and Political Change, Ashgate, Aldershot, pp.47-82.

Syrett, S. and Baldock, R. (2001) 'Changing times, changing styles: new forms of economic governance in London', in S. Syrett and R. Baldock (eds) (2001) Governing London: Competitiveness and Regeneration in a Global City, Middlesex University Press, London, pp.1-22.

Syrett, S. and Baldock, R. (2001) 'Governing London: challenges for the new economic governance' in S. Syrett and R. Baldock, R (eds) (2001) Governing London: Competitiveness and Regeneration in a Global City, Middlesex University Press, London, pp.48-160.

Journal articles