The Observatory's Enterprise and Innovation Team undertake research on the economic themes of enterprise and innovation in the West Midlands. Understanding the way that these key processes work in driving economic change is a challenging task. It's a task that involves close collaboration with policy makers, academe, public and third sectors, as well as businesses.
Our work aims to assess the scale of the challenge facing the West Midlands and inform policy makers as to where best to target their efforts. Our work is steered by the Innovation Technology Council.
Enterprise and innovation in the West Midlands
When compared against the national economy, the West Midlands region is estimated to be achieving a level of economic output £10bn below its potential. Analysis undertaken in the preparation of Connecting for Success, the West Midlands Economic Strategy, concluded that 80% of this was attributable to lower levels of output from region’s businesses while the remaining 20% was due to below average levels of economic activity across the West Midlands.
Increasing levels of enterprise have a positive impact on overall economic growth. Enterprise is reflected through the increase and diversity of new business start-ups, stimulated by facilitating a positive entrepreneurial culture among all groups and through the growth of existing businesses; from small micro-businesses through to large international firms.
Innovation, widely defined as the successful exploitation of new ideas, can enable competitive advantage through new products, services and processes. New ideas can open up new market opportunities which enable the region's firms to be market leaders.
Meet the team
Brian MacAulay
Senior Research Analyst
Email Brian.MacAulay@wmro.org
Tel 0121 202 3247
Directory of Specialists profile
Brian leads the Enterprise and Innovation team focusing research on these key regional challenges. While continuing to provide analysis and commentary of current and future broader economic questions affecting the region and contributing economic analysis on wider strategic research, his focus is on the delivery of research and analysis to support the Enterprise Board and Innovation Technology Council.
Brian continues to lead the Observatory’s work on the integrated policy model, a new integrated spatial modelling tool that will support a wide range of strategic themes. He is the Observatory’s main contact for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.
Russell Hornsey
Research Analyst
Email Russell.Hornsey@wmro.org
Tel 0121 202 3287
Russell is the Research Analyst working on enterprise and innovation projects, as well as leading on monitoring and reporting inward investment into the West Midlands. Russell joined us from Advantage West Midlands where he was Intelligence & Information Manager in the Strategy Team providing data, analysis and GIS mapping solutions to Agency staff and external enquirers.
Martin Sullivan
Research Assistant
Email Martin.Sullivan@wmro.org
Tel 0121 202 3281
Martin collects economic information and assists with data processing, presentation and report writing.
Before joining the Observatory in 2008, Martin supported a number of projects for Medway Council's Research and Review team and Birmingham City Council's Planning and Regeneration service. Martin has a BA in Geography from Oxford University.