The Enterprise Research Centre (ERC) led by Professor Stephen Roper of Warwick Business School at the University of Warwick, and Professor Mark Hart of Aston University has been awarded half a million pounds to research up to 10,000 of UK’s smallest employing businesses.

The government funding is part of a £2 million research programme supporting the implementation of the industrial strategy.

The focus of the project will be micro-employers (i.e. firms with 1-9 employees) which have been in business for more than three years. This will exclude the self-employed (with no employees) and also exclude start-ups with little trading history and which are liable to particularly high failure rates.

Professor Stephen Roper of Warwick Business School said:

"This “Micro-business Britain” project will be the most detailed investigation ever undertaken of the UK’s micro-businesses, their growth potential and challenges."

"Central to the project will be a large-scale survey of micro-firms (covering up to 10,000firms) which will provide crucial data to identify specific challenges these micro-businesses face in terms of growth and raising productivity."

The four centres in the overall £2 million Government research programme, which are funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, will conduct synthetic reviews, short-term research projects and data collection aimed at helping the government to achieve the goals of its industrial strategy.

“I’m thrilled that we have successfully secured extra funding for these research centres,” said Jennifer Rubin, the ESRC’s executive chairwoman, “The UK has world-leading economists who can make a significant contribution, ensuring that rigorous research informs policy and practice.”

For further information please contact:

Peter Dunn, Director of Press and Media Relations
University of Warwick
Tel UK 024 76523708 office 07767 655860 mobile
Tel International: +44 (0)24 76523708 office +44 (0)7767 655860 mobile/cell
Email p.j.dunn@warwick.ac.uk

PR PJD 23rd April 2018