Productivity Project Funding: Open Call Round 2
We are excited to confirm that 8 new projects have been funded through PIN’s second public call for innovative productivity projects (closed in May 2019). Adding to PIN’s portfolio of projects working to piece together the UK’s productivity puzzle we have: 4 new ‘Small Projects’ (up to £10k in funding, duration: 4 months) and 4 ‘Pioneer Projects’ (up to £50k in funding, duration: 10 months). There were notable successes for Early Career Researchers in Round 2, a pleasing result given PIN’s ongoing work to develop ECRs.
Pioneer Projects (Round 2)
Co-producing Insights into Small Firm Growth and Productivity Gains in Peripheral Regions
Project Lead: Dr Alessandro Rosiello (University of Edinburgh)
This project will tackle gaps in research by conducting primary firm-level research that advances understandings of how scale-ups finance, internationalise, use support, and learn to manage their growth. Building on our interdisciplinary research team and policy expertise, we also meet PIN objectives through an active engagement process (reports, consultations, workshops) with policy-makers and growing businesses in the four periphery areas.
SME Productivity and Mental Health & Well-being: An Empirical Enquiry - Understanding the impact of mental health on business performance in SMEs
Project Lead: Dr Soumyadeb Chowdury (Aston University)
The project will contribute to shaping the narrative of productivity debate in the following ways: (1) understanding the impact of mental health on business performance and providing evidence for business cases; (2) key influences that drive, hold back and enable the SMEs implementing management practices to improve workplace MH; (3) needs of SMEs – both in terms of capability and capacity building.
Gender pay gap disclosure and the wage setting process
Project Lead: Dr Emma Duchini
To what extent does the gender pay gap influence firm productivity? Can policies designed to reduce this gap have an impact on firm performance?
This project will give three important cross-disciplinary contributions. First, it will add to the growing number of studies from the economic and management literature analysing the impact of pay transparency policies on personnel management decisions and gender pay and promotion gaps. While the authors find that this measure is effective at augmenting women’s promotion rate and narrowing gender pay differentials, it is unclear whether these results can extend to less egalitarian countries. This project will address this question by considering the UK setting and studying the impact of the 2017 pay transparency policy.
The Pay and Productivity Dilemma in the UK: a critical theoretical and empirical review
Project Lead: Professor Sara Cantillon
This project aims to combine 1) a critical review of the literature on the pay-productivity conundrum 2) an empirical analysis of the decoupling in the UK economy over the period 1970-2018, 3) an interdisciplinary evaluation of the findings, with a particular focus on policy orientation and labour market outcomes, and 4) a detailed case study of Scotland.
Small Projects (Round 2)
Universal Credit and In-Work Conditionality - a Productive Turn?
Project Lead: Dr Katy Jones
Universal Credit and ‘in-work conditionality’ – a productive turn? The DWP has stated that Universal Credit will help ‘business to grow’ and ‘improve productivity’ (DWP, 2018). However, the mechanisms through which this is to be achieved are unclear. Furthermore, employers have been largely absent from policy discussions. As a policy with implications for workplace social dynamics, which impact productivity (McCann, 2018), this is an important omission. This project helps to address this, asking: Will Universal Credit lead to more productive work?
Product Market Concentration and Productivity in the UK
Project Lead: Dr Anthony Savagar
The project uses new data from the Department of Business (BEIS) and the inter-departmental business register (IDBR) to study UK product market concentration and its relationship to labour productivity.
Inclusive Innovation: Sustaining Productivity and Socio-Economic Inclusion Through Innovation Centres, Hubs and Districts
Project Lead: Dr Lara Pecis
How are public and private sector organizations working together in innovation hubs to build inclusion in urban contexts and broader regions? The project aims at understanding how hubs can best promote inclusivity in entrepreneurship and act as formal support channels for specific groups including women and BME. The project will address the research question: how are public and private sector organisations working together in innovation hubs to build inclusion in urban contexts and broader regions?
Insecure Employment and Mental Health: One Pathway in the Productivity Puzzle
Project Lead: Dr Daniel Kopasker
By affecting employees’ mental health, insecure employment can impact on productivity. In response to the Taylor Review of Modern Working Practices (2017), the Government is developing legislation to address insecure employment. This project will inform the basis for policy interventions by assessing the scope for employers to benefit from reducing insecure employment.
