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Impacts include:
Through repeat-funded projects, Business and Information Systems Research Centre (BISC) has developed strong European collaborations with Research Technology Developers (RTDs), SMEs and public body partners. Funded projects have addressed European R&D dissemination and use in health-based SMEs; knowledge transfer in the environmental sector; and knowledge transfer in manufacturing.
This international research project, based on the work of a consortium of five European countries led by the University of Salford in the area of Enterprise Cultural Heritage (ECH), (the term describing an organisation's history and its creations that have the potential to uniquely innovate and differentiate their products and services), demonstrates the following impact:
International evidence suggests that small firms provide the main source of new jobs in almost all economies. Policy support can be important in fostering and facilitating SME growth. Dr Kevin Mole, Professor Stephen Roper and Professor David Storey have helped the UK government and regional economic development agencies to develop, implement and evaluate new policy initiatives for supporting SME growth. Building on the UK research, and partnering with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Professor Roper has shaped SME policy development and evaluation in the Western Balkans as countries have sought to upgrade their SME support regimes and align their policy frameworks to those of the European Community.
This case study describes the effects of a new performance management system, developed in China and adopted by organisations facing complex management challenges. To date, seven public and private sector organisations have successfully used the `3E' (Effectiveness, Efficacy, and Efficiency) system for tasks as varied as developing performance indicators, improving management communication and designing appraisal systems that work under conditions of rapid growth and change.
The participating organisations include the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Hunan University, Tonsan Adhesives Inc, Xingxiang Insurance, Sun-rivier local government, Liao-ling Plaze hotel and Hua-bao International Holdings. Their adoption of the 3E system has resulted in improved performance management within these organisations.
Since its inception in 2005, Bangor Business School's Centre for Business Research (CBR) has developed a research agenda focusing on the North West Wales (NWW) EU convergence region, which is dominated by Small-to-Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) with a distinctively bilingual (Welsh/English) flavour operating in a rural setting. This research has had a significant impact on both local and regional economies by changing the strategies for innovation and growth of individual SME's. The achieved impact came in the form of tangible growth (5% in one instance), successful bidding & grant acquisition (£400K in one case), improved marketing and customer-management, and enhanced knowledge transfer partnerships, which are reflected in greater employment opportunities as evidenced from the supportive statements of the main users of this research
This research into treatment for employees with disabilities provides one of the UK's Equality Performance Indicators and recommendations from it have been incorporated into UK legislation. Hundreds of organisations have used the research to promote better treatment for employees with disabilities; public-sector employers, including government departments, have relied on it to meet their statutory duties and it has helped the UK to fulfil its international treaty and convention obligations in respect of people with disabilities. This research has helped the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to fulfil its statutory role to promote equality and human rights.
This case study refers to the work in supporting SMEs' e-business adoption undertaken by staff in the Business and Information Systems Research Centre (BISC) led by Professor Duan. Our research was supported by a number of EU funded projects, including VEGNET (knowledge transfer in e-supply chains), TRIMAR (e-marketing for SMEs), TRICTSME (e-commerce in SMEs), LFEC (Languages for e-commerce), Webstep (Business website design for SMEs), amongst others. SMEs are the principal beneficiaries of all these projects, with our research impacts on SMEs including:
The University of South Wales, through their Welsh Enterprise Institute (including Global Entrepreneurship Monitor) has developed a long and impressive history of Entrepreneurship research. It was because of this record of producing high impact research work that the Federation of Small Business (FSB) survey was awarded and conducted in 2008. The survey examined the barriers to growth of small firms from a wide range of economic and managerial perspectives. The impact of the survey generated numerous policy documents, as well as academic research outputs.
Both the introduction of legislation in England and Wales and the mandatory recording of interviews with criminal suspects has led to an increased examination and understanding of what happens in such interviews. Such studies have led to a prescribed framework, which following its implementation, has led to further study concerning its efficacy in gathering a reliable account. This case study, demonstrates how (through dissemination of the research and through working with practitioners) particular research findings concerning approaches to the investigative interviewing of suspects have influenced the practices of those users of the research both in this country and overseas.
A series of empirical research studies, underpinned by economic theory, explored enterprise support and urban settlement structure. The research contributed significantly to the evidence base used by East Midlands Development Agency (EMDA) in developing their Regional Economic Strategy (RES), and was key in shaping two of the Strategic Priorities. More generally, the research-based recommendations informed EMDA policy development, in particular, the £290 million Single Programme investment set out in the RES. The research also helped shape county councils' support for enterprise, innovation and business. More recently, the research has informed the shape of regional economic development beyond the regional development agencies into new government policy through the new Local Enterprise Partnerships; for example Lincolnshire's £14 million investment in broadband.