PERN

The Role of Behavioural Science in Promoting Productivity and Innovation in Regional and Local Government

This report investigates the role of behavioural science and nudging in promoting productivity and fostering innovative practices within the context of the UK’s ‘Levelling Up’ local and regional economic development agenda. A literature review is conducted to this end. This report finds positive evidence for using behavioural science in promoting productivity, mixed evidence in fostering innovation, and positive evidence in promoting adoption of innovative practices and technologies. However, in all instances, the efficacy of these interventions seems enhanced by, or contingent upon, the use of non-behavioural policy tools, such as financial incentives. Furthermore, in some contexts, behavioural interventions appear sub-optimal compared to financial incentives in fostering productivity and innovation. Therefore, the central recommendation of this report is that behavioural science appears to offer some benefits for policymakers and businesses in conjunction with traditional approaches.

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A review of the potential of R&D tax policy to support the creative industries

Creative industries represent a vital segment of the UK economy, contributing to the growth of local economies (Mateos-Garcia et al., 2018) and the country’s competitive advantage (HM Government, 2018). In 2018, the creative industries comprised 6.2% of the economy of the
United Kingdom in terms of employment (DCMS, 2019) and 5.8% in terms of gross value added (GVA) (DCMS, 2020). Additionally, the creative industries are fast growing – employment in the creative industries grew by 30.6% over the period 2011 to 2018, while the GVA in real terms increased by 43.2% since 2010 (DCMS, 2020). Creative industries tend to be innovative (Bird et al., 2020) and can be highly productive, although they constitute a diverse sector of the economy embracing a wide range of productivity levels (see Section 2 below). Currently, the creative industries, and arts, humanities and social sciences more generally, are ineligible for R&D tax policy support in the United Kingdom (Bakhshi, Breckon and Puttick, 2021). This report will explore the potential of R&D tax policy to support the creative industries.

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What on earth is ‘levelling up’?

This blog was written by Ronalds Busulwa, PhD student at the University of Huddersfield. Winner of the PERN blog competition, an achievement he shares with Marrion (Mo) Todd. To follow Ronalds on Twitter go to @BlackstudentsMH I am glad you asked! Imagine a mountain where some people are at the top while others are at …

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Levelling up and the dangers of rebranding equality

This blog was written by Marrion (Mo) Todd, Postgraduate Researcher at the University of Huddersfield. Winner of the PERN blog competition, an achievement she shares with Ronalds Busulwa. To follow Mo on Twitter go to @MoTodd5 Why has equality been given a makeover? Why are headlines incomplete without a nod towards the levelling up agenda? …

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Insight into ‘working class voices’ in economic policy – Report 2

This report uses 350,000 responses of two longitudinal British household surveys and systematically analyses detailed sets of ten demographic characteristics of participants to analyse the relevance of working-class voices to the public policy. The report focuses on two key areas, i.e., the perception of working-class about the public policymaking systems; and inclusion of their voices to the public
policy.

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CAPE Case Study: Richard Whittle, Policy Fellow (January 2022) 

Strengthening academic-policy engagement in West Yorkshire First published in CAPEnews Issue 8, 25 January CAPE is looking to understand how universities can mobilise their research findings and capabilities by working with local and regional authorities in order to enhance evidence-informed policymaking. CAPE’s West Yorkshire Policy Fellow was established in the context of West Yorkshire’s changing political …

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A fair, just and long-lasting recovery for all: Forecasting and nowcasting in West Yorkshire

An increasing concern of national and regional policymaking in response to the COVID-19 pandemic is provision of timely data on real-time economic performance and underlying activities throughout different parts of the nation and regions to give a complete signal about a fair, just, and long-lasting recovery plan for all. This briefing note outlines the economic recovery plan of the West Yorkshire region as a direct response to a request by West Yorkshire Combined Authority. The economic recovery plan has naturally evolved from a necessary immediate response to the COVID-19 pandemic to a broader re-imaging of developing a sustainable, fair and inclusive economy. This evolution brings with it a necessity to reconceptualise the aims and approaches of economic forecasting in West Yorkshire and the measurement of success.

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“Working-class voices” in economic policy – Report 1

The purpose of this report is to look at working-class involvement in local government and regional decision making. It covers whether there is engagement, at what level, and in what depth. It further offers a brief outline of what it means to be defined as working class, given that there are distinctions that set the UK apart from other countries (LSE study, 2021). The report will also look at how policy is determined and how consultation and participation by various actors feed into that process. A short survey of those involved in policymaking feeds into this report as does previous research undertaken for Wakefield District Council around poverty (Jose 2019). A rich vein of local community engagement around existing projects, such as the implementation of local community food shops. Recently the term “community engagement” has come to the fore in local government circles and is driven by a framework of ideas, ideologies, strategies and methods.

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Tender opportunity: Review into the use of R&D tax policy to support the creative industries

PERN are seeking to commission a systematic literature review (or meta analysis or similar) to understand the potential of the UK’s R&D tax policy to support the creative industries. The output should include an overview of evidence, understanding of regional differences and policy suggestions tailored to the Yorkshire / West Yorkshire economy. Find out more …

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