Megatrends and the West Midlands 2021: Future Mobility

Reflecting on what would the future of mobility post-covid is important because by adapting to the current pandemic is possible to address old problems affecting not only the society but the environment and the economy. This document explores the future urban mobility considering the challenges for transport from shift to home-working; the growth in walking and cycling; car ownership and safety on public transport. Further, this document presents also how this should be seen as in the context of long-term trends, consequences of inaction and future scenarios. From the review, it can be concluded that the post-covid megatrend for mobility is based on a different urban model that prioritize walking and cycling and other forms of micromobility but also to encourage the use of public transport not only as a short term response but as a long-term national vision

Megatrends and the West Midlands 2021: Future Mobility

Reflecting on what would the future of mobility post-covid is important because by adapting to the current pandemic is possible to address old problems affecting not only the society but the environment and the economy. This document explores the future urban mobility considering the challenges for transport from shift to home-working; the growth in walking and cycling; car ownership and safety on public transport. Further, this document presents also how this should be seen as in the context of long-term trends, consequences of inaction and future scenarios. From the review, it can be concluded that the post-covid megatrend for mobility is based on a different urban model that prioritize walking and cycling and other forms of micromobility but also to encourage the use of public transport not only as a short term response but as a long-term national vision

Investigation of How Road Users’ Perception and Attitudes Influence Intention to Commute by Bicycle in Mexico City

The thesis aims to explore attitudes and the perceived image of cycling in Mexico City and the extent to which this may be a deterrent for engaging in cycle commuting. It also explores the existence of attitudinal transport segments. Transport segments were investigated using a questionnaire developed by the Segment Project EU. Data about attitudes were collected in the same survey from a theory-based questionnaire developed from the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), extended with constructs from the Social Comparison Theory (SCT) and the Material Possessions Model (MPM). The survey was distributed on-street and online, with a simple random sample of 401 road users. The sample characteristics were: no cyclists or infrequent cyclists, living and working in Mexico City, and aged 18-60. The results indicate that the same attitudinal transport segments identified in Europe also exist in Mexico City. They also show that cycling attributes, attitudes to cycling, social comparison, and social image and prestige were the most important factors influencing intention to cycle, explaining 42% of the variance in intention to cycle. Notably, when the evaluation of cycling was negative, the intention to commute by cycling was weaker; when the attributes of cycling and the social image linked to cycling were positive, the intention to cycle commute was strengthened. The effect of social comparison is not clearly established. Although the results from this study are specific to Mexico City, they indicate areas of interest to transportation planners in other regions, especially in those cities where intention to cycle is linked to its perceived image and there is political ambition to promote a positive image of cycling and stimulate modal shift. Moreover, this study contributes to the current literature developing applications of the TPB. Future research may include further investigating social comparison as a latent construct underlying intention to cycle

Embedding Local Community Engagement in University ‎Strategy Development: Reflections From Universities in Birmingham

This policy briefing builds on work undertaken by WMREDI in conjunction with the Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES) as part of a project commissioned by Birmingham City Council (BCC). Given the focus of WMREDI on better understanding and supporting the role of universities and how community engagement can help them with their mission, we undertook a desk-review of the strategies of the five Universities in Birmingham (Aston University, Birmingham City University, Newman University, The University of Birmingham and University College Birmingham) and explored the extent to which engagement is communicated and conducted as part of strategy development

Embedding Local Community Engagement in University ‎Strategy Development: Reflections From Universities in Birmingham

This policy briefing builds on work undertaken by WMREDI in conjunction with the Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES) as part of a project commissioned by Birmingham City Council (BCC). Given the focus of WMREDI on better understanding and supporting the role of universities and how community engagement can help them with their mission, we undertook a desk-review of the strategies of the five Universities in Birmingham (Aston University, Birmingham City University, Newman University, The University of Birmingham and University College Birmingham) and explored the extent to which engagement is communicated and conducted as part of strategy development

City-REDI Policy Briefing: Improving Understanding and Measurement of Productivity

Productivity is considered to have a direct impact on individual business success and therefore is a critical determinant of economic growth. However, understanding what productivity means varies across economic sectors and these sectoral differences in understanding productivity are also linked to differences in prioritising what is measured, and in turn, differences in actions taken to improve the firm performance. In order to improve productivity levels, it is essential to have a clear understanding of what productivity means and how can we measure it. We are seeking to address this is the gap in knowledge in our study by exploring the measurement of productivity from the managers’ perspective and also the measures used and the actions taken to improve it. In this policy brief, we are reporting the findings of our study which collected data from 300 managers’ firms in the West Midlands region, across the Business Professional and Financial Services (BPFS); Advanced Manufacturing (AM); Retail (R); and Hospitality (H) sectors. This brief provides a list of policy implications of the variation in understanding productivity and concludes with a series of recommendations for policymakers

Regional Productivity Differences, Skills and Inclusive Growth: Survey Findings

This report outlines key findings from a survey of 300 firms in the West Midlands region, across the business professional and financial services; advanced manufacturing; retail; and hospitality sectors. The survey involved a 25-minute telephone interview, undertaken on behalf of the project team by IFF Research. The broad topics we covered in the survey were: (1) firmographics; (2) occupational structure; (3) productivity indicators; (4) skills – current structure, current constraints; (5) innovation; and (6) local embeddedness.The central aim of the overall project is to identify local factors that underlie and explain regional differences in productivity, with a particular focus on mismatches between the supply of and demand for specific skills. Additionally, it considers key trade-offs between productivity improvement and inclusive growth goals. The City-REDI team aims to do this by addressing the following research aims:Investigate how features of regional labour markets, especially skills, act as productivity constraints at the firm level, across different business functions and industry sectors.Examine the specific misalignments at the regional level between the supply of and demand for particular kinds of labour/ skillsExamine the motivations and outcomes of decisions about investment in skills and other factors and how these can stimulate improvements in productivity and – ideally – inclusive growth

Which kinds of firms contribute most to regional growth?:Policy Briefing

In this policy briefing, Dr Fengjie Pan and Professor Simon Collinson look at why some firms and sectors make a larger contribution to local and regional economies than others. These findings are relevant for policymakers looking to support businesses that are particularly important to the growth of the region as a whole.Summary and policy recommendationsThe success of firms and regions is interdependent and reciprocal…- Firms tend to be more competitive and perform better if they are located in regions that have good infrastructure, skills, suppliers, customers and support for innovation.- Regions grow faster and are more resilient in the face of economic shocks if they host strong, competitive and innovative firms.But, regional growth depends more on some kinds of firms than others …- The regional impact of any firm is related to both its size and its local embeddedness – that is the proportion of its assets and employment in the region and how much it buys and sells to other firms or customers in the region.- Our survey of 300 businesses in the West Midlands region, covering four sectors, has shown that firms in Hospitality and the Business Professional and Financial Services (BPFS) sector are more embedded in the region, with a larger proportion of local suppliers and customers than those in Retail and Advanced Manufacturing.Policymakers need to consider this and other evidence to improve the targeting of interventions and support to benefit firms that contribute most to local growth.This work is part of City-REDI's Productivity and Prosperity: Inclusive Growth for the West Midlands project

Regional Productivity Differences, Skills and Inclusive Growth: Survey Findings

This report outlines key findings from a survey of 300 firms in the West Midlands region, across the business professional and financial services; advanced manufacturing; retail; and hospitality sectors. The survey involved a 25-minute telephone interview, undertaken on behalf of the project team by IFF Research. The broad topics we covered in the survey were: (1) firmographics; (2) occupational structure; (3) productivity indicators; (4) skills – current structure, current constraints; (5) innovation; and (6) local embeddedness.The central aim of the overall project is to identify local factors that underlie and explain regional differences in productivity, with a particular focus on mismatches between the supply of and demand for specific skills. Additionally, it considers key trade-offs between productivity improvement and inclusive growth goals. The City-REDI team aims to do this by addressing the following research aims:Investigate how features of regional labour markets, especially skills, act as productivity constraints at the firm level, across different business functions and industry sectors.Examine the specific misalignments at the regional level between the supply of and demand for particular kinds of labour/ skillsExamine the motivations and outcomes of decisions about investment in skills and other factors and how these can stimulate improvements in productivity and – ideally – inclusive growth

Which kinds of firms contribute most to regional growth?:Policy Briefing

In this policy briefing, Dr Fengjie Pan and Professor Simon Collinson look at why some firms and sectors make a larger contribution to local and regional economies than others. These findings are relevant for policymakers looking to support businesses that are particularly important to the growth of the region as a whole.Summary and policy recommendationsThe success of firms and regions is interdependent and reciprocal…- Firms tend to be more competitive and perform better if they are located in regions that have good infrastructure, skills, suppliers, customers and support for innovation.- Regions grow faster and are more resilient in the face of economic shocks if they host strong, competitive and innovative firms.But, regional growth depends more on some kinds of firms than others …- The regional impact of any firm is related to both its size and its local embeddedness – that is the proportion of its assets and employment in the region and how much it buys and sells to other firms or customers in the region.- Our survey of 300 businesses in the West Midlands region, covering four sectors, has shown that firms in Hospitality and the Business Professional and Financial Services (BPFS) sector are more embedded in the region, with a larger proportion of local suppliers and customers than those in Retail and Advanced Manufacturing.Policymakers need to consider this and other evidence to improve the targeting of interventions and support to benefit firms that contribute most to local growth.This work is part of City-REDI's Productivity and Prosperity: Inclusive Growth for the West Midlands project