The pathways to productivity project aims to understand and improve the knowledge and competencies of SME leaders across the regions in the innovation process as a driver to increase aggregate productivity.
In the field of innovation exciting work is taking place putting to greater use collaborations between those who have access to data, those who are seeking to make the subject of innovation more accessible and those who want to implement practical ways to help businesses capture the benefits innovation can bring to everyday working.
One such collaboration taking place is between Loughborough University, The Productivity Institute, the Economic and Social Research Council and the LLEP. Brought together by DR. Kate Broadhurst Loughborough University (early career researcher) and Dr Steve Conway, University of Leicester, School of Business. The Pathways to Productivity project is gearing up for implementation. Following a successful submission into the Productivity Institute grant funding has now been approved which means the project can get underway.
The LLEP has been leading on innovation within the region through interventions such as the highly successful Leicestershire Innovation Festival, and has been supportive of the project through the provision of insight and feedback into the application process, as well as a commitment from the LLEP Innovation Board to support the project once it gets underway.
The next 6 months will see the launch of a business survey by Kate and the team designed to demystify innovation for SMEs by exploring the different types of innovation that can be considered. Following on from this, focus groups will be held with SME leaders and subject experts to dive deeply into some of the issues identified with a view to building a business-friendly innovation toolkit designed for business leaders.
The project coincides with preparations for the upcoming Leicestershire Innovation Festival 2024 which will see a celebration of ideas and improvements in businesses of all sizes operating in Leicester and Leicestershire. You can read more about the Festival here.
Further details about how you can take part in the project will be released once it has been finalised, and will be available through Loughborough and Leicester University social media channels, LLEP newsletter and LLEP social media channels. To get involved in the Leicestershire Innovation Festival 2024, please follow this link.