As business leaders and policy-makers turn from global
crisis towards international recovery, there is a clear window for innovative
and foundational thinking about the future. In order to address immediate
problems of unemployment and productivity, but also to set the UK on a
firm and competitive global footing for the longer term, we need
to think more innovatively about the strengths and values of the British economy.
Too often, measures of economic achievement have been
narrowly defined, allowing only for winners and losers. Closer investigation of
Britain’s most productive sectors shows, however, that their momentum emanates
from a longer-term perspective that is concerned not only with immediate
profit, and that includes a distinctive
trinity of characteristics: innovation, geo-strategic targeting, and business
leadership. It is these characteristics that should be considered in
re-casting the terms of UK economic strength and competition.
In this project, experts from fields including education, health, law,
financial services, popular culture and media, biotechnology and engineering
will share insights and experiences of winning competitive advantage through
innovation, leadership and astute geo-strategic targeting. The project may also
include primary research, using social media polling, to unpack public
understandings and expectations of competitive business practice going forward.
The project will show how the British economy has strong
chances to flourish at home and abroad, by redefining concepts of economic
achievement to value more highly these capacities, and by becoming champions of
business models that focus on creativity, business leadership, and astute
targeting towards areas of opportunity and needs.
The project is now open
to external engagement from the public, private and third sectors. We
would like to establish a consortium of partners who will feed in to our
further research and debate in this area and benefit from co-branding on
publications and events.
For more information or
to discuss partnership opportunities, please contact Monika Kruesmann,
Research Consultant, monika.kruesmann@ respublica.org.uk or 020
7222 6552.