Our latest thinking on the issues that matter most in economic and social development through our Viewpoint series, and our latest published reports. Our older Viewpoint ‘thought piece’ publications are available from the archive.
December 2020
A discussion on the role of management practices in supporting businesses’ responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the implications for future support as firms adapt to a changing context.
October 2020
Our analysis of almost 300 company survey responses shows that during the Covid crisis SME manufacturers have been squeezed between sharply weakening demand and poorer supplier performance.
September 2020
Mentoring has been defined as a voluntary, mutually beneficial and purposeful relationship in which an individual gives time to support another to enable them to make changes in their life. SQW have been working with the Careers & Enterprise Company to evaluate the effect of its Mentoring Fund which aimed to support mentoring activities for young people.
August 2020
Major service change (often called ‘reconfiguration’) may be required to make services safer, more sustainable and improve population health. SQW conducted over 110 in-depth interviews to help NHS England and NHS Improvement understand what it can do to better facilitate and support reconfiguration in areas including specialised commissioning, A&E, maternity, stroke and mental health services.
July 2020
Covid-19 will lead to a major increase in unemployment. Any response needs to be done with urgency and therefore without perfect foresight. We have highlighted a series of insights from our work which could help to improve the effectiveness of different responses in the coming months.
May 2020
The £250 million Midlands Engine Investment Fund was launched by the British Business Bank in 2017 to support small businesses in the Midlands. Our Early Assessment Report found that the Fund has helped to create 629 jobs, with 37 per cent paying above the UK upper quartile income of £36,500 a year.