The research team for the ESRC-funded project includes Dr Enrico Vanino and Dr Richmond Egyei from the School of Economics, working to use big data to uncover the factors driving economic imbalances.
Dr Enrico Vanino said: "Together with my colleagues we will analyse the relative importance of productivity drivers using novel, granular data from linked administrative datasets covering workers, firms and localities in England since the 2000s.
"The resulting analysis will shed light into how much spatial productivity gaps can be explained by the characteristics of people, firms and places over time, and identify intrinsically more productive locations.
"Understanding and addressing the root causes of the UK's severe spatial disparities in economic performance is crucial for fostering inclusive, regionally balanced growth and enhancing national productivity."
Research will cover factors such as workers' education, business types and regional infrastructure, analysing the effects these may have on productivity over the past 20 years. The team hope to identify actionable policy steps that can address economic disparities across the country, and pave the way for future studies.
