Welcome to Enterprise Insights, where we deliver the most interesting enterprise developments and stories to you fortnightly.
Future
Entrepreneurship 2020 (Enterprise UK – PDF: 766 KB)
Enterprise UK has launched a new report entitled Entrepreneurship 2020: Practical ideas for an enterprising society, drawn from a three-month collaboration – with entrepreneurs and the organisations that support them – who submitted almost 200 ideas to help shape the future of entrepreneurship in the UK.
The report highlights three areas where entrepreneurs could be better supported. These are: inspiring society through teaching the realities of entrepreneurship and recognising entrepreneurial activity as a legitimate part of education, training and employment; building entrepreneurial capital through developing a strategy for enterprising places and improving mentoring; and placing entrepreneurship at the forefront of our future productive economy though raising entrepreneurs’ global ambitions and incentivising entrepreneurial support systems.
Now
Entrepreneurship Survey of the EU25 (EC – PDF: 748 KB)
45% of all Europeans would like to be their own boss if they could, according to results from the latest Eurobarometer Entrepreneurship survey. Preference for self-employment has remained stable for Europe but has significantly decreased in the US. The survey also shows that young people are more inclined to start a business than older citizens with 52% of those aged 15-24 preferring self-employment. The UK scores second highest among the EU25 on entrepreneurial activity and higher than average for most entrepreneurial climate indicators.
Rebalancing Act (NESTA – PDF: 1.76MB)
The UK needs to boost its high tech capabilities and innovation if it wants to achieve healthy economic growth and job creation, according to a new report by NESTA. It provides an analysis of what is needed to rebalance the economy and the huge role that entrepreneurs will have to play in it. The analysis shows that the UK cannot continue to rely on financial and business services and a recovery based on high technology and innovation offers the best prospect for growth. The report recommends focusing support for high-growth, innovative businesses by using small-scale, often private-sector programmes.
News
The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Vince Cable MP has announced an action plan on better regulation to prevent stifling business growth. It includes creating a Reducing Regulation Committee to review all regulation awaiting implementation and test regulatory proposals, as well as introducing a new 'one-in, one-out' approach to make sure that the new regulations are only brought in when existing ones have been reduced.
Vince Cable also gave a keynote speech at CASS Business School in which he argued that the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills should be “the department for economic growth”, helping create an environment in the UK where enterprise can flourish. He pledged to support cooperatives and social enterprise and described the current time as a “window for transformational change”, in which priorities include redefining growth policy for an age of constrained public spending, taking a tougher line on regulation, and stripping out bureaucracy around further education.
New research from data analysis company Experian has revealed the scale of entrepreneurial impact that immigrant communities have in Britain. The report argues that measures proposed to restrict immigration from outside the European Union could stifle the number of entrepreneurs entering the UK. Email us for a copy of the report.
The British Chamber of Commerce has hosted a breakfast roundtable meeting debating what public sector spending cuts will mean for regional and local economies. Attendees from the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, the Department of Communities and Local Government and some Regional Development Agencies, among others discussed the impact on local economies and areas that need investment or reform. Email us for a copy of the briefing paper.
The 2010 Entrepreneurs’ Summit, organised by the CBI and sponsored by Investec, took place last month. Exclusive videos on what needs to done to encourage enterprise in the UK and the importance of SMEs to the economy can be accessed here.
Future
Towards Greater Cooperation and Coherence in Entrepreneurship Education (EC – PDF: 2.56 MB)
National policy frameworks on enterprise education should be developed by EU members, embracing input from ministries responsible for education, enterprise, the economy and trade, according to a report from the European Commission. Results from a series of reflection panels, convened last year, suggest that stakeholder engagement is critical, with businesses providing students with opportunities to learn about entrepreneurship in action and local authorities forging links between schools and employers. The report also points out that the EU can help national governments deliver enterprise education by building a platform for discussing common issues and providing a research hub to collect and disseminate good practice.
 |
|
|
|
