This programme is concerned with enterprise and innovation and their links to productivity and firm growth. Amongst the principal objectives of this programme are the analysis of the innovative performance, financial and management characteristics, and location of smaller firms, and the design and evaluation of policies towards the SME sector. This analysis has involved close interdisciplinary collaboration between CBR researchers in economics, geography, law and sociology; and has been strengthened by collaboration with other groups in the UK and abroad.

This programme has established an international reputation among policy makers, practitioners and researchers as an authoritative source of analysis, information and evaluation of SME growth and survival. Particular emphasis has been placed on analyzing and charting developments in training, innovation, governance, and the impact of enterprise policy. Methodological advances have been made in the measurement and analysis of SME growth and performance, and in policy evaluation, and these have been incorporated into national and international data collection processes and policy development. A major intellectual contribution of the programme has been the creation of a longitudinal panel set of data for the UK SME sector based on a biennial survey of over 2000 independent businesses.

Significant new funding has been received from the ESRC, the National Endowment for Science and Technology, the East of England Development Agency, the EPSRC and the Newton Trust for several new projects exploring the commercialisation of science and the role of HEIs. Details of both current projects and completed projects are provided separately. The research of the programme is intimately associated with the work of the Policy Evaluation Unit and the Survey and Database Unit.