Cardiff Business School

Fair and sustainable economies

We co-create knowledge to support the development of economies that deliver shared prosperity and environmental sustainability, and work with governments and partners to address inequalities and promote full economic participation and inclusion.

Our collective inter-disciplinary research expertise enables us to focus on:

investigating the ‘productivity puzzle’
identifying macro-economic enablers
addressing employment and pay gaps
creating models of financial inclusion
advancing green energy, technologies, systems and processes
promoting diversity in entrepreneurship and social enterprise.

Economic and environmental sustainability

Our work on economic and environmental sustainability is led by the Welsh Economy Research Unit, an authoritative source on regional economic, social and environmental impact analysis with specific expertise on Wales.

We’ve also invested in research on green and sustainable logistics, sustainable business operations on emerging economies and sustainable city brands, in addition to working within University-wide interdisciplinary Centres and Institutes to investigate aspects of the sustainable economy and accelerate impact. These include:

The Centre for Advanced Manufacturing Systems at Cardiff, which focuses on the economic and environmental sustainability of manufacturing firms and their supply chains.
The Water Research Institute, which develops models for sustainable water management for people and ecosystems.
The Sustainable Places Research Institute, which sources responsible solutions to diminishing resources and the climate emergency.

Economic participation and inclusion

Our researchers determine why women, disabled people and BAME communities continue to be excluded from economic participation. Funded by the Office of Manpower Economics, Dr Ezgi Kaya and Professor Melanie Jones have evaluated the size of the gender pay gap within UK public sector and informed the work of the independent public sector pay review bodies. While in 2018, Honorary Fellow Dr Alison Parken received an OBE for her role in developing an evidence base for promoting socio-economic equality through policymaking in organisational practices.

Dr Ezgi Kaya Senior Lecturer in Economics

Within the broader context of women’s economic participation, Dr Shumaila Yousafzai and Professor Tim Edwards have led research and engagement work on the experiences of women entrepreneurs, collaborating with BAME communities in Cardiff and with Yaina Samuels - a social entrepreneur and one of our Public Value Entrepreneurs in Residence. In addition to their research outputs, their work has led to valuable engagement, learning and teaching opportunities for staff, students and our local community in Cardiff.

Making a difference through our research

Our research impacts on people and policy, making a difference to our economy, to society and our environment.

The productivity puzzle

Leading expert in productivity and small business, Professor Andrew Henley is the Wales lead for a new £32m ESRC-funded Productivity Institute, which aims to lay foundations for a new era of sustained and inclusive economic growth.

Women’s participation in the economy

Research by Dr Alison Parken and Professor Rachel Ashworth demonstrates that gender mainstreaming shapes action on gender segregation and reduces pay gaps, with particular success in women's low-paid employment.