Small Enterprise Research Unit (SERU)
Small Enterprise Research Unit (SERU) was established, by Professor Pooran Wynarczyk, in 1998 based upon an overarching action research framework and impact generated activities, in key areas of entrepreneurship, SMEs, innovation and scientific labour market, that strive to provide user communities with recommendations that are based on concrete findings.
SERU is the centre of a 'virtual network', since many of its activities are undertaken in close partnership with policy makers, industrialists, academics and business support agencies at local, regional, national and international levels. It currently has over fifty partners and collaborators.
Externally funded research studies are undertaken at SERU to investigate many aspects of regional economic development and diversification, including:
- entrepreneurship and regional economic development
- role of innovative SMEs in regional prosperity
- gender imbalance in Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) Pipeline, education and labour market
- high level scientific activities (e.g., innovation, invention, patent, R&D) of men and women.
- science, innovation and technology policies and initiatives
- equal opportunity policies and work-life balance issues in SMEs
- home-based enterprises in rural areas
- performance and potential development of business incubators
- connectivity technologies and e-flexible working opportunities in SMEs
Over the past few years, the sponsors of SERU have included:
- Government Office for the North East
- Objective 3 and Objective 2 Programmes (European Structural Fund, ERDF and ESF)
- HE ESF National; EUADAPT
- UK Resource Centre for Women in SET
- Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF)
- Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Science in Society Programme
- ESRC Impact Grants
