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Researching the adapting rural economy

Two Business School academics have received funding from the National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise (NICRE) to support the rural economy and its communities.

17 February 2023

Two Business School academics have received funding from the National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise (NICRE) to support the rural economy and its communities.

Deepening understanding on current topics

Seven new research projects will be undertaken to examine how rural enterprises are adapting to the major challenges affecting the economy.

The National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise (NICRE) has commissioned the research to deepen its understanding on current topics such as post-pandemic working patterns and the shift to net zero.

Two of the seven research projects involved Newcastle University Business School academics: Professor James Cunningham and Dr Susan Kirk.

A field with a path down the middle

Funded projects follow Open Call

The £100,000 funding for the projects has been awarded by NICRE to universities across England to undertake the research following an Open Call towards the end of last year.

NICRE director Jeremy Phillipson, Professor of Rural Development at the Centre for Rural Economy at Newcastle University, said: “The rural economy is in a state of flux as it grapples changes in working practices accelerated by the pandemic and the stark challenges of the cost-of-doing-business crisis.

“Coupled with the drive to net zero and against the backdrop of the agricultural transition, these projects will shed important light on how these contemporary issues are affecting rural enterprise, giving valuable insights that will help inform future policymaking and support for rural businesses.

“We are delighted with the calibre of diverse projects from a range of universities, enabling us to extend our portfolio and grow our research network.”

As well as Newcastle University, the new research projects will be led by Durham University, Keele University, University of Derby, Bournemouth University, and University of Lincoln.

More about the projects

Professor James Cunningham, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Newcastle University Business School, will lead the project titled ‘Entrepreneurial Universities Engagement and Collaboration with Rural Communities’. The aim of the project is to examine how entrepreneurial universities engage, support and collaborate with rural communities.

Professor James Cunningham said: “Entrepreneurial universities have been expanding and growing their mission focus and scope. Our project team’s focus is to examine how entrepreneurial universities and rural communities engage and collaborate, in fostering and supporting innovation and entrepreneurship."

We are particularly interested in identifying the motivations and barriers that support and constrain opportunities for engagement and collaborations.”

Professor James Cunningham, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation

The research team includes Maeve Henchion (Teagasc Department of Agrifood Business and Spatial Analysis), Dr Chiara Marzoochi (Newcastle University Business School, UK) and Dr Rhiannon Pugh (Lund University, Sweden).

Dr Susan Kirk, Deputy Subject Group Head of Leadership, Work and Organisation at Newcastle University Business School, is Co-Investigator for the project ‘Exploring Identity, Place and Worker Attraction and Retention in Rural Businesses’. The project, led by Professor Carley Foster (University of Derby, UK) is designed to help rural enterprises attract and retain workers in the Derbyshire Peak District. It is underpinned by the notion of a ‘sense of belonging’ and a holistic place-based approach.

Dr Susan Kirk said: “Worker recruitment and retention is a particular problem for businesses in rural areas such as the Derbyshire Peak District. The Covid-19 pandemic coupled with the impact of Brexit has exacerbated this issue with many overseas workers returning to their home countries. This project is designed to help employers develop policies to attract, retain and engage employees through a sustainable, place-based approach that emphasises a sense of belonging and identification.”

Find out more about the other projects funded by NICRE on their website.