Policy Review Section

Abstract

In this issue of the Policy Review Section, Alan Williams, Gareth Shaw and Martin Huber of the Department of Geography, University of Exeter, examine the extent to which local authorities in the UK are utilizing the promotion of the arts in their local economic development strategies. They consider in particular whether there are any systematic regional or urban rural variations in the application of such policies. In the second article, Stephen Roper and Roisin Thanki present initial assessments of Innovation 2000, the research and technological development (RTD) strategy for Northern Ireland. They characterize the associated measures as beng ‘demand led, firm specific and economy wide’. However, based on a review of available evidence on R & D investment across Northern Ireland industries, they suggest there is a need for some sectoral targeting of the policies. In the third article, Bob Sweeting of the School of Management, University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, considers the performance of local and regional agencies that have been established to network and facilitate the provision of innovation expertise. Based on a DTI-sponsored survey in the North West Region of manufacturing companies, agencies and key individuals associated with various business networks, Sweeting sets out some suggested principles of best practice in fostering industrial innovation. In the final article, David Deakins of the Department of Economics and Management, University of Paisley, and Guhlum Hussain and Monder Ram of the Enterprise Centre, University of Central England, examine the relationship between bank managers and ethnic minority businessmen. Drawing on a survey of ethnic minority businesses in the inner city of Birmingham they make a number of suggestions as to how commercial banks could improve their services to this important local business sector.