Innovation, business performance and regional competitiveness in the West Midlands: evidence from the West Midlands Business Survey

Focuses on exploring the extent and patterns of innovation in the West Midlands region, based primarily on data generated by the Price Waterhouse West Midlands Business Survey, a bi‐annual survey of around 1,000 businesses. Explores regional development and innovation within a framework developed by Camagni, which focuses on agglomeration economies and the creation of an innovative milieu within a regional economy. Suggests two methods to encourage innovation within the UK’s West Midlands region through support to associated expenditures (training and exporting). In the context of a rising currency the research suggests that innovating firms have a strategy to overcome adverse currency movements.