Promoting Inclusive Growth via Developing Exporting

In collaboration with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Professor Yingqi Wei and team will explore key issues for export creation and promotion in West Yorkshire.

Register your place

In November 2021, the Department for International Trade published the new export strategy, setting out the ‘Race to a Trillion’ ambition by the mid-2030s. Although the area covered by West Yorkshire Combined Authority is the largest contributor to UK GDP in the Northern Powerhouse and the largest regional economy outside London, its overall export performance is behind many UK regions. 

With funding from the Research England Policy Support Fund, Leeds University Business School and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority will co-host this in-person event addressing the factors that are conducive or present barriers to exporting by West Yorkshire companies; mechanisms for creating and sustaining exporting which are beneficial to the long-term health of companies; and major issues of inclusivity for the people of the region in exporting, in terms of geographical location, skills, and supporting physical and social infrastructure.

The programme includes a networking lunch, roundtable discussions and a presentation of research findings based on a survey of exporting and non-exporting West Yorkshire companies.

This workshop will bring together policymakers, practitioners, academics and business people who will outline key issues for export creation and promotion.

 

Event Programme:

12:00

Arrival and networking lunch

13:00

Welcome: Frank McDonald, Professor of International Business at Leeds University Business School

13:05

Plenary session

Chaired by Annie Wei, Professor of International Business at Leeds University Business School

Amanda Potter, Trade and Investment Manager at West Yorkshire Combined Authority

How exports fit into regional development policy

Jun Du, Director of Centre for Business Prosperity and Professor of Economics at Aston Business School

Export’s contribution to regional development

13:30

Roundtable discussions

Led by Annie Wei, Leeds University Business School

  • Promoting exporting as key for regional development
  • Developing policies to include more firms in all parts of the region to export

14:30

Annie Wei, Han Jin and Frank McDonald, Leeds University Business School

Presentation of new research findings: from a survey of 102 West Yorkshire companies and from analysis of data from FAME

Q&A

15:10

Tea/Coffee break

15:25

Roundtable discussions 

Led by Frank McDonald, Leeds University Business School

  • Overcoming major economic, social, infrastructure and technological barriers to exporting
  • Stimulating greater participation in exporting in all areas in the region
  • Key policy issues - what do policymakers need to do?

16:30

Workshop close

 

If you have any questions about the logistics of this event, please contact Grace Carter at Leeds University Business School.

If you have any questions relating to the purpose of the event and/or the content of the programme, please contact workshop organisers Frank McDonald or Yingqi Wei in the first instance.