Research projects in Business, Enterprise and Management

Below is a selection of projects taking place under the theme of Business, Enterprise and Management.

Lead by researchers primarily from Staffordshire Business School, these projects will give you an insight into the wide range of research that takes place, and the impact it has both in our local community and across the globe. 

A Policy Framework for Achieving Sustainable Poverty Alleviation in Less Developed Rural Regions in China

The policy framework provides empirical insights to policy makers in the ethnic minority and border areas in Southwest region of China to develop sound and evidence-based strategies and policies to improve sustainable livelihoods and achieve sustainable development of the targeted poverty alleviation in China.

Co-working spaces and urban planning and development

The project takes an integrative approach to investigate the economic and socio-cultural implications of coworking trend for smart cities, their ecosystems and the use of urban public spaces.

Impact of Covid-19 on Smart Cities

The project investigates and analyses a range of disruptions of Covid-19 to urban development and the changing scenarios of smart cities in the wake of Covid-19. The project identifies the opportunities as well as the challenges for businesses, city councils and universities to take Covid-19 as a catalyst for change. The project develops evidence-based strategies for such change and business transformation.

Leading Healthy Organisations, Places and Spaces

Much of what we know about modern leadership derives from traditional understandings of how titular leaders operate within fixed organisational forms and how they manage planned change. But what about the more fluid and informal networks and partnerships where business, public agencies, communities and universities come together to get things done? This suite of writing and research attempts to make sense of the highly complex nature and processes adopted by these little known discursive communities, explaining for the first time, how they come to impact socially on the world around them by enacting their preferred types of leadership.

Small Business Leadership Programme

A project that ran in 2020-2021 to help small businesses both adjust to the pandemic but also to improve leadership and management. The project featured examples of local businesses and how they had pivoted during the pandemic. It also provided a good venue for leaders to vent and swap ideas on how to deal with the pandemic. Delivery was by Entrepreneurs in Residence and academics within the Business School. Over 80 local leaders benefitted from the proogramme.

Technology Expectations at Higher Education Institutions in the UK

Advanced information and communication technologies have changed the way teaching and learning are conceptualized and conducted in higher education. 

The Impact of COVID-19 on BAME Owned Businesses in the UK

Our research will investigate the specific challenges that BAME business owners faced during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, the strategies that they used to keep their businesses afloat, and how they engaged with financial and regional support.


in the UK for Quality Education

Sustainable Development Goal 4, Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2024

for Career Prospects

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023

Top 5 for Social Inclusion

The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025

for First Generation Students

The Mail University Guide 2025

of Research Impact is ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Very Considerable’

Research Excellence Framework 2021

for Facilities

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023

of Research is “Internationally Excellent” or “World Leading”

Research Excellence Framework 2021

Four Star Rating

QS Star Ratings 2021