Professor Geoff Pugh

Professor of Applied Economics

Main responsibilities:

• Director of the Centre for Applied Business Research (CABR)

• Research and publication, including bidding for and leading contract research

• Postgraduate economics teaching

• PhD supervision

I have taught and examined at all levels in higher education, mainly in the areas of economics, applied economics and research methods (especially econometrics). I have supervised 17 PhD students to successful completion, published 33 papers in peer-reviewed journals in economics, public policy and business/management, and have 14 years experience of leading external projects (including, currently, an EU Framework 7 project for DG Research).

I have adapted my research according to changing opportunities and corresponding strategic priorities. This enabled me to contribute to the Economics unit of assessment in the 1995 RAE, Business and Management in 2001, and Education in 2008, which was one of Staffordshire University’s most successful units of assessment.  

My current main contribution to academic management and leadership within the Faculty of Business, Education and Law and wider University community is as Director of the Centre for Applied Business Research (CABR). This is the most recent of Staffordshire University’s Applied Research Centres, and in the first 18 months secured around £420,000 of additional research funding for the Business School over the four years 2009-12. CABR is helping to build capacity in applied research, to develop knowledge transfer and business engagement and to develop a creditable Research Excellence Framework (REF) submission in Business and Management. As Director of CABR, I am currently Faculty Coordinator for the 2014 REF submission in the Business and Management Unit of Assessment.

My Inaugural Lecture took place on 20th March 2012: Rebalancing Britain’s Economy: Promoting SME innovation in the West Midland’s traditional manufacturing industries (PDF, file size: 2.09MB) .

M.Sc. – Distinction  Economics,  Birkbeck College, University of London, 1989 

Postgraduate Certificate in Education – Distinction, Institute of Education, University of London, 1984

PhD Politics (Political Economy), University of Kent at Canterbury, 1983
Thesis:  Economic Theory & Political Thought in German Social Democracy

BA (Hons) – 2:1 Politics, University of Kent at Canterbury, 1976

Royal Economic Society

Meta Analysis in Economic Research Network

Association of Christian Economists

I have expertise in evaluating the effectiveness of public policies, public and business investments and business support programmes. For example, in recent years I have evaluated the effectiveness of increased school expenditure for the then Department for Children Schools and Families (DfCSF) and the economic impact of the M6 Toll Motorway for Midland Expressway (the owner and operator). Most recently, I led the UK contribution to the GPrix project (www.gprix.eu) commissioned by DG Research to evaluate publicly funded innovation support programmes for SMEs in traditional manufacturing industries.

I have some expertise in education policy, international economics and macroeconomics. My current research agenda is focussed on small business development: in particular, on SME diversification and innovation. 

In addition, I have some knowledge of the ceramics industry and am a member of the Ceramic Industry Development Committee.

In the past 12 years

Private sector clients include: the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) and the Society of Independent Brewers; the Ceramic Industry Forum; North Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce; Social Work Choices; UNISON; and Midland Expressway (the owner and operator of the M6 Toll Road).

Public sector clients include: Her majesty’s Treasury (HMT); the UK Countryside Agency; the Department for Children Schools and Families (DfCSF); the New Zealand Ministry of Education; the Central Bank of Montenegro; the UNDP office in Bosnia; and the European Commission - DG Research.

Smallest project: INDEX Voucher for Social Work Choices (2009) - £3,000

Largest project: European Commission - DG Research: Good Practices in Innovation Support Measures for SMEs: facilitating transition from the traditional to the knowledge economy (2009-11) - c.£110,000.

British Educational Research Association (BERA) 2012 Annual Best Paper Award - BERA Commended Paper 2012 (PDF, file size: 263.33KB) .

Applied, policy-oriented research in four areas. 

1. International/European economics

2. The economic analysis of SME development, in particular on innovation and diversification

3. The economics of education and training

4. Economic aspects of regeneration / local development

Most of my publications involve applied econometric analysis and/or statistical analysis. Those on SME promotion, education policy and economic regeneration are linked by a common focus on policy/programme evaluation.

As of 10/03/2010, 51 SSCI citations from publications in the period from 1993 to 2007 (excluding conference papers).

Current research assessment period (UK – from 2008)

Forthcoming

‘Foreign Direct Investment and Output Growth Volatility: A Worldwide Analysis’, International Review of Economics and Finance. Vol.25 (2013) pp.260-271 (with Bruno Ćorić). Available online since 20-07-2011: DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.iref.2012.07.011

‘Does Exchange Rate Volatility Discourage International Trade? A Meta-Regression Analysis’, Journal of International Trade & Economic Development (with Mekbib Haile). Available online since 04-10-2011: DOI:10.1080/09638199.2011.565421.

Published

‘Can Powerful Buyers “Exploit” SME Suppliers?’ Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development. Vol.19, Issue 2 (May 2012) pp.322-334 (with David Tyrrall and John Wyld).

‘Meta-Regression Analysis Of The Impact Of Institutions On Macroeconomic Performance’, the European Journal of Political Economy, Vol. 27, No.3 (September 2011) pp.586-599 (with Adnan Effendic and Nick Adnett).

‘Confidence in Formal Institutions and Reliance on Informal Institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina: an Empirical Investigation Using Survey Data’, The Economics of Transition, Vol. 19, Issue 3, pp. 521-540, 2011 (with Adnan Efendic and Nick Adnett).

‘Exchange Rate Pass-Through in Transition and Developed Economies: a Meta-Regression Analysis with Monetary Policy Implications’, Applied Economics, Vol.43 (27) (2011) pp.4111-4125 (with Igor Velickovsky).

‘Do increased resources increase educational attainment during a period of rising expenditure? Evidence from English secondary schools using a dynamic panel analysis’, British Educational Research Journal, Vol. 37 (1), (2011), pp.163-189 (with Jean Mangan and John Gray).

‘Evaluating the impact of progressive beer duty on small breweries:  a case study of tax breaks to promote SMEs’, Environment & Planning C: Government & Policy, Vol. 28 (2), (2010), pp.225-40 (with John Wyld and David Tyrrall).

‘Technological change and employer-provided training: evidence from UK workplaces’,
International Journal of Manpower, Vol. 31 (4), (July 2010), pp.426-448 (with Ardiana Gashi and Nick Adnett).

‘The effects of exchange rate variability on international trade: a Meta-Regression Analysis’, Applied Economics, Vol. 42 (20), (2010), pp.263-264 (with Bruno Ćorić).

‘Evaluating the effects of the M6 Toll Road on industrial land development and employment’, Regional Studies, Vol. 42 (7), (August 2008), pp.977-90 (with John Fairburn).

‘Faith schools, social capital and academic attainment: evidence from TIMSS-R mathematics scores in Flemish secondary schools’, British Educational Research Journal, Vol. 34 (2), (April 2008), pp.235-67 (with Shqiponje Telhaj).

MSc Economics:

• Applied Econometrics

• International macroeconomics and globalisation

• Dissertation supervision (my students have twice won international prizes for their MSc dissertations)

Research supervision: 14 PhD projects