The Manchester skyline at night, revealing a bustling city and high-rise development

Our research mission to driving economic growth

Discover how our research is helping to promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.

About our research mission

The economy touches all our lives and economic growth matters for everyone.

Our research lays the foundations for sustainable growth and prosperity.

We work with organisations and policymakers across the UK and internationally, sharing our insights and knowledge.

Our research strengths include:

  • improving living standards by creating decent jobs for all
  • supporting workplace wellbeing and equality
  • revitalising local economies, including supporting our high streets
  • driving sustainable innovation and technology
  • promoting green growth

Through our award-winning Centre for Enterprise, we translate research into practical support for hundreds of small and medium-sized employers. We are exploring how insights from technology research can drive productivity, attract investment and spur further innovation.

We also established The Institute of Place Management, a professional body for people involved in making, maintaining and marketing places. As well as providing research, toolkits, professional development, and member events, the IPM leads the national High Streets Task Force in England on behalf of the UK government.

For the past thirty years, we have been working with businesses, communities, as well as local and national government to understand the changing nature of high streets and town centres, in the UK, Europe, and beyond. These are important centres of economic activity, community pride, and local climate action - our research has a direct impact on their vitality and viability.
Cathy Parker MBE SFIPM
Professor of Marketing and Retail Enterprise and Chair, Institute of Place Management
For the past thirty years, we have been working with businesses, communities, as well as local and national government to understand the changing nature of high streets and town centres, in the UK, Europe, and beyond. These are important centres of economic activity, community pride, and local climate action - our research has a direct impact on their vitality and viability.
Cathy Parker MBE SFIPM
Professor of Marketing and Retail Enterprise and Chair, Institute of Place Management

Featured research projects

  • Modern packaging for a packet of cashew nuts developed by Bobst and Manchester Met.

    Bobst knowledge transfer partnership

    Helping industry develop innovative food packaging material

    Go to research
  • Shoppers using a pedestrianised high street in Winchester while a couple of buskers play

    Establishing the High Streets Task Force

    Helping to revitalise English town centres affected by changes in consumer behaviour, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Go to research
  • Older people exercising using Shapemaster equipment

    Shapemaster knowledge transfer partnership

    Helping an ambitious British manufacturer to grow internationally through applied research.

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  • People enjoying warm weekend weather in Chorlton during a community street festival.

    Vital and viable neighbourhoods

    Helping smaller local high streets respond to changes in consumer behaviour and create a sustainable future.

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    Good Employment Learning Lab

    A research project to develop and test the most effective ways of supporting line managers to manage people.

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  • A worker preparing drinks behind a counter in a restaurant

    Universal Credit and employers

    How Universal Credit and the UK's active labour market policies affect the way businesses recruit, retain and progress their staff.

    Go to research
  • Flags of different countries outside the united nations building

    Developing smarter policies

    Maximising the benefits of foreign investment in developed and developing countries.

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  • A group of people at a Greater Manchester Cyber Foundry event

    Greater Manchester Cyber Foundry

    A team of cyber security researchers helping businesses to protect, develop and grow their cyber operations.

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  • ""

    Good Employment Learning Lab

    A research project to develop and test the most effective ways of supporting line managers to manage people.

    Go to research
  • A worker preparing drinks behind a counter in a restaurant

    Universal Credit and employers

    How Universal Credit and the UK's active labour market policies affect the way businesses recruit, retain and progress their staff.

    Go to research
  • Pound coins stacked on top of a £50 note.

    Teaching Economic Policy Institutions

    Teaching resources to improve understanding of the role of policymakers in shaping the economy.

    Go to Research
Decent and productive work should be central to economic growth. At Manchester Met we collaborate with workers, policymakers, practitioners and trade unions, to promote inclusive labour markets
Katy Jones
Reader and Knowledge Platform Lead for Decent Work and Productivity
Decent and productive work should be central to economic growth. At Manchester Met we collaborate with workers, policymakers, practitioners and trade unions, to promote inclusive labour markets
Katy Jones
Reader and Knowledge Platform Lead for Decent Work and Productivity

Research groups

  • Print City at Turing House

    PrintCity

    Manchester Met's 3D additive and digital manufacturing centre.

    Go to PrintCity
  • A group of office workers discussing something on a computer screen

    Data and artificial intelligence ethics

    Working with SMEs, citizens and policymakers to ensure future artificial intelligence and machine learning systems are inclusive, fair, safe and trusted.

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  • People walking past fashion retailers in Camden High Street, London

    Transforming places

    Our research is helping create sustainable and thriving spaces and places, built around the needs of people who use them.

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  • Person surrounded by computer monitors in an office displaying a map of the world with some data

    Market Transformations

    Our research is helping to reshape the nature and governance of consumer, not-for-profit and business markets.

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  • A smartly dressed worker talks to three colleagues in a meeting room

    Work, Management and Leadership Capabilities

    How leaders, managers and organisational processes affect the conditions enabling decent work and productivity.

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  • Three employees working at computers in an office environment

    Work and working lives

    Exploring the management of people - and how work environments affect employee wellbeing, productivity and health.

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  • An engineer using a headset to manipulate a model in virtual reality

    Digital Transformation

    Exploring how technology transforms lives and communities — and how digitisation can improve business productivity, efficiency and sustainability.

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  • Two automotive engineers controlling a robot arm production line through a tablet.

    Transforming Industry 4.0

    Helping organisations to reimagine their business, succeed and compete in an era of constant technological advances.

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  • A farmer uses a digital tablet in a field of crops

    Data science

    Developing data science techniques and technologies to address societal challenges in healthcare, agriculture, smart cities, social care, and education.

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  • Researcher working at two computer screens on a series of coding

    Human-centred computing

    Developing innovative human-centred computing techniques to address real-world challenges in healthcare technology, skills-focused games and data privacy.

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  • A mixed group of people sat and stood discussion what's on a computer screen

    Machine intelligence

    Exploring biology-inspired computing, artificial intelligence and data ethics, and computer science in education.

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  • A model of a city skyline showing connected networks between infrastructure

    Security, Trust and Privacy

    Developing and protecting the next generation of smart infrastructure for financial markets, transport, healthcare and sustainable smart cities.

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  • A group of four employees standing around a table in a relaxed office

    Work in Small Enterprise

    Exploring decent work and productivity in small businesses, social enterprises and self-employment.

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  • A student checking his phone on a tram wearing hygiene face mask

    Applied Economics

    Providing an econometric analysis of the big public policy issues – health, crime, finance and environment.

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