Our aim and mission
Regional economic intelligence on Wales and seeking to improve knowledge of the opportunities and challenges facing the contemporary economy.
What we do
- Provide economic analysis on all aspects of the Welsh economy.
- Provide economic research and evaluation expertise for a wide range of Welsh firms, organisations and third sector.
- Undertake regional economic modelling of the Welsh economy.
- Publish the Welsh Economic Review which provides a forum for analysis of the regional economy.
- Engage with collaborators in our research including public, private and third sectors.
How we do it
- Varied economic research methods, including quantitative and qualitative research methods.
- Engagement with economic statistics on the Welsh economy, and production of statistics for our collaborators.
- Partnership links with industry and government established over 30 years of regional working.
- Grant funding from UKRI, regional government, industry and the third sector.
Research
Superfast Broadband Project
We are undertaking research on the economic benefits associated with the take-up of superfast, broadband-enabled technologies by businesses in Wales. Our research will help maximise take-up and exploitation of superfast broadband-enabled services as well as assess the economic impact of these services.
Find out more about our Superfast Broadband Project.
Welsh Economic Review
The Unit produces, administers and publishes the Welsh Economic Review, which is now in its 30th year. The Welsh Economic Review provides commentary and analysis of the Welsh economy in a manner that promotes understanding and informs decision-making and is a vehicle to engage with the Welsh business and academic community.
Current material in the Welsh Economic Review for Volume 27 2020 is available open access at Welsh Economic Review (cardiffuniversitypress.org)
Access back copies of the Welsh Economic Review.
Collaborative research
WERU is part of the world’s first Social Science Research Park at Cardiff University.
Economic Intelligence Wales
The Welsh Economy Research Unit works in partnership with the Development Bank of Wales and the Office for National Statistics. Economic Intelligence Wales collates and analyses data to create independent, robust and reliable insight to help better understand and improve the Welsh economy. Recent analysis and reports are available at:
Economic Intelligence Wales | Development Bank of Wales
CSconnected Research and Evaluation
The UK Government has announced the first wave of funding through UK Research and Innovation’s flagship Strength in Places Fund in which a major £43.74M project with South Wales’ compound semiconductor cluster has been approved and will be supported by £25.44M funding from Strength in Places.
The project “CSConnected”, is based around integrating research excellence with the unique regional supply chains in advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing. WERU is leading on developing economic data to support the project outcomes and to assist in the evaluation of project outcomes. Further details of the CSconnected activity is available at CSconnected – Driving tomorrow's technologies
Meet the team
Co-ordinator
Academic staff
Publications
- Henderson, D. , Munday, M. and Roberts, A. 2021. The regional consequences of new digital infrastructure: can Welsh SMEs gain an edge from access and adoption of superfast broadband?. National Institute Economic Review 255 , pp.42-55. (10.1017/nie.2020.48)
- Kapitsinis, N. , Munday, M. and Roberts, A. 2021. Exploring a low SME equity equilibrium in Wales. European Planning Studies 29 (10), pp.1777-1797. (10.1080/09654313.2021.1882945)
- Henley, A. et al. 2020. Covid-19 Welsh government financial interventions: an analysis of Welsh beneficiaries. Technical Report.
- Henderson, D. et al. 2020. The digital maturity survey for Wales 2020. Project Report.[Online].Cardiff UniversityAvailable athttps://www.cardiff.ac.uk/superfast-broadband-project/digital-maturity-survey.
- Jones, C. and Munday, M. 2020. Capital ownership, innovation and regional development policy in the economic periphery: an energy industry case.. Local Economy 35 (6), pp.545-565. (10.1177/0269094220968048)
- Xu, C. , Jones, C. and Munday, M. 2020. Tourism inward investment and regional economic development effects: Perspectives from tourism satellite accounts. Regional Studies 54 (9), pp.1226-1237. (10.1080/00343404.2019.1696954)
- Crawley, A. , Delbridge, R. and Munday, M. 2020. Selling the region: The problems of a multi-agency approach in promoting regional economies. Regional Science Policy and Practice 12 (3), pp.397-412. (10.1111/rsp3.12268)
- Kapitsinis, N. , Munday, M. and Roberts, A. 2020. Business succession in Wales.
- Stone, C. et al., 2020. Natural or synthetic – how global trends in textile usage threaten freshwater environments. Science of the Total Environment 718 134689. (10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134689)
- Munday, M. , Reynolds, L. and Roberts, A. 2020. A road for regional recovery? The socio-economic impacts of local spending on the A465 road improvement scheme in South Wales. Welsh Economic Review 27 , pp.25-32. (10.18573/wer.255)
- Henderson, D. et al. 2020. Superfast broadband business exploitation project: Digital Maturity Survey for Wales 2019. Project Report.[Online].Cardiff UniversityAvailable athttps://www.cardiff.ac.uk/superfast-broadband-project/digital-maturity-survey.
- Henderson, D. et al. 2020. Superfast broadband business exploitation programme: research and intelligence Digital Maturity Economic Impact Report 2019. Project Report.[Online].Cardiff: Cardiff UniversityAvailable athttps://www.cardiff.ac.uk/superfast-broadband-project/economic-impact-research.
- Kapitsinis, N. , Munday, M. and Roberts, A. 2019. Medium-sized businesses and Welsh business structure. Project Report.[Online].Development Bank of WalesAvailable athttps://developmentbank.wales/sites/default/files/2019-11/EIW Quarterly Bespoke report English.pdf.
- Dickenson, M. et al., 2019. EU transition trade prospects for key Welsh sectors. Project Report.Cardiff: Welsh Economy Research Unit
- Henderson, D. et al. 2019. Digital maturity economic impact report 2018. Project Report.Cardiff: Cardiff University
- Kapitsinis, N. , Munday, M. and Roberts, A. 2019. Equity clusters in Wales. Project Report.[Online].Development Bank of WalesAvailable athttps://developmentbank.wales/sites/default/files/2019-04/Equity Clusters Report_final.pdf.
- Henderson, D. et al. 2019. Digital maturity survey for Wales 2018. Project Report.Cardiff: Cardiff University
- Kapitsinis, N. et al. 2019. Export finance in Wales. Project Report.[Online].Development Bank of WalesAvailable athttps://developmentbank.wales/sites/default/files/2019-02/English_Bespoke Report_FINAL_25 Feb2019.pdf.
- Jones, C. et al. 2019. Economic effects in the UK periphery from unconventional gas development: evidence from Wales. Energy 166 , pp.1037-1046.
Resources
EU Transition - Trade Prospects for Key Welsh Sectors
This report was produced for Welsh Government as part of a project “Understanding the implications of Global Trade and Decarbonisation post Brexit.” Understanding the risks and opportunities for Welsh trade during the EU transition implementation period and in the period that follows is vital to inform Welsh Government’s discussions with the UK Government.
If this document cannot be read by your assistive software, you can request an accessible version by emailing web@cardiff.ac.uk. Please include the assistive tools you use and the format you require.
The Input-Output Tables for Wales 2007
The Input-Output Tables for Wales 2007
Next steps
Research that matters
Our research makes a difference to people’s lives as we work across disciplines to tackle major challenges facing society, the economy and our environment.
Postgraduate research
Our research degrees give the opportunity to investigate a specific topic in depth among field-leading researchers.
Our research impact
Our research case studies highlight some of the areas where we deliver positive research impact.