Bringing together a wealth of experience, we deliver a bold, rigorous and integrated vision of economic potential. Our team has the experience, expertise and insight to develop strategies focused on practical outcomes, not neat theories, to help clients better understand economic opportunities and challenges. We offer a comprehensive and flexible array of economic analysis and research support across the following areas:
Place, sector & market analysis
Drawing on our experience in policy-shaping, policy-making, and appraisal and evaluation, we effectively use data sets and econometric analyses to analyse and benchmark the performance of places, sectors and markets. We bring a strong view of market and technology foresight, linking our assessments of current performance with likely anticipated changes and discontinuities in the future.
Strategy, action planning & implementation
We provide strategy development relating especially to places, sectors, organisations and partnerships. We blend quantitative and qualitative evidence to identify key priorities; outputting cohesive and compelling narratives and action plans. A premium is placed on engagement, emphasising strategy being done ‘with and for’, rather than ‘on and to’. Our action planning work draws on a knowing of ‘what works’ in wider contexts, plus techniques that force novel thinking.
Capacity & capability development
Expert, focused and driven leadership is a prerequisite for enabling the growth and success of places, sectors and markets. We often work at senior executive and Elected Member levels, to develop the skills, knowledge and networks of those organisations and governance structures involved in progressing growth and regeneration agendas. A key component we bring is our experience of ‘what works’ in other, and similar, contexts.
Feasibility, demand assessment & business planning
Working to national guidance such as HM Treasury’s Green and Magenta books, we bring experience of case-making processes, having worked for both applicants and funders. We are very familiar with the Five Case logic and methodology, and have significant experience in developing, writing, reviewing, and improving case arguments and business plans in a wide range of public sector contexts.
Evaluation & ex-post impact assessment
We are evaluators and impact assessors, who bring a well-developed understanding of evaluation tools and methods (as set out, for example, in HM Treasury’s Green and Magenta Books, and the European Commission’s EVALSED: Resource for evaluation of Socio-Economic Development). We develop and deploy logic-chain approaches to evaluation, and undertake process evaluations of interventions, and characterising so-called ‘Strategic Added Value’.
Infrastructure
Linking with Steer more broadly, we have wide experience of the role of ‘critical’ infrastructure in enabling and maintaining economic growth and productivity. Our work on economic development strategy routinely takes in infrastructure (transport/movement, land/property, and IT connectivity) as a key focus; and we understand how the supply of these infrastructure components aligns with the demands of wider economic growth.
Demographics, skills & labour market dynamics
Recognising that human capital is a key factor in all high-performance economies, we understand ‘what works’ in utilising peoples’ skills, knowledge and creativity. We profile the drivers and dynamics of labour markets, and bring an astute understanding of the balance between employment and productivity. We undertake studies that assess the demand for skills, the market/technology forces that create occupation changes, and the publicly-funded interventions that address failures in training and learning.