Dr Ian Vickers is a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Enterprise & Economic Development Research (CEEDR). He has over 20 years experience of researching small and medium size enterprises and economic development policy and has authored a number of academic papers, book chapters and published policy reports for government departments and agencies. Within the business school he contributes to teaching in entrepreneurship, small business and research methods, as well as PhD supervision. Areas of particular research interest are:
Completions:
Bianca Stumbitz (2013) “Social Entrepreneurship Shaped by the Life Course: A Case Study of Older Social Entrepreneurs”
Abdullah Al Faruq (2015) “Understanding Social Enterprise Growth: The Case of Bangladesh”
Ricardo Raimundo (2016) “Learning Processes in High Growth SMEs: the Portuguese Case”
Maria Isabel Irurita (2019) “The Emergence of Social Innovation within the Social Economy: The case of social enterprises in England”
Ongoing:
Lisa Anne Borley: “The role of the environmental health inspection process as a developmental influence on small businesses”
Joanna Kitchen “Numbers, negotiations and networks: the role of calculative practice in the transition towards sustainability”
Sepulveda, L., Lyon, F., Vickers, I. (2020) Implementing Democratic Governance and Ownership: The Interplay of Structure and Culture in Public Service Social Enterprises. VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations. https://rdcu.be/b1WXQ
Vickers I., Lyon F., Sepulveda L., McMullin C. (2017) ‘Public service innovation and multiple institutional logics: The case of hybrid social enterprise providers of health and wellbeing’ Research Policy: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2017.08.003
Vickers, I. and Lyon, F. (2014) ‘Beyond Green Niches? Growth strategies of environmentally-motivated social enterprises’, International Small Business Journal. Vol. 32(4) 449–470. http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0266242612457700
Vickers, I. (2008) 'Better Regulation and Enterprise: the case of environmental health risk regulation in the UK', Policy Studies, 29(2) pp.215-232.
Selected books and published reports
Lyon, F., Stumbitz, B., Vickers, I. (2019) Social enterprises and their ecosystems in Europe. Country Report: United Kingdom. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/07273562-75f8-11e9-9f05-01aa75ed71a1
Stumbitz, B., Vickers, I., Lyon, F. et al. (2018) The Role of Community Businesses in Providing Health & Wellbeing Services – challenges, opportunities and support needs. London: Power to Change. Available at: https://www.powertochange.org.uk/research/role-community-businesses-providing-health-wellbeing-services-challenges-opportunities-support-needs/
Vickers, I., Westall, A., Spear, S., Brennan, G., Syrett, S. (2017) Cities, the social economy and inclusive growth: a practice review Joseph Rowntree Foundation, York. https://www.jrf.org.uk/report/cities-social-economy-and-inclusive-growth
Croucher, R., Stumbitz, B., Quinlan, M., Vickers, I. (2013) Can better working conditions improve the performance of SMEs? An international literature review, International Labour Office, Genev: http://labordoc.ilo.org/record/459303
Vickers I., Vaze P. and others (2009) SMEs in a low carbon economy, BERR Enterprise Directorate: www.berr.gov.uk/files/file49761.doc
View more publicationsMedia experience
Industrial links
Ongoing contacts with research clients in relevant government departments and agencies (e.g. Health and Safety Executive, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy), and also local enterprise/regeneration agencies + small business owner-managers through research activity.
Research grants and awards
2019-2021 ‘Good work’ and community business – identifying pathways to good practice, Power to Change (with Stumbitz, Lyon and Locality)
2017-21 Public Service Mutuals Research, for Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (with Lyon, Sepulveda and SEUK)
2018-2021 Rethinking Fashion Design Entrepreneurship: Fostering Sustainable Practices, Arts & Humanities Research Council (with Werner, Lyon, Elf and other partners led by London School of Fashion)
2019 Social enterprises and their ecosystems in Europe. UK Country Report, European Union (with Lyon and Stumbitz)
2017 The Role of Community Businesses in Providing Health & Wellbeing Services – challenges, opportunities and support needs, Power to Change (with Stumbitz, Lyon etc)
2016-17 A practice review ‒ How can cities help develop the social economy, in order to achieve more inclusive growth? For Joseph Rowntree Foundation (with Syrett and consultants Spear and Westall)
2013 The relationship between improving working conditions and firm-level outcomes in SMEs An international literature review prepared for the International Labour Organisation (with Croucher, Stumbitz and Quinlan).
2011-13 The Role of Mutuals in Public Service Innovation, Economic and Social Research Council, National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (with Lyon and Sepulveda)
2004/5 Regulatory Policy and Enterprise, HEFCE / Middlesex University (Vickers)
2003 Consolidating and furthering research on health and safety in small firms, HEFCE/Middlesex University(Vickers, Baldock)
2001/03 Cultural influences on health and safety attitudes and behaviour in small firms, for the Health and Safety Executive (Smallbone, Vickers, James, Baldock)
2001 Innovation, Technology and Manufacturing Best Practice: the London and S.E. Region in a European context, funded by MUBS and the SE England Development Agency (Smallbone, North, Vickers)
1998/99 SME Policy and the Regional Dimension of Innovation, for the European Commission, DGXIII (Smallbone, North, Vickers)
1998 Research on Regional Technology Centres, HEFCE/Middlesex University MUBS small research grant (Vickers, North) £2,760
Membership of Professional Bodies and Learned Societies
Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ISBE)
