• 
• Read our Observations blog and keep up to date with the latest reports, research and policy affecting the West Midlands.

• 1 July 2009
• We're holding a drinks reception in Birmingham on 21st July to launch our book West Midlands: Fit for the Future? Ten authors have written ten chapters reflecting their personal views on how the region can best place itself in readiness for the economic upturn, as well as highlighting any potential obstacles.

• 1 July 2009
• New issue of our Oracle newsletter (PDF, 717kb) now available. It includes features on positioning the West Midlands for the economic recovery, the worklessness challenge and green firms fighting the recession, amongst others.

• 25 June 2009
• To try and help you more easily find the research and data you want, we're considering how best to restructure this website's menu navigation — please let us know what you think.

• 23 June 2009
• Results of the first Place Survey launched today providing information on people's perceptions of their local area and the local services they receive.

• 22 June 2009
• Crowdsourcing policy, visualising debate and evolving consultation: notes from the LocalGovCamp event held in Birmingham.

• 19 June 2009
• New reseach has shown that two-thirds of UK workers with specialist skills are not using them in their professional careers.

• 18 June 2009
• UK climate projections 2009 published today aimed at users who want to assess potential impacts of the future climate and explore adaptation options to address those impacts.

• 18 June 2009
• Unemployment in the region grew by a further 39,000 in the three months to April 2009 and has now reached its highest level since 1994.

• 16 June 2009
• Celebrating our successes: what are the achievements in your community or organisation in delivering learning in the West Midlands?

• 12 June 2009
• Sandwell Health's Other Economic Summit on 9–10 July will examine how local issues can impact on world health and how global issues affect us.

• 12 June 2009
• Medical and healthcare specialists MedlilinkWM launch Voices of Industry Campaign to gather views on how government can help life sciences companies to thrive.

Get updates by RSS

• Monitoring the economic recession
  
  We undertake regular analysis of the impact of the economic recession on the West Midlands economy, its population, skills and labour market and cultural sector.
  
  We've also mapped the areas that are most vulnerable to the recession.

• E-business adoption in the West Midlands 2008
  
  This report summarises the findings of the 2008 e-​​​business adoption survey, funded by Advantage West Midlands. Over 2,000 small to medium-​​​sized enterprises (SMEs) were interviewed during 2008 to assess their levels of e-​​​business adoption.

• Economic inclusion research
  
  Our new research comprehensively reviews economic inclusion and worklessness in the West Midlands.
  
  The research includes an executive summary (PDF, 1.09mb), full report (PDF, 2.16mb) and an indicators poster (PDF, 260kb) measuring the region's performance.

• Culture and Prosperity
  (PDF, 1.2mb)
  
  An overview of recent evidence associated with the economic impact of the cultural sector in the West Midlands.
  
  A summary report (1.1mb) is also available.

• Culture, People and Place
  (PDF, 1.6mb)
  
  A comprehensive review of recent research associated with the social and environmental role of culture in the West Midlands and beyond.
  
  A summary report (1.24mb) is also available.

• Regional Skills Assessment 2008
  
  The Regional Skills Assessment gives an overview of the key issues facing the West Midlands economy with regard to the skills agenda.

• State of the Region Report 2008
  
  This first report from our new annual series draws out key themes emerging from the State of the Region dialogues in 2008, other research undertaken in the West Midlands, and links these themes to wider developments influencing regional policy and strategy.

• West Midlands Regional Integrated Economic Assessment
  
  The West Midlands is the first English region to produce a Regional Integrated Economic Assessment. It aims to provide an assessment of the performance of the region's economy and of the factors which contribute to it. It also assesses the relative position of the different parts of the region.