West Midlands: Fit for the Future? is a book written by ten different authors, with each author giving their personal view on how the West Midlands can best place itself in readiness for the economic recovery.
The focus of the book is on the future prosperity of the West Midlands, rather than on the effects of the recession, and explores the region’s ability to maximise its potential as it moves out of the downturn.
Our aim with the book is to stimulate debate, promote discussion and influence policy on the future growth of the region.
New chapter on green infrastructure
The Regional Director of the Forestry Commission, Bill Heslegrave, has kindly submitted an eleventh chapter on ‘Green Infrastructure’ (PDF, 929kb) to further inform the debate of what role the environment has in the economic recovery of the West Midlands.
Debating the book
Our annual conference on 20th October 2009 was the main arena for discussion and debate on Fit for the Future? At the conference, delegates were encouraged to discuss and debate the issues raised in the book, and help inform the development of the new regional strategy.
The debate continues on our Observations blog.
Book launch event
Richard Hyde, Chair of the Observatory, launched the book at an event held at St. Martin's Church in Birmingham, 21 July 2009.
View the launch event photos on flickr.
Authors
Foreword
Ian Austin MP (Regional Minister for the West Midlands)
The lessons of a recession: a historical perspective
Dr Chris Upton (Newman University College)
Stick to the knitting: seven lessons to learn in order to move forward
Norman Gascoigne (Regional Finance Forum)
West Midlands: footprint of the UK's second metropolis or lagging peripheral region?
Prof. Brendan Nevin (Nevin-Leather Associates) and Prof. Alan Harding (Institute for Political and Economic Governance, University of Manchester)
How to make our economy grow
Rob Killick and Saleha Ali (cScape)
Skills – how well are we placed for tomorrow?
Mike Beasley (Regional Skills Partnership)
Industrial activism – creating the workforce for the future
Tim Page and Alice Hood (TUC)
Innovation in a recession
Patrick Harris and Cliff Dennett (thoughtengine)
Towards a knowledge-intensive, green manufacturing future
Prof. David Bailey (Coventry University Business School) and Lisa De Propris (Birmingham Business School)
Sustainability and recovery: digging the West Midlands out of recession
Roger Levett (Levett-Therivel sustainability consultants)
Local solutions, regional leadership
Cllr Ken Taylor (Coventry City Council)