Welfare State: A Facilitator or Inhibitor of Inclusive Entrepreneurship? (CIMR Debates in Public Policy)
When:
—
Venue:
Online
Join us on 4th November for our event 'Welfare State: A Facilitator or Inhibitor of Inclusive Entrepreneurship', part of the CIMR debates in Public Policy series.
This policy debate focuses on the role of the welfare state in entrepreneurship. It draws on the findings from a pilot study on the impact of welfare reforms on disabled entrepreneurs in the UK, exploring whether the welfare state facilitates or inhibits inclusive entrepreneurship.
A welfare state is a key institution in the design of ‘inclusive’ enterprise policies – those that create equal opportunities for all to start and manage a business. Disabled entrepreneurs face particular challenges because of uncertainties and costs associated with both entrepreneurship and disability. A welfare state can alleviate some of these challenges by providing financial and non-financial support, potentially creating a level-playing field with non-disabled competitors. We find that the reforms, underpinned by the efforts to reduce welfare dependency, generate policy contradictions with consequences for disabled entrepreneurs’ well-being, working practices and business performance.
The audience will be asked to consider:
- What should be the role of the welfare state in supporting entrepreneurship / self-employment?
- What a welfare state that enables inclusive entrepreneurship would look like?
Speaker: Eva Kašperová
Chair: Helen Lawton Smith
Discussant: James Brook
Please sign up via the link above by 5pm 3rd November. You will be sent the link to join on the morning of the event.
Biographies:
Eva Kašperová
Eva Kašperová is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Research in Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurship (CREME), Aston Business School, with interest in new venture creation among under-represented and disadvantaged groups and inclusive enterprise policy. Eva’s doctoral research investigated how disabled people form entrepreneurial identity from a critical realist perspective. Prior to joining CREME, Eva was a Lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University and a Research Assistant at Small Business Research Centre, Kingston University London. Her most recent projects include a study on the impact of welfare reforms on disabled entrepreneurs in the UK, and the ‘Building an Inclusive Business Support Ecosystem’ project that provides business support to entrepreneurs in deprived areas of Birmingham.
Helen Lawton Smith
Helen Lawton Smith is Professor of Entrepreneurship, Department of Management, Birkbeck, University of London. She is the Director of the Centre for Innovation Management Research (bbk.ac.uk/cimr). She is the Founder and Research Director of the Oxfordshire Economic Observatory, School of Geography and the Environment, Oxford University (http://oeo.geog.ox.ac.uk). Her current research on ‘Addressing regional inequalities in innovation opportunities for BAME and disabled groups’ is funded by the Regional Studies Association.
James Brook
James Brook is an entrepreneur, leadership consultant and organizational psychologist. He has over 25 years’ experience working with leaders, teams and organizations globally to optimize their performance, talent and future success. He specializes in positive leadership, thriving workplaces, collaboration and influencing, organizational change and transformation, accelerating innovation and coaching executives and leaders in innovative sectors including Tech, Digital, E-commerce and Life Sciences. James has a Master’s in Organizational Psychology, and an MBA. He is currently undertaking a PhD in Organizational Psychology examining the start-up experiences of Tech and Digital entrepreneurs. James is a regular contributor and speaker on leadership, coaching, innovative talent management and the future of work.
Contact name:
Alice Dowden