Era has built an outstanding reputation in strategic analysis and action planning in the field of regional and economical development. Era promotes and instigates world class thinking which contributes to government and EU policy. Through innovative thinking Era delivers research, analysis and consultancy to meet client’s strategic information and implementation needs. Some examples of our recent work follows. Please use the right hand links to jump to your particular area of interest.
Creative Hub and Creation Space Business Plan
(Client: Slough Borough Council and Arts Council England) 2003
The Creative Hub is the flagship building in the Heart of Slough development and will house a digital library, an 'interactive multicultural experience' and healthy living space, complemented by an enterprise hub and move on space for ICT and creative industries. Era wrote the business plan for this building which included a full assessment of the market place, capital and revenue costs, options appraisals, and a marketing plan. This comprehensive plan has led to an in principal commitment from the Arts Council of £3m.
Birmingham Creative City Strategy
(Client: Birmingham City Council and Advantage West Midlands) 2002
Era was commissioned by Birmingham City Council’s Economic Development Department to carry
out a comprehensive analysis of the role of creative industries in Birmingham’s future.
This led to the development of a strategy and action plan to take forward 3 cultural
quarters in the city.
Ealing Creative Links
(Client: Ealing Borough Council) 2003
'Creative Links' is an initiative led by the London Borough of Ealing, together with
Ealing Studios, Thames Valley University and the London Development Agency, aimed at
building a world-class cluster of media activity in the Ealing, Acton, Southall and
Park Royal area. The project seeks to provide a focus for the diverse communities,
businesses and educational institutions involved in the creative industries, and to
stimulate the development of these activities in West London through a series of flagship
projects."
E-Innovate: 3 year Action Plan to take forward e-learning for creative businesses in the South East -
www.e-innovate.net
(Client:SEEDA and European Social Fund) 2003
E -innovate is funded jointly by SEEDA and ESF and will establish
a blueprint for e-learning for the creative industries. The project
involves:
Research into e-learning developments to establish benchmarks
and best practice.
Creation of a virtuous cycle of identification, specification,
design, rapid prototyping, use and review.
Development of a 3-year Action Plan to take forward e-learning
in the South East.
Consultation with Publishing, TV and Film Production, Computer Game
Development, Software development and Web Design and Content
Development companies will establish skills and competencies
needed; what existing systems and networks they access; what kind
of content and support processes they need; what their development
cycle needs are and what the infrastructure issues are for them
and their industry and supply chains.
This will enable Era to write an Action Plan to take forward the
sectoral e-learning agenda, focused on increasing take-up; new
content development; improved development cycles; better use of
infrastructure; synergy with developments such as the Equal
programme targeted at excluded communities and general do-ability.
This will be an iterative process with SEEDA, the industry sectors
and supply-side, recognising that 3 years is a long time both in
technology terms and for rapidly changing and converging
industries.
South East England Regional Development Plan
(Client: South East England Development Agency) 2001–2002
Era updated the ESF Objective 3 Regional Development Plan for the South East for
2000-2006. This involved substantial consultation with the working group and
wider stakeholder groups.
South East England Regional Economic Strategy
(Client: South East England Development Agency) 1999–2000
This work provides a regional economic strategy for the South East England
for presentation to government and to the EU.
Era were joint project directors with SQW/BBP.
London Thames Gateway Economic Profile and Strategy
LETEC, SOLOTEC and the London Thames Gateway Partnership.
Work with the Thames Gateway London Partnership,
the largest regeneration partnership group in London,
to develop an economic assessment and strategy
(the first of its kind for the area) to provide a framework
for economic regeneration and development for the future.
An Economic Profile of London 1996
London TECs in association with London First and Government Office for London.
A joint project undertaken by Anna Whyatt in association with GHK Economics and
Management to complete a comprehensive review of prospects and issues facing the
London economy.
Economic Assessments for the Training & Enterprise Councils
Anna Whyatt, Mary Rogers and John Shutt have been involved in the development
of economic assessments for Training & Enterprise Councils,
cross-referencing and drawing on the widest range of statistical,
geophysical and supplementary information.
Berkshire Education Partnership 2000-2001
Preparation of Initial Delivery Plan.
Haringey Employment Commission, Inner City Employment and Economic review
(Client: Haringey Council Employment Commission) 1998-9
John Shutt acted as one of the advisors and members of the Haringey
Employment Commission.
Contemporary African Arts Gallery 1999
Development of the public interest case for the Gallery.
Market Scoping for a UFI/Learndirect Managed National Tutor Service
(Client: UFI) 2002
Ufi/learndirect has now registered over ½ million learners and has ambitious growth targets
for 2006. It has recently invested some £10 million of Capital Modernisation Fund money into
the development of a National Online Tutor Service and intelligent, integrated, web-enabled
data engines that will enable Ufi both to reach global markets and to provide seamless
services to the client. These are impressive supply side enhancements but beg the question as
to the market for such e-learning services. This project focuses on Ufi/learndirect and the
online National Tutor Service and will establish the size and segmentation of potential
markets, the specific requirements of these segments and the nature and size of the opposition.
Evaluation of the CMF Funded UFI National Tutor Service and Learner Support Helpline Projects
(Client: DfES) 2001-2002
This project examines the fitness for purpose, efficiency and effectiveness of the two
projects from a supply and demand side.
Strategic Papers in relation to a national strategy for the Film Council 2000
(Client: The Film Council)
Department of Transport, Environment & the Regions – Regional Partnership 2000
Evaluating partnership in the regions in developing regional strategy, in collaboration
with Ove Arup and Aston University.
Evaluation of CSF for 1994-1999 in the Five English Regions
(Client: European Commission Directorate General of Regional Policies)
John Shutt worked on this study for the European Commission.
Towards 2006. European Union Regional policy in UK Local Government
Professor John Shutt and Adrian Colwell have just completed this study for the
Local Government Information Unit, London.
Department of Trade & Industry Review of Work Organisation in the Regions 1999
Overview of management of change in companies at regional level.
South Bronx Cultural District Strategy, 2004 onwards (Client: The Point Community Development Corporation, The Ford Foundation)
Era has been commissioned to create a strategy for a cultural district in the South Bronx. The programme emphasises using cultural industries and the arts to generate economic and physical regeneration as well as community cohesion. The strategy-building process has emphasised extensive community planning and scenario-building, economic analysis and initial masterplanning.
The impact of regional de-centralisation in the UK for public policy:
issues and implications
Working paper presented to conference of the nine Latin American countries
on Society and Reform of the State Madrid October 1998.
International Centre for the Performing Arts 1998-1999
Strategic development, planing and public interest case for this key post
millennium project for multi-cultural arts.
UK consortium for a ten country European project on Work Organisation 1998
European Commission and DfEE 1998-99 major research project, initiated by the European
Commission across ten countries to look at the future of Work Organisation.
European Work & Technology Consortium
In partnership with the Centre Européen de Ressources sur les Reconversions
et les Mutations in France, Peter Totterdill of Era was commissioned by
DGV to prepare a Medium Term Plan for Collaborative Action concerned with
the development and dissemination of new forms of work organisation.
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