Bart van Ark

Great event in London launching “Joining Up Pro-Productivity Policies in the UK” alongside @niesrorg.bsky.social. Insightful panel, packed room, and a big thanks to all contributors! 📄🔗 www.productivity.ac.uk/research/joi... 1/4

Picture of Rayner's speech, which says: "And with more flexible funding, we’re giving you the opportunity to work more collaboratively including through new pilots so councils and mayors can pool budgets and do joined-up services, learning the lessons of projects like Total Place – the last Labour government’s pioneering reform programme."

I really like the sound of the Total Place-style pooled budget pilots that Angela Rayner announced today. Little detail provided so far but potentially huge. This is how @instituteforgovernment.org.uk think Total Place pilots should work:
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

Symposium on the UK Productivity Puzzle: Insights from Data, Regions and Sectors The latest issue of the #InternationalProductivityMonitor features a symposium of four insightful and timely contributions addressing the UK productivity puzzle—assuming, of course, that one still con...

Some good summer reading!

A new issue of the #InternationalProductivityMonitor (Spring 2025) with a Symposium of articles on the UK #productivitypuzzle. www.linkedin.com/pulse/sympos...

Also a great article on #AI impacts on productivity by OECD.

CSLS and @productivity.bsky.social

How do we make sure we move from plan to implementation on the new #IndustrialStrategy and how to turn it into sustained #productivity growth? Some thoughts from @andywestwood.bsky.social and me on the things to look out for. @productivity.bsky.social

UK Regional Productivity: Insights from the 2025 ONS Sub-Regional Estimates - The Productivity Institute A blog by Bart van Ark examining the 2025 release of the UK sub-regional productivity estimates by the Office for National Statistics.

📊 ONS released the 2025 sub-regional productivity estimates yesterday. What does it mean for the UK?
Bart van Ark breaks down the key insights & what they signal for regional growth.
🔗 Read the blog: www.productivity.ac.uk/news/uk-regi...
#Productivity #Data #UKRegions

UK Regional Productivity: Insights from the 2025 ONS Sub-Regional Estimates by Bart van Ark The Productivity Institute, 19 June 2025 The 2025 release of the UK sub-regional productivity estimates by the Office for National Statistics, covering data up to 2023, is a timely and...

As the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic recedes, a clearer view of long-term regional productivity trends is beginning to take shape. A short analysis of the latest sub-regional productivity estimates for the UK by the ONS up to 2023 www.linkedin.com/pulse/uk-reg... @productivity.bsky.social

The UK doesn’t have a productivity puzzle The obstacles to higher growth in Britain are well known

As the Financial Times reports today, quoting Tera and @bartvanark.bsky.social, bridging this gap is not just about spending more - but investing smarter, with a long-term vision. www.ft.com/content/583a...

But in a recent talk "Are Productivity Growth Rates Diverging again?" I argue that US exceptional productivity is mainly a story of big investment and big tech, and highly concentrated in DIGITAL SERVICES. Outside that sector, US TFP growth isn't that special. www.tokyo-klems.org/wp-content/u....

As we have argued at @productivity.bsky.social for long time, "joining up" and "scaling up" (regional, national and international) are the two key policy levers for pro-productivity policies. UK isn't great at either.

Making Productivity Strategic - The Productivity Institute Bart van Ark explains why business leaders need to create a compelling story about why productivity is important.

How do you make productivity relevant for your entire business? @bartvanark.bsky.social explains why business leaders need to create a compelling story about the importance of productivity across all business functions. www.productivity.ac.uk/news/making-... #productivity #leadership #CHRO #CIO #CFO

Congratulations to @thedatacity.bsky.social and Oxford Economics for establishing this partnership. Sounds like a win-win. @productivity.bsky.social has been proud of its collaboration with @thedatacity.bsky.social and we will continue supporting the creation of valuable insights from this work.

One of the final regional events of #NationalProductivityWeek, in Cambridge featuring @ojgarling.bsky.social speaking about the #productivity challenges for #EastAnglia. All about need for connectivity and coordinate to leverage the opportunities . @productivity.bsky.social

And happy to pre-announce that The Productivity Institute @productivity.bsky.social will launch a 9th Productivity Forum for the Southwest with @bristoluni.bsky.social @businesswest.bsky.social Futures West and CA of West of England.

Just as I’m heading to our event in #Wales as part of #NationalProductivityWeek , glad to see this podcast hitting the wire. Also good listening for those visiting our events in #Scotland and #NorthernIreland. But even if you don’t, definitely worth a listen. @productivity.bsky.social

Off for our second day of #NationalProductivityWeek with an event with #CIOs on #StrategicProductivity and digital in the firm at the #Shard in London. Will there be some discussion about #DeepSeek? @productivity.bsky.social @ninajorden.bsky.social

The Productivity Agenda Needs to be Joined Up and Scaled Up Across Regions - The Productivity Institute Professors Bart van Ark and Andy Westwood write about the need for government at all levels to adopt a place-based perspective on productivity growth.

There is an urgent need for government at all levels to adopt a place-based perspective on productivity growth. Read @bartvanark.bsky.social and @andywestwood.bsky.social's blog on the #RegionalProductivityAgenda, released as part of #NationalProductivityWeek www.productivity.ac.uk/news/the-pro...

Kicking off #NationalProductivityWeek by partnering with @iofw.org on their closing event on the #PissaridesReview into the Future of Work and Wellbeing. With @productivity.bsky.social participation in #Shard London and AMBS in Manchester.

Productivity Through People: New Opportunities for CHROs - The Productivity Institute A joint TPI and Conference Board report examining six specific people-based levers that Chief Human Resource Officers can use to boost productivity.

And the CHRO report is here:
www.productivity.ac.uk/research/pro...

Navigating the Productivity Paradox: Strategic Insights from Chief Information Officers - The Productivity Institute The disconnect between rising ICT investments and stagnant productivity gains remains a significant challenge for organisations.

The CIO reports are here:
CIO: www.productivity.ac.uk/research/nav...

Unlocking Productivity: Collaborative Synergies for Chief Financial Officers - The Productivity Institute A joint TPI and CIMA report examining the expanded role of the Chief Financial Officer and its importance for productivity.

The CFO report is here:
www.productivity.ac.uk/research/unl...

First of three #ProductivityPuzzles podcasts around #NationalProductivityWeek on one of the key topics #StrategicProductivity. With authors of three research pieces on the CFO, the CHRO and the CIO in driving productivity. @ninajorden.bsky.social, Irena Teneva and Marion Devine.

See reports below.

Great conversation in this productivity podcast with @dianecoyle1859.bsky.social and @richardaljones.bsky.social with lots of good and original thoughts on the agendas for #productivity, #growth and #industrialstrategy. Enjoy if you want a break from holiday festivities. @productivity.bsky.social

New analysis from me for The Productivity Institute of the devolution proposals authorities submitted to the Government reveals that:

1. There is an ‘anti-mayoral belt’ which stretches from the South West to the East of England – as evidenced in red.

Interesting discussion on background of the October 24 budget with @productivity.bsky.social Senior Policy Fellow @timleunig.bsky.social.

This is not the “productivity” budget, but how to make it one? - The Productivity Institute Some of the critical stepping stones are being laid but it will all depend on execution.

What does the budget mean for productivity? Some of the critical stepping stones are being laid but it will all depend on execution, says @bartvanark.bsky.social in his policy commentary. www.productivity.ac.uk/news/this-is...
#budget2024 #productivity

The huge contributions of Alan Heston, who sadly passed away, as one of the original architects of the Penn World Table (PWT) is well memorised in an eulogy by our friends at @unigroningen.bsky.social where PWT is currently hosted. @robertinklaar.bsky.social. www.rug.nl/ggdc/blog/al...

Jagjit Chadha to Stand Down as Director - NIESR Professor Jagjit S. Chadha is to stand down as Director of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) in December 2024.

Jagjit Chadha is standing down from NIESR after eight years - he's done a great job in bringing economic light to tricky challenges during this time
www.niesr.ac.uk/news/jagjit-...

Skills England. What is it and what should it do? - The Productivity Institute Skills England needs to be at the centre of efforts to build a system with long term clarity and stability.

Skills England - what I think it should do (a blog for new Policy Unit @productivity.bsky.social)

www.productivity.ac.uk/news/skillse...

Another great post of @productivity.bsky.social new Policy Unit by on improving access to capital and finance to narrow regional inequalities in #productivity by Philip McCann and colleagues.

Policy Unit - The Productivity Institute How we work with policy makers on critical productivity issues at both a local and national level.

Exciting things happening in TPI today- we've launched a Policy Unit headed up by Policy Director @andywestwood.bsky.social
Today we have Policy briefings and commentary from Andy, @gilesyb.bsky.social , @timleunig.bsky.social , Professors Stephen Roper & Jun Du www.productivity.ac.uk/policy-unit/