The Productivity Institute Business Innovation Funding Call
Strategic Productivity for Business Functions and the Leadership Team
Introduction
As part of its programme on Strategic Productivity, The Productivity Institute has issued a second Business Innovation Funding Call (2025). The purpose of the call is to invite research proposals which contribute to a better understanding of strategic approaches adopted by organisations to improve productivity.
We invite research proposals that will provide actionable insights on how to improve business productivity. These may include, but are not limited to, clear case studies, tested frameworks or solutions and tools that will address barriers to improving productivity within an organisation.
We also encourage applicants to collaborate with eligible partners including UK businesses, charities or business support intermediaries.
Research Questions
A detailed description of the call is available to read, along with an application template.
For this call, we are particularly interested in the following specific questions:
To what extent are the key functions listed above and the roles of the CFO, CIO and the CHRO connected on productivity drivers? Both with each other and within the boardroom?
- Does each function have a different approach or lens through which it drives productivity? How do they approach the 5 drivers of productivity (see below).
- Where there are different approaches how do these come together in the boardroom?
- What are the best tools, methods and techniques to join up these approaches to ensure there is a coherent, strategic approach to improving productivity?
- Different priorities and approaches will invariably lead to conflicting views and potential trade-offs. How does the boardroom align these?
- What do they prioritise and how do they arrive at these decisions? Are there bottlenecks and if so, how are they best overcome?
We would also be willing to consider specific proposals on questions that are not listed here, but would be pertinent to helping us better understand productivity for business functions, the leadership team and how they interact with each other.
The five productivity drivers according to research by The Productivity Institute are:
- Innovation and digital adoption
- Worker skills, engagement and well-being
- Management competencies
- Access to finance and cost savings
- Marketing and communication
Funding Criteria and Application Process
Details on the funding criteria, the application process and terms and conditions are provided.
A maximum of £50k (100% fEC) will be awarded per application. Applications may be submitted by organisations eligible to receive ESRC funding. These include Researchers at any UK University and Independent Research Organisations within the UK.
The project must be completed within a maximum of 11 months and be undertaken between 1st September 2025 and 31st July 2026.
The deadline for applications is 7th July 2025. All applications are to be made to: TPI-Applications@manchester.ac.uk
About The Productivity Institute
The Productivity Institute brings together world-leading and UK experts from a range of disciplines and backgrounds, working directly with policymakers and businesses to better understand, measure, and enable improvements in productivity across the whole of the UK, with the aim of improving living standards and well-being.
