UOA 17: Business and Management Studies

Business Services

REF Highlights 2021

Our outputs

Nearly 90% of outputs submitted were internationally recognised for quality, significance and rigour.

Our submissions

Two thirds of impact submitted for assessment was judged to have very considerable reach and significance.

Our researchers

The very significant growth in volume of staff submitted for assessment improved our research power ranking by seven places compared to REF2014.

Our REF submission

Between REF 2014 and REF 2021, we saw very substantial growth in the scale of our research activity, increasing five-fold the number of staff submitted for assessment and tripling the number of PhDs awarded.

Our submission to this unit of assessment featured contributions from 23 people, 58 outputs and three impact case studies:

This area of our work also saw 33 doctoral awards and £304k research income during the REF 2021 period.

Our research

Research in Business and Management Studies is hosted within our Birmingham City Business School, a part of our Faculty of Business, Law and Social Sciences.

Our academic staff base comprises career academics and staff recruited from a practice background. We nurture staff at the beginning of their academic careers to undertake research, particularly those joining us from the professions. Our research combines traditional theoretical work, with research conducted through practice.

Our mission is to be an inspiring, innovative, impactful, and research-informed Business School, educating managers and professionals to meet societal and business needs, and preparing resourceful leaders for tomorrow’s challenges.

There are two research centres that fed into our REF submission:

  • Centre for Applied Finance and Economics
    Hosted within the Department of Accounting, Finance and Economics, research is conducted in three research clusters: asset pricing and financial markets; technology and sustainable industries; and economics of distribution and community.
  • Centre for Enterprise, Innovation and Growth
    Hosted within the Department of Strategy, Management and Marketing, research is conducted in four research clusters: entrepreneurial research; entrepreneurial finance; HRM and leadership; and sustainable business growth.

Our results in detail

Figures relate to the percentage of the submission meeting each standard: 

Profile4*3*2*GPA
Overall 1 41 51 2.36
Outputs 1.7 38 48.2 2.29
Impact 0 66.7 33.3 2.67
Environment 0 12.5 87.5 2.13

See our full results on the REF 2021 website.