Second cities, shared lessons: Insights from UK–Japan devolution

Reading Time: 4 minutesBig metros power ahead while many towns and smaller regions struggle to keep up. A recent UK-Japan study, looks squarely at this problem through two ‘second city’ regions – Birmingham/the West Midlands and Osaka/Kansai – and distils a practical playbook that local leaders can use now. The argument is simple: finds durable institutions, functional regional geographies, flexible finance, and open learning loops are the levers that turn strategy into outcomes.

SME finance in uncertain times: Forging a path to resilience 

Reading Time: 3 minutesSMEs and entrepreneurs are at an important crossroads. Recent challenges like pandemic shutdowns, high inflation, and rising interest rates persist, keeping financing conditions tight. As uncertainty grows, businesses and governments must choose: halt investments at the risk of innovation and competitiveness or find new ways to access capital.

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