CITE: Centre for Innovation, Transformation and Entrepreneurship
The Centre for Innovation, Transformation and Entrepreneurship (CITE) builds on BCU’s long-term expertise and reputation in the field of Entrepreneurship, Innovation and SME research. Working collaboratively with the SME community, we are focused on applied/engaged scholarship.
The centre is made up of 5 disinct research clusters from Entrepreneurship, International Business (IB) and Strategy, Human Resources and SME Leadership to Small Business Growth and Marketing, all always centred on the realities of the SME business experience and the external factors shaping them.
What we do
Alongside delivering key academic outputs — including publishing high-quality research, securing competitive research grants, and developing innovative courses — CITE also undertakes extensive applied and policy-focused work.
This includes working directly with businesses as active partners in the research process, as well as collaborating with a range of public and lobbying organisations. These include local authorities, Local Enterprise Partnerships, and Chambers of Commerce. CITE also has long-standing relationships with leading academic and professional bodies, including the Institute of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ISBE), Entrepreneurship Educators UK, and the British Academy of Management. Notably, two CITE staff members currently serve as Track Chairs for ISBE’s Minority Entrepreneurship and Creative Industries Entrepreneurship tracks.
Our impact in Entrepreneurship Education
A key area of CITE’s impact builds on earlier work recognised in REF2014 and REF2021 in the field of Entrepreneurship Education. Researchers within BCU’s Entrepreneurship and International Business cluster have developed a strong body of work examining entrepreneurial ecosystems and context, and how these conditions influence entrepreneurship education, as well as entrepreneurial intent and behaviour.
This research operates at multiple levels. It explores the local Birmingham entrepreneurial ecosystem, extends across the UK, and includes international perspectives, particularly in Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa. In addition, CITE’s work on leisure economies is generating emerging impact, especially by informing planning and delivery processes for large-scale sporting events.
CITE also has a growing portfolio of Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs), which are delivering demonstrable impact for businesses and contributing to the development of the West Midlands entrepreneurial ecosystem.
