A new approach to productivity from Salford Business School

National Productivity Week ran from Monday 27 November – Friday 1 December, and was a chance for businesses to consider how they can help boost their productivity. In a new project delivered by Salford Business School in partnership with Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, businesses in the Rochdale area will be given the chance to learn about how to improve productivity rates through a dedicated programme of mentorship.

Currently in its 6 month pilot, the project brings together academics from Salford Business School and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the North Manchester area, to help them better use digital solutions to boost productivity across sectors. The first stage was an in-depth analysis of current productivity rates in SMEs.

This week, to coincide with National Productivity Week, initial meetings begin between Salford Business School, Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce and SMEs in the Rochdale area. Businesses will be matched with a mentoring partner, who will discuss opportunities and challenges in the implementation of new technologies to boost productivity.

Dr Maria Kutar, Co-Lead for the Disruptive Technologies Cluster at Salford Business School, commented:

“This is a really exciting collaboration with Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce – one which we hope will help SMEs in North Manchester to realise the benefits of technology investment to improve productivity. At Salford Business School, we work closely with businesses all over the region to offer support, expertise and guidance with key topics such as digital transformation and change management. Productivity is a key measure of success for any business, and I look forward to working with businesses in Rochdale to support their employees to realise the benefits of new technologies, and contribute to improving productivity in the area.”

Subrahmaniam Krishnan-Harihara, Deputy Director – Research & Information Systems at Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, added:

“We are pleased to collaborate with the University of Salford Business School on this pioneering project and would like to thank all the businesses who are participating in this project. Since Greater Manchester suffers a productivity deficit relative to the national average, it is important for businesses across the Greater Manchester region to improve business efficiency and productivity. Taking a new approach with a focus on mentorship will, we hope, yield real results. National Productivity Week is the perfect time to launch the programme, which should make a real difference to the outputs of some of our valuable SMEs in the area.”

While the pilot runs for 6 months, it is hoped the success of the programme will mean it can be rolled out across businesses in the Greater Manchester area.