In-Conversation
with Elvira Uyarra
.
Elvira Uyarra is a Professor of Innovation Studies at Alliance Manchester Business School (University of Manchester) and Director of the Manchester Institute of Innovation Research. She is also an investigator at the ESRC-funded The Productivity Institute.
Professor Uyarra’s work sits at the intersection between innovation studies, policy studies and regional studies. Her recent research focuses on topics such as the role of universities in regional development, new generation innovation policies and the innovation impacts of public procurement.
Professor Uyarra has authored more than 50 scholarly articles in leading journals in geography, innovation studies and management and has participated in research and consultancy projects funded by UKRI, the European Commission, British Academy, Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), OECD and NESTA.
She serves on the editorial boards of several journals including Regional Studies, the Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society (CJRES), European Planning Studies, Ekonomiaz and Progress in Economic Geography.
You’ve worked on the international stage ad have been extensively published. Can you tell us a little about yourself and your career so far?
I am a Professor of Innovation Studies at the Alliance Manchester Business School and current Director of the Manchester Institute of Innovation Research at the University of Manchester. The Institute is a world-leading centre of excellence in the study of science, technology, and innovation policy and management, with a rich history dating back to the 1960s. The Institute is renowned for its expertise in various fields, including technology management, sustainable transitions and science and technology policy (including demand side innovation policies).
My career path has been shaped by a longstanding interest on innovation policy and regional development. After studying Economics back in Spain, I did a Master's in Technical Change and Regional Development at Cardiff University. This led me to pursue a PhD in Science and Technology policy at the University of Manchester, where I focused on the regional dimensions of innovation policy. Throughout my career, I've had the opportunity to work on various research projects and collaborate with policymakers, which has deepened my understanding of the practical challenges and opportunities in innovation policy.
I started doing research in the area of public procurement as a NESTA innovation policy fellow, looking at the opportunities of innovation in local government procurement. I was also researcher in the ESRC-funded UNDERPINN (Understanding Public Procurement of Innovation) led by Professors Luke Georghiou an Jakob Edler. In this project we undertook a large survey of public-sector suppliers in the UK to identify the drivers and barriers to innovation through procurement in the UK. Beyond the UK, I led a study for IADB looking at how different countries supported PPI policies and, more recently, how regions can use public procurement as policy tool to drive innovation and diversification, and the challenges in implementing such policies.
What drew you to join IPEC Research?
I'm excited about IPEC's future initiatives, particularly our plans to develop a comprehensive toolkit for innovation procurement practitioners. This resource will consolidate our research findings and provide practical guidance for public sector organizations looking to implement innovative procurement strategies. As the Director of the Manchester Institute of Innovation Research, I'm also looking forward to fostering more collaborations between academia and practitioners to further advance the field of innovation procurement.
How do you think your expertise aligns with the IPECs mission and goals?
I collaborated with CPC (Connected Places Catapult) through the consortium CRISPP (Centre for Research on Innovation in Public Procurement) that led to IPEC's creation. This prior experience has provided valuable insights and connections that I bring to my work with IPEC. My research on the barriers and enablers of innovation procurement, as well as on the implementation and evaluation of innovation procurement policies, contributes directly to IPEC's goals of developing evidence-based guidance and tools for practitioners.
Our research helps tackle challenges in innovation procurement by providing empirical evidence on what works and what doesn't. For instance, we've been studying how different procurement approaches impact innovation outcomes and economic growth, which can inform policy decisions and procurement strategies. One of the main challenges we've identified is the difficulty in balancing risk management with innovation promotion in public procurement. Early insights suggest that building procurement capabilities within organisations and fostering a culture of experimentation could help navigate these challenges more effectively.
Another challenge is data quality as we explain in this IPEC report (developed with colleagues Maria Fernanda Ibarra Gutierrez and Luis Ospina-Forero). We need to develop more comprehensive metrics to assess the impact of public procurement on innovation, including tracking the adoption rate of innovative solutions procured by the government, the diversity of public sector suppliers, including SME and start-up participation, categorize and quantify innovation-promoting elements in procurement documents, monitor market consultation activities and their outcomes, and better measure the innovation and productivity performance of public sector supplier firms through the use of existing or bespoke firm surveys.
What are you currently working on, and what do you think is the most exciting aspect of the IPEC research programme?
One of my current research areas focus on understanding how public procurement can be leveraged to drive innovation and sustainable outcomes. I'm particularly interested in exploring the role of demand-side innovation policies and how they can complement traditional supply-side measures, particularly in the context of so-called mission-oriented innovation policies.
What are you looking forward to ahead of the new procurement act coming into effect, and how do you think ongoing research can continue to drive innovation and economic growth in the public sector?
Looking ahead to the new procurement act, I'm particularly interested in how it will facilitate more flexible and innovation-friendly procurement practices. The act's emphasis on social value and sustainability aligns well with current research trends and could potentially drive significant changes in how public organizations approach procurement. In terms of future directions, I believe we'll see an increasing focus on mission-oriented procurement, where public buying power is used to address grand societal challenges such as climate change or healthcare innovation. Ongoing research will be crucial in developing frameworks and tools to support these complex, multi-stakeholder procurement processes.
Your work plays a crucial role in equipping decision-makers with the tools and knowledge needed to implement innovative procurement strategies. What’s the best way for people to engage with your work?
The best way for people to engage with our work with IPEC is through our publications, policy briefs, and workshops. We regularly publish our findings in academic journals but also aim to produce accessible reports for practitioners. Additionally, we organise knowledge-sharing events where policy makers and practitioners can discuss practical applications of our research findings.
What motivates me in this field is the potential to make a real-world impact through research. I enjoy the intellectual challenge of understanding complex systems and the satisfaction of seeing our work influence policy and practice. A rewarding aspect has been witnessing the growing recognition of procurement as a strategic tool for innovation and sustainability.
You can engage with Elvira's research by visiting our IPEC Research publications page.
Elvira Uyarra
Professor of Innovation Studies at Alliance Manchester Business School.
Director, Manchester Institute of Innovation Research
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