Gill Bentley

Gill Bentley

Department of Management
Lecturer

Contact details

Address
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
UK

Specialisms

  • Industry clusters
  • EU regional policy and governance
  • Innovation
  • Industrial competitiveness and the regional economy
  • Automotive and the food industries
  • Labour market change

Biography

Previous experience

  • Seven years in planning and economic development for East Sussex County and Sheffield City Councils
  • Lecturer in Economic Development and Planning at Coventry University
  • Member of the West Midlands Governance Research Group
  • Member of the Regional Intelligence Network
  • Member of the Regional Studies Association
  • Co-founder of the West Midlands branch of the Institution of Economic Development

Research

Recent Research and Consultancy Projects

 

  • New State Spaces: Local Enterprise Partnerships – ASSC (Advanced Social Science Collaborative, UOB) Study of LEPs in the West Midlands (2012-2013) .
  • Regional Integrated Strategies in four EU countries – a study of policy integration and governance with partners in Denmark, Sweden, and Netherlands: (2011-2012) funded by European Commission, ESPON programme
  • Local Enterprise Partnerships (2011-2012) – with INLOGOV, University of Birmingham
  • Local Enterprise Partnerships – exploratory study with Professor John Shutt, Newcastle University and Dr Lee Pugalis, Northumbria University (PI)
  • Evaluation of the Accelerate Support Programme for Automotive Industry Supply Chain firms – for Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and Industry and AWM (2007-2009)
  • The Economic and Social Impact of the Demise of Rover at Longbridge: A Longitudinal and Holistic Approach to Economic Restructuring funded by the ESRC on (2007-2009)
  • The Social Impact of the Closure of the Rover plant at Longbridge and the Efficiency of the Policy Response. (2008) For Birmingham City Council and Advantage West Midlands:
  • Evaluation of Digital Challenge Innovative Projects – for Birmingham City Council, the DC10+ Partnership and DCLG (2008-2009) 
  • Evaluation of ECAP – Enterprising Communities Plan – for Birmingham City Council (2008);
  • Regional Skills Agenda and Key Agencies – A review for the Careers Department in University of Birmingham (2008)
  • Evaluation of ‘Switch on Shropshire’ – funding for companies to upgrade digital capacity (2007)
  • Evaluation of Objective 2 area funded Training Opportunities Programme for the MedTech and ICT clusters – for Staffordshire University and the LSC (2005-2006) (PI)

Publications

Publications

Bentley G and L Pugalis (2013) New directions in economic development: localist policy discourses and the Localism Act, Local Economy [On Line First: http://lec.sagepub.com/content/early/2013/03/01/0269094212473940]

Bentley, Gill,, MacNeill, Stewart and Bailey, David (2013). Restructuring in the European Auto Industry, in P McCann, F Giarratani and G Hewings, ed.s, Handbook of Economic Geography and Industry Studies. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar. [In Press].

Bailey David, Bentley Gill, de Ruyter Alex, Hall Stephen and MacNeill. Stewart (2013). Plant Closures in Automotive Cities: Impact and Policy Responses in the Case of MG Rover in Birmingham, in M Hessler, ed., Automotive Cities. Stuttgart: Franz Springer Verlag. [In press].

Bentley G, Collinge C, Gibney J, McNeill S (2013) Regional Integrated Strategies in Europe: West Midlands Case Study Luxembourg: ESPON thttp://www.espon.eu/export/sites/default/Documents/Projects/TargetedAnalyses/RISE/FinalReport/PDF_for_Intranet/Annex_5_West_Midlands_Case_Study.pdf and http://www.espon.eu/main/Menu_Projects/Menu_TargetedAnalyses/rise.html

Pugalis L & Bentley G (2012) The Changing Business of Entrepreneurial Governance: An Examination of English Practice Paper for the ISBE Conference, Dublin 7-8 November.

Pugalis L, Bentley, G and Gibbons L (2012) Local Enterprise Partnerships – entering adolescence? Town and Country Planning December, pp 540-545

Gibbons L, Pugalis L and Bentley,G (2012) Local Enterprise Partnerships – equipped for the task? The Terrier Autumn, pp303-33

Bentley G. Bailey D and DeRuyter, A (forthcoming) Picking up the Pieces? Plant Closures, Redundancies and Policy Responses: A Review of Lessons learned in the MG Rover Case, Policy Studies

Pugalis L, Shutt J and Bentley G. (2012) Local Enterprise Partnerships: Living up to the hype? Critical Issues 4. Northhampton: Institute of Economic Development

Bentley G, (2012) Local economic development and local enterprise partnerships in Raine J and Staite C eds The World Can Be Your Oyster. Reflections on the Localism Act of 2011 Birmingham: INLOGOV University of Birmingham

Shutt J, Pugalis L and Bentley G. (2012) LEPs - living up to the hype? The changing framework for regional economic development and localism in the UK. In: Ward M and Hardy S (eds) Changing Gear - Is Localism the New Regionalism. London: The Smith Institute and Regional Studies Association.

Bentley G (2012) Eurozone Crisis: What Next for Europe? Birmingham Brief, Intelligent Thought on Policy Issues. http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/business/departments/management/news/2011/eurozone-crisis.aspx

Bentley G, (2011) Local economic development and local enterprise partnerships in Raine J and Staite C eds The World Will Be Your Oyster? Perspectives from INLOGOV on the Localism Bill Birmingham: INLOGOV University of Birmingham

Bentley G and Chapain C (2011) Support for Workers and Communities in Bailey D and Chapain C (eds) The Recession and Beyond: Local and Regional Responses to the Downturn Regions and Cities Series Regional Studies Association. London: Routledge

Bentley G, Bailey, D and Shutt, J (2010) From RDAs to LEPs: A New Localism? Case Examples of West Midlands and Yorkshire Local Economy, Vol 25, 7, 535-557

Bentley G, Bailey D and De Ruyter A (2010) The MG Rover Closure and Policy Response: An evaluation of the Task Force Model in the UK International Journal of Automotive Technology and Manufacturing, 10, 2/3, 236-251.

Bentley G. (2008) Clusters, A Policy for Regional Economic Development? Case Example of the West Midlands, UK. Quaestiones Geographicae issue 2 Adam Mickiewicz University Press, Poznań

de Ruyter A., Bailey D, Bentley G. Chapain C (2008) Precariousness of employment and regional disparities: an analysis of the labour market status of MG Rover workers 3 years after closure. RSA Winter Conference, London, 27 November 2008

Bentley G. (2007) Dealing with strategic change: A Trio of Automotive Industry Closures in the West Midlands Strategic Change, 16, 8, pp 361-370

Consultancy Reports

Bentley G., MacNeill S. and Chapain C. A. (2009) Evaluation of the Accelerate Programme. Final Report. Centre for Urban and Regional Studies, Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham.

Bentley G., Laughlin P. and East J. (2009) Evaluation of Digital Challenge Innovative Projects Centre for Urban and Regional Studies, Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham.

Bentley G., Laughlin P. and East J. (2009) Evaluation of Digital Challenge Innovative Projects Centre for Urban and Regional Studies, Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham.

Laughlin P. Bentley G. and East J. (2009) Enterprising Communities Action Plan. Evaluation of the Enterprise Catalyst Project, P2P and Centre for Urban and Regional Studies, The University of Birmingham

Laughlin P. Bentley G., and East J. (2009) Enterprising Communities Action Plan. Evaluation of the Integrated Employment Gateway Project P2P and Centre for Urban and Regional Studies, The University of Birmingham

Laughlin P. Bentley G., and East J. (2009) Enterprising Communities Action Plan. Evaluation of the Empowering Local Businesses Project. P2P and Centre for Urban and Regional Studies, The University of Birmingham

Laughlin P. Bentley G., and East J. (2009) Enterprising Communities Action Plan. Evaluation of the Town Centre Management Project. P2P and Centre for Urban and Regional Studies, The University of Birmingham

Bentley G. (2007) Evaluation and Review of the Objective 2 funded Training Opportunities Programmes for the Medtech and ICT clusters Centre for Urban and Regional Studies University of Birmingham

Recent Conference Papers/Presentations

Bentley G, Shutt, J and Pugalis, L (2013) LEPs: entrepreneurial governance;Soft state spaces and Innovative practices. RSA and Smith Institute Conference. The State of the Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) in England. Newcastle. March.

Bentley G (2012) Rescaling Economic Development Strategies in an Era of Austerity: Penny Pinching and Piecemeal Regional Studies Association Winter Conference London, November

Pugalis L & Bentley G (2012)The Changing Business of Entrepreneurial Governance: An Examination of English Practice Paper for the ISBE Conference, Dublin November

Bentley G (2012) Territorial Integrative Strategic Planning: The Case of GBSLEPS Regional Studies Association International Conference, TU Delft, The Netherlands,13-16 May

Bentley G (2012) Integrative Strategic Planning – The ESPON RISE Project. RTPI/ESPON Seminar , Edinburgh. April

Bentley G (2011) From RDAs to LEPs: a new localism? Doomed to failure? Regional Studies Association Conference London December

Bentley G (2011) The Death of Regionalism in England Regional Studies Association Conference Newcastle University April 

Bentley G (2010) Local Economic Development Under the Coalition Government, (LGIU/WBS/IDeA) Local Economic Development Learning Network, South West Regional Observatory, Taunton, Somerset, December

Bentley G (2010) Local Enterprise Partnerships: A New Localism? Case Examples of West Midlands and Yorkshire, (LGIU/WBS/IDeA) Local Economic Development Learning Network, LGIU, London, October

Bentley G (2009) The MG Rover Closure and Policy Response: The use of the Task Force Model RSA International Conference, Leuven, Belgium, 6-8 May

de Ruyter A., Bailey D., Bentley G., Chapain C. (2008) Precariousness of employment and regional disparities: an analysis of the labour market status of MG Rover workers 3 years after closure. RSA Winter Conference, London, 27 November 2008

Bentley G (2008) Understanding the public policy response to closures in the Automotive Industry: Multi-scalar Governance? RSA Conference, Prague, Czech Republic 27-29th May 2008

Other – Written Evidence to Parliament

Pugalis L, Bentley G, Gibbons L and Shutt J (2012) Written Evidence Local Enterprise Partnerships and the Regional Growth Fund House of Commons Business, Innovation and Skills Committee http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmselect/cmbis/writev/lep/m28.htm

Bailey D and Bentley G (2012) Written evidence Local Enterprise Partnerships and the Regional Growth Fund House of Commons Business, Innovation and Skills Committee http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmselect/cmbis/writev/lep/m11.htm

Bentley G, Gibbons L, Pugalis L and Shutt J (2012) APPG on Local Growth, Local Enterprise Partnerships and Enterprise Zones Memorandum of Written Evidence

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