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Glenn Athey, BA, MA, PhD

Visiting Scholar

Specialist in local, urban and regional economics and spatial economic policy. Currently researching the political economy of international economic development and lessons for local and regional economic development in the UK.

Biography

Have worked in the consultancy industry and for various government agenciesas a professional economist for 16 years specialising in local and regional economic development.

Career

  • 2011-present: Visiting Scholar at Department of Geography, University of Cambridge
  • 2008-present: Director of Research and Intelligence, East of England Development Agency, Cambridge, UK
  • 2006-2008: Head of Research, Centre for Cities, London, UK
  • 2005-2006: Head of Enterprise Policy, London Development Agency, London, UK
  • 2002-2005: Senior Labour Market Economist, Futureskills Scotland, Scottish Enterprise, Glasgow, UK
  • 1998-2002: Economic Consultant, EKOS, Glasgow and Enterprise plc, Preston, UK
  • 1996-1998: Teaching Assistant, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Glasgow
  • 1994-1995: Research Assistant, University of Hull

Qualifications

  • 1995-1998: (Awarded 1999) PhD (Doctorate by research) in regional economic development economics, policy and practice; Department of Urban Studies; University of Glasgow; CASE Ph.D. Studentship Sponsored by the ESRC and Scottish Enterprise. Won Scottish Enterprise's Condliffe Bursary to fund overseas fieldwork (in Berlin).
  • 1993-1995: Master of Arts degree (MA) in European Political Economy; Department of Politics and International Studies; University of Hull.
  • 1990-1993: Bachelor of Arts Degree (BA) Honours Joint Economics and Geography upper second class (2i); University of Hull.

Research

Current research: Lessons for UK local, urban and regional economic development from international development. The aims of this research are threefold: 1) to take a fresh perspective on challenges of uneven spatial economic development, and challenges of local, urban and regional economic restructuring and regeneration with the use of theories, concepts and research findings from international development studies; 2) to develop stronger and more robust intellectual foundations for local and regional economic development in the UK, by using and adapting relevant lessons from evidence on international development policies and approaches. To provide a much clearer and robust framework for policy design at local, city, regional and national levels; and 3) to highlight conceptual and policy lessons for UK local, urban and regional economic development from international development experience and studies.

Past research: research on all aspects of local and regional economic development (investment, trade, entrepreneurship, property, innovation) and skills and the labour market.

Publications

Selected publications

  • Athey, G. (2010) Economic Success Requires Effective Industrial Policy, Local Economy, Vol. 25, Issue 8, pp 599-606.
  • Athey, G. (2009) Economic Development in the UK: Challenges During and After the Recession, Local Economy, Vol 24, Issue 6&7, pp. 604-611
  • Athey, G., Nathan, M., Webber, C. and Mahroum, S. (2009) Innovation And The City, Innovation: Management, Policy & Practice, Vol. 10, issues 2-3, p156-169.
  • Athey, G. and Lucci, P. (2008) Globalisation: the opportunity for UK cities, International Journal of Urban Regeneration and Renewal, Volume 1, Number 4 / March–June, pp. 329 – 340.
  • Athey G., Glossop, C., Harrison, B., Nathan, M., Webber, C. (2007) Innovation and the city: how innovation has developed in five city-regions, London: NESTA.
  • Athey, G., Lucci, P., Webber, C. (2007) Two Track Cities: The Challenge of Sustaining Growth and Building Opportunity, London: Centre for Cities.
  • Athey, G. (1998) Evaluating a best practice model of an economic development agency, Ph.D. thesis, Glasgow: University of Glasgow.
  • Athey, G. (1997) Berlin: Issues in Economic Development and Regeneration, Department of Urban Studies Occasional Papers, Glasgow: University of Glasgow.

External activities

  • 2008 to present: member of steering group for ReVISIONS – a £3.8 million multidisciplinary, ESPRC funded Cambridge University led consortium (6 UK universities) research programme dealing with the integrated (economic, environmental, transport, property) modelling of land use planning.
  • 2006 to present: member of the editorial board for Local Economy Journal (Sage publications).