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Annette Roberts

Dr Annette Roberts

Reader in Economics

Cardiff Business School

Email
RobertsA1@cardiff.ac.uk
Telephone
+44 29208 75058
Campuses
Aberconway Building, Room T01b, Colum Road, Cathays, Cardiff, CF10 3EU

Overview

I have been a member of staff at Cardiff Business School since 1994. I have a wide range of research interests relating to regional economics and policy, regional input-output analysis, economic evaluation, foreign direct investment, and economic development.

I was a founder member of the Welsh Economy Research Unit (WERU), and am Deputy Director. With WERU members I have been involved in a number of a number of externally funded research projects which have been undertaken for private and public organisations, examples include:

  • A £1.2m programme of EU research in Wales examining small firm impacts of access to superfast broadband services.
  • Economic Intelligence Wales research programme examining small firm finance.

My most recent academic journal publications have been in the National Institute Economic Review, and European Planning Studies (both 2021). In previous years I have published in journals such as the European Journal of Operational Research, Marine Policy and Urban Studies. I addition, I have published numerous project reports as part of externally funded research activities.

I am Editor of the Welsh Economic Review, which is published online by Cardiff University Press. https://wer.cardiffuniversitypress.org/ 

Publication

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2012

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

Articles

Book sections

Conferences

Monographs

Research

My research interests focus on regional economics and policy, regional input-output analysis, economic evaluation, foreign direct investment, and economic development. Current long-term projects include Economic Intelligence Wales, which focuses around demand and supply side issues related to SME finance in Wales, research and evaluation relating to the Compound Semiconductor Cluster in Wales, and an analysis of the economic impacts of the A465 road improvement schemes. 

Recent funded research includes:

2020-2024 Strength in Places Funds CSconnected, Compound Semiconductor Cluster, Research and Evaluation, £400,000 with M. Munday and R. Huggins.

2019-2020: Kronospan: Economic analysis of activity supported by Chirk operations, with M.Munday.

2019: IQE Support for Strength in Places Funding Bid, with M. Munday and R. Huggins

2018-2021: Economic Intelligence Wales: Data analysis and research on SMEs and their role in the Welsh Economy. £250,000.  With M. Munday. Quarterly and Bespoke reporting.

2018: Understanding the implications of global trade and decarbonisation post Brexit.  For Welsh Government, with C. Jones and M. Munday.

2018-19: Arcadis (project grant extension). Capturing the wider economic benefits of A465 construction: Socio-economic dashboard. Analysis of socio-economic effects of major road redevelopment at Head of the Valleys and involving close collaboration with Costain.  (with WERU team). PI

2017: EU Transition and prospects for Anchors and RICs in Wales.  Report for Welsh Government, with C. Jones and M.Munday.  

2017: The potential economic and regeneration impacts of St David’s – UK City of Culture 2021.  

2017: Economic activity supported by inward investment in Wales. For Welsh Government.

2016: ERDF Superfast Broadband Exploitation project, Digital Maturity Survey for Wales, £1.5m with WERU team. Annual Digital Maturity Survey report, and Annual Economic Impact Report SFBBE.

2015-2017: Ser Cymru National Research Network for Low Carbon Energy & Environment. Consequential Life Cycle of Environmental & Economic Effects of Dairy and Beef Consolidation and Intensification Pathways: CLEANER COWS. Funding for studentship to examine farm consolidation using CGE model framework. £57,000 with M Munday, K Matthews, A Crawley and C Jones.

2015: RWEnpower.  RWEnpower: Local socio-economic activity supported by energy generation. Analysis of effects related to construction and operation of the Pembroke Dock Power Station. 

2015: Welsh Government EST. Evaluating Business Usage and Exploitation of Superfast Broadband in Wales: A Review and Recommendations for Metrics and a Digital Dashboard. Research and report for Welsh Government in connection with roll-out of new infrastructure and business exploitation. 

2015: Mineral Products Association. Analysis of the effects associated with aggregates industries in Wales. 

2014-2017: E C Harris Limited. Capturing the wider economic benefits of A465 construction: Socio-economic dashboard. Analysis of socio-economic effects of major road redevelopment at Head of the Valleys and involving close collaboration with Costain and Carillion. (with WERU team).                         

2014-15: Natural Resources Wales: Linking the Welsh Economy to the Environment. Programme of research for NRW linking to economy effects of environmental interventions, and modelled analyses.

2014: Murco Petroleum Limited: An analysis of economic activity dependent on the Murco Oil Refinery in Pembrokeshire. Report for taskforce dealing with potential effects of closure of the facility. 

2014: Cardiff University/Welsh Government: Economic evaluation; review of the proposal to establish a Compound Semiconductor Foundation with IQE Limited Newport.

 

PhD supervision research interests

  • Economic impact analysis
  • Foreign direct investment
  • Regional development policy
  • Regional economics/modelling
  • Welsh economy

Teaching

Current Teaching and Learning: Summary

  • Most teaching relates to the undergraduate Business Economics stream within the Economics section of Cardiff Business School
  • Undergraduate teaching on BS2560 Managerial Economics (Module leader), and BS3561 Modern Business Enterprise.
  • Also, teaching on the Business Strategy and Entrepreneurship MSc programme - BST186 Economics and the Business Environment (Module leader).
  • Supervise 5-7 MSc dissertations per annum.
  • Personal tutor to both undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Biography

Qualifications

  • PhD Economics, 1996
  • BSc (Econ), Economics, 1991

Academic Positions

  • Reader in Economics, Cardiff Business School.
  • Deputy Director, Welsh Economy Research Unit.
  • Editor, Welsh Economic Review.