A further concern lies in understanding how knowledge is generated, shared, and diffused within and across firms, sectors, and regions, and how social capital and networks – social, economic, and financial – foster entrepreneurship, innovation, and resilience in the context of rapid economic and social change. Combining insights from applied economics, advanced analytics, and management studies, this Research Area explores decision-making, resource allocation, and performance evaluation, with important implications for both organisational practice and public policy. Ultimately, it seeks to illuminate how organisations and institutions operate in complex environments, and how analytical and managerial tools can contribute to building more sustainable, equitable, and effective economic systems at both global and local scales.

Doctoral projects in RA2 are expected to combine robust research design with rigorous empirical analysis, applying methods such as econometric modelling, operations research, machine learning, and network analysis, either independently or in combination. The choice of data and methods should always be guided by the research question. Transparency, accessibility, and the ethical use of economic and organisational data are emphasised throughout, and students are encouraged to develop critical awareness of the assumptions and limitations underpinning different forms of evidence.