Theories of growth have made progress in understanding the mechanisms of growth in economic terms. However, there is less understanding of the political processes that enable or obstruct these mechanisms. This article provides a four-stage framework to clarify and analyse the connections between...

This paper explores the links between lay knowledge, place and health related social action (or agency) at the individual and collective level. It is based on an analysis of in-depth interviews and neighbourhood survey data across four localities in two cities in the North West of England. The...

The expansion of GP fundholding (GPFH) is central to the British government's attempt to maintain the revolution under way in the National Health Service (NHS). Evaluations of the NHS reforms have portrayed GPFH as an important mechanism for competition, and GPFH's bargaining power is reported...

The present paper makes use of detailed information gathered at university department level, combined with graduate survey data, to assess the impact of different kinds of employability skills initiative on graduate labour market performance. We find that structured work experience and employer...

This article examines a number of international indicators of higher education performance mainly from the viewpoint of the British higher education system. The main indicators are enrollments ratios, costs per student and per graduate and proportions of GDP devoted to higher education. In...

This paper investigates multilevel associations between the common mental disorders of anxiety, depression and economic inactivity measured at the level of the individual and the UK 2001 census ward. The data set comes from the Caerphilly Health & Social Needs study, in which a representative...

Common health problems (CHPs) such as pain, depressed mood and fatigue are often cited as causes of disability and incapacity for work. The aim of this qualitative study was to investigate beliefs about CHPs in relation to work. Focus groups (n = 16) were undertaken with 79 people aged...