Institute for Social, Policy and Enterprise Research (iSPER)

Transforming society, influencing policy, and supporting enterprise through outstanding inter-disciplinary research
Institute for Social, Policy and Enterprise Research (iSPER)

The Institute for Social, Policy and Enterprise Research (iSPER) brings together academics from across the University of Plymouth and supports them in delivering high quality and impactful social, enterprise and policy research. We work to promote collaboration with academics from other institutions, as well as stakeholders outside the academic community, at a regional, national and international level. In particular, we encourage and facilitate multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research to make a real impact on academia, businesses, communities and public policy.

To find out more about iSPER and our research please scroll down to access links to our projects, publications and impact case studies.

Professor Rod Sheaff, Director, iSPER

Associate Dean (Research), Faculty of Business

Call for participants:

“Strategy and Policy Innovation in Supply Chain Management under Environmental Pressure”

Under the Researcher Links scheme offered within the Newton Fund, the British Council and National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) will be holding a workshop on the above theme in Tianjin, China on 27–29 October 2018. We are now inviting Early Career Researchers (ECR) from the UK to apply to attend this workshop. The workshop is being coordinated by Professor Jingjing XU (University of Plymouth) and Professor Bo LI (Tianjin University), and will have contributions from other leading researchers.

More details about the workshop and how to apply

Dr Oliver Smith speaking at the iSPER Brexit Event

iSPER Themed Research Groups and Initiatives 

iSPER's key research strengths are reflected in its Themed Research Groups (TRGs), which bring together academics from across different disciplines who have a shared interest in a specific research theme: 

  • Crime, Justice and Society (CJS)
  • Maritime and Logistics, Business and Policy (MLBP)
  • Markets, Innovation and Competition (MIC)
  • People, Organisations and Work (POW)
  • Product and Service Value Chain Innovation through Advanced Technologies (ProSerV)
  • Responsible Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation (RESI).

Our TRGs provide an ideal vehicle for interdisciplinary collaboration not only across the social sciences and business and management disciplines but also with academics outside our core disciplines, including those in the natural sciences and arts. Further details on each of the Themed Research Groups can be found below.

In addition to the TRGs, iSPER also has two standalone Research Initiatives which specialise in delivering research excellence in new, emerging and niche areas of research:

  • Crime, History and Institutions: Transdisciplinary Conversations in Heritage, Art and Transmedia (#CHITCHAT?)
  • Modelling and Simulation for Social Systems (M&S3).

iSPER on Twitter


iSPER Themed Research Groups

iSPER Research Initiatives

The iSPER Brexit Series

Since the British public voted to leave the European Union, there has been widespread conjecture as governments across Europe and beyond try to assess the political and social ramifications of the result. 

As such, policy makers face a number of challenges in light of the increased responsibility placed on them – as areas of legislation previously under EU competence will soon be decided nationally.

In a new project led by the Institute for Social, Policy and Enterprise Research (iSPER) leading academics across a range of fields will attempt to shed light on how the referendum result might affect their areas of expertise.

Find out more about The iSPER Brexit Series

Dr Lise Hunter speaking at the South West Trade Summit

Find out more about iSPER