Boosting businesses

The US and much of Western Europe have experienced historically low productivity growth in the past decade. At the same time, businesses are expected to play their part in dealing with society’s big challenges: reducing carbon emissions, helping to fund public services and creating a fairer society.

Businesses are fundamentally behavioural. They are made up of people making judgements – judgements that are affected by myriad psychological factors. This applies to small businesses and larger ones too, where effects such as groupthink can distort decision-making. 

Behavioural insights can be used to make business tax reliefs, regulation and business support more effective. Our practical guide shows policymakers and practitioners how to improve take-up and engagement among businesses. Our full report sets out new frontiers: how to make markets work better, how to improve diffusion of innovation through business networks, and how to redesign financial incentives to boost investment and growth.