Professor Don Webber

FeRSA FHEA BSc(Hons.) PG(Cert.)TLHE MA PhD

Management School

Head of Entrepreneurship, Strategy and International Business Subject Group

Chair in Managerial Economics

d.j.webber@sheffield.ac.uk

Sheffield University Management School

Full contact details

Professor Don Webber
Management School
Sheffield University Management School
Conduit Road
Sheffield
S10 1FL

Profile

Don’s research focuses on two main areas:

Productivity and economic growth as understood under the two-dimensional perspective – i.e. economic growth and productivity figures measure the change in the financial value of output created and not the ratio of physical inputs to physical outputs (see Don's paper with Gissell Huaccha below). Research is needed to explore the extent that productivity and growth – as measured in terms of GVA or GDP – are related to productivity efficiency, productive effectiveness, or technology. The standard view of productivity and growth is that this is of course the case, but the two-dimensional perspective strongly questions how much of this is true. Instead, market power, persuasive advertising, and in particular demand management techniques may be the dominant determining forces driving growth and productivity.
The academic research ecosystem – i.e. how universities and the people within and outside of them enable, enhance, constrain, or belittle, etc. each other’s academic research activities and the prominence of their findings. This has huge implications for our ability to produce research output for the benefit of society and the measured performance of academic researchers.

Both of these research areas are novel and have the potential to change the way we look at the economy and our ability to create new knowledge.

Don is very interested in supporting our next generation of academic researchers and working with them to achieve their potential, including PhD students. Prospective PhD students researching the above or closely connected topics are encouraged to contact him for further discussion. He is very open to quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research.

Don has written over 100 academic peer-reviewed articles and led or collaborated on £2.3m of externally funded research. His work has been discussed at the United Nation's International Labor Organization (ILO) in Geneva, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Welsh Government and elsewhere.

Research interests

Productivity
Health
Education
Regions
Heterodoxy

Publications

Books

Hughes E, Webber D & Parry G (2024) MIGRATION, MOBILITY AND THE CREATIVE CLASS..
Webber DJ (2021) How to Enhance Your Research 100 Practical Tips for Academics. Edward Elgar Publishing.

Journal articles

Huang X, Liang Y & Webber D (2024) Strategic asset-seeking acquisitions by emerging market multinational enterprises and the liability of emergingness. Journal of International Management, 101157-101157.
Webber D & Huaccha G (2024) Rethinking productivity: the crucial role of demand. Journal of Post Keynesian Economics, 47(1), 55-83.
Tubadji A, Wee R & Webber DJ (2023) Mass Culture, Imports and Conspicuous Consumption. Journal of Economic Issues, 57(3), 735-759.
Tubadji A, Magnus G & Webber D (2023) Neo-Weberian Approaches to China: Cultural Attitudes and Economic Development. Journal of Economic Issues, 57(1), 1-7.
Tubadji A & Webber D (2023) Tea for Two: Language and Bilateral Trade with China. Journal of Economic Issues, 57(1), 153-171.
Tubadji A, Boy F & Webber DJ (2022) Narrative economics, public policy and mental health.. Applied Research in Quality of Life.
Whitfield J, Svobodova P & Webber DJ (2022) How can we reduce conference venues’ use of single-use plastics?. Event Management. View this article in WRRO
Webber D (2022) Should governments invest in cycle paths to encourage more cycling?. The Empirical Economics Letters, 21(6), 75-87.
Gardner M, Webber DJ, Parry G & Bradley P (2021) COVID-19: How community businesses in England struggled to respond to their communities’ needs. Local Economy: The Journal of the Local Economy Policy Unit, 36(6), 524-540. View this article in WRRO
Tubadji A, Webber DJ & Boy F (2021) Cultural and economic discrimination by the Great Leveller. Regional Science Policy & Practice, 13(S1), 198-216.
Tubadji A, Huang H & Webber DJ (2021) Cultural proximity bias in AI-acceptability : the importance of being human. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 173.
Squires G, Webber D, Trinh HH & Javed A (2021) The connectedness of house price affordability (HPA) and rental price affordability (RPA) measures. International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis.
Webber D, tubadji A & Denney T (2021) Cultural relativity in consumers' rates of adoption of artificial intelligence. Economic Inquiry, 59(2).
Webber D (2021) Conspicuous and inconspicuous discriminations in everyday life. ECONOMIC ISSUES, 26, 103-104.
Tubadji A, Colwill T & Webber D (2020) Voting with your feet or voting for Brexit: the tale of those stuck behind. Regional Science Policy & Practice.
Webber D, Kitagawa F & Plumridge A (2020) Student entrepreneurial propensities in the individual-organisational-environmental nexus. Economic Issues, 31-59.
Squires G & Webber DJ (2019) House price affordability, the global financial crisis and the (ir)relevance of mortgage rates. Regional Studies, Regional Science, 6(1), 405-420.
Hughes T, Webber D & O’Regan N (2019) Achieving wider impact in business and management : analysing the case studies from REF 2014. Studies in Higher Education, 44(4), 628-642.
Webber DJ, Jen MH & O’Leary E (2019) European regional productivity : does country affiliation matter?. International Review of Applied Economics, 33(4), 523-541.
Ruziev K & Webber DJ (2019) Does connectedness improve SMEs’ access to formal finance? Evidence from post-communist economies. Post-Communist Economies, 31(2), 258-278.
Webber DJ, Healy A & Bristow G (2018) Regional growth paths and resilience: A European analysis. Economic Geography, 94(4), 355-375. View this article in WRRO
Webber D & Shutt J (2018) Obituary: Prof Mike Campbell, OBE. Local Economy: The Journal of the Local Economy Policy Unit, 33(1), 118-119.
Webber DJ, Webber GA, Berger S & Bradley P (2018) Explaining productivity in a poor productivity region. Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space, 50(1), 157-174. View this article in WRRO
Daglish C, Webber DJ & Cutts D (2017) Election issues, political party performance and geography. Welsh Economic Review, 25, 42-50.
Pacheco G, van der Westhuizen DW, Ghobadian A, Webber DJ & O'Regan N (2016) The Changing Influence of Societal Culture on Job Satisfaction across Europe. British Journal of Management, 27(3), 606-627.
Webber D & Pacheco G (2016) Changes in intra-city employment patterns: a spatial analysis. International Journal of Social Economics, 43(3), 263-283.
DEVINS D, LODORFOS G, KOSTOPOULOS I & WEBBER DON (2016) INNOVATION AND GROWTH IN THE CITY REGION: MICROECONOMIC EVIDENCE OF ASYMMETRIES. International Journal of Innovation Management, 20(02), 1650032-1650032.
Pacheco G & Webber D (2016) Job satisfaction: how crucial is participative decision making?. Personnel Review, 45(1), 183-200.
O'Leary E & Webber DJ (2015) The Role of Structural Change in European Regional Productivity Growth. Regional Studies, 49(9), 1548-1560.
Dawson C, Veliziotis M, Pacheco G & Webber DJ (2015) Is temporary employment a cause or consequence of poor mental health? A panel data analysis. Social Science & Medicine, 134, 50-58.
Hedges MR, Pacheco GA & Webber DJ (2014) What determines students’ choices of elective modules?. International Review of Economics Education, 17, 39-54.
Mearman A, Pacheco G, Webber D, Ivlevs A & Rahman T (2014) Understanding student attendance in business schools: An exploratory study. International Review of Economics Education, 17, 120-136.
Hedges MR & Webber DJ (2014) Using student evaluations to improve individual and department teaching qualities. Research in Post-Compulsory Education, 19(3), 323-339.
Pacheco G, Page D & Webber DJ (2014) Mental and physical health: re-assessing the relationship with employment propensity. Work, Employment and Society, 28(3), 407-429.
Cutts D, Webber D, Widdop P, Johnston R & Pattie C (2014) With a little help from my neighbours: A spatial analysis of the impact of local campaigns at the 2010 British general election. Electoral Studies, 34, 216-231. View this article in WRRO
Whitfield J, Dioko LDAN, Webber D & Zhang L (2014) Attracting Convention and Exhibition Attendance to Complex MICE Venues: Emerging Data from Macao. International Journal of Tourism Research, 16(2), 169-179.
Whitfield J, Dioko LAN & Webber DE (2014) Scoring environmental credentials: a review of UK conference and meetings venues using the GREENER VENUE framework. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 22(2), 299-318.
Patsiotis AG, Webber DJ & Hughes T (2013) Internet shopping and internet banking in sequence: An explanatory case study. Journal of Financial Services Marketing, 18(4), 285-300.
Markey R, Ravenswood K, Webber DJ & Knudsen H (2013) Influence at work and the desire for more influence. Journal of Industrial Relations, 55(4), 507-526.
G. Patsiotis A, Hughes T & J. Webber D (2013) An examination of consumers ' resistance to computer-based technologies. Journal of Services Marketing, 27(4), 294-311.
Kumar S & Webber DJ (2013) Australasian money demand stability: application of structural break tests. Applied Economics, 45(8), 1011-1025.
Kumar S, Webber DJ & Fargher S (2013) Money demand stability: A case study of Nigeria. Journal of Policy Modeling, 35(6), 978-991.
Pacheco G & Webber DJ (2012) Quality of life research in economics: An introduction to the special issue. New Zealand Economic Papers, 46(3), 189-190.
Kumar S, Webber DJ & Perry G (2012) Real wages, inflation and labour productivity in Australia. Applied Economics, 44(23), 2945-2954.
Webber DJ (2012) Grade surprise and the decision to stay on into post-compulsory education. Applied Economics Letters, 19(11), 1095-1099.
Van Der Westhuizen DW, Pacheco G & Webber DJ (2012) Culture, participative decision making and job satisfaction. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 23(13), 2661-2679.
Curry N & Webber DJ (2012) Economic Performance in Rural England. Regional Studies, 46(3), 279-291.
Webber DJ & Mearman A (2012) Students’ perceptions of economics: identifying demand for further study. Applied Economics, 44(9), 1121-1132.
Patsiotis AG, Hughes T & Webber DJ (2012) Adopters and non‐adopters of internet banking: a segmentation study. International Journal of Bank Marketing, 30(1), 20-42.
Kumar S, Webber DJ & Fargher S (2012) Wagner's Law revisited: cointegration and causality tests for New Zealand. Applied Economics, 44(5), 607-616.
Kumar S, Webber DJ & Fargher S (2012) Testing the validity of the Feldstein–Horioka puzzle for Australia. Applied Economics, 44(5), 599-605.
Whitfield J & Webber DJ (2011) Which exhibition attributes create repeat visitation?. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 30(2), 439-447.
Mearman A, Wakeley T, Shoib G & Webber D (2011) Does Pluralism in Economics Education Make Better Educated, Happier Students? A Qualitative Analysis. International Review of Economics Education, 10(2), 50-62.
Cutts D & Webber DJ (2010) Voting Patterns, Party Spending and Relative Location in England and Wales. Regional Studies, 44(6), 735-760.
Webber DJ, Johnson S & Fargher S (2010) Sector Variations in SMEs’ Use of External Business Advice. Local Economy: The Journal of the Local Economy Policy Unit, 25(4), 339-355.
Webber DJ & Allen DO (2010) Environmental Kuznets curves: mess or meaning?. International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology, 17(3), 198-207.
Whitfield J & Webber DJ (2010) Sector Differences in Conference Facility Refurbishment. Tourism and Hospitality Planning & Development, 7(2), 163-178.
Allen DO & Webber DJ (2010) Attendance and exam performance at university: a case study. Research in Post-Compulsory Education, 15(1), 33-47.
Webber DJ & White P (2009) An alternative test to check the validity of convergence results. Applied Economics Letters, 16(18), 1825-1829.
Webber DJ (2009) Who stopped flying around September 11?. Applied Economics Letters, 16(13), 1375-1381.
Webber DJ, Hudson J, Boddy M & Plumridge A (2009) Regional productivity differentials in England: Explaining the gap. Papers in Regional Science, 88(3), 609-621.
Perlo-Freeman S & Webber DJ (2009) Basic Needs, Government Debt and Economic Growth. World Economy, 32(6), 965-994.
Thomas W & Webber DJ (2009) Choice at 16: school, parental and peer group effects. Research in Post-Compulsory Education, 14(2), 119-141.
Webber D, Curry N & Plumridge A (2009) Business Productivity and Area Productivity in Rural England. Regional Studies, 43(5), 661-675.
Webber DJ & Mearman A (2009) Student participation in sporting activities. Applied Economics, 41(9), 1183-1190.
Devins D, Darlow A & Webber D (2008) Beyond ‘Access’: Internet Use and Take-up of Online Services by Adults Living in Disadvantaged Areas in England. Local Economy: The Journal of the Local Economy Policy Unit, 23(1), 47-57.
Plumridge A, Webber DJ, Boddy M & Hudson J (2008) Country-level business performance and policy asymmetries in the UK. International Journal of Business Performance Management, 10(4), 305-305.
Johnson S, Webber DJ & Thomas W (2007) Which SMEs Use External Business Advice? A Multivariate Subregional Study. Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space, 39(8), 1981-1997.
Webber DJ & White P (2007) Convergence towards a steady-state distribution. Economics Letters, 94(3), 338-341.
Webber DJ & Freke M (2006) Church organists: Analysing their willingness to play. The Journal of Socio-Economics, 35(5), 854-867.
Webber DJ & Walton F (2006) Gender‐specific peer groups and choice at 16. Research in Post-Compulsory Education, 11(1), 65-84.
Webber DJ, White P & Allen DO (2005) Income Convergence across U.S. States: An Analysis Using Measures of Concordance and Discordance*. Journal of Regional Science, 45(3), 565-589.
Webber DJ (2005) Reflections on Curriculum Development, Pedagogy and Assessment by a New Academic. International Review of Economics Education, 4(1), 58-73.
Webber DJ (2004) Inequality and Industrial Change: A Global View. The Economic Journal, 114(499), F549-F551.
Webber D & White P (2003) Regional Factor Price Convergence Across Four Major European Countries. Regional Studies, 37(8), 773-782.
Thomas W, Webber DJ & Walton F (2003) School effects that shape students' intentions to stay-on in education. Research in Post-Compulsory Education, 8(2), 197-212.
Webber DJ (2003) Rising Wage Inequality: The 1980s Experience in Urban Labor Markets.. The Economic Journal, 113(488), F415-F416.
Webber DJ (2003) Globalization and the Perceptions of American Workers. The Economic Journal, 113(485), F201-F202.
Webber DJ (2002) Who's not Working and Why: Employment, Cognitive Skills, Wages, and the Changing U.S. Labor Market. The Economic Journal, 112(483), F599-F601.
Webber DJ (2002) Policies to stimulate growth: should we invest in health or education?. Applied Economics, 34(13), 1633-1643.
Webber DJ (2002) Trade Elasticities for the G‐7 Countrie. The Economic Journal, 112(480), F377-F378.
Webber DJ (2002) Labour's reward across regions of the EU: a distributional dynamic approach. Applied Economics, 34(3), 385-394.
Webber D (2002) Rendement des facteurs et hétérogénéité régionale : quels sont les effets des échanges commerciaux et des marchés du travail sur le salaire moyen dans les diverses régions d'Europe ?. Innovations, 15(1), 151-151.
Webber D (2002) Book Review: Economic growth and international trade. Progress in Development Studies, 2(1), 67-68.
Webber DJ & Gore T (2002) Dematerializing Local Economies: A Case for ad hoc Governance. Local Economy: The Journal of the Local Economy Policy Unit, 17(2), 96-110.
Webber DJ (2001) A slowing of national income convergence. Applied Economics Letters, 8(11), 709-711.
Thomas W & Webber DJ (2001) ‘Because my friends are’: the impact of peer groups on the intention to stay on at sixteen. Research in Post-Compulsory Education, 6(3), 339-354.
Webber DJ (2001) Convergence of labour's factor reward between regions of the EU. Applied Economics Letters, 8(5), 355-357.
Webber D, Rudkin S, Chen Y & He M () Industrial reform policies: Does marketization enhance productivity more than privatization?. Oxford Economic Papers.
Hutchison N, MacGregor B, Ngo T, Squires G & Webber DJ () The reverse mortgage market in New Zealand: key drivers of loan determination. Applied Economics, ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print), 1-16.
Webber D & Bowen R () Journal of rural studies. Journal of Rural Studies.
Webber D, Hughes E, Pacheco G & Parry G () Investment in digital infrastructure: why and for whom?. Region.

Chapters

Webber DJ & Page D (2022) The Economics of Individual Wellbeing and the Transformation of Society, Broadening the Scope of Wellbeing Science (pp. 121-135). Springer International Publishing
Webber D & Dymski G (2021) How will the effects of Covid-19 on macroeconomic demand and supply affect firm-level productivity?, Productivity and the Pandemic: Challenges and Insights from Covid-19 (pp. 237-249).
Devins D, Lodorfos G, Kostopoulos I & Webber D (2017) INNOVATION AND GROWTH IN THE CITY REGION: MICROECONOMIC EVIDENCE OF ASYMMETRIES, Promoting Innovation in New Ventures and Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises (pp. 3-27). WORLD SCIENTIFIC (EUROPE)
Gore T & Webber DJ (2017) Dematerializing economies and local growth: A case for ad hoc governance, European Governance: Policy Making Between Politicization and Control (pp. 53-67).

Conference proceedings papers

Squires G & Webber DJ (2020) Fluctuating regional house price affordability and the irrelevance of mortgage rates. 2018 Joint Asia-Pacific Network for Housing Research and Australasian Housing Researchers Conference, APNHR and AHRC 2018 - Proceedings (pp 135-152)

Preprints

Rudkin S, Webber D & Dlotko P () Spatial Disparities in Infection Rates at the Dawn of a Pandemic: Wealthy Young Workers Mattered.

Research group: Entrepreneurship, Strategy and International Business

Grants

(2016 - 2018) Welsh Government ‘Understanding productivity variations between England and Wales: A Reassessment’ with Anthony Plumridge and Michael Horswell)
(2015 - 2016) Welsh Government ‘Understanding productivity variations between England and Wales’ (with Anthony Plumridge and Michael Horswell)
(2014 - 2016) Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Bristol and Bath by Design (with Hoskins, S., C. McMahon, A. Noonan, G. Parry, G. Morton and A. Taylor) http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/30375/1/2016%20BBxD_FinalReport_.pdf
(2012 - 2014) Joseph Rowntree Foundation ‘'How can employment and skills policy or practice reduce poverty?’ (with Page, D., Veliziotis, M. and Johnson, S.) http://www.jrf.org.uk/publications/does-poor-health-affect-employment-transitions

Teaching interests: I believe in research-led teaching and incorporate this into my teaching practice through, for example, the use of contemporary case studies and findings from my own research.

PhD supervision

Prospective PhD students who wish to study productivity (very broadly defined), health, education and/or geographically-related issues are encouraged to contact Don for further discussion. He is very open to qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods research.

Professor Don Webber supervises:

PhD student Fajrin Muttaqin
PhD student Quanbo Qi
PhD student Alex Ricketts