Webber, Don, Professor

Professor Don Webber

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

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Full contact details

Professor Don Webber
Management School
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Conduit Road
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S10 1FL

Profile

Look out for Don's third book:

Bennett, L., Webber, D.J. and Brooks, C. (forthcoming) Developing Entrepreneurial Ecosystems: Place, Processes, People. Edward Elgar, Cheltenham

Don’s research focuses on two main areas, which each have numerous dimensions:

Productivity and economic growth as understood under the two-dimensional perspective (see paper with Gissell Huaccha below). This 2D perspective questions whether GDP and GVA reflect productivity efficiency, productive effectiveness, and/or technological improvements. Instead, the 2D perspective relates GDP and GVA to market power, persuasive advertising, and in particular demand management as forces that drive up the GDP and GVA measures of 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.

Don is open to media approaches to discuss topics of economic growth, productivity, tariffs, austerity, and the levelling up agenda.

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.

Edited books

Bosworth G, Chapman P, Newbery R, Steiner A & Webber D (Eds.) (2025) Rural Entrepreneurship: Harvesting Ideas and Sowing New Seeds. Leeds, England.: Emerald Publishing Limited.

Journal articles

Huang X, Liang Y & Webber D (2024) . Journal of International Management, 101157-101157.
Webber D & Huaccha G (2024) . Journal of Post Keynesian Economics, 47(1), 55-83.
Tubadji A, Wee R & Webber DJ (2023) . Journal of Economic Issues, 57(3), 735-759.
Tubadji A, Magnus G & Webber D (2023) . Journal of Economic Issues, 57(1), 1-7.
Tubadji A & Webber D (2023) . Journal of Economic Issues, 57(1), 153-171.
Tubadji A, Boy F & Webber DJ (2022) . Applied Research in Quality of Life.
Whitfield J, Svobodova P & Webber DJ (2022) . Event Management.
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) . Local Economy: The Journal of the Local Economy Policy Unit, 36(6), 524-540.
Tubadji A, Webber DJ & Boy F (2021) . Regional Science Policy & Practice, 13(S1), 198-216.
Tubadji A, Huang H & Webber DJ (2021) . Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 173.
Squires G, Webber D, Trinh HH & Javed A (2021) . International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis.
Webber D, tubadji A & Denney T (2021) . 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) . 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) . Regional Studies, Regional Science, 6(1), 405-420.
Hughes T, Webber D & O’Regan N (2019) . Studies in Higher Education, 44(4), 628-642.
Webber DJ, Jen MH & O’Leary E (2019) . International Review of Applied Economics, 33(4), 523-541.
Ruziev K & Webber DJ (2019) . Post-Communist Economies, 31(2), 258-278.
Webber DJ, Healy A & Bristow G (2018) . Economic Geography, 94(4), 355-375.
Webber D & Shutt J (2018) . Local Economy: The Journal of the Local Economy Policy Unit, 33(1), 118-119.
Webber DJ, Webber GA, Berger S & Bradley P (2018) . Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space, 50(1), 157-174.
Daglish C, Webber DJ & Cutts D (2017) . Welsh Economic Review, 25, 42-50.
Pacheco G, van der Westhuizen DW, Ghobadian A, Webber DJ & O'Regan N (2016) . British Journal of Management, 27(3), 606-627.
Webber D & Pacheco G (2016) . International Journal of Social Economics, 43(3), 263-283.
DEVINS D, LODORFOS G, KOSTOPOULOS I & WEBBER DON (2016) . International Journal of Innovation Management, 20(02), 1650032-1650032.
Pacheco G & Webber D (2016) . Personnel Review, 45(1), 183-200.
O'Leary E & Webber DJ (2015) . Regional Studies, 49(9), 1548-1560.
Dawson C, Veliziotis M, Pacheco G & Webber DJ (2015) . Social Science & Medicine, 134, 50-58.
Hedges MR, Pacheco GA & Webber DJ (2014) . International Review of Economics Education, 17, 39-54.
Mearman A, Pacheco G, Webber D, Ivlevs A & Rahman T (2014) . International Review of Economics Education, 17, 120-136.
Hedges MR & Webber DJ (2014) . Research in Post-Compulsory Education, 19(3), 323-339.
Pacheco G, Page D & Webber DJ (2014) . Work, Employment and Society, 28(3), 407-429.
Cutts D, Webber D, Widdop P, Johnston R & Pattie C (2014) . Electoral Studies, 34, 216-231.
Whitfield J, Dioko LDAN, Webber D & Zhang L (2014) . International Journal of Tourism Research, 16(2), 169-179.
Whitfield J, Dioko LAN & Webber DE (2014) . Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 22(2), 299-318.
Patsiotis AG, Webber DJ & Hughes T (2013) . Journal of Financial Services Marketing, 18(4), 285-300.
Markey R, Ravenswood K, Webber DJ & Knudsen H (2013) . Journal of Industrial Relations, 55(4), 507-526.
G. Patsiotis A, Hughes T & J. Webber D (2013) . Journal of Services Marketing, 27(4), 294-311.
Kumar S & Webber DJ (2013) . Applied Economics, 45(8), 1011-1025.
Kumar S, Webber DJ & Fargher S (2013) . Journal of Policy Modeling, 35(6), 978-991.
Pacheco G & Webber DJ (2012) . New Zealand Economic Papers, 46(3), 189-190.
Kumar S, Webber DJ & Perry G (2012) . Applied Economics, 44(23), 2945-2954.
Webber DJ (2012) . Applied Economics Letters, 19(11), 1095-1099.
Van Der Westhuizen DW, Pacheco G & Webber DJ (2012) . The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 23(13), 2661-2679.
Curry N & Webber DJ (2012) . Regional Studies, 46(3), 279-291.
Webber DJ & Mearman A (2012) . Applied Economics, 44(9), 1121-1132.
Patsiotis AG, Hughes T & Webber DJ (2012) . International Journal of Bank Marketing, 30(1), 20-42.
Kumar S, Webber DJ & Fargher S (2012) . Applied Economics, 44(5), 607-616.
Kumar S, Webber DJ & Fargher S (2012) . Applied Economics, 44(5), 599-605.
Whitfield J & Webber DJ (2011) . International Journal of Hospitality Management, 30(2), 439-447.
Mearman A, Wakeley T, Shoib G & Webber D (2011) . International Review of Economics Education, 10(2), 50-62.
Cutts D & Webber DJ (2010) . Regional Studies, 44(6), 735-760.
Webber DJ, Johnson S & Fargher S (2010) . Local Economy: The Journal of the Local Economy Policy Unit, 25(4), 339-355.
Webber DJ & Allen DO (2010) . International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology, 17(3), 198-207.
Whitfield J & Webber DJ (2010) . Tourism and Hospitality Planning & Development, 7(2), 163-178.
Allen DO & Webber DJ (2010) . Research in Post-Compulsory Education, 15(1), 33-47.
Webber DJ & White P (2009) . Applied Economics Letters, 16(18), 1825-1829.
Webber DJ (2009) . Applied Economics Letters, 16(13), 1375-1381.
Webber DJ, Hudson J, Boddy M & Plumridge A (2009) . Papers in Regional Science, 88(3), 609-621.
Perlo-Freeman S & Webber DJ (2009) . World Economy, 32(6), 965-994.
Thomas W & Webber DJ (2009) . Research in Post-Compulsory Education, 14(2), 119-141.
Webber D, Curry N & Plumridge A (2009) . Regional Studies, 43(5), 661-675.
Webber DJ & Mearman A (2009) . Applied Economics, 41(9), 1183-1190.
Devins D, Darlow A & Webber D (2008) . Local Economy: The Journal of the Local Economy Policy Unit, 23(1), 47-57.
Plumridge A, Webber DJ, Boddy M & Hudson J (2008) . International Journal of Business Performance Management, 10(4), 305-305.
Johnson S, Webber DJ & Thomas W (2007) . Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space, 39(8), 1981-1997.
Webber DJ & White P (2007) . Economics Letters, 94(3), 338-341.
Webber DJ & Freke M (2006) . The Journal of Socio-Economics, 35(5), 854-867.
Webber DJ & Walton F (2006) . Research in Post-Compulsory Education, 11(1), 65-84.
Webber DJ, White P & Allen DO (2005) . Journal of Regional Science, 45(3), 565-589.
Webber DJ (2005) . International Review of Economics Education, 4(1), 58-73.
Webber DJ (2004) . The Economic Journal, 114(499), F549-F551.
Webber D & White P (2003) . Regional Studies, 37(8), 773-782.
Thomas W, Webber DJ & Walton F (2003) . Research in Post-Compulsory Education, 8(2), 197-212.
Webber DJ (2003) . The Economic Journal, 113(488), F415-F416.
Webber DJ (2003) . The Economic Journal, 113(485), F201-F202.
Webber DJ (2002) . The Economic Journal, 112(483), F599-F601.
Webber DJ (2002) . Applied Economics, 34(13), 1633-1643.
Webber DJ (2002) . The Economic Journal, 112(480), F377-F378.
Webber DJ (2002) . Applied Economics, 34(3), 385-394.
Webber D (2002) . Innovations, 15(1), 151-151.
Webber D (2002) . Progress in Development Studies, 2(1), 67-68.
Webber DJ & Gore T (2002) . Local Economy: The Journal of the Local Economy Policy Unit, 17(2), 96-110.
Webber DJ (2001) . Applied Economics Letters, 8(11), 709-711.
Thomas W & Webber DJ (2001) . Research in Post-Compulsory Education, 6(3), 339-354.
Webber DJ (2001) . Applied Economics Letters, 8(5), 355-357.
Webber D & Allen D () Consensus, diversity, and the wisdom of the crowd: predicting final rank positions of the English Premier League. Scottish Journal of Political Economy.
Webber D, Rudkin S, Chen Y & He M () . Oxford Economic Papers.
Hutchison N, MacGregor B, Ngo T, Squires G & Webber DJ () . 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 & Pattinson S (2025) , Exploring Research Methodology and Research Design (pp. 55-66). Edward Elgar Publishing
Webber DJ & Page D (2022) , 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) , Promoting Innovation in New Ventures and Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises (pp. 3-27). WORLD SCIENTIFIC (EUROPE)
Gore T & Webber DJ (2017) , 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 () .

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:

Alex Ricketts

Doctoral Researcher (Entrepreneurship, Strategy and International Business)
Management School

Thesis title: An investigation into South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service's use of social media for community disaster resilience

Email: aegricketts1@sheffield.ac.uk

A R

Fajrin Muttaqin

Doctoral Researcher (Entrepreneurship, Strategy and International Business)
Management School

Thesis title: Social Entrepreneurship Failures: Understanding Causes, Impacts, and Learning Opportunities

Email: fymuttaqin1@sheffield.ac.uk

Quanbo Qi

Doctoral Researcher (Entrepreneurship, Strategy and International Business)
Management School

Thesis title: The Impact of Workplace Discrimination on Entrepreneurial Intentions: The Mediating Role of Well-being

Email: qqi10@sheffield.ac.uk

He has previously supervised:

Name	Thesis title	Year of completion
Laura Bennett	Understanding the mechanisms of entrepreneurial ecosystems: An examination of place, processes, people, and perspectives.	2023

Are you interested in applying for a PhD?

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