Nigel Driffield
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nigeldriffield.bsky.social
Nigel Driffield
@nigeldriffield.bsky.social
Professor of international business, interests in regional productivity, FDI and labour markets.
Interesting that we keep hearing what a huge success story Manchester is www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
England's most deprived areas named - with Jaywick topping list
Jaywick, a seaside town in Essex, has been named the most deprived area for a fourth time in a row.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 30, 2025 at 11:01 PM
Professionally, nothing beats the unbridled joy of a phd student getting their first acceptance (except possibly the 2nd one for the ex student who needed two for a visa) .
October 27, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Last week was a TAS week - kind of typical for what I do …
October 26, 2025 at 7:29 AM
How to feel old - ive just discovered i taught one of our politics professors when he was a second year UG ….
October 20, 2025 at 2:23 PM
So within a generation business schools will be staffed only by the posh. Schools give generous bursaries but the only way to get one is to do a masters, adding about 40k to already high student debt. Would have ruled me out.
October 19, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Currently reading a phd - restricting labour mobility causes factor market distortions that advantage firms and workers are paid below their MRP - who would have thought it . Ps gets worse as labour protection is eroded. Reform anyone ?
October 3, 2025 at 11:14 AM
Personally I’m unconvinced that a 1.5bn investment from palentir into our data fills me with confidence…..
September 18, 2025 at 11:22 AM
Very grateful for being highlighted in this way, but a shame these things have to look backward rather than focus on what im doing this week
Did you know the productivity gap between different parts of the UK is significantly higher than international standards? @nigeldriffield.bsky.social identified factors contributing to the West Midlands productivity gap & informed interventions to boost productivity. ➡️ acss.org.uk/publications...
September 17, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Anyone else old enough to remember contestable markets ? BT were messing me about terribly having closed by accounts in error. Was only solved when i said “i have the skyBB order page open and if you dont solve in 5 mins im going to click ‘order’”
August 19, 2025 at 9:43 AM
Nothing is as quiet as a house the evening before à level results
August 13, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Ok so this is a long shot, and I’ve posted on various Facebook groups, but just in case ……
August 6, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Reposted by Nigel Driffield
July 10, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Just read Sebastian payne’s “broken heartlands”. The fact that it was political book of the year is a sad indictment of the judges / who I assume didn’t know this, living in their Westminster bubble
May 30, 2025 at 11:17 AM
Brilliant !
May 29, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Reposted by Nigel Driffield
Dear Mr. Clegg

I have started a business, selling the contents of your house

I knew when I launched I did not have legal access your house

Without this access my company will not be profitable

Others have told me I have a flawed business model, but I disagree

Please advise how I should proceed
May 24, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Reposted by Nigel Driffield
The Telegraph has disappeared this from their website, possibly out of mortal shame.

You know what to do...

(Link is to archive copy. The internet never forgets.)

archive.is/2025.05.25-1...
May 25, 2025 at 7:16 PM
An insight into midlands connectivity. Thinking of going to cricket at Worcester (28 miles) 1 hr 34 mins. Getting to lords, 1 hr 41 mins …..
May 25, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Who doesn’t want to see a massive swan made out of balloons www.facebook.com/share/v/16J7...
Redirecting...
www.facebook.com
May 17, 2025 at 10:13 AM
We get the productivity we deserve @productivity.bsky.social in cafe, person run off her feet, other staff sat chatting while we queue. Don’t blame them, shift starts 745, no reason they work for free, but firms employment policy should be more focussed on performance and less on monitoring
May 9, 2025 at 6:52 AM
April 30, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Heard a great quote from a (podcaster?) on radio 5 - « football is the most important of the unimportant stuff » - seems to sum things up nicely.
April 27, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Reposted by Nigel Driffield
One at least !
April 26, 2025 at 2:01 PM
“Party” for sale
‘Reform is launching a drive to raise funds from wealthy offshore donors in low tax jurisdictions including Monaco, UAE and Switzerland.’

Britain’s election laws are broken - and, so far, Labour’s mooted fixes are completely insufficient

www.ft.com/content/b133...
Reform UK heads offshore to raise funds from world’s wealthy
Party treasurer Nick Candy says events will be held ‘in restaurants, people’s private homes and on yachts’
www.ft.com
April 26, 2025 at 9:01 AM