Stephen Roper joins Core Insights host Trevor Barnes to discuss how the UK's small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the economy and how his research is proving vital in their battle for growth and survival. Professor Roper is Director of the Enterprise Research Centre, the UK's leading centre for research into the growth, innovation and productivity of SMEs, shaping policies and practices. It is funded by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), Innovate UK (IUK), the British Business Bank and a range of other organisations. Listen to Professor Roper reveal the policies needed to drive growth for SMEs and establish the UK as a world leader in business innovation. Read more from the Enterprise Research Centre: Increased mental health sickness impacting firms, ERC report reveals Find out more about the Enterprise Research Centre Read more about Digital Innovation & Entrepreneurship Responsible AI - a new online tool to protect children from harmful content How can digital platforms beat their rivals? Beyond the hype: what managers need to ask before adopting AI tools For more articles on Digital Innovation & Entrepreneurship sign up to Core Insights here.