Profile
Dr Sara Maioli
Reader in Economics
- Email: sara.maioli@ncl.ac.uk
- Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 1004
- Address: Âé¶¹´«Ã½ Business School
level 7, office 7.03
5, Barrack road
Âé¶¹´«Ã½ upon Tyne
NE1 4SE - UK
Introduction
I am an applied economist with expertise in firm-level data. My research interests relate to international economics, trade, labour, international business, SMEs, innovation, rural and regional development, and the creative economy.
I am a co-investigator and member of the Extended Senior Management Team at the funded by AHRC (2023-28) and led by Âé¶¹´«Ã½ with the Royal Society of Arts, working on the internationalisation of UK creative industries.
I was a co-investigator at the National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise (NICRE) funded by Research England (2020-24).
I was awarded the , and in 2023 I was the winner (with J. Jones) of the Best Research and Knowledge Exchange Paper at the Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ISBE) 45th annual conference, Birmingham. I was awarded the 2020 Outstanding Interdisciplinary Research prize by Âé¶¹´«Ã½ Business School (NUBS). I also received a nomination in 2023 for NUBS Outstanding Researcher - Research Citizenship prize, and a nomination in 2025 and 2026 for Best Research Supervisor at Âé¶¹´«Ã½... but I didn't win!
Background
I joined Âé¶¹´«Ã½ Business School in October 2006 as a lecturer in Economics, where I am now a Reader.
After gaining a Laurea in Economia e Commercio (Economics with Business, Accounting and Law) with summa cum laude at the University of Brescia (Italy) I spent one year in industry working for two small and medium Italian enterprises before deciding to continue my education in the UK. I gained an MSc in Economics at the University of Glasgow under the Scottish Doctoral Programme and a PhD in Economics (passed with no corrections) at the University of Strathclyde. My studies were funded by the University of Brescia (master) and the University of Strathclyde (PhD).
I also held the following research positions: Research fellow at Leverhulme Centre for Globalisation and Economic Policy (GEP), University of Nottingham (2003-2006); Research Fellow at the Ente Einaudi, Rome (Sept. 2002-Dec. 2002).
I acted as a consultant for the OECD in 2021-22, and in 2023.
Roles and Responsibilities at Âé¶¹´«Ã½
I am the Economics co-lead for Research and Impact. I am a member of the Centre for Rural Economy board (appointed in 2025). I am a member of Âé¶¹´«Ã½ Research Metrics Special Interest Group (2025-present).
I previously held the following positions at Âé¶¹´«Ã½ Business School: Director of Post-Graduate Research (2020-23); Âé¶¹´«Ã½ Pathway Lead for Economics, Business and Management Studies for the NINE Doctoral Training Program (2020-23); PhD students selector and convenor for Economics (2019-20, and 2025 S2); Director of Postgraduate Taught Programmes for NUBS (2016-19), Deputy Director of Postgraduate Taught Programmes (2015-16), Degree Programme Director for the MSc in International Economics and Finance (2012-15).
I held these positions at University level: member of the ESRC Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) Advisory Group, assessing research proposals for awarding funding (2023-25); member of the task & finish group overseeing the introduction of compulsory training for PGR supervisors (2022-24), member of Âé¶¹´«Ã½ Post-Graduate Research Regulations Working Group (2022-23); Senate-elected member of Âé¶¹´«Ã½ Council (2017-20), Member of Âé¶¹´«Ã½ Senate (2014-17), Senate representative on the NU Rankings and Reputation Special Interest Group (Jan-Jul 2017).
Recent Media Presence
From frictionless to fragmented: Brexit’s lasting impact on the Creative Industries, a blog written for The Arches, the alumni newsletter at Âé¶¹´«Ã½, to mark the 10th anniversary of the Brexit referendum.
I was interviewed by the Malaysian newspaper The Star on the future of UK manufacturing: on 5 March 2026.
(with J. Jones and D. Simandjuntak), The Conversation, 2024.
I was interviewed by the BBC Radio Hereford & Worcester (6th May 2021), by BBC Radio 5 (7th July 2020; 3rd February 2020; 9th August 2019), by BBC Radio Âé¶¹´«Ã½ (9th August 2019), by Radio 4, Today programme (1st March 2019).
I wrote the following commentaries regarding the US election of Trump:
I am NOT a member of the editorial board of the International Journal of Business and Social Sciences or the International Journal of Business, Humanities and Technology. These 'Journals' are not authorised to use my name and refused to remove it from their website. The story has been covered in the media by the Times Higher Education .
Google Scholar Profile Research Gate Profile
Research Interests
I am an applied economist with expertise in firm-level survey data and international trade data. My research interests span international trade, labour and development economics, firm performance, cultural and creative industries economics, regional science and rural development.
Recent external research Grants
2026: Co-investigator for ‘Assessing the Value of Creative Industries in Saudi Arabia Beyond Conventional Metrics’, Cultural Research Grant Program, Ministry of Culture of Saudi Arabia, with Sarah Najm (PI, Âé¶¹´«Ã½) and Mehmet Soytas (co-I, National Labour Observatory, Saudi Arabia), £4,424% (my REF share 40%).
2024: Principal Investigator for “Flexible work and firm productivity/performance: An analysis of working hour arrangements and SME productivity in Scotland”, Department of Business and Trade, £5,000 (my share 57%).
2023-2028: Co-investigator at the led by Âé¶¹´«Ã½ with the Royal Society of Arts and funded by AHRC for £11 million (my share £474,246.56).
2020-2024: Co-investigator for the National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise (NICRE) funded by Research England with £3.7 million (my share £178,000). NICRE is led by Âé¶¹´«Ã½ with contributions by Warwick (ERC), Gloucestershire (CCRI) and Royal Agricultural Universities.
2019: Awarded a Researcher Mobility Fund from Fundação Araucária through the Conselho Nacional das Fundações Estaduais de Amparo à Pesquisa / CONFAP-UK Academies scheme to spend 2 months visiting the Federal University of Paranà in Brazil (March-May 2020). Title of the project: "Non-Tariff Barriers and the Performance of Brazilian Agribusinesses" (with Prof. Mauricio Vaz Lobo Bittencourt). [CANCELLED DUE TO COVID-19]
2019: Principal Investigator for "Spatial disparities for SMEs productivity in England" funded by the UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). £5,000.
2018-2023: Co-investigator at the led by NESTA and funded by AHRC. With the Workstrand 5 based at Âé¶¹´«Ã½ we worked on the internationalisation of the UK Creative Industries with an awarded amount £370,619.99 (my share 20%).
2018: Co-investigator for an ESRC Productivity Insights Network Small Project, £9,999.76
2016: Co-investigator for “Start-up Phase of Rural Enterprise UK”, £43,250 from SAgE HEIF (Higher Education Innovation Fund), Âé¶¹´«Ã½;
2016: Co-investigator for “Secondary Analysis of the Longitudinal Small Business Survey”, £6987 from UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).
Awards and Nominations
2026: I was nominated for the Best Research Supervisor of the Year award at Âé¶¹´«Ã½.
2025: Awarded the for “Building back greener, levelling-up or both? An assessment of the economic and environmental efficiency transition of UK regions” (joint with Giorgio Fazio and Nirat Rujimora).
2025: I was nominated for the Best Research Supervisor of the Year award at Âé¶¹´«Ã½.
2023: Winner of the Best Research and Knowledge Exchange Paper at the Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ISBE) 45th annual conference, Birmingham.
2023: Nominated for the Outstanding Researcher - Research Citizenship prize, Âé¶¹´«Ã½ Business School.
2020: Awarded the Outstanding Interdisciplinary Research prize by Âé¶¹´«Ã½ Business School.
PhD student supervision
I welcome proposals from prospective PhD students in the following broad areas: international economics (i.e. both international trade and international finance), trade agreements, foreign direct investment, firms’ performance (in particular productivity, innovation, exporting, transition to net zero), internationalisation of creative firms, Chinese firms, rural firms. Get in touch if you want more specific ideas to develop a proposal under my supervision. You need to have advanced econometrics skills at postgraduate level.
Completed
· Nirat Rujimora "Essays on the Economics of Green Transition" (co-supervised with Prof Giorgio Fazio and Dr Saumik Paul), recipient of a Âé¶¹´«Ã½ Doctoral College Thesis Prize 2026.
· Muharrem Cevik, "Essays on Cultural Trade", co-supervised with Prof Giorgio Fazio.
· Nichola Williams (ESRC funded; "Three Essays on Health and Education in Guyana", co-supervised with Dr Smriti Sharma.
· Bo Gao (ESRC funded; "Firms Exporting Behaviour and Trade Policy in China", co-supervised with Dr Nils Braakmann and Prof Mich Tvede.
· Muhammad Siddique, "Exploring the Linkages between High Performance Work Systems and Organizational Performance: The Role of Relational Coordination in the Banking Sector in Pakistan", co-supervised with Prof Stephen Procter.
·Hany Eldemerdash, "The Effects of Fiscal Policy on the Current Account: Econometric Analysis of Developing Countries", co-supervised with Dr Hugh Metcalf.
On-going
· Yexiang Wang (co-supervised with Prof Giorgio Fazio)
· Ameer Khaleel (co-supervised with Prof Nils Braakmann)
2025/26 Teaching
The Economics and Public Policy of Sustainability and Climate Change (ECO8652) in S1; Macroeconomic Theory (NBS8252) in S2.
Office Hours
I don't hold fixed office hours (based on many years' experience they can't accommodate different timetables across several programmes) but I am happy to see students around their timetable. Please however drop me an email in advance to arrange a mutually suitable appointment.
Past teaching
International Economics; International Trade; International Finance; Advanced Topics in International Trade; Economics of Development; British Economy; Fair Trade; European Economy plus a variety of seminar teaching (maths, globalisation, introductory micro and macro).
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Articles
- Cao Z, Maioli S, Williams N, Woodhouse D. . The Journal of Development Studies 2026, epub ahead of print.
- Cevik M, Fazio G, Maioli S. . World Economy 2025, 48(11), 2408-2426.
- Fazio G, Maioli S, Rujimora N. . Regional Studies 2024, 59(1), 2309176.
- Fazio G, Maioli S, Rujimora N. . Papers in Regional Science 2024, 103(6), 100053.
- Tiwasing P, Gorton M, Phillipson J, Maioli S. . Journal of Rural Studies 2023, 100, 103007.
- Braakmann N, Gao B, Maioli S. . China Economic Review 2020, 63, 101536.
- Phillipson J, Gorton M, Turner R, Shucksmith M, Aitken-McDermott K, Areal F, Cowie P, Hubbard C, Maioli S, McAreavey R, Souza-Monteiro D, Newbery R, Panzone L, Rowe F, Shortall S. . Sustainability 2020, 12(10), 3973.
- Phillipson J, Tiwasing P, Gorton M, Maioli S, Newbery R, Turner R. . Journal of Rural Studies 2019, 68, 230-239.
- Casalin F, Pang G, Maioli S, Cao T. . International Journal of Production Economics 2017, 193, 148-159.
- Eldemerdash H, Metcalf H, Maioli S. . Empirical Economics 2014, 47(3), 825-851.
- Caglayan M, Maioli S, Mateut S. . Journal of Banking and Finance 2012, 36(9), 2512-2521.
- Boulhol H, Dobbelaere S, Maioli S. . British Journal of Industrial Relations 2011, 49(2), 331-361.
- Hudson R, Maioli S. . Critical Perspectives on International Business 2010, 6(1), 53-71.
- Gong Y, Gorg H, Maioli S. . International Journal of the Economics of Business 2007, 14(2), 197-214.
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Book Chapter
- Geishecker I, Görg H, Maioli S. . In: Greenaway, D; Upward R; Wright, P, ed. Globalisation and Labour Market Adjustment. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2008, pp.152-173.
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Online Publications
- Cevik M, Fazio G, Maioli S. . Âé¶¹´«Ã½ upon Tyne: Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre (Creative PEC), 2025. Available at: .
- Jones J, Simandjuntak D, Maioli S. . The Conversation, 2024. Available at: .
- Jones J, Maioli S. . 2023. Available at: .
- Maioli S, Di Novo S, Fazio G, Sapsed J, Vermeulen W. . Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre, 2021. Available at: .
- Di Novo S, Fazio G, Maioli S. . Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre, 2021. Available at: .
- Maioli S, Ferrett B, Görg H, Girma S. . Nottingham: University of Nottingham, 2006. Available at: .
- Maioli S. . Nottingham: GEP, University of Nottingham, 2005. Available at: .
- Maioli S. . Berlin, 2004.
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Reports
- Simandjuntak D, Fazio G, Jones J, Maioli S. . Âé¶¹´«Ã½ upon Tyne, UK: Âé¶¹´«Ã½ Business School, 2025. Creative PEC State of the Nations Research Series.
- Maioli S, Simandjuntak D, Jones J, Fazio G. . Âé¶¹´«Ã½ upon Tyne, UK: Âé¶¹´«Ã½ Business School, 2025. Creative PEC State of the Nations Research Series.
- Fazio G, Jones J, Maioli S, Simandjuntak D. . Âé¶¹´«Ã½ upon Tyne: Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre (Creative PEC), 2024. Creative PEC State of the Nations Research Series.
- Jones J, Simandjuntak D, Maioli S, Fazio G. . 2024. Creative PEC State of the Nations Research Series.
- Nguyen T, Phillipson J, Gorton M, Roper S, Dwyer J, Mole K, Hotopp U, Maioli S. . Âé¶¹´«Ã½ upon Tyne: National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise, 2023. State of Rural Enterprise Report, No 4.
- Phillipson J, Gorton M, Nguyen T, Wishart M, Roper S, Ozusaglam S, Khafagy A, Dwyer J, Hotopp U, Turner R, Tocco B, Maioli S, Hill I, Merrell I. . Âé¶¹´«Ã½-upon-Tyne, 2022. National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise State of Rural Enterprise Report 1.
- Mole K, Hill I, Nguyen T, Maioli S. . Âé¶¹´«Ã½ upon Tyne: National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise, 2022. NICRE Research Report 5.
- Maioli S, Tiwasing P, Gorton M, Phillipson J, Newbery R. . Enterprise Research Centre, Warwick University, 2020. ERC Research Paper.
- Tiwasing P, Gorton M, Phillipson J, Maioli S, Newbery R. . 2019. ESRC Productivity Insights Network.
- Turner R, Phillipson J, Gorton M, Tiwasing P, Cowie P, Maioli S, Newbery R. . Âé¶¹´«Ã½: Âé¶¹´«Ã½, 2019. Rural Economy and Land Use Policy and Practice Note 8.
- Phillipson J, Turner R, Tiwasing P, Gorton M, Maioli S, Newbery R. . Âé¶¹´«Ã½: Âé¶¹´«Ã½, 2018. Rural Economy and Land Use Policy and Practice Note 6.
- Phillipson J, Turner R, Gorton M, Maioli S, Newbery R, Tiwasing P. . Âé¶¹´«Ã½ upon Tyne: Rural Enterprise UK, 2017. Rural Economy and Land Use Policy and Practice Note 2.
- Phillipson J, Gorton M, Maioli S, Newbery R, Tiwasing P, Turner R. . Âé¶¹´«Ã½ upon Tyne: Centre for Rural Economy and Âé¶¹´«Ã½ Business School, 2017.
- Phillipson J, Gorton M, Maioli S, Newbery R, Tiwasing P, Turner R. . 2017. Enterprise Research Centre Research Paper 58.
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Review
- Maioli S. Review of the book ‘European Integration and the Functioning of Product Markets’, by A. Dierx , F. Ilzkovitz and K. Sekkat (eds.) Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, 2004) pp. 279. The World Economy 2006, 29(3), 370-372.