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Economy and business environment

Make sense of the ever-changing world with upheaval and disruption all around us. The world in which we operate never stays the same, our content helps you stay on top of it.
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Highlights from ICAEW's business podcasts

Tackling productivity
Tackling productivity
  • 16 Nov 2022
Suren Thiru, ICAEW's Director, Economies, discusses why productivity continues to be such a huge issue for the UK economy..
Giving business financial headroom
Giving business financial headroom
  • 16 Nov 2022
Suren Thiru, ICAEW's Director, Economies, explains what types of support businesses need in these difficult economic times.

Latest on economy and business environment

Read our latest features and articles on the economy.
ICAEW's Director of Trust and Ethics, Laura Hough, discusses why good people do bad things with industry experts in this ICAEW Insights Podcast.
Why do good people do bad things?
  • Podcast
  • 29 Sep 2023
  • ICAEW
In this Insights In Focus episode, we discuss professional ethics and seek to answer the age-old question: why do good people do bad things?
UK and New Zealand mutual recognition boosts auditor mobility
  • Article
  • 27 Sep 2023
  • ICAEW
The FRC has established a mutual audit qualification recognition pact with recent free trade ally New Zealand, enhancing global auditor mobility and standards.
Mid-market businesses cutting costs at pace
  • Article
  • 26 Sep 2023
  • ICAEW
Companies are tightening their belts as cost pressures increase but business retains optimism for the near future.
New handbook guides charity treasurers through evolving challenges
  • Article
  • 19 Sep 2023
  • ICAEW
The pandemic, Brexit and the cost-of-living crisis are all having a profound impact on the charity sector. A revised edition of the Charity Treasurer’s Handbook offers updated guidance to chart a course through a charity treasurer’s responsibilities.
Resilience and renewal: ICAEW’s in-depth look at the economy
  • Article
  • 19 Sep 2023
  • ICAEW
The lives of everyone in the UK are tied to the health of its economy, but it faces serious long-term challenges; a new ICAEW series looks at how we could build a more resilient future.
To meet sustainability targets, the finance system must transform
  • Article
  • 18 Sep 2023
  • ICAEW
Global UN Sustainable Development Goals progress shows we’re halfway through but not halfway there in the race to take action on climate and the environment.
Diversity analysis of ICAEW probate firms highlights progress
  • Article
  • 14 Sep 2023
  • ICAEW
New report presents a useful snapshot of the diversity of accountancy firms amid growing recognition of the need to create a workforce that can meet the changing requirements of an increasingly diverse society.
Is record pay growth a good sign for businesses?
  • Article
  • 12 Sep 2023
  • ICAEW
As the latest Office for National Statistics figures reveal a climb in wage growth, especially in the finance and business services sector, ICAEW experts explain what this means for business.
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Topics in depth

Man studying accounts with calculator and magnifying glass
Economic analysis
Use our selection of articles, reports and eBooks to find economic analysis.
Trade shipping containers
Export
Use our selection of articles, reports, country guides and eBooks to find out more on growth and export.
Builders in group talking about industry project
Productivity and industrial strategy
Use our selection of eBooks, articles, links and guides to find information on business productivity and industrial strategy.

Reports

F&A’s role in responding to instability & volatility
  • Report
  • Mar 2023
Download the new whitepaper based on research by BlackLine and Censuswide.
Special Report 71 - The retail revolution
  • Report
  • Sep 2021
Our focused report on retail will detail the vast changes that have been undertaken in this industry since the onset of Covid, and how you can adapt to get to the top.
Exclusive Special Report 67- Problem solving
  • Report
  • Apr 2020
This month’s special report focuses on solving problems of all shapes and sizes in the workplace. Whatever your position in the hierarchy, there are practical hints and tips included to make your day-to-day work easier and more efficient.
The UK economy
  • Report
  • Jun 2018
This report explores many of the hot issues now facing the UK and global economy.
Exclusive Special Report 61: The UK economy
  • Report
  • Jun 2018
  • PDF (1,617kb)
This report explores many of the hot topics now facing the UK and global economy.
Special report - Export for growth
  • Report
  • Jun 2017
This report provides a practical guide to global exporting and includes interviews with SME exporters.
Special report: Behavioural economics
  • Report
  • Mar 2012
This special report highlights the importance of understanding the human behaviour in our choice selection.
More reports

Webinars and podcasts

Why do good people do bad things?
  • Podcast
  • 29 Sep 2023
In this Insights In Focus episode, we discuss professional ethics and seek to answer the age-old question: why do good people do bad things?
The PM’s pledges: where are we now?
  • Podcast
  • 01 Sep 2023
In this Insights In Focus episode, we analyse the health of the UK economy through the lens of the Prime Minister’s pledges for 2023.
Commercial property: economic bellwether or laggard?
  • Podcast
  • 28 Jul 2023
In this Insights In Focus episode, we analyse the UK’s current economic turbulence through the lens of the commercial property sector.
Ageing population: a public finance timebomb?
  • Podcast
  • 21 Apr 2023
In this special Insights In Focus episode, we discuss how the UK’s changing demographics are having an impact on public finances and policymaking.
What can we expect from 2023?
  • Podcast
  • 03 Jan 2023
On the latest ICAEW Insights podcast, we look ahead to what 2023 might hold for the UK economy and the work of finance professionals.
Untangling the events and impacts of 2022
  • Podcast
  • 15 Dec 2022
In this Insights In Focus episode, we review the major events of 2022 and their contribution to ongoing economic uncertainty.
How will quantitative tightening affect the UK economy?
  • Podcast
  • 30 Nov 2022
In this Insights In Focus episode, we explore the Bank of England’s recent policy switch from quantitative easing to quantitative tightening.
Surviving the cost-of-doing-business crisis
  • Podcast
  • 04 Oct 2022
In this Insights in Focus episode, we discuss the major challenges facing UK businesses, including energy costs, recruitment and retention of staff, and wage inflation.
More webinars

eBooks

The ICAEW Library & Information Service provides full text access to a selection of key business and reference eBooks from leading publishers. eBooks are available to logged-in ICAEW members, ACA students and other entitled users. If you are unable to access an eBook, please see our Help and support advice or contact library@icaew.com.

Exclusive Doing business in India: the PESTEL framework
  • eBook
  • 2022
  • Anurag K. Agarwal
  • Springer
Examines India's position in global business. Highlights case studies of foreign businesses which have achieved success in India despite the tough market.
Exclusive Dictionary of finance and banking
  • eBook
  • 2018
  • Jonathan Law
  • Oxford University Press
This sixth edition of the bestselling Dictionary of Finance and Banking has been fully revised and updated to take into account the ever-developing financial landscape of the last five years. This comprehensive A-Z defines terms from all aspects of personal and international finance, including money markets, private investments and borrowing, central banking, foreign exchanges, monetary policy, and public and government finance.
Exclusive No small change: why financial services needs a new kind of marketing
  • eBook
  • 2018
  • Lucian Camp, Anthony Thomson
  • Wiley
This book takes the form of a 13-point practical manifesto arguing that the fast-changing financial services world urgently needs to rethink the whole of its approach to marketing. The thirteen chapters look at the key components of the new approach.
Exclusive Doing business in China (4th edition)
  • eBook
  • 2017
  • Chao Xi, Morgen Witzel, Tim Ambler
  • Routledge
This title offers business-people a theoretical framework for the understanding of business practices, markets, negotiations, organizations, networks and the Chinese business context.
Exclusive Financial regulation in the EU: from resilience to growth
  • eBook
  • 2017
  • Sonia Mckay, Andrea Oates, Glynis Morris
  • Palgrave Macmillan
This publication looks to provide a bigger picture view of the impact and future of financial regulation in the EU, exploring the relationship between microeconomic incentives and macroeconomic growth, regulation and financial integration, and the changes required in economic policy to further European integration.
Exclusive Trading places?: VAT and Customs treatment of imports, exports and 'Intra-EU' transactions, and cross-border supplies of services in the Digital Age.
  • eBook
  • 2016
  • Andrew Rimmer
  • Spiramus Press
This book introduces the main concepts and trade facilitation reliefs that businesses must understand if they are to trade internationally with the least intervention and disruption from the Tax Authorities
Exclusive Financial Times guide to foreign exchange trading
  • eBook
  • 2015
  • Stuart Fieldhouse
  • FT Publishing International
An introduction to the foreign exchange marketplace, showing how the markets work, how to trade them successfully and how to mitigate risk.
Exclusive Mastering financial mathematics in Microsoft Excel: a practical guide to business calculations (3rd edition)
  • eBook
  • 2015
  • Alastair Day
  • FT Publishing International
Fully updated and compliant with Excel 2013, this clearly explains the basic calculations for mathematical finance, backed up with simple templates for further use and development, and a workbook with exercises and solutions at the end of each chapter
Terms of use

You are permitted to access, download, copy, or print out content from eBooks for your own research or study only, subject to the terms of use set by our suppliers and any restrictions imposed by individual publishers. Please see individual supplier pages for full terms of use.

More eBooks

Business press

The ICAEW Library & Information Service provides access to leading business, finance and management journals. These journals are available to logged-in ICAEW members, ACA students and other entitled users subject to suppliers' terms of use.
Exclusive Should companies launch new products in a recession?
  • Article
  • 01 Sep 2023
A look at the pros and cons of launching new consumer products during a recession. The authors explore how products introduced during a recession perform, examine how the severity of the recession can impact the product's performance, and scrutinize whether the timing within the recession matters. The authors' research included analysing 8,981 product launches in consumer goods categories within the UK from 1995 to 2012.
Exclusive A company reinvents itself in sign of hope for Japan
  • Article
  • 24 Aug 2023
  • Winnie Hsu, Sano Hideyuki
The huge conglomerate Hitachi became a symbol of corporate Japan's slide toward mediocrity when it got into difficulties during the global financial crisis and posted the biggest loss ever by a Japanese manufacturer. Yet the company has since undergone a turnaround, revamping its strategy to focus on growth and making its board more international and independent.
Exclusive Return to office may reverse UK women's gains on working hours
  • Article
  • 13 Aug 2023
  • Lucy White
A push to return more British workers into the office risks compromising a surge in the hours that women spend on the job, reversing one of the few positive trends for the economy. Research has suggested women are bearing the brunt of Britain's inflation crisis; it's possible this could be causing many to take on overtime or second jobs to help pay the bills.
Exclusive Impact of generativce AI on the datacentre
  • Article
  • 01 Aug 2023
  • Fleur Doidge
The article discusses the impact of generative artificial intelligence (AI) on datacentres. It exploring concerns about power consumption, resource requirements and security implications; the potential benefits of generative AI in improving efficiency and productivity; and also caution about the need for careful implementation and transparency in AI and machine learning projects within datacentres.
Exclusive United Kingdom Infrastructure report
  • Article
  • 01 Jul 2023
  • FitchSolutions
An industry report for the UK construction industry. Includes ten-year growth forecasts to 2031.
Exclusive Investing in growth through uncertainty
  • Article
  • 01 Jul 2023
  • Ranjay Gulati
When faced with industry disruptions or recessions, many companies instinctively focus on cutting costs to maintain profitability. But that is short-sighted, says Ranjay Gulati, Professor at Harvard Business School. Instead companies should make smart reductions in certain areas while also investing in new capabilities that allow them to emerge stronger. He provides examples of this from Alaska Airlines, financial services firm Edward Jones, digital media company Firefly and dining chain Panera Bread.
Exclusive How AI and automation can streamline procurement
  • Article
  • 25 Apr 2023
  • Cliff Saran
The article explains the role of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation in streamlining procurement, reducing costs and dealing with economic slowdown.
Exclusive How AI and automation can streamline procurement
  • Article
  • 25 Apr 2023
The article explains the role of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation in streamlining procurement, reducing costs and dealing with economic slowdown. Topics discussed are the need to build a single version of procurement data and standardize all information into a unified system as part of automating the procurement process and the potential capability of generative AI, machine learning and the digital ecosystem to make autonomous purchasing decisions.
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