Michael Kitson

Michael Kitson is an economist. His research is concerned with economic policy, growth and innovation. The key themes of his work are:

- Economic Policy and Performance: Contemporary Perspectives: Analysis of the economics of austerity and the limitations of free market economics.
- Economic Policy and Performance: Historical Analysis: Policy makers consistently ignore the lessons of history: the importance of managing the economy particularly in periods of crises and slow growth.
- Competition, Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Corporate Performance
Competition, innovation and entrepreneurship are all considered essential for firm performance and economic growth. But there are frequent misunderstandings on what these concepts mean and how they work.
- Globalisation: Analysis of the costs, benefits and complexities of complexities.
- Regional Competitiveness and Regional Policy
- Labour Markets and Employment Policy

Michael Kitson is an Assistant Director of the Centre for Business Research (CBR), Cambridge, and is Hub Director of the UK-Innovation Research Centre. He has undertaken research for: the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC); the Department of Business Innovation and Skills (BIS); the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC); the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC); and the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA).

Michael Kitson was Assistant Director of the National Competitiveness Network (NCN) of the Cambridge-MIT Institute (CMI) between 2000 and 2003, and Director of NCN between 2003 and 2007. CMI was a joint venture between Cambridge University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to improve competitiveness, innovation and entrepreneurship in the UK. He has provided evidence and advice to: the EU; the House of Lords enquiry into globalisation; and various regional and local governments.