Research and scholarship
Jonathan Michie's research spans economics, innovation studies, political economy, corporate governance and lifelong learning, with a particular emphasis on the relationship between institutions, ownership structures and long-term economic performance.
His work combines economic theory with public policy analysis and has focused on how innovation, education, labour markets and corporate governance influence productivity, competitiveness and inclusive economic development. Throughout his career, he has sought to bridge academic research with policy making through collaborations with governments, international organizations and industry.
Michie's early scholarship examined industrial competitiveness, technological change and economic restructuring in advanced economies. Drawing on political economy and innovation studies, he argued that long-term competitiveness depends not only on market competition but also on investment in skills, innovation systems, institutional capacity and productive corporate governance. His research challenged approaches centred exclusively on deregulation and market liberalization, instead emphasizing the importance of coordinated economic institutions and public policy in sustaining innovation and productivity growth. These themes were developed in works including The Political Economy of Competitiveness and Globalization, Growth, and Governance, which explored how technological innovation, industrial policy and governance interact to shape national economic performance.
A major strand of Michie's research has addressed the economics of globalization. Rather than treating globalization as an inevitable or uniform process, he has examined how different institutional arrangements influence its economic and social outcomes. His publications analyze the effects of international trade, foreign investment, labor markets and financial integration on growth, inequality and employment, arguing that public policy plays a central role in ensuring that global economic integration supports sustainable and inclusive development. He has edited successive editions of The Handbook of Globalization, bringing together interdisciplinary research on the economic, political and social dimensions of globalization.
Michie is widely recognized for his research on mutual, co-operative and employee-owned enterprises. At the University of Oxford he founded and directs the Oxford Centre on Mutual and Co-owned Business, where his research examines how ownership structures affect corporate governance, resilience, innovation and long-term business performance.
Michie's research has analyzed innovation systems and knowledge exchange between universities, industry and government.
He has examined the role of higher education institutions in regional development, technology transfer and lifelong learning, arguing that universities contribute not only through research but also through education, collaboration and civic engagement. His scholarship has explored mechanisms through which knowledge generated within universities can support business innovation, public services and economic development, reflecting his academic appointment as Professor of Innovation and Knowledge Exchange.
Michie has written extensively on adult education, continuing education and workforce skills, arguing that lifelong learning is essential for innovation, productivity and democratic participation in rapidly changing economies. He has also examined the role of the social sciences in informing evidence-based public policy, themes developed in edited works including Why the Social Sciences Matter.
