Overview
This report analyses the economic and business activities in Dacorum, focusing on employment, sector dynamics, company trends, and gender representation in business leadership. Key indicators include total employment, sector-specific data, growth patterns, and company demographics.
Employment and Business Growth
- Total Employees: Dacorum has a total of 131,539 employees. The employee count has seen a notable rise, with 1,603 raisers, indicating a healthy growth pattern in employment.
- Percentage Employee Growth: The region experienced a 7.65% growth in employee count, signifying a robust and expanding job market.
- Top Sectors by Company Count: The leading sectors are diverse, with ‘Professional, scientific, and technical activities’ (19.34%), ‘Information and communication’ (16.33%), and ‘Construction’ (11.85%) being the most prominent. This diversity suggests a balanced economic base.
- Top Sectors by Growth: Sectors like ‘Mobile apps’, ‘Software-as-a-service (SaaS)’, and ‘Internet platform’ are among the fastest-growing, indicating a tilt towards the digital economy.
- Number of Scaleups: With 74 scaleups, Dacorum shows a promising environment for business expansion and growth.
Business Structure and Demographics
- Total Number of Companies: The area houses 15,479 companies, reflecting a vibrant and diverse business landscape.
- New Companies in Last Two Years: There were 3,343 new companies established in the last two years, indicating a dynamic and entrepreneurial business climate.
- Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs): With 12,118 SMEs, the local economy is heavily supported by smaller businesses, crucial for job creation and innovation.
- Exporters and Foreign Parent Companies: There are 309 exporters and 288 companies with foreign parentage, highlighting Dacorum’s integration into the global market.
Innovation and Business Continuity
- Company Cessations: The area witnessed 1,533 company cessations, a vital metric to monitor for assessing business continuity and economic resilience.
- Patent Owners and Grantees: With 466 patent owners and 5 grantees, there’s evidence of innovation and research activity within the region.
Gender Representation in Business Leadership
- Founders by Gender: The percentage of female founders stands at 22.58%, compared to 75.48% male founders. This shows a gender gap in entrepreneurial activity.
- Directors by Gender: 26.94% of directors are female, while 69.32% are male, indicating a similar gender disparity in corporate leadership roles.
- Age Distribution of Directors: Directors’ ages range widely, with the largest groups being those between 40-60 years, suggesting experienced leadership in the business community.
Conclusion
Dacorum’s economic landscape is characterised by a robust employment growth, a diverse sector presence with a tilt towards digital industries, and a dynamic entrepreneurial environment. The region shows promising signs of innovation and global integration, though there is a notable gender disparity in business leadership. Overall, Dacorum presents a healthy and evolving economic ecosystem.