Julia Rouse

Professor Julia Rouse holds a Chair in Decent Work and Productivity at Manchester Metropolitan University, focusing on entrepreneurship research within small firms. Her work centers on advancing decent work conditions and productivity for entrepreneurs and staff from underrepresented groups including young individuals, working-class populations, the unemployed, pregnant persons, mothers, and ethnically diverse communities.

Her research spans workplace maternity management, people-skills development in small enterprises, and Engaged-Activist Scholarship. Current projects innovate diversity and inclusion frameworks in social housing and NHS contexts through Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, emphasizing policy-driven support for 'decent self-employment' models.

Funded by ECRC, Leverhulme Trust, Oxfam, government agencies, and local authorities, her work examines systemic barriers to equitable entrepreneurship. She develops practical interventions for inclusive workforce development while addressing intersectional challenges in small-firm employment ecosystems.