Karen Bonner

Dr Karen Bonner is a Principal Economist at the Ulster University Economic Policy Centre (EPC) and a Research Associate of the Enterprise Research Centre (ERC). Previously, she served as a Lecturer in Entrepreneurship at Queen’s University Belfast. She holds a PhD focused on Northern Ireland’s productivity gap, examining the impact of exporting, innovation, and public financial assistance on firm productivity. Her current role involves leading firm-level research at the EPC and coordinating the Economic Policy module.

Research Interests:
Dr Bonner’s expertise spans entrepreneurship, innovation, and small/medium enterprise (SME) growth. Her work includes contributions to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM), a global benchmark for entrepreneurial activity analysis. She specialises in economic policy frameworks and regional competitiveness, particularly in Northern Ireland.

Key Projects:

• Strategic Innovation Opportunities for Northern Ireland (2021)
• The Impact of Covid-19 on Northern Ireland Business Start-Up Activity (2021)
• Back to the Start-up (2021)
• Competitiveness Scorecard for Northern Ireland (2020)
• Covid-19 Business Impact Study (2020)

Grants & Collaborations:
Her work integrates policy development with academic research, collaborating on initiatives like the GEM UK team and Northern Ireland economic recovery projects. She advises on regional competitiveness and innovation strategies.

Labs/Teams:
Core member of the Ulster University Economic Policy Centre and Enterprise Research Centre.