Economic/demographic information - economic profile

Oxford's tradition as a centre of  academic excellence has greatly benefited the local economy. The two  universities have helped develop other industries, publishing and research being  just two of these. The development of ICT has been significant in its own right,  but also in terms of its impact on publishing, with creative media emerging as a  key activity both within publishing, but also independent of it. The presence of  a strong medical sector has supported the growth of the bioscience/life science  sector, for which Oxford is renowned as an international centre. The motor  industry remains as a significant local employer, with BMW investing heavily in  their Oxford operations at Cowley to ensure their continued success  internationally with the new Mini. The  tourism industry is also a key employer, albeit with a wider range of smaller  businesses.

Key commercial  sectors
In terms of either the number  employed, or local significance, the key business sectors are:

Education
As well as having two universities,  the University of Oxford and Oxford Brookes University, the city is also home to Oxford College of Further  Education and is the base for Oxfordshire Local Education Authority  (LEA) which oversees the delivery of  state education in Oxford's lower, middle and upper schools. There are also a  large number of independent schools, 6th form colleges, language schools,  secretarial colleges and other private educational  institutions.

Bioscience and  Healthcare
The high level of expertise in  the fields of bioscience at the universities, and of healthcare at the local  hosptials has nurtured the development of this sector, promoted further through  the activities of Isis Innovation and the Oxford Trust.
Key employers in this sector include British Biotech; Yamanouchi; Oxford Radcliffe Hospital NHS Trust and Becton Dickinson Life Sciences.

Automotives
Although employing less  than a fifth of the workers than at its peak, the autmotive industry is still  key the Oxford economy, with BMW its single largest employer. Through combining a skilled  workforce and huge investment, it will be producing the new Mini. Unipart is also a significant employer  in this sector, although the overall Unipart Group of Companies has diversified  into other areas. The existence of a motorsport cluster to the north of Oxford  is of global as well as local significance.

Publishing and Creative Media
Often  seen as the first industry to 'spin out' of the University of Oxford, publishing  remains a significant sector, with the largest concentration of publishing  activity outside London, with a particular emphasis on academic publishing. The  industry is characterised by a large number of small publishers, but the larger  publishers include Oxford University Press, Blackwell, and Butterworth Heinemann. The  development of IT has led to many publishing companies to become more involved  in creative media, with key local businesses including Helicon, Rebellion

IT
Oxford is now  acknowldeged as being a significant location for IT businesses, particularly in  relation to software. Key firms incluide Software  2000, Rand and Oxford  Molecular

Telecommunications
BT is in the process of relocating its customer service call  centre within Oxford. Vodafone and ntl also have  operations in the city.

Tourism
Building upon the heritage  of the university city and its magnificent surroundings, Oxford has prospered as  a focal point for both overseas and domestic visitors. Although characterised by  a large number of small, independent businesses, key employers include Heritage Hotels (the Randolph and the Eastgate hotels), Four Pillar Hotels and Mogford (the Old Bank and Old  Parsonage hotels). A tourism industry fact pack, developed by the Oxford Tourism Manager, is also  available.

Retail
A vibrant and successful retail sector is charactersised by  retailers including Allders, Debenhams, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury's, Tesco,  WHSmith, Boots, Next, Gap, Blackwells, Waterstones, Borders as well as  independent retailers such as those in the city's Covered Market.

Business  clusters

Some of the sectors mentioned  here can be categorised as being regionally significant business clusters.  Clusters have been definedby Michael E Porter as "Geographic concentrations of interconnected companies, specialised  suppliers, service providers, firms in related industries, and associated  institutions." In a report for the DTI in 2001 "Business Clusters in the UK - a first assessment" R&D, Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology, Computer  Sciences, Publishing and Tourism have all been identified as key regional  clusters that have some focus on Oxford. An annexe of this report looking  specifically at the south-east region is avalable to download (PDF 160KB).

Further research has also been undertaken  for the DTI, concentrating specifically on Biotechnology Clusters.



More information on Oxford's major employers and other key businessesis also available.

Information on the econmy as a whole is also available from the County Council website.