VIDEO AND PODCAST: Should people with problem debt look to save?

By Andy Lymer, Professor of Accounting and Taxation and Director of the Centre on Household Assets and Savings Management (CHASM) at the University of Birmingham The third Monday of January – deemed ‘Blue Monday’ – is called by some the most depressing day of the year, with the excitement of Christmas over, poor weather, and … Continue reading “VIDEO AND PODCAST: Should people with problem debt look to save?”

Assisting Performance Development at Rolls-Royce plc

By Dr Joe Sanderson and Dr Chris Lonsdale, Department of Management Over the past four years, we have been working with the production side of Rolls-Royce’s civil aerospace division (RR) on make-buy, procurement and contract management.. The key components of our work have been a series of research implementation events (termed ‘masterclasses’ by RR) and … Continue reading “Assisting Performance Development at Rolls-Royce plc”

How IKEA assembled a global reputation

What has been the secret to IKEA’s success? By Isabelle Szmigin, Professor of Marketing at Birmingham Business School It has been said that IKEA is similar to Marmite, you either love it or hate it. However I think what IKEA has done for home fashion is a little more complex than that. So as IKEA … Continue reading “How IKEA assembled a global reputation”

The Age of the ‘Olderpreneur’

By Dr. Catherine Harris, Senior Research Fellow, City-REDI  ‘Entrepreneur’ is usually a term people associate with the stereotypical twenty-something university graduate starting a business from their bedroom. However, in recent years it appears that the fastest-growing segment of entrepreneurs are people aged 50 and over, referred to as ‘seniorpreneurs’ or ‘olderpreneurs’. The number of businesses run … Continue reading “The Age of the ‘Olderpreneur’”

What will your life be like in older age? Further rationale for an education and skills based industrial strategy

By Holly Birkett (Lecturer in Organisational Behaviour), Fiona Carmichael (Professor of Labour Economics) and Jo Duberley (Professor of Organisational Studies) People’s lives in older age vary as much as they do at any other time of their lives. This variation is partly dependent on the path your earlier life course followed. This conclusion is based … Continue reading “What will your life be like in older age? Further rationale for an education and skills based industrial strategy”

Growing and Aligning Demand and Supply of Skills for Inclusive Growth

For inclusive growth there is a need for policy action on both the demand side and the supply side – the objective is more and better jobs. By Anne Green, Professor of Regional Economic Development at the University of Birmingham A key challenge for the UK and its regions and cities is low productivity vis-à-vis … Continue reading “Growing and Aligning Demand and Supply of Skills for Inclusive Growth”

How Consumer Behaviour Is Driving Innovation in the UK Food Sector: Five Lessons from the Food Industry

By Professor Ganna Pogrebna (Professor of Economics, University of Birmingham) Ian Noble (Senior Research, Development and Quality Director, Mondelez International) Rimi Obra-Ratwatte (Principal Scientist, Global Nutrition, Mondelez International) The year 2017 marks a new chapter in the development of the UK Industrial Strategy, which will address a number of local challenges such as Brexit and growing political … Continue reading “How Consumer Behaviour Is Driving Innovation in the UK Food Sector: Five Lessons from the Food Industry”

The Industrial Strategy, responsible business and embedding new energy solutions for Clean Growth

“There is a growing consensus that our use and abuse of energy must change. Resolving runaway climate change predictions and encouraging clean growth for all is the most urgent challenge for our generation.” By Professor Ian Thomson, Lloyds Banking Group Centre for Responsible Business and Marc Stone, Energy Systems Catapult Energy, and its clean and sustainable … Continue reading “The Industrial Strategy, responsible business and embedding new energy solutions for Clean Growth”

Driving Innovation in the UK Space Sector

“…at the moment the commercialisation of leading research from UK universities is lagging behind the opportunities for its exploitation.” By Chloe Billing, Research Fellow at the City Region Economic and Development Institute (City REDI) and Dr Simon Bennett, Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology’s Business Director, which is based at the University of Birmingham The space … Continue reading “Driving Innovation in the UK Space Sector”

‘Tis the season to spend on advertising

What is it about Christmas adverts that makes them so newsworthy? By Isabelle Szmigin, Professor of Marketing at Birmingham Business School As we enter the last days of November, the Christmas ads have well and truly hit our screens. Boots, Sainsbury, Waitrose, Tesco, Debenhams, Marks and Spencer, Aldi and Lidl and not forgetting John Lewis … Continue reading “‘Tis the season to spend on advertising”