The Business of Bees – A Tale of Interconnectedness

Dr Christoph Biehl Associate of the Lloyds Banking Group Centre for Responsible Business Department of Management   Today is World Bee Day, a day designed to increase awareness of the issues facing bees worldwide. It is a well-known fact that bee numbers are dwindling. Recent years have seen a sharp upswing in news from around … Continue reading “The Business of Bees – A Tale of Interconnectedness”

Brand Stories: Can good storytelling increase Ribena’s sales?

Dr Finola Kerrigan Reader in Marketing and Consumption   Consumer tastes change over time, and trends in marketing influence this. This creates an ongoing challenge for brands that have been in the marketplace for a long time. With increasing levels of choice, consumers can easily be seduced away from familiar brands by the lure of … Continue reading “Brand Stories: Can good storytelling increase Ribena’s sales?”

Huawei and Building the United Kingdom’s 5G network: Poor Policy or Weak Governance?

John R. Bryson Professor of Enterprise and Economic Geography   To Huawei or not to Huawei that is the question that has been debated throughout developed market economies and, in particular, amongst the members of Five Eyes. Five Eyes is the intelligence alliance between Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. Australia and the U.S. have an all-out … Continue reading “Huawei and Building the United Kingdom’s 5G network: Poor Policy or Weak Governance?”

The Retail Crisis Catches Up with Debenhams

Dr Amir Qamar Department of Strategy & International Business   Debenhams was reportedly worth £900 million in 2016, but today the retail giant is only worth £20 million. Debenhams generates approximately 80% of its revenue in the UK, thus the firm is highly dependent on a single country. Considering that the British retail industry has … Continue reading “The Retail Crisis Catches Up with Debenhams”

The Invisible Killer and London’s Ultra-Low Emission Zone: Too little and too late?

John R. Bryson Professor of Enterprise and Economic Geography University of Birmingham   On Monday 8 April 2019, London’s Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) was activated to cover central London. From 25 October 2021, this will be extended to the area within the North and South Circular Roads. Currently, any petrol or diesel vehicle driven within central … Continue reading “The Invisible Killer and London’s Ultra-Low Emission Zone: Too little and too late?”

Can increased police power to stop and search tackle knife crime in the UK?

Siddhartha Bandyopadhyay Professor of Economics and Director, Centre for Crime, Justice and Policing As part of a strategy to combat knife crime, police have been given more extensive stop and search powers in the six areas where knife crime has been most extensive. This has received a mixed reaction, with many police officers welcoming this … Continue reading “Can increased police power to stop and search tackle knife crime in the UK?”

Automation and labour market creative reconstruction: from virtual teaching assistants to robotic retail assistants

By Professor John Bryson, Professor of Enterprise and Competitiveness Department of Strategy and International Business, University of Birmingham Employment is in a continual process of creative reconstruction. Existing jobs are destroyed as innovations in technology and processes reshape the nature of work. On Monday 25 March 2019, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published a report … Continue reading “Automation and labour market creative reconstruction: from virtual teaching assistants to robotic retail assistants”

Is craft going corporate?

By Dr Scott Taylor, Reader in Leadership & Organization Studies Department of Management, University of Birmingham The alcohol industry seems able to generate controversy on just about any aspect of its activities – pricing, branding, production methods, and now the use of the term ‘craft’. The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) is about to release … Continue reading “Is craft going corporate?”

The ripple effect from the UK retail crisis: this is just the beginning

By Dr Amir Qamar and Dr Emma Gardner Department of Strategy and International Business, University of Birmingham The last year has proven to be challenging for the retail industry, with numerous firms either facing difficulties, closing stores, or retreating from the market entirely. Although such sectoral difficulties are not new, they were exacerbated by a … Continue reading “The ripple effect from the UK retail crisis: this is just the beginning”

Ted Baker: trying it on?

By Dr Juliet E. Kele, Research Fellow in HRM Department of Management and Lloyds Banking Group Centre for Responsible Business, University of Birmingham Since the news first broke of the misconduct allegations against Ray Kelvin, founder and CEO of fashion chain Ted Baker, in December 2018, the company’s shares have continued to fall. A workplace … Continue reading “Ted Baker: trying it on?”