By Dr Alessandro Gerosa Department of Marketing I argue that this trend envisions an emerging retail paradigm of neo-craft retailing – beyond the ones of e-commerce and mass distribution – particularly suited for small and independent shops The health of brick-and-mortar retailing is in more precarious conditions than ever. The vocabulary is very eloquent. Discussions … Continue reading “Will neo-craft retailing save the high street?”
Convenience, cost and discovery: what are consumers looking for?
By Dr Sarah Montano Birmingham Business School What unites Primark, second hand selling and clothes rental as key trends? One key factor is convenience […] Also, there is the joy of discovery Having just survived the pandemic and hoping for brighter times ahead, retail is once again facing a challenging and difficult time. Over the … Continue reading “Convenience, cost and discovery: what are consumers looking for?”
COP27 and climate policy for realists
By Dr Johannes Lohse Department of Economics, University of Birmingham With the COP 27 summit ongoing, where do we stand with climate change, and what could a UK policy response look like? Let’s begin with the good news. Carbon emissions in the UK and other western countries have been falling in the past decades, and … Continue reading “COP27 and climate policy for realists”
Taxing Banks Fairly
By Professor Andy Mullineux Lloyds Banking Group Centre for Responsible Business, Emeritus Professor of Financial Economics While the cost-of-living crisis tears through the UK, consumers have faced huge changes in their mortgage rates, energy bills and grocery shopping – but banks have enjoyed windfalls borne on interest rate and tax changes. With the Autumn budget … Continue reading “Taxing Banks Fairly”
How ‘scenarios thinking’ can help localise net-zero targets from COP27
By Dr Nana Osei Bonsu, Research Fellow Lloyds Banking Group Centre for Responsible Business, University of Birmingham Yet businesses and states went home empty-handed, with their numerous delegates achieving no significant and clear pathways to keep the 1.5-degrees target alive. So what now? Countries and businesses worldwide are stepping up their commitments to reduce greenhouse … Continue reading “How ‘scenarios thinking’ can help localise net-zero targets from COP27”
The UK’s broken promises need mending at COP27
By Professor Ian Thomson Lloyds Banking Group Centre for Responsible Business, Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham Businesses have to change and adapt if the UK is to reach its net zero targets and keep its COP26 promises. But they need governments to set an example with clear and consistent net zero measurements and policie … Continue reading “The UK’s broken promises need mending at COP27”
Love me Do: How to fall in love with your local high street
By Dr Sarah Montano Birmingham Business School In 20 years’ time, as a society, do we want to look back and wish that we had saved our high-streets and not missed our window of opportunity? During the pandemic, one of the key changes in the retail sector was that consumers went back to shopping locally … Continue reading “Love me Do: How to fall in love with your local high street”
Exploring the limits of platformisation: can the fashion modeling industry be platformised?
By Abigail Harrington PhD Management, Birmingham Business School Why is there not an Uber for modeling? Drawing from research on the live music industry, researchers offer three identifiable characteristics to explain why some industries may prove difficult to platformise: Complex qualitative evaluations to determine value Complex transactions that are intertwined and require ongoing negotiation A fragmented organizational … Continue reading “Exploring the limits of platformisation: can the fashion modeling industry be platformised?”
Interest Rates Hike: A Double-Edged Sword
By Dr Jing Du Assistant Professor in Finance, Birmingham Business School We should not panic and know that in the war to combat inflation, the UK is not alone. At the end of September, the Bank of England (BoE) announced an increase in interest rates, the seventh consecutive rise since December 2021. The increase of … Continue reading “Interest Rates Hike: A Double-Edged Sword”
The Benefits (and Limits) of Learning by Exporting
By Dr Christian Darko Department of Management According to the World Bank, nearly 30% of global domestic product is made up of exports, up from less than 20% as recently as 1990. As globalisation marches on, how are firms in different countries impacted in unique ways? The disruptions in the global supply chain, brought about … Continue reading “The Benefits (and Limits) of Learning by Exporting”