Pinning the Blame When Children Offend: Does Adolescence Show We’re All Guilty by Association?

By Michelle McLean, Post Graduate Researcher School of Social Policy and Society , University of Birmingham Netflix’s four-part drama Adolescence made TV ratings history last month by becoming the first programme on a streaming platform to top the UK’s weekly audience charts. The show, about a thirteen-year-old boy accused of murdering a schoolgirl, has attracted a … Continue reading “Pinning the Blame When Children Offend: Does Adolescence Show We’re All Guilty by Association?”

The Role of Improvised Role Play: Learning and Teaching Professional Ethics in Accounting and Finance

By Ann-Christine Frandsen, Nick Bailey, Wafa Ben Khaled, James Brackley, Keith Hoskin, Elisavet Mantzari, Gabriela Rozenfeld, Madlen Sobkowiak, Ian Thomson and Idlan Zakaria. Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham In an era of fraud, corruption, sustainability, climate change and challenges what can Improvised Role Play do for HE students learning Accounting and Finance professional ethics? … Continue reading “The Role of Improvised Role Play: Learning and Teaching Professional Ethics in Accounting and Finance”

Dear Old Dirty Birmingham and its Many Bin Strikes

By Professor John Bryson Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham Narratives or stories that are told of a place really matter. They influence resident perceptions of a place and also those who are making investment decisions that could result in job creation opportunities. One Dublin narrative is constructed around the phase “Dear old Dirty Dublin”. … Continue reading “Dear Old Dirty Birmingham and its Many Bin Strikes”

Breaking the Stigma: Debt Awareness and Support 

By Professor Adele Atkinson, Professor of Practice in Financial Literacy and Wellbeing (CHASM) Department of Social Policy, Sociology and Criminology, University of Birmingham Each year, Debt Awareness Week promoted by the national debt charity StepChange, aims to increase awareness of debt and the advice and solutions available to help. This year, the focus is on … Continue reading “Breaking the Stigma: Debt Awareness and Support “

Has Anyone Asked Young People? The Risks of Sensationalising Adolescence in Schools

By Dr Sophie King-Hill, Associate Professor in the Health Services Management Centre ‘Adolescence’, a recent Netflix drama about a boy who stabs and murders a girl from school has been highlighted via many media channels for its powerful storytelling and also by the Prime Minister, who has backed a campaign to show the drama in … Continue reading “Has Anyone Asked Young People? The Risks of Sensationalising Adolescence in Schools”

Time for a 4-day Workweek: is the 5-day workweek an outdated relic of the past?

By the Four-Day Workweek Research Team As conversations around work-life balance, productivity, and employee well-being evolve, the Four-Day Workweek (4DWW) is gaining global attention. But what does it truly mean in practice? Who benefits? What challenges arise? And how do different industries and regions approach its implementation? These pressing questions were at the heart of … Continue reading “Time for a 4-day Workweek: is the 5-day workweek an outdated relic of the past?”

Rethinking Conflict in International Strategic Alliances: A Path to Stronger Collaboration

By Dr Laura Salciuviene, Assistant Professor in Strategy and International Business, Birmingham Business School and Dr Claudio De Mattos, University of Huddersfield Conflict is often seen as a major obstacle in organisations, particularly in international strategic alliances. Traditionally, research has emphasised conflict avoidance, arguing that disagreements disrupt the pursuit of common goals. In our newest … Continue reading “Rethinking Conflict in International Strategic Alliances: A Path to Stronger Collaboration”

UK Defence Expenditure: If you want peace, prepare for war

By Professor John Bryson Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham Everyday living is saturated with paradoxes. One of these can be traced back to Vegetius, a writer from the late 4th century, who stated that Igitur quī dēsīderat pācem, præparet bellum or ‘Therefore let him who desires peace prepare for war’. This expression is often … Continue reading “UK Defence Expenditure: If you want peace, prepare for war”

As Ever, With Love, Meghan

By Sarah Montano, Professor of Retail Marketing Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham On the 4th March 2025, a new TV series called “With Love, Meghan” debuts on Netflix. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, invites people to share her cooking, gardening and hosting tips, all filmed at a beautiful California estate. Celebrities hosting a cooking and … Continue reading “As Ever, With Love, Meghan”

Bridget Jones and the Winning RomCom Formula

By Professor Finola Kerrigan Professor in Marketing, Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham Bridget Jones has done it again at the box office. But if we want to understand the success of this newspaper diary/book/film adaptation, we must acknowledge that such success does not come from nowhere. I was late to the Bridget Jones party … Continue reading “Bridget Jones and the Winning RomCom Formula”