By Dr Emma Surman and Dr Sheena Leek, Department of Marketing Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham Food fraud is big business and hugely prevalent but how many of us are aware of what it is or what can be done about it? It is estimated that Food Fraud contributes $14 billion to the world’s … Continue reading “The hidden threat of Food Fraud”
Category: Economy
What does the 2025 Spending Review mean for local economic development?
By Johannes Read, Senior Policy and Data Analyst City-REDI, University of Birmingham One year on from winning the General Election, the Labour Government have outlined their 2025 Spending Review. Throughout the Government’s first year, headlines have focused on tightening public finances. This Spending Review follows in a similar vein. But there are also relatively significant … Continue reading “What does the 2025 Spending Review mean for local economic development?”
Billion Dollar Beauty
By Sarah Montano, Professor of Retail Marketing Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham With the news that Hailey Bieber has sold her Rhode make up brand to E.L.F. in a deal worth $1 billion we explore why celebrity beauty is not only hugely popular but also a major driver of economic growth, turning their famous … Continue reading “Billion Dollar Beauty”
M&S – A Great British Debacle
By Sarah Montano, Professor of Retail Marketing and Dr Inci Toral, Associate Professor Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham A Trusted Brand Faces an Unprecedented Challenge M&S is a much-loved British retailer and is as comforting as a warming cup of tea. Many customers will have grown up knowing that M&S is there for them, … Continue reading “M&S – A Great British Debacle”
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 “
Time for a 4-day Workweek: is the 5-day workweek an outdated relic of the past?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”
Rate cut ripple effect: How the Bank of England’s move will shape your finances in 2025
By Dr Anandadeep Mandal, Associate Professor in Finance Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham The Bank of England’s recent decision to cut the base interest rate from 4.75% to 4.5% marks the third reduction in six months on 6th Feb 2025, a move aimed at revitalising the UK’s slowing economy. With inflation easing and economic … Continue reading “Rate cut ripple effect: How the Bank of England’s move will shape your finances in 2025”
Is Working From Home Bad for Employees’ Productivity?
By Dr Darja Reuschke, Associate Professor City-REDI, Birmingham Business School Whether working from home impacts employees’ productivity and performance is not a new question, but one that has received renewed attention with media coverage of organisations asking their staff to work fully or a minimum number of days in the office. Most recently, members of … Continue reading “Is Working From Home Bad for Employees’ Productivity?”