Closing the gender pay gap ‘once and for all’

By Dr Fuk Ying Tse  – Assistant Professor in Organisation, Work and Employment, University of Birmingham Dr Manuela Galetto – Associate Professor in Employment Relations, University of Warwick In an exclusive interview with the Guardian on 20 June 2024, Rachel Reeves, the contesting Chancellor of the Labour Party, pledged to close the gender pay gap … Continue reading “Closing the gender pay gap ‘once and for all’”

Mind the (wealth) gap

By Dr Huw Macartney Department of Political Science and International Studies, School of Government, University of Birmingham Three million emergency food parcels were handed out in the UK over the past 12 months; the number of people living in absolute poverty is predicted to increase by 300,000, to almost 12 million, in 2024; and 17 … Continue reading “Mind the (wealth) gap”

How stable is India’s new government?

By Professor Aditya Goenka Department of Economics, Birmingham Business School On 4 June 2024 the parliamentary election results were announced for India after a 7 stage elections process held over 44 days. 642 million votes were cast of which 312 million were women. 543 seats were up for grabs. The incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) … Continue reading “How stable is India’s new government?”

SoS – Save our Shops! Will the forthcoming election bring about effective retail change?

By Professor Sarah Montano & Dr Inci Toral, Department of Marketing, Birmingham Business School We are used to seeing the news headlines stating that the High Street is dying. The recent loss of Wilko emphasises the precarious nature of retail. In 2022 Ordnance Survey data showed that department stores had declined by 13.4%. However, there … Continue reading “SoS – Save our Shops! Will the forthcoming election bring about effective retail change?”

Not-so-cool Britannia: Can UK tourism recover from the Brexit hit?

By Dr Ahmed Shaalan – Department of Marketing, Birmingham Business School, Marwa Tourky – Cranfield University and Khaled Ibrahim – Unitec-Institute of Technology, New Zealand The 2016 Brexit referendum triggered a seismic shift in the landscape of UK tourism, a previously thriving industry celebrated for its robust contribution to the national economy. The unprecedented political upheaval … Continue reading “Not-so-cool Britannia: Can UK tourism recover from the Brexit hit?”

“Breathing life into Britain’s high streets”: What hope have we got?

By Hannes Read, Policy and Data Analyst at City-REDI The Labour party are firmly on the election hunt. Quickly off the back of the announcement of Labour’s “five missions” for a future election manifesto, have come pledges to renationalise rail, launch a publicly-owned Great British Energy company and a five-point plan to “breathe life” into … Continue reading ““Breathing life into Britain’s high streets”: What hope have we got?”

Time is running out for the High Street – can it be saved?

By Professor Sarah Montano and Dr Inci Toral, Department of Marketing, Birmingham Business School Labour has recently announced a series of proposals to revive the high street. Once again, the call is that we have moments left to save the dying high street. Whilst the proposals range from business rates, property taxation and tackling shoplifting … Continue reading “Time is running out for the High Street – can it be saved?”

The trailblazers greening the music industry and why it matters

By Professor Caroline Moraes Professor of Marketing and Consumer Research Birmingham Business School, Department of Marketing Co-Director, Centre for Responsible Business Billie Eilish is the latest artist to announce that she is taking action on sustainability issues by producing her upcoming album with materials that are environmentally friendly. Her plan is to use recycled or … Continue reading “The trailblazers greening the music industry and why it matters”

Birmingham City Council and Public Service Cutbacks: The Role of Community in Shaping Birmingham’s Future 

By Professor John Bryson Professor of Enterprise and Economic Geography, The Department of Strategy and International Business, Birmingham Business School Birmingham City Council (BCC) has found itself in a financial mess. Partly this comes from operational decisions that were made in the past and often by officers rather than elected councillors. One outcome of these … Continue reading “Birmingham City Council and Public Service Cutbacks: The Role of Community in Shaping Birmingham’s Future “

HS2 Funds Reallocation: A Lifeline or Liability for Local Authorities?

Dr Alice Moore, Assistant Professor in Public Management and Public Policy – School of Government The government has reallocated £4.7 billion that it would have spent on the cancelled legs of HS2 to a Local Transport Fund. From 2025, 27 areas in the North of England and Midlands will get an allocation to spend on … Continue reading “HS2 Funds Reallocation: A Lifeline or Liability for Local Authorities?”