Navigating through the AI Storm: Upcoming UK Elections

Dr Inci Toral Manson, Associate Professor, Department of Marketing – Birmingham Business School and Dr Jean-Paul de Cros Peronard, Associate Professor – Aarhus University As the UK gears up for its upcoming general election, Home Secretary James Cleverly’s warning about the potential misuse of “deepfake” technology requires a broader conversation about the role of artificial … Continue reading “Navigating through the AI Storm: Upcoming UK Elections”

The Importance of Sport and the Arts When Working With Young Men and Boys

By Dr Sophie King-Hill, Associate Professor in the Health Services Management Centre, University of Birmingham and Tom McNeil, Assistant Police & Crime Commissioner for the West Midlands Understanding the perceptions and positionality of the young man and boy in today’s society is an important aspect in violence reduction, tackling misogyny and positively addressing male mental … Continue reading “The Importance of Sport and the Arts When Working With Young Men and Boys”

The Government’s response to school absenteeism: policies on mental health and attendance

By Dr Sarah Wall, Practitioner Tutor (SEBD), Disability, Inclusion and Special Needs Recently, a Guardian article suggested that almost one in three pupils are absent from school due to anxiety. The government response to this absenteeism “crisis” is to: Ostensibly, these suggestions seem sensible. Safeguarding our C&YP, supporting their mental health and wellbeing and accurately identifying and … Continue reading “The Government’s response to school absenteeism: policies on mental health and attendance”

Challenges in teaching due to cultural differences: extending educators’ understanding of business education

By Dr Laura Salciuviene, Assistant Professor in Strategy and International Business In today’s interconnected business world, educators face a hidden challenge: cultural differences. While cultural differences enrich learning experience, they also present a challenge required to know how to navigate cultural differences among international students. From diverse learning styles to clashing student ethical standards, diverse … Continue reading “Challenges in teaching due to cultural differences: extending educators’ understanding of business education”

Underfunding and Inequality: Unravelling the Two-Tiered Childcare Sector

By Sarah Presswood, Chair of Trustees – Early Years Alliance and Dr Anita Soni, School of Education The education secretary Gillian Keegan has said that she can’t guarantee the government’s free childcare pledge will be met on time. The staggered pledge is due to start in April 2024, with working parents of two-year-olds able to … Continue reading “Underfunding and Inequality: Unravelling the Two-Tiered Childcare Sector”

A New Start (again)

By Professor Joanne Murphy, Department of Management, Birmingham Business School  So, Rishi Sunak and Leo Varadkar met in Belfast this week to herald another new start to the devolved Northern Ireland institutions. Good news, of course. Anything that brings closure to post Brexit volatility must be positive. Both governments, as guarantors of the Good Friday … Continue reading “A New Start (again)”

Labour’s U-Turn raises questions about whether its Green Plans can boost UK SMEs to reach Net Zero

By Dr Roshan Boojihawon, Department of Strategy and International Business, Birmingham Business School  Labour’s commitment to “throw everything” at the UK’s net-zero transition and now doing a U-turn appears to amplify the ambivalence and confusion regarding the policy’s role in helping Net Zero transitions, particularly for SMEs. SMEs’ efforts to respond to the recent calls … Continue reading “Labour’s U-Turn raises questions about whether its Green Plans can boost UK SMEs to reach Net Zero”

Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Awareness Week: Addressing the Systemic Roots of Violence Against Women

By Dr Julie Whiteman, Department of Marketing, Birmingham Business School  Barely a day passes without a story of misogyny and its manifestation in some form of violence against women making headlines. Far too often these stories are – still – presented as isolated events, often attributed to industry and/or character specific cases. In the past … Continue reading “Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Awareness Week: Addressing the Systemic Roots of Violence Against Women”

The Governance Myths that led to the Horizon Post Office Scandal

By James Blackmore-Wright, Birmingham Business School and Alice Moore, Department of Public Administration and Policy Sometimes, it takes a TV show, such as “Mr Bates vs the Post Office”, to challenge common myths, even in the face of obvious shortcomings. The massive failings that led to over 900 sub-postmasters being wrongfully prosecuted and others losing … Continue reading “The Governance Myths that led to the Horizon Post Office Scandal”

Revitalising Education: Addressing the Curriculum Gap for Students with Social, Emotional, Behavioural, and Mental Health Needs

By Dr Sarah Wall, Practitioner Tutor (SEBD), Disability, Inclusion and Special Needs Back in October, a BBC article reported that OfSTED rated a Birmingham school for boys with social, emotional, behavioural, and mental health (SEBMH), needs as inadequate in all areas. A key argument in the report was the lack of a curriculum for pupils … Continue reading “Revitalising Education: Addressing the Curriculum Gap for Students with Social, Emotional, Behavioural, and Mental Health Needs”