bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electronic payments as a risk-reduction tool: Replacing vendor cheques at Day International
Authors: Sorenson Dale , Skerl Steve
Published: July 2024

The evolution of electronic business-to-business payments in the United States has been subject to delays and detours, primarily because of the success of the banking industry in creating efficient methods of clearing cheques. As a result, the justification for a corporation to change from paper cheques to electronic credits based on lower transaction costs has been weak and uncompelling. In the recent past, corporate treasurers have begun to recognise that financial risks are an increasingly important objective, often over-shadowing the historical interest in minimising expenses associated with interest, banking services and administrative overhead. A case study of Day International demonstrates how one treasurer, motivated by risk rather than cost, was able to effect a timely and comprehensive change in his company’s vendor payments. The company’s success is a model for any treasurer undertaking to convert business-to-business payments to electronic transactions.
Bank liquidity risk management through stable and volatile markets: The role of the asset-liability committee and lessons learned for the balance sheet governance operating model
Authors: Choudhry Moorad , Trythall Claire , Laban Diyama Abu
Published: July 2024

This study examines the balance sheet management governance operating model of selected failed banks from 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2023, with emphasis on the corporate governance structure in place and the position of the asset-liability committee (ALCO), and draws conclusions and recommendations for future policy. All failed sample banks exhibited near-identical governance frameworks for management and oversight of balance sheet risk: namely an ALCO that reported to the senior executive management committee, and was at least two levels, if not three levels, below board level. It is inferred that, as the ultimate responsible and accountable forum for ensuring balance sheet viability and continuing going concern of the bank, the board would benefit from being closer to the balance sheet risk management process. This implies changing the governance structure such that the ALCO is closer to the board itself, and able to provide direct comfort to the board that the bank's capital and liquidity risks are being managed appropriately. The following bank governance measures are recommended, to be imposed by regulatory fiat if necessary:

•Direct delegated authority of the ALCO to manage the balance sheet, from a long-term robustness and viability perspective, directly on behalf of the board.
•The ALCO to report directly to the board, rather than via the executive management committee (or as an alternative approach, changed to become a sub-committee of the board). This recognises that the asset-liability management (ALM) discipline is at least as important as, if not more important than, the ‘audit’ oversight function undertaken by the board audit committee.
•Technical expertise at ALCO and board level that is capable of discerning the genuine capital and liquidity risk exposure position of the bank, on a medium-term forward-looking basis, at all times.
The urban fabric of Al Zubarah city: Unveiling an urban regeneration vision for modern urbanism in Qatar
Authors: Al-Harami Albandari , Furlan Dr Raffaello
Published: July 2024

The urban fabric of Islamic cities has been shaped by the rules of Sharia, sociocultural and economic factors. After being founded in the 1760s by a Kuwaiti tribe known as Utub, Al Zubarah became a flourishing pearl fishing and trading settlement. Due to its abandonment in the early 1900s, remaining untouched since then and protected by a layer of sand, the urban fabric of the city is completely preserved. This research study explores the urban layout of Al Zubarah city, analysing the evolution of its urban fabric, network, access, functions and main land uses, influenced by the sociocultural factors that contributed to its formation. The paper includes a review of the literature and exploratory interviews with academics, urban planners, archaeologists and historians. It also provides a site layout analysis of the urban fabric of the archaeological site based on the design principles and morphological components of Islamic cities. The analysis is based on the methodological approach conceived by Petruccioli, who analyses the Islamic city on three different scales: 1) the urban organism; 2) the urban fabric; and 3) the building type. The findings reveal that the urban fabric of Al Zubarah has been influenced by sociocultural factors. The relationship is visible through the urban fabric, network and types of building within the site. The outcome of this research study reveals how one of the most important UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the State of Qatar is the manifestation of urban design principles, which should contribute to the urban regeneration and renewal of modern Islamic cities.
Capitalising on philanthropic investment trends: New strategies for a new era in higher education fundraising
Authors: Percival Brent , Moster Jeff
Published: July 2024

Donor advised funds, community foundations and family foundations continue to grow in both number and total philanthropic assets. These funds allow donors to capitalise on the investment growth of their philanthropic capital in a way most colleges and universities do not. Higher education institutions should change the way they view philanthropy, and in many cases change gift counting policies, to meet the demands of philanthropists.
Health and safety obligations for a surveyor: Duty of care
Authors: Taylor Anthony , Appleby Michael
Published: July 2024

All professional surveyors, and their organisations, have a duty of care to both those they work with and work for. This includes identifying a wide range of risks and having the competence to understand and mitigate them. Each individual has a different perception of ‘risk’, which may be affected by their age, gender, experience and other matters that affect human behaviour. If we can influence human behaviours to be risk-aware, we should be able to reduce the quantum of incidents that can cause injury and illness. Occupational health and occupational hygiene are two disciplines from which we can draw information to assist in the measurement of risk and how to control it. Many surveyors and/or their customers will be responsible for employing contractors or subcontractors. Within the UK, health and safety cannot be ‘contracted out’; the responsibilities and duty of care remain in line with the chain of management arrangements. Scoping, in formal terms, the responsibilities of all parties to contracts and other agreements is a key fundamental matter for a successful project. Where a serious workplace injury, or fatality, occurs, it is likely that a criminal investigation will follow. When prosecuting, the enforcement authorities are placing increasing focus on the role played by responsible individuals as well as organisations, particularly those with management responsibilities. The consequences of a successful prosecution, in terms of both fines and custodial sentences, have been greatly enhanced due to the recently published Sentencing Guidelines.
E-commerce localisation to African markets : Canadian multinational enterprise perspectives
Authors: Chun Wootae , Ogwal Emmanuel
Published: July 2024

The main objective of this study is to examine and analyse the extent to which African cultural values are depicted on local business-to-consumer (B2C) websites in Africa compared with local websites in Canada during and after the COVID-19 era. By exploring the cross-cultural variations between African B2C websites and Canadian B2C websites, we attempt to provide recommendations to global marketers and diverse stakeholders on how best to localise their websites when catering to e-commerce internet users in African and Canadian regional economies. Therefore, this research extends the boundary of e-commerce marketing strategy and international marketing research to encompass the perspectives of Canadian multinational enterprises seeking to market to African regions.
What business are airports really in?
Authors: Burger Rian G. , Orr Brandon
Published: July 2024

Most airports have an elevated vulnerability to aviation market fluctuations, which was emphasised during the coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic, when most airports experienced traffic downturns in excess of 90 per cent. This led them to batten the hatches by cutting operational costs to the bone, shelving major capital programmes and shuttering swathes of terminal infrastructure. Worldwide, terminals became ghost towns, and there were rumours of airport bankruptcy. The crisis made it patently clear that airports typically had very little alternative income with which to keep the wolf from the door during such events, leading the authors to ask the question whether the airport business is not too specialised and whether it might not benefit from diversification. In considering this question, it became apparent that the airport business as we know it today might also be in danger of major disruption within the next decade. This paper argues that it might be time for airports to reassess their business model by asking the question: What business are we really in? The proposed answer might be surprising for many airport authorities who have focused on aviation as their core business for the past century. The paper offers a range of provocative thoughts and ideas aimed at encouraging airport authorities to reassess their strategic plans and innovate towards a more resilient and sustainable business model that is integrated with their surrounding communities and regions, while staying ahead of the evolution of the mobility market.
Business resiliency and stakeholder management
Authors: Carey Noel , Perry Tony
Published: July 2024

The authors facilitated separate round table discussions at the City and Financial Conference in London on 29th January, 2014. The theme of these discussions was business resiliency and stakeholder management. This topic attracted the largest group of all the breakout sessions, as the issue continues to generate much interest across the business resilience community. In this paper, the authors summarise the discussions held at the event and add their own insights into the subject of who are stakeholders, and the different means and messages to communicate to them.
The LVMH–Bulgari agreement: Changes in the luxury market that lead family companies to sell up
Authors: Kapferer Jean-Noël , Tabatoni Olivier
Published: July 2024

On 7 March, 2011, the world-leading luxury group LVMH acquired a majority stake in Bulgari, a famous Italian jewellery house. The deal reflects a major revolution that is occurring within the whole luxury sector: the transformation of manufacturers of rare products into creators of exceptional branded retail experiences Furthermore, as luxury companies expand their businesses into Brazil, Russia, India, and China (the BRIC countries), particularly China, the demands of these huge new markets put great financial and managerial pressures on family-owned companies. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the LVMH–Bulgari deal from interrelated marketing and financial–strategic perspectives, and to show why companies that once insisted they would remain family-owned have had to abandon this policy and join luxury groups instead.
A vision for the future of Sofia: Fostering synergy between the present and the past
Authors: Danov Ivan
Published: July 2024

Fostering a synergy between the present and the past Sofia has been a priority since the time of the ancient Roman Empire. Throughout its history Sofia has experienced several cycles of thriving development and decline. Since World War II, city planning has created physical and social division, which has translated into a lack of vision for the development of Sofia. The principal goal of this should be to ensure a better lifestyle for its residents and guests. The future development of the city must be based on sound urbanist principles, incorporating the breadth of the city's heritage and the natural assets, while being intrinsically linked to energy efficiency and ensuring the protection and remediation of the natural environment. With the integration of all parts of the city into a consistent whole, Sofia has potential to expand its functions and attractions and evolve into a true hub for the Balkans.
How perceived characteristics and personality shape the value of advertising on Snapchat: A mixed method study
Authors: Chen Huan , Lee Yoon-Joo
Published: July 2024

This paper uses a mixed methods study to explore young consumers’ receptivity to advertising on Snapchat. The first study adopts a qualitative approach to uncover the rich meanings that young consumers construct for Snapchat advertising. The second study adopts a quantitative approach to examine how young consumers’ responses to brands advertising on Snapchat are influenced by their personalities and their perception of Snapchat advertising characteristics. The study has important practical implications for marketers who want to use Snapchat to connect and communicate with their target audience.
Operational alpha and reconciliation solutions for growing asset managers
Authors: Merrell Todd W.
Published: July 2024

Asset managers around the world are competing for valued and sought-after
investor capital and are striving to deliver alpha in a way that sets them
apart from other firms. The quest for alpha traditionally has been associated
with investment strategy and performance, but it is now increasingly
understood and accepted that a similar concept also applies to operations. As
a result, it is strategically imperative that firms design their middle and
back-office operating models in a manner that is capable of delivering such
operational alpha as part of the overall investment experience. This requires
identifying and focusing on operational core competencies, with an
understanding that improving operations and garnering efficiencies can be
achieved by embracing and implementing a component outsourcing model, where
certain aspects involved in the life of a trade should remain in-house, while
other aspects should be completely outsourced. The process of determining
which components to outsource will be a unique experience for each firm and
will require each firm to examine all aspects or stages involved in the life
of a trade. The focus of this paper is specifically on the reconciliation
process and the importance of having a scalable reconciliation solution in
place that can accommodate expansion and enable growth. Having a high-quality
reconciliation process is considered paramount in the eyes of operations
executives and investors alike, and should be considered essential to any
comprehensive operations ecosystem. Consequently, emphasis should be placed
on developing an institutional-quality reconciliation process that meets both
internal and external needs. Internally, this needs to provide enhanced
internal controls and improve overall risk management. Externally, the
process needs to be embraced by existing and prospective investors, and must
stand up well to rigorous due diligence examinations from institutional
investors and consultants, which ultimately is integral to successfully
fostering growth in assets under management.
Industry 4.0: Security imperatives for IoT — converging networks, increasing risks
Authors: Bligh-Wall Shaun
Published: July 2024

This paper discusses the security challenges and inherent risks that result from the Internet of Things and Industry 4.0 within the context of digital transformation. It discusses the explosive growth of devices and data, lack of standards, and ubiquitous adoption without due understanding of the need to consider the shift in implications. IoT and Industry 4.0 will accelerate the convergence of cloud, legacy IT and Operational Technology (OT) security. Securing data will be an organisational imperative, as will a topdown approach to information security from governance to the individual, one that ensures it is a business enabler aligned to wider business strategy. Businesses will be driven by the potential rewards offered by adopting IoT and this paper offers insights into achieving them securely.
Five scalar challenges and barriers to innovative practice in regeneration management
Authors: Benneworth Paul
Published: July 2024

Innovation has increasingly been come to be seen as a way of cutting the contemporary Gordian knot facing contemporary regeneration, the need to drive social and physical regeneration simultaneously in deprived communities. This assumption, however, is undercut by a very simplistic and linear model of innovation, which assumes that simply being innovative — or even imitative — is enough for good regeneration management. This paper reviews innovation literatures to explore the potential of innovative practice to contribute to regeneration serving both social and physical goals. The review highlights the increasingly interpersonal nature of innovation, and underlines the need for good innovative regeneration to stimulate professionals and communities to mobilise into shared ‘innovation coalitions’. Through working together on an arduous journey, these groups build knowledge and legitimacy, and can help to improve the outcomes of regeneration projects.
Collaboration in procurement and supply chain management: Cooperative strategies for ensuring continuity of supply
Authors: Rimes Tammy , Matthews Darin
Published: July 2024

Supply chain management and procurement processes are a crucial element within every organisation, both public and private. Behind every company or government success story, there is generally a supply chain process that helped deliver that success. Whether delivering the goods to keep operations running smoothly, ordering equipment and materials for a new project or working with suppliers in finding solutions to address unique problems, procurement is at the centre of most organisational plans and processes. Supply chain management took centre stage during the recent COVID-19 pandemic, as many jurisdictions across the United States vied for the same products over a very short timeframe. Companies which produced such products were caught off-guard by the sudden demand and any stockpiled resources were quickly consumed. The resulting effects were hoarding behaviours by purchasers who did not know when supplies would be restocked, or territorial disputes as the federal government or states often pulled rank over smaller entities by confiscating or rerouting incoming deliveries to serve their own priorities. During the past few years, many governments and companies built their supply chain on ‘next day’ delivery from suppliers, minimised their warehousing operations, or relied heavily on bids and request for proposal (RFP) processes that often take months to complete. The new challenges presented throughout the pandemic required updated supply chain strategies and contracting methodologies to serve the ever-changing operational and safety demands of their customers.
Are Millennials really redefining luxury? A cross-generational analysis of perceptions of luxury from six countries
Authors: Kapferer Jean-Noël , Michaut Anne
Published: July 2024

Baby Boomers now retired, Millennials — also called Generation Y — already represent a fourth of personal luxury sales. Yet industry experts warn that Millennials are not merely a new generation but also a disruptive one and that luxury should be redefined on Millennials’ terms. To assess the reality of these new terms, 3,217 real luxury buyers were recruited between the ages of 18 and 75 years across six countries (United States, China, Japan, Germany, France, Brazil). The results show that the essential traits defining luxury remain identical across generations but that small differences have emerged concerning peripheral luxury characteristics. On the other hand, there are strong differences between generations in the benefits expected from luxury consumption. This paper discusses the theoretical and managerial implications for luxury brands.
Risk management through the lens of macroprudential policy
Authors: Brinkhoff Jeroen , Langfield Sam , Mazzaferro Francesco , Salleo Carmello , Weeken Olaf
Published: July 2024

Before the beginning of the crisis in 2007–8, regulation failed to cope with the complexities of modern finance and paid insufficient attention to systemic risk. Similarly, risk managers in financial institutions tended to focus on risks in their financial institutions, neglecting systemic risk. Regulators worldwide are now addressing these deficiencies. One important dimension of regulatory reform is the creation of macroprudential authorities, such as the European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB), specifically tasked to focus on systemic risk. To address such risks, the ESRB has issued recommendations that will influence the behaviour of financial institutions. Work is ongoing to develop fully fledged macroprudential policies, which in combination with other regulation will help prevent or mitigate future crises.
Contextual behaviour-driven strategy: Digital banking beyond internet and mobile applications
Authors: Li Lily
Published: July 2024

We are witnessing an era of rapid behavioural changes and demanding expectations among clients. Society is developing different lifestyles and habits with trends in contact-free conversational voice control, simplified decision journey, real-time fee-free services and seamless digital experience. The COVID-19 pandemic has further accelerated such behavioural model switches. The time has come to transition away from simply internet and mobile applications. With such fundamental changes, client-centric strategies focused on historical data and incremental changes will no longer apply. Projecting client behaviours based on their underlying needs in context is critical. Clients desire no paperwork, no waits, no fees, no fuss with mobility. Strategy driven by contextual client behaviours shall be shaped to create a cohesive and consistent experience across personal relationships, digital media and AI automated services. This strategy should apply the partition idea behind 2-D puzzles that can be easily turned into 3-D Legos or any forms. Here, technology and the digital media are only a pathway towards connecting clients and their financial providers. This paper discusses the huge potential for banking to integrate financial decisions into clients’ lifestyles and fulfil their needs and to plan new behavioural guidance ahead to realise the compounding value in the long run.
The airfield pavement condition index (PCI) evaluation by visual inspection method
Authors: Karim Fareed M. A.
Published: July 2024

The pavement condition index (PCI) procedure has been used in the Airport Pavement Management System (APMS) since the early 1980s, and thousands of airports have been evaluated using this procedure. It has stood the test of time and has provided sound engineering data on pavement condition evaluation and APMS implementation. In this study an attempt was made to use this procedure to evaluate Aden International Airport’s runway, taxiway and apron. Based on the PCI of each of the features mentioned above, the necessary maintenance or rehabilitation procedure is suggested.
The Mexican American middle class: How heterogeneity in class backgrounds affects integration experiences
Authors: Vallejo Jody Agius
Published: July 2024

This paper details the variations in experiences and integration routes among middle-class Mexican Americans, variations that are largely shaped by class background. This paper examines different measures of integration, including the retention of familial obligations and giving back to family and coethnics, racial/ethnic identification, and civic participation in professional business associations.
Integration of energy commodity markets in Europe and the USA
Authors: Bencivenga Cristina , Sargenti Giulia , D'Ecclesia Rita
Published: July 2024

This paper analyses the relationships existing between crude oil, natural gas and electricity prices in two deregulated markets: the USA and Europe. The analysis had to be performed separately on the US and the European markets, given the different level of deregulation reached in each market. In addition, the electricity and the gas markets had to be investigated at a regional level. The aim of the paper is to measure the level of integration existing within each energy commodity market using an error correction model (ECM) framework. The relationship between oil, gas and electricity is a crucial issue for risk management purposes. For instance, the wide-spread use of energy derivatives to hedge possible unexpected changes in the prices of fuel sources requires an accurate estimation of the existing correlation between these commodities.
Epidemics and pandemics: Effects on societal and organisational resilience
Authors: Blyth Michael , Mallett Simon
Published: July 2024

The implications of a serious disease outbreak extend well beyond the disease itself. The levels of sickness and mortality, while important, can be quickly overshadowed by cascading risk implications that affect the global economy, threaten societal confidence, weaken the rule of law, present a risk to food security, and can lead to inter- and intra-state conflict. When multiple countries are concurrently impacted, the provision of life-saving and time-sensitive aid and humanitarian assistance can also be affected, leading to isolation and a domino effect of collapsing societies. When nations start from a low baseline level of resilience, then the speed of government and infrastructure failure may be swift. Resilience across every facet of government, community and business is critical if the disruptive effects of the disease and the more far-reaching effects of the fear the unseen enemy creates are to be controlled. This article describes the interconnected risks and impacts found within a pandemic crisis and how COVID-19 can impact every facet of society and business — providing the backdrop against which risk practitioners can contextualise how their respective organisations can plan for, respond to, manage, and ultimately recover from a pandemic crisis.
Assessing buyer behaviour triggers and marketing messages for online education college admission webpages
Authors: Gardiner S. Paige , Olt Phillip A.
Published: July 2024

Higher education marketing has targeted the traditional college student with the campus visit, college viewbook and college admission website. Online higher education programmes, which recruit a nontraditional student consumer, are growing rapidly. The purpose of this qualitative content analysis study was to describe the buyer behaviour triggers and marketing messages that appeared on the college admission webpages for online education (OE) programmes. The study includes an examination of 313 marketing messages from the OE admission webpages of ten Midwestern colleges, collected between 1st September, 2018, and 31st November, 2018, in terms of what marketing messages were being communicated to prospective OE students. The phrases, words and images from the OE admission webpages were analysed and compared to a conceptual framework for OE student demands and preferences. Findings from the study highlight important considerations for how university marketing professionals may market to prospective students in a nontraditional OE context.
More than fun and games: How New Brunswick Community College used prize giveaways to encourage alumni engagement
Authors: Meadus Tom , Allaby Heather
Published: July 2024

Each year, alumni offices invest precious time and resources in incentives, contests and prizes aimed at engaging alumni. In an era of information saturation how can advancement professionals make the most of these investments? This was the challenge faced by the newly-formed Alumni Association of the New Brunswick Community College (NBCC). NBCC had a new alumni association, a non-committed alumni base, dated information and a need to get alumni to provide updated contact information. Learn how NBCC developed and launched a successful ‘spring cleaning campaign’ to encourage alumni to update their information.
Taking the SEPA journey: From fragmentation to EU-wide payments
Authors: Nooteboom Erik
Published: July 2024

The 1st of August marked the first step of the implementation of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) in the EU. This paper discusses how SEPA benefits European banks, corporates and consumers and considers what the next steps are.
The importance of measuring impact across channels in the digital banking landscape
Authors: Clarke Grayson
Published: July 2024

Banks have invested significant resources in developing compelling online and mobile experiences. Consequently, customer journeys have become more complex than ever. Today, when opening an account or shifting balances, customers are likely to interact across multiple channels. Internal analytics, meanwhile, have struggled to keep pace with the ongoing shift in consumer preferences to different channels for different banking activities. While 65 per cent of marketing leaders plan to increase digital spend next year, most organisations report having no reliable measurement for online campaigns. This paper seeks to delineate how, as data sets continue to grow and customer journeys become more complicated, traditional players and digital disruptors alike are working to ensure that their analytics are in line with their innovation investments.
Airport IT: Enabler of the long-term vision or insurmountable obstacle?
Authors: Phy Justin L.
Published: July 2024

The fast pace of technology development, coupled with the unique requirements of an airport, make it difficult for an airport operator to ensure that investments made in technology provide the greatest possible return toward the long-term vision. Frequently, decisions are made based on assumptions formed from limited data and anecdotal evidence of peer airports, resulting in outcomes that do not meet stakeholder needs. In fact, alignment with the business needs of the airport is often an afterthought, as many airport operators do not appreciate which solutions can be effective in the current technology environment of the airport. Airport operators can be highly successful in leveraging technology to accomplish their long-term strategy through a systematic approach to understanding needs, evaluating opportunities, and providing governance.
Developing successful landside real estate: An airport urbanism approach
Authors: Hirsh Max
Published: July 2024

Landside real estate development is a crucial source of nonaeronautical income and an essential part of the airport business model. In recent decades, airports have launched hundreds of commercial real estate projects, often branded as an ‘airport city’ or ‘aerotropolis’. Research conducted at more than 50 airports worldwide, however, indicates that many airport real estate projects do not generate a substantial return on investment, while many others struggle to move from the planning stage to implementation. This paper investigates why these projects fail to meet their full potential. Drawing on expert interviews, the paper identifies the key factors that fundamentally determine the success or failure of landside real estate projects, highlighting customer focus and collaboration with local partners as the two most important drivers of success. The paper then introduces a new, people-focused development approach called airport urbanism (AU). Focusing on the needs and desires of the people who use the airport on a regular basis — passengers, employees and local residents — AU advances growth strategies that deliver long-term benefits to both the airport and the city that it serves. The paper concludes with a practical how-to guide for implementing AU.
Remaining ‘open’ during a crisis: Managing academic continuity at The Open University, UK
Authors: Cooke Helen , Barton Helen , Rossade Klaus-Dieter
Published: July 2024

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020, higher education institutions (HEIs) around the world faced an unprecedented amount of complexity and uncertainty, regardless of their mode of delivering teaching, learning and assessment activities to their students. Despite already having robust policies and processes in place for delivering such activities online, distance learning institutions around the world were far from being exempt from this disruption. This paper highlights that the continuity of academic decision making during a crisis affects all institutions and needs to be managed carefully to maintain the expected quality of academic standards and student experience, while protecting the health and well-being of students and staff. By evaluating the effectiveness of The Open University’s approach to considering academic issues during the COVID-19 pandemic and considering longer-term implications for the institution, this paper presents a modified version of an academic continuity model to assist other institutions in managing academic continuity during crisis situations. This revised model takes into account the cyclical and ongoing nature of The Open University’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact that prolonged uncertainty can have on applying such a model in practice.
Solving the riddle of the sands: How to regenerate England’s struggling seaside towns
Authors: Houghton John P.
Published: July 2024

Some seaside towns in England are among the very poorest parts of the country. How has this happened, after a century of rapid growth? And what can be done, first to stop and then to reverse the cycle of decline which has affected them, even in the context of climate change having an impact on coastal places? This paper looks at the history of seaside towns in three phases: a century of rapid growth; 50 years of dramatic decline; and the current state of fragile recovery. It examines the causes of that decline in terms of economic recession, social imbalance, physical dereliction and disconnection from the transport network. In the absence of a national strategy for seaside towns, it proposes a locally led agenda for regenerating England’s struggling seaside towns, looking first at strategic imperatives and then at a number of practical actions. It draws throughout on real-world examples.
Optimising the impact of promotional activity
Authors: Bunn Colin
Published: July 2024

Given the sheer scale of investment, resource and time required by both consumer packaged goods manufacturers and retailers to deliver promotions to end consumers, a comprehensive programme of promotional optimisation should not just be an aspiration, but at the centre of the way these organisations operate. Enormous promotional evaluation efforts are being undertaken by both consumer goods manufacturers and their retail customers, and many see improvements when executing the basics well; nevertheless, there is significant untapped potential across the numerous key building blocks of promotional optimisation. Modelling and analytics have a substantive role to play at the heart of the promotional evaluation process, building on basic data foundations by enabling an understanding of base vs incremental sales, promotional elasticities and promotional uplift. It is vital that such insights are translated into both financial and commercial implications: to develop promotional guidelines for more effective and efficient future plans, and to run scenarios that help to predict optimal discounts and forecast future potential. This paper will explore some of the key building blocks, processes and outputs required to make promotional optimisation a reality and will illustrate the significant commercial opportunity of getting it right.
How should risk professionals think about the rise in corporate indebtedness?
Authors: Ellis Colin
Published: July 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to significant disruptions to economic activity, accompanied by a substantial increase in companies’ debt loads. The unique nature of this crisis and the quantities of debt accumulated pose challenges for assessing the risk implications. It is important to start with a clear macroeconomic perspective and benchmark; importantly, while lockdown measures have led to significant economic disruption, the medium-term impact is likely to be smaller than the 2007/2008 Global Financial Crisis. At the same time, financial market access for issuers was robust last year, with issuance surpassing pre-COVID-19 averages. Similarly, current refinancing profiles indicate that near-term liquidity risks are not pervasive across the business sector as a whole. Given that past corporate deleveraging across advanced economies (AEs) has typically been driven by profit growth, it may take several years for debt metrics to unwind after the pandemic has been brought under control. Against this broad backdrop, there are significant differences visible across sectors: one important differentiator is the rise in gross versus net debt, and the relative evolution of these metrics will provide a useful indicator as the pandemic continues. Finally, there is little sign that the extraordinary fiscal support provided by AEs has led to heightened concerns about sovereign risk among forward-looking investors, with investors not demanding higher yields despite the unexpected higher debt loads. This means that simply assuming support will remain in place until the pandemic has subsided should be sufficient, at least until investor perceptions change significantly.
Cut through the fog: How to act on website data
Authors: Alpert Brian
Published: July 2024

A common chorus from internet professionals is how challenging it is to make data-driven decisions with which to improve their programmes. Popular tools such as Google Analytics are intuitive and seemingly easy to use, yet when the time comes to use data to measure a programme’s stated goals, too often the main question surrounding the data is ‘So what?’ This paper focuses on bringing clarity to this challenge through a specific stepped web analytics process, and discusses the use of an automated Google Analytics API tool and associated custom dashboard to measure a website’s performance more meaningfully.
Continuity planning for workplace infectious diseases
Authors: Welch Nancy , Miller Pamela Blair , Engle Lisa
Published: July 2024

Traditionally, business continuity plans prepare for worst-case scenarios; people plan for the exception rather than the common. Plans focus on infrastructure damage and recovery wrought by such disasters as hurricanes, terrorist events or tornadoes. Yet, another very real threat looms present every day, every season and can strike without warning, wreaking havoc on the major asset — human capital. Each year, millions of dollars are lost in productivity, healthcare costs, absenteeism and services due to infectious, communicable diseases. Sound preventive risk management and recovery strategies can avert this annual decimation of staff and ensure continuous business operation. This paper will present a strong economic justification for the recognition, prevention and mitigation of communicable diseases as a routine part of continuity planning for every business. Recommendations will also be provided for environmental/engineering controls as well as personnel policies that address employee and customer protection, supply chain contacts and potential legal issues.
What is the right set of technologies and techniques to effectively analyse marketing effectiveness?
Authors: Patil Pranav
Published: July 2024

The evolving nature of the digital marketing ecosystem in a world where consumer privacy comes first requires marketing organisations to rethink how they measure campaign effectiveness and allocate budgets. A broad consensus exists within the ecosystem that methods and strategies that worked a few years ago do not give a clear picture of campaign effectiveness now. With signal loss, organisations need to be agile and think about how they can measure effectively and invest each dollar wisely. This paper describes, through the lens of a practitioner, the right set of measurement technologies that can help marketers effectively analyse campaign effectiveness. There is no single technical solution that provides an all-encompassing picture of the campaign's effectiveness; rather, it is a collection of solutions.
China’s macroprudential policies: Framework, implementations and implications
Authors: Liu Kerry
Published: July 2024

Since 2009, the use of macroprudential instruments to tackle financial stability problems has been increasing. International regulatory authorities including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Financial Stability Board (FSB) and Bank for International Settlements (BIS) have identified the components of an effective macroprudential framework. On 29th December, 2015, the People’s Bank of China (PBC, China’s central bank) announced that China will implement macroprudential assessment (MPA) from 2016. This paper makes an original contribution by examining China’s macroprudential policies, including their framework, implementation and implication.
Trends in card payments processing in Central and Eastern Europe: Revolution or evolution?
Authors: Tranoy Espen
Published: July 2024

This paper explores recent trends in the card payments markets of Central and Eastern Europe and identifies the main drivers of change. The factors discussed include regulatory pressure from the European Commission (EC) and the advent of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), the growing presence of retailers in the financial services space and the impact their entry has had on product innovation, consolidation of the banking industry and the resultant need to manage the cost of their expansion plans and the impact that required new technologies, such as Europay/Mastercard/Visa (EMV), are having on the banks' infrastructure planning. In conclusion, a number of revenue-generating strategies are offered to respond to the challenges of the changing market dynamics.
The European air traffic management response to volcanic ash crises: Towards institutionalised aviation crisis management
Authors: Dopagne Jacques
Published: July 2024

A cloud of ash drifting from the erupting Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland in April and May 2010 covered Europe and created an unprecedented situation. It resulted in an almost complete lockdown of European airspace in the period from 15th to 21st April, 2010: more than 100,000 flights were cancelled, 10 million people were affected and over US$1.8bn was lost by airlines globally. This paper presents the air traffic management (ATM) view of the situation. Through an analysis of the evolution of the events in the affected region, the paper will provide more details on ATM planning, reaction and follow-up actions. Furthermore, the influence of this event on the identification of further improvements needed to advance volcanic procedures internationally will be discussed. Actions undertaken since the end of the event — the establishment of the European Aviation Crisis Coordination Cell, running of the International Civil Aviation Organization VOLCEX 11/01 volcanic ash exercise and European response to the Grimsvötn eruption in May 2011 — will be discussed at the end of the paper.
Devolution, local growth and public service reform: What now and where next?
Authors: Kippin Henry , Kippin Sean
Published: July 2024

This paper advocates for a deepening of the English Mayoral Combined Authority (MCA) model as a mechanism for achieving better economic and social policy outcomes. It argues for greater alignment of financial resources with long-term goals, fostering co-creation and upholding democratic accountability. It explores the origins of the MCA model set within the context of wider UK devolution and successive waves of English government reform, identifies some key benefits of the MCA model such as scale, democratic legitimacy and potential for collaboration, before proposing some key areas for further development. The paper recommends a strategic focus on evolving the relationship between the MCA and public service reform, particularly in health, education and employment support. The story of North East devolution is presented as an important case study that provides lessons for the future trajectory of English devolution as a whole, while highlighting the necessity of continuous adaptation to achieve sustainable regional development.
State of fear: Adapting marketing strategies towards the stressed consumer
Authors: Mckenzie Jake , Mcfarland James D.
Published: July 2024

Nearly three years of immense environmental stressors may be affecting how consumers process information and make decisions. Marketers can adapt to these possible changes by understanding how prolonged stress, fear and uncertainty activate the subcortical (ie more primal) regions of the human brain. Activation of these areas results in a dynamic shift between deliberate and intuitive thinking, loss of attention, memory consolidation and an increase in autonomic decision making. Understanding the potential mindset of the overstressed consumer will facilitate the formulation of more effective marketing strategies such as eliminating shock value, managing choice overload, providing emotional validation, leveraging familiarity and solidifying your brand.
Social media advocacy: Pinterest as a marketing tool for special collections libraries
Authors: Vega Leslie , Green Jean
Published: July 2024

Cultural heritage institutions have taken significant advantage of the ubiquity of social media in the effort to drive audiences to their websites and to their physical collections. The sheer number of ways to engage people on the social web is overwhelming (and, to some, exasperating, especially with the trend of paid advertisements showing up in feeds), but its effectiveness as a trumpet call should not be overlooked. Some social media sites, such as Pinterest, allow people to pick and choose what they like, and to shape their own collection according to personal preferences. This paper examines social media advocacy and how Pinterest can be used as a marketing tool for special collections libraries.
The science and psychology of wayfinding
Authors: Watts David
Published: July 2024

The science and psychology of wayfinding explains how understanding human behaviour enables designers to create better, more effective wayfinding systems. This paper describes how wayfinding is a dynamic process, the outcome of which is based on decision-making that can be affected by cognitive loads, emotions and individual experience. It explains the processes by which people think and behave when navigating and how designers must undertake user research when briefed to develop systems that respond to people’s needs. The conclusion is that clients can only achieve their objectives when users are an intrinsic part of the design process.