bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A question of unity: Institutions should weigh the risks and opportunities of unifying their athletic and academic brands
Authors: Faust Bill , Rehfus Mike
Published: July 2024

The lines between academic brands and athletic brands can be blurry. Athletic brands are enduring and ascendant, even now, as institutions embrace sophisticated narratives that amplify their academic brand. Ultimately, the value of a unified academic and athletic brand is informed by an institution’s culture, as well as its unique challenges, opportunities and aspirations. This paper presents the benefits, risks and broader considerations inherent in merging academic and athletic identities into a single unified brand.
Reducing card-not-present fraud using pre-approved transactions
Authors: Pouwelse Johan , Bruggink Diederik
Published: July 2024

In this paper, a remarkably simple method to reduce Internet card fraud will be presented, making ‘OFF’ the default for any payment card. First, an in-depth global overview of card fraud figures will be presented based on various sources. Global card fraud is expected to exceed US$35.54 billion annually by 2020. It turns out that most of the countries with mature card markets (defined as countries with high volumes and values of card transactions per inhabitant) experienced high rates of fraud. Card-not-present (CNP) fraud is typically the most common type of fraud experienced. In the next section, the authors explore the reasons why consumers are vulnerable to CNP fraud. Vulnerabilities like phishing attacks, Trojan software, and the man-in-the-browser attack are being discussed, as well as some data breaches. In Europe, legislators are developing regulation addressing the security of Internet payments and this is discussed in a separate section. The new requirements stipulate that the initiation of Internet payments, as well as access to sensitive payment data, should be protected by strong customer authentication. Strong customer authentication is currently widespread, mostly implemented in such a way that users need a special card reader, their smart card, and the use of a lengthy challenge/response procedure. However, in this paper another secure authorisation method is introduced where all payments are blocked by default and users require a dedicated smartphone app to unblock their account for a limited time, thus providing pre-approval for a single payment. The authors argue that the second method offers a superior trade-off for consumers in terms of convenience, integrity, and security. The authors also argue that there is a rationale to explain that the proposed solution, if deployed correctly, can reduce card-related fraud significantly, both for card-present and CNP transactions, and hence is in line with the EU regulator’s ambitions to reduce fraud on Internet payments with cards.
Folio: A case study in brand journalism
Authors: Tam Jacqui , Proulx Michel
Published: July 2024

In the never-ending quest to tell the University of Alberta’s story to as wide an audience as possible and further enhance its reputation, the current authors developed and created a brand journalism site, folio.ca, that is independent yet connected to the University of Alberta. The objectives were simple: increase the number of people who read stories about University of Alberta and obtain increased media coverage from legacy and new media outlets. This paper explains the rationale for the move in what is an everchanging media landscape in which consumers get their news from an ever-increasing number of media outlets and discusses the steps taken to develop the website and obtain buy-in from all corners of the academy. The paper provides details of the implementation plan, which included four foundational pillars — inverted pyramid structure to tell our news stories, change management plan, designing the news site and developing an editorial mandate. The paper describes how the results far exceeded the current authors’ expectations. Every key performance indicator identified — including most notably, page views and media mentions — grew dramatically. In Folio’s first year, page views increased 86.6 per cent while external media mentions rose by 24.5 per cent. Furthermore, insights gained from the Folio audience, compared to the audience who visit the university’s institutional website, suggested a broadening of the audience who read stories about the University of Alberta. The results demonstrate that if a university builds a communication tool that uses the traditional techniques of journalism to tell stories that draw on the expertise of the institution and is carefully targeted to an external audience, it can develop an audience and increase the pickup of its stories by external media outlets, resulting in a broadening of its ability to tell its story to the public.
Turning over the stones: Should cities pursue City Deals, LEP growth strategies or Whole Place Community Budgets in pursuit of growth?
Authors: Marlow David
Published: July 2024

As the UK Coalition Government passes its mid-point, the major sub-national instruments for managing England’s city growth and development now seem set for the remainder of this parliament. This paper considers three principal instruments: City Deals, Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) growth strategies, and Whole Place Community Budgets. Although all three are still ‘work-in-progress’, each might provide opportunities for enhanced devolution of powers and resources for enabling growth. They may be used both singly and in tandem. Each, however, requires significant local capacity and capabilities to formulate propositions and negotiate these with government, let alone to deliver them effectively. And there remain questions about the commitment of government and its agencies genuinely to devolve powerful levers of growth to sub-national leadership teams. In reality, therefore, there will be limited and highly varied progress by the time of the next national elections in spring 2015. Cities need to shape these instruments so that they build longer-term foundations for city leadership of growth, and so that they can be adapted flexibly to changing circumstances in 2015 and beyond.
The evolution of the Basel framework: Are we back to where we started?
Authors: Phua Frankie
Published: July 2024

While the ‘Basel IV’ standards have been finalised since December 2017, the jury is still out on its global implementation. This paper asks whether all Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) jurisdictions will implement the standard consistently within the same timeline? Or whether there will be pervasive regulatory divergence resulting in regulatory fragmentation and an unlevel playing field? Does ‘Basel IV’ mark the endgame of internal-ratings based (IRB) models? Regulatory fragmentation is a corollary of the one-size-fits-all Basel standards that are calibrated based on internationally active banks’ data. In particular, these calibrations might not necessarily be appropriate for Asian banks. A more granular calibration approach or proportionality strategy might be tenable alternatives to make the Basel standards more relevant to specific geographies. Above all, the reason banks exist is because they play an important role as financial intermediaries to allocate funds to support productive investments in the real economy. Capital requirements must be appropriately calibrated and not be excessively conservative; banking regulations fail if the banking system becomes stronger because banks are lending less to the real economy.
Business is calling: Click-to-call and mobile marketing
Authors: Busby John
Published: July 2024

The mobile phone is unique in that it is the bridge between the online world (ie the internet) and offline world (ie the real world). The device is used to interact with the real world through the internet to ride with Uber, interact with iBeacons or simply get directions to a store. As such, it has dramatically changed the consumer’s path to purchase. One of the biggest impacts is the consumer’s return to the phone call, given the ease of clickable phone numbers in search results and on mobile web pages and apps. In fact, after years of customers using the internet to browse their way to a website rather than a door, click-to-call has emerged as the most common form of purchase-oriented activity from mobile ads. Research from Google indicates that 70 per cent of mobile searchers click-to-call from mobile advertisements. Consumers place billions more phone calls from organic search results and other search-related applications, including Yelp, Apple Maps and so on. In essence, the phone call is the primary conduit to more than US$1tn in consumer spending. This paper will explore the impact of click-to-call on brands, and how marketers can adapt to this new form of consumer purchase behaviour.
Uncertain times ahead for sanctions
Authors: Tannebaum Daniel L.
Published: July 2024

In the first half of 2018 updates to the sanctions landscape have made headline news. This paper will first focus on the considerable impact of the Trump Administration’s decision to withdraw from the nuclear agreement with Iran. It will then turn to the current uncertainty regarding a possible sanctions relief on North Korea before examining the impact of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) with a particular focus on Russia. Finally, the paper discusses the amendments to the Cuba sanctions policy which are the result of President Trump’s commitment to reverse the Obama Administration’s policy of easing sanctions against Cuba. As a result of the uncertainty created by these headlines there has been a noticeable slowdown in deals involving riskier sectors or entities associated with these countries. This paper provides an overview of how uncertainty is affecting the sanctions landscape.
Active-shooter events in the workplace: Findings and policy implications
Authors: Hunter Martaindale M. , Sandel William L. , Pete Blair J.
Published: July 2024

Employees and citizens generally view places of business as inherently safe. Business leaders sometimes make hasty security decisions in hopes of protecting their employees and customers. Leadership should have empirical data to aid in the decision-making process. This paper provides an exhaustive breakdown of active-shooter events in the workplace. The data are disaggregated by business function (eg retail, factory/warehouse, and office space) and include information on the shooter, the event itself, and how the event was resolved. The analyses are followed up by an in-depth discussion of potential policy changes supported by the data.
Personal values and the purchase of mass media entertainment services in rural India
Authors: Sarda Lovekesh , Singh Jagwinder
Published: July 2024

The study analyses the impact of six personal values on purchase decision for mass media entertainment services in rural India. The study finds that security influences all stages of the purchase process from pre-purchase to purchase, but not post-purchase, while conformity influences all stages of the purchase process except for need recognition in the pre-purchase stage. Hedonism and tradition have a similar impact on different stages of the purchase decision process. The nature of the product and the context of the purchase also affect the impact of personal values on the purchase decision. These findings will help marketers to penetrate rural markets in India. The study recommends that marketers should design communication messages to include local dialects and ensure that their content aligns with the culture and customs of rural people.
How to maximise manual labour productivity in warehouse operations
Authors: Liefer Jim
Published: July 2024

This paper discusses how to maximise manual labour productivity in warehouse operations by utilising a mix of tools, teams and techniques to help warehouses improve worker efficiency, safety and retention while putting people where they can make the most impact. Associates are critical to warehouse operations, and warehouses are seeking ways to maximise labour efficiencies while also reducing costly churn. To be successful, warehouses must solve one of the most basic challenges: how to staff hard-to-fill and hard-to-do jobs. Warehouses are known for being dirty, dull and dangerous. Turnover is high and the impact of labour challenges is enormous. Robots work hard so people can work smart. Warehouses that implement advanced technology realise enormous benefits, including up to 4x more throughput. The robots-as-a-service (RaaS) business model allows warehouses to implement advanced AI technology without an enormous upfront spend. The best use of advanced tech is to support the human workforce and unlock the best solution to attaining and retaining warehouse labour. Jobs become reimagined by ‘up-levelling’ warehouse work and labour productivity increases. Advanced artificial intelligence (AI) captures data that helps to forecast inbound parcel volume, understand the profile of the parcels, predict throughput required to meet business goals and more. Robotic solutions offer consistent and reliable performance in the warehouse, delivering dependable, round-the-clock productivity, so that humans do not have to be burdened with monotonous, repetitive robot work.
Half the world without Internet: How brands can boost access to data on mobile phones
Authors: Castelo Marcelo
Published: July 2024

This paper explores ways that brands can help expand Internet use worldwide. Less than half the world’s households are now connected to the Internet, in large measure because of costs. Consumers increasingly go online through phones instead of computers. Yet many people cannot afford enough data on their phones to use the Internet extensively. This paper looks at two case studies in Brazil, where clients of mobile marketing agency MUV used innovative strategies to expand data access for mobile phone users. In the first case, e-commerce company Netshoes paid major telecom carriers upfront so that consumers would get free and unlimited access to Netshoes’ mobile site and mobile app from their phones. Netshoes’ business soared. In the second case, Unilever’s Dove brand offered consumers who had run out of phone data a chance to win extra data for their phones. A Dove video was available on a captive portal for people who had used up their phone data and who correctly answered questions about the ad. Clicks and brand awareness jumped. Both cases show the power of brands to help boost Internet use.
Leveraging artificial intelligence and Big Data to unlock the potential in bespoke SME lending
Authors: Hunter Sean
Published: July 2024

Artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and large-scale data analysis (also sometimes known as ‘Big Data’) are a set of technologies and techniques that are having an ever-increasing impact. In this paper, we examine the specific use case of providing credit to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This paper provides some background into the underlying business problem and the techniques themselves and gives examples of how AI and ML can be applied to this area and the benefits that can arise when this is done.
Daylight optimisation using parametric dynamic façades to improve energy efficiency
Authors: Bocaneala Nicoleta
Published: July 2024

Buildings account for approximately a third of the total energy consumption in the world. A promising approach to achieve energy efficiency, daylight optimisation and end users’ comfort can be obtained by adopting dynamic façades into the design, utilising a parametric and environmental analysis approach. This paper provides a comprehensive literature review of the detailed analysis of the design patterns, research features, optimisation and techniques of the dynamic façades used to achieve energy efficiency through daylight optimisation. The paper represents the results of a cross-case analysis method of secondary data of diverse types of dynamic façades optimisation approaches, which helped to find that parametric design and environmental analysis of the dynamic façade systems used to optimise daylight is essential to achieve energy efficiency, leading to a proposed road map for implementing this methodology.
Property efficiencies and added value through partnering
Authors: Seneviratne Nalin
Published: July 2024

Within the public sector, service redesign and pressure on budgets are creating a trend towards more outsourcing and models for social enterprise are emerging as possible service delivery candidates. The review of the National Health Service and a concerted move to service commissioning means more opportunities for the private and voluntary sector to deliver services on behalf of the public sector. But in a local authority real estate context, how far should this model go? Why cannot the local authority deliver to world class or best practice standards on its own? Why is there a need for partnering or collaborative working with the private and voluntary sectors? This paper will consider these issues and discuss the opportunities that exist for obtaining benefits from collaborative working. In particular, this paper will describe how property efficiency and added value are being delivered through partnering arrangements with the Kier Group and the importance of relationship management to achieve key outcomes.
Disclosure of costs and charges under Article 24 MiFID II
Authors: Göb Wolfgang
Published: July 2024

The disclosure of costs and charges ( frequently labelled cost transparency), that is, the obligation of financial institutions to inform potential investors of the expected costs of an investment in a financial instrument, is one of the many complex and difficult issues of Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II (MiFID II). It requires estimating and predicting future costs, often within the framework of client-specific fee models. The outcome will have a significant impact on customer interaction and on the sales process for financial products. This paper discusses both the technical challenges and the business implications of the implementation of cost transparency.
Climate change uncertainty and central bank risk management
Authors: Broeders Dirk , Schlooz Marleen
Published: July 2024

The drastic change in the Earth’s climate is a key concern for central bank risk managers. The consequences of climate change for the economy are harmful and potentially far-reaching. Central banks are exposed to climate change through their asset purchase programmes and credit operations and via the impact of climate change on the economy in general. Risk management in this case is challenging and complex because climate change is surrounded by fundamental uncertainty. Given this fundamental uncertainty, risk managers can however rely on the precautionary principle for practical purposes. This principle aims to anticipate and minimise the potential impact of serious or irreversible events under conditions of uncertainty. Stronger risk mitigating measures taken at an early stage serve as a hedge against the cost of enduring temporary catastrophes or draconian interventions at a later stage. This paper discusses the fundamental uncertainty of climate change and offers some recommendations for the identification, assessment, mitigation and disclosure of climate change uncertainty in central bank risk management. These recommendations are however equally relevant for commercial banks and institutional investors.
The impulsivity challenge
Authors: Schultz Don , Block Martin , Viswanathan Vijay
Published: July 2024

Given the rise of online retailing, impulsive consumer shopping behaviours in all venues have become critical subjects for many marketers. In this paper, the background on what is known about inhibition (believed to be the controlling factor in human impulsive shopping) is investigated from both the marketer and medical (neural) research perspectives. Based on that information, a new ‘single question’ research approach is developed to aid in identifying and understanding impulsive shopping behaviour. Analytical results show the methodology has promise and should be further developed, and the marketer can use these responses to gain a better understanding of different consumer segments and efficiently plan marketing campaigns and activities. This study also makes a call for more studies that attempt to understand both the ‘what’ and ‘why’ of observable behaviours.
Social media in small and medium enterprises
Authors: Goel Lakshmi , Blackwood Gerry , Person Karina
Published: July 2024

While the adoption of various social media tools by businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), is well documented, there is less research on best practices or strategies for the effective use of these tools. Another gap in research is the documentation of resources needed to manage various social media channels effectively. This paper addresses these gaps by: (a) synthesising literature on how SMEs are currently using social media tools; (b) developing a framework that predicts what tools should be used, based on business objectives; and (c) providing recommendations to SMEs regarding the required resources and metrics for measuring the success of social media channels. This work provides managers in SMEs with a simple and powerful framework to plan their social media strategy.
The Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway story
Authors: Feehan David M.
Published: July 2024

In the mid-1990s, the city of Des Moines, Iowa was planning a major transport project. The Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway was intended to divert anticipated auto traffic from downtown streets to an elevated freeway encircling the western and southern borders of downtown. Local business leaders became concerned, however, that the highway would cut off development in an industrial area just south of the central business district. This paper describes the circumstances that precipitated a rethinking and eventual redesign of the highway, the process that created a more appropriate design, and the results that ensued from the redesign. Key aspects of the paper are: the trust that had been built between city officials and business leaders; the concept of elevated freeways and their impact on urban development; the question of citizen participation in the planning and redesign process; the introduction of value engineering as a method for redesign; the presence and intervention of intermediary organisations; and the driving force of residential development in and around downtowns.
Caring for vulnerable medical populations: Lessons learned from Hurricane Harvey (and every other hurricane before it)
Authors: Grimm Dee
Published: July 2024

Mass care on an epic scale — we thought we had seen it all during Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Ike and then Sandy. However, catastrophic scales reached a new level during Hurricane Harvey. How did the response and recovery to Harvey differ from previous hurricane events and what lessons were (and were not) learned? This paper examines the impact on the delivery of medical care to the vulnerable populations in Harvey’s path.
Building a brand newsroom: Your brand is live, even if you are not
Authors: Thomas Brooks
Published: July 2024

Live streaming video is top-of-mind for many companies in the USA, and your brand is live, whether you’re live streaming or not. Customers now have the means to amplify a brand at its best, and during times of crisis. Companies need a robust strategy, well-trained employees and the equipment to execute in a best-in-class way. The age of live streaming is maturing fast, and high-quality live content is the future, both in its planning and in practice. Southwest Airlines has led the way with its innovative approach to live streaming, from strategy to execution, and is forging ahead to build a brand newsroom that is capable of producing broadcast-quality live streams, produced with the speed of traditional television stations. In this paper, readers will learn about Southwest’s planning process and the resources necessary to get started on a robust live streaming strategy.
Spatial support of knowledge production in higher education
Authors: Van Sprang Hester , Groen Brenda H. , Van Der Voordt Theo J. M.
Published: July 2024

This paper explores the impact of the physical and social dimensions of the work environment on satisfaction and perceived productivity of knowledge workers in Dutch universities of applied sciences. The approach took the form of a literature review, multiple case study of six research centres using interviews and logbook analysis, and web-based survey (N=188). Optimally facilitating knowledge production requires both space for concentration (to support internalisation of knowledge) and space for interaction (to support externalisation of knowledge). None of the work environments involved in the study adequately supported all the phases of knowledge development adequately. Cellular offices with personal desks are preferred for solo work and, whereas new workplace designs with a focus on the office as a meeting place support interaction and collaboration. Spatial layout and interaction have a stronger impact than comfort and absence of distraction. The spatial layout should support both in-depth concentration and communication, fit the internalisation/externalisation ratio of activities, and accommodate the proximity essential for collaborative knowledge development. Being able to choose is the key to success. In terms of research limitations, knowledge workers’ productivity was measured by self-­assessment, but only a limited number of diaries were collected. The lessons learned can be used as inputs to decision-making processes regarding the design, implementation and management of working environments in higher education settings. Few studies have been conducted concerning the spatial preferences and needs of knowledge workers in universities of applied sciences. The results show that the physical dimension (comfort and layout) is more important for collective productivity, whereas individual productivity is more strongly influenced by the social dimension (interaction and distraction).
The stabilisation and repair of heritage structures and listed buildings
Authors: Brooks John
Published: July 2024

This paper addresses the delicate issues of structural repair and stabilisation of heritage structures and the importance of establishing the cause of the defects prior to any intervention work being carried out. Particular methods of intervention will be examined and the paper also identifies some methods to be avoided which time has revealed to be inappropriate. Modern techniques, now proven to be effective and acceptable by conservationists and other bodies around the world, are described. It is hoped that this paper will facilitate a greater understanding of the approach to this highly specialist field and offer those faced with such projects a suitable pathway to success. Some particularly interesting examples are presented to illustrate these points.
Adopting the best approach for a digital banking solution: Combine the benefits of the ‘build’, ‘buy’ or ‘outsource’ options
Authors: Busby Darren
Published: July 2024

Competition in banking is growing, and customer loyalty is low. Support for those thinking of becoming a new bank is greater than ever before, and established banks are working hard to rebuild consumer trust. All are figuring out how to differentiate themselves in order to capture/retain market share, and high on the list is the requirement for a compelling and secure digital presence. But which of the ‘build’, ‘buy’ or ‘outsource’ approaches is best suited to help deliver a bank’s own digital strategy? This paper compares the various options of realising a bank’s underlying digital technology, on the basis that the technology in itself is more than just a means to an end, that it is an essential enabler of any digital strategy in the real world of evolving customer expectations and legacy constraints.
Evolving consumer expectations and the future of digital banking
Authors: Kasturi Srini
Published: July 2024

The financial services industry has a long history of deploying new technology to respond to evolving customer expectations. The rise of digital banking in recent years represents a significant acceleration of technological change, fuelled by factors like the COVID-19 pandemic and shifting demographics. In the vanguard of sweeping industry changes are the FinTech providers. Advances such as cloud computing APIs and machine learning are being deployed to deliver seamless, 24/7 finance and banking services to consumers who now expect immediate, accessible digital solutions that provide both safety and convenience. Banks need to keep up with the incredible pace of change but face challenges in the form of entrenched legacy systems, siloed operations, a vast beachfront of propositional enhancements and compliance with regulations — issues that typical single-minded FinTechs are less burdened with. Many banks, however, are seeking to overcome these challenges, knowing that otherwise they face diminished market relevance. For many, the answer lies in partnering with existing FinTechs in mutually beneficial engagements that can deliver for increasingly digitally savvy users, such as a partnership between Barclays and TransferMate to deliver advanced cross-border payment services. Regulatory developments like Open Banking have set the scene for increased market competition as well as integrated disparate systems between multiple providers for the benefit of the end user. Onto this stage have entered traditional big-tech firms like Apple, Amazon Google and Meta, seeking opportunities to reshape the digital payments space. In parallel with these developments has emerged decentralised finance (DeFi) offerings that leverage concepts like Blockchain technology, smart contracts and distributed ledgers to provide solutions outside of the centralised processes of traditional finance. This paper explores the changing shape of digital banking; the potential for both competition and collaboration between banks, FinTechs and traditional tech companies; and examines how consumer demands are driving innovation.
Reconnoitring the comparative landscape of print and mobile media in Dubai
Authors: Conner Suzanne L. , Lee Dennis
Published: July 2024

This study investigates the effect of print and mobile advertising media on consumer behaviour in an advanced emerging economy. A review of current advertising expenditures in the region and pertinent literature is followed by primary research to explore the differences. The results demonstrate that mobile advertising may improve attitude towards the advertisement and be perceived as more novel. However, attitude towards the brand and purchase intention were not significantly affected by the medium. The paper goes on to consider the implications of this work for marketing communication decisions and future research.
Using analytics to support a utility’s initial response to the COVID-19 pandemic amid an uncertain evidence base
Authors: Schlegelmilch Jeff , Paaso Aleksi , Ratner Jackie , Saxena Gunjan , White Zackery , Aguilar Susanna , Kushner Daniel , Matevosyan Norayr , Ortega Jaime , Bahramirad Shay
Published: July 2024

Energy utilities play a critical role in fostering disaster resilience. Much of the world is increasingly dependent on the availability and reliability of safe and efficient energy. In addition to its importance for industrial, commercial and household functionality, energy provision is increasingly significant in determining health and equity outcomes during a disaster. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, issues of workforce protection and absenteeism are critical for public safety as well as for the continuity of operations for utilities and the businesses that rely upon them. However, COVID-19, and pandemics generally, have rapidly evolving and imperfect evidence available to support rapid and real-time decision making. This article reflects the initial setup and operations of frameworks utilising analytics to support decision making from March through July 2020 for a major US electric utility. These initial strategies have enhanced decision making and provided a foundation for additional integration of the evidence base and use of analytics for anticipated decision support in the coming phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as for future pandemics of unknown aetiology.
Humanising the brand in a digital age
Authors: Caig James
Published: July 2024

As organisations grow bigger and their use of technology intensifies, it gets harder for those businesses to retain a sense of humanity for employees and customers. Yet the value of human connection cannot be overstated — as technology proliferates, and as the range of touch points available to brands increases, competitive advantage will go to those brands that bring a sense of humanity to their dealings with customers. Customer experience is at the centre of this. Although it is expensive and difficult, it is effective communication because it counts as a brand’s body language. As more decision-making gets outsourced to technology, brands can benefit from the opportunity to create digital interactions that are valuable, rather than perpetuate the dehumanising effect of many technological interventions. This paper argues that people and technology work better together, and will help readers understand some of the pitfalls of being too technology-led. It also sets out some initial questions that brands can ask themselves to help navigate digital technologies in a way that is right for them.
What could a central bank digital currency look like in the euro area? The outcome of a hackathon exercise
Authors: Grym Aleksi
Published: July 2024

Central bank digital currency (CBDC) has become a widely discussed subject in central banking. Most of the literature, however, has been theoretical, and there exists no precise description of what a CBDC could look like in a major economy. The Bank of Finland conducted an internal hackathon exercise to shed more light on the practical questions of a CBDC. This paper presents the findings of that exercise. It is a model of a CBDC for the eurozone, and it attempts to approach the question from an operational point of view. The model is not a suggestion, and it probably omits many important considerations. However, by presenting one possible description of a CBDC, it contributes to the policy discussion and provides a practical reference that exemplifies the degree of complexity that central banks will be facing when considering the issuance of a CBDC.
Assessing airports for business rates
Authors: Hicks Stuart
Published: July 2024

Since the start of the economic downturn, regional airports have faced real challenges to their survival. As 2013 is proving to be just as difficult, ideas long explored in other industries are now being successfully applied in the Aviation section to improve profits. One way that airports are improving profitability is by challenging the traditional methods of assessing airport rateable values and unlocking potential savings. This article explores in detail the Contractor's Basis of Valuation and how it can be applied to airports to reflect their unique mode and category of occupation. This paper examines Stage 2 and Stage 5 of the Contractor's Basis of Valuation including: allowances for obsolescence, surplusage, piecemeal development and comparative assessment. It draws upon the many case studies and more recent rulings where these types of appeal have been lodged and successfully brought to conclusion on behalf of UK and Irish airports.
Interoperability aspects of central bank digital currency across ecosystems and borders
Authors: Hupel Lars
Published: July 2024

There is a growing consensus that there is no ‘one size fits all’ central bank digital currency (CBDC). Both retail CBDC and wholesale CBDC have their own unique value propositions and may even be deployed using different technologies. Additionally, some countries are developing multilateral cross-border CBDC solutions, as well as integrations into other digital asset ecosystems, including but not limited to stablecoins, tokenised government bonds and real estate. Although interoperability between different ecosystems is highly desirable, the precise design of such bridges is highly context-dependent and requires careful analysis of use cases, stakeholders and operational concerns. This paper describes the state of the art that has been established in the digital asset community, puts forward some suggestions about the design options relating to CBDC — matching those to potential use cases — and discusses some case studies.
Blockchain: An approach to evaluating digital banking use cases
Authors: Da Conceição Veronica Lange , Batlin Alex
Published: July 2024

The obvious advantages of distributed ledgers with smart contracts is that they have driven strong venture capital investments aware of Bitcoin's shortcomings to Blockchain technology. With a diverse set of pilots already in production, banks are experimenting, often in collaboration, to find promising use cases and understand their new positioning in a blockchain-based industry model. This paper presents the evaluation lens approach in order to help review potential use cases on the basis of their business model, technical, legal and regulatory, financial and operational lenses.
The momentum strategy: Riding viral waves in social media space
Authors: Vanhonacker Wilfried R.
Published: July 2024

This paper uses the Jackie Chamoun story as a case study to illustrate how companies can use the momentum of viral waves in social media to propel their brands’ relevance at virtually no cost. With social media constantly abuzz, an increasing number of real-time marketing opportunities will arise to transfer viral wave momentum into brand momentum. Viral relevance is vital relevance.
Applying sustainability practices: Financial and organisational effects
Authors: Etoimou Eirini
Published: July 2024

Sustainability sparks controversial discussions predominantly because of its vague and unsettled status within the business context. This paper aims to identify the limitations and opportunities of applying sustainability practices. Through studies and case studies, it is suggested that by adopting sustainability practices, a business can have both organisational and financial benefits that are measurable and act as a growth factor, making it a business with purpose. The metrics are not universally accepted, but this can be seen as an advantage, using only those indicators that, by an accredited validation, can be meaningful for the business, the industry and the society it operates in.
New approaches to growth planning on larger-than-local scales
Authors: Pugalis Lee , Townsend Alan , Gray Nick , Ankowska Ania
Published: July 2024

Approaches to growth planning and spatial governance on larger-than-local scales are matters of entrenched contention. Following the annulment of regionalised patterns of working and policy coordination across England during the early 2010s, much of the country was left without suitable larger-than-local scales of spatial governance and planning arrangements for delivering growth ambitions. This paper analyses the emergence of new approaches to planning for growth that have arisen on larger-than-local scales since the abandonment of regionalised policy working. Specifically, the nature and capabilities of strategic economic plans are examined, derived from a national comparative analysis of all of them. The findings draw attention to some of the defining challenges of informal growth planning on larger-than-local scales, as the research considers the extent to which these plans address an apparent strategic void. A key distinction is drawn between plans resembling bidding documents and those that could be considered to be plans for the area. In doing so, the intent is that the research contributes new knowledge to the evolving practice of strategic planning and economic strategy.
Operation brand story: How to fix a broken brand when customer beliefs shift and brands do not
Authors: Jones Mark
Published: July 2024

Customer insights underpin effective brand strategies and help organisations differentiate. However, research and data gathering takes precious time, money and resources. In many cases, brands facing disruptive pressures such as healthy competition, emerging technologies or rapidly changing customer needs are unable or unwilling to give brand strategy the time and space required. This paper outlines a unique, practical approach that helps leaders address these issues. It specifically addresses brands that consumers regard as broken, irrelevant or of no value.
Developing the intelligent airport
Authors: Rostworowski Antoine
Published: July 2024

The proliferation of common-use and self-service technologies, the emergence of the mobile device as a multi-purpose tool and accompanying IT infrastructure upgrades are offering significant opportunities to enhance the airport operating environment and build a truly ‘intelligent’ airport. To benefit fully from these advances, however, it will be vital to have a cohesive and targeted technology strategy, ensuring the various systems are all well integrated. Achieving this integration will require collaboration from all stakeholders, including passengers, airlines, governments and airport authorities, on a global basis. Worldwide standards are also needed for the effective sharing and protection of data (‘business intelligence’) generated by technologies using smartphones, near-field communication, biometrics and the like. Stakeholders need to work together to exchange information and be flexible enough to respond to the varied needs of passengers, airlines and airports.
Financial crime compliance in securities custody and settlement: ISSA’s principles and their implementation
Authors: Staehli Urs
Published: July 2024

Until recently, the regulatory burden laid on the securities services industry was relatively light. Post financial crisis, a myriad of regulatory initiatives were taken impacting the securities services intermediaries. In August 2015, ISSA issued 17 Financial Crime Compliance Principles providing global guidance on the establishment and maintenance of cross-border securities custody relationships. ISSA is about to publish additional documents supporting the implementation of the principles with a view to cross-market adoption by the end of 2019.
Complying with asbestos regulations
Authors: Lamont Claire , Hill Tim
Published: July 2024

This paper aims to provide the reader with a deeper understanding of the importance of complying with asbestos regulations, the management of asbestos, and the dangers it poses. It explains who has a duty to manage asbestos and what the role of a dutyholder is. The paper also explores the requirement for employers to provide training to all employees who may come into contact with asbestos, and the best way to deliver this in order to comply with the Control of Asbestos Regulations. It will also provide the reader with an explanation of the licensing regime that has been put in place to ensure that work with asbestos is controlled and monitored. Lastly, this paper will explain the HSE's six-step guidance in asbestos management and will offer the reader practical ways for the dutyholder, or other appointed competent person, to manage asbestos in a practical context.
Noble motives and net results: Micro-insurance in the supply chain — building revenue and customer loyalty while improving community resilience in fast-growing markets
Authors: Mathews Brandon
Published: July 2024

Multinationals and other corporates achieve strategic and financial goals by introducing insurance for vendors, employees and customers within their supply chains in emerging and frontier economies, prompting improved loyalty, margin enhancement, product uptake and better conditions for core products. The world's emerging consumers, while indeed large and growing both in numbers and resources, remain highly vulnerable to insurable risks impeding growth. Digital technology — especially mobile phones — lowers the costs of reliably accessing large numbers of such customers. Product design draws lessons from loyalty products in use for decades by credit card companies in Western markets as well as from cutting-edge techniques developed by impact entrepreneurs and non-governmental organisations. To ensure successful project implementation, hypotheses are first validated through low-cost experiments and more robust pilot phases before processes are industrialised more broadly.
Time for marketing to embrace reinforcement learning
Authors: Murphy Laura , Perales Fernando , Gopal Anand , Gyurdieva Yordanka , Gueorguiev Victor , Shandilya Pratyush
Published: July 2024

Since COVID-19 upended the world, marketers can no longer rely on historical data to inform their decisions. Channel splits have changed and online conversations have exploded. Marketing budgets have decreased as a percentage of revenue, meaning marketing funds must be used more effectively and efficiently than ever. Fortunately, the relatively new application of reinforcement learning — a data science approach — in marketing offers additional opportunities to gain competitive advantage using artificial intelligence. Unlike other types of machine learning, reinforcement learning uses algorithms that do not typically rely only on historical data sets, to learn to make predictions. Rather, these algorithms learn as humans often do, through trial and error, adjusting their ‘behaviour’ based on the outcomes of their actions. While the algorithms and computations behind reinforcement learning can be complex and sophisticated, its ability to deal with real-time decision making makes it an attractive option for marketers. This paper shows that with the right ‘business translator’ — that is, a person or team operating as the ‘glue’ between data science and business performance — sophisticated data science becomes accessible to commercial teams looking to drive performance improvements.
Narita Airport's journey for establishing an end-to-end biometric passenger experience
Authors: Miyamoto Hideharu
Published: July 2024

The paper shares the experience, challenges and efforts to introduce expedited pre-boarding passenger at Narita Airport through digital technology under the impact of COVID-19. The digitalised ‘Fast Travel’ processing enables more stringent ID checks with consistency, improved efficiency and customer experience using biometric and automation technology to achieve the following improvements in customer experience triggered by a survey conducted by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The paper also covers pending issues, such as the lack of stress testing and identification of issues that require improvement to serve a larger mass traffic volume as cross-border travel restarts around the world. It is hoped that the contents of the paper may contribute to inspire airports and stakeholders around the world to jointly establish a digitalised pre-boarding procedure that is globally interoperable with a standardised processing and synchronisation of datasets that is protected by a holistic security framework.
Marketing collaborations between luxury brands and hip-hop artists: An analysis of community feedback on Instagram
Authors: Polfuß Jonas
Published: July 2024

Luxury fashion and hip-hop music have become intertwined, but their relationship remains conflict-ridden. This study examines the collaboration between luxury brands and rappers based on three marketing collaborations from 2019: Gucci, Fendi and Chanel. Critical user and community feedback are examined using quantitative and qualitative in-depth analyses of Instagram posts. The evaluation takes the form of an engagement and sentiment analysis, the results of which mirror previous research on hip-hop marketing and social media monitoring. This study provides insights into the opportunities and risks of lifestyle marketing in collaboration with artists.