bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Money on the table: Increasing revenue through menu order
Authors: Huff Steven C.
Published: July 2024

This research investigates the relationship between menu order and restaurant revenue. It finds that while uncommon, menus listing items in descending price order may provide more revenue to online retailers than other, more common, menu orderings. These findings are drawn from a field experiment conducted in a single restaurant with upscale clientele. In the experiment, menu order was manipulated (eg ascending or descending by price) across conditions. Analysis of daily subtotals revealed that diners’ choices were influenced by menu order, with diners spending over 10 per cent more on purchases from descending menus than ascending menus. This result suggests that restaurateurs may be experiencing suboptimal revenues when they post menus in ascending or random/ aesthetic order (which is standard practice), and that by posting menus listing items in descending price order, or posting a high-priced item at the top of their menus, they might be able improve their profits.
Protecting data in 2020 and beyond: The role of blockchain technology and artificial intelligence in neutralising the growing threat of cybercrime
Authors: Kornitzer Daniel
Published: July 2024

As the volume and value of data continue to increase exponentially, and at previously unseen speed, cybersecurity professionals are having to rethink how they store and manage digital information. Nowhere is this more relevant than in the financial services sector, a prime target for professional cybercrime operations from organised crime through to rogue nation states. This paper, takes a closer look at two tools that chief information officers are considering turning to for combating this threat in the age of rapid data expansion — artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain. This paper examines the characteristics of distributed ledger technology, which provides greater security than traditional data storage methods and the protocols that must be implemented to ensure that blockchain-powered data, including cryptocurrencies, remains secure. The paper also provides specific examples of regulatory bodies introducing distributed ledger technology into guidelines and the role this might play in cybercrime prevention. The paper then examines why 69 per cent of financial organisations now say that they will not be able to respond to critical cybersecurity threats without AI and why 73 per cent are testing use cases for AI in cybersecurity, including some examples of testing in action and their results.
Activity-based funding: Clinical costing — The efficiency nexus
Authors: Lawrence Mark
Published: July 2024

Clinical costing as a tool for decision-making is a relatively new approach for Australian public health institutions. This paper looks briefly at why that is only a recent development, gives examples of the data that clinical costing systems can produce, looks at some of the pitfalls in using the data and also the decision-making that can then flow from it. Owing to the relatively recent nature of using clinical costing in public health, the paper is focused on those considering creating such a system or those only just beginning to use such a system. The paper is intended only as an overview of the use of clinical costing and does not explore the details of how to create such a costing system. It focuses on the relationship between activity-based funding (ABF) and clinical costing, and as various funding bodies apply ABF differently, the paper does not discuss the mechanics of ABF, but explores the disconnect between ABF and costs.
Workflow guidelines for digital content preservation: A snapshot of current practice
Authors: Helms Alissa Matheny , Deridder Jody L.
Published: July 2024

Effective management of incoming born-digital content can be informed by a review of the decisions being made and the methods being used at organisations in the digital preservation community, and the best practice resources that are available online and in print. A survey administered in 2016 captures a snapshot of solutions, recommendations and complaints by practitioners in the field. Three workflow models are compared with the survey results and synthesised for clarity and practicality. Within each stage of the workflow guidelines, functions are defined and tools suggested, based on survey results. Recommendations are outlined for next steps towards the development of best practices.
Digitising the Ian MacKaye digital collection of punk fanzines at the University of Maryland
Authors: Davis John R. , Grimmer Jessica H. , Novara Vincent J.
Published: July 2024

The Ian MacKaye digital collection of punk fanzines at the University of Maryland (UMD) includes more than 1,000 digitised zines, originally collected by a notable punk rock musician. These ephemeral publications document details of the punk subculture that are often obscured by time or scarcity, rendering it all the more important to preserve and make accessible the information within them before they disappear. To create this digital collection, Special Collections in Performing Arts at UMD pivoted from some of its common practices for accessioning or digitising a collection, experimenting instead with different approaches. This paper describes the context for the collection, as well as the curatorial decisions and digitisation workflows that ultimately made the digitised zines accessible to researchers and fans of the punk subculture.
Understanding the complexities and challenges of airport performance benchmarking
Authors: Morrison William G.
Published: July 2024

The task of measuring and benchmarking airport performance is one of attempting to collect and standardise data while applying econometric techniques that allow for an ‘apples-to-apples’ comparison. This paper provides a review and critique of the various approaches to measuring and benchmarking airport performance, focusing on measures of productivity and efficiency in particular. The investigation reveals that results of airport benchmarking studies appear to be very sensitive to the definitions of variables, model structure, underlying assumptions and the methodology employed.
How businesses can contribute positively to local schools and communities
Authors: Aggarwal Shelley
Published: July 2024

This paper explores how the UK corporate sector engages with its local schools and community organisations to contribute towards effective community regeneration. Businesses have been contributing to the education, social inclusion, health and well-being of their communities for centuries. Business philanthropy is not a new activity but, with the mainstreaming of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the last decade, and the blurring of responsibility for delivery of public services across the public, private and third sectors, more corporates are investing more resources into developing partnerships with third-sector organisations to deliver effective investment programmes in their communities. While philanthropy is an altruistic 'giving' activity, CSR is more aligned to core business activity, bringing society and business objectives together in mutually beneficial engagement. CSR can be seen as a response to society's need for higher levels of accountability and transparency of the social, economic and environmental impacts of business practices. The benefits of community involvement and local regeneration of towns and cities where businesses operate are being recognised through management processes, contributing to the business case for such engagement. The paper goes on to highlight current examples of best practice and UK business engagement in its schools and wider communities. Through membership organisations which benchmark corporate community involvement, one can see how much businesses are investing in local communities and the recent trends. Much of this benchmarking is the result of membership networks which provide standard models and measurement tools for reporting on quantitative and qualitative data. In addition, this paper will outline some of the practical steps businesses may consider when setting up a programme of community engagement and how community organisations can move towards sustainable partnerships with businesses.
A ‘fabric first’ approach can really deliver sustainable homes
Authors: Jackson Lee
Published: July 2024

The holy grail of sustainable construction, namely meeting SAP requirements with relatively small changes to construction methods at little or no extra cost, is now achievable. This paper outlines the solutions to achieving truly sustainable construction while tackling common issues such as thermal bridging.
The future of instant payments: Are we investing billions just for mobile peer-to-peer payment?
Authors: Salmony Michael
Published: July 2024

The implementation of instant payments in Europe will most likely take many years and will require significant investments, as well as years’ worth of management attention at banks and regulators that could otherwise be devoted to other topics, notably innovations beyond infrastructure. Mobile peer-topeer (P2P) payments are already enjoying some success, notably in the UK, Sweden, USA and Kenya. However, countless attempts at mobile payments by digital disruptors, banks, mobile operators and others all over the world have largely failed. This paper analyses why successes are so rare, why they have so far only happened outside the Eurozone, and whether a true underlying instant infrastructure is necessary for them at all. Finally, it maps a success for the future: how the emergence of the new pan-European instant payment infrastructure may catapult Europe to the forefront of new services. Comparisons are made between policy decisions in Europe versus other geographies and the consequences therefrom. This paper widens the debate beyond the current focus on infrastructure and simple P2P applications. It argues that the success will come from a plethora of applications rather than infrastructures. Thus, the paper welcomes the advent of a pan-European (and increasingly global) instant payment infrastructure and aims to show that its real value comes in its application.
Improving terminal waste diversion: Education, engagement and corporate culture at Vancouver International Airport
Authors: Town Marion , Folk-Blagbrough Shaye
Published: July 2024

Culture is a significant driver in the success of waste reduction and recycling initiatives in any region or organisation. This paper provides information on how the diversion of waste generated from passenger and operational activities (municipal waste) at the Vancouver International Airport was improved over time. For a number of years, waste diversion data indicated that Vancouver International Airport’s waste management strategies had hit a ‘ceiling’ and moving beyond an annual 36 per cent diversion rate presented challenges for the organisation. Three elements combined to overcome the barrier — a regulatory change for how waste is managed, a corporate commitment to increase diversion from terminal operations and the formal expression of accountability, teamwork and innovation as core organisational values. These components, along with a refreshed recycling culture in the Metro Vancouver region, have helped drive an additional 15 per cent improvement in waste diversion. By year end 2016, Vancouver Airport had achieved an annual diversion rate of 51 per cent, exceeding its corporate goal three years ahead of schedule.
Building a successful marketing analytics organisation
Authors: Young John
Published: July 2024

As the strategic importance of analytics has grown, organisations have increasingly elected to develop (or expand) an in-house group. While a large number of companies have launched an analytic function, many struggle to deliver maximum value to their marketing stakeholders. This paper lays out a blueprint for delivering a centre of excellence in analytics — establishing a mission for the group, creating a group identity, developing an analytic roadmap, building a compelling analytic framework, and ensuring the requisite enablers of data, tools and people are in place. Following these five steps will help organisations greatly increase their chances of success.
Business impact analysis: Keeping critical impact in perspective
Authors: Cardoza Barry
Published: July 2024

Business impact analysis (BIA) is a relatively new science. Widely recognised standards and best practices have not yet evolved. There is a great deal of debate about both what a BIA should include and how it should be performed. However, defining ‘critical impact’ and then determining how to keep that definition in perspective is essential to any BIA process. This paper leads the reader through key considerations regarding how the BIA itself can determine what is truly critical, keep the definition of critical impact in perspective for the institution as a whole, and continuously adjust the definition of critical impact to the dynamics of an ever-changing institution.
Applying a cross-media strategy: How to match diverse information needs with user communication preferences
Authors: Lehné Margarete , Rümmele Klaus
Published: July 2024

Communication professionals are confronted with two phenomena: on the one hand the fragmentation of the public into several target or interaction groups, on the other hand the increasing use of new devices. Cross-media can help communication professionals cope with both trends. Applying cross-media helps communication professionals meet diverse information needs and communication preferences — particularly by providing alternative ways to access a given topic and allowing users to choose their own navigation paths. With a considerable part of its audience being rather young and using media in a highly flexible manner, this is particularly the case for institutional science communication. Discussing general aspects and examples, the paper develops guidelines for cross-media productions.
The resolution plan for insurers in France: Being prepared in case of a failure
Authors: Visnovsky Frédéric
Published: July 2024

The failure of an insurer may affect policyholders as well as the broader economy. This explains why a resolution regime is useful, with the objective of making it feasible to maintain vital economic functions and activities, which are needed, without disruption and without exposing taxpayers to loss. The resolution regime is a core element of the policy measures adopted by the G20 in the wake of the global financial crisis and applies to banks in most countries, with France being one of the first EU member states to adopt a regime for the recovery and resolution of insurance undertakings. The work undertaken to prepare resolution plans consists of first identifying the functions deemed to be critical which should be maintained. For the resolution to be effective, this work needs to be complemented with analysis of the level of separability of these critical functions from the rest of the undertaking or group, as this is necessary to ensure operational continuity in the event that a resolution action is applied. The next step consists of specifying resolution strategies that could be applied to groups or bodies performing critical functions, in accordance with different possible crisis scenarios and taking into account different resolution tools used separately or in combination. Based on these elements, Autorité de Contrôle Prudentiel et de Résolution has adopted the first resolution plan for 13 insurers, but this needs to be complemented by additional analyses and additional information in order to cover all the topics needed to operationalise resolution strategies and ensure the resolvability of undertakings.
Creating an analytics ecosystem to support risk-based contracting
Authors: Marino Daniel J.
Published: July 2024

Payers are increasingly pressing hospitals and health systems to assume more financial risk through risk-based contracts. However, very few healthcare organisations have the information they need to identify the medical spend on care delivered to patients and to tie the cost of care to clinical outcomes, capabilities that are important to managing financial risk. To successfully manage risk-based contracts, organisations must develop systems that enable insightful decision-making about risk and value. That requires a shift in basic data strategy. Most healthcare organisations today focus on maintaining information systems to manage multiple silos of clinical, operational and financial data. To succeed under value-based care, an organisation must start building an analytics ecosystem for managing patient populations. A healthcare analytics ecosystem is an interconnected set of clinical, financial and operational data sources and analytic capabilities that enable provider organisations to plan, negotiate and manage risk-based contracts. To build an analytics ecosystem, healthcare leaders must translate data into actionable information, leverage that information to create clinical programmes that generate new knowledge, and use analytical tools to turn knowledge into insights that drive strategic decision-making and action.
Real estate sustainability strategy and green building development in Singapore
Authors: Soh Yvonne
Published: July 2024

This paper examines the link between the contemporary corporate sustainability practices of real estate companies and green building development, illustrating the various facets with regards to the real estate sector in Singapore. The paper also looks at the close connection between green building rating tools and corporate sustainability objectives, and how green building development helps to achieve a win-win situation for all the stakeholders involved. The impact of green building is shown to go beyond achieving corporate sustainability goals, creating a robust green building ecosystem that supports the entire building supply chain.
Successfully tackling cybercrime at the local level
Authors: Haslam Andy
Published: July 2024

This is an opinion piece which seeks to contribute to the wider debate on cybercrime prevention, based on the policing experience of the author over the past 22 years, during which he has been fortunate enough to work across a number of disciplines including intelligence, investigations, economic crime and criminal justice. More recently his work has included designing, implementing and running the first joint police force collaboration cybercrime unit in the UK. Achieving successful cybercrime reduction and prevention may require police forces to more closely complement national safer behaviour campaigns with pragmatic local community action. At the heart of this endeavour should be a recognition that people often need other people to help them understand how to change, why the change is needed and the consequences if they don’t. Multimedia cybercrime communication campaigns may be insufficient on their own to reach many of the most vulnerable. The impact and scale of cybercrime precludes any single organisation from tackling it alone. To meet this challenge, local policing is developing a model to identify and support community groups, local authorities, voluntary sector and public sector in reaching people who rely more on personal contact than broadcast messages. In its simplest form, the idea is to ‘plug together’ existing networks by better aligning those with the knowledge and material with those who do not.
Why do cyber security programmes fail?
Authors: Moschovitis Chris
Published: July 2024

Despite the torrent of news about hacks, despite the clearly elevated awareness, despite the increasingly sophisticated tools and services, despite regulatory requirements, cyber security programmes are not always successful. Why do they fail? Where do they fall short? These should be key questions for everyone in business, government, technology and cyber security. If we know the problem with cyber security, and have ways of addressing the problem, why are we still failing? Without answers to these questions, all our work in cyber security amounts to building sandcastles.
Appealing and challenging awards
Authors: Isaac Nicholas
Published: July 2024

This paper discusses the two main methods of challenging awards made under Section 10 of the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 (‘the 1996 Act’), namely an appeal under that Act and a challenge based upon the surveyor or surveyors making that award having exceeded their jurisdiction — ultra vires. The paper details the legal basis, time limits, procedure and practical implications of challenges to party wall awards on both bases, primarily by way of proceedings in the Courts of England and Wales. It discusses both the technical and legal requirements of such challenges, as well as the practical considerations to be taken into account by the parties and professionals involved.
Applying social science and public health methods to community-based pandemic planning
Authors: Danforth Elizabeth J. , Doying Annette , Merceron Georges , Kennedy Laura
Published: July 2024

Pandemic influenza is a unique threat to communities, affecting schools, businesses, health facilities and individuals in ways not seen in other emergency events. This paper aims to outline a local government project which utilised public health and social science research methods to facilitate the creation of an emergency response plan for pandemic influenza coincidental to the early stages of the 2009 H1N1 (‘swine flu’) outbreak. A multi-disciplinary team coordinated the creation of a pandemic influenza emergency response plan which utilised emergency planning structure and concepts and encompassed a diverse array of county entities including schools, businesses, community organisations, government agencies and healthcare facilities. Lessons learned from this project focus on the need for (1) maintaining relationships forged during the planning process, (2) targeted public health messaging, (3) continual evolution of emergency plans, (4) mutual understanding of emergency management concepts by business and community leaders, and (5) regional coordination with entities outside county boundaries.
SEPA Card Clearing as an open standard for card processing in the euro area
Authors: Winter Heike , Härtel Marcus , Klocke Johannes
Published: July 2024

The establishment of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) for credit transfers and direct debits was finalised via Regulation (EU) 260/2012 of the European Parliament and the European Council. But without the card payment sector, the vision of a harmonised single payment market remains incomplete. A harmonised market for cards should provide a framework within which merchants in Europe can accept a variety of SEPA-compliant card brands and products, and choose from a variety of acquirers without being artificially constrained by legal, technical or procedural aspects associated with the respective card schemes. This paper focuses on SEPA Card Clearing (SCC), a project aimed at harmonisation, which is nearing completion in the acquirer-to-issuer domain. The aim of SCC is to create a new common ISO 20022 standard as an open standard (ie irrespective of a specific card scheme) for clearing and processing debit card and credit card based transactions between banks that takes into account the different market needs with respect to clearing and settling debit and credit card transactions, based on existing standards in different countries. Therefore, with SCC, a clear ‘unbundling’ of card schemes and processing can be achieved. This should support open and fair competition and, in so doing, lower the market entry barriers for new players. In technical terms, the SCC Framework is based on the SEPA Direct Debit (SDD) scheme and its concomitant SDD-message standards and business processes. The SCC Framework is freely available for any market participant in Europe, and it enables the use of one clearing infrastructure for all relevant payment instruments in the SEPA, direct debits, credit transfers and cards. Lastly, SCC also supports innovation. The special payment message container in SCC could also be used for the processing of any other type of payments (ie payments via mobile phone or biometric data).
Reducing payment processing costs: Scale economies and SEPA
Authors: Bolt Wilko , Humphrey David
Published: July 2024

The drive towards a single euro payments area (SEPA) is to make cross-border payments just as easy as domestic payments. While this can be achieved by processing the (currently small) volume of cross-border transactions at existing processing centres, costs would be largely unchanged. Alternatively, owing to strong scale economies in processing electronic payments, costs can be markedly reduced if national level processing centres in Europe are consolidated across borders. Estimates of payment scale economies from different sources are presented and potential cost reductions in unit cost are illustrated. The average cost of a payment transaction could fall by upwards of 30 per cent if consolidation doubled processing volume.
Designing for packaged products in a CPG world
Authors: Dombrowski David
Published: July 2024

Are you a shopper or a buyer? Ever wonder why Tide packaging is orange or why the bread, eggs and milk are located at the back of the store? What are manufacturers and retailers doing to get you to buy one product over another? This paper breaks down and attempts to simplify the consumer behaviours of buying versus shopping for consumer packaged goods (CPG) through ‘moments of truth’ that are experienced by consumers and designed by retailers and manufacturers to get you to buy their packaged products. Learnings, experiences and empathy from working at some of the top CPG companies have been combined to bring you this comprehensive look at how consumers and manufacturers intersect through these moments of truth. The results of this work define the mindsets and behaviours of the consumer journey from stimulus to store, from purchase to home and from usage to repurchase. Let the buyer/shopper beware! Manufacturers and retailers want you to shop and buy, pulling out all the stops to design packaged products that appeal to the consumer and keep you coming back for more. This paper is meant to educate the consumer and designer in you, to help the reader bring the best products and packages to life for the good of the consumer.
Assessing the statistical significance of repeated A/B tests with meta-analysis
Authors: Harman David
Published: July 2024

This paper presents the steps to conduct a meta-analysis of a set of repeated A/B tests. Repeated A/B testing is common in professional marketing practice. Each test, however, can only be individually evaluated for statistical significance when using basic statistical analysis. A meta-analysis of the same A/B tests provides three useful analytics outputs: an overall treatment effect across all tests, a confidence interval for that effect to assess statistical significance, and a measure of heterogeneity between tests to assess the context variation between campaigns. Meta-analysis is a useful addition to marketing analytics practice.
Digitalisation, legal activism and the generational divide
Authors: Kornbeck Jacob
Published: July 2024

Whenever new developments (whether of an online or an offline kind) risk unsettling people’s lives as they know them, they can resort to different responses, including protest, advocacy and activism. One kind of activism, which may be chosen in response to regulatory and social change triggered by digitalisation, could be called legal activism, in that it focuses on reasserting extant rights, insisting on effective enforcement, and/or on adapting the legal framework so as to afford a higher level of protection and/or more effective enforcement, in an effort to ensure more direct access to the enjoyment of rights related to digital interaction. But how does legal activism relate to the (imagined or real) generational divide? This paper aims to provide some answers using selected vignettes on young people as legal activists (‘Examples of Digital Activists’). The vignettes will be discussed by drawing on various available theories, models and insights from social science (‘Discussion’). The question set (‘The Generational Divide: Representation versus Reality’) will be assessed in light of insights gained from discussing, contextualising, fact-checking and theorising the vignettes exercise (‘Conclusion’), but to allow for this, the question set will need to be further refined (‘Looking for Political Agency’ and ‘Digitalisation and the Generational Divide’). The focus will be on millennials, while zoomers obviously may be concerned, too.
How compliance leaders are driving efficiency and creating more effective compliance processes
Authors: Pope Stephen
Published: July 2024

Financial compliance management continues to complexify between the addition of ponderous quantities of new regulatory guidance and the development and exchange of new, fairly unregulated asset types. Contrasting these monumental industry shifts against the frequent inertia of company positions toward compliance makes it clear that modernisation requires both the addition of new tools and of new ways of building relationships. This paper discusses the importance of instilling a compliance focus within an organisation, through the use of technology, the conscious development of a compliance-driven culture and the intentional engagement and connection between compliance professionals and other members of the organisational leadership team. In addition, it outlines the key components most likely to yield success when implementing new regulatory compliance tools, and how the addition of such tools can create bandwidth for both expanding the compliance function and creating greater value through strategic compliance-related decisions. Modernising compliance includes using compliance as a tool for horizon planning and making decisions with long-term impact, as well as creating deeper, more trust-driven bonds with consumers.
Effects of COVID-19-related air traffic restrictions on local air quality at Zurich airport
Authors: Fleuti Emanuel
Published: July 2024

This paper discusses how the efforts of authorities to limit the spread of COVID-19 have led to restrictions in people’s mobility with significant impacts on air traffic operations worldwide. Zurich airport has experienced a drop of 91 per cent in aircraft movements from February to April 2020. The decrease in activity has led to a decrease in local emissions of 83 per cent for NOx, while NO2 concentrations at and around the airport decreased by only 50 per cent. Ultrafine particle numbers show similar values. The analysis further took into account the change in regional road traffic and the meteorology for comparable periods in 2019 and 2020, before and during the crisis.
Demystifying programmable money: How the next generation of payment solutions can be built with existing infrastructure
Authors: Kulk Erwin , Plompen Petra
Published: July 2024

As the conversation around programmable money has developed, many have argued that digital currencies built on distributed ledger technology — and the secure, automated, 24/7/365 and realtime environment this provides — are needed to unlock the solution. This paper, however, proposes an alternative way forward. Pointing to the various innovations developed and launched by the payments industry over the last decade, this paper argues that rather than waiting for digital currencies to reach maturity, it makes more sense to explore how existing payments tools can be used to create programmable money. Indeed, the paper suggests that by leveraging such recently delivered building blocks as instant payments, open-banking application programming interfaces and request to pay, the industry can create programmable money already — with the added benefit of faster time to market. Specifically, the paper contends that request to pay, and the underlying four-corner model that creates a level playing field for solution providers, is the best means to drive forward the programmable money journey.
The profile of foreign urban gardeners in the municipalities of Lombardy (Italy)
Authors: Cattivelli Valentina
Published: July 2024

This paper offers the first insight into the profile (origin, age, family background) of foreign urban gardeners in Lombard municipalities. The cultivation of urban gardens encourages socialisation among gardeners and the rest of the population, and also consolidates social capital at local level. Studies confirming these benefits proliferate in the current literature. However, they estimate these effects with reference to the entire population of gardeners, without specifically considering the consequences for particular social sub-groups. This scarce knowledge prevents a better understanding of the characteristics of these sub-groups and the individual benefits that can be derived from the cultivation. This is especially true for the subset of foreign gardeners, which is currently understudied. This group consists of foreign-born people who live in Italian municipalities for family or work reasons and cultivate an urban garden at present. Since their cultivation promotes socialisation, urban gardens could play a decisive role for accelerating the integration of this group into their local communities and therefore reduce the risk of social isolation and marginalisation. The description of the profile of foreign gardeners is proposed for Lombardy since here the foreign resident population is continuously growing at regional level. Currently, foreign-born residents represent about 12 per cent of the entire population (the highest percentage in Italy). Although the Lombard regional government has legally recognised the importance of urban gardens, there is no database of cultivated plots, or detailed information related to the number of gardens cultivated by foreign-born residents, at a regional level. As a result of the elaboration of answers to a questionnaire, many Lombard municipalities have experimented with urban gardening projects in their territories. The municipalities in question are primarily located around provincial capitals and in the area between Milan and Bergamo. Some of these municipalities have allocated urban gardens to foreign citizens; these municipalities are located across the region, but particularly in the provincial capitals and in the municipalities closest to these urban centres. Foreign gardeners come predominantly from North Africa and Eastern Europe. Most of them are over 40 years old, married and have children. Only in two municipalities are the foreign gardeners more likely to be single or without children.
Methods to safely reduce the costs of managing asbestos
Authors: Mccloskey Fergus
Published: July 2024

Estimates suggest that 10 per cent of the cost of demolition and as much as 5 per cent of spend on refurbishment can be allocated to the management of asbestos, which is still present in 2.4m homes and three-quarters of commercial, municipal and industrial premises — typically located within the fabric of these buildings. These costs can be significant when applied to a large property portfolio or construction project. This paper provides a number of suggestions whereby this spend can be reduced without compromising safety. Financial savings can be made throughout the life cycle of the asbestos management process from survey planning and methodology to limiting damage, avoiding out-of-hours working, accurately predicting asbestos risk, targeting analytical works and making use of a government scheme to claim tax relief on all costs of decontaminating property assets.
Digital transformation with robo-advising and AI in asset management: A critical appraisal
Authors: Orgeldinger Jörg
Published: July 2024

After the two revolutions in finance over the last century — the efficient market mathematical finance revolution in the 1950s and the behavioural finance revolution in the 1970s —now the third finance revolution with ‘machine finance’ has begun. Robo-advising combines artificial intelligence (AI) and financial expertise to offer accessible and personalised financial guidance. It analyses data, optimises portfolios and provides lower-cost investment strategies. Robo-advisors automate tasks such as portfolio rebalancing and offer efficiency and rational decision making; however, concerns regarding data privacy, algorithmic bias and regulations need attention. This paper explores the benefits, challenges and regulatory landscape of robo-advising. It emphasises the support robo-advisory services provide in minimising risk, generating returns and maintaining portfolios. They offer an efficient alternative to traditional advisors, using technology and expertise for personalised investment guidance. Further, the paper describes the fee structure of robo-advisors and the benefits they offer to financial advisors. It explains that traditional financial advisors typically charge fees ranging from 1 to 1.5 per cent of total assets managed, while robo-advisors charge between 0 and 0.25 per cent for basic services. The paper also explores the impact of fees on investment performance and introduces the concept of robo-advisors using index exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to minimise fees. It further explains the two main types of robo-advisors: hybrid and pure. Additionally, the paper provides examples of prominent robo-advisor providers and their assets under management. It concludes by highlighting the potential influence of AI on robo-advising, including data analysis, personalised recommendations and improved communication with investors.
Building the case to embed a digital mindset among internal stakeholders
Authors: Arbittier Gregg M.
Published: July 2024

The use of data and technology is necessary to compete for the attention of customers in the current market. To remain relevant and competitive, businesses must adapt to evolving customer preferences and behaviours, such as the desire for increased convenience, personalisation and seamless experiences across all channels. Furthermore, the line between brand strategy and digital strategy is becoming increasingly blurred, with a strong digital presence and omni-channel approach now an essential component of a successful brand strategy. Unfortunately, appropriate internal stakeholders are not always of the same mindset. This paper helps the reader progress the digital mindset of their stakeholders to validate the argument that ‘digital marketing’ is no longer a separate concept from marketing as a whole, but rather an essential component of it. The growth and entanglement of marketing and digital, as well as ‘proof points’ to further influence the advancement of a digital mindset in their organisation, will be discussed.
After the data breach: Managing the crisis and mitigating the impact
Authors: Brown Hart S.
Published: July 2024

Historically, the unauthorised access and theft of information was a tactic used between countries as part of espionage campaigns, during times of conflict as well as for personal and criminal purposes. The consumers of the information were relatively isolated and specific. As information became stored and digitised in larger quantities in the 1980s the ability to access mass amounts of records at one time became possible. The expertise needed to remotely access and exfiltrate the data was not readily available and the number of markets to monetise the data was limited. Over the past ten years, shadow networks have been used by criminals to collaborate on hacking techniques, exchange hacking advice anonymously and commercialise data on the black market. The intersection of these networks along with the unintentional losses of information have resulted in 5,810 data breaches made public since 2005 (comprising some 847,807,830 records) and the velocity of these events is increasing. Organisations must be prepared for a potential breach event to maintain cyber resiliency. Proper management of a breach response can reduce response costs and can serve to mitigate potential reputational losses.
Using enterprise banking to meet the challenges and opportunities of small-business banking
Authors: Smart Debbie
Published: July 2024

This paper introduces enterprise banking as the newest solution for small-business banking. The paper examines the unique challenges of the small-business market, from the ownership of the small business segment, to the limitations of the current small-business product offerings, to the resulting impact of the small-business product gap. The paper takes a close look at the unique characteristics of the small-business customer and discusses the impact of the convergence of small-business behaviours that are at times retail and at others commercial. Finally, the paper identifies several factors that have contributed to the growing success and acceptance of enterprise banking for both business and consumer banking solutions.
Towards a holistic approach to regeneration: The importance of operational dimensions
Authors: Breese Richard
Published: July 2024

Since urban regeneration became part of government policy in the late 1960s, there have been continuing debates about the merits of an area-based approach, and the alternatives to an area focus, such as the targeting of specific client groups. This paper argues that such debates need to be conceptualised according to the different operational dimensions which are inherent in any human activity, and which are of particular relevance to the delivery of public services. While a particular social group, or a particular theme, might be the primary focus of a regeneration programme, all dimensions come into play in the delivery of the programme, so the design and management of regeneration activity needs to take account of all the dimensions. The paper introduces the Operational Dimensions Framework (ODF), which originated from the author's experience of managing regeneration programmes in the 1990s. The ODF helps in making sense of the complexity of the context within which regeneration programmes take place, and hence is a good starting point for a holistic approach.
Comparing the why, what and how of performance-based and Vested outsourcing models in CRE
Authors: Vitasek Kate , Flynn Michele
Published: July 2024

The concepts of Vested outsourcing® (as developed by University of Tennessee [UT] researchers) and performance-based contracting have significantly gained in popularity as more and more corporate real estate (CRE) organisations look to increase the value of their outsourcing relationships. This paper builds on ‘Choosing the right sourcing model for CRE outsourcing agreements’ which was featured in Corporate Real Estate Journal (CREJ) Vol. 7, No. 3 by providing a comparison of performance-based and Vested models. Both models share many of the same principles such as focus on the supplier’s expertise and considering value above ‘price’. However, performance-based contracts and vested are distinctly different in their focus, application, methodology and resulting relationships. This paper explores the similarities and major differences between these two proven approaches. It also provides guidance relative to when to use each model.
Encouraging innovation in research data management: The Green Shoots initiative at Imperial College London
Authors: Reimer Torsten , Mcardle Ian
Published: July 2024

Academics consume and create data in ever-increasing quantities. Petabytescale data are no longer unusual on a project level, and even more common when looking at the outputs of whole research institutions. Despite the large amounts of data being produced, data curation is relatively less well developed. In 2014, Imperial College London ran a research data management (RDM) pilot. Designed as a bottom-up, academically driven initiative, six ‘Green Shoots’ projects were funded to identify and generate exemplars of best practice in RDM. The Green Shoots projects form part of a wider programme designed to help the college develop a suitable RDM infrastructure and to embed best practice across the university. This paper sets out the context for the initiative, describes the development of the pilot, summarises the individual projects and discusses lessons learned.
Transforming a glass negative collection into a digital asset through collaborative effort
Authors: Sipe Vicki
Published: July 2024

The Hughes Company Glass Negatives Collection is one of the many notable image collections held by Special Collections at the Albin O. Kuhn Library & Gallery of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. In an effort to provide public access to this set of large-format glass negatives, Special Collections and the Bibliographic and Metadata Services units worked in collaboration on an in-house project to digitise, describe and serve the images and metadata to the public via a digital content management system. The project utilised existing staff with some additional hiring of student workers and required three years to complete. This paper describes the collection, the digitisation process and the creation of the metadata records representing the images.
Deconstructing gender in brand, products and marketing
Authors: Kenney Lisa , Skees Sandy , Pitchel Cali
Published: July 2024

As society embraces diversity in gender, so too must companies. People are also expressing their opposition to the growing number of anti-LGBTQA+ legislative efforts, specifically those levied against the trans community. Research shows that a growing number of customers are expecting brands to move away from outmoded views of gender roles. Those brands that do not adapt to this shifting gender landscape will be left behind by the consumers of today and experience stunted brand growth and innovation. This paper explores how brands can navigate an all-gender approach to the social landscape as well as innovation, product development, marketing and communications. We will explore how companies can take a fresh look at gender — whether it be a decades-old organisations or a start-up — and the real challenges businesses face when rethinking stereotypical (and outdated) gender norms. It is time for companies to design, create and think beyond the binary: how does ideation, R&D and marketing look, feel and sound when brands embrace an expansive understanding of gender?
Diagnosing the reason for a website’s loss in traffic
Authors: Haynes Marie
Published: July 2024

This paper discusses many of the possible reasons for a website’s traffic to decrease, including Google algorithm changes, technical issues and competitor improvements. Once the problem has been diagnosed, it is usually possible to reverse the issue. However, Google is continually getting better at surfacing the most helpful and most authoritative websites, meaning that recovery can be difficult in some cases.
Effective information management and assurance for a modern organisation during a crisis
Authors: Macleod Andrew
Published: July 2024

During a crisis, organisations face a major unpredictable event with potentially negative consequences. Effective information management and assurance can assist the organisation in making sure that they have the correct information in a secure format to make decisions to recover their operations. The main elements of effective information management and assurance are confidentiality, integrity and availability, combined with non-repudiation. Should an element of effective information management or assurance be removed it can have a detrimental effect on the other elements and render the information management and assurance practices of the organisation ineffectual.
TikTok as an influencer marketing channel for user acquisition
Authors: Allegrini Amanda
Published: July 2024

This paper describes how OneFootball partnered with a number of social media influencers on TikTok to drive the acquisition of OneFootball app users. The paper describes the different organic and paid formats used to drive app installs, and how influencer marketing and paid user acquisition intertwine in this context. By discussing the learnings from recent campaigns, the paper shines fresh light on the best practices for developing win-win partnerships with content creators, in addition to the potential impact of sustained investment in TikTok.