bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quality of life and demographic-racial dimensions of differences in most liveable Pittsburgh
Authors: Deitrick Sabina , Briem Christopher
Published: July 2024

This research examines quality of life in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh is well-known for its regeneration from its past as the ‘Smoky City’ and the ‘Steel City’. The shuttering of steel mills and manufacturing plants in the 1980s gave way to a more liveable city in the following decades. Pittsburgh’s post-industrial economic development and revitalisation has led to it receiving numerous accolades for liveability, but infrequently in mainstream and government centres the question is reposed: is most liveable Pittsburgh most liveable for everyone? This research examines results from the 2018 Quality of Life Survey in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, and compares these results to a 2011 Quality of Life Survey, both conducted by the University of Pittsburgh Center for Social and Urban Research (UCSUR). The methods used include survey research analysis, statistical analysis and geographic information systems (GIS) to understand differences in how residents view Pittsburgh’s quality of life. The survey results are linked with data on community conditions and GIS to understand how differences in neighbourhoods affect residents’ subjective views of quality of life. The 2018 survey finds improvement in resident assessment of many quality of life indicators, but suggests that views of quality of life point to continued protracted problems, with African-American Pittsburghers reporting significantly lower levels of satisfaction on many quality of life indicators compared to white residents. This analysis contends that there are critical differences in liveability and quality of life among residents in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, and the city and region have not done enough to address these differences in improving equity and social justice in Pittsburgh.
Customer understanding is the new digital
Authors: Bartussek Joerg
Published: July 2024

One hundred and fifty years ago, credit union pioneer F. W. Raiffeisen implemented a concept that still holds its own in today’s digital economy: perfect your customer understanding! Its long history of customer relationships has enabled banks to assemble a vast and valuable treasure of customer intelligence and insights, which serves as a solid foundation for customer-centricity and customer experience optimisation. Banks that have an intimate customer understanding have an important strategic advantage over FinTech and neo-banks. On the path to transforming customer understanding into concrete value-adding solutions, however, several obstacles must be overcome. It is imperative to understand who each of your customers really is and to provide them with the appropriate customised experiences and solutions. Value-adding digitalisation supports this goal, if digitalisation is not limited to process automation or implementation of high-tech gadgets. Digitalisation and technology are only tools that are merely as good as the bank’s understanding of when and how to use them. As risk adverse organisations, banks must be aware of the perils of the Perception Gap. This can help them to stay focused on customer understanding. While there are many ways of embedding customer understanding in a bank, case studies like the reorganisation around industries and Industry Leads or the Digital Basket, as a smart way to include your customers in your learning journey, can serve as guiding examples.
Tracking downtown investment: The case of Ithaca, New York
Authors: Ferguson Gary , Nerby Jennifer
Published: July 2024

In a period marked by the remarkable turnaround in the regeneration of downtowns, it is important to understand the dimensions of this change. Amid the headlines and the new buildings, how have our downtowns fared relative to their suburban and non-city centre neighbours? Have downtowns reclaimed their status as the magnets of a region or are they merely keeping pace with continued non-city centre and suburban growth? The growth of a downtown or city centre relative to its metropolitan or regional area is typically measured in terms of population growth rate or job growth rate. This paper offers an alternative methodology: tracking investment via construction building permits. Population data is derived from the federal census. Jobs data is either state or nationally generated. Building permits are locally generated and can provide a new look into the economic status of districts within a region. Using the small city of Ithaca, New York as a case study, the authors examine the dimensions of growth as seen through the lens of building permit data. While downtown Ithaca has grown according to population measures, it has mixed results when evaluated with data from local building permits.
Machine learning in the library: Developing an inter-departmental core solution to manage data
Authors: Prud'Homme Patrice-Andre , Bjornen Kay K. , Doehle Phillip
Published: July 2024

The Oklahoma State University Archives identified the need for an updated, comprehensive inventory of its digital assets to guide the development of digital preservation priorities. Creating it was complicated by sparse records, limited manpower and dependence on fading institutional memory as well as poor data management. A strategic planning process was launched to address these deficiencies. Machine learning (ML) was identified as a promising tool to minimise the labour-intensive process of sorting artefacts and identifying records that needed to be augmented, cleaned or eliminated from the collection. A pilot project to explore the effectiveness of using ML to curate a high-value archival collection was implemented. This paper describes the nature of ML, its promise and limitations for use in archives, and the outcomes of the pilot project. In particular, the pilot project showed promising results in the application of facial recognition techniques. Collaboration with interested colleagues in other departments suggests that ML can be widely applied to projects throughout the library.
Simulating and validating a multi-factor Heath, Jarrow and Morton model with negative interest rates
Authors: Jarrow Robert A. , Van Deventer Donald R.
Published: July 2024

This paper explains how to ensure that a Heath, Jarrow and Morton (HGM) term structure of interest rates model is economically and statistically valid. Economic validity is needed for the stability of the assumed evolution. An economically valid model is arbitrage free. Statistical validity is needed to ensure the model predicts the future well. A statistically valid model needs to incorporate both negative rates and multiple factors. The paper includes an example of an economic and statistically valid HJM model.
Establishing a new brand framework: A University of Glasgow case study
Authors: Sandison Rachel
Published: July 2024

Branding is always challenging, but branding in higher education can be particularly complex given the wide range of stakeholders an institution engages with, the difficulty of differentiation in a crowded market place and the relative intangible nature of the product being promoted. This paper provides a case study on how the University of Glasgow successfully established and embedded a new brand framework to support strategic objectives and the lessons learnt along the way. This paper will be useful to anyone thinking about branding within their organisation and aims to provide insight into the importance of research, stakeholder engagement and internal communications to develop a brand that resonates with audiences and builds institutional assets.
‘Urban-vernacular’ walk-ups: Mapping form, spaces and technology in an urban private housing typology in Dhaka
Authors: Ara Dilshad , Rashid Mamun
Published: July 2024

Though a popular form in many developing cities in Asia, a lack of research on particular walk-up typology makes it difficult to conclude on its dispersion and evolving features. Drawing on case studies, this paper analyses different aspects of contemporary and old walk-up house forms in Dhaka. In particular, it focuses on the evolution and transformation in spaces and physical features, and looks into various factors that act as catalysts. Factors discussed are spaces, transitional features such as entry and verandah, and technology. In addition, the theoretical framework offers grounds to speculate on the resilience of this urban form. Speculating on the stereotypical benefits of extreme verticality, this paper proposes that walk-ups — a socially and spatially sculpted housing form — should resurface as an option as a sustainable housing solution in growing suburbs and variegated dense urban areas. For speculation, assumption and analysis, a historical lens is used.
Integrated planning for urban regeneration: The difficulties and a way forward
Authors: Lichfield Dalia
Published: July 2024

Urban regeneration is very high on the agenda of both central government and local authorities, driven by both human need and political expediency. Yet, despite substantial budgets and continued efforts over many years, the problems of deprived communities and areas that require regeneration are still with us. Why have governments not been effective in solving them? It is now increasingly recognised that deprivation and decline are complex processes that require an integrative response. Government legislation has been calling for integrated programmes for the past 20 years, but with poor results. Why is that? This paper explores the concept of an integrated approach to regeneration, based on understanding the interactive processes that led to decline, as the first step towards managing and redirecting these processes. It is equally concerned with understanding the reasons for compartmentalism having the upper hand. The author promises to offer, in subsequent papers, a way of enhancing both the concept and the practice of integrated planning for regeneration.
The case for self-regulation for the digital assets industry
Authors: Angotti Alma , Angulo Tracy , Bolton Gene , Kusz Gabriella
Published: July 2024

The concept of self-regulation and the use of self-regulatory organisations (SROs) as a feature of legal and regulatory frameworks has been adopted to support effective and efficient capital market development in a number of countries around the world. Most notably, the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) set forth through its SRO Consultative Committee a ‘model for effective self-regulation’, the general principles for self-regulation and why self-regulation should be incorporated into regulatory frameworks. Since 2000, this has served as the outline for SRO development. Today, many countries are struggling with the question of how to regulate cryptocurrency and digital assets — including the US. The rapid evolution, high degree of expertise and understanding needed, and decentralised, cross-border nature of digital assets presents unique challenges for regulators. In the wake of the failure of the centralised finance (CeFi) digital asset exchange FTX, this research explores whether an SRO may be suited to the nature of the digital asset industry and how it may provide a strong complement to formal US government regulation. Such a complementary relationship may offer United States regulators and legislators a mechanism for providing a high degree of regulatory coverage which balances the need for consumer protection and market integrity with the need for innovation. In exploring this subject, researchers undertook desk study on the IOSCO Framework for Effective Self-regulation and explored existing and emerging national SROs in the digital asset space. Desk study was coupled with individual one-on-one interviews with global digital asset industry leadership and public roundtable forums. This research concludes that an SRO may serve to provide the US legal and regulatory framework with a high-quality solution to the challenges of legislating and regulating in the ever-changing environment of digital assets.
Use of fear and threat-based messages to motivate preparedness/ Costs, consequences and other choices Part Two
Authors: Jones Ana-Marie
Published: July 2024

Over the last several decades, billions of dollars have been spent in the USA to increase disaster readiness and response capacity. Virtually every poll and survey shows that the US public remains woefully underprepared. At the 2012 ‘Awareness to Action’ workshop convened by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the American Red Cross to examine the future of the long-standing ‘Have a Kit. Make a Plan. Be Informed’ preparedness campaign, FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate acknowledged that traditional efforts have not ‘moved the preparedness needle’. The most frequently cited causes for lack of preparedness in the general public are consumer apathy, lack of time, lack of money and the lack of knowledge on how best to prepare. This paper explores the reliance on fear and threat-based messages (also referred to as ‘fear appeals’) to promote preparedness as a significant cause for this lack of preparation. It will look at the growing body of fear research, how fear and threat appeals are pervasive in emergency management, as well as their costs, unintended consequences and the other choices that can be made. The author asserts that by eliminating fear and threat-based messages, new messengers can share readiness as an accessible, empowering and valued pursuit for all communities — entirely distinct from the disasters and threats that are faced.
Getting more out of less: Capacity management for existing airport terminals
Authors: Hudson Tim
Published: July 2024

In the arena of airport terminal design, operators and architects are faced with how to capitalise on opportunities to create additional operational space where none exists. The assumption that capacity challenges are solved by expansion or building new exterior areas can be costly and disrupt passenger efficiencies. By identifying underutilised or functional areas that can be repurposed, existing terminal capacity can be expanded within the current footprint, thus delivering a higher level of passenger experience, and extending the life of existing facilities. This paper examines current capacity issues airports are encountering, provides examples of what they are doing to solve the problem and offers practical solutions to increase passenger levels within existing terminals, so they can properly prepare for the future.
Turning disruption into opportunity: Leading corporate real estate in a post-COVID-19 world
Authors: Chan Lisa M. , Foster Scott P.
Published: July 2024

As we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, corporate real estate (CRE) teams will be challenged with helping to define the new ‘workplace’ for now and into the future. Evolving the CRE operating model will be fundamental in supporting the transformation of the workplace, while driving the need for better partnerships and support models for business unit engagement. Building the enhanced employee experience will rely on the successful integration of CRE, human resources (HR), technology and risk in formulating engaging workplaces that enable employees to adapt and thrive within various environments. This paper will show how RBC’s CRE team is turning the disruption of the pandemic into an opportunity to evolve the workplace through increased flexibility, technology, innovation, collaboration, and through the vehicles of employee experience and space-as-a-service.
Aviation Community Recommended Information Services: One community, one data exchange standard
Authors: Veen Albert Van , Felkel Rolf
Published: July 2024

The aviation industry is growing fast and will need more business interoperability to manage the challenge of growth efficiently over the coming years. This paper shows how the Airports Council International (ACI) World working group, Aviation Community Recommended Information Services (ACRIS), supports the need for more business interoperability by defining standardised information services and their representations as WebServices1 using state-of-the-art world wide web technologies. The ACRIS WebServices already support various business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) scenarios all over the aviation industry, such as self-service bag drop off and self-boarding processes, Airport Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM) implementations and airports’ mobile passenger app strategies. In the next steps the ACI ACRIS Working Group will facilitate a digital transformation of the airport business by supporting open data and open API (Application Programming Interface) strategies through an ‘ACRIS API Shop’.
Why automatic AI ethics evaluations are coming, and how they will work
Authors: Brusseau James , Craveiro Giovana Meloni
Published: July 2024

Ethics evaluations of companies that function with AI at their core are increasingly required by regulation and law in Europe and the US. Investors in artificial intelligence (AI)-intensive companies also seek ethics evaluations as part of the nonfinancial information they gather about corporate performance, especially as it relates to privacy and algorithmic fairness. The result is an increasing demand for the evaluations. The costs and time necessary to perform an AI ethics audit, however, are high, even prohibitive. To solve the problem, natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning (ML) can be employed to automate the process. The proposal is that much of the work of AI evaluating can be accomplished more efficiently by machines than by humans. To show how automated ethics reporting may work, this paper describes a project currently underway at Pace University in New York and the University of Trento in Italy. The project endeavours to apply AI to the task of producing AI ethics evaluations.
The chief human resources officer is the new chief financial officer
Authors: Gronbach Ken
Published: July 2024

This paper reviews several things chief human resource officers must consider to accommodate the requirements of an increasingly diverse workforce. Organisations that do not emphasise the importance of human resources by hiring a chief human resource officer (CHRO) will struggle and will probably fail. The paper encourages readers to remember: demographics precipitates economics.
Unregulated drones and an emerging threat to right to privacy: A critical overview
Authors: Ahmad Nehaluddin
Published: July 2024

There is a huge question of whether current laws in different jurisdictions around the globe can adequately protect a population’s fundamental rights from the threats presented by drone technology. The market for drones is expanding rapidly. They offer certain attractive services, but the mere operation of these airborne machines poses great threats to people’s privacy and safety. Drones — also called unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) — are planes without a human pilot. Drones have been used by military organisations for over a decade, but in recent years their use in commercial and recreational capacities has been growing. They are, however, becoming a serious risk to citizens’ fundamental rights. This paper discusses UAVs’ technological capabilities and how they are beginning to affect fundamental rights of privacy. The paper identifies possible future directions in the fields of civilian security and privacy.
The role of Building Information Modelling in retrofitting works within the UK social housing sector
Authors: Phillips Steve , Forman Tim
Published: July 2024

The deadline for greenhouse gas emissions in the UK to be reduced by 80 per cent against the 1990 baseline is 2050. Over a quarter of these emissions are attributable to the 28m properties within the residential sector, with over 4m homes being maintained and managed by social housing registered providers. The UK Government advocates retrofitting of the existing housing stock to help meet the carbon reduction targets, with the UK social housing sector being ideally placed to deliver these types of energy-efficient retrofit projects on a large scale. The Government’s industrial strategy also supports the acceleration of the adoption of Building Information Modelling (BIM) as an efficient and collaborative way of working throughout the UK construction supply chain. BIM is already used across the social housing sector with respect to new build projects and the aim of this research is to: 1) examine whether the social housing sector has accepted the implementation of BIM for retrofitting works; and 2) endeavour to identify new areas and roles where BIM may contribute in future. The findings indicate that if the diffusion of BIM within the social housing sector is to be successful with respect to retrofitting works, then BIM should not be adopted in isolation. Innovative developments in cloud technology, geomatics and the introduction of complementary software may also need to be accepted in conjunction with a change in the perception of BIM by actors within the sector.
Effective reconciliation of trading: Managing and mitigating operational risk
Authors: Day Colin
Published: July 2024

We are operating in a world of constant change and unrest — politically, socially and economically. The landscape of financial services is continually changing, as transactions become more complex and business grows more global in nature, with increased regulation and oversight. Additionally, industry initiatives are shortening settlement windows and increasing risk exposure and regulatory controls.Reconciliation and matching activities are a core component of any firm's operational risk programme, yet the historic focus has been on niche solutions rather than on a platform that caters for the overall needs of the enterprise. We see today, more than ever before, a focus on centralising matching and reconciliation activities across all asset classes. We see moves by the regulatory bodies and central government to focus us on improving controls through regulations, such as the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) and Basel II. We are also seeing the industry become more self-aware, taking steps to improve process efficiencies and to enhance automation with messaging standards, technology and best practices.Taking these factors into account, this paper will explore the evolving trends that are being witnessed in the financial services industry as firms expand the role of reconciliation in their search to mitigate and manage risk. It will also examine where we are, where we have been and, more importantly, where we are heading.
Aligning disaster recovery to company technical direction and objectives
Authors: Houtkin Andrea
Published: July 2024

One of the many concerns of disaster recovery specialists is how to create disaster recovery scenarios, strategies and related solutions that meet the vision of management while building solutions for the critical business process within budget, with refined technical resources and operational and maintenance processes and procedures similar to those utilised in production. Rather than consider disaster recovery as a separate environment from production, this paper suggests that there are areas where the disaster recovery solution can map more closely to production solutions to better manifest the critical business process, avoiding the decreased sales forecasts and reputational impacts resulting from an outage. There is no magic here — just ideas for designing a solution and enhancements to the disaster recovery programme that may help to meet business expectations. A disaster recovery site based on similar production technical solutions and overall corporate IT vision can provide such benefits as: faster recovery time objective; faster availability of the data while maintaining data integrity; fewer manual procedures during switch/failover; ability to utilise similar resources to work both environments resulting in a smaller training programme; similar operational and maintenance processes and procedures; ability to switchover components rather than declaring disaster recovery; and an environment that supports production by running critical business process while production suffers an outage or requires maintenance. This paper provides readers with ideas to take back to their disaster recovery solution and how it manifests the critical business process during an outage.
Specifying visual concrete: An engineer’s view
Authors: Toplis Paul
Published: July 2024

Concrete used as part of the final finish of a building generates debate on aesthetics; in this paper a structural engineer gives his views on how to produce and view good quality concrete. The notes apply to both in-situ and pre-cast work, outlining the key issues for any project of: managing the expectations of all parties; clear and effective communication of those expectations; teamwork — everybody on the project must work positively together; the material quality, primarily good shuttering. There are notes on the main alternative forms of specification used by structural engineers — the National Building Specification (NBS) and the National Structural Concrete Specification (NSCS). These are followed by a discussion on the advantages of using reference projects to establish the standards for a project and what can be gained from using sample panels to establish clear benchmarks. Further technical detail is given on topics that include formwork, the concrete mix and concreting process and post concreting issues. Points are illustrated with projects including Juergen Teller’s photography studio in West London which was shortlisted for the RIBA Stirling Prize (see Figure 1).
Growing closer: Reflections on the future of visitor accommodation and the city
Authors: Manns Jonathan
Published: July 2024

This paper summarises key trends affecting the provision of visitor accommodation. In doing so, it highlights both the drivers and potential implications, with particular regard to those relevant to the planning and design of new developments. In raising awareness of these issues beyond those in the hospitality sector, it facilitates consideration by built environment professionals, in both research and practice, as those who must respond to these changes in order to properly plan for and assess future proposals for visitor accommodation in the city.
Securities services embrace next generation technology
Authors: Hänseler Stephan
Published: July 2024

The securities services industry is facing several acute challenges, including rising costs and intrusive regulations. Despite this, the sector is responding. Having spent years embracing digitalisation, post-trade providers are continuing their journey by leveraging automation and adopting disruptive technologies such as application programming interfaces (APIs), artificial intelligence (AI), Blockchain and digital assets. Not only can this help firms net operational synergies, but it will enable them to widen their product suites and services. At the same time, however, this disruption cannot be rushed. Both traditional and new technologies, alongside asset classes, will coexist for many years to come, while a host of logistical complexities still need resolving. This is especially true with regards to the lack of standardisation as it applies to certain technologies. A thoughtful, carefully considered approach to innovation and digitalisation is essential if the benefits of these new technologies are to be fully realised.
The critical need for animal disaster response plans
Authors: Rogers Cheryl
Published: July 2024

In the tragic aftermath of disasters over the past 30+ years, people have learned that disaster planning for individuals, for communities and for many businesses must include animals. This paper discusses why emergency planning for animals is a necessity for individuals and animal-focused businesses, as well as being a critical element in community disaster response strategies. Communication between affected groups and integration of disaster plans provide for a better response, which allows for a quicker recovery. Ensuring that animals are included in disaster mitigation/preparedness/response/
recovery plans increases resilience. It will provide a framework to manage personal and business preparedness and to launch animal disaster preparedness initiatives in communities.
Developing your airport customer experience measurement model
Authors: Choi Yu-Hin , Jung Se-Yeon , Jeong Hanbyeol , Choi Jeong-Eun
Published: July 2024

In recent times, there has been a shifting paradigm in the realm of customer service, transitioning from a focus on the supplier’s quality management to prioritising the quality experience of customers. The primary objective of this study is to introduce a novel model known as the airport customer experience measurement model (Airport-CXMM). This model is designed to facilitate enhanced customerorientated service experience management and to reframe the assessment criteria for quantifying the customer experience (CX) within airport environments. Airport-CXMM takes into account three pivotal components — customer service quality, customer effort and customer value — all of which are critical factors in shaping CX, along with the influential factors traditionally employed in established models. Moreover, the study utilises the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to effectively capture the relative importance and assign quantitative weights to each of these factors. To demonstrate the suitability and effectiveness of Airport-CXMM, the model underwent validation through both exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), utilising passenger survey data obtained from Incheon International Airport (ICN). This study holds significant value as it introduces an innovative model for the quantitative measurement of CX within airport settings. It is anticipated that Airport-CXMM can be effectively harnessed by airport operators and other stakeholders in the industry, enabling them to systematically manage and formulate strategies aimed at enhancing the CX, aligning with the recent shift in the customer service paradigm.
Directors’ liability survey: Cyber attacks and data loss — a growing concern
Authors: Page Joanna , Kaur Madison , Waters Emma
Published: July 2024

The Allen & Overy LLP and Willis Towers Watson’s 2016 survey on directors’ liabilities found that directors consider cyber attacks and data loss to be two of the top three biggest concerns facing them and their company. This paper explores the results of the survey as well as recent developments in these areas, providing insight into the steps that lawmakers and policymakers in Europe have taken in recent times in response to cyber attacks and data loss. The paper identifies the increased pressure on directors to be on top of their obligations as a result of the changes in the regulatory and legal landscape in order to discharge their duties and mitigate the risk of personal liability. The paper also briefly touches on the impact that Brexit may have on European legislation.
Improved credit default prediction using machine learning and its impact on risk-weighted assets of banks
Authors: Neisen Martin , Geraskin Petr
Published: July 2024

The use of risk models, especially credit risk models, has been a standard for banks for many years. Banks use models not only for business decision purposes but also for regulatory purposes when comparing their risk with the available regulatory capital. Furthermore, banks need to efficiently allocate their capital in the current competitive and regulatory environments. As part of this process, they develop models to predict the probability of default (PD), which are further used to calculate risk-weighted assets (RWA). This paper gives an overview of how banks calculate RWA for credit risk. We compare the performance of traditional PD models based on logistic regression with a machine learning (ML) algorithm based on gradient boosting. This shows that an improvement in PD model performance by using ML algorithms can also lead to a decrease of RWA, therefore releasing additional capital for the banks. We developed and calibrated PD models based on logistic regression and light gradient boosting machine (GBM) approaches and compared them in terms of discriminatory power and the impact on RWA to prove this statement. This paper shows that the use of ML leads in our case study to an improvement in the model’s discriminatory power of 5 per cent in terms of Gini and releasing RWA of approximately 6.5 per cent.
Bottom-up regeneration in Italy: A case study of the medium-sized city of Novara
Authors: Genovese Elisabetta
Published: July 2024

Italy has a vast heritage of unused public properties and regeneration initiatives can have positive effects on local communities. This paper aims to analyse bottom-up approaches to such initiatives, in which citizens are an integral part of the design and development of urban regeneration projects. As citizen engagement is crucial to the success of the regeneration process, both the active participation of all stakeholders and regular project monitoring are required. The paper is based on a case study carried out on the medium-sized Italian city of Novara, which examines bottom-up regeneration projects involving citizen collaboration agreements and assesses their value to society.
Switching card transactions in Europe: An interview with Ernst Verbeek
Authors: Verbeek Ernst , Bruggink Diederik
Published: July 2024

According to the European Central Bank, more than 780 million payment cards were in circulation in Europe by the end of 2015; in turn, these cards had been used to process more than 52 billion transactions. Card switching is the domain that sits between the issuer and the acquirer when a transaction is processed, and that domain is often overlooked. The switching domain is under constant change: acquirers and, to a lesser extent, issuers are starting to support all card brands as long as there is a customer demand for them. Further, regulation is impacting switching. To talk about a European payments market is a misnomer as a single market does not exist in the way that it does for other industries. Market actors still have a very country-centric orientation, although it cannot be denied that this is changing, even if the talk of change far outweighs the change actually happening. It is safe to say, however, that the market, helped along by new regulation, is in a state of constant change. In this interview, Ernst Verbeek, CEO of Trionis, discusses the specifics of the payment card switching industry and the constant change impacting this domain.
The Olympic objective: Inspiring people
Authors: Wales Sir Robin
Published: July 2024

On 6th July, 2005 the London Borough of Newham became host to the most prestigious mega-event on the planet, the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Newham and the surrounding Olympic Host Boroughs of east London are areas of significant deprivation — among the worst in the UK. The promise of the London 2012 bid that was instrumental in its victory in Singapore was that a London Olympics would deliver a lasting legacy to transform the socio-economic position of east London. London is acknowledged to be the first city to place so much emphasis on planned legacy but it is far from being the first city where legacy is significant. The rich discursive field surrounding the impacts of these event-phenomena on their host communities is being traversed by many scholars in the run-up to the opening ceremony, and debates are likely to continue well into legacy mode. The thoughts shared in this paper are primarily reflections on the idea, and indeed the ideal, of an Olympic legacy and the role local political leadership has in realising visions of legacy for those people living in the shadow of this colossal yet momentary spectacle.
Why is use of cash persisting? Critical success factors for overcoming vested interests
Authors: Salmony Michael
Published: July 2024

This paper examines the extent of cash usage and analyses the reasons for its continued success, indeed resilience, against modern — superficially more convincing — alternatives. While it is well known that cash handling causes significant financial and social burdens upon all economies, many of the incentives to each involved stakeholder group (government, central banks, retail, consumers) that keep cash alive are not so well known. Hence, critical success factors for at least partial displacement of cash — which must overcome all stakeholders’ interests to make electronic alternatives a success — are developed. Technological innovations in different geographies are analysed to show possible future development of payment innovations that can add value and lead to a more efficient, less costly and more secure business and society.
Space design marketing for urban regeneration in the UK through regional space assets
Authors: Pak Sungsine
Published: July 2024

Urban regeneration, which promotes sustainable regional revitalisation with the goal of ‘improving life’, is carried out by understanding the urban heritage and space assets of the targeted city and either preserving or using them. Two cases in the UK in which urban regeneration of abandoned mine areas has been successfully achieved include Beamish Open-Air Museum, which was reborn as a space for people to experience how life was in the North East of England by preserving the space assets of the area, and the Eden Project, which was created as a climate-controlled botanical garden, using the geographical conditions of the abandoned mine area. For these types of urban regeneration projects, comprehensive marketing activity to improve the regional image is conducted through the participation of various stakeholders and through a spatial experience symbolising regional identity, which is referred to as space design marketing. In the process of urban regeneration, which consists of planning, formation and management, drawing up a programme in stages is directly connected to success. In the planning stage, it is necessary to draw up a programme that vitalises regional identity by reflecting the conditions and characteristics of the targeted region. During this stage, it is also important to create a space for this programme, promote the participation of the inhabitants in the managing of the space, and develop a programme for educating visitors. The key factors at this point are region, value and identity.
Urban destination marketing: A broken paradigm?
Authors: Heeley John
Published: July 2024

In a forthcoming book, the author concludes that there is a big difference between ‘theory’ and ‘practice’ in urban destination marketing. Currently, academics and practitioners work to a ‘4 Ps marketing paradigm’, whose fundamental generalisations fail to ‘tell it like it is’ across critical sets of parameters, ie product offer, marketing messages and imagery, the manner in which branding and other marketing techniques are deployed by destination marketing organisations (DMOs), and the consumption and resultant outcomes of DMO marketing. Critically, the mainstream ‘marketing of everything’ approach adopted in practice by nearly all urban DMOs is strikingly at odds with what one would expect to happen under the ‘4 Ps marketing paradigm’, where towns and cities take a differentiated product to market, based on unique selling points or competitive advantage. In practice, lack of unique selling propositions and realpolitik considerations account for the prevalence of ‘marketing of everything’ approaches, which in turn may be seen as a factor contributing to globalisation and its attendant standardisation of landscape and life. Alongside the gulf between theory and practice in urban destination marketing, there is a related credibility gap surrounding DMO operations, whose outcomes in the main fail to deliver on the business turnover and employment gains expected of them. The author concludes that the existing paradigm is ripe for reworking, outlining a possible basis on which such an adjustment might take place.
Digital storytelling: A relational pedagogic approach to rebuilding hybrid places for creativity, equity and community building in a crisis
Authors: Parker Moon Zoe , Palmerini Polly , Drayton Jen , Noon Rob , Gibson Kayanna , Gold Lisa , Ochu Erinma
Published: July 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on human flourishing worldwide as in-person teaching and learning provision within universities and schools rapidly shifted online. This exposed challenges as staff and students worked from home. Digital competences in online pedagogy differed across teaching teams, access to digital equipment, technical and social infrastructure was limited, specific fields of study had different requirements, and physical distancing measures heightened social isolation. ‘The Ship of Theseus’ is a thought experiment that poses the question: if every part of a ship is replaced, is it still the same ship? The authors apply the Ship of Theseus to reflect on experiences of rebuilding and reimagining teaching and learning online in a crisis. This intergenerational, practice-informed case study considers a strategic role for digital storytelling on the Digital Media and Communications BSc (DMC) at Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) during the COVID-19 pandemic. A student-led component was supported by two research internships as part of MMU’s extracurricular programme, Rise. Catering specifically for students with culturally diverse backgrounds, Rise enables students to enhance their degree profile through activities such as volunteering, self-study on other learning platforms, work experience or research projects. The two student co-authors cooperated as peers, and as part of the research team in order to critique and reimagine curriculum content delivery in a crisis. This was informed by the literature and student co-authors’ critical reflections on their lived experience of pandemic online teaching and learning and prototyping an equitable alternative to build a creative community that co-imagines different desires and visions of the future from an inequitable present. In applying the Ship of Theseus to the use of digital storytelling to support online teaching and learning, we offer active learning strategies to reinvigorate relational pedagogic approaches that position online learning within wider debates to transform higher education. The authors suggest that digital storytelling can rebuild social connections and transform online spaces into hybrid places where meaningful and creative playfulness can become anchored within practice. We conclude that designing for equity by extending digital storytelling communities of practice beyond university learning environments provides alternative spaces that potentially transform how learners respond equitably to global crises together. While new forms of digital storytelling, cooperation, co-learning and community building are invaluable, the rapid convergence of digital technologies and media by industry warrants active stewarding to address emergent digital media ethical challenges, including accessibility, privacy and equity.
The value of the Legal Entity Identifier for the payments industry
Authors: Cleland Victoria , Hartsink Gerard
Published: July 2024

In November 2011, the G20 initiated the Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) programme for the development of a global system to uniquely identify parties engaged in financial transactions. Since then, over 1.4 million legal entities in over 200 jurisdictions have registered for an LEI. This paper describes the progress made in the implementation of the programme and sets out the potential benefits that LEIs offer as a global means of verifying identity in payments. It describes existing plans to incorporate LEIs into payments through the move to the ISO 20022 messaging standard, and the existing barriers to this adoption. It concludes by laying out a ‘call to action’ to all market participants (national international, public and private) explaining the steps required to realise the full potential LEIs can bring to the payments industry and the wider economy.
The MiFID metamorphosis: A new paradigm for market structure
Authors: Lannoo Karel , Valiante Diego
Published: July 2024

Assessing the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID), adopted in April 2004 and implemented at Member State level by the end of 2007, this paper finds that the legislation has been remarkably successful in terms of improving market structure and efficiency. In the authors’ view, the upcoming MiFID review should therefore take a ‘light touch’, clarifying some definitions and extending the transparency regime to non-equity markets. They argue that easier and cheaper access to consolidated data solutions will also allow end-users to fully participate in the changes brought about by MiFID, ultimately restoring investors’ trust and pushing more liquidity in equity markets. The start of the European Security and Markets Authority (ESMA) then should allow for better enforcement of the conduct of business rules. The report aims at assessing the state of European equity markets after the introduction of MiFID, merging fundamental changes in securities regulation with insights of economic theory, competition policy and European po­licies.
Coping with urban poverty: Housing transformation and home-based enterprises in poor residential neighbourhoods of Akure, Nigeria
Authors: Ayoola Hezekiah Adedayo , Fakere Alexander Adeyemi
Published: July 2024

This paper investigates how spaces meant for residential purposes have been transformed for other uses, particularly home-based enterprises (HBEs). The paper shows that the houses in poor residential neighbourhoods provide residents with both home and workplace for livelihood. This is practised by the majority of people living in the core urban residential neighbourhoods in Akure, Nigeria. This paper attempts to identify different kinds of HBEs and analyses how spaces are used for other functions than they were initially designed to perform. Empirical data was sourced from four core residential neighbourhoods in Akure, Nigeria as a case study to examine how spaces for domestic purpose were used for commercial activities, the size and nature of HBEs. The study revealed that most households in the core residential neighbourhoods engage in one or more HBEs and many of the houses in the study area have witnessed significant transformation to allow for double functioning of the property.
Remote work: An example of how to identify a downtown-related trend breeze that probably will outlast the COVID-19 crisis
Authors: Milder N. David
Published: July 2024

Crises are well known for their ability to create significant economic, social and political changes. In their midst, however, it is often difficult to identify those new trends that will last well beyond the crisis. That can make planning to resolve major problems difficult until the crisis eases or passes. To facilitate useful contingent planning, this paper outlines a process for identifying those trend breezes most likely to endure and be true and impactful trends. It then applies this analytical process to the huge increase in remote working that the COVID-19 pandemic has sparked. The analysis demonstrates that remote work was growing before the crisis, has other trends that reinforce it and that employees and employers have strong non-health reasons to continue a robust level of its use. Moreover, remote work probably will have significant economic impacts on urban, suburban and rural communities long after the pandemic eases. It thrives best in the industries most dependent on creative/knowledge workers and a critical mass of them are now committed to remote working. Employers that refuse to oblige them are likely to have a more difficult time recruiting and retaining such highly skilled and much sought after workers, especially since they are already in short supply.