bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intelligent design for facility asset management
Authors: Alarie Don
Published: July 2024

This paper begins by describing Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) and its mandate, then outlines the scale and extent of its airport development programme in order to provide the context for the subsequent discussion. The paper argues that intelligent design for facility asset management involves early application of long-term thinking regarding operation and maintenance. Such an approach will pay huge dividends throughout the life cycle of the facility by maximising its lifetime serviceability. The focus must be on life cycle cost, not just on capital cost. The concept of value engineering is discussed: it is suggested that this process is often not properly used, and that a better approach is to develop a culture of continuous value engineering through all stages of a facility's life cycle. Various tips related to construction, operation and maintenance are presented. Finally, the question of the people and processes in facility asset management is briefly discussed. The paper demonstrates that intelligent project life cycle delivery is about far more than merely the physical aspects of the building or facility.
ESG ratings: How to undertake a proactive review to minimise any hidden fraud and corruption and improve a company's governance rating
Authors: Smith Duncan
Published: July 2024

This paper describes a framework used by the European Investment Bank (EIB) — that would be transferable to interested compliance and investigation teams of corporate entities — to undertake proactive fraud reviews. These processes (at EIB known as Proactive Integrity Reviews but by other names at other multilateral development banks (MDBs), such as Detailed Implementation Reviews at World Bank) assess the weaknesses and gaps that may have been (or in the future could be) exploited by fraudsters. A key part of the review is to make remedial recommendations that, if implemented, would minimise fraud and corruption in corporate supply chains and other key processes. Conducting such reviews can be time consuming and costly but, when undertaken in high-risk processes where there is no actual allegation of fraud or corruption having occurred, can identify a number of fraud risks. Among the benefits of these reviews are (i) maintaining (or even improving) the company's environmental, social and governance (ESG) rating and share price; (ii) minimising fraud and corruption risk; and (iii) limiting the danger of: (a) related and potentially expensive litigation; (b) significant negative publicity; and/or (c) a law enforcement agency's criminal investigation and prosecution.
Balancing gender inequality in C-suite positions in Mexico : Women’s empowerment and success through personal branding
Authors: Dávila-Ruiz Diana , Barajas-Portas Karla
Published: July 2024

This research paper explores the factors that empower women in C-suite positions and the relationship between personal brand and successful performance in managerial positions. The study was conducted in two stages. First, a qualitative approach consisting of 15 in-depth interviews with women in C-suite positions was employed to identify preliminary challenges and feelings relating to personal brand. The second stage was based on insights from a qualitative study of data obtained from an online questionnaire administered to 111 women in C-suite positions. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse the data through three key variables: feeling attractive, education level and affluence. The results indicated the validity of the conceptual model. Aspects of having a high level of education, feeling attractive and having economic independence were associated with significant empowerment for women. To date, there have been very few studies into the empowerment of women in managerial positions in emerging markets and the importance of them feeling successful in their professional development. The present study underscores the importance of personal branding for women in C-suite positions with respect to physical care, intellectual preparation and the satisfaction of being economically independent. Even though there are large differences in the gender salary gap, women in C-suite positions have been able to feel successful and competent when they feel satisfied with their personal brand.
Major construction projects at airports: Client leadership of health and safety
Authors: Eban Geoff
Published: July 2024

The author contends that when employing contractors to deliver large projects, it is not enough for the client to rely on national legislation and a compliant contractor to minimise risk on the work site and to achieve good levels of health and safety for the workers and the public. Rather, the client should take a strong leadership and collaborative role in working with the contractor to change the attitudes, behaviour and safety culture on the site. Airport managers should have a good understanding of the quality and safety management systems involved in their engagement with aviation. This leaves them ideally positioned to assist construction contractors in achieving cultural change in health and safety. This paper shows how this has been done at Wellington Airport.
Enhancing transparency in the beneficial ownership of legal entities and structures in Southern Africa: Challenges and suggested solutions
Authors: Goredema Charles
Published: July 2024

It has always been important to know the identity of the beneficial owner of any legal entity. Publicly available knowledge of the identity of an entity's legal owner and beneficial owner, the source of its assets and the activities it undertakes reduces the risk of the entity being misused for criminality. Globally, minimising enclaves of secrecy for dishonest business is likely to deter and disrupt cross-border transfers of the proceeds of tax evasion, organised crime and corruption. Regionally, a strong, stable legal environment for business, underpinned by rules that yield predictable outcomes is conducive to more investment in Southern Africa. There is consensus that information on who owns what needs to be readily available, but progress developing legal and practical frameworks has been slow. Except in the few jurisdictions where legislation has begun to take shape since 2021, there is generally no access to data on beneficial ownership. Often, records on legal entities' ownership and management structures are prepared and maintained manually, impeding access and raising the possibility of fraudulent manipulation. Furthermore, legislation in four countries does not envisage the creation of legal structures such as trusts but does not prohibit them either. Trusts created abroad can operate and be abused in the same manner as corporate entities. On the basis that the current state of regulation is inimical to the business environment, this paper examines challenges to improved regulation and suggests how they can be overcome.
Business continuity management in emerging markets: The case of Jordan
Authors: Sawalha Ihab H. , Anchor John R.
Published: July 2024

Despite their considerable growth in last few decades, emerging markets (EM) face numerous risks that have the potential to slow down or obstruct their development. Three main issues are discussed in this paper: first, the risks facing organisations operating in emerging markets and Jordan in particular; secondly, the role of business continuity management (BCM) in emerging markets; and thirdly, potential factors that underpin the role of BCM in emerging markets. These issues are significant, as they represent the role of BCM in highly dynamic and fast changing business environments. The paper provides a discussion of the significance of BCM in reducing or preventing risks facing organisations operating in emerging markets, especially those in Jordan.
Estimating the probability of a non-Markovian rating transition from partially unobserved histories
Authors: Weißbach Rafael , Schmal Friederike
Published: July 2024

There is substantial evidence that bank rating data display non-Markovian structures. We introduce a non-Markovian parameter in a simple model for rating transition histories. Accounting for the frequent statistical obstacle of partially missing transitions, we make use of the expectation maximisation (EM) algorithm to estimate all model parameters and find a marked non-Markovian effect for our data.
The development of regulatory requirements for payment services: The European Banking Authority and the revised Payments Services Directive
Authors: Haubrich Dirk
Published: July 2024

On 13th January 2018, the revised EU Payment Services Directive (PSD2) came into effect in the European Union with the aim inter alia of enhancing competition and facilitating innovation in payment services, by opening access to the payment accounts held by banks. The resultant opportunities for firms and consumers are immense, as have been the challenges for the regulatory authorities that tasked with supporting the objectives of PSD2 by developing a number of detailed regulatory requirements. As this process is drawing to a close, an opportune moment presents itself to take stock and provide an account of those challenges, as seen through the eyes of the European Banking Authority (EBA), and how the EBA decided to overcome them.
Corporate actions and the need for market efficiency
Authors: Westhuizen Bennie Van Der
Published: July 2024

Although positive from an economic development perspective, the increasing international interest from investors in Africa and the Middle East is also highlighting a number of gaps or opportunities in local market infrastructure and policy. Big strides are being made in the development of the capital markets, but there is still a need to align and synchronise the approach in processing functions, such as custody services, to attract more investors and larger pools of investment. Standardising regulation and policy across such diverse emerging economies is almost impossible. So what is the solution? Technology remains the knight in shining armour, with value-adding accessories in the way of SWIFT ISO systems, as well as the rather overexposed but intriguing concept of ‘blockchain’ infrastructure. This paper considers the challenges and opportunities Africa and the Middle East present from a systemic perspective.
Payments risk: The fourth pillar of risk
Authors: Klipin Colin
Published: July 2024

The recent financial crisis has highlighted the extent to which banks are ill prepared to respond to payments risk. This will change, as the new regulatory environment will require banks to address these gaps in their risk-management governance structures. How well the systemically important banks (in particular, the top 30 global banks) respond to this challenge could be a significant factor in their ability to influence the regulators on the ultimate direction of the legislation governing Universal Banking.
Influencer marketing: An exploratory study on the motivations of young adults to follow social media influencers
Authors: Morton Flor
Published: July 2024

The advent of social media has changed how businesses engage with their audience. Companies today are identifying key opinion leaders (also known as influencers) to promote their products via social media, leveraging the ability of these people to engage target audiences, generate recommendations via electronic word-of-mouth, and influence their followers to purchase the company’s products. However, little is known about what motivates people to follow these influencers. To address this gap in the literature, the present exploratory study aims to understand the reasons why young adults follow influencers. The findings contribute to the growing literature on influencer marketing by exploring the consumption of influencer content by young adults and their motivations for following influencers. The findings can help both companies and influencers improve their social media marketing strategy.
What COVID-19 has taught us about effective employee communication
Authors: Schmidt Oliver S.
Published: July 2024

Effective communication with internal and external stakeholders is an indispensable component of a successful response to crises both brief and long-lasting. Employee communication must increase in volume and frequency, and effectively inform, educate and empower employees. The development, testing and delivery of clear and easy-to-understand messages must be prioritised along with the enablement of continuous employee feedback. Drawing on industry best practice, personal experience and an extensive review of the literature, this paper concludes that the systematic planning, implementation and evaluation of a company’s employee communication must be conducted on an ongoing, company-wide basis so that management can rely on it to minimise crisis-related damage, seize the opportunities a crisis may present, and convert the resulting organisational change into competitive advantages.
Supply chain as key driver for sustainability
Authors: Becker Torsten
Published: July 2024

As the importance of sustainability is rising on the corporate agenda, companies need to provide environmental impact reduction plans to shareholders, banks and other stakeholders. The Paris Agreement urges companies to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2050, to achieve the goal of maximum 1.5°C temperature increase. A benchmarking study of sustainability performance was conducted on the environmental reports of 59 companies, and their plans for emission reductions were analysed. From the results, a framework to define CO2 reduction targets to achieve net zero has been devised for companies, starting from now.
Build the customer-centric organisation: Using data and analytics to accelerate competitive advantage
Authors: Gilchrist Sheri
Published: July 2024

Given the growth in customer demand and the increased complexity to offer financial services and support that can demonstrate value, organisations are making considerable investments in customer relationship management (CRM), data and digital financial technologies. Often these investments fail to deliver on their promise. They are sabotaged by corporate politics, insufficient planning, lack of budgets, training and onboarding. This paper provides the practitioner with a roadmap for building a customer-centric organisation that can succeed. Applying and sharing expert knowledge of setting the strategy for a data-driven mindset, this paper provides recommendations for using digital and data techniques to deliver growth and a list of common pitfalls to avoid. Enabling improved use of digital and data investments that can show impact and demonstrate how marketing can be a contributor to revenue and topline growth.
A quantum leap for payment analytics
Authors: Hergenroeder Gerard , Clayton Jeff , Saxena Vijay , Muckenhaupt Kenneth
Published: July 2024

The payments marketplace is poised for growth as emerging markets increase their participation in the global economy and mature markets recover from slow growth and the sovereign debt crisis. Major regulatory pressures, economic chaos, challenging risk management pressures, technological advances, changing consumer needs and new competitors have created a perfect storm. Technology is enabling new business payments models that were not possible a decade ago. The internet, payment analytics, smartphones, tablets and advances in mobile communications coupled with lower-cost are creating new ways to deliver innovative payment services. Technology advances have eliminated the barriers to enabling advanced analytics. Technology is rapidly reaching the point where cost and speed are no longer inhibitors. The trajectory for continuing advances is growing exponentially. Accordingly, a game changer is emerging that will take analytics to a much higher playing level. Banks that use analytics to gain a competitive advantage will experience a quantum leap in operating performance. Top-performing banks are 5.4 times more likely to use advanced analytical tools. This paper focuses on what Payment Analytics is and how it can benefit both retail and corporate banks, and addresses key implementation issues.
Stakeholders’ experiences with US hospital emergency preparedness — Part 2
Authors: Cagliuso Nicholas V.
Published: July 2024

This study examined, via qualitative phenomenology, important stakeholders’ experiences with US hospital emergency preparedness, finding that their experiences varied from positive and effective to frustrating, time-consuming and inefficient. The findings centred on four themes: the importance of funding; collaboration, communication and coordination; the role of government; and hospital leadership buy-in. Together, these findings suggest that issues such as a lack of performance metrics, insufficient funding, inadequate surge capacity, confusing federal guidelines and accreditation requirements and an overall lack of coordination in hospitals’ abilities to manage emergency incidents continue to plague the US healthcare system. Exploring, and now understanding, these experiences can support the field in maintaining elements that work and recognising and applying solutions to its shortcomings. This is the second of two papers on the subject, the first of which appeared in a previous issue of this journal, examining the study’s methodological approach, data analysis, main results and implications for practice.
Managing performance using a dual measure framework
Authors: Ozdemir Bogie , Cubukgil Evren , Xia Huaxing
Published: July 2024

One of the deficiencies highlighted by the recent financial crisis in value-at-risk (VaR) based capital requirements was a lack of focus on more near-term sensitivities to market shocks. Many financial institutions were still able to meet their capital requirements when they received government bailouts. Sensitivity — particularly in earnings — to risk drivers can have devastating impacts on financial institutions at much lower confidence intervals than those used to calculate capital requirements. Market participants and other counterparties can quickly lose confidence in institutions that are still relatively well capitalised but whose earnings have been eroded by market loss events. This paper introduces a dual risk metric framework to manage the tail of a loss distribution and addresses sensitivity to movements in market variables at lower confidence intervals. While the risk-adjusted return on capital (RAROC) provides a valuable performance measurement metric and tail risk measures such as economic capital are useful inputs in this metric, these extreme tail measures are not informative of the impact of more moderate, one in 10- or 20-year loss events, on the expected income. A financial institution needs to manage these near-term risks in addition to tail risk driving its capital needs. The latter can be managed through an earnings-at-risk (EaR) framework and the former through an economic capital framework. This paper examines how to use these metrics simultaneously to allow a financial institution to set its risk appetite and effectively manage both moderate and extreme risk exposures. The traditional RAROC metric is extended to also accommodate the EaR appetite. This dual measure framework is demonstrated for a monoline company and a multiline company. The paper then discusses how this limit framework can be used in a dynamic fashion for risk-adjusted return optimisation.
Data analytics and change management are transforming the future of the workplace : The opportunity to create value-driven harmony between people, place and technology
Authors: Stallard Kayla
Published: July 2024

The idea of workplace has been painted in many different shades throughout the years. As workplace disruptors such as COVID-19 and stay-at-home orders have an impact on the industry, researchers are taking a closer look at the functionality and purpose of workplace. The goal of obtaining harmony between workplace design and financial benefit has been tried and tried again. Achieving the ‘right’ workplace solution persists to be a moving target. Until recently, organisations did not quite understand just how unique they are. Creating a successful future-proof workplace starts from within. Utilising data-driven insights and change management practices, organisations can plan workplaces that intentionally connect individual needs with space, purpose and mission. This paper explores the ways to unlock insights that both data analytics and change management practices provide. Homing in on deeper connectivity between people, place and technology becomes possible through these practices.
Digital twins, the industrial Internet of Things and cyber security threats in connected industry
Authors: Hearn Mark
Published: July 2024

The industrial and manufacturing sector has already experienced significant transformation with the introduction of automation and is now being transformed due to connectivity. There is real potential for the sector to reinvent itself around the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and smart technology as the benefits are numerous. However, this increased connectivity in manufacturing environments and industrial control systems also increases the attack surface for the software, IP and critical processes which could result in disastrous consequences if not properly addressed. The dangers are also actually more complex than you may at first imagine, particularly when you take into account technological advances such as digital twins — designed to provide business benefit in a predictive and operational context, but could actually add to an organisation’s vulnerabilities, if not properly secured. This paper analyses the specific considerations that are crucial with connectivity and smart technology in industrial environments and industrial control systems. Areas discussed include: how to understand how hackers may target your business; the role of digital twins in manufacturing and industry and the potential security risks; how to upgrade the cyber security of connected industry and manufacturing in the face of wider IIoT threats.
Are future business professionals ready for multicultural marketing? An empirical investigation
Authors: Poole Sonja Martin , Garrett-Walker J.
Published: July 2024

As more companies establish specialist departments and tailor their activities to meet the growing multicultural market, there is a need for multicultural expertise within organisations. Marketing professionals however, are often guilty of using stereotypes and relying on generalisations that not only are inaccurate, but are also likely to turn off the very people a company wants to reach. There is a dearth of knowledge about the multicultural competencies that shape professional choices and behaviours. This paper uses survey data to examine undergraduate students’ ideologies related to multicultural issues. Results suggest business students, more than many other types of student, are less culturally competent. Implications for diversity training and education are considered.
Case study: A national alliance for training healthcare workers in emergency response
Authors: Forte Elaine , Paturas James
Published: July 2024

Expert analyses have stressed the need for a consistent, national curriculum for emergency preparedness and bioterrorism training and the need to link education and training programmes with competencies developed through rigorous evaluation including performance in drills and exercises. During its pilot phase, the National Alliance for Training HealthCare for Emergency Response (NATHCER) project administered by the Yale New Haven Center for Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response (YNH-CEPDR) will deliver training to 6,000 healthcare delivery workers at sites across the ten Federal Emergency Management Agency regions. Several thousand additional healthcare workers are expected to complete the courses outside of the pilot sites through YNH-CEPDR’s extensive national network of partners and collaborators. NATHCER will deliver courses that (1) address competencies needed for critical tasks in the Target Capabilities List, compliance with the National Incident Management System and other regulatory requirements, (2) consider local regional uniqueness, and (3) incorporate distance- learning strategies and other appropriate delivery modalities. Training will be evaluated across five key programme components: course content, delivery method and knowledge acquisition, retention and application.
Where and how to get started with Blockchain in the supply chain : Beyond the hype, navigating the trough of disillusionment
Authors: Van Hoek Remko I.
Published: July 2024

There is a lot of excitement around Blockchain in the supply chain but, according to Gartner, we are moving beyond the peak of expectations into the trough of disillusionment. Unfortunately, there is a shortage of research to support managers navigating this stage. There is research on use case considerations1 and research that confirms that use cases can contribute to high-level supply chain objectives,2 but what is missing is research on pilot design and implementation considerations. We have been at this crossroad before, however, with other technologies in the supply chain, and lessons learned from earlier efforts to digitise the supply chain might inform decision making. This paper considers the lessons learned in three case studies of Blockchain adoption in the supply chain. Findings reveal that some lessons learned with older technologies apply to Blockchain, including the need to clean up master data and fix processes. There are also clear differences that make Blockchain different. For example, it is actually fairly inexpensive to get started with Blockchain and, provided a targeted scope, the process can move fairly quickly. Additionally, Blockchain can leverage data from existing technologies, rather than replace those technologies. This paper aims to support managerial consideration of Blockchain adoption and to extend research beyond the exploration of use cases with lessons learned about piloting and implementing Blockchain in the supply chain. We do so by extending the Verhoeven et al. framework3 for use case considerations with pilot design considerations and factors to consider when scaling from pilot to larger-scale adoption.
Central bank money and blockchain: A payments perspective
Authors: Bott Jürgen
Published: July 2024

Although distributed ledger technology (DLT, aka ‘blockchain’) is associated with high production costs and low capacity, it represents a practical solution for ‘electronic cash’ and a starting point for the innovation of new kinds of transactions in digitised economies. Among other institutions, the European Central Bank is committed to exploring the potential of such new technologies. This paper provides a first reflection of central bank money on blockchain, and evaluates the possible scenarios. It argues that the digitisation of central bank money (backed by trust) via DLT can open new perspectives on a digital economy with efficient and secure market infrastructures, linking new technological concepts with existing benefits.
Succession planning and the changing workplace
Authors: Mcnameeaae Todd L. , Petersen Gary E.
Published: July 2024

It is critical that airport organisations operate productively given the limited resources, variety of responsibilities and capital-intensive infrastructure. No single resource is more important than human resources. A generation of people is reaching retirement age and it is imperative that organisations plan for this wave of retirement. The ability of organisations to remain competitive, provide quality customer service and meet increasing levels of performance is at risk. It is time to learn to ‘map’ organisations in relation to impending changes, to allow the formation of flexible organisational structures and employee development programmes that address current and forthcoming changes in the workplace.
Analysing and modelling airport resilience: Robustness, vulnerability and recoverability
Authors: Janić Milan
Published: July 2024

Airports have been relatively frequently impacted by various internal and external disruptive events. These have generally affected their operations and consequently their regular/nominal performances. The level of nonaffected performances has indicated the resilience or robustness of airports to the impacts of disruptive events. Thanks to the undertaken contingency measures the time of recovering the affected performances to their regular/nominal level has been considered as recoverability, or rapidity. This paper develops a methodology for assessing the resilience of an airport affected by a given large-scale disruptive event. The methodology consists of models of resilience and models of indicators of the airport’s operational, economic, social and environmental performances used as the figures of merit for assessing resilience. The methodology is applied to assessing the resilience of a large European airport (London Heathrow) impacted by a large-scale global external disruptive event — the COVID-19 pandemic — as being specific compared to the others such as bad weather, terrorist threats/attacks, failures of the system components and the industrial actions of air transport industry staff. The results indicate that during both past short-term and future medium-term periods, the inherently mutually interrelated airport performances expressing losses of profits of the particular actors/stakeholders have and are expected to be significantly affected. Those expressing savings in costs/externalities have and are expected to only fragmentary compensate these profit and losses under given conditions.
Supply chain strategies in the VUCA world
Authors: Becker Torsten
Published: July 2024

Companies use supply chain strategies to achieve competitive advantage in the market. Volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (VUCA) have been characteristics for the global supply chain in the past years. The COVID-19 pandemic led to factory and port closures, transport bottlenecks and lorry driver shortages, which have had an impact on the supply chain. The world has become less predictable, which requires companies to define supply chain strategies to cope with more risks and uncertainties. An updated supply chain strategy system integrating offerings, capabilities, vision and mission is described. A method to define the four types of capabilities — products, processes, equipment, digital tools — is explained. The approach to translate the strategy intent into action is based on the steps architecture, design, implementation and execution. This can be defined for the key capabilities that need to be aligned for the success of the business. An example explains the application of the approach in a company. Reviewing strategy can be now executed more regularly and standardised, accelerating the time to adapt the strategy to changed requirements. Defining and implementing the supply chain strategy are key tasks for many companies. A good supply chain strategy helps a company to improve the competitiveness in the markets. Understanding customer requirements and own capabilities, the supply chain strategy defines how the company will excel in the market and for the customer. As the supply chain is responsible for most customer-oriented processes, it typically translates the company strategy in an actionable format. Many companies struggle to define the supply chain strategy and evaluate it regularly to identify when this strategy needs to be updated. VUCA have characterised the supply chain world in the last years. In the last 18 months many additional supply chain disruptions have appeared and long-standing supply chain assumption have proved to be wrong. Many companies need to review and update their supply chain strategy to align their existing capabilities with the changed market requirements, acquire new capabilities and refocus their internal and external processes. This paper discusses how supply chain leaders can define a new strategy to cope with the changed situation.
Waiting and queuing in the check-in hall: An ethnographic study of queuing and waiting for check-in services at Manchester Airport
Authors: Minton Hannah
Published: July 2024

This ethnographic study is exploratory in nature and focuses on the formation, organisation and management of queues at Manchester Airport, paying particular attention to the queues associated with Thompson Fly and First Choice Airways. Data revealed an uneven distribution of power both between passengers/passengers and check-in agent/passengers. Data also revealed the different approaches employed by passengers when deciding which queue to join and the impact of social justice on the behaviour of both the passengers and check-in agents.The study also attempts to evaluate strategies of queue management and makes recommendations which should be used to maintain and support social norms, values and justice. Finally, the study briefly touches upon the impact of self check-in facilities and the public's relationship with such technology.
Enhancing urban local community identity in Iran based on perceived residential environment quality
Authors: Valibeigi Mojtaba , Zivari Fatemeh , Sarhangi Elmira
Published: July 2024

Local communities in Iranian cities had a special place in the past and the inhabitants of each local community considered themselves a member. With the introduction of modern urbanisation, the pre-modern structures of the local community have disappeared, but the legal definition of local community has remained as the smallest unit of urban division. Creating a reunion between local community and residents is important, and local identity should also be transformed conceptually. Accordingly, the main purpose of this research is to promote local community identity based on environmental quality indicators. The research has selected the Bagh-Shater local community in Tehran, which conforms to both the historical definition and also the new legal definition of Iranian urban local community. The effect of perceived residential environment quality (PREQ) indicators on urban local community identity (ULCI) has been studied. The results show that although neighbourhood attachment (NA) is an important component of urban local identity, now more than NA, upkeep and care (UC) create a local identity. Based on this, maintenance and preservation of the environment can be seen as a valuable concept which will interconnect the inhabitants and create local environmental behaviours.
The new Mt Eden
Authors: Lamberg Carol
Published: July 2024

Community development works with great financing and competent people in charge. We got it right in the West Bronx. But it was not easy. In 1987 14 large buildings, originally constructed in the 1930s were a scene of serious blight. Drug dealers and dangerous-looking dogs provided the neighbourhood street life. The Mayor and Governor decided to do something. Today, in 2015, the buildings look clean and are in excellent repair. Neighbours walk by safely. There is a long waiting list for the apartments. It is hard to believe the before and after photographs. In 1987 Settlement Housing Fund, a non-profit organisation in New York City, was chosen by the local government through a competitive process as owner of these 14 newly renovated buildings, providing 893 apartments. Because of favourable financing, rental income was used to run the buildings meticulously and to create educational and recreational programmes for the neighbourhood residents. Every floor of every building was economically integrated with tenants whose incomes ranged from public assistance levels to middle income. Most people agree that this was a great public investment. This development could be replicated.
Cloud, co-location, on-premises and hybrid disaster recovery solutions: Pros, cons, and a cost comparison
Authors: Trovato Frank , Sharp Andrew , Siman Teodora
Published: July 2024

The hype surrounding cloud-based disaster recovery (DR) continues to gain steam — and with good reason. That said, due to cost, compatibility and/or organisational restrictions, cloud-based DR is not necessarily the best fit for all systems. This paper presents case studies and a structured approach to evaluate the various options, including public/private cloud DR, DR as a service (DRaaS) and hybrid solutions. For example, the pay-per-use model for cloud DR saves money while the cloud environment is dormant, but results in higher run-time costs than co-location or on-premises solutions when DR is executed. Similarly, organisations need to understand the range of DRaaS options to make an informed decision. Where cloud is not a good fit for all systems, a hybrid solution can satisfy conflicting requirements while leveraging the benefits of cloud where appropriate. Finally, organisational constraints can tip the balance away from what may appear to be the best fit on paper.
Transforming insight in 2021
Authors: Wycherley James
Published: July 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic has shone a spotlight on insight and analytics, with more executive interest in consumers and more focus on evidence-based decisionmaking. But does this mean that most organisations are insight-driven? The research suggests not; indeed, insight, analytics and research in most organisations remain fragmented and focused on tactical questions. The transformation of insight teams is the first step towards making organisations more insight-driven. To make this happen, this paper suggests a five-stage strategy: (1) identify value for the organisation; (2) drive change within the organisation; (3) lead insight strategy and people; (4) optimise impact through positioning and commerciality; and (5) accelerate the evolution of insight and then maintain momentum.
The power of the US SEC whistleblower programme: What compliance and regulatory professionals should know
Authors: Mckessy Sean X.
Published: July 2024

The US Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) whistleblower programme has become one of the most effective tools for enforcing US securities law. This paper provides the historical context that led to the creation of the programme, outlines its main features, and reports on its overall effectiveness and results. In addition, the legal and practical challenges faced by the SEC’s Office of the Whistleblower, which takes the lead in evaluating whistleblower submissions, are examined and some solutions to these challenges are proposed. Lastly, the paper provides practical advice and do’s and do not’s for companies and their internal compliance and audit employees to implement common-sense policies and procedures to address the very real possibility that, because of a US Supreme Court decision two years ago, their employees may be incentivised to report directly to the SEC rather than through internal compliance mechanisms.
Beyond technology: Considerations for retail central bank digital currency adoption in Asia–Pacific
Authors: Chen Sally , Goel Tirupam , Qiu Han
Published: July 2024

While central banks’ objectives for issuing central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) are increasingly clear, many observers continue to raise questions regarding the usefulness of CBDCs for the broader population. This question is particularly relevant for Asia-Pacific economies where the payment infrastructure is generally both efficient and resilient, and digital payments have been widely adopted. As this paper will argue, ensuring the adoption of CBDCs in Asia-Pacific requires a ‘future-proof’ solution that is sufficiently flexible to adapt to advances in payments technology. In addition, any solution will have to replicate the underlying benefits of physical cash, such as offline availability, while addressing concerns around transaction privacy.
Financial technology: Blockchain and securities settlement
Authors: Mori Taketoshi
Published: July 2024

Financial technology (FinTech) is becoming more popular in Japan (as well as
globally), and financial institutions are increasingly seeking to collaborate
with the firms providing such technology. Among FinTech, blockchain
(distributed ledger) technology is attracting particular attention because of
the possibilities it offers, most notably as a powerful new tool for
facilitating transactions. This paper provides an overview of this new
technology, including its potential contribution to the infrastructure of the
securities market, and provides an introduction to the role of blockchain in
financial transactions. This technology is innovative and improving very
rapidly. Nevertheless, any enterprise looking to adopt blockchain technology
will need to update their business processes and maintain ongoing discussion
with stakeholders. The author suggests that only 20 per cent of the barriers
to adoption are technology based, the other 80 per cent being attributable to
current business processes and business models. It is necessary to take the
time to utilise and apply blockchain technology in financial markets. It will
take more than a couple of years for blockchain technology to be fully
deployed within the financial infrastructure, but it should take less than a
decade.
From house to home: Residents’ perceptions of housing modernisation
Authors: Walshaw Aimee
Published: July 2024

Despite a forty-year history of housing modernisation in England and the unrivalled scale of the recent Decent Homes programme, very little is known about the views and experiences of residents as the immediate beneficiaries. This paper aims to address this absent perspective by drawing on data generated through qualitative research in two neighbourhoods in a Yorkshire city. The paper draws on 49 in-depth interviews with residents, conducted over a period of three years. The findings reveal that, following the completion of modernisation works, residents reported significant improvements in the appearance, functionality and manageability of their properties; they felt more proud of their homes and were more likely to make additional improvements to them. More generally, it was evident that many residents had experienced a step change in the way they felt about their properties and described a transition from ‘house to home’. In conclusion, it is argued that, although the programme has delivered significant improvements in terms of the residential quality of life that residents experience, the overall impact of the programme is being diluted by several factors, most notably the emphasis placed on ‘bricks and mortar’ by the Decent Homes programme.
A marketer’s guide to voice: Why your brand needs to start speaking
Authors: Myers Nick , Westwater Susan , Westwater Scot
Published: July 2024

Marketers must be permanently on the lookout for new tools and technologies to help promote their brand to the people that matter most. Voice technology offers a direct one-to-one engagement and feedback loop unlike anything that has been before. This paper guides interested marketers through the growing world of voice to understand why voice matters, why brands need to start investing in the technology today, who is adopting the technology and how the technology works. It also describes some simple steps to begin developing a content strategy around the next primary user interface.
Artificial intelligence and automated decision making: The new frontier of privacy challenges and opportunities
Authors: Srouji Joseph , Bellè Stefano
Published: July 2024

This paper addresses the privacy component of broader artificial intelligence (AI) ethical considerations. We begin with an overview of the regulatory landscape, or lack thereof, and then call out the specific provisions of EU data protection law applicable to AI while focusing on examples of country-specific approaches, including some recent regulatory action. This regulatory action is particularly insightful since it identifies the key challenges that companies face, or will eventually face, when adopting AI-based solutions. These challenges include how to anticipate and prevent bias in automated decision making (ADM) and how to provide transparency to data subjects, despite the complexity of machine learning processes, while protecting business secrets and know-how.
Reflections on a Finnish university of applied science’s branding strategy in the international education market
Authors: Hyde-Clarke Nathalie
Published: July 2024

Finland is currently ranked in the top five education systems in the world. A position garnered through the careful fostering of a set of core societal values that have included free education for all. The Ministry of Education and Culture, however, elected to introduce university tuition fees for students originating from outside the European Union and European Economic Area in 2017. This paper investigates how this decision may affect international students’ perceptions and choices of where to study in the future. It also presents recommendations as to how Finnish universities of applied sciences may need to revise their international marketing strategy to compete in the global education market. From the interviews and focus groups that were conducted with staff and international students at a leading university of applied sciences, it is clear that the ministry’s emphasis on the already existing high quality of education and research may need to be supplemented with a focus on social and economic opportunities.
The digital consumer: Building attractive digital environments to increase engagement, views, shares and sales
Authors: Weber Larry , Prodromou Peter
Published: July 2024

Today’s digital consumers expect more from brands. Less
patient than ever, these consumers are attracted to ease,
experience and personalisation. This paper will equip marketers
with the basic tools to reach their target audiences. It shows that
a truly customer-centric business model combined with a system of
well-designed, engaging content production will increase both sales
and brand awareness. The paper also explores how bricks-and-mortar
environments can engage consumers as well as facilitate the
e-commerce experience. The research gathered here will help
marketers cater to consumers through convenience, accessibility and
human interaction.
Brands need realistic reviews to balance flawless five-star perception online
Authors: O’Neil Theresa
Published: July 2024

Fully understanding the power and impact of review content is an enormous challenge. This study offers actionable plans to enhance marketplace presence using both positive and negative third-party review content. Placing review content at every stage in the buyer cycle ensures consumers are supported with content that complements product and service descriptions. Brands will learn how to place and manage that content with law-abiding practices and the relative values of consumer perception, volume of reviews, cumulative ratings and individual value. A successful user-generated review strategy encompasses elements from these five areas. This study reveals that while it is essential to qualify the review source, if the review content is agreeable, the source is secondary. The paper describes how to verify review content and minimise the investigatory time that distracts consumers from purchase. It proves that a product with only a few detailed reviews will be just as strong, or stronger, than a product with many short reviews; in both cases, the average star rating is the key converter. The paper will deliver the benefits of supporting product and service descriptions with both positive and negative review content, off-site and on.