Business and Economy

• The fight for financial inclusion: free access to cash must be guaranteed across the UK
  The rise of digital payments has put cash and its infrastructure under pressure: first bank branches closed as online banking increased, and now ATMs are shutting down at record pace.
• Privacy implications of pet wearables
  Pet wearables have significant privacy implications for consumers. This research into the extent of data collected by pet wearables has led to a clear understanding that consumer pet wearables available on the market capture far more data of owners than actual pets, and potentially mislead consumers into underestimating this extent of data capture. Moreover, pet data descriptions are often vague and may understate their potential to indirectly identify their owners or third parties.
• Work and workers should be central in the UK national food strategy
  The conversations around the future of food, the Agricultural Bill and the UK national food strategy tend to focus exclusively on people as eaters, forgetting the role that women and men have in farming, harvesting, processing, selling, distributing and disposing of food.
• Economic and social well-being in the UK: how living standards should be measured
  This briefing calls for changes to the type of data collected and the approach to analysing the data, with a view to providing a more accurate indicator of living standards. This, in turn, will provide a clearer picture of economic and social well-being in the UK.
• Conflicts of interest in healthcare: NHS procurement rules must be clarified
  This research takes stock of recent developments in NHS governance and explores ways to clarify procurement rules.
• Women at the top: women in senior positions can help boards achieve social goals
  This study explores the positive influence that (more) women and the position held by women may exert on boards of directors.
• Fresh approach needed towards regulation and support of ‘green’ social enterprises in the emerging new economy
  This research focuses on social enterprises responding to climate change and the regulatory barriers and facilitators they encounter.
• China’s Investment in Europe: labour management practice in the electronics industry requires overhaul
  This research investigates the restructuring of the electronics industry, with a focus on labour relations at Chinese companies in Europe.
• Managing change without the use of external consultants: how to organise consultant managers
  Management consultancy should no longer be seen simply as something done by influential outsiders, but as part of the toolkit of any manager responsible for delivering change.
• The 2008 Global Financial Crisis: effects on mental health and suicide
  The 2008-2013 recession was followed by rises in suicide in England and other affected countries. It is critical that we learn lessons from the recent recession to reduce the impact of future economic downturns on suicide and mental health.