PULSE News and opinion from Liverpool Hope Business School November 2020 | Issue 10
EXPLORING THE FUTURE OF BUSINESS THE GOOD BUSINESS FESTIVAL 2020
SATISFACTION REIGNS
INTRODUCING NEW COLLEAGUES
NEW INITIATIVES
League table success
Business School welcomes new staff
Skills ‘Passport’ launches
SPOTLIGHT News and opinion from Liverpool Hope Business School November 2020 | Issue 10
WELCOME TO PULSE It’s been an unprecedented start to the academic year, with both our students and academic colleagues facing challenges and unique teaching situations unlike we’ve seen before. However, I’ve been thrilled to witness how well the Business School community has adapted and to see how quickly our students – particularly our new first years – have taken to the online learning model. Despite the challenges the Covid-19 pandemic has brought, the Business School has continued to forge ahead with new initiatives, such as our new Skills ‘Passport’ (page 8) and our aim to develop stronger links with our alumni. We hear from one of our successful former students on page 9, and you can read about the School’s plans for the future on page 4. We’ve also had several reasons to celebrate – from welcoming the first cohort of Economics students, to receiving fantastic results in the National Student Survey. The results of the 2020 survey gave us several reasons to be proud, with students voting our courses among the top in the UK for overall student satisfaction (page 3). I hope you enjoy this issue of Pulse. Ian McKenna Interim Head of the Business School
IN THIS ISSUE 3
Delivering on student satisfaction
8
Skills ‘Passport’ launches
6
An explosion in student numbers
9
Where are they now?
7
Reflecting on the Good Business Festival
10
Introducing new colleagues
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NEWS IN BRIEF
Teaching Quality ranked in UK top 20 Liverpool Hope features among the top 20 universities in the UK for Teaching Quality, according to the latest league tables. The Times and the Sunday Times Good University Guide 2021 provides an institutional ranking, based on student opinions of teaching quality and wider university experiences. This is combined with the outcomes of the 2014 research assessments, graduate job prospects and course entry standards. In its latest league table, Liverpool Hope was not only ranked top 20 in the UK, but also top two in the North West for Teaching Quality. The results come after The Complete University Guide 2021 revealed Liverpool Hope is the top university in the city for student satisfaction.
Delivering on student satisfaction
Students rate the Business School’s courses top five in the UK for student satisfaction. The Business School’s degree courses have been rated among the top in the UK for overall student satisfaction. In the National Student Survey (NSS) 2020, Accounting & Finance was named first in the UK for overall student satisfaction, while Business Management and Marketing ranked fourth and fifth respectively. The results also place all three degree programmes first in the North West for overall student satisfaction. Interim Head of The Business School Ian McKenna said: “At Liverpool Hope Business School, we pride ourselves on getting to know our students one by one and finding ways to both support and challenge individuals according to their interests and aspirations. This helps to create a real sense of community and satisfied students. “We are delighted that our students have expressed their satisfaction with our programmes so strongly. My colleagues work tremendously hard to create a collegial
environment that helps our students to be the best possible versions of themselves and lays the foundations for a successful career. It is great to see this recognised in these excellent results.”
We are delighted that our students have expressed their satisfaction with our programmes so strongly. The NSS is an annual survey of nearly half a million students across the UK. It gathers opinions from students about their time in higher education, allowing them to provide honest feedback on what it’s like to study their course at their university/college. It is commissioned by the Office for Students, on behalf of the UK funding and regulatory bodies. PULSE Magazine | 3
HIGHLIGHTS
HIGHLIGHTS
ECONOMICS BA WELCOMES FIRST COHORT
Uniting business and academia
16 students have joined the Business School for the launch of its new Economics degree. In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Business School has welcomed its first cohort of Economics degree students - a diverse group of 16 students with varied backgrounds and interests. Nine of these students combined Economics with other Business disciplines, like Accounting & Finance and Business Management, while the remaining seven students represent fields like Geography, Law, Politics, Criminology and History. The diverse selection of combinations attests to the versatility of pursuing an Economics degree. Professor Archontis L. Pantsios, Associate Professor of Economics and Director of Curriculum Development & Accreditation, explained how the discipline ‘remains always current and relevant’. He said: “The relevance of an Economics degree is not ephemeral and connected only to current world events, however serious, like the Covid-19 pandemic. “Economics as a discipline remains always current and relevant. In addition to the present challenges posed by Brexit and Covid-19 on economic policy, many great debates are taking place on ideology and policy formulation.
“This ranges from issues on the direction of globalisation, international trade and forms of trade restrictions, to trends in economic inequality, the gender pay-gap, migration flows, the environment and climate change, and economic integration. “In studying the above, the future Economics graduate will be equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge needed to recognise how national and global issues affect a society’s welfare and to succeed in the job market.” In the first year of study, in addition to exposure to introductory Microeconomic and Macroeconomic Theory and Statistical Analysis, students are also immersed into a course in the evolution of economic ideas in the past 250 years. As an application to the relevance of studying Economics, the new incoming students were asked to write a report on how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected UK incomes and employment. In the next two years, the programme emphasises the honing of analytical, quantitative and research skills by incorporating a solid foundation in intermediate economic theory, econometric analysis, selected contemporary global economic topics, banking & finance, and international economics & finance.
Looking to the future Brian Ricketts, Interim Assistant Head of the Business School, reflects on the role of the School’s Executive Business Advisory Board and its future plans. The Business School is supported by the Executive Business Advisory Board (EBAB), an external board that comprises a number of experienced industry colleagues.
We are delighted that the Board members who have been with us for some years have confirmed their willingness to continue. The Board comprises:
Working with the Board ensures the taught curriculum and related extra-curricular activities benefit from the insight and guidance of independent sector experts, which enables our students to have a really well-focussed experience.
• Professor Jim Keaton (former Chairman) – Background in the pharmaceutical industry and higher education.
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• Steve Stuart (newly elected Chairman) – Professional services experience.
Earlier this year, Senior Professional Tutor Jo Whittingham joined the Liverpool City Region’s Professional and Business Services Advisory Board. Here she tells Pulse what the role entails. Made up of leaders from business and the public sector, the group provides strategic insight, intelligence, support and guidance to Liverpool’s Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Board. It aims to support in the fulfilment of the LEP’s strategic activities for the Liverpool City Region (LCR), which focus on promoting and growing the local economy. The Region has had much to shout about. There has been significant investment and development in new industries, such as digital and creative, as well as in biosciences and a growing logistics industry, which is located right next to the country’s newest deep-water freight container terminal. Professional and Business Services (PBS) is a key part of the City Region’s economy, generating more than £8.4 billion per annum in gross value added. With over 12,000 businesses employing 93,000 people, PBS constitutes 14.4 per cent of all jobs in the LCR. I’m delighted to be a part of PBS and I’m a keen advocate for the area. I contribute over 25 years’ experience as a professional accountant, specialising in
• Neil Ashbridge – Chairman of Liverpool Chamber of Commerce and a background with the Bank of England. • Brian Barwick – High level experience in sports broadcasting, journalism and marketing. At the start of the new academic year, the Leadership Team took the opportunity to refresh the corporate profile and objectives of the School, and we are delighted that EBAB has committed its support for our plans. We accept that under the pandemic, many of our corporate activities - which typically involve meeting people - are severely restricted. Our approach therefore is to focus on a number of new initiatives and to refresh our existing programme.
public sector auditing. In that capacity, I have witnessed first-hand the enormity of the challenges faced by the public sector and firmly believe the economic prosperity of the Region is vital to the health and well-being of all its residents. During this pandemic, our City Region, with its reliance on its visitor economy and hospitality sector, continues to be one of the hardest hit. It has never been more important to work collaboratively in order to make the most of any opportunities. As a Senior Professional Tutor in the Business School, I hope my role with the Board helps to bridge the gap between our talented students and the skills local business needs. My hope is that our students will be able to showcase their talents and contribute to thought leadership through their research and consultancy projects. Then, postgraduation, our students can choose LCR as a place to stay and prosper, after all, these students are the professionals, entrepreneurs and business leaders of the future.
In this first term, a major focus will be on a new skills ‘Passport’ programme, which will see external speakers talk to our students (albeit remotely) and help them become prepared for the world of work. You can read more on the programme on page eight. We will also be working on developing stronger links with our Alumni, through our Business Engagement Manager Lyndsey Burkert. Both of these initiatives have benefited from the wisdom and guidance of EBAB members. We recognise that our students are studying in challenging and unprecedented times, and accept it is our responsibility to support them as much as we can - not least in preparing them for their future working environment.
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STUDENT STORIES
JOINING THE CONVERSATION
An explosion in student numbers The Business School is delighted to have welcomed more students than ever in September 2020. Despite the uncertainties created by the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent confusion surrounding A Level and BTEC results, Liverpool Hope Business School has experienced a significant increase in first year student numbers for this academic year. Year-on-year figures are up by 71 per cent across the School, with our Accounting & Finance and Business Management programmes experiencing increases in registrations of 100 per cent and 60 per cent respectively.
WHAT OUR NEW STUDENTS SAY Jack Ross, Accounting & Finance: “I chose Liverpool Hope because the standard of teaching is at a very high level and I really enjoyed my time spent at the University Open Days. “I’ve enjoyed my lectures and seminars - even though they have been online - as the tutors and students all get along and we’re all comfortable adapting to the new format.
Demand for our Marketing degree course has also increased by approximately 30 per cent and our new major in Economics has recruited well for its first year of operations.
“I believe that’s what makes Hope the high standard that it is - the way the students and teachers can get along well and have great class discussions whatever the impacts may be.
This sharp rise in numbers has created a positive challenge for the Business School team, as we work to deliver more seminar and tutorial sessions, and engage with every new student in a way that upholds our ethos of knowing all our students personally.
“I feel like I’ve adapted really well to the online Zoom sessions, as well as pre-recorded lectures, and I’m only enjoying it more as it continues. I’m very pleased with how things are working… and I do feel like I’m getting the same standard of teaching, if not better than what it would be face-to-face.”
Interim Head of the Business School Ian McKenna said: “Increasing our student numbers so significantly at a time of real uncertainty is a testimony to the increased profile and reputation of the Business School. “We have seen a steady rise in applications over the last few years as our academic standing has continued to improve, and we didn’t really know what to expect as the pandemic took hold in early Spring. We are delighted that so many students and families have put their faith in us at such a difficult time.” 6 | PULSE Magazine
Sean Fitzgerald, Business Management: “I would definitely tell people to apply to Hope, as the support given is just amazing. I feel like I’ve got all the support from the tutors and students. “A highlight for me has been being able to bond with people through social media. Even though we’ve only been able to Zoom, I feel like I’ve found friends I will have for a long time.”
Can Good Business be good for business? More than 100 Liverpool Hope Business School students took part in a 10-hour online webinar exploring the future of business. The Good Business Festival (Act 1), was broadcast live from Liverpool via webinar on October 8th and featured a host of top names. BBC broadcast journalists Evan Davis, Gabby Logan and Aasmah Mir quizzed a range of guests, from business leaders, such as Ann Cairns (Mastercard) and Vincent Stanley (Patagonia); through to activists like Gina Millar and Charmian Love (B Lab UK;) sports entrepreneur Dale Vince (Forest Green Rovers/ Ecotricity), and politicians Steve Rotherham (Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor) and Caroline Lucas (Green MP for Brighton Pavilion).
more than 100 of our students registered, engaged and actively taking part in Act 1. The day was packed with sessions on topics as diverse as Levelling-Up the Regions, Purposeful Business, Raising the Ethics Bar in Sport, Reimagining Capitalism and Good Leadership. Following the Festival, our Masters’ students are now pursuing sustainability consultancies with Liverpool City Region businesses who took part, while our third-year Business undergraduates are working in teams with a dozen businesses across the city on how to ‘build back greener’.
Lecturer in Sustainable Business & Social Economy Revd Dr Tony Bradley reflected on the event: Between, the twin peaks of crisis – Covid-19 and Brexit - a broad alliance is being forged between industry, campaigners, trade unions, political parties and other civil society stakeholders to call for the country to ‘build back better’. The slogan was coined following the Great Financial Crash of a decade ago, and, a further phrase has now been added: ‘…and greener’. So, can business be part of the solution? Can a green and, realistically, de-carbonised economy that can adequately address the scale of the climate emergency and ecological extinction event be generated? Does ‘good business’, for people, purpose and planet, as well as profit, really exist? Can good business be good business? These were just some of the themes discussed at The Good Business Festival, and it was exciting to see
Our second-year students will be helping as ambassadors in Act 2 (March 2nd – 4th 2021) as part of their Industry Visits Week. The Good Business Festival has only just begun, and it has placed Liverpool City Region at the global forefront of creating a tsunami of purposeful business transformation. Within it, Hope is taking the lead, ahead of the City’s other universities, as a key partner in the Festival’s development and impact.
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NEW INITIATIVES
ALUMNI STORIES
Where are they now? Skills ‘Passport’ launches for first years The new initiative will help to develop soft skills, so graduates have all the essential tools for employment.
A new skills ‘Passport’ that aims to develop resilience, interpersonal skills and communication techniques, as well as raise aspirations, has been introduced as part of the Business Management degree.
Lyndsey added: “I’ve focused on introducing our students to a mix of local North West business leaders and welcoming some of our alumni back to share their wisdom and steps to success.
All first years on the course will undertake the programme alongside the academic side of their studies in order to ensure they gain skills that are essential for industrial placements and entering employment.
“We will also have a mix of academic staff and professional tutors from the Business School supporting with the delivery of key elements of the ‘Passport’, enabling them to share areas of practical expertise and research.”
Business Engagement & Employability Manager Lyndsey Burkert, who has worked to develop the initiative, explained how it aims to give students a tool kit of soft skills to reflect on as they moved forward with their studies. She said: “We felt it was essential to give our students the opportunity to benefit from a programme that started from the first year of study. “I will also be upskilling the students in more traditional areas, such as professional skills and academic writing skills, to give them a strong foundation.” The ‘Passport’ programme will feature input from local industry partners and guest speakers to the Business School. This wider contribution of knowledge and expertise will be embedded throughout all three years of the degree and will enhance the awareness of students about different career paths and putting theory into practice. 8 | PULSE Magazine
The Skills ‘Passport’ will develop and expanded to include second year and final year students over the forthcoming years. This will enable Business School students to form strong alliances between year groups, share knowledge and form a coaching and mentoring culture. Lyndsey concluded: “The attendance and engagement has been fantastic so far. It’s been a privilege for me to join the Business School and develop this programme, which will enable our first-year students to get off to a flying start in the midst of such challenging circumstances. “This is a great opportunity for our students, and I’m really excited to have written and developed a skills ‘Passport’ programme that will not only add value to Liverpool Hope Business School, but also enhance our students’ journey from academia to employability.”
Pulse caught up with Business School alumnus Carl McCammon, who graduated from Hope with a first-class degree in Business and Law in 2012. What have you done since graduating? I am currently mid-career as a National Sales Director for a company called Secure Power, and I work with large public and private organisations and SMEs. I’m responsible for a team of 10 employees and develop the sales and marketing strategy for the business. The Sales & Marketing Team report directly to myself and the business owner.
Initially Law was my first choice, but after my work placements, I felt my skills and personality sat better in a business engagement and sales role. I would never have known this if I hadn’t undertaken those placements.
What was the highlight of your time at Hope? Highlights include my role as the Student Liaison Officer for the Law degree at Hope and also competing in the CIM North West Marketing Competition 2010. However, probably the biggest highlight was in my third year when I studied hard for the Law exam and got a First as a result. I had to work hard to get a good result in the Law element, so I was delighted with that particular exam mark.
As a Sales Director, my focus is on business growth and development, and the operational aspects of running the sales team. A key part of my job is relationship management - I have clients across the UK and Ireland - along with the creation of new business opportunities in the marketplace, and key acquisitions. I adopt an entrepreneurial mindset within my role to keep the business growing and current in the market.
What advice would you give to someone considering a Business degree?
How has your degree helped you in your career?
Understand that different industries have different constraints. Take as many opportunities as you can while at university, to engage with activities that could lead you to a local, national or global job opportunity. The opportunities are endless while in higher education, so make use of the resources and support on offer. Take a leap of faith and do as much as you can - challenge yourself!
When I first left school, I undertook a manual job in a brewery. I stayed in this role for around 18 months and was actively trying to apply for other roles within the brewery. At every point I couldn’t get a ‘foot in the door’ and was told that to be considered for those roles I needed a degree. I was becoming increasingly frustrated with the lack of opportunities open to me, with a degree a pre-requisite for all jobs above entry level. I then made the decision to attend university.
Did you take advantage of any work experience while at the University, and how was it beneficial? I completed a two-month placement in Legal Advice Centre Criminal Law and spent two months working in Contract Law PPI Claims, both based in Liverpool. These opportunities were created through me informally asking my Law academic for an opportunity over the summer.
Get as much experience in the industry or a sector as you can through work placements, internships, work shadowing, and networking with people who have business experience outside of academic studies. This helps you to have a clearer vision and an idea of which direction and career path you want to undertake.
As a more mature student, my previous work experience gave me the insight into a working life without a degree. This lack of opportunity gave me the determination and drive to want to succeed when I chose to return to university. It gave me access to key graduate roles and enabled me to successfully run my own Consultancy business for three years before my current role. I hope by sharing my story as a Liverpool Hope Alumni it inspires others in the future.
GET IN TOUCH We’re always keen to hear from our alumni. To share your story or expertise, please contact Business Engagement & Employability Manager Lyndsey Burkert: burkerl@hope.ac.uk PULSE Magazine | 9
THE BUSINESS SCHOOL
IN PROFILE
INTRODUCING The Business School has welcomed several new colleagues, Pulse met with two of them to find out more about their roles. Dr Violet Justine Mtonga, Lecturer in Marketing “I studied Marketing, gaining an MSc from The University of Salford, before completing my PhD investigating Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Strategies in the gaming context. I looked at how CRM constructs are accounted for within the UK land-based gambling sector, while examining the unintended consequences of CRM strategies amongst loyalty programme members. “Coming from an industry background, I’ve got wide-ranging experience of working in the banking sector, gaming and entertainment industry, as well as successfully running and managing family businesses, including business process improvement and change. “This strongly influenced my PhD research topic on consumer behaviour and ethical consumption. It also encouraged me to consider how best to use my research and outputs to design conceptual models with strategic interventions. For example, how to proactively minimise harm, and help regulate and influence gaming businesses, to embed harm-reduction mechanisms. “My teaching experience is universal and covers a wide range of areas including, Marketing; Consumer Behaviour; Strategic Management; Business Ethics and Sustainability; Management and Organisation; and Research Methods. “I continue to hold an active interest in the role of relationship marketing within the retail sector and I’m progressing publications in this area, including studying the issue of gambling exposure and how online social gaming impacts on the young and under-age. I’m interested in the nuances of consumer psychology, exploring how cultural changes, legislation and technologies can have the potential and capability to impact on consumer decision-making processes.”
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Dr Lin Jiang, Lecturer in Finance “I got my PhD degree from SOAS University of London in 2019 and my Masters degree from The University of York. My research interest mainly focuses on corporate finance, corporate governance, M&A, business networks and corporate political connections, with a special focus on China. “For my PhD study, I investigated the dynamics of executive compensation in China during its institutional transition. “I explored how executive compensation has evolved and assessed whether the development in compensation reform has achieved expected results during a time of high uncertainty over the past decade.
ABOUT US: LIVERPOOL HOPE BUSINESS SCHOOL The Business School curriculum is cutting-edge with all teaching research-informed and delivered by staff with both professional and practical backgrounds. A high number of staff have PhDs, while three members of the School have run successful businesses. This means the School is highly qualified at an academic, professional and experiential level, to engage in research that connects with the business sector.
The School works closely with accreditation bodies and is a member of various professional networks. These include the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), the Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABS), the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and Professional Liverpool.
With strong links to a range of leading local and national companies, professional bodies and organisations, and a range of innovative ethical and social enterprises, the School has a reputation for developing students with sound theoretical principles and a thorough understanding of contemporary business practices. Guest lecturers and practitioner input allows students the opportunity to visit companies, study abroad and work via Young Enterprise to develop and run their own business.
WHO WE WORK WITH:
“I’ve worked as a reviewer for peer reviewed journals and have a rich teaching experience in both Chinese and UK universities. Before joining Liverpool Hope Business School, I worked as a graduate teaching assistant and a teaching fellow at SOAS. “And before coming to UK, I worked as a teaching fellow at the Management School in South China University of Technology. I’m also a member of the British Academy of Management. “I joined Hope during a very special year, with Covid-19 spreading around the world and universities facing unexpected challenges. Starting a career ‘online’ may be a bit strange and not easy, but I can feel the enthusiasm from both students and staff. “I’m looking forward to the days when we can sit together again and have a cup of coffee, within two meters distance!”
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To find out more please visit: www.hope.ac.uk/businessschool
Pulse is published by Liverpool Hope Business School, Hope Park, L16 9JD.
T: 0151 291 3087 E: businessschool@hope.ac.uk
The views expressed in the magazine are those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent those of Liverpool Hope University.
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