PULSE News and opinion from Liverpool Hope Business School April 2021 | Issue 11
FUNDING THE FUTURE What does the Budget mean for the UK economy?
DIGITAL REVOLUTION
PARTNERSHIP OF HOPE
ZOOMING ACROSS EUROPE
Educational app launches
Joining forces with Liverpool Chamber
Simulation contest goes digital
News and opinion from Liverpool Hope Business School April 2021 | Issue 11
WELCOME TO PULSE
NEWS IN BRIEF
Here in the Business School, we continue to adapt and evolve as the challenges of the pandemic bring ongoing disruption to our traditional ways of teaching and the student experience. In this issue, you can read about some of the innovative ways our student body and colleagues have flourished. Our new partnership with Liverpool Chamber of Commerce is introduced by CEO Paul Cherpeau (page 9), and I’m pleased to report it has got off to a great start, with Paul sharing his expertise with our students (page 5). Elsewhere, first years were immersed in the world of business management in a simulation session that brought students together from across Europe (page 4). Also in this issue, we hear from Lecturer in Economics Dr Kamila Tomczak, who comments on the latest Budget announcement (page 6), as well as Dr Asad Ghalib, who has been developing a range of innovative digital learning tools (page 3). Finally, it’s inspiring to hear of student success at the regional Young Enterprise Awards (page 7) and how one of our Network of Hope students landed her dream career (page 8). Ian McKenna Interim Head of the Business School
IN THIS ISSUE 3
Leading the digital revolution
8
Returning to education
4
Zooming across Europe
9
A partnership of Hope
How sustainable is UK public debt?
10
6
2 | PULSE Magazine
Introducing
OBE for Business School advisory board member The Business School is delighted to hear that Brian Barwick, member of the School’s Advisory Board, was awarded an OBE in the New Year’s Honours List. Brian has enjoyed a long and very distinguished career in sports broadcasting, as well as the governance of major sports bodies such as The Football Association. Brian is also Chairman of The Rugby League and Super League Europe. Brian was born and educated in Liverpool and although his career has taken him around the globe, he retains a great love for the city, supporting a wide range of local projects and organisations. He chaired Liverpool’s Bid to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games and is now Chairman of Sport Liverpool. He provides wise and unstinting support to the Business School and everyone at the University was delighted to hear of this well-deserved honour.
SPOTLIGHT
Leading the digital revolution A new educational app designed to help students with their thesis has been created by Senior Lecturer in Management Sciences Dr Asad Ghalib. The pandemic has accelerated the use of technology in teaching and learning throughout Higher Education. As this transformation takes place, the Business School is at the forefront of developing innovative tools and solutions for its students. Dr Asad Ghalib has been working alongside colleagues to develop a range of smartphone applications and webbased systems that act as useful writing and editing tools. These have proven to be effective in helping students to write their assignments and carry out research dissertations and projects. ThesisTool is the latest addition to the suite of bespoke learning and teaching tools. By using artificial intelligence, this tool extracts a set of keywords from the students’ dissertation topic and offers a complete structure for them to write their dissertation and research projects. Through ThesisTool, each student can keep on track in terms of structure, word count and layout, increasing the quality of work outputs. WordBank is another smartphone and web-based app created through the Business School, which offers a complete paragraph structure, together with suggesting substitute words and phrases. It helps avoid repetition and leads towards improvements in the quality of academic writing. Talking about the app, Student Jennifer Ellaway said: “WordBank is a brilliant tool for structuring academic writing, with a very clear structure and useful language guidance. I would recommend it for students to use as it is simple to use and provides good direction for writing style.”
Another innovation is LecFeed, which allows students to provide instant and anonymous feedback. With no requirements to register or log in, the application enables ease in use and sends an instant feedback to the email address provided in the relevant field. Meanwhile, CiteX was developed to educate students about academic referencing and citations. It offers a ‘hands-on’ approach, whereby users can drag and drop the components in the correct sequence, while the app checks accuracy and emails the results to tutors. This has helped students with learning the complex rules of citations and referencing. These innovative educational solutions have led to several awards. CiteX was a finalist in the Innovation Award category for the Educate North and UK Leadership Awards 2018. While WordBank was shortlisted for the Innovation Award for the Educate North and UK Leadership Awards 2017. Liverpool Hope Business School endeavours to offer cutting edge and innovative learning experiences for students. It deploys various educational learning and teaching tools, to help students inside and outside the classroom. Each of the projects received commendations for Excellence in Learning and Teaching, and have been awarded the University’s Learning and Teaching Innovation Awards. You can find the apps mentioned in this article on Google Play or the App Store. More information can also be found at www.wordbank.org.uk and www.lecfeed.uk
PULSE Magazine | 3
HIGHLIGHTS
Zooming across Europe Joining forces with students from the Netherlands and Spain, first years competed to run a successful mobile phone company. Despite the constraints put on travel and face-toface contact by the Covid-19 pandemic, Business School students still found a way to broaden their personal and academic horizons. The School hosted a two-day European Business Simulation competition where our first-year students joined forces with peers from Han University in the Netherlands and the University of Girona in Spain. Working together in international teams, the students competed to run the most profitable mobile phone company. As well as working collaboratively over Zoom technology, the students participated in two keynote sessions. Michiel van Deursen, Director of the NetherlandsBritish Chamber of Commerce, talked to the students about the commercial relationship between the UK and Netherlands. Meanwhile Paul Cherpeau, CEO of Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, gave a fascinating overview of how the Liverpool City Region is trying 4 | PULSE Magazine
to emerge from the joint challenges of Brexit and Covid-19. Over the course of the event, the teams raised a combined total of £65 billion in virtual external investment and the average share price of their companies rose by more than 15 per cent. More importantly, however, new friendships were made and students benefited greatly from the international and inter-cultural experience. Interim Head of the Business School and event organiser Ian McKenna described the event as a real success: “The Business School has a long tradition of exposing our students to international experiences with a range of our European partners. “That was always going to be difficult this year for obvious reasons, but I’m delighted we have been able to offer our students such a fantastic experience, which has hopefully challenged their thinking and given them an international perspective of engaging in business.”
HIGHLIGHTS
Sharing knowledge and skills
A Business School alumnus and a Liverpool CEO provided invaluable insights for students during a live guest speaker event. As part of the Business School’s Skills Passport programme, two guest speakers provided students with the opportunity to hear first-hand about life in Liverpool Chamber. Lyndsey Burkert Business Engagement and Employability Manager said: “We were very fortunate to welcome CEO of the Liverpool Chamber Paul Cherpeau, who interviewed his newly appointed Executive Assistant and Liverpool Hope alumnus - Conor Williams. The pair also invited questions from attendees during the session. “This enabled our guest speakers to impart their own individual career experiences, transfer knowledge and talk to the students around the importance of professional skills for graduates, which forms part of our semester two teaching theme. “Conor joined Liverpool Chamber of Commerce in the summer of 2019 as part of a paid internship. Quickly excelling in his new role as a Business Policy and Engagement Executive, he was appointed on a parttime basis, while completing his Marketing Degree at
Liverpool Hope. After obtaining a First-class degree in Business Management and Marketing, Conor was appointed Executive Officer at Liverpool Chamber earlier this year. “These sessions form part of a suite of guest speakers we have digitally connected with students in order to compliment the Skills Passport. They are invaluable in connecting academic business education with experience and insight from both strategic partners and local North West businesses.” Hosting the event online allowed the session to be opened out to a wider audience, including all levels of students at the Business School. It was well attended, with over 80 students, academics and the Business School’s external advisory board in attendance. Previous guest speakers include Steve Stuart of Brabners & Stuart and former Bank of England & Board member of Liverpool Chamber of Commerce Neil Ashbridge. Katherine Jones from Think Wine Group also met with students to discuss being a young entrepreneur in business and the benefits of placements and graduate roles.
PULSE Magazine | 5
EXPERT COMMENT
How sustainable is UK public debt? Dr Kamila Tomczak, Lecturer in Economics, reflects on the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s latest Budget announcement and what it means for the UK’s future. The Coronavirus crisis has negatively affected the UK economy in the last year, leading to a 10 per cent decrease in the UK Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The UK Budget presented on the 3rd of March 2021 reflects the severity of the crisis, as the Chancellor of the Exchequer is planning to spend £93 billion on virusrelated support. Overall borrowing will amount to £355 billion to provide a fiscal stimulus to help the economy to recover. The UK borrowing is the highest since the second world war, and the total national debt is now £2.13 trillion, which is the 15th highest in the world (IMF estimation, October 2020). With further borrowing projected in the Budget, is this level of debt sustainable? The level of public debt can be desirable as consumption and investment can be supported and the tax rise needed to fund this is postponed. This can accelerate economic growth and contribute to higher economic well-being. A higher level of spending is also needed at the time of crisis and the economic crisis caused by the 6 | PULSE Magazine
Coronavirus pandemic required decisive government intervention. The UK has introduced a fiscal package, which amounted to 16.3 per cent of GDP in December 2020 - the second highest in the world. In the Budget document, the government admits the high level of public debt is affordable in the short term because of low interest rates, but unsustainable in the long term. Public debt is vulnerable to interest rate risk, which can lead to a rise in debt-servicing bills. The low interest rates today are favourable, but this can change in the future. The Office for Budget Responsibility estimated that if there was a one percentage point increase in gilt rates, short rates and RPI inflation, then increased spending on debt interest would be £17.6 billion by next year and £27.8 billion in 2025/26. The high public debt also makes the country more exposed to future domestic and global shocks, as the government intervention will be constrained by the amount of accumulated debt and the government may not be able to implement countercyclical policies.
STUDENT SUCCESS Unsustainable levels of debt can lead to sovereign debt distress or crisis, especially when market confidence in the country’s ability to repay its debt is low. If the government cannot secure enough funds to finance its debt and everyday public spending, this could bring a country to the verge of bankruptcy. The unprecedented level of debt is justifiable in a time of recession or economic crisis, but the current debt is also unsustainable and places a burden on future generations of taxpayers. The government has already announced it is going to freeze the income tax personal allowance and substantially increase the corporation tax rate from 19 per cent to 25 per cent to balance public finance. It also signals it is going to borrow mostly for investment and introduce tax deduction for investment, which is a sensible strategy as it will support economic productivity. Some economists argue that public investment subsidies may lead to investment in none economically viable projects.
Double celebrations at Young Enterprise Awards Student Hannah Darling and Lecturer Dr Tony Bradley were honoured at the North West regional finals. The Business School is celebrating success in the regional heats of this year’s Young Enterprise Awards. Not only did Business Management and Marketing student Hannah Darling achieve runner-up in the Student of the Year category, but Lecturer in Business Dr Tony Bradley was named ‘University Enterprise Ambassador’. The awards celebrate young entrepreneurs and showcase students who successfully run their own enterprises, while also making a positive impact on society. In Hannah’s case, she was Managing Director of an initiative called Talk Box. She and six other students hit upon the notion of selling wellbeing hampers - filled with mindfulness-boosting items such as candles, art therapy, green tea and doodle books - with 10 per cent of the profits going to the mental health charity MIND. Another crucial element of the business was a forum on the Talk Box website where users could engage with other members of the community, sharing their thoughts and feelings about their own mental health journeys. Second year student Hannah said: “Our slogan is ‘We’re Listening’, and that’s what we’re all about. We’re here to listen to anyone who might be struggling, or who might be able to help others. “And we wanted the forum to be a little community where people can support each other.
There is also some criticism that the Budget lacks clear new targets for public finance. However, it is difficult to set such targets in a time of highlevel uncertainty, especially now, as the pandemic is not over yet and the full economic consequences of the Coronavirus crisis are not yet known. Clearly, there is a need to fix the longterm public finance, but the government needs to find a balance between getting more control over debt and deficit and ensuring that debt-reducing policies will not weaken future economic growth.
“I’m really pleased to be recognised by the YE awards - but it’s definitely a team effort where it’s not just me who deserves to be praised. Everyone did a great job and worked hard.” Talking about his surprise at being recognised, Dr Bradley said: “I was stunned, and delighted, to receive the award. I didn’t even know I’d been nominated for it. As the introduction to the award was being given, and the recipient being described, I was sitting there thinking, ‘I don’t know who’s getting this, but it sounds a bit like me’. And, funnily enough, it was! “I’m also extremely pleased for Hannah and her team. Hannah came extremely close to the Student of the Year award and she’s a great ambassador for the Business School.”
PULSE Magazine | 7
CAREERS IN FOCUS
Returning to education School Bursar Gillian Rostron told Pulse how studying through the Network of Hope (NoH) at St Mary’s College helped her to gain confidence and secure her dream career. What did you study and why did you choose the NoH? A friend had started studying for Business Management through NoH and told me about the course. She encouraged me to start studying, explaining that I was ‘clever enough’ to return to education.
Why did you choose to change jobs in the current pandemic? I was working as a School Administrator in a primary school in Blackburn and had been hoping to be internally promoted to the role of Bursar. After I interviewed and didn’t get the position, I was really disappointed. I had completed the Certificate of School Business Managers course in 2010 and therefore I was qualified for a Bursar role, but was told the main reason I was unsuccessful was because I hadn’t actually worked in the role. So, I decided I needed to find a Bursar position at another school.
Ideas can also be bounced around the group, and as we’re a varied group of individuals, most topics are related to by at least one of the students. To help and support each other through assessments, we also set up a WhatsApp group.
How did you think your experience helped you get to where you are now? After receiving a professional skills session with Lyndsey Burkert as part of my degree, in which we covered growth mindset, resilience and grit, I felt it was time to look for a new opportunity. I wanted a role where I could use both my Bursar certificate and my Business Management degree, and as I was coming close to the end of my degree this put me in a good position. The following day I applied for a Bursar role at a nursery school and was delighted to not only be interviewed, but also offered the position. I also know that continuing to improve my knowledge by working through this degree was a strong reason for being successful in gaining my new role. I think it showed that at 50 I am still challenging myself and open to learning new things.
What advice would you give to someone considering a Business Management degree?
My new role is challenging as I cover Finance (including budget setting on a very tight budget), HR, Premises Management, Staff Management and generally anything else! I felt confident applying for this position because I have completed the first two years of my degree and it did give me a confidence boost.
Go for it! I never thought I was academically competent enough to complete a degree, but progressing throughout this experience has boosted my confidence. It also made me realise that I’m capable of completing and passing the degree. I wanted to share my story as a Network of Hope student to inspire others.
What’s been the highlight of your time in the NoH?
Another reason for undertaking the degree was to inspire my 17-year-old daughter, as at her age I didn’t have the opportunity to go to University. I also wanted to show her that at 50 it’s hard to start learning again while working, looking after elderly parents and a home, and so she should take the opportunity to do this at her age.
It’s been difficult over the past 12 months due to the pandemic and not actually attending St Mary’s, as the interaction with students and lecturers really helps with studying. As all of the students on the course also work, it’s sometimes easier to relate to subjects as they can be put into real life situations.
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
8 | PULSE Magazine
OUR PARTNERS
A PARTNERSHIP OF HOPE Paul Cherpeau, Chief Executive of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce CIC Group, discusses what the future holds for a new partnership between the Chamber and Liverpool Hope. Liverpool’s Chamber of Commerce is delighted to be a formal partner of Liverpool Hope University, which is now a Patron Member of our organisation. The Chamber is a business association with more than 170 years of history. Founded in 1850, it was an organisation created ‘to represent the commercial interests of the businesses of Liverpool’ and ‘to meet and act for the common good’. In 2021, we are emerging from the most disruptive global event in several generations. More than ever before, the role of businesses and how they interact with their local communities will be vitally important in creating jobs, wealth and prosperity in a sustainable and inclusive way. The Chamber of Commerce in 2021 is committed to fulfilling its original mission and purpose. The economic recovery of the Liverpool City Region will be fundamentally driven by the ability of our businesses to rebuild, recover and continue to grow whilst learning the lessons of the pandemic as they face new global challenges. The role of young people entering the world of work, either through the creation of their businesses or joining the wider workforce, is critical to our region achieving the inclusive growth that will underpin our future successes. Talent will lead the way. Liverpool Hope University is perfectly positioned to nurture and unleash this talent. The Chamber’s values are aligned with those of this university, with a key focus upon business growth through responsible, sustainable and purposeful businesses. Young people are increasingly aware of the social and environmental impact of business and more companies understand that to attract and retain the best people they need to demonstrate their credentials in this area.
Our ambition is to enhance and further enable the university’s already excellent links with employers and to create a culture of collaboration between our members and Liverpool Hope. The importance of providing opportunities for students to have practical experience of the world of work, understanding the wider skills required and how they can best prepare cannot be understated. In an incredibly competitive employment marketplace, giving students an edge in the career path they have chosen to help them meet their aspirations is essential. Both the business sector and our educators have a collective responsibility to provide those opportunities. Enabling a strategic link between the Chamber and Liverpool Hope will boost the connection with businesses, including access to jobs, work experience, student consultancy projects, and insights and expertise as part of the delivery of courses. Turning the theoretical into the practical. Liverpool’s economic recovery from Covid-19 will be built upon the notion of ‘building back better’. Liverpool has had a thriving visitor, leisure and hospitality sector economy for many years, and we will of course need to rebuild in those sectors. The place of Liverpool will be constantly changing with the advent of new technologies and business opportunities. Ensuring students have the best possible preparation and insights into these future job opportunities is key to giving them a competitive edge beyond the completion of the academic qualification. The Chamber is delighted to work with Liverpool Hope University and looks forward to a successful and productive partnership in the attainment of our shared goals.
PULSE Magazine | 9
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 Atif Sarwar, Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow in Business Management & Marketing “I joined Liverpool Hope after finishing a Postdoctoral position at Lancaster University. Previously, I completed a BSc in Computer Science and an MSc in IT Management and Organisational Change at Lancaster University, before undertaking a PhD at the University of Essex. “Since completing my doctorate, I’ve worked in several Postdoctoral positions at the University of Essex, Anglia Ruskin University, Manchester Metropolitan University and Lancaster University. I’ve worked on projects funded by external bodies such as UKRI, Heath Education England, Greater Manchester Industrial Strategy and Leverhulme Trust.
Dr Emilia Vann Yaroson, Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow in Operations and Logistics “I obtained my PhD in Operations and Information Management from the University of Bradford and my Masters in Business and Financial Economics from University of Greenwich in London. My research interests include health service operations, supply chain sustainability and resilience, circular economy, and big data analytics. “My PhD research focused on understanding the causes of medicine shortages in the UK and how to build resilience into the pharmaceutical supply chain.
“In these positions, I’ve researched Heath and Social Care Integration for ageing population in the UK, challenges for Adult Social Care in the UK, importing lessons from philosophy into Management Studies, and Adoption of AI in Law and Accounting sectors in the UK.
“Before joining Liverpool Hope, I worked as a research associate at the University of Bradford. I was also a Visiting Research Fellow in Health Service Operations at the University of Malta and a Researcher for the European Medicine Shortages Research Network.
“Areas of scholarship that are of primary interest to me are the philosophy and sociology of technology - exploring the relationship between advanced technologies and social and organisational change and theoretical issues in information systems research.
“I have a wide range of experience working in industry. I have worked as a Business Operations Analyst in the banking industry and as an Operations Manager for an international logistics company.
“I also have a particular interest in public sector management, and looking at the application of lessons from philosophy (eg issues of moral and role responsibility within organisational setting, ethics of technology) and pop-culture in management and organisational studies. “Since October, although I have been teaching over Zoom, I have enjoyed engaging with students and colleagues at the Business School and have had the pleasure of engaging in intellectually stimulating discussions. I look forward to the time when I will be able to have these discussions in person while sitting in one of the beautiful gardens on campus.” 10 | PULSE Magazine
“I’m a member of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) as well as the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT). “I joined Liverpool Hope at an exciting time where we have had to teach and work from home. This has made integrating into the School interesting. “I hope things return to normal soon so I can fully immerse myself into the Hope family.”
THE BUSINESS SCHOOL
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:
PULSE Magazine | 11
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.
LiverpoolHopeUniversity @LiverpoolHopeUK