Business and Economics

British businesses are at risk of a creativity crisis due to workplace cultures that stifle innovation, according to new Microsoft research. Uninspiring workplaces, a stressful atmosphere and a lack of appropriate spaces to focus and think alone were all identified as major inhibitors to creativity. Two in five workers surveyed say that creativity and innovation are neither encouraged nor rewarded within their workplace – despite the World Economic Forum saying that creativity is one of the top three skills workers will...

“Our jobs as marketers are to understand how the customer wants to buy and help them do so.” – Bryan Eisenberg What is the chief driver for consumers to purchase your brand and not your competitors’ products? Pricing, brand loyalty, or perhaps the availability of your brand versus the competition? As the quotation mentioned above by Bryan Eisenberg states, the core function of a brand marketer is to understand the consumer's needs and then to position your brand in such...

The perfect job is a four-day, 24 hour week with a salary of £61,000 a year, free fruit and a boss who likes a pint, according to new research. Other requirements for the ideal role are regular reviews and pay rises, being allowed to work in jeans, flexible working hours and a pension. The report also revealed the dream job would be a 12 minute walk from home, provide a pleasant view from the office window and offer 32 days...

I have something of a unique take on charity in so far as I only started working in the sector when I landed a role as the Managing Director of Personal Fundraising Services in 2013. I had never worked as a fundraiser myself, nor did I have more than an average amount of knowledge of the charity world, but instead came from a very successful background in retail and sales with a leading supermarket chain. I was used to a...

Sports Direct chairman Keith Hellawell tried to rosy up the company's beleaguered financial report by claiming it has contributed £1.8 billion in taxation to the UK economy - even though £1.3 billion was paid in VAT by customers. Mike Ashley's high street brand blamed "currency headwinds" for a big drop in underlying pre-tax profits in its last financial year. It reported trading earnings of £113.7 million over the 12 months to 30 April - down 59 per cent on the previous year...

The Pound Sterling crashed to a 31-year low last year after the historic Brexit referendum in which Britain voted to leave the European Union. Some people believe that Brexit will ultimately benefit the economy of the UK even though there mere might be some initial turbulence; many others believe that Brexit can only trigger chaos in the UK and EU as the populist voice becomes louder. Economists have been pitching their tents on both sides of the divide but it...

Millions of workers set to work longer as Government bring forward state pension age increase. The GMB Union has attacked a Government announcement that a rise in the pension age to 68 has been brought forward. Ministers confirmed it will be phased in between 2037 and 2039, rather than by 2046 as was originally proposed. Six million men and women aged between 39 and 47 will have to wait a year longer to get their state pension as a result of...

British businesses must break their silence on the under-representation of black, Asian and minority ethnic groups (BAME) in key roles, according to new research from professional management body the CMI and the British Academy of Management. Only six per cent of management jobs in the UK are held by minorities – less than half their proportion of the working-age population as a whole. Yet new research finds that only 54 per cent of FTSE100 leaders are seen to be actively championing...

New analysis published today by Centre for London suggests that Brexit may already be having an impact on the capital, with fewer Europeans coming here for work, a slowdown in job creation, a loss of momentum in business confidence, and decelerating house price growth. Published to coincide with the launch of Centre for London’s new research programme, the analysis draws together unfolding demographic, housing, transport, economic and quality of life data. This analysis is found in The London Intelligence, Centre...