businesswise april 2011

Businesswise/April 2011 / Spring Edition

BusinessWise April 2011 / Spring Edition

In this EditionEnterpriseScheme helps students launch into business / p6

Chinese New Year / p5

“I am pleased to report outcomes from both the Sunday Times and the Independent newspaper league tables for 2010. The Northampton Business School (NBS) was ranked in the top half of all UK university business schools for its Business provision, including a top half ranking for the employability of its graduates, by the Sunday Times and holds a top third position for student satisfaction. Surpassing even these notable achievements, our Accounting and Finance provision was adjudged 8th best in the country (out of 80 universities) by its students, while its Management provision was ranked 4th (out of 73 universities). These outcomes reflect the emphasis NBS places on the quality of teaching, support for students and the relevance of its courses.”

Dr Ian Brooks, Dean of Northampton Business School, comments:

New York Study Trip / p2

Students visit FT20 MBA and Year 1 students from Northampton Business School, as well as academics Adrian Pryce and Grahame Fallon, visited The Financial Times head office and print works as part of a trip coordinated with the Northampton Global Business Student Society network. The group were pleased to meet Peter Whitehead, Editor of the Executive Appointments section of the FT, who is from Northampton, at the FT’s head office overlooking the City of London.

“we CAN shape the future”Food & Drink: Tomorrow’s World - Pg 3

News Flash /____________________________

Helping residents of Corby into workOn the 4th March 2011, our Enterprise Coaching Team were delighted to take possession of a vacant shop in Corporation Street, Corby for the launch of the Corby Job Club. The shop, which has been donated by Land Securities, was officially opened by The Worshipful Mayor, Councillor Marianne Taylor and eight partners supported the initiative:

Job Centre PlusConnexionsNeighbourhood LearningCitizens Advice BureauBusiness LinkEnterprise CoachingCorby Borough Council – Benefits OfficeTresham Youth Training

The venue provides a much needed drop in facility for the residents of Corby. For further information, please contact [email protected]

At the end of January, 43 undergraduate marketing students from Northampton Business School set off on the annual study trip to New York. Undeterred by the weather forecasts which promised temperatures of -16 ˚C and heavy snow, our expeditionary team packed extra woolly socks and headed off across the Atlantic. After a day of acclimatisation and orientation, and the realisation that it really was VERY cold and one pair of woolly socks was not enough, the study tour got under way. Bright and early on Monday morning, we found ourselves in the competent hands of our fast-talking, fast-walking New York guides for the study tours. Divided into two groups based on course discipline, the Business/Marketing tour and the Fashion/Retail tour set off around Manhattan at a cracking pace.

The Business/Marketing tour included the excellent Kaleidoscope where the students found out about how clients like Toyota, Pepsi, Intel and Microsoft managed their brand using live events and product launches. Also on the itinerary Mediavest and MEC Global (Twice voted Adweek’s and Advertising Age’s Global Media Agency of the Year). In contrast, on the visit to the NYC Parks & Recreation, the Parks Commissioner and members of his marketing team explained how they work with public and private agencies to manage a huge roster of events in the city’s green spaces.

Kate Pascoe, who managed the majority of the organisation and negotiation for the expedition commented: “Our ground partners in New York designed a great itinerary again this year – I’m always impressed by the seniority of the people that are prepared to give up their valuable time to speak to students – I think the fact we are from the UK helps a lot.”

The Fashion/Retail group got behind the scenes at Club Monaco where they saw the way merchandising layouts are store tested prior to roll out to the group. They went on to Anthropologie to see how they perfect the compelling and unusual shopping experience that defines the brand. Big brands were the order of the second day of the study tours – including a visit to Niketown where students learned about their merchandising and retail strategy as well as their commitment to greener practices and sustainability. This was followed by a memorable adventure through the fashion archives at Tommy Hilfiger and even an encounter with Tommy’s sister Betsy!

Sally Laurie who has led the trip for seven years said: “Every time we take students into these environments I’m impressed by the way the experience seems to bring the theory they have been learning to life in front of their eyes.”

The remainder of the time in New York was used for sight seeing, self directed study and acquiring more warm clothing as it had now started to snow heavily. Some tutors had directed students to collect material such as evidence of service standards and approaches to retail display. Other students focused on the employability opportunities that presented themselves – networking with the industry professionals they met and taking note of internship opportunities.

Students on the BA Entertainment Marketing took the opportunity to mix business with pleasure; tasked with organising an event for one of their modules, they chose to organise a trip to see the New York Knicks vs. The Washington Wizards basketball game at Madison Square Gardens. Walking back through Times Square on the way to the hotel, giant foam hands aloft, everyone agreed this was a highlight of their time in New York City.

New York Study Trip BusinessWise April 2011 / Spring Edition

“The best way to predict the future is to invent it – we CAN shape the future.”Milan Shah, Event Chair

In February 2011, Northampton Business School in conjunction with Sunley Management Centre at The University of Northampton hosted a pioneering ‘2020 Strategic Visioning’ event bringing together experts from across the world to consider the challenges facing the food and drink industry.

The event marked the start of a three year University-led research programme, branded ‘2020 Strategic Visioning’, to explore the major drivers of change in the industry, and to consider the global trends of the future.

The two-day programme was based on a highly innovative research methodology pioneered by Professor Michael Olsen Ph.D of Pamplin College of Business, Virginia USA. His acclaimed technique has been used in business schools and settings around the world, but this is the first time it has been used in the UK and in the global food industry.

Professor Olsen, together with Dr Ewout Cassee and Dr Sander Allegro, both associated with the Hotel School in the Hague, were invited by Adrian Pryce, Senior Lecturer at Northampton Business School, to facilitate this latest initiative.

Delegates including growers, manufacturers, retailers, caterers, regulators, consumers and academics were asked to consider the industry in 2020. Guided by Professor Olsen, delegates from the UK, Italy, Spain and Egypt debated the forces of change with a view to identifying opportunities and threats in the important food and drink market.

The two-day programme, which combined interactive workshops with keynote speakers, was conceived to allow those involved in the food and drink industry to consider the long term view and help them to develop the competitive weapons needed to succeed in a fast developing global market.

Taking two days away from their businesses was a big commitment, but all delegates agreed that it allowed them to step back from their day-to-day activities to really grapple with the challenges and decisions they must face in the future. Stephen Brown of Fratelli Bosco Ltd commented:

“The visioning sessions were highly inspirational and a great chance to get out of the day-to-day routine, allowing me to think more deeply and longer term about the factors shaping our industry. The interactive sessions in a non-competing environment are so different to most stuffy conferences - fun yet highly valuable, very strategic. Highly recommended!”

Professor Olsen told the group:

“This is the race to gain an understanding deeper than competitors, of the trends and discontinuities – technological, demographic, regulatory, or lifestyle - that could be used to transform industry boundaries and create new competitive space.” Keynote speakers included Charles Banks of TheFoodPeople who reviewed and predicted global food trends and Fiona Anderson, Managing Director of the East Midlands

Food & Drink Forum, who highlighted the regional perspective.

Delegates experienced a special ‘Taste of Northamptonshire’ lunch as well as a Gala Dinner prepared by Northamptonshire Ambassador, Michelin star chef Adam Gray who revealed plans to open a cookery school at his restaurant The Red Lion in East Haddon.

2020 Strategic Visioning is a new initiative created within Northampton Business School to provide strategic support to businesses in key strategic sectors, such as food and drink. The programme has the support of the Institute of Directors, the East Midlands Food and Drink Forum, Northamptonshire Enterprise Ltd as well as the University of Lincoln and the Open University of Catalunya. Follow-up events are planned in Barcelona and Milan later in the year.

Adrian Pryce summarised: “This process will help us challenge businesses to consider the future and thus develop better strategic options and analysis. It is another example of The University of Northampton living up to its motto – Transforming Lives, Inspiring Change.”

Food & Drink: Tomorrow’s world BusinessWise April 2011 / Spring Edition

“We live in interesting times in Higher Education and there surely can’t be a more interesting time to be joining Northampton Business School as the International Development Manager than now. The University has set out its vision to transform itself into an internationally facing University by 2015 and my role is to facilitate and achieve this vision on behalf of Northampton Business School. For me the internationalisation vision has to embrace and permeate all aspects of our operations from partnership and international student recruitment, student and staff mobility, curriculum development and portfolio offering through to research, consultancy and alumni activity. As we are all aware Higher Education faces severe financial challenges in the next few years and many HEIs will be looking overseas to fill the funding shortfall. It is imperative in securing a competitive advantage that we build long term strategic partnerships with overseas institutions which will be characterised by activities such as increased student recruitment, in-country delivery, blended

and flexible learning, international research and consultancy. We will need to embrace developments in communication technology to offer learning opportunities to those across the world who might not have thought of engaging with Northampton Business School. I have worked in Higher Education for most of my career in various roles, my background is in Psychology and Management and I have experience of developing international educational business in a number of important markets for us. I know that there are real opportunities internationally for the Business School and I look forward to working and supporting colleagues in developing a truly international business school.”

Dr Chris Andrew – International Development Manager

Having obtained her PhD at Cranfield, Angela stayed there teaching on the MBA programmes as well as supervising PhD candidates and running a Delphi study on the future of management . She then went to the International Management Centre at Buckingham as MBA Course Director and Senior Fellow in Marketing. Here the emphasis was on using Action Learning principles. Angela then moved into consultancy with Marketing Matters working internationally with long-term clients such as Heineken BV, Black & Decker and Bard Medical. Alongside the consultancy, Angela was a Course Director for the Chartered Institute of Marketing and retained her links with academia through continuing her editorship of the European Journal of Marketing and then becoming Editor of International Marketing Review.

Ten years ago Angela made the switch to industry as Marketing Director for Manor House Healthcare. An interest in Law, not least the impact of EU legislation on business and marketing, saw

Angela take the 12 month Graduate Diploma in Law (CPE) in 2005/2006. Alongside her day job, from 2006 until its closure in March 2010, Angela was a business representative member at the East Midlands Regional Assembly. Here she became a member, then Chair, of the Scrutiny Board that examined the policies and activity of the East Midlands Development Agency.

At Northampton Business School, in addition to instilling an enthusiasm for marketing amongst her students, Angela is looking forward to undertaking research for publication and to building links with local businesses and business organisations for mutual benefit.

Dr Angela Rushton returns to Higher Education within the field of Marketing and Entrepreneurship

Northampton Business School welcomes…


CHINeSe New YeAR INAUgURAl gUeST leCTUReNorthampton Business School (NBS) recently invited over 70 students and staff to welcome the Chinese New Year in style at Sunley Management Centre.

Guests, from a wide range of nationalities, were entertained by a traditional Chinese dancer who performed in a stunningly colourful costume.

Those Chinese students present later noted how pleased they were to see a showcase of authentic Chinese dance. The performer, Meng, also offered guests an opportunity to participate in a brief dance workshop, followed by a Tea Ceremony.

Dr Ian Brooks, Dean of Northampton Business School, commented: “NBS is very fortunate to have students and staff who are representative of such a variety of nationalities. We were delighted so many people were able to join us for this event and everyone clearly had an enjoyable time.”

Northampton Business School was delighted to host the first in its major lecture series on Monday 7th February. Professor Nada Kakabadse’s lecture on ‘Women on Boards’, was received by an audience of over 80 representatives from local companies and across the University. The lecture, which focussed on the impact which a female presence has on top executive boards, provided extremely interesting results which were not necessarily anticipated by the audience!

Northampton Business School was thrilled with the success of the lecture. Dr Ian Brooks, Dean, commented “Professor Kakabadse is a highly respected academic in her field and it was a delight to be able to share the outcomes of her research with such a committed audience”

The next lecture in this series will be held on the 11th April at 6pm. Presented by Prof Geoff Sheard, the lecture will be entitled Characterising the ‘Bad Leadership’ of those trusted to lead. For further information, please contact [email protected]

“Having spent the last eight years leading the research group Perpetuity Research, a spin out company of the University of Leicester, I am excited about the challenge of joining the Business School at a time when social enterprise sits at the centre of the University’s Strategic Plan.

I started out my career at the Department for Criminology at the University of Leicester as a research associate where I gained considerable experience of managing projects and undertaking international research. I left academia after five years to work for a national charity in a senior consultant role where I learnt that research skills and knowledge had great commercial potential.

I put that new understanding into practice when I joined Perpetuity and since then have grown the business, expanded it into new areas and worked alongside other SMEs, spin outs and new enterprises.

My research area of interest lies within social policy and during my time at Perpetuity my research and analysis skills were applied in equal measure with my project management experience to set up and grow new business ventures and develop a healthy, thriving, well respected research company.

I am now looking forward to working with colleagues across the Business School to ensure the ongoing success of the Funded Project Unit.”

Kate Broadhurst: enterprise Development Project Manager


enterpriseScheme helps students launch into businessThe final year of the highly successful Enterprise Inc business start up programme kicked off on January 22nd. 26 undergraduates and recent graduates whose business idea has been selected to benefit from the programme began a series of six workshops which will help them to progress their business plans and

launch their enterprise. They will learn more about marketing and selling, finance and accounting and networking and business planning.

There is a wide range of businesses being launched under Enterprise Inc including photographers, podiatrists, artists, caterers and social enterprises. They will all be based in the East Midlands contributing to the local economy.

Enterprise Inc is a three year project funded by the Higher Education Innovation Fund, the European Regional Development Fund and the

East Midlands Development Agency. It has supported 75 entrepreneurs into taking that step and starting a business by providing a cash bursary of £2500 and business support and training totalling £3000.

The Enterprise Club who manage the programme for The University of Northampton have been delighted with the success of Enterprise Inc and wish the current participants luck with their new ventures. For further information, please contact [email protected]

Northampton Business School has further strengthened the joint working relationship between the University of Northampton and St Andrew’s Healthcare by developing and delivering Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM) levels 3, 5 and 7 Management qualifications. St Andrew’s Healthcare, the UK’s largest not-for-profit mental healthcare provider employs over 3,500 staff across sites in Northampton, Essex, Birmingham and Nottinghamshire. A collaborative partnership agreement with the University has seen the development of a number of exciting programmes through the Schools of Health and Social Sciences in addition to student placement arrangements with the Charity.

Northampton Business School is to initially deliver 5 ILM programmes over the next 2 years, which will involve over 50 students studying for the qualifications. The first students based at St Andrew’s Northampton joined their courses in January and February 2011. The course leader is NBS associate, Steve Ashby and the client at St Andrew’s Healthcare is Sean Smith, Senior Management Development Trainer. Steve Ashby is excited by the opportunity to lead the course at such a prestigious organisation. “The design of this course is perfect for an organisation such as St Andrew’s Healthcare. Time away from work is minimised through the use of workshops focussed on the

ILM assessments and the assessments themselves are added value work activities in their own right.” Sean Smith is equally delighted by the programme. “From what we have seen so far, Northampton Business School are providing a course tailored exactly for our needs. The learning materials are of high quality, and feedback from students has been very positive.” The next step is to develop the ILM level 7 management qualification for the Charity. This will be one of the first ILM Level 7 (postgraduate) programmes to be accredited in the country, and the ILM are working closely with the University in its development.

New CORPORATe ClIeNT FOR NORTHAMPTON BUSINeSS SCHOOl


lU.ST BSc Business Computing Students go live

Ulli Steiner owns a fashion boutique in a village just outside Vienna, Austria. Her business is called LU.ST and she has kindly volunteered to be a part of a live client project for third year E-Retail students. Dave Larkan, module leader, visited Ulli whilst on holiday in the New Year and recorded a video interview

where Ulli briefed the students on the project for her proposed website. The international flavour of the project has really captured the interest of the students and Ulli is eager to see the recommendations which they make.

live Client for Marketing Research UndergradsIn January, second year students of Marketing Information & Research were briefed by Dr Askari Townshend, Medical Director of SK:N Northampton.

SK:N is a high profile chain of 36 private skin clinics, specialising in laser hair removal and rejuvenation treatments.

Dr Townshend delivered a background briefing and outlined a research challenge for the students, inviting them to investigate attitudes towards rejuvenation treatments among SK:N’s target market.

“The most important element of the brief for me, was the trust that the client had in us to uphold the professionalism and image of his business during the research stage.” said Ben, a student on the module; “Following Market Research Society codes of conduct could not be more important - to ensure that we don’t breach the clients trust, but also to uphold the professionalism of the University. I had my doubts

as to whether externals would take a student led research project seriously, but these concerns were put to bed after Dr Townshend’s presentation.”

“There was so much information!” said another student, Jodie “Dr Townshend was very professional, but also relaxed as he spoke. I’m really looking forward to the research project – it’s very interesting. It will give us a chance to put our skills into action in a practical setting.”

Students on the module will be working on the research during the Spring term and the best reports will be fed back to SK:N with a view to using them to influence local marketing strategy.

Students on BSc Business Computing are working on their final year projects with live clients. This year’s projects include creating websites for a local Church, a new start-up builder’s business, the University of Northampton Programming Club, a rock band and an Indian restaurant. Students can work as individuals or groups, and can choose to negotiate their own projects or be put in contact with a client by the University. This is a great opportunity to enhance their CVs, especially when the websites are launched.

live Client Projects


Editorial Contact and School Manager: Jennifer Catlin Tel : 01604 892921email: [email protected]

www.northampton.ac.uk

(E&OE)

Together with The Academy of Marketing and the Chartered Institute of Marketing, the event is to be a uniquely designed forum for debate & discussion surrounding the impact of the London Olympics in 2012 and the bourgeoning field of Sports Leisure and Marketing.

Submission of abstracts is invited on all aspects of the global importance of the Olympics in a Sports Leisure and Marketing context.

Workshop themes will be developed around submitted articles and the Conference will form a platform for an International Olympics conference to be held at the University in 2012.

Keynote speakers:

Professor Mike Weed, PhD is Professor of Sport in Society and Director of Research in Sport Science, Tourism and Leisure at Canterbury Christ Church University. Professor Weed is also Director of SPEAR (the Centre for Sport, Physical Education & Activity Research).

Professor Andy Miah, PhD, is Chair of Ethics and Emerging Technologies in the Faculty of Business & Creative Industries at the University of the West of Scotland, Global Director for the Centre for Policy and Emerging Technologies, Fellow of the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies, USA and Fellow at FACT, the Foundation for Art and Creative Technology, UK. He is co-editor of Sport Technology: History, Philosophy and Policy (2002).

The conference will interest:

• ResearchersandacademicsinMarketing,Sports Marketing, Leisure and other relevant disciplines in Events and Marketing Communications • SportsMarketingPractitionersandAgencies• SportingOrganisationsandProperties• SportingandOlympicathletes

Venue: Northampton Business School, Boughton Green Road, Northampton, NN2 7AL

Advanced registration is essential. Cost £90.00 per person.

For further information, please contact [email protected]

Northampton Business School is delighted to announce a very special event:

Sports leisure & Marketing Conference and workshop The global Impact of the Olympicswednesday 13th July 2011
