Issue 25 | Autumn 2013

Hull University Business School

BusinessBig brandsLoyaltyAlumni

ContentsIssue 25 | Autumn 2013

03 Welcome

04 Our graduates: a global story

06 Linking students and business

08 Tackling the links between obesity and brands

09 Do brands inspire loyalty in the supply chain?

10 News in brief

Addressing the future through study

11 Career webinar series kicks off

Social media game

12 Events diary

Our graduates: a global story

Hull business graduates are working in a range of top organisations across the globe. Find out how they feel we helped to get them there.

Our pioneering year in industry

Research project looks at links between obesity and brands in snacking decisions

Growing industries addressed by new postgraduate programmes

Our vision: to be a leading UK business school with an international reputation for teaching, learning and research that is relevant to a fast-changing, interconnected world.

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WelcomeGrowing costs and the sluggish economy have led

many prospective students, parents and even business leaders to question the value of a university education.

At Hull University Business School we recognise that hard work and determination will enhance the prospects of our students walking straight into a job after their degree. We are doing everything possible to offer our current students and alumni every opportunity to aim high and achieve.

Business education would not be effective without significant interaction with industry. From our multi-point relationship with international technology giant IBM (p6), to our ongoing associations with SMEs in the region, Hull University Business School is in touch with the needs and requirements of real-world businesses.

We depend on this two-way communication to ensure that our teaching is relevant and we adjust our programme offering accordingly. This is best shown by the new additions to the extensive suite of MSc programmes (showcased on p10) – MSc Energy Markets, and the jointly run programmes of MSc Financial Mathematics and MA Digital Design and Marketing.

However, we know that getting a job relies on more than the core skills of learning and knowledge. Our World of Work office has a programme of modules teaching professional skills, open to all students. Our dedicated team works to provide specialised CV clinics, runs mock interviews and assessment centres and has an open-door policy for career advice.

One of our biggest resources is our community of alumni, to whom we turn to offer guidance and mentoring advice to our students. Discussion topics range from new graduates speaking about their experiences in the current job market to senior managers from top global brands giving hints and tips on what makes a good employee. We know that our students benefit enormously from this generous donation of time, passion and energy, for which I pass on my thanks.

So, when asked whether gaining a degree from Hull University Business School is worthwhile, if it is relevant to today’s market and if it shows real value in the real world, the answer has to be yes.

Professor Terry Williams Dean Hull University Business School

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This edition of our Business magazine focuses on the big business of brands and the impact and influence they have on the lives of everyone.

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Our graduates: a global story

Muhtar Kent, Chairman and CEO, The Coca-Cola Company BSc Economics, 1975

‘There is no question that my Economics degree from Hull has served me exceptionally well over the course of my career.’

Atlanta

Rolayo Akhigbe, Divisional Head Transaction Banking, FCMB BSc Ecomonics, 1998; MBA, 1999

‘My degree provided valuable insight and the group assignments created a strong foundation for teamwork and leadership skills, both of which are essential for success in the business world.’

Nigeria

Kieran Breen, Executive Vice President International Marketing, 20th Century Fox BSc Economics, 1990

‘My degree gave me an excellent grounding in the business sense that I would need later in my career.’

Los Angeles

Marcelo Mariscotti, Partner and Chief Financial Officer, The Cleanergy Group Partner and Chief Financial Officer, Santa María Investments (former Vice President Finance Citibank) MBA, Financial Management, 1994

‘My MBA helped me a lot. Not only because of all the theory we learned but because I proved to myself that I can face significant challenges and be successful.’

Argentina

United Kingdom

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If you would like to join our international alumni community, to share your story and keep in contact with classmates, then sign up to Alumni Connect – www.hull.ac.uk/hubs/alumni.aspx.

Jeremy Darroch, Chief Executive Officer, BSkyB

BSc Economics, 1983

‘Studying Economics at Hull gave me a solid understanding of the macro environment

businesses find themselves in, which was really helpful.’

Tom Wright, Head of Cards and Unsecured Lending, HSBC BA International Management, 2005

‘The international aspect of my degree from Hull University Business School was a major factor in whetting my appetite

for working internationally.’

Sydney

Catherine Peng, Vice President PR and Communication, Volkswagen Group China

MBA, 2000

‘There is just one word I can use to describe life and study at Hull University Business School – “fantastic”.’

Beijing, China

United Arab Emirates

James Young, Area R&D Director – Russia, Middle East and Africa, Reckitt Benckiser

EMBA, 2008

‘The Executive MBA programme at Hull University Business School was excellent

preparation for the role I currently do.’

Pauline Hogg, HR Director, Global Legal Group and Supply Chain Finance, Unilever

BA Management, 1997

‘My degree gave me a broad perspective of business from finance to IT, ethics to human resource

management and logistics; so much of it underpins my every day work.’

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Linking students and businessExperience makes a difference – that is the message from today’s employers.

Evidence suggests that to make an impression in today’s competitive market, graduates need more than a good degree from a good university to get a good job. With the growing costs of education, there is even more emphasis on the need for a return on investment to justify the years of study.

As a business-focused institution, Hull University Business School knows the importance of linking students with industry. By engaging with corporate partners; delivering short, focused programmes to business and through learning from the ongoing collaborative research with industry, we ensure that all our teaching is business relevant.

Within the School, our dedicated World of Work office has been working even harder to ensure our students have the opportunity to gain relevant experience and become sought after employees of the future. Activities such as mock assessment centres and interviews with employers, CV clinics and application workshops all equip our students with the necessary tools for career success.

But the most successful ongoing link with business has to be the year in industry scheme. All Business School students are offered support to find the year-long placements, bringing the classroom to life and putting theory into practice in a real setting. Since this began in 2004, students have been employed in top brands from Disney to Microsoft, HSBC to Rolls Royce.

In 2013/14 the Business School has achieved the highest number of placements for students ever, including seven roles within the world’s third leading brand – IBM.

The University has developed a good relationship with IBM over the years, with over 70 graduates currently in roles in the organisation globally. Former student David Harsent, IBM Technology Pre-Sales Consultant, has been helping to develop links with the University for the past few years and has previously delivered presentations during the Business School’s World of Work Week.

‘At IBM we are encouraged to give back to the wider community, either through education or mentoring. I chose to give back to the University at which I studied – Hull. Before my involvement, there was not much IBM activity with Hull, so I thought it would be a good opportunity to offer; as well as giving back to the students at my former university,’ says David.

‘This year we are hoping to run a number of events at the University, such as industrial placement and graduate scheme presentations – giving students insight into roles available, talking about the company and giving them the opportunity to ask any questions. We are also hoping to run a mock assessment centre and give mock interviews, allowing the students opportunities to seek advice, make mistakes and have feedback so, hopefully, when they have to do the real thing they are successful.

He concludes: ‘IBM is a great place to work because it is a market leading international IT company, which means that employees are able to work with cutting-edge technology and its flexibility means that employees are well looked after. I would recommend it to any graduates or placement students looking for a challenging and dynamic environment.’

‘We often rely on our alumni community to help us with our industry links as so many of them have gone on to do great things,’ says Valerie Monaghan, Graduate Skills and Careers Manager, who heads up the Business School’s World of Work office.

‘Linking students with global business is absolutely essential, especially for Business School students – we know that it is this experience that stands them apart from the general melee of graduates each year. And feedback from businesses is that the fresh and dynamic perspective that interns can offer is often very rewarding, giving them a different viewpoint to consider.

‘You can absolutely tell the students who have completed a year in industry. They come back for their final year a changed person – more confident, with higher motivation levels and achieving better grades. In addition, around one-third of our students return with a job offer for post-graduation from their placement organisation. If that isn’t a glowing endorsement of a placement year, I don’t know what is!’

How can you help?If you are able to offer our students any real business experiences, be it through work placements, consultancy projects, mock interviews or even mentoring advice, please contact Valerie Monaghan in the World of Work office on v.monaghan@hull.ac.uk +44 (0)1482 463302.

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‘I am currently working as a trainee business consultant for defence and security at IBM for my year in industry, and feel that I have been welcomed into the team and have settled into working life very well.

‘Throughout the application process, the help that the World of Work office provided was highly beneficial. They made it easy to see what placement opportunities were available and the mock interviews held in the Business School provided great experience and guidance for the real interview process, through practice and constructive criticism.

‘I am thoroughly enjoying my time at IBM, as contributing to large scale projects is extremely rewarding. I have learnt so much already through this experience and still have so much more left to learn.

‘I would definitely recommend people take the year in industry. It is a great learning curve and can help in giving direction to your future career, while also being an enjoyable year in terms of both work and social life. I know that when I come back to Hull in 2014 I will be better prepared and able to push on with my final year of education.

is one of three students who started their placement year roles at IBM’s office on the South Bank, London in August 2013.

Stephen Pettitt

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These are some of the questions under consideration by marketing academics Dr David Harness and Dr Pash Punjaisri as part of a new research project focusing on understanding the impact of brands, labels and nutrition information on snack buying decisions.

Since 1996, most manufacturers and grocers have adhered to a set of voluntary guidelines provided by the government regarding nutritional information on packaging. The principle of this initiative is to be transparent, for consumers to know what they are buying and the impact this can have on their lifestyles. However, as Dr Punjaisri explains, this isn’t always the case.

‘The inclusion of nutritional information on packaging is a good idea. However, there are no set rules as to how it is presented – the format, size etc. So it is possible that young people buying the snack either ignore it because they can’t interpret it properly, have the ‘so what’ attitude and don’t care, or don’t see it as it is subsumed by the brand identity.

‘We know brands are a really important factor in terms of choice, thanks to peer pressure and what’s in fashion. What we want to explore is the significance of personality traits with regard to snacking which may possibly predict people’s behaviour – for example, if people are low in self-efficacy, will they be more susceptible to brand when making their decision?’

The group under consideration is aged 16–24, the group most susceptible to snacking and the most likely to be obese through dietary choices. Academics are hoping to engage with local colleges and Business School students, to explore the different types of pressures and influences on each group.

Dr Punjaisri continues: ‘Obesity is a real issue in the UK. More than a third of young people are obese, but it’s not something that happens overnight – it takes years of disconnect between action and consequence.

‘This research has the potential to have real world

impact. It is an important area for the future to

understand the impact of brands and nutrition.’

The research began in September 2013 and is funded by the prestigious Leverhulme Trust and British Academy. It is anticipated that results will be published in late 2015.

Tackling the links between obesity and brandsAre young people swayed by brands? Is their choice of snack influenced by health and nutrition or simply by the packaging and peer pressure?

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Do brands inspire loyalty in the supply chain?

Logistics expert Professor David Grant has been working with academic colleagues at the University of Oulu in Finland to investigate the impact of loyalty on corporate brand equity of 3PLs. As part of a Finnish government funded research project named Mod Sec – which investigates making service offerings modular so that customers might ‘pick and mix’ their service requirement – the aim of this part of the project was to see how 3PL service enhancements are related to brand loyalty and equity.

The research looked at the relationship between service quality, customer satisfaction, loyalty to the organisation and the building of brand equity. The importance of brand loyalty has grown over recent years, shown by the large scale marketing initiatives launched by some 3PLs, such as UPS and DHL, in an attempt to build and maintain such brand image in both the consumer and business to business (B2B) segment.

And it seems to be working to some extent, if only with the general public. A recent ranking survey, ‘Superbrands’ in the UK found three 3PLs in the top twenty: FedEx (12), Eddie Stobart (15) and DHL (16).

However, does a shipper or customer appreciate the efforts of the 3PL? Findings from the research show that although there is a positive relationship between loyalty and brand equity, it is not as strong as the other links in the service to loyalty process.

‘In any market, brand leaders have the advantage – what you get with a brand is consistency and reduced uncertainty in the buying process,’ says Professor Grant.

‘Our findings indicate that the linear path of service quality, satisfaction and loyalty does have a positive effect on corporate brand equity. Therefore, if the service is good, customers are satisfied, which leads to better loyalty and, in most markets, an increase in corporate brand equity.

‘However, the nature of 3PL is that it is a commodity. As such, customers are more likely to be influenced by price and availability of service rather than brand. They may be satisfied with the quality of service provided but might still ‘flip flop’ between organisations with similar brand presence rather than being exclusively loyal to one.’

Professor Grant continues: ‘Branding in competitive logistics markets, such as that which exists in Finland as well as the UK, is important for 3PLs to ensure that shippers and customers are aware of the quality services that are provided. It is clear that 3PL managers should highlight operational and personal service to ensure customer satisfaction.

‘This should increase loyalty and add to their corporate brand equity, which could be beneficial in the long term. By doing so, 3PLs will better position themselves strategically to generate a competitive advantage against competitors or firms considering internalising their logistics activities.’

Although there is a positive relationship between loyalty and brand equity, it is not as strong as the other links in the service

to loyalty process.

Third party logistic service providers (3PLs) are becoming significant players in today’s supply chain as more and more businesses outsource part or all of their supply chain management function – from warehousing to transportation.

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Addressing the future through studyThe Business School is responding to global shifts in industry and culture with a suite of new Masters programmes for 2014.

MA Digital Design and Marketing (begins January 2014 in Scarborough)Aimed at those interested in the growing digital marketing industry, students will gain a better understanding of how to creatively use digital channels as part of the marketing mix. It focuses on digital business strategy, content management and social media exploitation – equipping graduates with the skills to one day run their own digital business.

MSc Energy Markets (begins September 2014)This degree will teach our students to understand the structure and operation of the energy and commodity sectors. They will gain knowledge of the geopolitical issues in energy markets; understand the market forces that drive energy and commodity prices; and learn how it is possible to hedge price volatility through futures and option prices. Specialist modules include Energy Economics, Carbon Markets and Carbon Trading.

MSc Financial Mathematics (begins September 2014)The global financial crisis has highlighted the need for more financialists who not only understand finance, but can also independently model the behaviour of complex financial instruments within risk management, compliance and regulatory restrictions. This programme equips students with knowledge and practical applications of mathematical and computational finance techniques at the forefront of the finance discipline.

For more information or to apply, visit the website www.hull.ac.uk/pg/businesspg.aspx or email pgstudy@hull.ac.uk.

News in BriefBest paper award for staff and graduateDr Raphaël Akamavi won the Best Paper Award at the 6th International Refereed Conference on Services Management (23–25 June 2013) in Cyprus.

The paper, Cognitive capital effect on customer satisfaction through the mediating role of service employee self-efficacy: The case of Egyptian financial services institutions, was co-authored by former Hull University Business School PhD student, Dr Elsayed A S Mohamed. Competition for the award was fierce, with the paper beating 98 world leading examples to win.

Research club attracts membersThe Logistics Institute’s Supply Chain Risk and Resilience Club recently held its second workshop, attracting a wide range of attendees. Sponsored by Unipart Expert Practices, delegates focused on supply chain resilience and discussed examples of best practice based on research from the Logistics Institute and the club’s members. The next event will be held in April 2014.

Connecting international alumniSeptember saw the latest of our international alumni networking sessions, held in Hong Kong. Professor Andrew Abbott, Dr Stephan Dahl and Pat Mould each presented updates on their research areas to around 40 attendees at the event, held at Hong Kong University – one of the business school’s most established educational partners.

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To complement our programmes, we are providing a series of career development focused webinars. This is the third year that current students and alumni will hear from recruitment specialists, The Career Farm, alongside fellow graduates who will share their experiences of climbing the career ladder after leaving the Business School.

The programme includes:

• Whatisitreallylikeonagraduatescheme and how can I get hired? (4 December 2013, 6 pm– 7 pm*)

• Makingthemostofyourbrand:YOU! (4 March 2014, 6 pm– 7 pm*)

• Runningabusiness (26 March 2014, 6 pm– 7 pm*)

• Howtofindyournetworkingstyle (6 May 2014, 6 pm– 7 pm*)

Online registration is very simple. The webinars run on the Blackboard Collaborate system (which is available to download). The biggest benefits can be gained from attending the session via your computer, as you will have the opportunity to put questions to the webinar leader. If you are unable to attend, the session will be recorded for you to access via our graduate network site, Alumni Connect.

For more information or to join the Alumni Connect scheme, please visit www.hull.ac.uk/hubs/alumni or email Sarah Fewster, Alumni Manager – s.fewster@hull.ac.uk.

* All times are UK standard

Using the media of Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, students were invited to capture their experiences in a tweet, photo or short video clip – talking about their first week on campus and their early impressions of life at the University.

At the end of the week, students were given the opportunity to vote for their three favourite entries in each media category and a panel of judges from the school ranked the three finalists. Prizes of tablets, e-readers and high street vouchers were awarded for first, second and third placed entries respectively.

Director of Undergraduate Studies, Jason MacVaugh, introduced the game to the students and was part of the final judging panel. He commented: ‘The standard of entries was extremely high and we were incredibly impressed with the enthusiasm, energy and creativity shown by our students.

‘We wanted the students to have fun with the game but it was also a great way to engage them with the world of social media from a business perspective.

‘We encouraged our students to consider whether they would want their tutor, future boss or even a

family member to see the content they were posting live online. We explored with them the idea that potential employers would be able to see their ‘digital footprint’ online for a long time to come, and how this could influence recruitment, selection, promotion and even good relationships with colleagues.’

You can follow Hull University Business School on Twitter @hubsonline and on Facebook facebook.com/hubsonline.

Social media gameCan you capture the essence of one of the most significant weeks of your life in 140 characters? This was the challenge set to new Business School students as part of the 2013 Welcome Week.

Career webinar series kicks off

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Full and part-time open events and applicant days

Open events offer potential students the opportunity to visit the Business School facilities at Hull or Scarborough.

Visitors will meet members of staff and students from the school, helping applicants to make an informed decision about their future education.

Full-time open events – 14 June and 5 July 2014

Full-time applicant days – 11 December, 8 February, 19 February, 8 March and 22 March 2014

For general enquiries about open days please visit the website or contact businessschool@hull.ac.uk.

For more information about the admission process please contact admissions@hull.ac.uk.

Business Bites seminar series – in conjunction with IoD East YorkshireRegional collaboration = global competitiveness 11 November 2013, 4.30pm

Employee silence: everybody knows and nobody talks about 27 January 2014, 5.30pm

For more information and to book your place at these events, please contact Ian Calvert i.calvert@hull.ac.uk.

Inaugural lectureProcess Thinking: Quest for Improved Decision MakingProfessor Waymond Rodgers, Professor in Accounting and Finance4 November 2013, 6pm, Middleton Hall, Hull

Conferences and research groupsProduct Design and Supply Chain Special Interest Group 28 November 2013, Logistics Institute, Hull

Supply Chain Risk and Resilience Research Club April 2014, location TBC

Supply Chain and Logistics Management Conference 5–7 December 2013, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi

For more information, please contact Sam Davy on +44 (0)1482 347500 or s.davy@hull.ac.uk.

For further information about any of the events listed above or forthcoming activities, please visit the events section of our website, www.hull.ac.uk/hubs.

Hull University Business School Hull HU6 7RX

+44 (0)1482 347500 businessschool@hull.ac.uk

Explore the Business School and University campus at one of our Open Days

Events Diary

© University of HullPublished November 20133002~CB

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