Europe must push the green transition forward if it wants to remain competitive in the world. New technologies and green energy aren’t just better for the environment, they also make good economic sense. To be successful, however, the transition needs to be just and inclusive. Climate change is accelerating.…
With the festive TV adverts appearing on our screens, thoughts inevitably turn to staff Christmas parties and gifts. In this this article we look at the often misunderstood tax and VAT consequences of functions and staff gifts. Entertainment In general, the cost of business entertainment, e.g. treating a client to…
Many clients contemplating divorce ask whether they will have to share a current or future inheritance. The answer is that it depends. Monies or assets inherited or gifted before or during a marriage, are not automatically excluded from the matrimonial pot. In other words, they are not automatically ring-fenced and…
Science has a replication problem. In recent years, it has come to light that the findings of many studies, particularly those in social psychology, cannot be reproduced by other scientists. When this happens, the data, methods, and interpretation of the study’s results are often called into question, creating a crisis…
Over the past decade, Robert Sapolsky—a Stanford professor of biology, of neurology, and of neurosurgery, as well as a bestselling author of popular science books—has added another line to his CV: witness in murder trials. The hours waiting outside courtrooms are long, the pay beside the point. But the role allows…
The marketing landscape is undergoing a remarkable transformation, driven by the rapid expansion of the Internet of Things (IoT). In 2019, the estimated number of IoT-connected devices stood at 8.6 billion, but by 2030, this figure is projected to soar to 29.4 billion. This exponential growth is blurring the boundaries…
The question of how to beat a sexual assault charge is one that criminal defence lawyers field on a regular basis. In today’s climate, defending these allegations has become extremely difficult. This is due to a range of factors such as the onset of the ‘metoo’ movement, changing attitudes to…
When someone searches over the Internet for very important (and difficult to rank) terms such as 'Lawyers in Cyprus', 'Accountants in Cyprus' and other similar, they get some very interesting suggestions as search results, 2 being managed by Sedinvest Enterprises Ltd. The 2 sister websites, Accountants in Cyprus and Lawyers…
In the United Kingdom, promotional activities like lotteries, competitions, and prize draws are common marketing tools used by businesses to attract customers. However, these activities are governed by specific laws and regulations to ensure fairness and transparency. Understanding the differences between these promotions and the relevant legal framework is crucial…
It is well documented that women suffer disadvantages in the labor market due to motherhood and gender stereotypes. The “motherhood penalty,” for example, causes mothers to be perceived as having lower competence and commitment, which in turn leads to lower likelihood of hiring and promotion, and lower recommended salaries, as…
The well-known Tennessee whiskey business, Jack Daniel’s, failed in its attempt to oppose a UK trade mark application for the mark “Jack & Victor”. The UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) ruled in favour of Greg Hemphill and Ford Kiernan, the creators of the Jack & Victor brand, and said their…
Financial wellbeing is an important consideration when it comes to managing your money. Ensuring that you’re at ease with your financial position and feel like you have everything under control is a key step. George Howard, one of our Chartered Financial Planners based in Dubai, shares her insights into how…
Regulating our own emotions in stressful situations is difficult enough, but business leaders face the added challenge of attempting to regulate the collective emotions of the groups they lead to guide them toward success. Now, research by Harvard Business School Assistant Professor Amit Goldenberg explores how emotions intensify within groups…
Many traditional organisations are profit-driven, but we believe that to keep up as the world evolves, businesses need to become more progressive. One of the key characteristics of a progressive organisation is a common purpose and set of values that look beyond just making money. Money is to an organisation…
This is precisely why the US has quickly moved its aircraft carriers into position close to the Israeli theatre of war to prevent the conflict from spreading. It’s also why Poland is rearming and acting as if it were one of NATO’s leading powers. Lastly, it’s the lesson that many…
The consumer products (CP) industry, along with many others, has experienced an evolution in recent years. In our 2023 CP Trends, we note two key trends – defining omnichannel strategy and execution, and implementing digital marketing strategies – which serve as drivers for further growth and innovation in a competitive…
In the age of globalization, organizations are evolving into hubs of diversity, uniting individuals with varied cultural backgrounds, ethnicities, and perspectives. The process of diverse talents and experiences can lead to innovation and enhanced problem-solving capabilities. However, to harness the full potential of this diversity, organizations must prioritize effective intercultural…
Mimura, a UC Berkeley staffer and winner of the inaugural Faces of American Innovation award for her role in patenting cancer breakthroughs, shares family history and her own trailblazing journey.
As the echoes of back-to-school bells and the laughter of Halloween fade away, advertisers are gearing up for what is often their grandest event of the year: Black Friday and Cyber Monday! But as consumers prepare to snag incredible bargains and marketers embark on crafting strategies to attract shoppers, has…
In the workplace, dealing with an angry boss is not uncommon. They might get upset for a moment or be consistently frustrated. It can be tough to handle, but if you figure out why it’s happening and find good ways to deal with it, you can make the work situation…
Q: How do you relay that kind of information between the hospital and the home? A: That is a critical question, because nothing I described will work at scale without having the appropriate platforms that can exchange information across the care chain. You need a solid foundation before you can…
Marketers have long benchmarked their budgets against their peers’ spending. But it’s time to seek better metrics than the average budget. In his 2015 book The End of Average, Todd Rose warns against “averagarians” designing systems based on the mean or judging success in terms of the deviation from the…
Last Monday, November 13th was World Kindness Day. As an organization that is focused on building positive and healthy work environments, being kind doesn’t just make us feel warm and fuzzy; it actually helps us achieve awesome results, especially as we’re growing. Think about it: a simple “thank you,” “please,”…
Consistent daily patterns of exercise and rest can synchronise the local body clocks associated with joints and spine with the brain clock, potentially helping individuals to maintain skeletal health, improve athletic performance and avoid injury, research by University of Manchester scientists has argued. Though the study, published in Nature Communications…
To write your girlfriend a poem, GPT-4, an artificial intelligence system, requires orders of magnitude more energy than your brain does. That’s because AI doesn’t really function like the brain. Rather, it runs like all other computer software by flooding microchips with huge quantities of binary signals, in the form…
Western values are admired around the world, according to the landmark poll of 21 countries, but many nations no longer feel they have to be aligned to just one major power or bloc according to the poll. It reveals countries no longer want to be exclusively tied to a US…
The IMF in collaboration with University of Oxford researchers today [15 Nov] launched 'PortWatch', a new online portal a platform to monitor and simulate trade disruptions due to climate extremes and other shocks. Using satellite-based vessel data and big data analytics, the platform will help policymakers, analysts, and other public…
From the start-up hubs in Copenhagen through the industrial strongholds of Antwerp to the thriving metropolis of Hamburg, European entrepreneurs in the SME segment face a relentless challenge: adapting to sudden societal and economic shifts. And for the past years, this is what they have been doing continuously. But how…
As part of its recent Net Neutrality Review, the UK telecoms regulator Ofcom is adopting a more pragmatic approach to zero-rating – the practice of excluding certain content from users’ data usage limits. Graham Johnson considers the implications and whether other regulators are likely to follow Ofcom’s lead. ‘Zero-rating’ became…
Underwriting Understood vbois November 9, 2023
Lessons from a lifetime career of branding excellence - David Martin has been leading businesses through brand evolution for more than four decades, and much of this experience has focused on mergers and acquisitions. At a time when the vast majority of mergers do not fulfil their potential, David shares…
As a finance specialist, Harvard Business School Professor Lauren Cohen works to understand the dynamics that make businesses thrive. In his recent research on family companies, he has found one common thread among successful firms: They actively support their employees’ mental health. One of Cohen’s recent case studies spotlights Zak…
Financial literacy is skill which many parents and grandparents are keen to nurture in their children and grandchildren. With social media now a key route for young people to access information – including researching money and finance – it’s helpful to look at the role it can play. Stuart McCulloch,…
As many charity trustees may be aware, the week of 13 -17 November 2023 is the Charities Regulatory Authority’s “Charity Trustees’ Week” with an increased focus on the roles and responsibilities of charity trustees. With that in mind, in this briefing we are flagging a few key areas that charity…
Despite today’s constantly evolving economic environment, many organisations continue to operate the same way as they have been doing for hundreds of years. Our consultants have seen this “business as usual” approach cause a variety of business challenges across strategy and vision, organisational structure, and working methods. So what is…
The Artificial Intelligence and Business Strategy initiative explores the growing use of artificial intelligence in the business landscape. The exploration looks specifically at how AI is affecting the development and execution of strategy in organizations. As an associate professor at Harvard Business School and cofounder of the Customer Intelligence Lab…
PLANO, Texas (October 31, 2023)―Today, Lexus announced a new collaboration with acclaimed Dutch solar designer Marjan van Aubel to create a vibrant, sun-powered installation within the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami (ICA Miami) sculpture garden. Inspired by the new and advanced LF-ZC Lexus Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) Concept car and…
Overturning the decision of the Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court held that on the facts of the case, the delivery drivers were properly categorised by Revenue as employees and not as independent contractors as was contended for by Domino’s Pizza. Mutuality of Obligation – Not a Defining Feature of…
More people than ever are in a job or are looking for one – labour force participation in the euro area is at an all-time high. This week, The ECB Blog looks at who the new workers are and discusses changes in labour force demographics over the last two decades.…
After the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the use of race-based affirmative action in college admissions in June 2023, universities have been grappling with their admissions protocols and law firms and other private sector entities have been facing lawsuits over pipeline and DEI programs. Stanford Law Professor Ralph Richard Banks…