Why the Internet of Things is just one part of a much bigger prize By now you’re most likely familiar with the Internet of Things, the phrase often used to describe the growing network of once-inanimate objects that are becoming smart, Wi-Fi-connected devices. Some are extremely innovative – a British inventor has just created smart wallpaper, which uses magnetic charges to flip ‘physical pixels’ in fabric, creating potentially [...]
British Airways’ Gatwick pay cuts: Has BA’s restructuring appeared from thin air? It’s one of the oldest tricks in the book. Would you like to take a lower-paid role or face the exit? British Airways is waving the magic wand and a number of senior cabin crew are under its spell. Hundreds of senior cabin crew at Gatwick are faced with taking big pay cuts or being let go. BA [...]
The government must understand the impact of the bank surcharge before it goes any further The tax policy of the UK government for the banking sector has changed dramatically over the last three administrations, with very little consultation or detailed impact assessment. Labour introduced a bankers bonus tax; the coalition focused primarily on the bank levy; and, in the summer Budget, the current Conservative government announced a slow and [...]
BBC charter review: Why Auntie needs local media September 7, 2015 The upcoming charter review provides the ideal opportunity to extend the BBC’s long-established and highly successful outsourcing model to local news gathering. At a time when more power is being devolved to the regions, it is essential that there is a long-term commitment to media coverage of institutions – courts, health trusts, education authorities, [...]
“Drastic Dave” Lewis is delivering at Tesco with £4.2bn sale of South Korean arm Homeplus to MBK September 7, 2015 Ever since Dave Lewis was appointed chief executive of Tesco last year, he has made strengthening the balance sheet a priority for the troubled retailer. Although Homeplus in South Korea was a profitable business, the focus has been on protecting Tesco’s UK market share in light of increasing competition from lower priced discounters, such as [...]
Mayoral race 2016: Homes for Londoners is the key to solving the housing crisis, claims Tessa Jowell September 7, 2015 London’s housing crisis isn't just a problem for the hundreds of thousands in temporary accommodation or stuck on housing waiting lists, or the young people unable to afford a deposit or exploited by rogue landlords. It’s a problem for our whole city. For London to continue to thrive we have remain an attractive proposition for [...]
Scottish referendum revisited: Is an independent Scotland becoming inevitable? September 7, 2015 A fortnight today (18 September) will mark the first anniversary of the Scottish independence referendum – arguably the most important political event any of us in Scotland have experienced – giving pause for reflection on a year that has seen the referendum losers seem like winners, and vice versa. Despite the relatively decisive [...]
Back to work: Pause before doing away with your annual appraisals September 4, 2015 As the new term kicks off one rather large organisation, Accenture, won’t be carrying out any more annual appraisals. Managers and junior employees alike must have extra springs in their steps as they, gleefully, head through the revolving doors and into work. The case against is strong. The annual appraisal system is time-consuming, regimented (often [...]
Stunts like Burger King’s McWhopper mashup are PR at its tastiest September 4, 2015 When Burger King put its best brains to work on a novel way of promoting the little known International Day of Peace on 21 September, the result probably went way beyond the expectations of anyone at either that brand or their number one competitor, McDonald’s. By proposing – through the pages of the New York [...]
London won’t dominate forever: These are the top five international finance centres of the future September 4, 2015 London won't dominate forever: These are the top five international finance centres of the future Every market's success depends on financial stability, infrastructure development, taxation and economic strength. At the moment, western cities such as New York and London dominate as international financial centres, but increasingly hotspots are emerging in the developing world and [...]