february 2010

research

learning

corporate

international

reputation

people

spotlight

eventsHu

ll U

niv

ersi

ty B

usi

nes

s Sc

hoo

l

yourschool

2|

yourschool

Welcome to the secondedition of your school,bringing you news fromacross the school.

The news categories areonce again focused onour key strengths ascovered in the school’svision and mission,which outline the futuredirection of HullUniversity BusinessSchool.

Editions of your schoolwill be stored on theHUBS portal site forreference.

If you have any storiesyou would like includingin upcoming editions,please contact businessschool PR officer, Kate Tyson –k.tyson@hull.ac.uk orext 3335.

researchResearch reviewIn response to the RAE2008, and emergingissues related to the newREF framework, we arereviewing the way thatresearch is organised inthe school.

The process aims toimprove the school’sperformance andranking, ensure outputsare improved, andprovide a focus on otherindicators such as PhDawards, research councilstudentships andresearch council income.

Consultations arecurrently taking placeand analyses are beingundertaken within theschool. A transitionalresearch committee hasbeen formed to lead thereview.

KnowledgeproductionKevin Orr was invited tospeak at an Economicand Social ResearchCouncil (ESRC) seminarevent in St Andrews inNovember, hosted by theSocial Dimensions ofHealth Institute.

The event exploredcontemporaryunderstandings of how

both research findingsand practitioner-basedinformation caninfluence knowledgeproduction.

Top 10 paperDavid Menachof’s paperfor logistics and supplychain academics, ‘Ananalysis of the value ofsupply chainmanagement periodicalsfor teaching, researchand outreach purposes’,has been listed in SSRN’sTop Ten download listfor resource-basedstrategy and policy.

Logisticsacademics atconferenceDavid Grant and visitingprofessor MartinChristopher were bothrecently invited topresent at the annualLogistics Irelandconvention. With thevolatile global economyfirmly on the agenda,both Grant andChristopher used theirwide knowledge andexpertise of supply chainmanagement andlogistics to presentpersuasive arguments toover 200 delegates at theevent.

|3

Outstandingresearch resultsMike Tayles and formerpostgraduate student YiMa have recently hadtheir joint-authoredresearch paper on‘Strategic ManagementAccounting’ published inAccounting and BusinessResearch, a highly ratedjournal.

Fellowship awardfrom ESRCInterviews have takenplace for the recentlyawarded Managementand BusinessDevelopment Fellowshipfrom the ESRC, in theresearch area ofEuropean transport andlogistics.

Steve Armstrong, DavidGrant and ChandraLalwani are responsiblefor the prestigiousscholarship, which is oneof only 17 awarded thisyear.

Study leave review Angela Espinosa,Graham Spickett-Jonesand Denise Thursfieldpresented the findingsfrom their recent studyleave projects in a sessionheld in December. Thepresentations showcasedthe research undertaken,

and were universallywell-received.

For more information,please contact theindividuals directly.

learningBuddy schemeAn international buddyscheme, a jointHUBS/FASS project, isbeing piloted, funded bythe Student InnovationsFund. Take-up hasexceeded expectationsand indicates the realneed to support theintegration of home andinternational students.

An initial evaluation ofthe project has beensubmitted to ULTAC andSMT showing that theprogramme has been asuccess.

UG reviewThe review ofundergraduate degreeshas been completed anda new structure of coreand elective modules hasbeen agreed which is inline with the school’svision and mission. Aspart of this process, thebalance of assessment

methods at each leveland for each programmeis also under review.

StudentmonitoringThe school hassuccessfully introducedTier 4 student attendancemonitoring with effectfrom the start of theacademic year. Themonitoring scheme, isrequired by the UKBorder Agency.

To minimise anypotential discriminationall students registeredwith the school are beingasked to present forattendance.

Case study requestWe really do need casestudies to enhance theschool’s website andprinted materials. We arenot only looking foracademic brilliance butfor a wide range ofstudent stories – forexample, about thosewho have had a greatexperience at Hull, haveinteresting extra-curricular hobbies, orgone on to good jobs.

If you know of anyappropriate students,please let Hayley know –h.thorpe@hull.ac.uk orext. 3601.

4|

Visiting lecturerUndergraduate andpostgraduate studentslearning about researchmethods were able to putquestions on the subjectto a leading expert in thefield, Professor MarkSaunders, in two guestlectures organised byYilmaz Guney.

Partner eventThe school’s annualpartner institutionnetworking event washeld on 16 December,attracting 18 colleaguesfrom Grimsby Institute ofFurther and HigherEducation, DoncasterBusiness School and EastRiding College.

corporateReach outTeam LeaderDevelopmentprogrammes havecommenced with ABP.There is the potentialthat this could result inseven programmes,embracing 90participants in total.

There is strong demandfor driver training withthe Logistics Institute

with significant workscheduled for 2010. Anew series of discussionroundtable and lectureevents are beingorganised in associationwith Ian CarmichaelTraining Ltd, looking atissues in the haulagesector.

Work with the healthsector continues to be astrong source of activitywith work scheduled orunder discussion withHEY NHS, York & NYorks NHS and the CityHealthcare Partnership.

Work undertaken withthe HEY NHS Trust oninfection prevention andcontrol was recently‘showcased’ nationally asone of three examples ofinnovative practice by theDepartment of Health ata service improvementconference.

Work which waspostponed in the lastfinancial year is nowbeing rescheduled withKimberly-Clark inAustralasia and Thailandand locally with SevenSeas Ltd.

Demand for businessspace continues to growand new company JamesMcGuggan Associates, alead generation business,

moved into the school on18 January.

Works for YouBuilding on previousmentoring success, theWorks for You project,supported by YorkshireForward, is aimed atthose with higher levelskills who areunemployed or likely tobecome unemployed dueto the recession.

The first cohort ofmentors and menteesbegan working togetherin December 2009.

The scheme has recentlyreceived local presscoverage for the tour oflocal libraries takingplace which aims toencourage more peopleto join the scheme.

Funding reviewThe Logistics Institutehas been busy creatingand getting funding forcourses to help those whoare unemployed due tothe recession, as well asto assist businesses toenhance the skills of theirworkforce in preparationfor the financial upturn.

The institute has so farmanaged to win eightprojects as part of theInnovation Voucher

|5

Scheme. The schemeentitles small andmedium sized businessesto £3000 of specialistknowledge from trainingand education providersin the Yorkshire regionand helps them toresearch an innovativedevelopment idea fortheir organisation.

World of Workweek 2010The school will play hostto representatives fromthe corporate world aspart of WoW week 2010.

More details will bereleased closer to theweek, which starts on 22February 2010 – butplease remind yourstudents of the eventsnearer to the time.

MSc studentprojectsAt least six of the MScstudents who undertookcompany projects havenow submitted theirwork and the feedbackhas been excellent.

We are now looking fornew projects for nextyear – if you have anyideas for companyprojects, please contactVal Monaghan on ext3302.

External speakersThe school has welcomeda number of externalspeakers from thebusiness world over thepast few months.

In Hull, Wen-Ling Liuinvited Carl Källén, Headof Sales – GlobalCustomer Unit, SonyEricsson MobileCommunications, tospeak on the challengesof international salesmanagement and re-positioning through theeyes of the multinationalorganisation.

In Scarborough,Marcjanna Augustyn haswelcomed speakers fromScarborough BoroughCouncil, Visit York andlocal retailer Boyes tocontribute to tourismand organisationalinsights modules.

internationalReview ofinternationalstrategyThe school has reviewedhow it manages itsinternationalisationagenda for the comingyear with the aim ofembedding it across the

school’s activities withinprogrammes, researchand reach out. AntheaGregory, deputy dean,will manage the strategicdevelopment ofpartnerships overseas.

IncreaseddiversityWith a record number ofinternational studentsarriving this year, thebusiness school haswelcomed students frommore than 100 countries.

Additional study supportprogrammes have alsobeen introduced tosupport our internationaldirect entrant students toundergraduate degrees.

Feedback indicates thatthey appreciate the levelof support – and furtherareas for future supporthave been identified.

InternationalWeek 2009The school was delightedto welcome a number ofeminent visitors to thesuccessful Internationalweek programme.

Among them were seniorrepresentatives fromKIMBERLY-CLARKPROFESSIONAL* whogenerously shared theirexperiences in

6|

developing internationalcareers in two sessionsduring the week.

The keynote speaker wasProfessor Pablo Collazzo,who is, amongst otherthings, the chair of theGlobal ResponsibleCompetitivenessInstitute in Nyenrodeand consultant to the UNIndustrial DevelopmentOrganisation.

Summer schoolsWork is underway toidentify further summerschool opportunities withour internationalpartners, following goodfeedback from studentswho attended summerschools last year.

Funding has also beensecured to providefinancial support thisyear to two students fromwidening participationbackgrounds in order toallow them to engage insummer schools.

Working with ourMBAsKevin Ord, ScarboroughManagement Centre, hasbeen aiding a currentMBA student in Salalah,Oman by helping todevelop productionefficiencies for theDohfar Dairy company.

reputationApplications It is still early in theapplication cycle buthome/EU applications toundergraduateprogrammes are higherthan at the same timelast year. As fewerstudents had to berecruited throughclearing last year, thisbodes well forrecruitment in 2010.

Meanwhile, postgraduateapplications are broadlyin line with thosereceived at the same timein 2009.

MBA rankingsThe requirements neededto submit the school tothe Financial Timesrankings for the full-timeMBA and generalistmasters programmes andThe Economist rankingsfor the full-time MBAprogramme are being putin place.

Applications forinclusion in the rankingswill be made at theearliest opportunityduring 2010 and will helpenhance awareness of theschool.

BenchmarkingThe school has identifiedan initial set of 18 schoolsglobally against which itwill benchmark itself.These have been splitinto two groups, one ofwhich contains schoolssimilar to HUBS and theother schools seen asaspirational.

Examples of goodpractice will be identifiedand performanceindicators chosen so thatthe school canbenchmark itself againstcompetitors and gain agreater understanding ofits positioning. Theresults of the process willinform future strategicand operational plans.

AccreditationupdateAACSB accepted theschool’s latest ProgressReport in early December2009 and the school hasnow been asked tosubmit a Self EvaluationReport in preparation fora visit by a Peer ReviewTeam.

This is the final stageleading to accreditation,should the visit besatisfactory. No date hasbeen fixed, but we expectthe visit to take place inearly 2011.

|7

RebrandingupdateWorking closely with thecental marketing andcommunications teamand Precedent, we havemade good progress withthe new visual identityand rebranding project.

Postgraduate pamphletsfor MBA and MScprogrammes and twoeditions of the Businessmagazine have alreadybeen produced in thenew formats.

The new website is readyto go live thanks to muchhard work by AlisonSmyth and the rest of thecommunications team.

peopleStarters Tracy Ord began in theundergraduate office atthe end of September.

Gavin Betts, lecturer inManagement Systemsstarted in October.

Shona Lloyd began workas a KTP Associate,working in Scarboroughfirm Unison Ltd, at theend of November.

LeaversJessica Hogg,administrator.

Joanne Ford, qualityoffice administrator.

Anne Wilson,administrative assistant.

Lisa Wright, ExternalBusiness Unit.

Tim Butcher, Logistics.

Tim Campbell, OBHRM.

Andrea Delaine,reasearch manager.

spotlightWorld of work The spotlight this editionis focused on the world ofwork office.

The team is led by ValMonaghan, career skillsand placements manager,who is supported byMatthew Beecroft, careerskills assistant, and JoanWilson, placementsassistant.

Top level individualresponsibilities are givenbelow.

Valerie Monaghan –managing the work ofthe world of work office;overseeing activitywithin the school withregard to placements,student projects, guestspeakers, employabilityand career skilldevelopment etc;managing relationshipswith externalbusinesses.

Matthew Beecroft –deals with all jobvacancies and businesscompetitions;responsible for all WoWeBridge sites andcompiles web resourcesubject listings;assisting with studentprojects and guestspeakers.

Joan Wilson –administers and tracksall the activity withregard to businessschool studentplacements.

World of work week isthe office’s main eventof the year and iscoming up in February– further details will beavailable nearer thetime.

8|

EventsExternal eventsappealExternal events ofinterest to colleagues aresometimes missed as notall members of staff areaware they arehappening.

In a bid to be morecollegiate and allowothers to get involved, ifyou are attending anevent that may be ofinterest to othercolleagues, please couldyou send the details toKate Tyson to beincluded in this section ofthe newsletter.

WideningparticipationeventsWhat is business andmanagement?Scarborough Campus:Wednesday 3 FebruaryHull Campus:Wednesday 10 February

Being a universitybusiness schoolstudent for the dayHull Campus:Wednesday 3 February Scarborough Campus:Wednesday 24 February

Marketing a newproductHull Campus:Wednesday 3 MarchScarborough Campus:Wednesday 17 March

There’s no accountingfor tasteWednesday 24 March:Hull Campus only

Being a universitybusiness schoolstudent for the dayWednesday 21 April: Hull Campus only

Business Sports DayTuesday 29 June:Scarborough Campusonly

Please contact JulieArnold for more details

Conferencefunding The business school isactively supportingacademics who wish toattend subject specificconferences. Reportsfrom these events areavailable on request –please contact KarenWalton or the attendeedirect.