Kodak shows how to compete with startups if you’re a heritage brand March 25, 2019 The digitalisation of our world has given with one hand and taken away with the other. It has created opportunities for new companies, and made household names such as Amstrad computers and Woolworths entirely redundant. Technological advancements have facilitated the emergence of startups that thrive on disrupting traditional business models. However, the decline of established [...]
DEBATE: Are galleries and museums like the Tate right to shun donations from the controversial Sackler family? March 25, 2019 Are galleries and museums like the Tate right to shun donations from the controversial Sackler family? Sian Flynn, a curator and museums and galleries consultant, says YES. All publicly funded museums and galleries in Britain need to generate their own income to survive and thrive: this is a fact. They are also guardians of the nation’s [...]
School’s not out – Britain must become a nation of lifelong learners March 25, 2019 For the United Kingdom as for the wider OECD, the most important resources we have are the talents and endeavours of our citizens. However, this is an asset that we are currently failing to nurture as well as we should. The typical refrain from policymakers in response to this challenge is to consider how each [...]
Don’t you dare tune out – your country needs you to step up March 25, 2019 Freedom’s just another word for nothin’ left to lose. So sang Janis Joplin in what sounds like a 1970s version of the Prime Minister’s “No Deal Is Better Than A Bad Deal” refrain. Perhaps this was at the back of her mind when she called for a “moment of decision” last week. One EU leader’s response [...]
We must not let Brexit distract from the global war on single-use plastic March 25, 2019 At a time of ongoing uncertainty, and with so much attention on the drama unfolding in Westminster, it is easy to forget that there are other issues that are equally important. And, of course, we’re not just talking about issues affecting us in the UK, but globally too. One matter that certainly needs our attention [...]
Why properties with less than 80 years left on the lease are suddenly popular with Brexit buyers March 22, 2019 In previous times, the demand for residential property with 80 years or less remaining on the leasehold was generally low. However, current market conditions favour a new breed of savvy buyers, seeking alternate methods of approaching the market who wish to benefit from continued Brexit-related uncertainty. Leasehold property is a depreciating asset, so the less [...]
I’d kill to be the chief exec of… Unilever March 22, 2019 Last week, Unilever’s chief executive Alan Jope announced that he would promote his rival for the top job – Nitin Paranjpe – to the newly created role of chief operations officer. He also said farewell to two other executive members – all in pursuit of the ever-elusive goal of three to five per cent top-line [...]
Theresa May’s perverse migration stance will damage the UK’s economy March 22, 2019 One of the unexpected impacts of the Brexit vote has been a marked change in public attitudes towards immigration – for the better. Today, 45 per cent of Britons are positive about the impacts of immigration on the UK, while only 31 per cent are negative – roughly the reverse of the figures from three [...]
DEBATE: A third of voters would rather AI ran the country than politicians – so should robots move into Downing Street? March 22, 2019 A third of voters would rather AI ran the country than politicians – so should robots move into Downing Street? Takashi Sonoda, chief executive of internet of things company Uhuru, says YES. The idea that an artificial intelligence (AI) device could wholly take over the decision making at the top of the British government is pure [...]
Only a failing healthcare system would discourage patients from getting tested March 22, 2019 Health secretary Matt Hancock is facing backlash for sharing his personal testimony about health screenings. Writing for The Times, Hancock hailed predictive risk tests as a tool that “may save my life”, after discovering his increased risk of having prostate cancer. Yesterday, in the same newspaper, a host of medical professionals pushed back against the his [...]