The ‘Idea Cloud’:

Contemporary Business Issues

The intention of the module is to provide students with theoretical and empirical inspiration
for studying contemporary business issues. The issues that they can choose reflect different
areas of expertise and study programmes.

This document contains a series of suggestions for the selection of a business issue. The list
of contemporary business issues should be seen as an ‘idea cloud’. These issues are not
individual topics for the students’ business projects, but rather topical areas, which provide
opportunities and inspiration for the specification of individual business projects, potential
empirical approaches and introductory readings. Put differently, the suggestions outlined
below require further refinement. Each may provide opportunities for the specification of
various research questions and approaches to collect and analyse data. Moreover, these
suggestions are not exhaustive. Students may consider further issues that they are
interested in.

Each student will have their seminar tutor to provide support, assistance and guidance
throughout the process of defining a research question and a conceptual framework,
summarizing and evaluating the existing literature, collecting and analysing data, and
reporting and discussing the findings of the business project. However, it is up to the
student to select a contemporary business issue, specify a precise research question and
outline the empirical approach to examine the research question.

A variety of empirical approaches are possible. They will be presented in the lectures
throughout the term. It is generally easier to get access to secondary data sources and/or
documents. However, whenever relevant and appropriate, the students are encouraged to
collect primary data. If they are using primary data, students must complete an ethics form
and secure the agreement of the supervisor to accompany the proposal and provide
guidance. For more details on this point, please see the guidelines specified in the Business
Project Module Handbook.

Before making a final choice of a business issue, students should consider the following
points:

 Please take your time in reading the document, particularly these introductory points.
 Think carefully about your choice: Do not choose an issue straight away; do some initial
research and carefully consider all the options. If you have an issue in mind, it will most
probably fit within one of the following areas and you can discuss with your supervisor
at the first meeting whether your own idea is viable, i.e. whether there is sufficient
literature and data for your analysis.
 Although the suggested business issues differ, the marking criteria are identical. There is
always enough literature available on a topic to complete your dissertation: if you cannot
find it you need to vary your search processes.
 If you have ANY uncertainties about your choice, speak to your seminar tutor as soon as
possible and BEFORE you submit your Business Issue Choice Form, which is available in
Blackboard.
Business and Management
 Managing an ageing workforce: Evidence from different countries

Suggested empirical approach:

either content analysis of secondary data from selected companies or diversity initiatives, or
interviews with HR managers, trade union representatives and/or employees

Introductory reading:
Kirton, G. and Greene, A.M. (2010) The Dynamics of Managing Diversity: A Critical Approach . 3rd
ed. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.
 Business women in emerging economies: Career paths, promoting factors and
obstacles

Suggested empirical approach:

either interviews with women in leading positions in companies and public institutions in
emerging economies or analysis of secondary data, e.g. media coverage on business women in
selected emerging economies

Introductory reading:
Rhodes, D.L. (2016) Women and Leadership. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

 Remote working: Practices, benefits and pitfalls

Suggested empirical approach:

either single-case studies of organizations selected by students or interviews with employees from
different organizations and industries

Introductory reading:
Wilkinson, J. and Jarvis, C. (2011) New working practices: Identity, agency and the emotional
experience of remote working. In Kelliher, C. and Richardson, J., eds., (2011) New Ways of
Organizing Work: Developments, Perspectives and Experiences . London: Routledge, pp. 78-93.
Available from: http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/16714

 Leading a diverse workforce

Suggested empirical approach:

students concentrate on a selected dimension of diversity, such as age, gender or ethnic
background, and either focus on secondary data or use interviews to examine best practices in
selected organisations and/or industries

Introductory reading:
Kirton, G. and Greene, A.M. (2010) The Dynamics of Managing Diversity: A Critical Approach . 3rd
ed. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.

 The Effects of Political Instability on International Business

Suggested Empirical Approach: This could be either small scale, using interviews, looking at how
UK exporters are being affected by the Brexit negotiations, or larger, using secondary sources to
look at how it has been affecting the international business sector.

Introductory reading:
John, A. and Lawton, T. (2017). International Political Risk Management:
Perspectives, Approaches and Emerging Agendas. International Journal of Management Reviews,
20(4), pp.847-879 
  Marketing

 Celebrity influences on consumer decision making

Suggested empirical approach:
consumer interviews, secondary data analysis

Introductory reading:
Moraes, M., Gountas, J. and Sharma, P. (2019) Celebrity Influences on Consumer Decision
Making: New Insights and Research Directions. Journal of Marketing Management. 35(13-14), pp.
1159-1192.

 Corporate Social Responsibility and its link with Corporate Reputation

Suggested empirical approach:
secondary data analysis, case studies

Introductory reading:
Chun, R., Argandoňa, A., Choirat, C. and Siegel, D. (2019) Corporate reputation: Being good and
looking good. Business & Society. 58(6), pp. 1132-1142.

 Influences on behaviour of the ‘Green Consumer’

Suggested empirical approach:
interviews, secondary data analysis

Introductory reading:
Uddin, S.M.F. and Khan, M.N. (2018) Young Consumer's Green Purchasing Behavior:
Opportunities for Green Marketing. Journal of Global Marketing. 31(4), pp. 270-281.

 Loyalty programmes and consumer engagement

Suggested empirical approach:
consumer interviews, secondary data analysis

Introductory reading:
Bruneau, V., Swaen, V. and Zidda, P. (2018) Are loyalty program members really engaged?
Measuring customer engagement with loyalty programs. Journal of Business Research. 91(10),
pp. 144-158

 Customer experience in the digital age.

Suggested approach
Surveys, interviews, focus groups.

Introductory reading: 
Lemon, K. N., & Verhoef, P. C. (2016). Understanding Customer Experience Throughout the
Customer Journey. Journal of Marketing, 80(6), pp. 69-96. https://doi.org/10.1509/jm.15.0420
Contemporary Business Issues in Accounting and Finance and Banking and
Finance
 International differences in financial reporting: Evidence from selected
countries
Suggested empirical approach:
either secondary data analysis of published annual reports from either matched pairs of
companies from different countries or single-case studies from companies located in countries
that are not included in Nobes & Stadler (2015)
Introductory reading:
Nobes, C.W. and Stadler, C. (2015) The qualitative characteristics of financial information, and
managers’ accounting decisions: Evidence from IFRS policy changes. Accounting and Business
Research. 45(5), pp. 572-601.
 Corporate social disclosures: Approaches chosen by companies in different
countries
Suggested empirical approach:
secondary data analysis of published annual reports from either matched pairs of companies
located in the UK and another country or single-case studies from companies located in various
countries
Introductory reading:
Adelopo, I., Obalola, M. and Cea Moure, R. (2017) Corporate social disclosures by banks:
Between legal institution and cultural dimensions. In Gal, G., Akisik, O. and Wooldridge, W., eds.
(2017) Sustainability and Social Responsibility: Regulation and Reporting . Singapore: Springer.
Available from: http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/31677
 Reporting financial and non-financial performance: Financial, social and
environmental disclosures
Suggested empirical approach:
content analysis of published annual reports either focusing on a selected industry (cross-
sectional) or tracing the evolution of reporting practices and standards in a selected company
(longitudinal)
Introductory reading:
de Villiers, C., Rinaldi, L. and Unerman, J. (2014) Integrated Reporting: Insights, gaps and an
agenda for future research. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal. 27 (7), pp. 1042-1067.
.

· Board characteristics and business performance

Suggested empirical approach:
Either empirical analysis of secondary data from published annual reports for selected
companies located in UK and other countries or single-case studies from companies located
in various countries
Introductory reading:
Rubino, F. E., Tenuta, P. and Cambrea, D. R. (2017) Board characteristics effects on
performance in family and non-family business: a multi-theoretical approach. Journal of
management and governance. Issue 3, pp. 623-658.
Contemporary Business Issues in Economics
 Labour market integration of refugees: Approaches in different countries
Suggested empirical approach:
secondary country-specific data, such as policy papers or documents provided by dedicated
governmental and administrative bodies
Introductory reading:
Lundborg, P. (2013) Refugees’ employment integration in Sweden: Cultural distance and labor
market performance. Review of International Economics. 21, pp. 219-232.
 Microfinance and women entrepreneurship
Suggested empirical approach:
content analysis of secondary data included in dedicated databases, e.g. provided by MIX Market,
an online database to which microfinancing institutions voluntarily contribute data
(www.mixmarket.org), or using secondary data published by selected microfinancing institutions
Introductory reading:
Khavul, S. (2010) Microfinance: Creating opportunities for the poor? Academy of Management
Perspectives. 24(3), pp. 58-72.
 Promoting regional economic innovation and SME success: The impact of
regional clusters
Suggested empirical approach:
case studies of selected regional clusters drawing on diverse types of data (documents, policy
papers, articles from the business press, websites, interviews)
Introductory reading:
Engel, J.S. (2014) Global Clusters of Innovation. Entrepreneurial Engines of Economic Growth
around the World. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.