Department of Politics, People & Place
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Item Open Access From frequent flyer programmes to air cargo loyalty schemes: An investigation into the use of loyalty programmes by international cargo airlines(Elsevier, 2025-04-30) Timmis, Andrew; Budd, Lucy; Ison, StephenThis paper contributes to understandings of loyalty programmes in B2B markets by examining the adoption of dedicated customer loyalty schemes by international cargo airlines. Although a substantial body of research explores the use of frequent flyer programmes (FFPs) and associated loyalty schemes in B2C commercial air transport markets, the emergence of B2B loyalty schemes by international cargo airlines has received comparatively little attention in the academic literature. The aim of this exploratory paper is to advance understandings of loyalty programmes in B2B markets by identifying the prevalence and then exploring the form and function of dedicated loyalty programmes that are used by international cargo airlines. An online investigation of the world’s 25 largest cargo airlines (by scheduled Freight Tonne Kilometres (FTKs)) flown in the calendar year 2019 prior to the COVID-19 pandemic revealed the prevalence, form and underlying mechanisms of these B2B loyalty schemes and indicated that the adoption of such programmes is influenced by the type of airline business model and the geographic region in which carriers are based. The paper concludes with a discussion of the role of loyalty programmes in promoting customer loyalty in international air cargo markets and proposes further areas for research.Item Embargo Flying towards Net Zero: Decarbonising aviation amid a climate crisis(Emerald, 2025-10-14) Pantaleki, Evangelia; Budd, LucyIn 2021 the international air transport industry committed itself to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 in line with the Paris Agreement to keep global temperature rises below 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Yet, in 2022, as demand for air travel rebounded following the COVID-19 pandemic, air transport’s CO2 emissions reached almost 800 million tonnes, approximately 80% of the pre-pandemic level. Reconciling growing consumer demand for flight - a mobility regime which still relies on finite fossil fuel as its primary energy source - with net zero commitments in the midst of a climate crisis is not only a key challenge for the air transport sector but for global society as a whole. This chapter aims to review the key technological propositions (including sustainable aviation fuels, hydrogen and electric/hybrid aircraft), and international regulatory interventions which aim to facilitate commercial aviation’s transition towards net zero. The chapter concludes by assessing the key challenges to meeting aviation’s 2050 net zero ambition.Item Embargo Gender and the transition to Net Zero Transport(Emerald, 2025-10-13) Budd, LucyThe United Nations has identified climate change and inequality (including gender inequality) as being two of the biggest challenges of the contemporary global era. The global transport sector, which currently accounts for around a quarter of all anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, remains a long way from reaching its Net Zero target and largely fails to deliver gender inclusive services which recognise and meet the different mobility needs, priorities and services both between and within genders. The aim of this chapter is to review the current research landscape into the emerging and complex intersections between gender and the moves towards net zero transport. To do so, it will address issues of transport decarbonisation as it pertains to gender, before attending to pressing issues relating to the potential effects of proposed decarbonisation interventions on women workers in the transport sector and women users of transport systems. Current challenges and opportunities for change are discussed and an agenda for future gender-just Net Zero transport transitions proposed.Item Open Access From apothecary to ‘McPharmacist’? Skills utilisation amongst community pharmacists in England(Sage, 2025-06-01) Butler, Peter; Walele, Anjuman; Parker, Steve; Solomon, JosieThis article speaks to ongoing sociological debate around the fast-changing organisation of medicine and the implications for skills utilisation – with a specific focus on community pharmacy. While the professional status of pharmacists has been the subject of much debate, the closely related theme of skills deployment has been significantly overlooked. Any coverage of skills has largely been restricted to the de-skilling effect of technology; analysis of the role other contextual factors might play has been piecemeal and fragmented. Drawing on qualitative data, this article aims to offer a more nuanced view of the skill trajectory, exploring employer and national policy and professional drivers of change. The results show these factors constrain and enable human agency, depending on the setting, opening up possibilities for both reskilling and deskilling. As such, the findings stress the important mediating influence exerted by ‘place’ i.e. the clinical setting on opportunities for skills development.Item Embargo Empowering voices for climate action through amateur football – Case studies from three countries(2025-03-06) Charlton, MarkThere are global concerns that the climate debate and subsequent social action are excluding voices. People living in areas of social deprivation are increasing recognised as those who will be most negatively impacted by climate forcing. This could be seen as a democratic deficit in communities which will feel the impacts of extreme weather more acutely than their wealthier counterparts due to issues of weaker infrastructure, knowledge and resilience. Relationships between excluded communities and innovations in climate action and carbon emissions reduction are largely unexplored, with activism and behaviour change undertaken by more affluent and well-educated individuals. To understand this, preliminary research has been undertaken through a pilot study with amateur football clubs in three countries who are representative of communities sitting outside the mainstream climate debate using analysis existing data on social indices for their regions and grey literature regarding their operations and activities. This chapter highlights work with groups of young people living with differing social challenges in UK, Central Europe and Africa, who are connected to their communities through amateur football teams. The findings indicate that despite challenging circumstances, there is a strong will to take climate action in such communities and the blueprint of a framework for further future study to investigate whether engaging voices from the margins in the climate change debate may also serve as an entry point to mainstream politics, to empower youth voices which historically demonstrate high levels of apathy or lack of knowledge to engage in the issues most likely to affect them.Item Open Access A Systematic Literature Review of Passenger Non-Adoption of Airport Self-Service Technologies: Issues and Future Recommendations(Elsevier, 2025) Chaiwan, Charukit; Budd, Lucy; Ison, StephenItem Open Access Central-Local Relations under Labour (2024-): Emerging Themes and Issues in English Devolution(University of Birmingham, 2025-01-23) Davies, Jonathan S.The Labour Government elected in July 2024 has now had six months in office. With publication of the Devolution White Paper on 16 December 2024, this is a good moment to assess the direction of travel in the government’s approach to central-local relations (MCHLG, 2024c). To summarise, devolutionary elements are welcome but cautious and incremental, while the (potentially) radical elements around reorganisation are not devolutionary. In this respect, the White Paper marks continuity in the British state tradition. The wide-ranging devolution community of interest recognises progress, whilst expressing disappointment at the lack of ambition (https://citizen-network.org/work/local-england).Item Metadata only Slicing Up Red Leicester(2025-01-20) Jones, AlistairLeicester East saw the only Tory gain at the 2024 general election and Leicester South a shadow cabinet member beaten by an independent who campaigned on Gaza. Alistair Jones explains what’s been happeningItem Open Access From food emergency to poverty prevention: The changing function of food banks in Leicester.(University of Leicester, 2025-01-17) Arrieta, Tania; Davies, Jonathan S.This independent policy brief explores the evolving social function of food banks in Leicester. From our academic perspective, the intention is to support the city’s food bank network, the Leicester Food Partnership, the development of a Food Health Needs Assessment in the city, and the wider network of stakeholders constituting the Feeding Leicester Steering Group. While food banks continue to support people with the provision of emergency food parcels, they increasingly support the prevention of poverty in different ways. Poverty prevention refers to the wide range of functions that food banks are undertaking in relation to social welfare, including employability and financial management support. The increased need that the city has experienced recently, in particular after the Covid19 pandemic, led to the development of the Leicester Food Partnership (LFP), an informal arrangement between 22 food banks. This policy brief focuses on the LFP and its poverty prevention work in local communities.Item Open Access The impact of COVID-19 related flight reductions on bird prevalence and behaviour at Manchester Airport, UK: the implications for airport management.(Elsevier, 2024-01-05) Budd, Lucy; Bloor, George; Ison, Stephen; Quddus, MohammedAirport management is a complex and multifarious activity, involving many operators including airlines, retailers and ground handlers, and processes. The presence of wildlife at airports poses a safety risk to aircraft operations and as such managing wildlife hazards is a mandatory legal responsibility. This is important not only from a safety perspective but also from the fact that safety incidents can impact the operational efficiency and the reputation of an airport. Airport operators are required to devise and enact site-specific Wildlife Hazard Management Plans (WHMP) to reduce the risk of aircraft-wildlife interaction under normal airport operating conditions. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, led to an unprecedented reduction in commercial air traffic and the partial or total suspension of flights at some airports. The aim of this paper is to examine the impact of COVID-19 related flight reductions on bird prevalence and behaviour and the potential implications for airport management. Drawing on an empirical dataset of wildlife observations at Manchester Airport, UK, in 2019 and 2020, this paper details the airfield ornithology before and during the pandemic and examines the impact of COVID-19 related flight reductions on bird prevalence and behaviour. The findings reveal variations in the frequency and apparency of individual species as well as changes in the spatial location of bird sightings on the airfield. The paper concludes by discussing the implications of these findings for post-pandemic operations and for the formulation of future airport wildlife hazard management policies.Item Open Access Embedding disabled passenger needs into the UK’s Advanced Air Mobility ecosystem.(De Montfort University, 2024-10-25) Jones, Peter; Budd, Lucy; Ison, StephenItem Embargo Dynamic pricing for perishable goods: A data-driven digital transformation approach(Elsevier, 2024-09-11) Syed, Tahir Abbas; Aslam, Haris; Bhatti, Zeeshan Ahmed; Mehmood, Fahad; Pahuja, AseemIn supermarkets, rapid pricing adjustments are crucial due to the short shelf life of products. Adopting a multi case study approach, this study examines the application of dynamic pricing strategies for perishable goods through the lens of a data-driven digital transformation (DD-DT) approach. We introduce a three-phase model of DD-DT for dynamic pricing: initiation, facilitation, and strategic adaptation. In the initiation phase, we identify essential frameworks for robust data collection and analytical processes, which form the backbone of informed pricing decisions. During the facilitation phase, the study integrates sophisticated algorithms and real-time analytics to process and interpret the collected data, facilitating its seamless integration into pricing strategies. The strategic adaptation phase is critical as it focuses on the ongoing refinement and enhancement of pricing strategies, enabling supermarkets to adapt swiftly to market fluctuations and consumer behaviour changes. By presenting a comprehensive DD-DT framework, this research significantly augments the existing literature on dynamic pricing and offers actionable insights for practitioners seeking to optimize pricing strategies in a digitally transforming marketplace.Item Metadata only Advancing the common good through business excellence awards: A legitimacy-seeking perspective(Wiley, 2024-10-01) Asante, Shadrack; David, Sarpong; Eunice, Aidoo; Adekunle Isaac OgunsadeCompeting for and winning business excellence awards (BEAs) is essential for firms' long-term performance. However, the role of these BEAs in inspiring good and generating sustainable business practices has often been overlooked. In this article, we draw on the legitimacy-seeking theory to explore the “socially good” transformations firms go through by competing for BEAs. Data for the inquiry come from semi-structured interviews with managers whose firms competed in two BEAs in the United Kingdom. Providing insight into BEAs as a competitive legitimating frame in organizing, our findings shed light on how BEAs may serve as competitive crucibles that provide opportunities for feedback and learning, potentiality for brand positioning, and a possibility for stimulating excellence in the adoption of good business practices. The implications of these findings for the theory and practice of advancing the “common good” are outlined.Item Open Access ‘Mining women’ and livelihoods: Examining the dominant and emerging issues in the ASM gendered economic space(Sage, 2024-01-09) Asante, Shadrack; Ofosu, George; Sarpong, David; Torbor, MabelThe intractable challenges faced by female mine workers have come to dominate the discourse and scholarship on artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) operations. However, the extensive focus on the informal and labour-intensive segments has engendered a failure to capture the nuances in the duality of ASM operations and how it impacts female outcomes. Drawing on intersectionality as a lens, in this article the authors map the dynamics on how issues related to the gender, situatedness and positionality of female mine workers interact to shape their situated labour outcomes. Highlighting the differentiated outcomes for female mine workers within the contingencies of the broader socio-cultural context in which ASM work is organised, the article sheds light on how the social identity structures such as gender, sexuality and class interact to give form to the marginalisation, occupational roles, the ‘boom town’ narrative and occupational and health challenges that characterise the ASM gendered economic space.Item Open Access Legitimacy and Inclusivity in Place Branding(Elsevier, 2024-09-17) Bisani, Shalini; Daye, Marcella; Mortimer, KathleenScholars have increasingly called for multi-stakeholder and participatory approaches to place branding. The inclusion of communities is often argued for creating legitimate place brands. However, there is limited understanding of how these notions interact. This paper investigates how stakeholders construct legitimacy and inclusivity in their place branding practices. We develop a theoretical framework for legitimacy-inclusivity and apply it to a case study of Northamptonshire, UK. The analysis reveals contrasting approaches by industry stakeholders and voluntary organisations in terms of representation and advocacy, engagement and co-creation, and effectiveness and impact. The unique characteristics and mechanisms of voluntary organisations, which facilitate community leadership and engagement, have implications for more inclusive and legitimate place branding.Item Open Access THIRD SECTOR ORGANISATIONS DELIVERING EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT IN NORTHERN IRELAND: FUNDING AND COMMISSIONING AFTER ‘BREXIT’(2024-09-17) Peter Andrew Butler; Jonathan Payne; Jonathan RoseThis report is the third in a series investigating how third sector organisations (TSOs) delivering employment and skills support are navigating the changing funding and commissioning landscape in the UK after ‘Brexit’. Our first report investigated the situation in England , while our second report looked at Scotland . These reports highlight certain differences experienced by TSOs across the devolved nations of the UK, and caution policymakers about ignoring such contextual specificity. Collectively, however, they find a sector which has experienced significant cuts to funding at a time when many TSOs are reporting that increasing numbers of clients are presenting with more complex needs in the aftermath of the pandemic and during a ‘cost-of-living crisis’.Item Metadata only Resource passageways and personal resources: Influence of cooperative psychological climate on workplace thriving(Springer Nature, 2025-02) Arshad, Mamoona; Altaf, MeryemWorkplace thriving is a positive psychological state and has been characterised as benefiting both employees and their organisations. This psychological state may greatly be affected by the environmental conditions at work. The study aims to explore how employees’ perception of cooperative psychological climate affects employee’s ability to thrive at work through the indirect effect of meaningfulness at work. Using a conservation of resource (COR) theory, we study how the perception of employees regarding environmental conditions, referred to as a resource-passageways, may fluctuate employees’ personal resources. Through a multi-wave study, we collected data from 206 employees working in the services sector, specifically banks. A regression analysis was performed on SPSS while Hayes process Macro was used to analyse the mediating mechanism. The results show that a cooperative psychological climate increases meaningful work for employees which in turn influences their ability to thrive at work. These findings contribute to the knowledge of resource passageways and employees’ ability to thrive at work. The chapter can further guide future thoughts on the perceptions of environmental conditions as a building block of workplace thriving.Item Embargo Power and urban governance(Edward Elgar, 2024-07-16) Davies, Jonathan S.; Roberts, Mark; Vegliò, SimoneThe significance of cities as concentrations of political and economic power can hardly be overstated. Cities project power on the global stage and are recognized as powerful actors by others: anchoring revolutions and giving their names to historical epochs and intellectual traditions (Chicago or Frankfurt) and even phases of economic development. The power of the city on the historical and global stages makes it even more important to study and grasp the way urban power is conceived, constructed, contested and exercised within and between cities. The premise of the chapter is that cities, urban arenas and urbanization dynamics remain crucial sources of power and governing resources today, though the perspectives we discuss diverge radically in their claims, and the significance they impart to urban governance. Urban Studies has become a truly global interdisciplinary field, through which perspectives on power and urban governance have multiplied and diversified. The chapter introduces key traditions, exploring three distinct and internally differentiated bodies of thought: Marxism, neo-institutionalism and post-colonialism. It begins by discussing prominent traditions within or related to urban Marxism: state theory, planetary urbanism and horizontalist approaches. It then discusses recent institutionalist perspectives, finally considering the growing influence of post-colonial perspectives questioning dominant ‘northern’accounts of the city and urbanity. The chapter concludes by suggesting pathways for future research.Item Open Access The limits of “resilience”: Relationalities, contradictions,and re-appropriations(Wiley, 2024-07-30) Davies, Jonathan S.; Arrieta, TaniaThe concept of “resilience” is ubiquitous in global governance, extending from climate and ecological issues to practically all spheres of human endeavor. However, post-pandemic discourses suggest that the concept may no longer be capable of synthesizing diverse and diverging geopolitical interests into com-mon policy goals. Responding to what we see as an emerging “crisis of resilience,” we reconsider the utility of the concept and advance “irresilience” as its critical relational “other.” We argue that to make resilience meaningful in a “polycrisis,” it is necessary to think about it dialectically and consider how it is undermined by the very actors that evangelize it.Item Open Access Taught postgraduate Air Transport Management degrees in the UK: a systematic review and analysis(Elsevier, 2024-07-16) Mayer, Robert; Budd, Lucy; Ison, StephenThis paper examines the provision, structure and curriculum content of taught postgraduate (Masters’ level) Air Transport Management degree programmes in the UK. In the academic year 2022–23, 14 UK Universities offered 19 different programmes. These programmes differed in terms of their duration, the fees that were charged, the delivery models, the content and the assessment regimes. In addition to examining the content and structure of the programmes, the paper conducts a SWOT analysis of the suite of degree programmes. While the inherent advantages of having a diversity of programmes for individuals, academic institutions and the air transport sector are recognised, it is suggested that prospective students and employers are cognisant of the differences between programmes to make informed decisions about their suitability and ability to meet personal career objectives and workplace planning requirements.