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, which are clustered based on overarching themes – Strategy and
Operations Management, Organisation Studies, Marketing, Human Resource Management, Economics,
Finance and Accounting – 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 be allocated a supervisor 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 students 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 first
term of the final study year. 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 a member of the teaching team as soon as
possible and BEFORE you submit your Business Issue Choice Form, which is available in Blackboard.

Contemporary Business Issues in Strategy and Operations Management

 Sourcing relationships: Make, buy or ally
Suggested empirical approach:
content analysis of published annual reports, corporate websites, industry reports provided by associations and
the business press to identify factors affecting the use of different modes for governing sourcing relationships and
value chains (recommendation: industry-specific analysis and comparison of two or three companies in a selected
industry)
Introductory reading:
Krzeminska, A., Hoetker, G. and Mellewigt, T. (2013) Reconceptualizing plural sourcing. Strategic Management
Journal. 34 (13), pp. 1614-1627.
 Acquisitions of local businesses as strategies of multinational enterprises for entering
foreign markets
Suggested empirical approach:
single-case studies, using selected cases from different industries and countries (secondary data)
Introductory reading:
Haleblian, J., Devers, C.E., McNamara, G., Carpenter, M.A. and Davison, R.B. (2009) Taking stock of what we
know about mergers and acquisitions: A review and research agenda. Journal of Management. 35 (3), pp. 469-
502.
 Comparing the internationalization strategies of developed and emerging market
multinational enterprises: Communalities and differences
Suggested empirical approach:
comparative case studies: matched pairs of DMNEs and EMNEs from the same industry (secondary data)
Introductory reading:
Ramamurti, R. (2012) What is really different about emerging market multinationals? Global Strategy Journal. 2,
pp. 41-47.
 Business model innovation: Value creation and capture in the age of digitization
Suggested empirical approach:
secondary data analysis in different industries (such as publishing or financial services) and the public sector
(such as transportation or museums)
Introductory reading:
Vendrell-Herrero, F., Bustinza, O.F., Parry, G. and Georgantzis, N. (2017) Servitization, digitization and supply
chain interdependency. Industrial Marketing Management. 60, pp. 69-81.
 Forms of refugee entrepreneurship: Experiences from different countries
Suggested empirical approach:
either secondary data analysis provided by dedicated governmental and non-governmental institutions in different
countries or interviews with refugee entrepreneurs in the UK
Introductory reading:
Fong, R., Busch, N.B., Armour, M., Heffron, L.C. and Chanmugam, A. (2007) Pathways to self-sufficiency:
Successful entrepreneurship for refugees. Journal of Ethnic & Cultural Diversity in Social Work . 16 (1-2), pp. 127-
159.
 Failure in immigrant entrepreneurship
Suggested empirical approach:
either interviews with immigrant entrepreneurs in the UK who have failed or thematic analysis of secondary data
(failure communication) provided by http://autopsy.io/
Introductory reading:
Aliaga-Isla, R. and Rialp, A. (2013) Systematic review of immigrant entrepreneurship literature: Previous findings
and ways forward. Entrepreneurship and Regional Development. 25(9-10), pp. 819-844.
 Growth in immigrant entrepreneurship
Suggested empirical approach:
interviews with immigrant entrepreneurs in the UK
Introductory reading:
Basu, A. (2011) From 'break out' to 'breakthrough': Successful market strategies of immigrant entrepreneurs in
the UK. International Journal of Entrepreneurship. 15, pp. 1-23.

 Sustainable Business Operations - exploring Lean and Green management approaches.

Suggested Empirical Approach: 
Primary data - interviews with business managers / employees 
Secondary data - analysis of company case studies
Introductory Reading:
Inman, R. A., & Green, K. W. (2018). Lean and green combine to impact environmental and operational
performance. International Journal of Production Research , 56(14), 4802-4818.

 "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. 
Introdutory 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 
Contemporary Business Issues in Organisation Studies
 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.

 Humour as resistance
Suggested empirical approach:
Qualitative approaches, including single case study, interviews, observation.
Introductory reading:
Alcadipani, R., Hassard, J. and Islam, G. (2018) “I shot the sheriff”:Irony, sarcasm and the changing nature of workplace
resistance. Journal of Management Studies, in press.

 Contemporary forms of resistance in organisations

Suggested empirical approach:
Qualitative approaches, including single case study, interviews, observation.
Introductory reading:
Ashcraft, K.L. (2005) Resistance Through Consent?: Occupational Identity, Organizational Form, and the Maintenance of
Masculinity Among Commercial Airline Pilots. Management Communication Quarterly. 19(1), pp. 67-90.

 The control of knowledge workers and professionals

Suggested empirical approach:
Qualitative approaches, including single case study, interviews, observation.
Introductory reading:
Bolton, S.C., Muzio, D. and Boyd-Quinn, C. (2011) Making Sense of Modern Medical Careers: The Case of the UK's
National Health Service. Sociology. 45(4), pp. 682-699.

 Communication technologies and the intensification of work

Suggested empirical approach:
Qualitative approaches, including single case study, interviews, observation.
Introductory reading:
Bergvall-Kareborn, B. and Howcroft, D. (2013) 'The future's bright, the future's mobile': a study of Apple and Google
mobile application developers. Work, Employment & Society. 27(6), pp. 964-981.

 Critical Entrepreneurship Studies – The Darkside of Neoliberal Enterprise

Suggested Empirical Approach: Case studies within an organisation; interviews with employees and/or small business
owners; Qualitative research exploring a number of small businesses, observation
Suggested reading:
Parry, S. N. (2016). The influence of neoliberal economics on small business accounting research: A critical evaluation
of agendas and methodologies. International Small Business Journal,  34(8), 1076–1097
Contemporary Business Issues in Marketing

Business Project Dissertation – Marketing

 Using consumer online data to personalise and target advertisements

o Suggested empirical approach: Secondary data analysis, case studies
o Introductory reading: Boerman, S. C., Kruikemeier, S. and Borgesius, F. J. Z. (2017) Online
Behavioural Advertising: A Literature Review and Research Agenda. Journal of Advertising. 46(3), pp.
363-376.

 Celebrity influences on consumer decision making

o Suggested empirical approach: consumer interviews, secondary data analysis
o 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

o Suggested empirical approach: secondary data analysis, case studies
o 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’

o Suggested empirical approach: interviews, secondary data analysis
o 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

o Suggested empirical approach: consumer interviews, secondary data analysis
o 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.

 The impact of terrorism on tourism and events

Suggested empirical approach:
longitudinal secondary data analysis of the tourism industry and festivals in selected countries
Introductory reading:
Liu, A. and Pratt, S. (2017) Tourism’s vulnerability and resilience to terrorism. Tourism Management. 60, pp. 404-
417.
 Corporate communication strategies and crisis management
Suggested empirical approach:
single-case studies on selected companies and issues (such as Volkswagen, Fukushima, Enron), longitudinal
secondary data analysis
Introductory reading:
Coombs, W.T. (2015) The value of communication during a crisis: Insights from strategic communication
research. Business Horizons. 58(2), pp. 141-148.
 Communicating entrepreneurial failure
Suggested empirical approach:
content analysis of failure communication, e.g. provided by http://autopsy.io/
Introductory reading:
Coombs, W.T. (2015) The value of communication during a crisis: Insights from strategic communication
research. Business Horizons. 58(2), pp. 141-148.
Contemporary Business Issues in Human Resource Management
 Leading remote workers: Leadership styles, benefits and pitfalls
Suggested empirical approach:
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
 Models of apprenticeship and vocational training across countries: Approaches, benefits
and pitfalls
Suggested empirical approach:
secondary data analysis to identify and compare approaches across countries
Introductory reading:
Bosch, G. and Charest, J. (2008) Vocational training and the labour market in liberal and coordinated economies.
Industrial Relations Journal. 39(5), pp. 428-447.
 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.

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.
Contemporary Business Issues in Accounting 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.
 Crowdfunding and new venture success
Suggested empirical approach:
analysis of data provided by internet-based crowdfunding platforms
Introductory reading:
Ahlers, G.K.C., Cumming, D., Günther, C. and Schweizer, D. (2015) Signaling in equity crowdfunding.
Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice. 39, pp. 955-980.