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Will tourism bounce back as the Sunshine State gets ready for a post-COVID return?
The COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on the globe, leaving few industries untouched in its wake. Florida’s tourism industry was hit particularly hard, with resorts shuttered and millions of visitors to the Sunshine State canceling their vacation plans. In fact, it’s estimated Walt Disney World lost more than $7 billion in 2020, all because of COVID. But with Florida back open and visitors returning, what's next for hospitality and tourism? And how will organizations handle staffing, pricing, inflation and other issues? If you are a journalist looking to cover the tourism sector in Florida, let us help. Peter Ricci is a clinical associate professor and director of the Hospitality and Tourism Management program in FAU’s College of Business. He is a hospitality industry veteran with more than 20 years of managerial experience in segments including food service, lodging, incentive travel and destination marketing. Peter is available to speak with the media. Simply click on his icon to arrange an interview.
Aston University launches community project to promote healthy lives in East Birmingham
The Knowledge Exchange project is led by Aston University with Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, in partnership with Citizens UK It aims to identify local barriers that lead to poor health outcomes A total of £6,390 has been awarded to five projects to support local residents. Aston University and Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, in partnership with Citizens UK, have launched a community project to identify local barriers that lead to poor health outcomes. Dr Céline Benoit (Sociology and Policy), Dr Alexis Paton (Sociology and Policy), Dr Angela Jeffery (RKE) and Aisha Masood (RKE) have been leading on the Knowledge Exchange project in East Birmingham to help improve health and wellbeing. On 17 March, the team hosted the first community sandpit at Aston University, where a number of community-led organisations and charities came together to identify small-scale projects to support local residents and promote healthy lives. A total of £6,390 was awarded to five projects which will submit a report by 31 July 2022 and meet again in the autumn to share their journeys with each other as well as representatives from the NHS and Birmingham City Council. Dr Céline Benoit, associate dean for public engagement for the College of Business and Social Sciences at Aston University, said: “It was such a privilege to host a community sandpit at Aston University and have the NHS and local organisations talk to one another and come up with joint projects to help promote health and wellbeing in East Birmingham. “It was truly inspiring to see how many brilliant projects were put forward. “It not only helped us get a better understanding of the challenges local residents face when it comes to health and accessing healthcare services, but it was also a great reminder of how much we can achieve when we work collaboratively”.
Aston University experts to co-chair The Spring Servitization Conference 2022
The Conference is dedicated to understanding how organisations can develop and adapt their business models through servitization and advances services The theme is Achieving Net-Zero through Servitization and it will be held in Florence, Italy on 9 and 10 May Professor Tim Baines and Dr Ali Z. Bigdeli, from the Advanced Services Group at Aston University, will be co-chairs. Two Aston University experts are set to co-chair a major conference around servitization in Italy in May. Professor Tim Baines and Dr Ali Z. Bigdeli, from the Advanced Services Group (ASG) at Aston University, will be co-chairs alongside Professor Mario Rapaccini (University of Florence), Professor Nicola Saccani and Dr Federico Adrodegari (both University of Brescia) while Jill Forrest (also ASG) will be conference administrator. The Spring Servitization Conference (SSC) was first launched more than 10 years ago at Aston University in Birmingham. It was created to build and formalise a research community around the topic of servitization, and to understand how organisations can develop and adapt their business models through servitization and advances services. Servitization is a term used to describe the process through which a business transitions from selling products alone to selling a combination of product and service, and ultimately outcomes. The theme of the 2022 edition of the conference will be Achieving Net-Zero through Servitization and will be held at Istituto degli Innocenti in Florence on Monday 9 and Tuesday 10 May. The event will bring together the world’s leading researchers, practitioners and doctoral students to debate and engage with the theory and practice of servitization. Professor Tim Baines, executive director of The Advanced Services Group at Aston University and co-chair The Spring Servitization Conference 2022, said: “Servitization has already helped to transform the fortunes of many UK manufacturing businesses and I am looking forward to showcasing what it can do for businesses abroad too. “SSC2022 will follow the now established format of a single stream where all contributors have an opportunity to present to the whole conference audience and engage in both structured and semi-structured panel sessions to discuss their work. “The programme is designed to encourage extensive debate and bridge research theory and industrial practice. “We have some fantastic keynote speeches from senior executives at leading manufacturing businesses including Tim Foreman, European R&D manager, OMRON Europe and Paolo Mauri, Electrolux Professional.” You can find out more about The Spring Servitization Conference 2022 here.
The research looked into the means for achieving higher sustainability performance through circular economy adoption The project was led by Professor Prasanta Dey and Professor Pawan Budhwar from Aston Business School Data was gathered from around 100 SMEs from Greece, France, Spain and the UK. New findings from an Aston University-led study have found Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) are likely to achieve higher environmental performance through circular economy (CE) adoption. CE is a systemic approach to economic development designed to benefit businesses, society, and the environment. In contrast to the 'take-make-waste' linear model, a circular economy is regenerative by design and aims to gradually decouple growth from the consumption of finite resources. The project was led by Professor Prasanta Dey and Professor Pawan Budhwar from Aston Business School along with Soumyadeb Chowdhury (Toulouse Business School), Krishnendu Saha (Birmingham City University), Debashree De (University of Essex) and Chrysovalantis Malesios (Agricultural University of Athens). Data was gathered from around 100 SMEs from each of the four selected countries – Greece, France, Spain and the UK using a survey to study the current state of CE adoption, and subsequently, focus groups were organised which involved SMEs owners and managers, policymakers, SMEs' customers and suppliers, in each country to derive means for improving sustainability performance. The study reveals that SMEs in all the participating countries are likely to achieve higher environmental performance through CE adoption. SMEs in France were likely to achieve higher overall sustainability performance than other participating countries. It also found products, processes and facilities design is likely to help SMEs most in all the participating countries to adopt CE, while their waste management all needed improvement. Professor Budhwar, head of Aston Business School, said: “Although from prior research there is evidence of SMEs achieving superior environmental performance by adopting CE, economic and social performances are not assured. This motivated us to undertake empirical research to reveal the means for achieving higher sustainability performance (economic, environmental, and social) through CE adoption”. “The findings of this research enable us to continue CE adoption not only in other European countries but also in India, Thailand, Vietnam and Kenya”. Professor Dey, a professor in operations and information management at Aston Business School, said: “SMEs in the EU countries are likely to have sustainable design practices aligned with the CE philosophy. On the contrary, SMEs in the participating countries are likely to have worst recover function. “This implies that customers' pressure works for SMEs to adopt CE principles as design function in most of the SMEs' businesses is governed by SMEs' customers. Whereas effective recover function depends on SMEs' self-motivation and policymakers’ pressure.” “CE adoption needs a structured approach of analysing current state of CE through analysing correlation of organisational value functions with sustainability performance, identifying issues and challenges, and suggesting means for improvement across value functions.” You can read the full report here.
Aston MBA students take top prize at Universities Business Challenge Global Masters 2022
The competition helps develop the skills needed to move into corporate/public sector life The Grand Final took place in Liverpool where 10 teams from different universities competed for the title They were assessed on their team strengths and presented a one-minute pitch on a creative social business idea to an entrepreneur. A team of Aston MBA students has taken the top prize at the Universities Business Challenge (UBC) Global Masters 2022. Team GE7, which included Aishwarya Nagath Menon, Nashit Khalifa, Vasilijs Garbacevics, Divya Krisitipati led by Mithun Joy and mentored by Aston Business School’s Dr Julius Stephan, will receive a trophy on campus on 12 May. The competition offers postgraduate students a unique opportunity to develop the skills that you will need when moving into the working world and consists of 80 teams, drawn from a wide range of UK and Irish universities. The UBC Global Masters is a team-based business simulation event that provides participants with the opportunity to act as a board of directors, who have taken responsibility for improving the performance of a company. The finals took place in Liverpool where 10 teams from different universities, including two from Aston University, competed against each other tasked to run a simulated business under difficult trading conditions and also introduce an innovative idea to link the business to a social or environmental cause. The teams were assessed on their team strengths and presented a one-minute pitch on a creative social business idea to an entrepreneur. Mithun Joy, an Aston MBA student and team winner, said: “I am really proud to be part of the first Aston Business School team to win this competition. “It was a really competitive event against other universities, including the UBC's defending champion.” Clive Kerridge, course director at Aston Business School, said: “Although an Aston University MSc team made the podium in 2022, we are delighted to have our first ever winners of this excellent competition. “Taking part in the UBC Global Masters Challenge has been a great opportunity for our students to apply their theoretical knowledge to a complex, yet highly practical and topical business setting. “It allows for personal and professional development that is intellectually challenging and practically relevant, equipping participants with essential skills. Working in competitive teams enables peer to peer learning and interaction.” Find out more about the competition here.
Aston University expert to talk on gender diversity and inclusion at major cyber security event
The Ethnic Minority in Cyber (EMiC) network's flagship event is supported by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Attendees will hear from inspirational speakers looking at current and future initiatives to increase diversity in the cyber sector Dr Anitha Chinnaswamy from Aston University will be presenting a talk on gender diversity and inclusion in cyber. An Aston University expert and founding group member of Ethnic Minority in Cyber (EMiC) is set to present a talk at a major cybersecurity event on 28 April 2022. The EMiC network's flagship symposium is supported by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and will take place at Edgbaston Park Hotel in Birmingham. Attendees will hear from inspirational speakers looking at current and future initiatives aimed around increasing diversity in the cyber sector and will also be able to provide feedback into the initiative and policies going forward. The symposium will consist of a keynote speech, invited talks, panel sessions and round table workshops. Dr Anitha Chinnaswamy from the Cyber Security Innovation (CSI) Centre at Aston Business School will present a talk on gender diversity and inclusion in cyber and the outreach work of the Centre with schools to increase representation. Simon Hepburn, CEO UK, Cyber Security Council is the keynote speaker. The EMiC network, of which Aston University is a founding member, is a pilot network for Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority cyber academia, professionals and businesses, with the long-term aim of significantly improving representation across the cyber sector. Dr Anitha Chinnaswamy, lecturer in cyber security management at the CSI Centre at Aston Business School, says: “I am looking forward to speaking at such an important event about an ever-important topic in cyber. “While there is a growing cyber security skills gap and high shortage in the UK cyber sector, a recent survey found that only 17 per cent of cyber professionals are from ethnic minority backgrounds across all cyber roles. “The cyber sector remains relatively nondiverse in terms of gender. Just 16 per cent of the workforce across these firms is female, compared to 28 per cent in other UK digital sectors. “Those filling senior roles, typically with six or more years of experience, are particularly nondiverse across a range of characteristics including gender, ethnicity, disability and neurodiversity. “For example, just three per cent of senior roles are filled by women.” Aston University’s CSI centre, led by Professor Vladlena Benson, is the only female-led cyber security centre in the Midlands region and serves on the UK Cyber Security Council (UKCSC), alongside Simon Hepburn its CEO, to promote professionalism standards in cybersecurity. Professor Benson, director of the CSI Centre at Aston Business School, said: “Aston University CSI is actively involved in shaping diversity policy, such as with the launch of the NCS22 strategy in Birmingham and enabling the Cyber Explorer programme as a first schools’ engagement for girls from diverse backgrounds. “As ambassadors we are passionate about working towards closing the gender gap. This will help pave the way for a future of gender diversity, and hopefully other types of diversity, in the cyber security field. “Our work with female students in a highly diverse Midlands’ landscape highlights the challenges that are yet to overcome with the levelling up agenda.” To find out more about the event please visit the site here.
With an estimated 1.5-million faculty in the US and a near 50,000 growth in UK-based academics in the last decade (to 225,000), universities and colleges have a whole range of interests and expertise on offer. In fact, despite rumours to the contrary, academia is a large and growing global ‘industry’. If you’re responsible for external relations, communications, marketing, civic engagement, knowledge exchange - or any other aspect of external engagement or “connectedness” in a university or college - then the ability to choose which faculty experts you selectively promote and publicise can be a very tough assignment. I’ve had first-hand experience with this. I was once in that very position - trying to keep up with the opportunities and the expectations afforded by 800 academics at just the one mid-sized UK institution where I worked. With the benefit of that firsthand experience and having since worked with more than 100 higher education institutions in the UK, Europe and North America, here are a few observations and also a few tips on how to organize your expertise: Approach #1: The Focus on Expertise Clusters An approach taken by some universities nowadays is to promote their expertise as a group of “grand challenges” or “beacons of excellence” - drawing together as many areas of research expertise under (usually) three or four headings. While identifying “token clusters” of expertise for focus and prioritisation may seem logical, this approach doesn’t really work. It may help with internal politics but it fails to generate enough precision to be relevant to various communities such as the media and industry. Approach #2: Selectively Promoting Key Experts One trap that universities can also fall into is to focus on a small group of academics who appear to be more suitable to promote. The reasoning for this approach is often driven by the need to have a manageable number for internal communications/press office staff to work with. The easy route to take is to just work with academics who are more keen to work with comms staff in promoting their work and who are already at ease in speaking to the media. Selection of experts on these factors, while important, isn’t the optimal way to build up the profile for the institution with key audiences. First off, this approach often doesn’t yield the diversity that audiences such as journalists and potential student and faculty recruits want to see represented. This approach will also miss the mark if it just plays to popular disciplines or hot topics. Being more inclusive to promote a wider range of disciplines and specialized topics is better value all round. Approach #3: The Faculty “Expertise Audit” I’ve seen institutions make many mistakes in positioning their faculty as experts, given it’s a proven way to differentiate brand, build profile and reputation. That’s why I’ve started to work with several universities on what I refer to as a “faculty expertise audit”. This brings a more structured process that helps prioritize key areas of research expertise and identify specialist experts. The audit also looks at the resources and overall capacity that universities have available to support an “expertise marketing” program that optimizes all these elements to significantly boost performance. Start with The Business Case for Expertise At the heart of this more structured, targeted audit approach is ensuring you are generating “return-on-investment” and “value-for-effort.” A good starting point is to ask: Where is the budget coming from? Where is current and expected demand for your programs? When starting this assessment, you have to think longer than a year out. Instead, look very hard and in detail at the next three to five years (the typical cycle of research investment and university strategies) and identify which expertise is most likely to solve the problems and consequential explorations that governments, industry, benefactors/donors, and funding agencies will want to support. I’m not saying that research areas without such sizable levels of predicted investment should be ignored - far from it - but we are in a competitive climate and universities now have to secure ‘orders’ (for applied and contracted expertise) that will ensure institutional sustainability and success. In turn, that success will allow investment in other areas that are socially vital but financially a weaker bet as regarded by funding sources. Having proven where research funding is most available, pressing and externally directed, then the audit is designed to identify and match the institution’s research talent to these requirements. These audits involve shortlisting, enlisting and then coaching the appropriate academic experts. The best results come from one-to-one sessions with academics which create buy-in and yield a more detailed marketing plan to leverage your experts. While more inclusive, this is an efficient process designed to create a “shared roadmap” for where the university and the academic both want to take their expertise. A large part of this roadmap then covers off other important activities such as creating a more discoverable and engaging online presence with enriched academic profiles that perform far better than the traditional “faculty directory.” Keeping online academic profiles fresh, content-rich, jargon-free, and compelling makes the job of expert ‘mining’ so much easier. Developing a sustained program of content with an organized lead generation process is also necessary. These extra steps are where many universities miss the mark. The result is a significant loss of inbound opportunities for research grants, consulting revenues, academic collaborations as well as local and global media coverage. I recently spoke with a Vice Chancellor of a prominent UK University who admitted that they as an institution deserved a failing grade when it came to promoting their faculty research achievements, saying that he “doubted any of their academics would be happy with the way their work was being promoted online.” This is an important aspect of the faculty audit. As a consultative process, it is non-threatening and we’re listening to staff and academics. That not only enriches the information the University has to promote its brand better, it also helps to enlist the support of the academic community who see that the university cares and that it is getting their input to put together a plan – both for the university and for individual academics. The academic is happy (they understand the value for them personally and for their institution); the University is happy (it is able to focus and prioritise its expertise in an evidence-based manner), and Communications and press office staff are happy (they have so more to work with in connecting the work of the University to a variety of local and global communities). The Benefits of A Faculty Audit Having completed many of these, I’ve seen very clearly, the results of a well run Faculty Audit process that without exception yield an excellent return on investment. Here are just some of the benefits to consider: Greater Insights: Gain a deeper understanding of the hidden strengths and opportunities within your academic ranks. Better Planning: A detailed report from a Faculty Audit enables a more strategic approach to planning where faculty research and expertise can support various programs within the University - such as industry engagement, media coverage and recruitment. Building Trust: When conducted by a third-party, a Faculty Audit is seen as more credible and less prone to perceptions of internal bias. More Engaged Faculty: Increased collaboration with faculty is gained through a more consultative process that builds “shared awareness” and enables more proactive support of their research. Increased Capacity: Producing more proactive content with faculty yields better results in terms of media coverage, research engagements, etc. Demonstrate Diversity: A better understanding of expertise that goes beyond the “usual suspects” to engaging a more diverse set of faculty to promote the University. News Coverage: Positioning your faculty and their research in a more relevant way aligns with the interests of the outside world and what's on the mind of outsiders. Less Stress: A more proactive, well structured plan helps everyone to synchronise activities better versus scrambling too much to meet deadlines in the “here and now.” Is a Faculty Audit Right for Your Institution? Here are some key considerations when evaluating the value of a Faculty Audit for your institution. You are ideally suited to undertake a faculty expertise audit if: You have a stretched workload where there's little capacity for proactive comms. You're tending to turn to the same academics for expert commentary in the media or elsewhere. You tend to get complaints (or mild mutterings) about not supporting academics enough. You don't have time to get to know the range of academic experts in your institution - especially new arrivals or eager early career academics. You've adopted an 'inside out approach' rather than one that engages with the interests of the outside world and what's on the mind of outsiders. There's weak management of expectations with the academic community - and a need for clarity and shared pathways for publicity. You're operating too much in the here and now and don't have the time to plan for future events, milestones and opportunities. You want to be more strategic in your comms and engagement - and make a real difference via attracting interest, income and investment. You don't have an integrated approach to comms (where content can be repurposed and recycled). You want more global reach and presence and can exploit digital tools to enable this. Additional Resources Academic Experts and the Media (PDF) This report, based on detailed interviews with some of the most media-experienced academics across the UK and United States draws on their experiences to identify lessons they can share in encouraging other academics to follow in their path. Download the UK Report Here Download the US Report Here The Complete Guide to Expertise Marketing for Higher Education (PDF) Expertise Marketing is the next evolution of content marketing. Build value by mobilizing the hidden people, knowledge and content you already have at your fingertips. This win-win solution not only gives audiences better quality content, but it also lets higher ed organizations show off their smarts. Download Your Copy Click Here for Additional Resources
Ask an #Expert - Is there any way to temper America's boiling housing market?
U.S. HOUSING PRICES STILL RISING ALONG WITH MORTGAGE RATES When mortgage rates rise, home prices tend to level off or decline because fewer people can afford to buy. Experts are counting on that adage to help cool the nation’s torrid housing market. But the latest analysis of the most overvalued markets shows prices still are climbing despite the increasing mortgage rates, which last week reached their highest level in more than three years. In all 100 markets surveyed by researchers at Florida Atlantic University and Florida International University, buyers continue to pay higher premiums – that’s the difference between where home prices should be based on historical trends and where they are now. Two months ago, Los Angeles, Provo, Utah and other metro areas in the Western part of the country developed “pricing crowns,” an indication that those housing markets could be slowing. But home values have since reaccelerated, prompting concern that a looming downturn in some areas could be worse than expected. “Eventually mortgage rates will slow down home prices, but it hasn’t happened so far,” said Ken H. Johnson, Ph.D., an economist in FAU’s College of Business. “We should not see rapid upticks in prices as mortgage rates rise. It’s that kind of exuberance that led to past housing downturns.” Boise, Idaho is the nation’s most overvalued housing market, as it has been since the researchers first released their rankings last summer. At the end of February, Boise buyers were paying an average price of $513,849, even though historical trends indicate the average price should be $291,389. That 76.34 percent premium is well ahead of No. 2 Austin, Texas (64.80 percent). The full rankings with interactive graphics can be found here. Charlotte, North Carolina entered the top 10 overvalued markets for the first time with a premium of 50.14 percent. February’s average home price in Charlotte was $353,106, although a history of past sales suggests that price should be $235,188. “Charlotte’s significant and rapidly growing premium is similar to other Southern metros that are all experiencing fast price appreciation,” said Eli Beracha, Ph.D., of FIU’s Hollo School of Real Estate. “The drivers of this appear to be large population increases in these areas combined with a significant shortage in housing inventory.” Each month, Johnson and Beracha rank the most overvalued housing markets of America’s 100 largest metros, similar to the popular S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller home price index. Johnson and Beracha incorporate average or expected price changes and provide an estimate of how much a market’s housing stock is over- or undervalued, relative to its historic pricing. The data covers single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops. Six Florida metros, led by Lakeland, all rank among the nation’s 25 most overvalued markets with premiums of more than 40 percent. The Miami metro, with a premium of nearly 25 percent, remains the least overvalued market in the Sunshine State. As the U.S. housing market cools, metros with strong population gains and shortages of homes for sale will fare best, although those markets will continue to struggle with affordability, the researchers predict. Metros with flat or falling populations and more available homes for sale could face price declines, making those areas more attainable for young families and first-time buyers. Johnson said consumers could be taking big risks if they jump into the U.S. housing market now. “We are near the peak of the current housing cycle, and you never want to buy near the top of the market,” he said. “Consumers need to pause if their main motivation is to buy because they fear prices will rise even higher. Prices are high now, but they always moderate back toward a long-term pricing trend. Perhaps staying where you are now and letting this irrational market settle would be one of the best decisions you could make.” Ken Johnson is the associate dean and professor in the College of Business at Florida Atlantic University. Ken is available to speak to media about this topic – simply click on his icon to arrange an interview and time.
Aston University sets Meritics on course to become market leader in the bio-pharmaceutical sector
Aston University has completed a knowledge transfer partnership with Meritics Ltd to develop the company’s capability and underpinning knowledge to measure the size, concentration and distribution of biological entities, such as liposomes and exosomes, using proprietary particle analysers. The project will enable Meritics to enter the fast-growing biologics sector with their particle analysis instruments and services to significantly increase company turnover. It represented a significant change in direction for the company and focused on systems that would have the largest impact. Results provided Meritics with significant data and proof-of-concept applications required to widen the company’s product range into the biological market. It also broadened the company’s knowledge of biological applications and helped bridge gaps between the areas of interest and the limitations of the analysers. Meritics Ltd supplies and provides service support for a range of particle characterisation instrumentation to industrial, research and academic institutions in the UK. Additionally, it offers a range of consumables, analysis services and consultancy. A knowledge transfer partnership (KTP) is a three-way collaboration between a business, an academic partner and a highly qualified graduate, called a KTP Associate. The UK-wide programme helps businesses to improve their competitiveness and productivity through the better use of knowledge, technology and skills. Aston University is the leading KTP provider within the Midlands. The project was led by Dr Alice Rothnie and Dr Alan Goddard from Aston University’s Aston Centre for Membrane Protein & Lipid Research (AMPL), a specialist research group with a track record of biological particle characterisation. Dr Rothnie has over 14 years of experience working with liposomes, viral and cellular systems, while Dr Goddard brought over a decade of experience in biological membranes and nanoparticles ¬– mainly focusing on liposomes. Also working on this partnership as KTP Associate was Dr Megan Cox, whose proven expertise in biochemistry drove the innovation and research behind the project. Following the completion of the project, Dr Cox has been employed by Meritics as a Technical Specialist, using biological expertise to assess instrument parameters for biological entities. Brian Miller, founding managing director of Meritics, said: “The project has sped up the company’s plan to move into more biological application areas and widen our customer base. Aston University’s extensive knowledge in biology and biological entities is crucial for our wider sales and technical staff and provided invaluable visibility of the biological markets”. Dr Alan Goddard said: “Working in partnership with Meritics has allowed us to transfer our extensive experience of biological particles into industry. We have formed an exciting partnership which has continued past the end of the formal project, enabling cutting-edge research to be performed at Aston using the latest equipment.”
Global award for international human resource management expert at Aston Business School
Professor Pawan Budhwar has been recognised by the International Federation of Scholarly Associations of Management (IFSAM) He is a joint recipient of its award for exceptional service to the management field worldwide Professor Budhwar has been recognised for his outstanding leadership. Professor Pawan Budhwar has been named by the International Federation of Scholarly Associations of Management (IFSAM) as a joint recipient of its Award for Exceptional Service to the Management Field Worldwide. Dr Budhwar, a professor of international human resource management and head of Aston Business School, has been recognised for his outstanding leadership in building collegiality, community, and capacity in the British Academy of Management and in the Indian Academy of Management (an affiliate of Academy of Management), where he served as co-founder and first president. Pawan is also an associate pro-vice chancellor international (India), the joint director of Aston India Centre for Applied Research at Aston University and the co-editor-in-chief of Human Resource Management Journal. He received his PhD from Manchester Business School. He has published over 150 articles in leading journals on topics related to human resource management and performance, with a specific focus on India. He has also written and/or co-edited 26 books on HR-related topics for different national and regional contexts. On this occasion, the award, which recognises significant and enduring service to the management scholarly community worldwide, has been jointly bestowed to Professor Budhwar and Professor Emeritus Jean-François Chanlat, PSL Université Paris-Dauphine, France. Professor Budhwar said: “I am truly honoured and humbled to receive this award from the International Federation of Scholarly Associations of Management. It is satisfying to receive an acknowledgement of my on-going service to our academic community from global peers. Thank you IFSAM for considering me for this.”