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In the crowded landscape of "experts," establishing a leading Thought Leadership program that gets your team noticed requires showcasing your organization's expertise on your website in a flexible, customizable, and SEO-compliant manner. As the demand for dynamic content and seamless integration grows, having various options to display your expert content can significantly enhance your online presence. At ExpertFile, we believe that embracing flexibility allows you to cater to different needs, preferences, and technical setups, ensuring your expert content is accessible, engaging, and easily manageable. In this post, we will explore the benefits of flexible integration options when profiling your organization's expertise, focusing on three key solutions: Customizable Embeds, WordPress Plugins, and RESTful API. The Power of Choice: Why Flexibility Matters Flexibility in integration options empowers organizations to tailor their online presence according to their unique needs. Whether you are a small business with limited technical resources or a large enterprise with a complex marketing stack, having a range of integration choices allows you to adapt and optimize your expert content for maximum impact. Without predefined, easy-to-follow, and well-documented integration options, organizations can face expensive and time-consuming integrations and development. At best, this results in sub-par integrations that fail to leverage your experts' insights effectively. At worst, your Thought Leadership program is abandoned before it even starts. Flexible solutions not only simplify the integration process but also enhance the user experience, improve SEO performance, and enable seamless connectivity with existing tools. These options also provide the flexibility to move your expert content quickly and easily to a new CMS if you decide to make broader changes to your website. Let's delve into the specific benefits and features of Customizable Embeds, the WordPress Plugin, and the RESTful API. 1 | Customizable Embeds: Effortless Integration for Any CMS Customizable Embeds provide a seamless and efficient way to integrate expert profiles into your website, no matter what content management system (CMS) you use. With our intuitive embed builder technology, creating custom integrations is as simple as a few clicks, eliminating the need for extensive IT support. This solution is perfect for organizations looking for a quick and hassle-free method to showcase their expertise. Key benefits include: Ease of Use: Embeds created using an Embed Builder guides you through the process of creating custom embeds, making it accessible to users of all technical skill levels. Whether you're a marketing professional or a web developer, you can effortlessly integrate expert content into your website. Versatility: Customizable Embeds work seamlessly with any CMS, ensuring that your expert content is displayed consistently across different platforms. This flexibility allows you to maintain a cohesive online presence without the need for extensive reconfiguration. Quick Implementation: With no heavy lifting or IT support required, you can quickly integrate expert profiles into your website, saving time and resources. This speed and efficiency are particularly beneficial for organizations with limited technical capabilities. ExpertFile Feature: Embed Builder: The ExpertFile Embed Builder provides an intuitive interface for creating custom integrations, enabling users to test drive the embed options and see real-time results. This hands-on step-by-step approach ensures that your expert content is displayed exactly as desired, generating an optimal user experience. Ask us about getting access to the Embed Builder View live Embed Integrations (University of Delaware, & Aston University) 2 | WordPress Plugin: SEO-Friendly and Visually Appealing For organizations using WordPress, the a WordPress Plugin offers a seamless and SEO-friendly solution to integrate expert content into your website. A plugin can provide users with an easy way to add valuable expert content to any WordPress site, ensuring a beautiful and modern presentation and is an easy to understand concept given the wide variety of plug-ins available today. Key benefits include: SEO Enhancement: The WordPress Plugin is optimized for search engines, helping your expert profiles rank higher in search results. By leveraging SEO best practices, you can increase the visibility of your expert content and attract more organic traffic to your website. Customizable Design: The plugin offers customizable design options, allowing you to match the appearance of your expert profiles with the overall look and feel of your website. This consistency in design enhances the aesthetic appeal and professionalism of your site. User-Friendly Integration: With an easy-to-use interface, the WordPress Plugin simplifies the process of adding expert profiles to your website. This user-friendly approach ensures that even non-technical users can manage and update expert content with ease. ExpertFile Feature: WordPress Plugin: The ExpertFile WordPress Plugin provides a straightforward and efficient way to integrate expert profiles into any WordPress site. With customizable, modern design options, you can ensure that your expert content is a beautiful addition to your website, enhancing both aesthetics and functionality all packaged in a common understandable plug-in form. View ExpertFile in the WordPress Plugin Store View live WordPress Integrations (Florida Institute of Technology & NJIT) 3 | RESTful API: Ultimate Control and Customization For organizations seeking complete customization and control over their expert content, access to RESTful API is the ideal solution. This powerful tool enables you to integrate expert profiles into your existing marketing stack, allowing seamless connectivity with CRM systems, CMS platforms, and other tools. Key benefits include: Complete Customization: The RESTful API gives you full control over how and where your expert content is displayed, enabling you to create a tailored and unique presentation. This level of customization ensures that your expert profiles align perfectly with your brand and marketing strategy. Seamless Integration: By connecting with existing tools in your marketing stack, such as CRM or CMS platforms, the RESTful API streamlines the process of managing and displaying expert content. This seamless integration enhances efficiency and ensures that your expert profiles are always up-to-date. Scalability: The API is designed to handle large volumes of data, making it suitable for organizations of all sizes. Whether you have a few expert profiles or hundreds, the RESTful API can accommodate your needs, providing a scalable solution for displaying expert content. ExpertFile Feature: API: The ExpertFile RESTful API offers unparalleled flexibility and control, allowing you to integrate expert profiles into your existing marketing stack. By providing easy connectivity with tools such as your CRM or CMS, the API ensures that your expert content is displayed exactly as desired, enhancing both functionality and user experience. Developers: Access detailed documentation View live API Integration (Vanderbilt University) Conclusion: Embrace Flexibility & Future Proof Your Integration In conclusion, the ability to flexibly integrate expert content into your website is essential for showcasing your organization's expertise in a dynamic and engaging manner. Without predefined, easy-to-follow, and well-documented integration options, organizations can face expensive, time-consuming integrations and development that make integration less likely and result in sub-par presentations. By not leveraging your experts and their insights in the best way possible, you miss out on significant opportunities to enhance your online presence. Whether you opt for Customizable Embeds, a WordPress Plugin, or the RESTful API, each solution offers unique benefits that cater to different needs and technical setups. By embracing these flexible integration options, you can enhance your online presence, improve SEO performance, and ensure seamless connectivity with existing tools. To learn more about how ExpertFile can help you profile your organization's expertise with flexibility and ease, visit our website and explore the various integration solutions available. For more information on promoting your thought leadership through the power of "Expertise Marketing" download our free guide.
Career advice: Expert provides tips for acing job interviews
Later this month, a whole new class of graduating seniors will hit the job market. University of Delaware career expert Jill Gugino Panté has advice for them and others seeking employment that can help boost confidence and chances for success when entering job interviews. Panté, director of the Lerner Career Services Center in UD's Lerner College of Business & Economics, provided the following tips: Hand write your answers to common interview questions. Research shows that people have a better chance of remembering information if it’s handwritten. So, rather than typing answers out on your computer, grab an “interview prep” notebook and start writing down your stories to have a better chance of remembering them when it comes time to interview. Practice saying your answers out loud. Written communication is very different from verbal communication. Once you have your answers written down, practice them out loud. This allows you to warm up your voice and get used to talking about yourself out loud. You can do this alone in a room or with a trusted friend who will give you honest feedback. Fan out notes around your screen. Now that most interviews have moved to a virtual format, take advantage of having some extra help. Put post it notes around your screen instead of in a notebook at your side so your eyes and attention stay toward the camera. Exercise beforehand. Of course, you don’t want to run a marathon right before your interview, but you can do some quick exercises to get your blood and endorphins pumping which can have a positive effect on the body and mind. I personally like to dance to an upbeat song that triggers happy memories. To set up an interview with Panté, visit her profile and click on the "contact button." This will send a message directly to her.
Aston University hosts event to foster innovation in crisis and disaster research
The two-day conference brought together academics and policy experts Its aim was to strengthen crisis and disaster research cooperation between institutions in Taiwan and Nepal with Hounslow Borough Council and Birmingham City Council The event laid the groundwork for ongoing cooperation and knowledge exchange in disaster management. Aston University has welcomed a delegation of global disaster management experts to a two-day conference aimed at fostering collaboration and innovation in crisis and disaster research. The event held at Conference Aston from 12 to 14 May 2024 brought together leading academics, policy experts and industry professionals, with a particular focus on strengthening cooperation between institutions in Taiwan and Nepal together with Hounslow Borough Council and Birmingham City Council. Since mid-2019, a concerted effort has been underway to harness innovative technologies for geoclimatic hazards monitoring in Nepal, the Philippines and Bhutan. Supported by the National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction in Taiwan, this initiative has seen meaningful partnerships between British and Taiwanese stakeholders, driving advancements in real-time data capture for earthquake activity, rainfall patterns and wind dynamics crucial for effective crisis and disaster governance. Dr Komal Aryal, a lecturer in crisis and disaster management at Aston University, said: “I was wonderful to welcome such esteemed experts and colleagues to campus for this important event. “Sharing success stories and addressing implementation challenges to emerging technologies in local crisis and disaster management is vital in strengthening digital research infrastructure and networks at the grassroots level in countries like Nepal, Bhutan, the Philippines and other Himalayan regions. “The event served as a nexus for fostering partnerships among academia, policymakers, industries, emergency services and humanitarian volunteers across the UK, Nepal and Taiwan. “These collaborations are essential for driving impactful solutions and strategies in disaster management.” Professor Zoe Radnor, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean of the College of Business and Social Sciences at Aston University, said: “I’d like to thank everyone who attended this important event around disaster management. “It was wonderful to see the renewed commitment to enhancing crisis and disaster research cooperation which are integral to developing comprehensive and sustainable disaster response frameworks. “I am delighted to see draft plans produced for future joint collaborative activities, laying the groundwork for ongoing cooperation and knowledge exchange in disaster management.” Rev. Weilien Lin, programme secretary, Church and Society Committee, the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan, said: “This conference marks a significant step forward in our collective efforts to enhance global resilience to disasters. “By bringing together diverse expertise and fostering meaningful partnerships, we are better equipped to address the complex challenges posed by natural and man-made crises.” Professor Yie-Ru, from Chiu Tzu Chi University, Taiwan, said: “Aston University and Tzu Chi universities have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate more closely in addressing disaster and crisis management studies not only in Taiwan and the United Kingdom but also abroad. “This partnership marks a significant step forward in our shared commitment to enhancing global preparedness and response to emergencies, fostering cooperation and knowledge exchange across borders.” Mayor Narulal Chaudhary, general secretary of Municipal Association of Nepal elected mayor of Ghorahi Sub Metropolitan City, said: “This relationship with Aston University stands as a testament to how collaboration can foster disaster resilience and fortify crisis management efforts, especially in regions like the Himalayas in South Asia where vulnerability to natural disasters like earthquakes is significant. “As someone elected as the mayor of Ghorahi Sub Metropolitan City, a region highly susceptible to earthquakes, I believe that such collaborations are crucial in equipping communities with the knowledge and resources needed to mitigate risks and respond effectively in times of crises.”
300 million tonnes of rice straw are burned after harvest in Asia every year Aston University will be contributing to new international project to unlock renewable energy potential Its researchers will lead on calculating the greenhouse gas emissions savings of new systems. Aston University researchers are helping to make rice straw processing in India and the Philippines less environmentally damaging. The University will be contributing to a new international collaboration, the Renewable, Inclusive Carbon-negative Energy (RICE) project, funded by Innovate UK Energy Catalyst programme to unlock renewable energy for rice farmers. Already the University has worked with UK company Straw Innovations in the Philippines and now the two are expanding their collaboration to benefit more of the continent. Aston University working with UK company Straw Innovations and Indian enterprise, Takachar Rice straw is a crop waste byproduct and each year across Asia 300 million tonnes of it go up in smoke when burnt after harvest. This releases emissions and air pollutants that triple risks of increased respiratory diseases and accelerate climate change. India and the Philippines are the world’s second and eighth largest rice producers respectively and together they produce 130 million tonnes of both rice and straw per year. Aston University and Straw Innovations and will be collaborating with an Indian award winning small and medium sized enterprise, Takachar. The firm has developed small scale, low-cost, portable equipment which can convert agricultural waste on-site into higher value bioproducts such as fertilizer blends, chemicals and biofuels. "The company will develop a super-sized version which is 10 times bigger than their current device, make it adaptable to rice mills, and will send it to Straw Innovations, so the two firms can test out different business models for farmer adoption/benefit. Straw Innovations will also send their machines from the Philippines to India mid-project and the two countries will test out different business models for farmer adoption/benefit. And for the first time they will tap into the heat produced in the waste process to dry rice, instead of using diesel or kerosene. University researchers will lead on assessing the sustainability of the project, calculating the greenhouse gas emissions savings of the new systems introduced by Straw Innovations and Takachar. Sustainability expert Dr Mirjam Röder will also engage with the farming community and rural stakeholders to quantify how the systems can increase farmer incomes, equality of opportunity, food security and decarbonisation benefits, whilst highlighting any trade-offs. Dr Röder who is based at Aston University’s Energy & Bioproducts Research Institute (EBRI) said: “Environmentally, rice produces 48% of all global crop emissions, due to methane from flooded fields. This is halved when the straw is removed and reduced further when its carbon is stored in biochar. We are aiming for carbon negative which means removing carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere or sequestering more CO₂ than is emitted. “Our new research leads on from our rice straw bio gas hub project with Straw Innovations, SEARCA and Koolmill and we’re pleased to be building further relationships with new partners in India. In January Biomass and Bioenergy published a paper about the topic written by Dr Röder, the director of EBRI Professor Patricia Thornley and Craig Jamieson of Straw Innovations called The greenhouse gas performance and climate change mitigation potential from rice straw biogas as a pathway to the UN sustainable development goals. Craig Jamieson from Straw Innovations said "We’ve been pioneering rice straw work with the team at Aston University for the past seven years. We're delighted to continue that strong partnership and widen it to include Takachar in this new project. “Takachar is a leader in making biochar from crop residues and our partnership with them is very strategic. We look forward to combining our new improved straw harvesting technology with their scaled-up biochar production. It will be a step change, creating a new, more efficient system for carbon negative energy and soil improvement for rural communities across Asia." Vidyut Mohan who founded Takachar said: “We are excited to partner with Aston University and Straw Innovations. “Our combined solutions can significantly move the needle in reducing crop residue collection costs and biochar production costs for carbon removal." Notes to Editors Rice straw is a crop waste byproduct and each year across Asia 300 million tonnes of it go up in smoke when burnt after harvest https://tinyurl.com/2afjhhsj To read The greenhouse gas performance and climate change mitigation potential from rice straw biogas as a pathway to the UN sustainable development goals visit https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0961953424000254, Biomass and Bioenergy Volume 182, March 2024, 107072 Mirjam Röder and Patricia Thornley Energy & Bioproducts Research Institute (EBRI), College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Aston University, Aston Triangle, Birmingham, B4 7ET, United Kingdom Craig Jamieson Straw Innovations Ltd., Lawes Open Innovation Hub, Rothamsted Research, West Common, Harpenden, HERTS, AL5 2JQ, United Kingdom https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2024.107072 About Aston University For over a century, Aston University’s enduring purpose has been to make our world a better place through education, research and innovation, by enabling our students to succeed in work and life, and by supporting our communities to thrive economically, socially and culturally. Aston University’s history has been intertwined with the history of Birmingham, a remarkable city that once was the heartland of the Industrial Revolution and the manufacturing powerhouse of the world. Born out of the First Industrial Revolution, Aston University has a proud and distinct heritage dating back to our formation as the School of Metallurgy in 1875, the first UK College of Technology in 1951, gaining university status by Royal Charter in 1966, and becoming The Guardian University of the Year in 2020. Building on our outstanding past, we are now defining our place and role in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (and beyond) within a rapidly changing world. For media inquiries in relation to this release, contact Nicola Jones, Press and Communications Manager, on (+44) 7825 342091 or email: n.jones6@aston.ac.uk
Changes to Philadelphia's Tax Structure Could Represent "Pivotal" Economic Shift
On March 14, Philadelphia mayor Cherelle Parker delivered her first budget proposal in a 75-minute address to City Council. Throughout her speech, the new mayor touched on subjects ranging from corridor cleaning and housing programs to police spending and anti-violence grants. However, one set of items was absent from her $6.29 billion plan and presentation. In a break from recent administrations, Mayor Parker abstained from calling for cuts to the city's wage or business taxes. She also refrained from speaking on adjustments to Philadelphia's tax structure, which depends more heavily than other municipalities on wage taxes and has a relatively light property tax burden. Theodore Arapis, PhD, chair of Villanova University’s Department of Public Administration and an expert on fiscal policy in local governance, believes that changes to how Philadelphia levies and handles taxes, particularly on the real estate front, should be discussed further. "[Having property taxes play a larger role] represents a pivotal shift towards creating a more resilient and efficient revenue system," said Dr. Arapis, after reviewing the mayor's plan. "The current reliance on wage taxes is subject to considerable volatility, undermining fiscal stability. In contrast, property taxes offer a more inelastic and predictable revenue stream, suggesting a strategic move towards them would be beneficial for the city." Dr. Arapis also maintains that, with Harrisburg's go-ahead, Philadelphia's real estate taxes could be structured in a way that effectively facilitates business growth, while ensuring that homeowners are not unduly burdened. "Differentiating tax rates between commercial and residential properties could strike a delicate balance—spurring economic development while maintaining equitable tax distribution," he stated. "This segmentation could stimulate business activity by creating favorable conditions for commercial enterprises, which is essential for Philadelphia's economic vitality." Additionally, Dr. Arapis contends that tweaks to the city's tax abatement policy, which is currently in the process of a gradual phaseout, could further provide for inclusive and sustainable growth. "Tax abatements have been utilized as a policy tool to stimulate property revitalization and neighborhood renewal. However, these measures often carry unintended consequences that disproportionately impact existing residents," he shared. "Specifically, such incentives can precipitate a rise in property values and, consequently, a hike in the tax burdens of non-abated properties. This dynamic can exacerbate gentrification, leading to the displacement of longstanding community members. "To address the complexities of tax abatement policies in fostering affordable [and accessible] housing, a nuanced strategy is vital. A more equitable distribution of housing affordability could be achieved by, say, mandating that at least 50% of units in new developments meet affordability criteria... [and diversifying] the approach to income targeting, perhaps through a tiered system that caters to various income levels [and indexes] these categories to local inflation and wage growth." Despite the content of her first budget proposal and address, Mayor Parker likely shares some similar perspectives on tax reform and structural adjustments. Prior to entering office, during her years as a City Council member and days on the campaign trail, the acting executive worked to lower Philadelphia's wage tax, acknowledged the untapped potential of property taxes and expressed her desire for a differentiation of property tax rates. Before pursuing these measures further, as The Philadelphia Inquirer reports, Mayor Parker is probably (1) holding off until the newly announced Tax Reform Commission shares its findings, (2) ensuring that there are no immediate, major disruptions to the city's flow of revenue, as she launches her "safer, cleaner, greener" agenda, and (3) waiting for state lawmakers to make greater progress on raising the minimum wage and restructuring the Commonwealth's tax legislation, namely the uniformity clause. The mayor did, however, make one notable tax-related recommendation in her budget plan: She proposed an increase to the school district's share of real estate tax revenue from 55% to 56%, which could boost funding for the district by $119 million over five years. "The redistribution of real estate taxes between the school district and the city is commendable as an initial measure," observed Dr. Arapis. "However, without a comprehensive reform of the real estate tax system, encompassing regular property reassessments and adjustments to mill rates, this change is likely to yield only ephemeral benefits."
Dr Carl Senior identified two types of smile – affiliative and reward – given by political leaders during the last UK general election in 2019 The eventual winner, Boris Johnson, was found to display the affiliative smile, which acts to align voter behaviour The study is the first to look at how supporters of election losers react to the eventual winner. New research led by Aston University’s Dr Carl Senior has found that the type of smile used by a political leader can influence voters to support them and their political agenda. There are many different types of smile, and the researchers, which also included Professor Patrick Stewart from the University of Arkansas, US, Professor Erik Bucy from Texas Tech University, US, and Professor Nick Lee from Warwick Business School at the University of Warwick, UK, focused on two in particular – the ‘reward’ smile and the ‘affiliative’ smile. They used videos from political leaders from the 2019 UK general election, which was won by the Conservative party, then led by Boris Johnson. The Labour party, then led by Jeremy Corbyn, came second. Jo Swinson was the leader of the third-placed Liberal Democrat party. The ‘reward’ smile is the genuine, or felt smile, associated with joy and enthusiasm. It is the smile most likely to be contagious with onlookers, and has been linked to higher levels of trust. The ‘affiliative’ smile, meanwhile, communicates approachability, acknowledgement, and appeasement. It is associated with an affinity towards the onlooker and is thought to be important for developing cooperative relationships. The researchers selected volunteers professing to be supporters of each of the three main parties and showed them the same video footage of the three leaders – Johnson, Corbyn and Swinson – before and after the 2019 election. The team assessed the emotional response to the different smiles for the candidates, whether positive (happiness and affinity) or negative (anger and distress). When shown footage of election winner Johnson’s affiliative smile after the election, people in all groups showed an increase in happiness and affinity compared to when they were shown the footage before the election. Supporters of the losing parties showed an overall decrease in the negative effect. It was only this affiliative smile which was found to act as a mechanism to align voter feelings and behaviour to the dominant, or winning, political message. The reward smile did not have the same effect. Supporters of Labour showed an increased level of anger and distress when viewing Johnson’s reward smile after the election compared to before it. The effects for Corbyn and Swinson were less marked, showing that they failed to significantly change voters’ responses to them. Their appeal was somewhat fixed and failed to match Johnson’s charm. Johnson tapped into the voters’ feeling of annoyance about the slow Brexit process with his ‘Get Brexit done’ slogan, while Corbyn’s position was ambiguous. Swinson’s party was pro-Europe but lacked Johnson’s performative abilities to link a strong message to his nonverbal communication. Previous work by various researchers has shown that observers judge leadership traits and behaviour, or a lack thereof, from non-verbal cues such as facial expressions. However, there has, until now, been little research outside the US on the effect of facial displays on voter behaviour. Dr Senior said: “The human smile can convey both rewarding and affiliative social intent and thus has significant utility in politics, where the ability to bond with and reassure voters is vital to electoral success. We are in an unprecedented year as there are numerous elections scheduled to take place across several continents. The outcome of these campaigns will have a significant impact on millions of people across vast geopolitical regions. Given that almost all politicians involved in these election campaigns will make full use of broadcast media to reach voters, it is crucial to understand the effectiveness of their non-verbal displays in shifting voting preference.” Professor Lee said: “The individual appeal of party leaders has become increasingly influential. A smile can’t win an election on its own. But Johnson’s personal appeal transcended party policies, connecting with people who hadn’t planned to vote for him. “The upside for today’s politicians is that charisma is not an innate quality. It can be taught. By paying attention to their facial behaviour and ensuring they display the right smile in the right context, they can still leverage the power of emotional responses. It is something leaders of all organisations can learn.” The researchers say more work is required to understand how smiles work together with other verbal and nonverbal displays to generate affinity in voters and convey social dominance to other leaders. PLOS ONE DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301113
Success Is Sweet: Ferrero's Crown Jewel, Nutella, Turns 60
Six decades ago, on April 20, 1964, the first jar of Nutella left Gruppo Ferrero's factory in the Italian town of Alba. In its gooey wake, the chocolate-hazelnut treat would spread across continental Europe, and then the world, like a healthy schmear on toast. Today, Nutella is the crown jewel of Ferrero's confectionary empire, propping up a business that generates roughly 17 billion euros in revenue each year. Annually, a whopping 365,000-plus tons of the stuff are sold across 160 countries, and nearly one quarter of all hazelnuts harvested are devoted to its production. Luca Cottini, PhD, is an associate professor of Italian in Villanova University's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and an expert on modern Italian culture, history and society. He also is the author of a book on Michele Ferrero, the mastermind behind Nutella and its meteoric rise: Il fabbricante di cioccolato. To mark the iconic Italian brand's 60th anniversary, Dr. Cottini shared some thoughts on its Willy Wonka-like creator, early (accidental) origins and recipe for international success. Here's a taste: Q: According to Business Insider, a jar of Nutella is sold every 2.5 seconds—just about the time it takes to finish this sentence. How did we get so "nuts" for Nutella, anyway? Dr. Cottini: Well, much of the success of Nutella relates to its novelty, to the idea of spreadable chocolate. At one point, to think that spreading chocolate would be popular was as crazy as to predict that spreadable coffee would be a hit. The idea developed because, in the mid-to-late 1940s, Michele Ferrero's father Pietro was to combine the scarcity of cocoa in his area with hazelnuts, which was the ingredient most available in Alba. It seemed like condemnation that they should have only hazelnuts. Well, he combined them with cocoa to produce this mix—it's called "gianduja" in Italian—and he sold it. But when the Ferreros sold it in southern Italy, they had a problem: The chocolate was melting with the summer heat; and a lot of the workers in Naples, to not waste it, started to spread it on slices of bread. And it's interesting. The Ferreros have a completely non-moralistic approach to failure. You sell chocolate; it melts. This is somewhat embarrassing. But their approach was instead to see this situation as the beginning of a new idea, of a new concept. Q: Is Nutella's story unique in this respect? DC: Several Italian innovators have similar stories to the Ferreros', especially during the 1930s. [Salvatore] Ferragamo, for instance, developed the wedge shoe because there was a shortage of steel, with an embargo imposed on Italy. So, he used Sardinian cork as a replacement, and that generated the wedge shoe. [Guccio] Gucci, during a leather shortage, started using hemp and decorating the hemp with a double "G," and that became the trademark of the company. [Alfonso] Bialetti, who produced the modern coffeepot, used the only metal that was allowed during Fascism, which was aluminum, since the Partito Nazionale Fascista would not import iron or prime metals. But Bialetti took this poor, hybrid ore and made it something that could become valuable. And so, he invented the moka coffeepot in 1933, which is one of the symbols of Italian design. That’s one of the keys of the Italian model of entrepreneurship: producing objects that are not just trendy for one season, but eventually become evergreen or classic. Q: What inspired the name "Nutella?" DC: It was the product of 18 years of research. For all intents and purposes, "Nutella" first came out in 1946. It was called "SuperCrema" and, before that, "Cremalba." But in 1962, there was a law in Italy that prevented companies in the food industry from using prefixes like "super" or "extra." So, that led Ferrero—by then, under the leadership of Michele Ferrero—to figure out a new alternative to SuperCrema. At the same time, the company was expanding into Germany and France, and they needed a brand name that could be pronounced easily. So, Ferrero joined the "ella" sound from mozzarella, stella, caramella—Italian words that people could recognize—with the word "nut," like the English "nut," which gave their product an international feel. It's really a "glocal" [global and local] name. It was conceived as a very rooted enterprise with a global horizon. Q: In 1964, were Ferrero's global ambitions practical? DC: It was honestly a bit of a gamble. In 1957, the European Economic Community was established, which is the beginning of the European Union. And that same year, Michele Ferrero organized in Rome the first conference of his company, which was by then somewhat national, to plan exportation in Europe. In the Italy of the 1950s and 1960s, this was very pioneering. Michele Ferrero was actually one of the first businesspeople to export products to Germany in the 1950s, at a time when there was a lot of resentment against Italians because of everything that happened during the Second World War. So, he entered this incredibly difficult market, and still today, Ferrero and Nutella are strong. Q: What do you think accounts for Nutella's continued popularity, 60 years after its introduction? DC: Michele Ferrero thought of his products as speaking products. It's something very common to the automobile industry in Italy. This is characteristic of Ferrari and Lamborghini; they produce cars that are appealing not just because they're "super cars," but because they say something. Nutella is a food that says something. When someone puts it on the table, it compels people to jump in and share their own stories—of trying it with a friend, of having it on a hike or of taking part in "Nutella Day." Today, if you're in the market for a chocolate-hazelnut spread, you might find products that are even better than Nutella. Actually, surely better. But they will never replicate the appeal and the grasp that Nutella has. Because Nutella has that aura of storytelling and mythmaking other products simply don't have.
Veterinary deal would increase UK agrifood exports to EU by more than a fifth, research shows
A veterinary deal would increase agri-food exports from the UK to the EU by at least 22.5%, say researchers Agri-food exports overall are worth £25 billion to the UK economy, but the two years since the new trading rules were put in place have seen a fall of 5% in exports to the EU from 2019 levels, during a period where the sector has otherwise grown. Team from Aston University and University of Bristol have analysed trade deals and export figures worldwide to estimate impact of a new veterinary deal on UK–EU exports A veterinary deal with the European Union could increase UK agricultural and food exports by over a fifth, according to new research. The team, from Aston University’s Centre for Business Prosperity and the University of Bristol, analysed the agricultural and veterinary aspects of trade deals around the world to estimate their impact on exports. They then modelled the potential impact of different types of agreement on UK exports to the EU. Veterinary Agreements specifically focus on regulations and standards related to animal health and welfare, as well as to the safety of animal-derived products such as meat, dairy, and seafood. They aim to align, harmonise, or recognise veterinary requirements and certifications, and reduce the number of inspections between countries to facilitate the safe and efficient trade of live animals and animal products. The EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), implemented in January 2021, eliminates tariffs and quotas but does not remove non-tariff barriers to trade. These can be particularly burdensome for agricultural and animal-derived food (agri-food) exports, involving complex rules and requirements, production of extensive documentation and veterinary checks. The UK agri-food sector is a cornerstone of the UK economy, with exports worth £25 billion and employing 4.2million people. Although the sector is growing overall, exports to the EU shrank in 2022 by 5% compared to 2019, in part due to the new trade arrangements. This has led to calls for an EU–UK veterinary agreement from business and agri-food organisations, including the Confederation of British Industry, British Chambers of Commerce, UK Food and Drink Federation, Chartered Institute of Environmental Health and British Veterinary Association. Analysing data from the World Bank on 279 trade agreements and export statistics from over 200 countries, the researchers found that shallow agreements, that went little further than provisions already covered by World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules, had significant negative impacts on agri-food exports. However, where trade agreements went beyond WTO provisions to include more commitments on sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures (which aim to protect countries against risks relating to pests, diseases and food safety) and were legally enforceable, they had a robust, positive impact on exports, particularly exports of animal products and food. Applying this to the UK–EU relationship, the team estimate that a veterinary agreement that went beyond the existing TCA provisions would increase agri-food exports from the UK to the EU by at least 22.5%. Imports from the EU would also increase by 5.6%. In the 203 countries studied for the research, positive effects of deep trade deals that included provisions on agriculture took between 10 and 15 years to manifest. But the UK might not have to wait so long, according to report co-author Professor Jun Du, Director of Aston University’s Centre for Business Prosperity. “There is no blueprint out there that mirrors the UK–EU relationship. Most veterinary agreements are agreed as part of a trade deal between countries that haven’t previously had close alignment and it takes a while for the benefits to take effect. “Until recently, the UK had frictionless agri-food exports to the EU, so it’s possible that a supplementary veterinary agreement to reduce some of the frictions created by Brexit could allow trade that previously existed to pick up again quite quickly.” However clear the economic arguments, the legal and political barriers to a veterinary agreement still remain. The researchers address these in their report, suggesting that the best format for the additional measures would be as a supplementary agreement to the TCA. The key question for the UK government in negotiating such an agreement would be what the EU demanded in return. “The closest model is the EU-Swiss relationship, which sees Switzerland largely follow EU law,” said report co-author from the University of Bristol, Dr Greg Messenger. “That’s unlikely to be an option for the UK. As we wouldn’t expect to eliminate all paperwork, we could both agree that our rules meet each other’s standard for phytosanitary protection. As most of our rules are still essentially the same as the EU, that wouldn’t require any major change, though we’d have to agree a greater level of coordination in relation to the development of new rules.” The report was written jointly by Professor Du, Dr Messenger and Dr Oleksandr Shepotylo, senior lecturer in economics, finance and entrepreneurship at the Centre for Business Prosperity, Aston Business School.
The event is aimed at supporting businesses in applying for the 2025 King’s Award for Enterprise The masterclass will feature presentations from the West Midlands Lieutenancy How to be a winner will be held on Friday 10 May 2024. The Centre for Research in Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurship (CREME) at Aston University is to host a special masterclass to encourage and support companies to apply for a prestigious business award. The King’s Awards for Enterprise are for outstanding achievement by UK businesses in the categories of innovation, international trade, sustainable development and promoting opportunity through social mobility. The event, How to be a winner, will be held on Friday 10 May 2024 from 15:00 to 17:00 BST at Aston University’s headquarters in John Cadbury House in Birmingham. CREME, in collaboration with the West Midlands Lieutenancy, is hosting this masterclass to guide businesses through the application process and share insights from previous award winners. Applications for the 2025 King’s Award for Enterprise open in May 2024. Organisations who receive a King’s Award are presented with the award at their company by one of The King’s representatives, a Lord-Lieutenant, are invited to a Royal reception, able to fly The King’s Awards flag at their main office, use the emblem on their marketing materials and are given a Grant of Appointment (an official certificate) and a commemorative crystal trophy. The awards are valid for 5 years. The masterclass will feature a presentation by the West Midlands Deputy Lieutenants’ John Wood and Tom Westley, who will provide a detailed overview of the application process. Additionally, attendees will have the opportunity to hear firsthand from past winners about their journey to success and the tangible benefits derived from winning a King's Award for Enterprise. Professor Monder Ram OBE DL, director of CREME, said: “The King's Award for Enterprise is without a doubt the most prestigious accolade that any UK company can receive. The boost to your business, particularly internationally, and to company morale is immense. “I encourage West Midlands-based businesses to join us for this insightful event which will be an excellent opportunity to learn from industry experts and gain valuable knowledge on how to position your business for success.” The masterclass is free to attend and interested parties can register their interest here. Eligibility for the categories can be checked here.
Aston Business School postgraduate team reaches final of global business simulation competition
Hein, Hussein and Shristi The Universities Business Challenge Global Masters is a team-based business simulation event where participants act as a board of directors The competition offers postgraduate students the opportunity to develop the skills needed for the working world The Grand Final will take place in Southampton on Friday 26 April 2024. A team of postgraduate students from Aston Business School has secured a spot in the Grand Final of the Universities Business Challenge (UBC) Global Masters competition. The competition is a team-based business simulation that provides participants with the opportunity to act as a board of directors who have taken responsibility for improving the performance of a company. Team 'GJ1' from Aston Business School, comprising Hussein Mohammedali Rangoonwala (MSc International Business), Hein Htut Tin (MSc Investment Analysis) and Shristi Shrestha (MSc Investment Analysis), with the guidance of their staff mentor Adriana Braje demonstrated exceptional performance throughout the competition's qualifying rounds. The competition offers postgraduate students a unique opportunity to develop the skills that they will need when moving into the working world and consists of 80 teams, drawn from a wide range of UK and Irish universities. Adriana Braje, a teaching fellow in marketing at Aston Business School, said: “I'm feeling really proud as a mentor seeing my students reach the final of the UBC competition. “Their dedication and teamwork have been outstanding, and I'm excited to see them shine even brighter in the final round.” Professor Zoe Radnor, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean for the College of Business and Social Sciences at Aston University, said: “I am pleased to see our students excel on a global platform like the UBC Global Masters competition. “This accomplishment reinforces our position as a leader in business education and highlights the calibre of talent nurtured at Aston Business School, which is commitment to academic excellence and competitive spirit. “It reflects our commitment in our Aston 2030 strategy to ensuring our students are ready for work and life. “I wish the team all the best of luck for the final.” The Grand Final will take place in Southampton on Friday 26 April 2024.