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Aston University to officially launch Cyber Security Innovation Centre at Birmingham Tech Week

It will take place at Conference Aston on 13 October, during Birmingham Tech Week 2021 Line up of speakers includes experts from Security Exports Department for International Trade, DCMS and the IoD The event will be of relevance to companies, alumni, academic staff interested in cybersecurity. The Cyber Security Innovation (CSI) Centre at Aston University will host its inaugural event during Birmingham Tech Week 2021. The CSI Centre, established in 2020, brings together stakeholders from industry, government and leading cyber security research institutions with the aim to deliver industry-aligned research outcomes. CSI members include globally-recognised academics undertaking research projects that address real-world cyber security challenges through innovative solutions. Cyber (In)Security, Requires a Robust Approach Through Continuous Innovation, will see a broad range of contributors taking part across the face-to-face event on 13 October. They include speakers from the UK Defence and Security Exports Department for International Trade, the Institute of the Directors (IoD), Cyber Senior Policy Lead, DCMS, Opel/Vauxhall and Professor Vladlena Benson, Director of CSI Centre. Professor Vladlena Benson, director of the CSI at Aston Business School, said: “I am delighted to officially launch the CSI Centre at Conference Aston during Birmingham Tech Week 2021 and am looking forward to welcoming everyone to our first face-to-face event. “This is a wonderful opportunity to meet face-to-face with industry-leading experts, academics and start-ups. With most of the UK confined to working from home for over a year, there is no better opportunity to meet and build relationships with the people who can help business owners grow, innovate and make their companies more resilient. “Statistics shows that UK small businesses are successfully hacked every 19 seconds2 and new certification standards coming into play for consumer IoT devices and cyber-physical access control systems. It is time to find a robust approach maximising the effectiveness of cybersecurity investment now. “The bad guys are winning the cyber security war - the good guys need to do better. Although organisations are investing more and more in cyber security, the average number of days to detect a breach is increasing year on year, not reducing. So, we need to do something different.” To attend the event on 13 October 2021, you can sign up HERE.

Timpson CEO joins Aston University as visiting professor

• James Timpson OBE has been the chief executive of Timpson since 2011 • He will work within Aston University’s College of Business and Social Sciences to develop connections in personal financial wellbeing and tax • Professor Timpson will engage with students about values in leadership and will deliver a public lecture on corporate kindness. The CEO of retail chain Timpson has joined Aston University as a visiting professor within the College of Business and Social Sciences. James Timpson will work closely with Aston University’s head of accounting to develop connections between Aston Business School and the tax and financial wellbeing industry over the next three years. In his first 12 months he will engage with both first year and pre-University students about University life, running a business and values in leadership and corporate kindness, delivering a public lecture around the latter reflecting Timpson’s work with ex offenders. He will also have the opportunity to talk to Masters students who have interests in corporate cultural development alongside Aston University’s Work and Organizations and Strategy departments and its MBA programme. Professor Timpson will also work with colleagues at Aston Business School to develop connections on his interests related to the University’s research agenda, such as TaxWatch, and connect Timpson with the student placements team to explore possible opportunities for student third year placements on MSc and MBA project work. Professor Timpson said: “I am excited to join Aston University as a visiting professor and to pass on some of the knowledge and connections I have built over the last 27 years in business. “I am looking forward to discussing the mechanisms of business with the business leaders of tomorrow at Aston University and about culture and corporate kindness at the University and its activity and plans in this area. “The Timpson Foundation specialises in the recruitment of marginalised groups within society as well as supporting numerous other socially minded projects. Approximately 10 per cent of our workforce is made up of people who have criminal convictions. We believe in giving people a second chance.” Professor Andy Lymer, head of accounting at Aston Business School, said: “I am really looking forward to working with James. “This well-deserved award recognises the distinguished contribution that he has made and continues to make to the business community. We are privileged to have a business leader of James' stature join our faculty. “As a university that values highly practical experience, his wide and varied track record at boardroom level will provide invaluable stimulus and advice for our students and staff alike.”

Aston University Professor Patricia Thornley elected Fellow of The Royal Academy of Engineering

• Professor Patricia Thornley joins a total of 69 leading engineers from around the world to the Fellows of the Royal Academy of Engineering • Each individual recognised for their outstanding and continuing contributions to their profession • Patricia Thornley is the Director of the Energy and Bioproducts Research Institute (EBRI) at Aston University Professor Patricia Thornley from Aston University has joined the Royal Academy of Engineering as a Fellow. The Director of the Energy and Bioproducts Research Institute, which is based at the University, joins a total of 69 leading figures in the field of engineering and technology to the Fellowship of the Royal Academy of Engineering this week. The group consists of 60 Fellows, four International Fellows and five Honorary Fellows, with each individual having made exceptional contributions to their sectors in their own way, as innovation leaders, inspiring role models, or through remarkable achievements in business or academia. This year’s new Fellows are the first to reflect the Academy’s Fellowship Fit for the Future initiative announced in July 2020, to drive more nominations of outstanding engineers from underrepresented groups ahead of its 50th anniversary in 2026. This initiative will see the Academy strive for increased representation from women, disabled and LGBTQ+ engineers, those from minority ethnic backgrounds, non-traditional education pathways and emerging industries, and those who have achieved excellence at an earlier career stage than normal. These new Fellows will be admitted to the Academy, which comprises nearly 1,700 distinguished engineers, at its AGM on 22 September. In joining the Fellowship, they will add their capabilities to the Academy’s mission to create a sustainable society and an inclusive economy for all. Sir Jim McDonald FREng FRSE, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, said: “Our Fellows represent the best of the best in the engineering world, and we welcome these 69 excellent and talented professionals to our community of businesspeople, entrepreneurs, innovators and academics. “This year’s new Fellows are the most diverse group elected in the history of our institution. The engineering profession has long suffered from a diversity shortfall and the Academy is committed to changing that, including by ensuring that our own Fellowship community is as inclusive as it can be. It is well established that diverse organisations tend to be more agile and more innovative, and as the UK’s National Academy for engineering and technology, we have a responsibility to reflect the society we serve in addressing the shared challenges of our future.” Professor Thornley added: “It is such an honour to be admitted to the Academy and be able to represent Aston University, EBRI and females within engineering, and I look forward to working with the Royal Academy of Engineering in the future.”

Offshore A’s – UMW’s David Rettinger is the go-to expert for the Varsity Blues trial

The Varsity Blues case captured headlines over two years ago, when news broke that wealthy parents paid upwards of $25 million in bribes to help their children cheat on test scores and secure college admission. As the trial gets underway this week, Professor of Psychological Science David Rettinger, who oversees Academic Integrity Programs at the University of Mary Washington, can provide unique insight into the scandal and the rise of contract cheating at colleges and universities across the country. He was recently interviewed by CBS News about the billion dollar cheating industry that has emerged in Kenya, where Americans are paying African students to do homework, write essays and in some cases, even complete degrees for them. "I think the state of cheating at colleges and universities is serious and getting more serious," David Rettinger ... told CBS News. He said that cheating is problematic because it means people can graduate from degree programs without actually being qualified in their fields. "We trust our doctors have been to medical school," Rettinger said. "Cheating leads us to overall social corruption because it leads us to having a cadre of professionals who can't actually do the work that they claim they can do." You can see the full interview and story here: Dr. David Rettinger is available to speak with media regarding this issue of cheating and academic integrity. Simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.

IDC Quarterly Tech Brief: Your Guide For The Digital-First World

September 2021 Editor's Comments Happy September! We hope you got a chance to recharge and enjoy the summer. Now that we’re looking into the last half of 2021, our experts agree that we’re not going back to the pre-pandemic normal, but we can’t help but be optimistic with recent news on vaccinations, lifting of restrictions, kids going back to school, and some of us returning to the office. As the world slowly moves from a pandemic to a digital-first state, we will see permanent shifts in the way we live, work, play and learn. IDC expects the next 3 years to remain highly fluid due to the growing range of global challenges. And now, more than ever, business and government leaders will need to operate and invest in increasingly digital-first markets, while building digital infrastructures, enabled by an intelligent, empowered, and a well-connected workforce. In this edition of IDC Canada's Quarterly Tech Brief, we’ll explore insights on the digital-first world, best practices, and digital transformation stories from Canadian tech leaders at our upcoming IDC CIO Series webinar on September 22, and as usual, we also reveal the latest research, survey results and market forecasts. And last but not least, we're happy to announce IDC Canada's biggest technology event of the year, IDC Connections 2021 is coming up on November 4th. Save your seat today! FEATURED IDC CIO Panel Series – Part 2: Building Resiliency & Innovation into Your Canadian Journey Join us on Wednesday, September 22 at 2 p.m. ET for the latest session of our IDC CIO Panel webinar series where we will dive into what digital resiliency means for you, and how to leverage the latest Digital Infrastructure and Digital Innovation trends to your advantage. Hear from industry-leading tech executives, Antoine Haroun, CIO at the Peel District School Board, Irene Zaguskin, CTO at The Printing House, and Michael Kurek, VP of Sales & Operations, Data Center Solutions at Dell Technologies as they unpack how the pandemic accelerated their digital transformation journey, and their best practices for planning and managing IT during uncertain times. Our experts will also host 3 sessions around how the Future Enterprise operates in a Digital-First World, a look ahead at the forces of change heading into 2022, the Future of Digital Infrastructure, and the need to strive for a balance between digital innovation and resiliency to remain relevant and competitive. Your Canadian Research Checklist Here are some of our most popular Canadian reports of the quarter to help you understand changing market conditions and succeed in 2021. ✓ IDC Market Glance: Service Providers in Canada, 2Q21 ✓ The Rise of Canadian Cloud Ecosystems ✓ Canadian Cybersecurity Market Snapshot, 2Q21 ✓ Canadian Cybersecurity Buyer Persona: Managed Security Services Benefits ✓ Canadian Managed Cloud Services Adoption, 2021 Forecast Highlights ✓ Canadian Wireless Services Forecast, 2021–2025: Wireless Wars 18 ✓ Canadian Internet of Things Forecast, 2021–2025 ✓ Outlook for Canadian SaaS Applications, 2021 ✓ Worldwide Managed Cloud Services Forecast, 2021-2025 ✓ IDC's Forecast Scenario Assumptions for the Canadian ICT Market, April 2021 IDC THOUGHT LEADERSHIP: DIGITAL RESILIENCY SCORECARD Explore IDC's new Digital Resiliency Scorecard Does resiliency still matter in a "post-pandemic" world? Quite simply, it does. In IDC's recent Digital Resiliency Benchmark Survey, we found that 65% of U.S. buyers and 55% of Worldwide buyers have plans to invest in resiliency over the April 2021-April 2022 timeframe. Watch The Digital Resiliency Scorecard webinar to learn more ICYMI: BLOG HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS QUARTER Future of Customer - More Human Experience - Over 34% of executives point to transforming the customer experience as the top business function. Learn more about the Future of Customer framework with IDC’s Keyoor Adavani. Read More → Major Smartwatch Market Consolidation: A Canadian Take - In May Google announced a new unified smartwatch platform in partnership with Samsung. Learn how this partnership is expected to shake up the market dynamics in Canada with Shahd ElAshri. Read More → Telesat Vying For LEO Constellation Leadership - A new commercial space race has begun and among the entrants for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellations, Telesat is an emerging leader in this multi-billion-dollar market. Learn more from IDC's Lawrence Surtees. Read More → Federal Budget Innovation Goals and What’s Next for Recovery - COVID-19 fast-tracked innovation and digitization. See how the federal budget plans to support digital transformation, and learn how customer centricity and AI can set you apart from the competition with IDC's Mark Schrutt. Read More → UPCOMING VIRTUAL EVENT IDC Connections 2021 Canada: Accelerating Your Path to a Digital-First Enterprise Mark your calendars! IDC Connections is back this year and we can't wait for you to take a front-row seat. Don't miss an afternoon full of IDC experts' insights, special guests, networking, and hear from the tech leaders who are driving this new era of rapid transformation. This year's highlights include: A special closing keynote on the Future of Sports and Entertainment with Humza Teherany, Chief Technology & Digital Officer at Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Creating digital innovation & experiences at your organization, with IDC's Chief Research Officer, Meredith Whalen Embracing digital infrastructure, with IDC Canada's Dave Pearson Leveraging new industry ecosystems, with IDC Canada's Nigel Wallis Guidance from our popular CIO Best Practices Panelists PODCASTS WORTH A LISTEN  Find out why clients are raving about our new podcast series! In an era seemingly filled with uncertainty, the Future Enterprise podcast is a must-listen. It's a podcast for business and tech executives, aimed at helping you leverage technology to achieve innovative, disruptive, and productive business outcomes. Listen in as IDC host, Joseph Pucciarelli, Group Vice President & IT Executive Advisor interviews C-level executives from around the world on their digital transformation initiatives touching on each of the "Future of X" digital initiatives. Senior IDC research leaders often join in the conversation. Listen Now → Thanks for being a part of our IDC Quarterly Tech Brief Newsletter community! Don’t forget to subscribe to be notified quarterly when the next issue comes out.

Aston Law School corporate governance experts launch new book on investor stewardship

Dr Daniel Cash and Robert Goddard co-wrote Investor Stewardship and the UK Stewardship Code: The Role of Institutional Investors in Corporate Governance The book will be relevant for an international audience of academics, regulators and policymakers in financial regulation, investment regulation and financial services It coincides with the publishing of the Stewardship Code 2020 signatories as part of a new regulatory code by the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) Two members of Aston Law School have released a new book around investor stewardship to coincide with a major milestone by the Financial Reporting Council (FRC). The FRC published the first main list of Stewardship Code 2020 signatories on 6 September 2021, after a round of reporting earlier this year. This milestone details who is following the Code and allows the regulator to focus on holding signatories to the articulated standards of stewardship and how it is reported. The new book by Dr Daniel Cash and Robert Goddard, Investor Stewardship and the UK Stewardship Code: The Role of Institutional Investors in Corporate Governance, provides a critical assessment of the development of the Stewardship Code 2020, which sets out principles regarding the role of institutional investors in corporate governance. It discusses how the regulatory framework for stewardship evolved before and after the financial crisis, and how that evolution resulted in the 2020 Code. It also critiques the Code from a practical and academic perspective, as well as evaluating the wider regulatory framework; in particular, the position of the FRC merging into the Audit, Reporting and Governance Authority (ARGA). Dr Daniel Cash, senior lecturer in law at Aston Law School, said: “The Stewardship Code is a big deal in British governance, and that is exactly what the book looks at. “It examines the history of the stewardship Codes and regulation in the UK, and uses this to critically examine the new 2020 Code. “That critical analysis leads into projections of how the Code may fare in the modern business environment, aspects that may affect its progression, and puts forward elements that can make the Code’s impact more substantial. “This important regulatory development will play a massive role in aligning the actions of investors with the wider societal needs in the new world being dominated by ESG concerns. “Stewardship Codes modelled on the UK’s original 2010 version have been introduced in numerous markets and, as such, the book will be relevant for an international audience of academics, regulators and policymakers in financial regulation, investment regulation and financial services.” You can buy a copy of Investor Stewardship and the UK Stewardship Code: The Role of Institutional Investors in Corporate Governance here.

Aston Business School to host hybrid conference on tax

• The Tax Research Network (TRN) annual conference will run from 8 – 10 September both in person and online • The focus of the three-day event will be on tax research and education • Over 80 speakers and delegates from across Europe, USA, India, New Zealand and South Africa will take part in the event with around half livestreamed on YouTube Aston Business School (ABS) will host the prestigious Tax Research Network (TRN) annual conference this week. The TRN is one of the main global groupings of those interested in tax research and education with around 500 members worldwide. The event, which is sponsored by the Chartered Institute of Tax (CIOT) and the ICAEW Charitable Funds, will run from 8 – 10 September both in person and online. Two days (8-9 September) will focus on tax research and the third day (10 September) on tax education which will be a series of workshops looking at different current issues in teaching tax. Over 100 speakers and delegates from across Europe, USA, India, New Zealand and South Africa will take part in face-to-face keynote speeches and panel discussions in Aston Business School with around half live-streamed on YouTube. Professor Andy Lymer, who is head of accounting at Aston University and chairing the event, said: “I am delighted that Aston Business School is hosting the Tax Research Network’s (TRN) annual conference. “This is their annual conference which is usually a face-to-face event but was virtual last year and this year hybrid. “Our hybrid approach is a first for ABS with a mix of face-to-face lectures and live-streamed parts interlaced with pre-recorded paper and keynote and panellist contributions. “Aston University will be represented by various academics including Dr Carlene Wynter who is chairing a session on tax and housing linked to the work she did last year with others at the university on social housing and tax as well as presenting a paper.” The schedule includes Dyfed Alsop, CEO of the Welsh Revenue Authority and Stephanie Gray, head of income tax and reserved tax unit in the Scottish Government and various workshops from speakers including Phyllis Alexander (Bournemouth University) on developing international tax teaching in light of current trends in this area towards developing fairer tax systems and Nicky Thomas (University of Exeter) and Terry Filer (Swansea University) on innovations in teaching tax including making use of VR and Lego. You can book your place(s) here. The full schedule for the conference is available here. Full details of the parallel sessions are available here.

The Case for Career Advocates: An Organization Is Not a Meritocracy

This blog post is the first in a three-part series by Renee Dye 94PhD, associate professor in the practice of Organization & Management that summarizes the key messages she delivers to students in the hopes that it can catalyze and support the career success of a broader group of ambitious employees who aspire to make it to the C-Suite One of the paradoxes of the GenZs and Generation Alphas is their intuitive understanding of the phenomenon of social media…at the same time they maintain an almost ideological conviction that the workplace – apart from systemic biases – is otherwise a meritocracy, where talent is perfectly and objectively evaluated – and the best and most deserving rise to the top. Surely a cursory exploration of Instagram and TikTok would convince even the most skeptical of the fundamentally idiosyncratic nature of success in a networked world? The Real World is likewise characterized by outcomes in which success is imperfectly correlated with capability level. Someone whose capability level is less than yours may lap you in the race to the top of the organization. That may seem unfair, but that’s because you’re making the mistake of assuming that career success is predicated purely on capability. A survey of MBA graduates from Emory University's Goizueta Business School a few years ago produced a startling insight: of all the skills that we provided to our students during their MBA tenures, our students felt most unprepared to navigate “organizational politics” in their careers. The reason that I found this fact so astonishing is that today’s students, who are Digital Natives and in part Social Media Natives, are the most connected and self-promoting generation the world has ever seen. Yet today I find that my students continue to exhibit little practical understanding of how career success is forged…so much so that I now devote an entire class session in my core Strategy class to demonstrating the importance of relationship management and advocacy cultivation. Capability is not unimportant; far from it. As I tell my students, though, capability is table stakes these days as the level of education and skill sets continues to advance among individuals. If you’re not smart and capable you’re not getting in the door. But once you’re in, your career path and ultimate career success will be more determined by (1) your level of aspiration and unflagging commitment to achieving your goals; (2) your performance outcomes in your individual roles; (3) your work ethic and conscientiousness; and (4) the relationships you have with other people within your organization. And the relationships that matter the most are the individuals with influence and power over your future career opportunities. Let me put it starkly: without career advocates (notice the plural), it will be much, much harder to make it to the senior management ranks. Full stop. Some facts to bear this assertion out: • People with advocates are 23% more likely to move up in the careers • Women with advocates are 22% more likely to ask for a stretch assignment to build their reputations as leaders Ultimately, having an advocate confers a career benefit of 22-30%, depending on who’s doing the asking and what they’re asking for. That’s increasing your odds of making it to the C-Suite by nearly a third! If anecdotal evidence is more your thing, here are a couple of quotations for you: • A lot of decisions are made when you are not in the room, so you need someone to advocate for you, bring up the important reasons you should advance” (Catalyst Survey, as quoted in Elizabeth McDaid, “Mentor vs. Sponsor,” September 3, 2019) • When you get to the level in your career when decisions are not just being made by an individual manager, feedback from other leaders becomes crucial. Rosalind Hudnell, Chief Diversity Officer, Intel. As quoted in Hewlett, Sylvia Ann, Melinda Marshall, and Laura Sherbin. “The Relationship You Need to Get Right,” HBR 2011) • “I was great at building businesses and had tons of cheerleaders, but I had that typical Asian keep-your-head-down-and-you’ll-get-taken-care-of mindset.” My boss had to take me aside and tell me that if I didn’t actively cultivate her as my sponsor, I would never progress beyond senior associate” (quoted in Hewlett, Sylvia Ann, Melinda Marshall, and Laura Sherbin. “The Relationship You Need to Get Right,” HBR 2011) To reiterate: an organization is not purely a meritocracy where talent and hard work speak for themselves; and it’s much, much harder to advance within an organization without effective advocates. "This blog post is the first in a three-part series that summarizes the key messages I deliver to my students, in the hopes that it can catalyze and support the career success of a broader group of ambitious employees who aspire to make it to the C-Suite,” writes Renee Dye 94PhD, associate professor in the practice of Organization & Management. “Most of my lessons are derived from my own unlikely personal journey from literary scholar to top-tier management consultant to C-suite executive for a publicly traded company, but they are also heavily informed by leading researchers like Sylvia Anne Hewlett. In the final blog, I discuss the impact of remote work on career success.” For more insight and to continue reading this article and series, please visit Dye’s blog. To arrange an interview – simply click on Dye’s icon now to book a time today.

Millennials at Work – Let our experts offer insight into the next generation of employees

Millennial workers now total 56 million, representing 35% of the total US labor force. How can organizations harness their unique talents and strengths? Goizueta Professor Andrea Hershatter recently joined the Goizueta Effect to explore this generation’s use of technology as a “sixth sense,” their inherent trust in organizations, and their tendency toward an extrinsic sense of fulfillment. In the interview Hershatter uses her expertise and years of experience to discuss a wide variety of topics such as: Defining Generations What Makes a Millennial? Exploring Boomers, GenX and Zoomers  Millennials’ Relationship with Technology & Organizations How COVID-19 Has Impacted Millennials Dynamics & Interplay Between Generations The Next Generation and The Future Andrea Hershatter is Senior Associate Dean and Director of the BBA Program in Emory’s Goizueta Business School. She regularly provides consultation to corporations and academia on the Millennial generation and has been an outside expert to the Graduate Management Admission Council in enhancing undergraduate student outreach. She is a frequent presenter on the topics of entrepreneurship, generational workplace culture, and management education. Andrea is available to speak with media about this topic – simply click on her icon now to arrange an interview today.

Counter-Marketing, Taxes, or Use Restrictions – What Leads the Pack in Decreasing Cigarette Consumption?

When it comes to marketing, the endgame is almost always to increase brand awareness, strengthen relationships between companies and consumers, and boost market share. But counter-marketing efforts are often employed to reduce consumption of “vice” goods such as cigarettes, sugary sodas, and fast food. Earlier this year, Michael “Mike” Lewis, professor of marketing, faculty director, Emory Marketing Analytics Center, published “Investigating the Effects of Excise Taxes, Public Usage Restrictions, and Anti-Smoking Ads across Cigarette Brands.” in the Journal of Marketing. Mike, along with co-authors, Yanwen Wang PhD14, associate professor of marketing and Canada research chair in Marketing Analytics at the University British Columbia, and Vishal Singh, professor of marketing, Leonard N. Stern School of Business, New York University, took a closer look at the role counter-marketing plays in the consumption of “vice” goods. Given that many “vice” categories are dominated by high-equity brands such as Marlboro, McDonald’s, and The Coca-Cola Company, the authors wanted to explore whether or not strong brands “might also affect the efforts of advocacy groups and regulators to disrupt these relationships and reduce consumption,” they note in their paper. The research focused specifically on the interplay between branding and counter-marketing with respect to cigarette consumption. By focusing on brand manufacturers rather than on regulators and consumers, the authors believe they’ve closed a gap. “The literature on smoking cessation has largely ignored the impact of branding on efforts to reduce cigarette consumption,” they write. “This is an oversight given that marketing researchers have found that brand-consumers’ relationships have significant effects on consumer decision-making.” A full article on the research is attached and is well worth the read. In that piece, readers will learn more about how the researchers expected that strong brands would take advantage of their increased customer loyalty and diminished price sensitivity to protect them from counter-marketing tactics. And while it might be counter-intuitive, the author’s research suggests that market leading cigarette brands would be better off pushing for excise taxes on cigarettes (versus smoking restrictions), as such tax increases would be attractive to government agencies (by increasing government revenue), and big brand cigarette companies would capture more market share. In other words, when it comes to combating counter-marketing efforts, “brand managers may devise strategies or lobbying efforts based on their category position,” suggest the researchers. “This isn’t a clear-cut battle of good versus evil. It’s more a matter of a brand’s people advocating for one position,” said Lewis. “A position that’s going to make them more resilient to some of these tactics.” In addition to big brand cigarette companies, the paper’s findings have implications for brands that anchor other vice categories, such as McDonald’s and The Coca-Cola Company, entities that have been the target of counter-marketing campaigns by various anti-obesity groups. According to Lewis, Wang, and Singh’s research, much of the response by these brands to the counter-marketing attempts has been centered around public relations, but the authors see opportunities to employ “different tactics” that are “appropriate for different brands,” they write. "Relationships between consumers and relatively weak brands may be disrupted using taxes, while for strong brands, the appropriate tactic seems to be usage restriction that limit public consumption. Our results suggest that brand building is the correct response to taxes, whereas usage restrictions would call for other responses, such as lobbying.” If you are a reporter looking to know more about this subject or if you have questions, then let our experts help. Professor Michael Lewis is an Associate Professor of Marketing at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. In addition to exploring trends in the overall marketing landscape, Lewis is an expert in sports analytics and marketing. He is available for interview - simply click on his icon to arrange a discussion today.