March 2022 round-up

March was supposed to be the month I settled into my study leave. But, then, a staffing emergency meant that I had to cover for a colleague, and I ended up teaching a number of lectures and workshops. Never a dull moment, right?! At least, the weather was lovely for part of the month, and … Continue reading March 2022 round-up

Parents and young people as consumers

This past weekend was Mother’s Day in the UK. The date prompted me to read a paper that has been sitting on my “to read” list for a while: Stella Minahan and Patricia Huddleston’s “Shopping with mum – mother and daughter consumer socialization”. The paper interviewed 30 young women aged 20 to 22 years old … Continue reading Parents and young people as consumers

A public services workforce fit for the future – The role of digital technology

Last week, I went to Parliament, to participate in the House of Lords’ Public Services Committee, which is looking at creating “A public services workforce fit for the future”. The session that I joined focused on the role of digital technology, and I was one of the expert witnesses, alongside Professor Catherine Mangan from the … Continue reading A public services workforce fit for the future – The role of digital technology

Covid-19 lockdowns, 2 years on: positive impact on subjective wellbeing, and lingering effect on time spent at home. But fitness industry is bouncing back.

Last Friday (March 11th) marked two years since the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared Covid-19 a pandemic. In the meantime, we have experienced some truly depressing moments such as when the number of global casualties reach 1 million; as well as some truly exhilarating ones, such as when it was confirmed that scientists had developed … Continue reading Covid-19 lockdowns, 2 years on: positive impact on subjective wellbeing, and lingering effect on time spent at home. But fitness industry is bouncing back.

February 2022 round-up

Some days get imprinted in your mind such that, many years later, you can recall, exactly, the moment when you realised that the world after that moment would bear very little resemblance to the one before it. It was like that with the attack on the Twin Towers on 9/11; the attack on the Tube … Continue reading February 2022 round-up

Saying no

I was talking with a friend, recently, who was feeling very overwhelmed by the many responsibilities on her plate. This friend was feeling conflicted because people kept asking her to do more (often presented as a great opportunity), and she really felt that she couldn't take on any more responsibilities. However, she also didn't want … Continue reading Saying no

Customers love our technology (Or… do they?)

The BBC reported, recently, that several major supermarket chains are trialling the use of automated technology to scan a customer’s face and verify their age, when they are buying alcohol. The reason for using this technology for age verification (as opposed to relying on cashiers to do so, in line with legal requirements) is, according … Continue reading Customers love our technology (Or… do they?)

January 2022 round-up

On a personal level, January was really trying. If I tell you that child 2 breaking his wrist was the least stressful part of January, you can get an idea. Anyway, I will spare you the details, and focus on the professional side, instead. On the writing front, I worked on major revisions to a … Continue reading January 2022 round-up

New paper: The Pandemic-Induced Personal Data Explosion

Back in June 2020, I came across a special collection of papers about COVID-19, in the Journal of Public Policy & Marketing. Within that collection, the paper “Consumer Privacy During (and After) the COVID-19 Pandemic”, by Aaron R. Brough and Kelly D. Martin caught my attention. That paper reflected on the implications of the increased … Continue reading New paper: The Pandemic-Induced Personal Data Explosion

Tales of developing an AI-powered chatbot

Chatbots are computer programmes designed to conduct conversations with humans about specific topics, through text, voice or touch. Because they can run 24/7, chatbots are becoming increasingly popular in situations where there are frequently asked questions which can be resolved from a limited pool of answers. Examples include accepting an order, updating the status of … Continue reading Tales of developing an AI-powered chatbot