Check out our 2022 OU / BBC co-productions

We are thrilled to showcase the fantastic work and expertise the academic consultants in the Faculty of Business and Law have brought to the OU / BBC co-productions in 2022 in this showreel.

It includes The Decade the Rich Won, Trouble at Topshop and the BAFTA-nominated The Detectives: Fighting Organised Crime which were all shown on BBC 2. It also features Does it pay to represent yourself in court? on BBC Ideas and Radio 4’s The Bottom Line.

You may well have seen the OU / BBC partnership trail, currently being broadcast across multiple BBC channels, which highlights some of the content the OU has co-produced over the past year. 

With the BBC celebrating its centenary in 2022, the OU Connect website hosts all our OU / BBC co-productions and supporting content.

The Big Green Money Show is cashing out

Our OU / BBC co-production, The Big Green Money Show, is approaching the end of its current series of podcasts. 

With Ali Ataullah (Professor in Finance) and Rodion Skovoroda (Senior Lecturer in Finance) as its academic consultants, Dragons’ Den star Deborah Meaden talks to some of the world’s biggest business names about climate change, the biggest problem facing the planet.

The series, which ends next week, has an initial 30-minute version broadcast on Radio 5 Live at 05:00 on Friday mornings and is then available as a longer 45-minute version on BBC Sounds. 

Full story here.

Ethical leadership tensions in food banks

A new blog written by Dr Daniel Haslam, Lecturer in Management in the Business School, explores some of the issues and tensions faced by those in leadership roles in food banks.

As the demand for food banks rises whilst donations reduce, many are pushed to make difficult decisions including whether to work with national food bank brands, whether to allow self-referrals and how to balance the need for additional services.

The blog, titled ‘Ethical Leadership Tensions in the Voluntary Sector: the example of food banks’, is part of the work around ethics and leadership in the OU’s Centre for Voluntary Sector Leadership (CVSL) and acknowledges the conflict within decision-making in the ethics of care.

Staff attend conference on prevention of sexual violence

The Business School's Jean Hartley (CPRL), and Law School's Olga Jurasz and Kim Barker were recently invited to join 900 participants at the inter-ministerial conference on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict in London, hosted by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. 

They attended on behalf of the OU, exploring how our Centre for Policing Research and Learning (CPRL) and the Law School can contribute to prevention and prosecution through a systematic evidence base.

Alumni Council Meeting

The Business School was delighted to host the Alumni Council on campus last week and pleased to welcome new members Sara Vermeulen-Anastasi and Mike Stevenson (who sadly got caught out with Covid at the last minute - get well soon Mike).

The Alumni Council act as our ‘Critical Friends’. Last week, they listened to colleagues from the Faculty and Business School present on the latest developments in our scholarship and sustainability plans, and they heard about our new undergraduate qualification, the BSc in Accounting and Finance, in a session that gave them the opportunity to feedback from their own practioner, sector-specific points of view. The Alumni Council also spent time with our Executive Dean Professor Devendra Kodwani, who reported the latest updates from the University.

Many presenters said they came away from the session feeling energised, gaining valuable insights from the group.

Members of the Alumni Council continue to serve as ambassadors and advisers supporting many different areas of the University and the School. Recent examples include delivering Leadership and Development coaching for OU senior leaders and helping with feedback for two important of strategic projects. One member will be starting work as an external advisor on the OUBS Masters Board of Studies in the New Year.

Photo caption, standing in front of Walton Hall

Back row L-R – Louise Clipson, Gillian Hannon, Astrid Alvarez Middle row L-R – Sadia Ahmed, Zoe Lawson, Gerard McGurk Front row L-R – Nick Wilkinson, Sue Heightman, Sara Vermeulen-Anastasi, Ailsa Darroch, Prof Liz Daniel

Absent friends – Martin Wardhaugh Chair (who dialled in from Melbourne Australia); Mike Stevenson (caught out by covid); Rob White and Rajeev Gupta (both called away by work).

Round-up of 2022 books published

Our academics and alumni have had a busy year authoring and publishing books in their own fascinating fields, and we are delighted to share with you some of the best in the Business (School)! We know how much hard work and dedication goes into developing such insightful research books, so we wish congratulations to all those from the Business School who were involved in their publication. And for others on a similar journey, please do keep us updated with your successes as it is a privilege to be able to share with and inspire others.

• Leadership: Limits and Possibilities by Keith Grint and Owain Smolovic Jones [academic]
• Strategic Management in Public Services Organizations by Ewan Ferlie and Professor Edoardo Ongaro [academic]
• Business Networking: Innovation and Ideas in Theory and Practice by Catherine O’Sullivan and Terry O’Sullivan [retired academic colleague]
• Exploring Entrepreneurship by Richard Blundel [academic], Nigel Lockett, Catherine Wang and Suzanne Mawson
• Emerging Fintech and The Human’s Guide to Managing Change by Paul Taylor [alumni]
• How leadership can support social innovation through business chapter contributed by Christian Kastner [alumni] in The Global Impact of Social Innovation
• Implementing and Managing Collaborative Relationships by Andrew Humphries & Linda McComie [alumni]
• Evolving Project Leadership: From command and control to engage and empower by Gordon MacKay [alumni]

New Professor of Law delivers empowering inaugural lecture

Our new Professor of Law and Social Justice Steph Pywell held her OU inaugural lecture, ‘Aspects of empowerment in legislation and education’, earlier this month.

This fascinating lecture explored some effects of the empowerment of individuals and organisations to make delegated legislation, with examples such as the 2020 Covid regulations on wearing face coverings. 

With Steph’s association with the OU going back to 1982 as a student, Associate Lecturer and now full-time academic, she also reflected on the empowering effect of education – especially that offered by the OU!

Steph (pictured with Hugh McFaul, Head of the Law School) said: “It was a huge privilege to share my research with such a diverse and encouraging audience. I hope everyone learnt at least one thing, because the whole point of the lecture was to empower citizens to understand more about the law.”

Barcelona, such a beautiful horizon

Carol Jacklin-Jarvis, Senior Lecturer in Management in the Business School, and colleagues in the Centre for Voluntary Sector Leadership (CVSL) joined their European partners in Barcelona in October (pictured) to launch EU3 Digital’s policy paper, written to draw the attention of the European Commission to the digital needs of third sector organisations.

The EU3 Digital partnership is also developing open access online learning resources and piloting training in Portugal, Spain and Croatia – you can find out more at eu3digital.com.

Use your festive free time to level up

For many, the period between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day can seem like a bit of a black hole with nothing but sitcom re-runs for company. 

If you want to use this time more productively and keep the grey matter engaged, take a look at the latest free OpenLearn courses for some inspiration. 

From the role of football in politics, to testing whether you have a photographic memory, there’s something for everyone.

OU entrepreneur winner takes silver at Santander X UK Awards

James Markey, an OU alumnus who studied primarily business modules, recently won second place at the prestigious Santander X UK awards. 

The awards are one of the UK’s largest student and graduate pitching competitions and James’s business, University Simulation (UNI SIM), was one of 500 who applied and pitched!

James, who is currently studying an MBA with the OU, set up UNI SIM after winning the OU Student Entrepreneurship competition and he aims to revolutionise education by building the ‘flight simulator’ for dental and medical students.

As one of the winners of these awards, James will be attending the Global Awards next year where he’ll represent the UK and compete against fellow entrepreneurs from across the world.  

Student of the Year completes MBA after heart-breaking personal journey

We are delighted to share that Rebecca Pooley, our 2020 Student of the Year, has recently completed her MBA. 

Rebecca, a mum-of two, studied the Professional Certificate in Management in 2018 while working full time and caring for her terminally ill husband who sadly passed away shortly before her final exams in 2019. 

Despite this, determined Rebecca managed to not only pass her course, but achieve a whopping 96% in her final assignment and went on to start the OU MBA programme. 

We wish Rebecca many congratulations and look forward to seeing where her well-deserved MBA takes her.

Do you work in financial management?

We are looking for two special alumni to help us with content for a new accounting and finance degree.

You will be asked to discuss your study and career journey and current role (either through audio or video) to form part of the first unit of this module.

Your insight will help to guide learners and explore possible pathways for progression. You don’t have to work in any specific industry, but if you work in a financial management role, we would love to hear from you.

To find out more, get in touch with us here

Don’t forget to add OUBS!

Don’t forget to add The Open University Business School (OUBS) to your LinkedIn profile and find your network.

As OUBS alumni, you are part of an elite group to have studied with a triple-accredited business school.

Fewer than 1% of business schools worldwide hold triple accreditation status, so it is certainly something to be proud of!

Visit our LinkedIn page 

Psychology of success

Kim Morgan, CEO of Barefoot Coaching Ltd, author, columnist and ICF Master Certified Coach, takes a practical and lively look at self-belief, confidence and the psychology of success.

Click here for more information