The Visitor Economy

Tourism has become a popular concept and a word we use quite frequently in our everyday lives. We have all been tourists in one form or another, even if we do not realise it straight away. An interesting fact is that even students can be considered tourists as long as they spend no more than one consecutive year in their education destination of choice. With the advances in the global transport, the world is becoming smaller and more accessible than ever. Tourism is a reflection of escapism – that dream experience most people at work or university are constantly thinking of.

You think you do networking well? When was the last time you attended a conference?

Networking! I just typed in this word on Google and the first suggestion for it was 'networking tips'..?! In a social context, a network reflects the people you connect to, those who represent your network - either at work or family and friends, or even special interest groups. Networks and networking have recently gained prominence in our lives. Some people even argue that the bigger your network of peers is, the more successful you are, in both work and life. It is then essential you communicate well and know how to grow your network! But how we get to succeed as networkers?

Be Successful in Managing Your Project: Business School Students and English Heritage in a Joint Project

Wrest Park, Bedfordshire is a French-style mansion with stunning gardens owned by English Heritage. The venue was successful in securing National Lottery funding that aimed at developing new audiences. University of Bedfordshire has been working with Wrest Park for the past couple of years through both - assignments being part of the curriculum, as well as projects, ran by the Junior Research Institute for Tourism (jRIT).

Our group of tourism students, who joined jRIT were introduced to an exciting project aligned to the Wrest Park’s aim to develop its audiences. As a team, our role was to explore the success of a range of interpretation methods used by the venue’s visitors. Such methods normally incorporate high-tech, interactive gadgets that visitors use so they get to know what an attraction is about, its significance and history, exciting facts and personalities. Interpretation methods then have an educational function and we had to find out how they influence visitor understanding of a place.

Carpe Diem

Most lecturers over their careers meet literally thousands of students. It would be satisfying to think these lecturers could positively transform the lives of all these students. Equally, it would be good if each meeting could positively add to each student’s knowledge and personal development. However, in reality transformative educational experiences are not commonplace, but this makes them even more special when they occur.

Big Data is Ubiquitous

We are living in the era of Big Data, where a wealth of data is being generated every minute, every second, even every nano second. Thanks to the astounding technological revolution, everything around us is being captured in some way or the other, stored in some form, and this has the potential to make business sense. Big Data refers to any data set that is too big to be efficiently worked in real-time with traditional database tools. Modern businesses generate huge volumes of structured and unstructured data in both traditional and digital forms. Many firms have realised that these data could hold promise to give deeper insights into their customers, partners, and other stakeholders.

Want to boost your employability opportunities while studying? Put your ‘hands on’ experience through University!

University is a great experience for all students but what shouldn’t be ignored is that this is the best time to plan and prepare for their future career. We should start thinking and take advantage of every opportunity that comes across, particularly when still at Uni. Yes, you may be surprised but our Business School is undergoing a transformation of the way teaching is delivered, focusing on a contemporary practice-based higher education. If you do not know yet, this is all about teaching and learning based on ‘real life’ projects. Experience gained through university aims to develop your skills set and broaden your employability prospects. And I think for most of you, this is the primary reason for getting into higher education, or not?

What a two and a half year old can teach us about Strategy

Those of us who have children well remember the thrill of hearing them utter their first word. It is something that we had anticipated for a long time and signals yet another astonishing phase in their development.  You will probably also be familiar with the next phase a parent goes through which is "why can't they shut up!" as the child reveals its mastery of language by constantly asking 'why?' and 'how?'. Unless your child is Einstein whose first words (at the age of four) were allegedly "this soup is too hot", then you will recognise this all too clearly.