news 2017

Researchers have published details of the largest collection of artefacts from an early English coffeehouse ever discovered. Described as an 18th century equivalent of Starbucks, the finds nonetheless suggest that it may have been less like a café, and more like an inn. Coffee houses were important social centres during the 18th century.

Grade inflation at English primary schools can increase the price of surrounding houses by up to £7,000, according to early research from economists at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL). The study finds that as parents are drawn to areas with what appear to be higher school scores, the demand for housing escalates and poorer residents are driven out.

No-growth economy could mean fewer crashes and higher wages, study shows An economy based on zero growth could be more stable - experiencing fewer crashes - and bring higher wages, suggests a new University of Sussex study. Running counter to dominant economic thinking, the new research shows that economies can be stable with or without growth and are in fact likely to be less volatile if we stop chasing ever-increasing GDP.

The number of reported cases of child neglect in the United States of America increased as a result of the spike in unemployment following the financial crisis of 2007-08, according to new Oxford University research. Defined as the physical, mental, sexual or emotional abuse or neglect of a person under the age of 18, child maltreatment is a prolific problem in American society, with about 700,000 cases reported in 2015 alone.

New analysis reveals that billions of dollars spent on habitat and species conservation have resulted in substantial reductions in biodiversity loss. Government spending on conservation efforts, such as management of national parks, has been patchy across the world, in part due to a lack of solid evidence of success.

Investment portfolios that include commodities deliver a six per cent average increase in risk-adjusted returns for investors. The finding comes from a study co-authored by a researcher at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL). Thursday 28 September 2017 The research shows that certain commodity strategies make investors better off when included in portfolios that consist of stocks, bonds, and cash.

Failure to monitor outsourced recruitment is resulting in companies inadvertently employing victims of modern slavery, according to new research led by our School of Management. Interview The research, conducted with the University of Sheffield, suggests that layers of outsourcing, subcontracting and informal hiring of temporary staff are to blame.

Researchers have shown that living near newly built roads in Ethiopia is associated with higher rates of infant mortality. Proximity to new roads has negative health effects because of toxic waste dumped illegally during the construction phase, according to early research by economists at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) and Trinity College Dublin (TCD).

People who are 'extraverted' and on low incomes buy more luxury goods than their introverted peers to compensate for the experience of low financial status, finds new UCL research. The study, published today in Psychological Science , used real life spending data from UK bank accounts to investigate the spending habits of richer and poorer people with different personality types.

A call for more menopause-friendly workplaces is made in a new Government report prepared by a team from the Universities of Bristol and Leicester. In the most comprehensive study of its kind, the report reveals that 'many women tend to feel that they need to cope alone' because of a reluctance to speak up at work.

Understanding a cybercriminal's backstory - where they live, what they do and who they know, is key to cracking cybercrime, new research suggests. Online crime is of course online, but there is also a surprisingly strong offline and local dimension. Cybercriminals are often seen as faceless, international, computer masterminds, who are almost impossible to identify or understand as a result.

In the first study of its kind, an international team of scientists - including the University of Bristol - has concluded, on a global scale, that the economic and long-term benefits of building dikes to reduce flood damage far outweigh their initial cost. They found that in many parts of the world, it is even possible to reduce the economic damage from river floods in the future to below today's levels, even when climate change, growing populations, and urbanisation are taken into account.

People who take out an individual personal pension can expect lower returns than those who invest in a group personal pension plan, suggests new research from the University of Bath's School of Management. Individual investors are losing out The study finds that individual investors lose out by over 1 per cent a year in comparison with group personal pension plans negotiated by employers, even before differences in fees are taken into account.

Professionally qualified bankers have an extremely high level of professional pride in their work, compared to their non-qualified counterparts, new research has revealed. The Chartered Banker Professionalism Index devised by Nottingham University Business School and the Chartered Banker Institute suggests those bankers, who have made a strong commitment to professionalism, profoundly believe in the value of what they do.

Using texts, emails, Skype and other digital communication methods can improve the health care experience of younger patients. That is the conclusion of new research, led by the University of Warwick and King's College London, which examined case studies from 20 NHS specialist clinical teams from across England and Wales.

Barbara Broccoli (pictured), Kathleen Kennedy, BFI Chair Josh Berger and film industry leaders unite behind the plan to ensure the future of UK film, currently worth £4.3 billion to the economy Research from Lancaster University's Work Foundation for the British Film Institute (BFI) says the UK film industry needs more diversity to prevent a skills shortage.

People who grew up in single-parent families have lower levels of wellbeing and life satisfaction in adulthood, new University of Warwick research shows Individuals brought up by a single parent earn 30% less, are 9% less likely to be in a romantic relationship and have fewer friends , researchers find 20% of children in Germany and 24% in the UK currently being raised in single-parent households People who grew up in single-parent families have lower levels of wellbeing and life satisfaction in adulthood, according to new research by the University of Warwick.

â?'Purposeful leadersâ'' are winning hearts and minds in workplaces, study finds People are happier and more productive when their leaders show strong morals, a clear vision and commitment to stakeholders, a new study has found. The growing importance of what is being described as 'purposeful leadership' for the modern workplace is outlined today in a new report for the CIPD , the professional body for HR and people development.

Teenage pregnancy rates have dropped in areas of the country most affected by government cuts to spending on sex education, according to a new study. In recent years local authorities in England have been forced to make significant cuts to public expenditure, with one particular health target affected: reducing rates of teen pregnancy.

The received wisdom that migrant workers have a stronger 'work ethic' than UK-born workers is proven for the first time, in a new study of Central and East European migrants, from the University of Bath's School of Management. The research shows that migrant workers are over three times less likely to be absent from work than native UK workers, a measure which economists equate with work ethic.