Our research

Sustainable Production and Consumption

This research team focuses on the ultimate goals of living within environmental limits and the attainment of social justice, through the delivery of responsible business and ethical consumption practices.

Our research is aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 12: ‘Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns’. The cluster frames its research around a holistic approach to sustainability, whereby true sustainability requires the alignment of social, economic and environmental goals. Our research takes a ‘whole supply chain’ approach, examining activities, attitudes and behaviours at different points in the life cycle of products.

Our projects cover areas such as waste reduction, resource and energy efficiency, sustainable community and consumer behaviours, ethical certifications and supply chain governance. Our work is global in nature, reaching out in particular to South Africa, Indonesia and China. The interdisciplinary cluster team generates a dynamic environment for cutting-edge research.

The team is led by:

Professor Benny Tjahjono

Dr David Bek

Dr Mahdi Bashiri

New approaches and forms to economic and regional development

Encouraging economic growth and development is a core aim of public policy; however, there is increasing concern with the question ‘who gains from growth?’ This question was brought into sharp focus by the global financial crisis, alongside continued economic and social inequalities, and on-going austerity in many countries. In the UK, there are long-running concerns about low-pay, productivity and spatial disparities in economic performance and outcomes, as well as increasing concerns about insecurity in the labour market. There is also a growing acknowledgement that future growth and development must be ‘greener’ and more sustainable. Yet questions remain about the ability to balance economic, social and environmental sustainability – with an associated proliferation of proposed development models, such as local economic development (LED), the low carbon economy, the circular economy, a sharing economy, community economic development and community finance.

The team is led by:

Prof. David Jarvis

Dr Jason Begley

Dr Esin Yoruk

Responsible finance for nations, organisations and individuals

The capital account liberalisation and financial reforms since the early 1980s, including eased restrictions on foreign direct investment and short-term portfolio flows, are at the heart of financial globalisation. Financial openness and deregulation can be seen as an essential step in the process of economic development, but can also have detrimental effects, including higher co-dependence, contagion and likelihood of systemic crises. This research team focuses on the study of such economic and financial phenomena and how these impact on economies, industries, individuals, communities and societies, with a particular focus on responsible finances and investments. This cluster is very eclectic in nature, focusing upon the study of such economic and financial phenomena and how these impact on economies, industries, individuals, households, communities and societies. This includes the examination of wide-ranging issues, including economic growth and social development, inequality, responsible finances and investments.

The team is led by:

Professor Glauco De Vita

Dr Harjit Sekhon

The use, privacy and security of data in organisations and society

Data availability has increased exponentially in the last decade, paving the way to a new business environment. As such a growth rate continues to accelerate, so does the need for a better understanding of the opportunities provided by the new phenomenon and the challenges it poses to business, individuals and society regarding strategic decision-making and innovation, business strategy, data security and protection, surveillance, ethics and data privacy. 

The team is led by:

Professor Sally Dibb

Professor Maureen Meadows