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Wake up and be inspired over breakfast at Aston Business School.
Aston academics present innovative, interesting and informative advice on business challenges. Hear the latest research on business solutions shaping essential tool-kits for strategy and management. Learn our recommendations to accelerate business growth and professional development.
Gain a fresh perspective from Aston.
Although Brexit relates to the European Union and is unrelated to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), has the appetite for nationalism shown by the UK public in the result of the Brexit referendum in June 2016 had any impact on the Conservative Party's long-stated desire to repeal the Human Rights Act, which does relate to the ECHR?
Fresh Perspective
Our discussion will address the arguments for and against the UK retaining the Human Rights Act
Benefits of attending
Hear throughout the talk real examples used to supplement the academic findings.
Jonathan Finn joined Aston Law in January 2016. He started his professional life at Aston having graduated from Aston University with a degree in Business Administration, French, and Society & Government.
Jonathan completed his GDL and LSF at Wolverhampton University. He qualified as a lawyer with Edge and Ellison Solicitors (now Squire Sanders) in Birmingham. He practised for several years as a qualified lawyer in Birmingham with both Edge and Ellison Solicitors and Price Waterhouse. Jonathan left legal practice to pursue a career in teaching. He completed his PgCE at University of Birmingham and taught GCSE Modern Languages and A Level Law for two years at Great Barr School. He then left secondary school teaching to concentrate on lecturing law. He lectured both undergraduate and postgraduate law students at the College of Law (now the University of Law) in Birmingham for ten years and then at BPP University in Birmingham for a further four and a half years.
Jonathan is module leader for Constitutional and Administrative Law and Employment Law at Aston. In April 2016, he was nominated by students to receive an Aston Astonishing Academic Award.
Designed to inform. Delivered to inspire.
07:30 - Welcome and networking. Breakfast and refreshments served. 08.00 - Academic presentation followed by Q&A 08:45 - Further networking
Order your free ticket through Eventbrite:
The event will take place at:
Aston Business School, Aston University, Aston Triangle, Birmingham, B4 7ET
Please see Conference Aston for information according to your mode of transport.
Car parking is available at the Millennium Point multi-storey car park, which is situated opposite the University Campus. The car park charges £2.90 for 3 hours and £3.60 for 4 hours. The car park can be accessed via Jennens Road. If using a sat nav please use the following post code: B4 7AP. A precise description of how to drive to this car park and then walk to the campus can be found by clicking the following link.
For more information please contact Beth Sadler, Business Partnerships firstname.lastname@example.com
08.00 - Welcome and networking. Breakfast and refreshments served. 08.20 - Academic presentation followed by Q&A 09:00 - Further networking
The Colmore Building, 20 Colmore Circus Queensway, Birmingham, B4 6AT
For more information please contact Beth Sadler, Business Partnerships firstname.lastname@example.com
Order your free ticket through Eventbrite:
Kalsoom Jaffar is a Teaching Fellow in the Finance Department at Aston Business School.
Kalsoom completed her PhD at Glasgow school of Business and society. She completed her Masters in banking, finance and Risk management from GSBS where she was awarded as best Financial Services Suit student by GCU and Glasgow's best finance student award by International Financial Services District (IFSD). Her main area of research is historical performance of British banking. Her research also focuses on the effect of changing economic conditions on bank performance and efficiency.
08.00 - Welcome and networking. Breakfast and refreshments served. 08.20 - Academic presentation followed by Q&A 09:00 - Further networking
For more information please contact Beth Sadler, Business Partnerships firstname.lastname@example.com
Fresh perspective
Benefits of attending
Join SimkissGuy Recruitment and Aston Business School for this interactive discussion led by Professor Ben Clegg. We will discuss the basics of systems thinking and how it can be used to improve strategic operations management.
This session will give you an opportunity to develop your systems thinking skills to make you a more holistic thinker and become more prepared to become an innovative manager of change. A new technique will be demonstrated and an example given.
Fresh Perspective
Management thinking is all too often constrained by linear and hierarchical thinking, but as we all know organisations and business are usually more complex than this and should not be thought of in this way; so why do we persist in doing so?
The answer is simple - because we rarely know of any alternative.
Professor Clegg will provide you with an alternative by giving you an introduction to systems thinking and prepare you to become an effective agent of improvement.
Benefits of attending
A taste for systems thinking, learn of a specific technique, and a have a chance to become a systems thinker; this could give you an advantage over more traditional thinkers.
A new way to think about challenging and complex issues in operations strategy
Gain a competitive edge on your peers
Professor Ben Clegg's research, teaching and consulting activities focus on operations and process improvement. He draws upon theoretical ideas, such as systems thinking and multi-organisation enterprise management, to implement practical solutions for organisations. In turn practical case studies and insights are used to further develop theory about operations and process improvement.
Event Format
Book Your Place
Order your free ticket through Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/fresh-perspectives-systems-thinking-for-strategic-operations-management-improvement-tickets-39482574443
Dr Enrico Onali is a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Finance at Aston Business School. His research interests lie mainly in the areas of capital markets, banking, and corporate finance. He is a member of the editorial board of The British Accounting Review and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK).
Enrico is currently teaching postgraduate modules on Market Microstructure (BFM105) and Security Analysis (BFM119), and an undergraduate module on Further Topics in Derivatives (BF3378). He has been a visiting scholar at the Deutsche Bundesbank and has held visiting teaching appointments at universities in France, Italy, and China.
His research has recently been accepted for publication in leading academic journals such as the Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis and the Journal of Financial Intermediation. For more information on publications, click here.
His work has been presented at global prestigious conferences, such as the annual meetings of the European Finance Association, the SFS Finance Cavalcade, the Financial Management Association, and the Royal Economic Society. Output from the research has also been disseminated in discussion papers of the Deutsche Bundesbank and the European Central Bank.
Enrico has acted as a reviewer for the Financial Stability Working Paper Series of the Bank of England and for academic journals such as: Journal of Banking and Finance; Journal of Business Finance and Accounting; Regional Studies; Economics Letters; The Manchester School; European Journal of Finance; Emerging Markets, Finance and Trade; Journal of Management and Governance; International Journal of Banking, Accounting and Finance; Managerial Finance; Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications; Spatial Economic Analysis.
Music by: www.bensound.com
20 October 2016
Promote cohesion in a period of particular uncertainty
In an age in which organisations are more diverse than ever, Andrew will discuss how leaders can adapt and refocus in a changing environment with new challenges. Andrew will share insights gleaned from research focused on some of the most stressful and high-pressure jobs in the world, emergency room doctors, astronauts, submarine crews, and apply them to the challenges of the modern, diverse workforce. Drawing on his experience in designing training for high-stress team scenarios, including NASA, the U.S Army, and Navy, along with his own research on diversity in organisations, he willpresent attendees with practical and useful advice.
Andrew Marcinko, M.S. is a PhD Candidate in the Work and Organisational Psychology department at Aston Business School, working under the supervision of Dr Yves Guillaume and Prof Richard Crisp. He completed his master's and bachelor's degrees in the United States and was born and raised in the Washington DC area. His current research is focused on diversity and inclusion in the workplace, with a particular focus on training, team performance, and employee well-being.
Previously, Andrew worked in collaboration with the U.S. Navy Submarine School to update its training programs based on the latest teamwork and training research. He was also involved in research for NASA focused on astronaut health and teamwork during deep space exploration, in preparation for a potential manned mission to Mars. In addition to his academic pursuits, Andrew also has industry experience in corporate sales and marketing, along with extensive experience with social media and blogging.
17 November 2016
Scenario Planning has become the most popular strategy tool in the last decade. It is neither a forecasting nor a predicting tool but is used to improve managers' ability to anticipate uncertainty and in that context to enhance organisational learning. It helps to develop a shared understanding and to scope mental models of perceived uncertainty between managers working in the same organisation.
This session will provide an insight into Dr Stathis Tapinos' Scenario Planning method which links scenario development to the sustainability of competitive advantage in order to support long term strategy making. His method is a multi-stage process; a structured method of disciplined imagination to create plausible images of future scenarios.
Dr Efstathios (Stathis) Tapinos is a Senior Lecturer in Strategic Management at Aston Business School and is currently co-chair of the 'Strategic Foresight' Special Interest Group at the British Academy of Management.
His research revolves around strategy development and he has a particular interest in Strategic Foresight, and how companies deal with Perceived Environmental Uncertainty. Within this field, he is researching, teaching and facilitating the use of Scenario Planning as a strategy tool for dealing with uncertainty.
30 November 2016
We live in an age of increasing turbulence, uncertainty and continuous change. To face these challenges, societies, economies and organisations around the world increasingly require people capable of finding and exploring new opportunities to generate value. This presentation introduces the importance of cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset and discusses ways to develop it
Dr Bruno Oliveira shares his research insight into what inspires entrepreneurial action and how nascent entrepreneurs can be more purposeful in their pursuit of this inspiration. He will also explore the role of emotions (e.g. passion) in promoting or constraining entrepreneurial action in yourself and others.
Dr Bruno Oliveira completed his PhD at Aston Business School in April 2013. In June 2013, he became a Lecturer in Entrepreneurship at the University of Bath. He returned to Aston Business School in February 2015 to assume the role of Lecturer in Strategy and Entrepreneurship. Prior to joining academia, Bruno was an entrepreneur who started and managed a company for two years. He then decided to close the business to embrace his PhD. Bruno also worked for the public, the private and the social sector at different points in time. Bruno currently has two streams of research. The first emerges directly from his PhD and focuses on better understanding the use of strategy tools such as SWOT analysis, Porter Five Forces or Scenario Planning. Recently, however, his research is increasingly focusing on entrepreneurship. He is currently studying the practice of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship education programs. Bruno is very passionate about creating the best teaching and learning experiences to students and executives. He is continuously improving his teaching methods and truly believes that learning can be more effective if it is fun and based on action-based activities. He teaches at an international level and works closely with executives and organisations to promote learning and management development.
7 December 2016
First the bad news: the traditional media has declined dramatically in the last 10 years. Then the good news: today's media has fragmented into multiple parts, giving switched on businesses more opportunities than ever to get their stories across.
Steve Dyson will explain how a fast-changing media is now begging for user-generated content in print, online and on air. He will argue there's never been a better time to get your brand out there – for free. Dyson will highlight how to stamp your presence on the new media world. And all attendees will receive a 'Ten top media tips' handout to remind them.
Steve Dyson works as a media trainer, consultant and freelance journalist via Dyson Media Ltd. His expertise ranges from print to online, and from radio to TV.
Dyson delivers shorts course in everything from basic grammar to crisis media management. He also created the Business and Finance diploma module for the National Council for the Training of Journalists.
Dyson has edited BQ West Midlands, a business magazine, since 2012, and writes for various media including The Guardian, Press Gazette, HoldtheFrontPage.co.uk and InPublishing. Dyson is a former editor of the Birmingham Mail and the Evening Gazette, Teesside. He has presented daily radio shows and has created scores of news interview programmes for the BBC WM.
Music by: www.bensound.com
14 December 2016
In collaboration, Dr Keith Glanfield, Aston Business School and Harris Interactive have taken a long hard look at what makes a brand relevant and sustainable in a modern day context. The prevailing models for measuring brand effectiveness are largely based on examining indicators of past and present performance, and can fall short of telling brand managers anything about their brand's future potential. What was a strong brand yesterday may still be strong today – but what does tomorrow look like? Will your brand still be as relevant?
Dr Keith Glanfield is a Lecturer and Senior FME Fellow, joining the Marketing Group at Aston Business School in 2010 having secured a prestigious Foundation for Management Education / ESRC Fellowship awarded to fund Keith's transition into academia from a 20 year commercial career in industry.
Awarded a Phd in identity and strategic brand management in 2013, Keith's research interests focus on how to transform and optimise an organisation's brands to improve organisational performance, sustainability and stakeholder satisfaction. Researching with organisations such as John Lewis and Waitrose, Keith's research also investigates the influence of co-operative and mutual business models on stakeholder cohesion, brand community development, front-line employee performance and the co-creation of services between customers and service employees.
Keith integrates his research, teaching and engagement with practice as a regular contributor to the Times and Sunday Times, delivering executive education programs, consulting with industry and presenting new research and emerging marketing thinking to members of the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants and the Chartered Institute of Marketing.
18 January 2017
Work-based learning programmes
Degree apprenticeship programmes are a successful and cost effective way to increase skills within your organisation across all grades. Joined by programme managers and partners, will answered questions about the design and delivery of programmes to grow your own graduates.
Having delivered apprenticeships to over 250 apprentices Sasha Morgan Manley has witnessed first hand how apprenticeships can be used as a business growth strategy as well as an amazing opportunity for a young person to start their career. Through Sasha's experience in this area and her passion to provide an alternative to the traditional university led route into a career, she has been asked to speak at a number of conferences and industry events.
16 February 2017
The customer experience (CX) landscape is rapidly changing and with increasing customer expectations it is vital to be proactive rather than reactive. This session with Dr Laura Chamberlain will examine the changing loyalty landscape and question some embedded assumptions about loyalty. In addition, with the increasing emphasis on understanding customer emotions, we will consider the best way to think about customer emotions and measuring them.
Arguably CX is core to competitive advantage and as such many industries and organisations are placing increased emphasis on CX. Whether in a B2C or B2B context, if you have a customer focus, then this presentation is relevant.
Dr. Laura Chamberlain is a Lecturer in the Customer Experience and Consumer Behaviour at Aston University Business School. Laura is particularly interested in researching the importance of consumer emotions, trust, loyalty and how to influence customer's behaviour. Laura also researches consumer neuroscience, using neuroscientific techniques to further our understanding of consumers. The customer experience landscape is rapidly changing and Laura's research intends to develop scientific insights to assist Customer Experience professionals.
Laura's research is broadly located within the psychological tradition, containing aspects of the social, cognitive, and neuroscientific approaches. Within this broad context, the specific research areas she works in centre around the concept of consumer responses to marketing actions and the customer experience. I have research projects underway examining consumer emotions, loyalty, advocacy and journeys.
Laura also researches the role of negative emotions in response to advertising that advocates behaviour change (e.g. stopping smoking or not speeding whilst driving). Laura is also involved in research within the emerging field of organizational cognitive neuroscience and have an interest in measurement theory and the philosophy of science.
22 February 2017
The first guest speaker was Dr Andrew Glencross, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Politics and International Relations, Aston University. Dr Glencross will be presenting the latest research and thinking on different Brexit scenarios. He will reflect on his new book Why the UK Voted for Brexit: David Cameron's Great Miscalculation (Palgrave, 2016).
The process of leaving the EU is riddled with trade-offs. Putting politics first could carry a high economic cost, notably by limiting EU immigration or exposing UK companies to European tariffs. But pursuing economic interests above all else risks dissatisfying voters who want a clean break.
The talk set out what the policy trade-offs look like for different Brexit scenarios and explains whether politics or economics will determine the final outcome.
Dr Andrew Glencross, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Politics and International Relations, Aston University.
Andrew grew up in the north of England. A graduate of the University of Cambridge (BA Social and Political Studies and M.Phil. Historical Studies) as well as a former Joseph Hodges Choate Fellow at Harvard University from 2000-01.
His PhD studies took him to Florence, where he completed his dissertation at the European University Institute under the supervision of Friedrich Kratochwil. After defending his PhD in 2007, he was a research fellow at the European Union Democracy Observatory for a year working on a project on e-participation in Estonia. From 2008-10 a lecturer in the International Relations Program at the University of Pennsylvania. He returned to Europe in Autumn 2010 to take up a lectureship at the University of Aberdeen, before moving to the University of Stirling in 2013. In January 2017 he began teaching at Aston University in Birmingham.
Tweets @a_glencross
9 March 2017
Sasha Morgan-Manley, Degree Apprenticeship Lead at Aston University shares how Aston can help you transform your employees or new recruits into professionals you can be proud of.
Aston are already working with companies including Virgin Media, Payara, Tarmac and Capgemini,delivering courses ideally suited to their business needs. As the first university to launch degree apprenticeships, we are currently offering undergraduate degree courses in Chartered Management and Digital Technology Solutions. But our portfolio is growing and we want your company to be next.
At this degree apprenticeship Fresh Perspective special:
Having delivered apprenticeships to over 250 apprentices Sasha Morgan Manley has witnessed first hand how apprenticeships can be used as a business growth strategy as well as an amazing opportunity for a young person to start their career. Through Sasha's experience in this area and her passion to provide an alternative to the traditional university led route into a career, she has been asked to speak at a number of conferences and industry events.
16 March 2017
Your role in developing meaningfulness within the team
We often have little time to reflect on what is meaningful and valuable to us at work and how we could make our day-to-day working lives more meaningful. But what if we were given the capacity and capability to do this? Would we be more engaged, more proactive, and more psychologically enriched as a result?
This is an interesting question given the fallout from the global recession and the explosion of interest thereafter in creating an 'engaged' and 'committed' workforce.
In light of this, this presentation provided an overview of what meaningfulness is within the workplace as well as why it is important, and how managers can foster and nurture meaningfulness within their teams.
Dr Luke Fletcher is a Chartered Psychologist and Lecturer in Human Resource Management at Aston Business School.
He is a module leader for a postgraduate module, is part of the teaching team for the Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship programme, and supervises both undergraduate and postgraduate dissertations.
Luke has written and presented work for both academic and practitioner audiences, and currently serves on the Editorial Board for the International Journal of Human Resource Management. He is also a reviewer for Human Relations, Human Resource Development Quarterly, and for the Academy of Management Annual Meetings.
This event was cancelled and will be rescheduled.
6 April 2017
This session will outline the key messages and updates of The Chancellor of the Exchequer budget to Parliament. Lara then shares her practical experience of the budget's impact on businesses from a variety of sectors. Discussing the key issues through case studies you will understand how the budget will impact your businesses. You will hear Lara's practical advice and strategy to be help you prepare informed financial decisions post-budget.
Lara Gee spent the 5 years prior to joining Aston Business School training Chartered Accountants for their professional exams, she has also been involved in authoring and editing taxation study materials for trainee accountants across the UK. Lara specialises in taxation, audit and financial accounting and enjoys bringing practical experience to the lecture room.
Before moving into education Lara trained as a Chartered Accountant (ICAEW) with PWC in Birmingham. The role was varied and included auditing, forensic accounting, due diligence and taxation. She also spent 4 years working for the Audit Commission which involved the audit of various public sector organisations, including hospitals, PCTs and local government.
25 April 2017
How to Prepare the Ground for "Idea Fishing"
The importance of frontline employees for the success of organisations is recognised by researchers and practitioners alike. However their relevance for the innovativeness of companies - resulting from their boundary spanning role - is often underestimated and has received little attention. Based on an academic piece of research, Prof Christof Backhaus summarised the current state of knowledge in this context, and outline results derived from an empirical investigating "idea fishing behaviors" of frontline employees from a diverse range of industrial and business services firms.
Furthermore he assessed the impact of motivators - such as job satisfaction and desire for upward mobility - and the effects of other important conditions like role stress and internal network, on idea gathering and dissemination. Christof shared the results of the study, showing the chain of idea gathering leading to idea dissemination results in innovation. Plus the various effects of role stress underlines the importance of differentiating between role conflict and ambiguity. Based on these findings, he explored the implications for management that are derived.
Prof Christof Backhaus, Professor of Marketing, Director of the Aston Centre for Retail Insights, Aston Business School
Christof joined Aston Business School as a Professor and Chair in Marketing in September 2016. Before, he worked as an Assistant Professor at the Universities of Dortmund, Bochum and Braunschweig in Germany, and as a Professor of Marketing at Newcastle University Business School. His research interest lies primarily in the field of Retail and Services Marketing and Management.
His work in these domains has been published in international marketing journals such as the Journal of Business Research, Journal of Retailing, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Journal of Small Business Management, Industrial Marketing Management and Psychology & Marketing.
He regularly collaborates with companies such as Allianz SE, Deutsche Bahn AG, Deutsche Telekom AG, Vodafone D2 GmbH, and Volkswagen AG to help resolve issues in the areas of service innovation, customer and partner relationship management, marketing control & monitoring, and sponsorship management.
18 May 2017
Discover the role of intellectual property in business innovation
"Growth comes not from competing on labour costs, raw materials or access to capital: our competitive edge depends on our capacity to innovate." Hargreaves, Digital Opportunity: a Review of Intellectual Property and Growth (May 2011) at 10.
If you are an innovative company in order to succeed you must make decisions with intellectual property in mind. You need an intellectual property strategy that is in line with your business strategy. You must know what intellectual property you have and what intellectual property of others you might be at risk of infringing. You can use intellectual property information to help you find worldwide competitors, potential partners, collaborators and gaps in the markets. You can use your intellectual property to reduce your tax bill and attract lenders.
You need to know about intellectual property so come and find out from Aston academic Claire Howell. Claire has taught intellectual property law for over 20 years at various universities and specialises in intellectual property in the business context. She will share her expertise and latest insights from her many publications on intellectual property law and company law.
Claire acted as consultant to the European Patent Office in the 'Roadmap Project' on teaching intellectual property in the Slovenian universities. On behalf of ECAP111 AUNIP, Claire drafted the Intellectual Property policy template to be used by the universities in the ten countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). She is a founder and coordinator of the European Intellectual Property Teachers' Network and convener of the Intellectual Property section of the Society of Legal Scholars. As Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy Claire regularly participates in the Research Inspired Teaching Excellence [RITE] Programme.
Claire won a StudentshIP Enterprise Award prize of over £54,000 from the UK Intellectual Property Office with which she established the multidisciplinary PIPE Club [Patenting, Intellectual Property and Entrepreneurship]. She is currently undertaking a joint research project with Ian Combe into "SME leaders' understandings of trade mark rights and their strategies used to exploit innovation" sponsored by a British Academy / Leverhulme Small Research Grant.
26 May 2017
Corporate governance beyond compliance and how good corporate governance improves the ability to raise finance
The role of the board is crucial in a growing any business - small companies become bigger ones but often they see corporate governance as merely a compliance issue. Graham Robertson, Chairman Corex Group presents corporate governance beyond compliance and how good corporate governance improves the ability to raise finance. He will consider the role of the Chairman, Company directors, board effectiveness, the balance of the board, non-executive directors and the benefits of on-going director education to build a better board.
Graham passionately believes that if you are ambitious for growth or seeking to raise finance for growth it is crucial that the balance the board reflects your aims and ambitions.
Graham Robertson - Chairman: Corex Group.
Graham obtained a degree in Geology from the University of Aston and has since spent 40 years working in the international oil industry. Following several years of managing laboratories in the UK and West Africa Graham founded his own oilfield services company in 1987. At this time he gained an ACCA qualification in Accounting and Finance and raised venture capital to undertake several acquisitions including Corex and to grow the business over subsequent years. Today he is Chairman of the Corex Group, which now has operating laboratories in Aberdeen, Cairo and the Middle East.
Graham completed an MBA in 2011; his research thesis was in Corporate Governance linked to investor relations within the Oil Industry. The MBA experience taught Graham that on-going Director education is a real key to the further development of a successful business. Following the MBA, Graham completed the Institute of Directors (IOD) Certificate in Company Direction and then Diploma in Company Direction. He is now his working towards Chartered Director status also through the IOD in London.
Graham has also occasionally lectured on Corporate Governance on the MBA course at Henley Business School and at Reading University and also his local IOD chapter. He also occasionally lectures on Entrepreneurship highlighting the ups and downs of his own personal business journey.
Graham's interest in Corporate Governance has led to an interest in "Building a Better Board" the subject of the presentation.
Graham is truly enjoying being reunited with Aston and currently involved in several projects with the university.
13 June 2017
What can we learn from politicians about brand success?
Do the phrases "take back control" and "make America great again" ring any bells? I'm sure they do!
Dr Keith Glanfield and Susan Vidler, Head of Research at Harris Interactive discussed if there's anything marketers can learn from Politicians to enhance branding success and develop category leadership.
Why on earth would business turn to politics and politicians for marketing advice? Well, firms want their brand to sum them up in a few words. They want a brand with wide appeal that can cross traditional boundaries in society and which appeals to many different audiences. A brand can be used to bring together diverse groups, including customers, employees and suppliers, to generate a strong bond and sense of affiliation with the firm.
The presentation built upon a recent article 'Political Populists and the new branding trail blazers' by Dr Glanfield published in The Conversation and the future relevance aspect of the "HI Brands" model by Harris Interactive.
Dr Keith Glanfield is a Lecturer and Senior FME Fellow, joining the Marketing Group at Aston Business School in 2010 having secured a prestigious Foundation for Management Education / ESRC Fellowship awarded to fund Keith's transition into academia from a 20 year commercial career in industry.
15 June 2017
What are the long and short term consequence of Brexit on UK interest groups?
The question of a fallout from Brexit is hunting a number of analysts. The trend in mushrooming publications (see for example: German Law Journal, Special supplement printed on Brexit already early July 2016) and media coverage (with the Guardian and Politico.eu taking lead) confirms it. Most of the analysts draw a distinction between the immediate-short term effect of the "leave" result stemming from the referendum and the long-term consequences of the UK going out of the European Union (EU). A similar approach can be deployed while looking at the changes that will emerge regarding the UK interest groups' lobbying capacity.
Dr. Patrycja Rozbicka talk focused on identifying the short and long term consequences and how to counterbalance them.
Dr. Patrycja Rozbicka main area of research circulates around participation of interest groups in the European and national policy-making and transposition processes; which includes questions like: How influential are interest groups in the politics? Access routes for lobbyists and their effectiveness? And, regulation of interest groups access to policy-makers.
Patrycja joined the School in 2015, having previously worked as a post-doc and lecturer at the Ruhr University Bochum, Germany. Prior to coming to the United Kingdom, Patrycja held appointments at the University of Victoria, BC, Canada, visiting researcher post at the Institute of European Studies, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium, and finished her PhD at the European University Institute, Florence, Italy.
26 July 2017
Encouraging employee social responsibility
When thinking of corporate social responsibility (CSR), the focus tends to be at the organisational level and on what organisations 'do' which is socially responsible. It is argued that greater attention also needs to be placed within the organisation, on the employees. How can we encourage employees to further their individual social responsibility efforts?
Dr Nishat Babu, lecturer in work psychology focused on research conducted at Aston Business School on a number of organisational factors that may be relevant in promoting employee social responsibility efforts.
Dr Nishat Babu is a Business Psychologist and Lecturer in the Work and Organisational Psychology Group at Aston Business School, with expertise in a number of areas; including leadership, global working, and effective team work. Her research interests centre on leadership and corporate social responsibility (CSR) at the micro-levels. Currently, she is focusing on leadership and organisational climate, and the role they play in facilitating employee engagement with CSR at multiple levels within the organisation. She has developed a unique multi-dimensional tool to measure employee social responsibility in the workplace, and has applied this in her research with organisations looking to enhance their CSR profile. Nishat holds a Master's in Work and Organisational Psychology, and a PhD in Management
10 October 2017
Switching costs and customer retention
Customers from numerous firms regularly have the feeling of being "locked-in" in with their current provider due to the presence of switching costs. Switching costs are the onetime costs that customers associate with the process of switching from one provider to another (Burnham et al. 2003). They include customer perception of time, effort, and losses associated with provider switching. This presentation provides new insights into the effectiveness of this retention strategy.
It also shows which customer segments to target as a company. While it is obvious that customers with prior switching experience and provider expertise are less likely to be bound by switching costs, it is unclear whether customers differ with regard to switching costs perceptions depending on other customer characteristics (e.g., age, gender, income, risk aversion).
Benefits of attending
Challenge your thinking about customer loyalty, relationship and measurement.
Markus Blut is professor and chair in marketing at Aston Business School. Before joining Aston University, he worked as professor of marketing at Newcastle University Business School (UK). During the last years, he was invited as visiting professor by the University of Alabama (USA), Florida Atlantic University (USA), and Curtin University (AUS).
His research interests are related to service and retail marketing/management. He has published more than 150 articles in established journals, books, proceedings, and journals.
He regularly works together with international firms on joint research and consulting projects including BMW, Borussia Dortmund, Claas, Dr. Oetker, Henkel-Ecolab, KarstadtQuelle Bank, Karstadt Warenhaus, McDonald's, Mercedes-Benz, Merck, Procter and Gamble, Robert Bosch, and T-Mobile International among many others.
26 October 2017
Brexit and the UK's music industry
The British music industry was worth a stunning £4.1 billion in 2014. The corner stone of the sector are live music events. The most recent data indicates that this particular sub-sector generated £924 million and employed 25,100 full-time employees in 2015, with stunning number of 27.7 million people attending live music events. The numbers clearly show that the value of that sub-sector should not be underestimated.
In the mists of the Brexit debate, there are number of scenarios to consider. The two readily available ones are the scenarios of Norway-Switzerland and Northern America (US and Canada). Lets focus on those and their effects on the British live music industry.
Rozbicka, P., Conroy, M. (2017) "Live Music and Brexit's Cliffhanger", Music Business Journal, 13:1, p. 8-11. Link: http://www.thembj.org/2017/05/live-music-and-brexits-cliffhanger/
Patrycja joined the School in 2015, having previously worked as a post-doc and lecturer at the Ruhr University Bochum, Germany. Prior to coming to the United Kingdom, Patrycja held appointments at the University of Victoria, BC, Canada, visiting researcher post at the Institute of European Studies, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium, and finished her PhD at the European University Institute, Florence, Italy.
28 September 2017
Creative Brand Development
Most strategic thinking in marketing revolves around an outside-in approach so business leaders are encouraged to conduct marketing research to find out what customers want and what competitors are offering, externally, before developing strategies internally. However, this approach has some serious limitation especially when developing and strengthening brands. One major issue is that customers and consumers cannot articulate what they want, creatively, in ways that are not currently available.
An inside-out approach to strategic thinking is required for creative brand development; when more substantial changes to a brand are needed. This session will highlight a creative brand development process and give examples to outline how this was successfully implemented based on action research projects conducted by the presenter.
Dr Ian Combe is a lecturer in marketing strategy at Aston Business School. Ian's research interests lay in a range of topics that interface between marketing and strategic management such as strategic orientation, strategic flexibility, strategy practice and managing service quality. He is experienced in conducting case study research and in the use of cognitive research methods such as sorting technique, laddering technique and cognitive mapping. His work has been published or is forthcoming in journals such as The Leadership Quarterly, European Journal of Marketing, Journal of Strategic Marketing, Journal of Marketing Management and Managerial Auditing.
30 November 2017
Bridging the Skills Gap
There is a growing gap, locally and across the UK, between the skills businesses need and the skills job applicants have.
A new project called Higher Level Skills Match (HLSM)* has been set up to support SMEs in accessing the talent and skills they need, but they want to hear from businesses to find out what it is they want and need to grow the business.
Higher Level Skills Match (HLSM) has been created with and for businesses to support SME growth and employability within the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP) Area. Birmingham City University, Aston University and Newman University have partnered to create HLSM, with the support of Cannock Chase, Lichfield and Tamworth local authorities. This project is part funded by the European Social Fund (ESF). For more information visit www.aston.ac.uk/hlsm
13 February 2018
Systems Thinking
This interactive discussion led by Professor Ben Clegg discussed the basics of systems thinking and how it can be used to improve strategic operations management.
The session gave attendees an opportunity to develop systems thinking skills to make them a more holistic thinker and become more prepared to become an innovative manager of change. A new technique was demonstrated and an example given.
Management thinking is all too often constrained by linear and hierarchical thinking, but as we all know organisations and business are usually more complex than this and should not be thought of in this way; so why do we persist in doing so? The answer is simple - because we rarely know of any alternative.
Professor Clegg provided an alternative by giving attendees an introduction to systems thinking to prepare them to become an effective agent of improvement.
A taste for systems thinking, learn of a specific technique, and a chance to become a systems thinker; this could give you an advantage over more traditional thinkers.
Professor Ben Clegg's research, teaching and consulting activities focus on operations and process improvement. He draws upon theoretical ideas, such as systems thinking and multi-organisation enterprise management, to implement practical solutions for organisations. In turn practical case studies and insights are used to further develop theory about operations and process improvement.
20 February 2018
Many marketers and organisations set themselves the challenge of wanting their stakeholders, particularly their employees, to "Live the brand" and in doing so create a distinct "brand experience" for their customers.
Some would like to think they've achieved this objective but many don't. Why is this, what are we "really" trying to achieve, what can we do differently and by addressing "Living the brand" are we really addressing the core underlying phenomena of "brand experience".
Join Aston Business School or this short workshop led by Dr Keith Glanfield. Keith will ask your views on living the brand, arriving at what it means and trying to achieve. We will then explore how to get employees to do this, what the difficulties and challenges are and how achievable this all is. Keith will share the latest thinking on the "identity perspective" to branding and we will finish with a short discussion.
Applying organisational psychology to branding uncovers an alternative way of "creating an environment" for brand experience to evolve and develop. In a workshop style we'll unpick the conventional "living the brand" approaches to arrive at an alternative perspective on developing brand experience.
Dr Keith Glanfield is a Lecturer and Senior FME Fellow, joining the Marketing Group at Aston Business School in 2010 having secured a prestigious Foundation for Management Education / ESRC Fellowship awarded to fund Keith's transition into academia from a 20 year commercial career in industry.
Awarded a Phd in identity and strategic brand management in 2013, Keith's research interests focus on how to transform and optimise an organisation's brands to improve organisational performance, sustainability and stakeholder satisfaction. Researching with organisations such as John Lewis and Waitrose, Keith's research also investigates the influence of co-operative and mutual business models on stakeholder cohesion, brand community development, front-line employee performance and the co-creation of services between customers and service employees.
Keith integrates his research, teaching and engagement with practice as a regular contributor to the Times and Sunday Times, delivering executive education programs, consulting with industry and presenting new research and emerging marketing thinking to members of the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants and the Chartered Institute of Marketing.
22 March 2018
Since the global financial crisis, real incomes have fallen, cuts to public services have been dramatic and interest rates have hit record lows. A decade on - and a weak and inconsistent recovery later - has led to the question, what lessons have we learnt if any?
More importantly, why are we still witnessing housing bubbles and rapid expansions in consumer credit across the world?
Johan Rewilak presents evidence on the importance of maintaining financial stability - and how financial instability is a phenomenon that depresses the economy even in the absence of a full-blown crisis.
He will discuss which various measures of financial instability are seen to peak prior to financial crisis and shows how more financially stable economies can withstand surges of credit inflows that have jeopardised economies in the past.
Examine the new schemes and regulations put in place by various multilateral organisations in an effort to try clean up the banking system, and discusses what we may expect to see in the future. Hear throughout the talk real examples used to supplement the academic findings.
Johan Rewlaik joined Aston Business School in May 2016 after spending two years working close to his hometown in West Yorkshire, at the University of Huddersfield as a lecturer in economics.
Prior to that he spent almost ten years in the East Midlands studying at both the University of Leicester and the University of Nottingham. He also worked as a research associate on an ESRC-DFID funded project "Finance, politics and growth" which had a strong focus on Africa.
Outside academia he has a strong interest in sports. A keen runner and footballer, he has competed at a high level in both.
What marketers do every day, and what organisations want them to do is constantly changing and evolving.
Initial research conducted by Aston Business School suggests "marketing" is at a tipping point. It's very purpose, function and activity are under challenge. This workshop explored this research and discussed how marketing is changing, it's potential future shape and what contribution it can make to business performance.
Throughout the talk real examples were used to supplement the academic findings.
Dr Keith Glanfield is a Lecturer and Senior FME Fellow, joining the Marketing Group at Aston Business School in 2010 having secured a prestigious Foundation for Management Education / ESRC Fellowship awarded to fund Keith's transition into academia from a 20 year commercial career in industry.
24 May 2018
Policy makers and behavioural finance scholars express growing concern that marketing practices by financial institutions exploit retail investors' behavioural biases.
Investor protection regulation should thus address these marketing practices and include mechanisms curbing behavioural exploitation. That raises the question whether the marketing communications regime of the new Markets in Financial Instruments Directive can live up to this demand.
This presentation sits at the intersection between behavioural finance and law. Martin will use the law governing marketing materials as a discussion starter for the bigger debate on how behavioural insights about retail investors' behavioural biases can be integrated into investor protection measures.
This debate is highly relevant for businesses as it directly impacts on what is required by an investment firm in order to conduct its business in a fair way.
Martin's findings are also relevant for the new hot investor protection topic in MiFID II, product governance, and the requirements relating to providing investment advice. He will address these wider implications in his presentation.
Martin Brenncke joined Aston Law School in August 2017 after spending two years at Oxford University as a career development fellow. Martin's research interests lie in financial services law, EU law, (comparative) constitutional law and legal methodology. In the past, he was a post-doc at Zurich University (CH) and a visiting fellow/researcher at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (London), the British Institute of International and Comparative Law (London) and the University of Cambridge.
12 June 2018
As knowledge based services have become increasingly important, traditional managerial responsibilities such as measuring performance, improving quality and controlling processes have become more difficult.
Variable customer demands make processes difficult to control, reliance on expert knowledge makes quality hard to measure, while building the service on the knowledge of employees makes managing people a challenge. This presentation will illustrate how these challenges make life difficult for a small company as its success leads to rapid expansion.
The service concept – i.e. the mental picture of the service – is seen as a key part of service design and strategy. This presentation will demonstrate how articulating the service concept helps to diagnose the challenges of professional services by revealing the inconsistencies between how managers, employees and customers understand the service.
Benefits of attending
The presentation will help you to relate the challenges of managing services to those faced by other organisations and explore how the service concept can help overcome these challenges to create successful service experiences.
Dr Ahmad Beltagui is a Lecturer in Project and Operations Management. He holds degrees in Engineering (MEng Product Design Engineering, University of Strathclyde) and Management (PhD Operations Management, University of Nottingham).
Ahmad teaches on undergraduate, postgraduate and distance learning modules related to Operations Management, Supply Chain Management, Information Systems and Project Management.
Ahmad joined Aston Business School in 2017. Prior to that he was a Research Fellow at Nottingham University Business School, then Lecturer in Operations Management at University of Wolverhampton.
He is also involved in research projects and collaborative bid writing. His current research interests include design, innovation and supply chain management, with a particular emphasis on Additive Manufacturing/3D Printing and its innovation potential.
Ahmad is interested in research related to design, innovation and service management. His work has been published in Journal of Product Innovation Management, International Journal of Operations & Production Management, Creativity & Innovation Management, Design Management Journal and Games & Culture. As well as in numerous conferences on innovation, operations, service management and design management. Topics he has investigated and continue to be interested in include servitization/product-service systems, customer experience, design thinking and design's contribution to management, value creation in online social networks and ecosystems as a metaphor for supply chain management.
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text:
Ever since her childhood in Toronto, Canada, Virginia
(Ginny) Andreoli Mathie, PhD wanted to be a teacher. As the eldest of
five daughters born to Thomas and Julia Andreoli, Ginny spent many summer days
playing "teacher" in a make-believe classroom, with her sisters
Dolores, Frances, Marion, and Donna playing the role of students. During high
school Ginny wanted to be a mathematics teacher so in 1967 she entered the
mathematics and computer science program at the University of Waterloo in
Ontario. She soon became hooked on psychology as well and after completing her
BMath and BA in Psychology degrees, she entered the social psychology program
at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she completed her MA
and PhD degrees under the mentorship of John Thibaut.
In 1975, Ginny joined the psychology faculty at what
is now James Madison University (JMU) in Virginia. During her 29 years at JMU
she taught a variety of courses including introductory psychology, social
psychology, research methods, and statistics. Given her love of teaching, she
was honored to receive the 1981 JMU Distinguished Teacher Award and to be named
the 2000 American Psychological Association (APA) Harry Kirke Wolfe Lecturer.
Ginny's research with students and colleagues investigated topics such as
factors related to family violence, differences between acknowledged and
unacknowledged rape victims, and the effectiveness of instructional technology.
Her publications and presentations address these topics as well as issues
related to teaching and professional service. Ginny served eight years as
coordinator of the JMU undergraduate program and the general psychology
master's program and four years as department head. A very special highlight of
her JMU career was her recent induction into the JMU Psi Chi chapter!
Among the many leadership positions she has held in
professional organizations, Ginny served as a member of the Virginia
Psychological Association (VPA) Board of Directors, as the VPA Secretary, and
as founding president of the VPA's Virginia Academy of Academic Psychologists.
She served on the Society for the Teaching of Psychology (STP; APA Division 2)
Executive Committee for several years, was the 1995-1996 STP President, and
currently represents STP on the APA Council of Represent-atives. Ginny was
awarded APA Fellow status in STP in 1996. She also served on the APA Board of
Educational Affairs (BEA) from 1997 through 2000 and chaired the BEA Technology
Working Group, the 1999 and 2000 BEA convention programs on technology and
education, and the APA Education Leadership Conference Technology Group. She
was a member of the BEA Executive Committee, the BEA Education and Training
Awards Committee, the APA Board of Directors Technology Applications Advisory
Group, and the APA Com-mittee for Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools
(TOPSS). One of the highlights of her career was chairing the Psychology
Partnerships Project: Academic Partnerships to Meet the Teaching and Learning
Needs of the 21st Century (P3), a five-year BEA project conceived by Ginny,
Randy Ernst, a former chair of TOPSS, and Jill Reich, the former Executive
Director of the APA Education Directorate. P3 produced many new partnerships
between psychology teachers in high schools, community colleges, four-year
colleges and universities, and research universities as well as a variety of
new resources to enhance psychology education. In recognition of her work on
P3, Ginny received the APA 2002 Distinguished Contributions to Applications of
Psychology to Education and Training Award.
In addition to her professional life, Ginny enjoys the
special times she spends with her husband Jim, daughters Jennifer, Shannon, and
Allison, son-in-law Ingmar, and grandchildren Mi Mi, Marieke, and Kees.
Copyright 2008 (Volume 12, Issue 4) by Psi Chi, the
International Honor Society in Psychology
Eye on Psi Chi is a magazine designed to keep members
and alumni up-to-date with all the latest information about Psi Chi's programs,
awards, and chapter activities. It features informative articles about careers,
graduate school admission, chapter ideas, personal development, the various
fields of psychology, and important issues related to our discipline.
Eye on Psi Chi is published quarterly:Spring (February)Summer (April)Fall
(September)Winter (November)
Remember Me
11/1/2018 » 12/15/2018Call for Society Nominations Opens
12/3/2018APA Submissions Deadline
12/5/2018Unrestricted Travel Grants--Winter
12/15/2018Spring Eye on Psi Chi Alumni in the News Deadline


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Reading the forum on your cell phone? There's an easier way. We've enabled a Tapatalk app that makes browsing the forum a whole lot easier. Check it out in the iPhone or Android store if you don't own it already.
When he came to a waist-high ledge, he couldnt step up, so he jumped up on it backwards.
Yup... and no ass-dynoing when you get your new hip, John.
I guess I am not in my right mind.
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Comprehensive DescriptionRead full entry
DescriptionAnnual or perennial herbs (in ours), often fleshy. Stipules 0. Leaves alternate, rarely opposite, simple. Flowers minute, usually green or grey, bisexual or unisexual, actinomorphic. Perianth 2-5-lobed, persistent. Stamens as many as, or fewer than, the number of perianth segments. Ovary superior or half-inferior, 1-locular. Stigmas 2(-5). Fruit usually an indehiscent achene.


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You might never have heard of U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention in Rockville, but after reading this you likely will want to work there.
The scientific nonprofit, which sets standards for drug production and quality in the United States, was recently recognized by the Principal Financial Group as one of the 10 "best companies for employee financial security."
The organization's benefits package includes a 10 percent annual contribution to workers' 401(k)s, up to $10,000 in yearly tuition assistance, and health and dental plan options in which the employer pays 100 percent of the premiums for workers and their families.
"Once we hire a person, we want to retain them," says Brian Hendrix, USP's chief operating officer. "Benefits help us do that."
No kidding. Benefits experts are so impressed by USP's perks that some jokingly asked if the nonprofit had any job openings.
Plenty of employers say workers are their most valuable asset. But when times get tough, companies look first to cutting their largest expenses, which are often employee benefits. As open enrollment time approaches, many workers will continue to feel the pinch that a weak economy and escalating health costs have had on their benefits.
Medical premiums next year will likely go up 7 percent to 8 percent for workers, and employers will continue to shift toward high-deductible health plans, says Steve Raetzman, a partner in the Washington office of Mercer, a benefits consultant.
And a Towers Watson survey last year found that a quarter of employers that suspended 401(k) contributions during the recession still hadn't restored them. Also, 23 percent of those that did reinstate matches did so at lower levels than before.
Plenty of employers are feeling the same economic pressures, which raises the question: Why do some make a bigger commitment to employees' financial security than others?
Luke Vandermillen, vice president at Principal, says winners of the annual contest are for-profits and nonprofits from a wide range of industries, such as manufacturing, education, information technology and financial services.
What they have in common, he says, is a commitment from top management to make benefits a priority. And when times get tough, he says, these employers look for other ways to rein in costs, such as slowing the pace of hiring or not filling empty positions, before cutting benefits. They also involve workers in these decisions, he says.
USP was selected as winner out of more than 480 employers with up to 1,000 workers.
The nonprofit was founded in 1820 to create a standards for drug manufacturers, and its benchmarks are now used here and in more than 140 other countries. USP's revenues come largely from the sale of reference materials to manufacturers. Revenues for the fiscal year that ended in June were $157 million and are expected to reach $171 million this year.
Most of its 700-plus employees are scientists.
USP's Hendrix says it's because the organization is a nonprofit that it offers generous benefits to attract talent.
"It's difficult for nonprofits. We are competing with pharmaceutical companies, with government and very deep-pocketed organizations," he says. "And we simply can't pay on the same scale as big pharmaceutical companies."
Some of USP's other benefits include 100 percent employer-paid premiums for life insurance as well as short- and long-term disability coverage.
USP has a three-tiered comprehensive health insurance plan and, depending on the option, the nonprofit pays 86 percent to 100 percent of the premiums, says Dawn Oram, USP's director of benefits administration.
After keeping employees' premiums flat for several years, USP raised them this year. But still the premiums seem tame. Under one plan, workers pay about $26.60 a month for individual coverage and $82.40 for families.
Lisa Kottler, senior vice president with NFP, a benefits advisory firm, was one of the judges who selected USP. She says she hasn't seen such a financial commitment to benefits by an employer in nearly 20 years in the business.
"It's not any one thing," she says. "They are doing many great things."
For example, she says, USP offers employees one-on-one retirement counseling and solicits feedback from workers about benefits — and actually adopts their suggestions.
"Seriously, very generous," says Bruce Elliott, manager of compensation and benefits for the Society of Human Resource Management. "I don't normally see 100 percent-paid medical. Right now, the average is 70 to 75 percent employer-paid. And that number is going south."
The typical 401(k) employer match, he adds, is 3 percent.
If the goal is worker retention, the benefits appear to be working. USP's turnover is 5 percent to 7 percent a year, Oram says.
Principal's Vandermillen says contest winners on average have a turnover rate of 9.8 percent, compared with a national average of 19.7 percent.
But Vandermillen says good benefits are more than just about retaining workers. Research shows that employees are more engaged if they feel "less anxiety about their personal finance situation," he says. And some manufacturers, he adds, notice an improvement in safety records when workers are more engaged in their work.
Given all this, I asked Hendrix why other employers don't follow in USP's footsteps.
"Sadly, a lot of companies treat their employees like commodities," he says. "We recognize the value of employees, and the talents they bring and how it benefits the mission."


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Bronson Healthcare Group is seeking a BE/BC Urologist to join two established Urologists in our expanding medical group serving Battle Creek and surrounding area. This is a full time hospital employed position with an established network of referrals with high volumes. There is hospitalist support for in-patient care and call is shared 1:4. Bronson offers a competitive salary, (525K first year) signing bonus, productivity bonus, full benefits, relocation allowance, malpractice coverage, annual CME, generous PTO, loan repayment and a stipend in your last year of residency.
Bronson Battle Creek is a 228-bed, all-private room community hospital serving over 200K people in south central Michigan. Rated one of the safest hospitals in Michigan, BBC is a multi-campus healthcare provider, offering full outpatient and inpatient acute care including robotic surgery, behavioral health, and rehabilitation services. Specialty services include one of the finest Cancer Care Centers in Michigan, an Orthopedic Renewal Center, the county's largest accredited sleep center, and a wound-healing center with hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Battle Creek, is family friendly with an abundance of activities including festivals, fine arts, and sporting opportunities; a vibrant downtown with easy access to smaller communities and excellent public and private schools. A variety of theatre venues, a symphony orchestra, institute of arts and a zoo enhance quality of life. Access to outdoor activities abound, including many public and private golf courses, trails for biking, running, and cross-country skiing. Beautiful Lake Michigan with sandy beaches is all within an easy drive. Contact Cadace Lee @ email@example.com or 269.341.8631


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Style # 221845
With a dramatic contrast ruffle across the front and figure-sculpting design, this bebe dress is an instant way to inject your look with a statement resort pop. Amp yours up with a pair of metallic heels and a matching minaudiere.
- 100% polyester
- Center back to hem: 32" (81 cm)
- Jersey lining
- Dry clean
- Imported
- Model is 5'9" and wearing a US size S
Print Asymmetric Dress is rated out of 5 by 7.
Rated 1 out of 5 by Skittlebees from No no no The worst dress of Bebe all year very awkward looking and fit for any size shape women looks like a toga and a potatoe sack! Why would they sell this?! Been excited they've brought allot of animal prints this season but this one is disappointing and a major fashion no no!
Date published: 2014-12-12
Rated 4 out of 5 by CoSu from Hugs your curves in all the right places I wasn't sure if the material would be see-through or not, but it's opaque! I am a 12-14 in dresses and the XL fits PERFECTLY! It hugs all on my curves and the loose material takes the attention away from my stomach. I also like that it covers the one arm a bit. The length is a bit short, but nothing to be worried about!
Date published: 2014-04-23
Rated 5 out of 5 by rachab77 from Lovely against your skin I absolutely love the material against my skin. the flow print design shows off all the right curves in all the right places. Love this dress. GREAT for a tropical vacation night out.
Date published: 2014-04-07
Rated 5 out of 5 by Giggles from Super cute dress! I just got this dress to wear for my birthday night out and I can't wait to wear it!! Super cute and it fits perfectly! I'm 5'3 and 140lbs and i got size Medium since I wasn't sure how snug fit the small would be based on the previous reviews here. Medium fits me just fine.
Date published: 2014-04-01
Rated 5 out of 5 by Jess89 from Love It!!! Ok I never write reviews for anything but this dress is worth it! Bought it for a recent vacation and I got so many compliments. I am 5'6, 135 pounds and I usually always wear a small in bebe dresses. It covers all the right spots and is lightweight. Looks and fits exactly like the pictures show. It's a must have :)
Date published: 2014-03-22
Rated 5 out of 5 by Ltita from Love this dress! I saw this dress and though it would be prefect for my bridal shower. I am 5'8", 140 lbs and ordered a medium. It has more of a comfortable semi-loose fit, if you are looking for a tight fitted look you may want to order a size down? Material is super soft and light, probably too light to wear any shapewear under but I haven't tried yet.
Date published: 2014-02-24
Rated 5 out of 5 by gingdave from Gorgeous and in style When I saw it online I really need to purchased it,i love the style it hides the imperfections,love it!cant wait to wear it on my hubby's birthday!
Date published: 2013-12-28


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Join the Nation's Conversation
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Jay Z: I'm being 'demonized' over Barneys deal
NEW YORK (AP) — Jay Z — under increasing pressure to back out of a collaboration with the luxury store Barneys New York after it was accused of racially profiling two black customers — said Saturday he's being unfairly "demonized" for just waiting to hear all of the facts.
The rap mogul made his first statement about the controversy in a posting on his website. He has come under fire for remaining silent as news surfaced this week that two young black people said they were profiled by Barneys after they purchased expensive items from their Manhattan store.
An online petition and Twitter messages from fans have been circulating this week, calling on the star to bow out of his upcoming partnership with Barneys for the holiday season, which will have the store selling items by top designers, inspired by Jay Z, with some of the proceeds going to his charity. He is also working with the store to create its artistic holiday window display.
MORE: Sharpton threatens NYC store boycott over profiling claims
But Jay Z — whose real name is Shawn Carter — defended himself, saying that he hasn't spoken about it because he's still trying to figure out exactly what happened.
"I move and speak based on facts and not emotion," the statement said. "I haven't made any comments because I am waiting on facts and the outcome of a meeting between community leaders and Barneys. Why am I being demonized, denounced and thrown on the cover of a newspaper for not speaking immediately?" he said, referring to local newspaper headlines.
Jay Z — who rose from a life of crime in Brooklyn to become one of the most heralded rappers and one of entertainment's biggest superstars — has in the past called for a boycott of labels perceived to be racist, and has become more political in recent years, from speaking out about the killing of black teenager Trayvon Martin to campaigning for President Obama.
Jay Z said in this case, he's still trying to find out what happened —which is why he was silent.
"The negligent, erroneous reports and attacks on my character, intentions and the spirit of this collaboration have forced me into a statement I didn't want to make without the full facts," he added.
He also dismissed reports that he would profit from the collaboration. He said he's "not making a dime" from working with Barneys. Instead, his Shawn Carter Foundation, which provides college scholarships to economically challenged students, will get 25 percent of all sales from the collaboration.
"This money is going to help individuals facing socio-economic hardships to help further their education at institutions of higher learning," he said. "My idea was born out of creativity and charity… not profit."
He also said that "making a decision prematurely to pull out of this project wouldn't hurt Barneys or Shawn Carter but all the people that stand a chance at higher education," he said. "I have been working with my team ever since the situation was brought to my attention to get to the bottom of these incidents and at the same time find a solution that doesn't harm all those that stand to benefit from this collaboration."
Jay Z said he understood what it felt like to be racially profiled — but also didn't want to jump to unfair conclusions.
"I am against discrimination of any kind but if I make snap judgments, no matter who it's towards, aren't I committing the same sin as someone who profiles?" he asked. "I am no stranger to being profiled and I truly empathize with anyone that has been put in that position. Hopefully this brings forth a dialogue to effect real change."
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Trend Report: Table Twins
One of the design details that kept showing up throughout the Maison & Objet booths was the concept of two tables, of slightly varied heights, shown together. Used as a cocktail/coffee table or as a side table, this twin table trend was everywhere at the show...
It's a look that has the potential to help the dynamics of a room. It switches things up by breaking up the grid that it often formed by your sofa, chair and coffee table and will add a little visual and spacial interest through the difference in height and sometimes even the color of the two tables.
It's a trend that has a practical side too - anytime something becomes modular, it broadens the ways that you can use it, the spaces it can fit in and, most likely, the length of time the piece is useful. Down the road, you may end up splitting up the twins for a new look, but that is ok - if you like the basic design of the table, it's likely you'll find use for them as solo pieces as well.
Included here are also some single tables that mimic the twin table look (photos 9 & 10); they have multiple height surfaces attached to one base.
What do you think of the twin table trend?
Shown above, top row, left to right:
1. Miniforms
2. RS Intense Living Furniture
3. Bosa
4. Bosa
5. Villa Home
Bottom row, left to right:
6. Vibieffe
7. Arketipo
8. Kita's
9. Cinna/Ligne Roset
10. Arketipo
Images: Janel Laban


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Revision history of "Prussia-Rheinland Heraldry"
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This page has been deleted. The deletion and move log for the page are provided below for reference.
- 07:09, 10 November 2015 Hanna5974 (talk | contribs) moved page Prussia-Rheinland Heraldry to Rheinland (Rhineland) Heraldry without leaving a redirect (Text replace - "Prussia-Rheinland" to "Rheinland (Rhineland)")


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Style # 207932
Instantly update your look with a sexy shot of pattern! These bebe tights feature contrasting lace and fishnet patterns that are sure to lend any look a sexy allure. Try them with sequin dresses and your highest pair of heels.
- 90% nylon, 10% spandex
- Hand wash
- Imported
- Model is 5'9" and is wearing a US size S
Fishnet Pattern Tights is rated out of 5 by 2.
Rated 5 out of 5 by mariakala from Hoisery BEBE hoisery is HOT HOT HOT. It drives my boyfriend crazy and my friends always complement when I wear them
Date published: 2013-01-23
Rated 5 out of 5 by Kenken14 from Sexy chic These tights can be dressed up down around it doesn't matter still looks great with anything u put on you can do a grunge village look with them as well as a sophisticated evening look with a nice dress and sexy pumps
Date published: 2013-01-21


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Editor's note: Peter Bergen is a fellow at the New America Foundation, a Washington-based think tank that promotes innovative thought from across the ideological spectrum, and at New York University's Center on Law and Security. He's the author of "The Osama bin Laden I Know: An Oral History of al Qaeda's Leader."
Peter Bergen says Hamid Karzai, who comes to Washington this week, is politically strong.
(CNN) -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai travels to Washington this week to meet with President Obama and with his Pakistani counterpart Asif Zardari.
There will be much to discuss -- principally, of course, how to reverse the rising tide of Talibanization on both sides of the Afghan/Pakistan border, which is a key foreign policy challenge for the Obama administration.
But how long will Obama and Zardari have to deal with Karzai whose five-year presidential term expires this month and who is now up for election on August 20th?
The question is not a small one for the success or failure of what has become 'Obama's War' in Afghanistan. Karzai has long been derided as the 'mayor of Kabul' because his authority supposedly doesn't extend much beyond the capital. And his government is rightly seen as rife with corruption. The non-governmental organization Transparency International, for instance, rates Afghanistan, as one of the most corrupt countries in the world..
Despite these handicaps, Karzai is on track to win a landslide in this summer's election. Why? First, Karzai is a rather adept politician, something that his many Western critics don't often grasp. Consider the moves Karzai made around the time of the first presidential election in 2004:
-Karzai forced Ismail Khan, the powerful governor of the western province of Herat, to resign, giving him instead the consolation prize of the ministry of energy.
-Uzbek strongman Abdul Rashid Dostum was given a job with a fancy title but no power at the Ministry of Defense.
-And in July 2004, Karzai dropped Mohammad Fahim as his running mate for the presidency. Fahim, a power-hungry general who had awarded himself the title of field marshal after the fall of the Taliban, was later removed by Karzai from his post as minister of defense.
With these moves, Karzai not only skillfully neutralized his most powerful rivals, men who could field their own private armies, but he also increased the authority of the central government.
Karzai aced the presidential election on October 9, 2004, winning 55 percent of the vote against more than a dozen other candidates in a reasonably fair contest -- a greater margin of victory than President Obama won in 2008 against his one serious challenger.
Karzai has again demonstrated his deft political skills for the upcoming election. Last month, the main opposition party, National Front, said that one of its founders, former minister of defense Fahim, had left the group to back the president. On Monday, Karzai named Fahim as one of his two running mates.
And after meeting Karzai on Friday, Gul Agha Sherzai, a powerful Pashtun governor who enjoys American support and who met with Obama when he was a presidential candidate, announced he was pulling out of the race.
So what opposition remains? Dr. Abdullah, the former foreign minister, may throw his hat in the ring. He is a very able public servant but he is far too identified with the Northern Alliance that overthrew the Taliban and is dominated by the Tajik minority.
Only a Pashtun candidate can realistically win an election in Afghanistan given the fact that Pashtuns are the largest ethnic group in the country.
Another candidate is likely to be Ashraf Ghani, the former finance mister, who is brilliant, but is hardly a grip-and-grin retail politician.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US Ambassador to Afghanistan, is a dark horse candidate who has given mixed signals about his willingness to run and has also been out Afghanistan for the past four years.
Then there are Karzai's own advantages as he goes into the election. He has enormous name recognition in a country where the population is largely illiterate and he has the advantage of incumbency in a race where other candidates will only have four months to organize.
Karzai remains somewhat popular. Yes, his favorable ratings in polls have dropped from 83 percent in 2005 to 52 percent today, but that puts him around where President Bush was polling on the eve of his successful reelection in 2004 when he had a 53 percent favorable rating.
And Karzai is a Pashtun from the Durrani tribal grouping which has supplied almost all of Afghanistan's rulers since the mid 18th century. His past successful electoral performance shows that he is also able to attract voters from other ethnic groups.
Karzai has skillfully put some distance between himself and the US on the issue of Afghan civilian casualties caused by American airstrikes, something that Afghans feel very strongly about.
Yet the Obama administration will roll out the red carpet for him upon his arrival Tuesday and Karzai will return to Afghanistan at the same time as the May 9 deadline for anyone who wants to register as a presidential candidate. The timing makes it seem as if he has the seal of American approval, whatever is said by US officials about "not backing any particular candidate."
The question then is what Karzai will do in his next five-year term.
One can only hope that with an electoral mandate he will takes strong measures against corrupt officials in his government, including these profiting from the drug trade. And that he will foster the emergence of Pashtun political parties to provide an outlet for Pashtun grievances, something he has seemed reluctant to do and that allows the Taliban to position themselves as the defender of Pashtun rights.
At the end of that five-year term Karzai will have led his country for more than a dozen years. If he makes the right moves he will remembered as 'the father of the nation.'
If he makes the wrong ones he will forever be tagged as "the mayor of Kabul."
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Peter Bergen.
All About Hamid Karzai • Afghanistan • Barack Obama


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Four Rules to a Thriving Ecommerce (Rule 4)Monday, September 21st, 2009
4 Rules to a Thriving Ecommerce
(Rule 4)
A back-end program indirectly supports the front-end services of a website. The back-end of most websites are transparent to the customers while it mediates the interaction between the customer and the business. Even though the back-end is only seen by managers of the business, it is still important to have the correct functionalities to make the site efficient. The back-end of a website is just as important as the storefront. A smooth intuitive back-end will promise a fast and easy checkout. It also has just as many possibilities as the front-end. It's important to determine what functionalities your website will need for the best fitting back-end.


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August 16th, 2011
Pharma-Page Facebook Commenters, Start Your Engines
The Wall Street Journal
Social media can be a minefield for pharma companies given the FDAs requirements to keep product information fairly balanced and promote only approved uses of drugs.
Until now, Facebook has helped drug companies control the information on their sponsored pages by disabling the comment function. Thats supposed to end today. As the Washington Post reports, most pharma pages except those for specific prescription products will now allow reader input. (The change doesnt seem to completely be in effect yet.)
What [Facebook says] is that their philosophy is about promoting dialogue, and this wasnt doing that, Monique Levy, vice president of research at Manhattan Research, a pharma and health-care market research firm, tells the Health Blog.
Some companies are removing certain pages for different disorders or patient communities rather than worry about the implications of comments, the WP reports. Heres a page from the Dose of Digital blog that lists the pages removed due to the new policy.
Dealing with a real-time stream of comments from consumers is very difficult for pharma companies because communications are so regulated, Levy says. Its really hard to have a live interaction. Still, pharma companies will retain the ability to delete comments on their Facebook Walls after the fact, the same way any other user can.
Pfizer explains on its page why it might need to remove comments for example, if a user references a side effect that needs to be reported to the company or the FDA.
Dose of Digital notes that some pharma pages have already been allowing comments, and that none of them have been warned by the FDA because of comments that have been posted. The FDA last year did chide Novartis over a Facebook Share widget on the drug makers website for cancer drug Tasigna, but because it ran afoul of FDA regs about disclosure and permitted claims in marketing materials.
The FDA hasnt yet weighed in on how pharma should be using social media without running afoul of the agencys rules. A Deloitte report released in December said thats part of the reason why some life-science companies are staying on the social-media sidelines.
When guidance does come, its not expected to be specific say, with detailed instructions about whats permitted in a Tweet vs. a Facebook comment or sponsored online patient forum. Media is changing too quickly, says Levy.
Read more: http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2011/08/15/pharma-page-facebook-commenters-start-your-engines/?mod=WSJBlog&mod=WSJ_health


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Chocolate Chip Toffee Bars
**If you missed the post on menu planning from yesterday, click here!**
Seeing as how I've been keeping up this here blog for nigh on three plus years now (that's crazy!), there are a lot of recipes deep in the archives that need a little facelift. New picture. Updated details. Etc, etc. So occasionally as I remake the old recipes we love most, I'll try and snap a new picture to actually give the food justice and then I update the old post with the new picture.
However, there are a few instances in which I stumble across an old recipe that I've forgotten I ever posted in the first place and realize it deserves a whole new blog post.
These chocolate chip toffee bars are no exception. I posted them nearly two years ago and they are so delicious and are made so often around here, that in honor of them, instead of just updating an old picture, I'm highlighting them anew.
These are hands down one of my favorite bar desserts to bring to potlucks, BBQ's and the like. A chocolate chip cookie-like crust is topped with sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, toffee bits, morsels of the same dough that adorns the crust and is baked until bubbly and golden.
Once cooled, these bars are some of the most irresistible to pass through my kitchen. Here's to you, Chocolate Chip Toffee Bars!
P.S. Just so you know, I'm off on a 10-day vacation with my little family. We are headed from the midwest out to the coast to visit my in-laws. I'm hoping my boys survive the excitement of visiting a "real" beach. So if I'm a little slow in responding to emails and comments, that's why. Please continue to love me during the delay!
Chocolate Chip Toffee Bars
- 2 1/3 cup flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup butter, soft
- 2 eggs, slightly beaten
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
- 1 cup coarsely chopped nuts (optional)
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 package toffee bits, divided
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9X13-inch pan with aluminum foil and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and brown sugar. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or fork until the mixture is crumbly. Add eggs and mix well with a wooden spoon or your hands. Mix in 1 1/2 cups of the chocolate chips and the 1 cup nuts, if using. The mixture will be fairly stiff, so again, you may need to use your hands to get everything combined.
- Set aside 1 1/2 cups of the dough. Press the remaining dough into the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the crust. Top with all but 1/4 of the toffee bits. Pinch pieces of the reserved dough and scatter over the top. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Bake for 25-30 more minutes until golden brown. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup toffee bits on top. Cool completely before serving.
Follow @melskitchencafe on Instagram and show me the recipes you are making from my blog using the hashtag #melskitchencafe. I love seeing all the goodness you are whipping up in your kitchens!
Recipe Source: adapted from Kara's Kitchen Creations


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ASIST International Liaison
ASIST has appointed an International Liaison. And as Kurt Gödel, known as a child as Der Herr Warum, might have asked, "Why?"
From a historical perspective, the intensification of international communication can be traced to the mid- and late-19th century developments in transport and communication. By the 1880s, it could be said that "the whole earth has been girded by telegraph cables" (by Marx in the third volume of Das Kapital). The late 19th century also marks the proliferation of international organizations and agreements, establishing reciprocity or commonality between national jurisdictions. The development of the world market and the Internet, now both painfully and pleasurably part of our everyday existence, can be traced to that period.
For information policies and activities, international communication presents certain issues. Most crucially, the ideas of jurisdiction and of national sovereignty have to be invoked and problematized. Justice Holmes noted in a seminal judgment of 1909
All legislation is prima facie territorial. The general and almost universal rule is that the character of an act as lawful or unlawful must be determined wholly by the law of the country where the act is done.
How do we determine the location of communicative acts in cyberspace? What actions or sanctions can be taken against the producers of unlawful or unwanted communications, other than attempts at exile or banishment from the continuing conversation? Intellectual property can no longer be considered on a solely national basis, with international conventions going back to the 1880s, although with the much later assimilation of the United States.
What spheres of activity might fall within the remit of an international liaison, given this context? Addressing information policy issues which have transnational implications, liaising with other professional information societies, and within ASIST, complementing existing governance arrangements and establishing social connections with and between other international members would be significant.
An agenda that translates these concerns into specific actions must be guided by considerations of practicality and cooperation with existing arrangements. Otherwise, like the first exile, in one religious tradition, I may be forced to exclaim, "My punishment is greater than I can bear." Initial steps would be writing articles for the Bulletin of the American Society for Information Science and Technology (as I'm doing here), recruiting an advisory group and developing a social presence at ASIST meetings. The overall aim of measures should be to facilitate the transformation of a community in itself to a community for itself, to assist the growth of the collective self-consciousness of the international information community. Could there be an analogy between the aim of developing an information community and the possible federal intention of developing the people of the United States of America into a collectivity fully known to itself by providing in the Post Office Act of 1792 for the carriage of newspapers by the mail service "at extremely low rates"?
Julian Warner is a faculty member in information science at the Queen's University of Belfast, Northern Ireland, where he teaches courses in the human aspects of modern communication technologies and in information policy.
Julian has been a member of ASIST since 1991. He is a member of SIG/International Information Issues, has served as chair of the European Chapter and of SIG/History and Foundations of Information Science and acted as a juror for the ISI Dissertation Scholarship Jury.
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Information Science and Technology


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Man Snatches $2,500 Puppy from Shakopee Pet Store
SHAKOPEE (AP) — A puppy-snatching in Shakopee was caught on video surveillance.
The pet store owner says a man carried the $2,500 male puppy like "a football" and fled with his getaway driver Monday.
Store owner Heather Latko says the store has video surveillance of the man with the 9-week-old longhair Chihuahua.
Latko says the dog also has a tracking microchip, and the store has a description of the vehicle that took the puppy away.
The video shows the man entering a puppy room and an employee bringing him the dog to hold. About a minute later, the man takes off with the puppy out of the Petland Shakopee's front door.
Witnesses saw him get into a late-1990s, dark-blue Volkswagen Passat with an accomplice behind the wheel.


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From JUNEAU EMPIRE 3/14/13 By MARK D. MILLER
A bill by Sen. Bert Stedman, R-Sitka, that would place a $100 bounty on sea otters harvested legally in Alaska attracted vocal support in a Senate Resources Committee hearing Wednesday, despite Stedman's admission that the bill as drafted appears to be unenforceable under federal law.
Stedman introduced Senate Bill 60 last month, calling it an effort to slow the booming population growth among sea otters in Southeast Alaska.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game blames the rise in sea otters, which were reintroduced to Southeast Alaska in the 1960s after being hunted to near-extinction during the height of the fur trade, for the decline of crab, shellfish and marine invertebrate fisheries in the region.
"They literally eat everything, and the gravelly bottom looks like it has been bombed out," said Stedman, who brought a sea otter pelt he said was loaned from a fellow legislator to the hearing and spread it out across the table in front of him while he spoke.
Sea otters are voracious feeders. ADF&G Deputy Commissioner Craig Fleener said they often consume a quarter of their body weight every day, and their main diet is crustaceans, shellfish, and marine invertebrates like sea cucumbers and sea urchins.
Sea otters are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which became federal law just a few years after the translocation of sea otters back to Southeast's coastal waters. The act gives regulatory authority over marine mammals to the federal government and prohibits them from being intentionally killed, although an amendment to the law in the 1990s gives Alaska Natives the right to hunt sea otters for "subsistence" purposes.
Less than 50 years after the animals were reintroduced in Southeast Alaska, there are now more than 25,000 sea otters estimated to live in the region. Last year, 842 sea otters were legally harvested.
Stedman suggested he wants to increase that latter number to keep the former number from getting too much larger.
"I think that we could accomplish the goal of allowing the sea otters to spread through Southeast at a lower number and not devastate our beaches and … our clam beds and our crabs," Stedman said.
Sen. Hollis French, D-Anchorage, asked whether Stedman has received a legal opinion and if he could share it with the committee.
"It conflicts with federal law," Stedman admitted.
But Stedman suggested that there may be ways to tweak his bill.
"If this mechanism is not palatable with the attorneys … we could always move the funds to the tannery, or what have you, to help encourage the same solution," said Stedman.
Fleener said the ADF&G has been trying to find a solution to the sea otter explosion, but so far, it has been unsuccessful in getting around the MMPA. He said the department "supports the concept of bounties" despite the "legal issues."
"We applaud Sen. Stedman's efforts," Fleener told the committee. "They're really in line with what the department has been trying to accomplish for several years now."
Sen. Fred Dyson, R-Eagle River, joked, "There's some sentiment in this building to put the bounty on the feds."
Several members of the public, most of them involved in the dive fishing industry, testified by telephone in favor of S.B. 60. Among them was Craig Mayor Dennis Watson.
"The only way this issue can be reined in is by reducing the sea otter population, and it needs to happen quickly," said Watson. "It certainly doesn't hurt to have an incentive, such as a bounty, to speed this process up."
Kupreanof resident Joseph Sebastian was the only person to testify Wednesday in opposition to S.B. 60. He called the bill "unprofessional, unscientific, racist and culturally destructive" and warned it would "start a new sea otter gold rush," which he compared to Russian imperialism in Southeast Alaska during the fur trade.
"S.B. 60 is a knee-jerk attempt to solve a complex problem and makes a scapegoat out of a nonoffensive sea mammal," Sebastian said.
Several people came to the committee hearing hoping to testify in person on the bill, including Sealaska Heritage Institute President Rosita Worl and Alaska Wildlife Alliance President Tina Brown.
However, Senate Resources Committee Chairwoman Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage, closed public testimony as the hearing neared the end of its scheduled time. She said people will have an opportunity to testify on the bill Friday, as it was held in committee with no action taken Wednesday.
Brown said at an Alaska Wildlife Event at the University of Alaska Southeast Wednesday night that she encourages people to testify on Friday.
"I really, really urge you to send in a comment or testify early about this," said Brown, who offered to provide "talking points" to those who wish to testify. "Yes, it's not legal for the state to implement that law if it passes. It's not legal. But if you had been in that room today, you would have wanted to send in comment or say something, because you would not have realized that it would be illegal for them to implement such a law. And it's really beneficial when all user groups of the public participate in the process, not just one segment, which is mainly what's happening right now."


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ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Hundreds of lobbyists in at least 20 states get public pensions because they represent associations of counties, cities and school boards.
Legislatures granted them access decades ago on the premise that they serve governments and the public. In many cases, such access also includes state health care benefits.
But several states have started to question whether these organizations should get such benefits, since they are private entities in most respects: They face no public oversight, can pay their top executives private-sector salaries and sometimes lobby for positions in conflict with taxpayers.
New Jersey and Illinois are among the states considering legislation that would end their inclusion.
But such groups argue that they are entitled to public pensions because they give a voice to government entities that serve taxpayers.
(© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)