The business of people
16 July 2018
Businesses are used to working with Universities around technological innovation, but social innovation is vital to commercial success.
Organisations need to constantly adapt to understand questions like, how will people choose to spend decreasing disposable income? Or, how do consumers’ ethics influence purchases?
A free Cardiff University Innovation Network event on 18 July will look at how businesses can harness social science expertise to help them understand how people behave.
From business modelling, trade and employer relations to the study of behavioural change, experts from the University and industry will outline major challenges and areas of opportunity.
Cardiff University is recognised as one of the top ten research institutions in the UK for social sciences, working with a variety of partners on a range of projects.
The University works on a wide range of social science/ business collaborations, from partnering global logistics company Panalpina to understand supply chain optimisation, to working with private care homes to improve communication between staff and residents.
Professor Rick Delbridge, University Dean of Research, Innovation and Enterprise said: “The collaboration we have with Panalpina is an outstanding example of how partnerships can build on the University's growing capacity for challenge-led and socially-focussed innovation.
“The University is also developing SPARK, the world’s first social science research park, which will not only allow us to bring together our applied social science research groups but the facility will allow us to invite key research and industry partners on-site and co-locate, to create more opportunity for them to communicate and develop joint research activity.”
Cardiff University has been awarded funding to support partnerships between businesses, Cardiff academics and postgraduate students. Further information about this and other schemes will be shared at the event.
The evening event will begin with short presentations by academic staff, businesses and funding support staff offering advice, guidance and first-hand experience, followed by a Q&A session and refreshments.
Attendance is free, but registration is required. Register here.
