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Leigh Sparks

Leigh Sparks

I am Professor of Retail Studies at the University of Stirling. I was a geography undergraduate at the University of Cambridge, and completed my Ph.D (on retail employment) at the University of Wales.

I have been professor of retail studies at Stirling since 1992. I was a Visiting Professor at Florida State University, Tallahassee from July 2000 to July 2001, and Visiting Professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville from June to December 2006.

I undertake research into aspects of retailing, mainly for personal curiosity, but also on behalf of public and private clients and for the research councils and other funding bodies, as well as for major retailers. I have authored and edited a number of books, have published over 125 refereed journal articles as well as many practitioner, trade and newspaper pieces.

In 2012-2013 I was a member of the External Advisory Group for the Scottish Government’s National Review of Town Centres and also on the Expert Advisory Group reporting to the Scottish Government on the lessons to be learned from the horsemeat scandal.

I am currently Chair of the Scotland’s Towns Partnership and Chair of IDS Scotland Ltd, the company set up by the Scottish Government to oversee Scottish Business Improvement Districts.

I run a blog on things retail, typically Scottish: www.stirlingretail.com

Britain's ruthless High Street leaves no room for stragglers like BHS

Apr 25, 2016 23:49 pm UTC| Insights & Views Business

Department store BHS has gone into administration after failing to find a buyer. It is a worrying time for more than 10,000 employees and could be viewed as another piece of evidence that the UK high street is in terminal...

1 

Economy

Fujitsu, Microsoft Unite: Massive Investment to Enhance Uvance Business, Boosting Sustainability With Cloud Technology

Fujitsu and Microsoft form a strategic alliance to scale up Fujitsus Uvance business, leveraging Microsofts cloud technologies for sustainable solutions. This partnership aims to drive innovation in sectors like...

Mercedes-Benz Korea Reveals Appointment of New CEO

Mercedes-Benz Korea announced it has appointed a new chief executive officer to lead the company from this point. The German luxury vehicle maker chose Mathias Vaiti to be the new chief of its office in South Korea. The...

In-N-Out Burger Returns to South Korea, Locals Flock to Seoul Pop-up Store in Record Number

In-N-Out Burger, an American fast-food chain, has finally returned to South Korea. The burger joint enters the Korean market again by opening a pop-up store in Seoul this week. The In-N-Out Burger pop-up store opened on...

Grab Unveils JustSave Carpooling Service in Malaysia for Cheaper, More Efficient Rides

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TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew to Spearhead ByteDance's Rising Social Media Star, Lemon8

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Politics

UK: UN Rights Chief Expresses Concerns Over Migration Bill

The United Nations human rights chief has expressed his concerns to the British government about its legislation to combat illegal migration. The human rights chief cited concerns that it would bar people from seeking...

Russia-Ukraine War: NATO to Narrow Divisions Over Ukraine's Membership Bid in Oslo Meeting

The foreign ministers of the NATO countries are looking to narrow down the divisions surrounding Ukraines bid to join the alliance in the upcoming meeting in Oslo this week. This comes as Ukraines allies are also at odds...

EU Parliament to Question Hungary's Ability to Hold EU Presidency Over Record on Rule of Law

The European Parliament is set to question Hungarys ability to hold the European Unions rotating presidency next year. The EU parliament cited Hungarys record on the rule of law. A draft parliamentary resolution by the...

Iran: IAEA Resolves Nuclear Issues Related to Sites With Uranium Particles

The International Atomic Energy Agency has reportedly resolved the nuclear issues with Iran related to a site where uranium particles were found. The issue comes as talks to restore the 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran remain...

UK: Ministers Given More Time to Turn in Messages From Boris Johnson to Public COVID Inquiry

British ministers were given more time to turn in messages from former Prime Minister Boris Johnson as part of the public inquiry into the governments response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The extra time comes amid a...

Science

Drilling down on treatment-resistant fungi with molecular machines

`Fungi are present on the skin of around 70% of the population, without causing harm or benefit. Some fungal infections, like athletes foot, are minor. Others, like Candida albicans, can be deadly especially for...

Astronomers detected two major targets with a single telescope – a mysterious signal and its source galaxy

Astronomers have been working to better understand the galactic environments of fast radio bursts (FRBs) intense, momentary bursts of energy occurring in mere milliseconds and with unknown cosmic origins. Now, a study...

Biodegradable plastic in clothing doesn't break down nearly as quickly as hoped – new research

Plastic pollution has emerged as one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time. Over 100 million tonnes of plastic enters the environment each year, with more than 10 million tonnes ending up in our oceans....

Gravitational wave detector LIGO is back online after 3 years of upgrades – how the world's most sensitive yardstick reveals secrets of the universe

After a three-year hiatus, scientists in the U.S. have just turned on detectors capable of measuring gravitational waves - tiny ripples in space itself that travel through the universe. Unlike light waves, gravitational...

Why don't rocks burn?

While many rocks dont burn, some of them do. It depends on what the rocks are made of and thats related to how they were formed. There are three main rock types: igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic. These rocks are...

Technology

Naver Reportedly Losing Market Share in Online Search Industry

Naver internet platform is reportedly losing its share in the search engine market in South Korea. It was the very first web portal that later became the largest internet company in the country, but with the arrival of...

Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard Acquisition Approved by Korean Regulators

Microsoft Corporation earned another point with its bid to acquire the Santa Monica, California-based video game holding company, Activision Blizzard, after the South Korean anti-trust regulator announced it has approved...

Nvidia, MediaTek Join Forces to Develop Advance Vehicle AI Technology

Nvidia Corp. and MediaTek Inc. announced on Monday, May 29, that they signed a partnership agreement for the development of technology for advanced vehicle infotainment systems. This will allow vehicle owners to stream...

Hyundai Mobis Introduces Innovative HD Lighting System for Enhanced Nighttime Driving

Hyundai Mobis Co. has developed a next-generation headlamp dubbed the HD Lighting System that can project driving information onto the road surface, including the speed limit and upcoming road construction. The system...

Sony Acquisition Denied by CD Projekt Red, Shuts Down Sale Rumors

Sony Group Corporation was rumored to be in talks to acquire CD Projekt Red, a video game development studio headquartered in Warsaw, Poland. Not long after the reports came out, the publisher of the popular Cyberpunk 2077...

Digital Currency

NFT: All Nippon Airways Debuts Its Own NFT Marketplace

FxWirePro- Top altcoins for the day (Strength index) (LTCUSD)

Starbucks to Reward Odyssey Program Members With More NFTs in June

Law

The Supreme Court just shriveled federal protection for wetlands, leaving many of these valuable ecosystems at risk

McDonald's Franchisee Loses Court Battle With German City Over Tax On Packaging

US Solicitor General Backs Google in Supreme Court Song Lyrics Case

Life

JumpStart Coffee Set to Expand After Ramping up Series B Funding Round

Starbucks Unveils Tim Singleton's Bold, Rainbow-Colored Drinkware Collection as Part of New Artist Collaboration Series

Mars Chocolate Bars to Use Paper Wrapper to Minimize Plastic Waste

Nature

The secret world of moss, ancient ancestor of all plants and vital for the health of the planet

Colorado River states bought time with a 3-year water conservation deal – now they need to think bigger

Moxion To Build Energy Storage Gigafactory in US

Sports

Puma's Ambitious Sustainability Progress: 70% Products Made From 'Better Materials' in 2022, Aims for 90% by 2025

European soccer is having another reckoning over racism – is it time to accept the problem goes beyond bad fans?

Exercise linked to higher pain tolerance – new study

Technical Analysis

FxWirePro:EUR/AUD changes short term trend from neutral to bearish

FxWirePro- Major pair levels and bias summary

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