IER News & blogs

IER's Dr Jamelia Harris recently published article unpacks structural factors which contribute to the low repute of TVET, using qualitative interviews with stakeholders, focus group discussions with young Sierra Leoneans and analysis of key government policy documents.

In a recent episode of the US podcast “Looking Forward Our Way”, Professor Philip Taylor and Dr Phyllis Cummins from Miami University in Ohio joined hosts Brett Johnson and Carol Ventresca to shed light on the ongoing issue of ageism in the workplace. Ageism, as discussed, manifests in various forms, from biased job postings to discriminatory hiring practices. We highlighted the overt forms and the subtler, systemic barriers that mature adults face when seeking employment or striving to remain employed.

Today, Prof. Chris Warhurst outlined four challenges for careers practitioners in supporting sustainable employment at the National Institute for Career Education and Counselling (NICEC) conference in Birmingham: advanced automation, the green industrial revolution, the disconnect between skills supply and demand, and unhealthy jobs.

IER's Dr Jamelia Harris has published a new article titled "Digital Platform Work in Developing Countries: Enabling Capabilities or Perpetuating Dependencies?" in the journal Development.

Research on the relationship between new technology and productivity has just been published by The Productivity Institute. The study concluded that management skills (core and technology related) are required to maximise the returns of new technology investments. Those companies that had a strategic approach to technology investments and management development implemented their investments more effectively. Currently, management training in the West Midlands is not configured to support businesses to effectively implement new technology, and companies rely on technology suppliers.