Crude oil is one of the most valuable commodities in the world, with significant influence on global economic development. It plays the most important role in fulfilling global energy needs, and accounted for 33% of the world’s primary energy needs in 2011.
See the full report on GBI Research (Oxford members only – select “Shibboleth login”. You may need to come back here and click this link again after logging in.)
The concept of the department store is alive and well, but overall sector performance is very much down to the performance of the individual major operators. Although most companies have yet to announce 2011/12 results, we expect them to be quite mixed once again.
Read the full report on Mintel (Oxford members only)
World Banks – The Not-for-profit Sector?
Nary a cucumber sandwich was thrown and the heckling was rather subdued. But the genteel rebellion over executive pay at the Barclays shareholders’ meeting in London last month, an echo of similar disquiet at annual meetings in America, shows how fed up bank investors have become with their returns.
Read the full article on EIU (Oxford members only)
UK household expenditure on bread and bakery products will continue to rise over the next 5 years. However, manufacturers’ value and volume sales will remain squeezed by intense competition, promotional activity and rising input costs.
Read the full report on Key Note (Oxford members only).
Like other industries, the information technology (IT) and telecommunications sector faces a tough operating environment against a backdrop of subdued economic activity and investor uncertainty, although it has appeared less vulnerable to economic weakness than some other sectors.
Read the full report on EIU (Oxford members only)
In 2011, Key Note estimates that the UK hotel industry increased in value by 4.5%. This healthy growth in the value of the hotel industry follows 2 years of decline, in which the market was significantly impacted by the economic recession in the UK, and the effect of the global economic downturn on international tourism.
View the report on Key Note (Oxford members only)
Every month, we collect the latest rankings of innovation and entrepeneurship. See archive
| The 12 Greatest Entrepreneurs of Our Time – and what you can learn from them | Fortune |
| The World’s Most Admired Companies | Fortune |
| The 50 Most Innovative Companies 2012 | Technology Review |
| Britain ranked 14th most entrepreneurial nation | realbusiness.co.uk |
| City Saver CEO/Co-Founder Wins 2012 Entrepreneur of the Year Award | Food & Beverage Close-Up |
| Entrepreneur’s top honour | Derbyshire Times |
| Trilliant Receives 2012 Green Innovator Award of Excellence | Economics Week |
| Electrochem Attains Top Ten Patent Board Ranking for Energy & Environmental Industry | Entertainment Close-Up |
When you want to look at a book which is only available in the Bodleian Library stacks, it can be frustrating – once you have requested the item, you may have to wait several days for it to arrive.
Well not any more!
The Bodleian’s new “Scan & Deliver” service aims to email you the relevant chaper, article, or section within 24 hours. It costs £4.75 per item, which you can pay using your PCAS account.
Copyright restrictions still apply – if you wish to read the whole book, you will need to request it in the normal way.
There’s an explanation of the service at https://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/services/scan-and-deliver, and a great step-by-step guide (with pictures!) at http://historyatox.wordpress.com/2012/04/25/bodleian-libraries-launches-new-scan-and-deliver-service/.
This service is still very much in the trial phase, so if you have any comments or questions, do let us (or the Scan & Deliver team) know!
New Market Research report on IbisWorld:
Managing success: Rising popularity in alternative asset funds helps drive growth
A new report tries to calculate the real environmental benefits of driving an electric car rather than a petrol one.
Read the full report at EIU (Oxford members only)