The Management School has recently celebrated a proud moment with the achievement of the Athena Swan Bronze award, in recognition of our commitment to advancing gender equality. We are determined to rise to the challenge of closing the gender gap, and know that we need the best, diverse minds to continue generating the high-quality research you find within these pages, and that helps shape society. There is still work to be done, but within this edition, those before and those yet to come, you can read research and insights from such minds that thrive within our diverse and inclusive culture. In these pages, we will take you on a global tour, from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland, and then beyond our own universe to one of future fantasy, demonstrating that breadth of expertise and scope. The research of Sophie Alkhaled in Saudi Arabia highlights how female entrepreneurs have been empowered to affect social change in the country. Change there is slow, but it is occurring, and Sophie shows how unexpected avenues can lead to positive results. Few things are as unexpected as major natural disasters, and yet national emergency response units set up to deal with them can often face years of waiting and preparing for something that might never come. Joe Deville provides a fascinating look into Switzerland’s Zivilschutz and how they work to stay relevant despite having gone for years without being called into action. The Zivilschutz have found themselves contending with an unexpected task over the last 18 months, as they have encountered the challenges and dangers presented by the Covid-19 pandemic. Once more, we look at the impact of the virus in this edition, expanding on research presented over the past 12 months. We might not think of child activity providers when it comes to drawing up a list of those business hit by the pandemic, and yet Helen Bruce shows how they have battled to survive, and highlights their importance at the heart of many communities. The pandemic has demonstrated the importance of the adult social care sector and its staff. Work Foundation research, co-authored by Trinley Walker, brings to light the struggles adult social care faces, and how they might be addressed. As much as I constantly learn from our academic researchers, so too do I appreciate new knowledge and perspectives from our students. Caroline Broadhurst is one great example. As well as being part of our Executive MBA programme, Caroline is also the Deputy Chief Executive of the Rank Foundation, and offers first-hand insights on the effects of Covid on not-for-profit organisations. Beyond the realms of the pandemic, this issue also encompasses the key areas of importance for business leaders in years to come, how to encourage green behaviours among employees, and the parallels between the fantasy realms of Warhammer and modern warfare. As I said, we thrive on our diverse minds and research. Professor Angus Laing is Dean of Lancaster University Management School and Chair of the Academic Advisory Board at Nurture Higher Education Group. a.w.laing@lancaster.ac.uk Foreword Welcometothenew editionofFiftyFour Degrees,whereonce againwebringyou insight intothe wide-ranging expertiseand researchwithin LancasterUniversity ManagementSchool. FIFTY FOUR DEGREES | 5 SUBSCRIBE
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