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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...

Economy

Taiwan Blocks Uber's Foodpanda Takeover Amid Fears of Monopoly in $950 Million Deal

Taiwan has rejected Ubers $950 million acquisition of Delivery Heros Foodpanda, citing concerns over anti-competitive effects and potential price hikes for consumers. The Fair Trade Commission said the merger would harm...

Canada Stocks Gain as Clean Tech and Energy Lead S&P/TSX Composite to 0.40% Rise

Canadian stocks closed higher Wednesday as the SP/TSX Composite rose 0.40%, buoyed by strong performances in Clean Technology, IT, and Energy sectors. BlackBerry reached a 52-week high, while Telus fell to a five-year low....

Spanish Stocks Climb as IBEX 35 Sees Gains in Construction, Telecom, and Petrochemical Sectors

Spains IBEX 35 closed 0.33% higher on Wednesday, led by robust performances in construction and telecom stocks. Sacyr SA rose nearly 2%, while Solaria Energia hit its lowest in three years. Construction and Chemical...

Elon Musk’s xAI Scores $6 Billion with NVIDIA and AMD Driving AI Model and Supercomputer Growth

Elon Musks xAI has closed a $6 billion funding round powered by NVIDIA and AMD investments. The funding will scale AI supercomputers, train Grok 3, and support the launch of innovative consumer and enterprise products. xAI...

China Approves New VAT Law Effective 2026 to Boost Key Sectors and Economic Recovery

China has passed a comprehensive value-added tax law, effective in January 2026, consolidating regulations and offering targeted exemptions for sectors like agriculture, research, and welfare institutions. The reform aims...

Politics

How will Donald Trump manage the transition between administrations?

As Donald Trump prepares to take office as the 47th President of the United States, the transition between administrations is under intense scrutiny. Trumps team has promised a seamless handover, but the highly polarized...

What is Donald Trump’s approach to dealing with past political controversies during his presidency?

Donald Trumps strategy for tackling past political controversies as he steps into his second term has become a central topic of national discourse. The former president, known for his unconventional approach to politics,...

How will Donald Trump restore confidence in his leadership in 2025?

Donald Trumps return to the Oval Office in 2025 has sparked widespread discussion about his plans to restore confidence in his leadership after a contentious first term and a polarizing election victory. With promises of...

What are Donald Trump’s immediate executive actions planned for January 2025?

Donald Trump is poised to enact several immediate executive actions upon his return to the White House in January 2025. The president-elect has made clear his intentions to reverse key Biden administration policies while...

How is Donald Trump preparing for his 2025 inauguration ceremony?

Donald Trump is reportedly planning a grand and highly publicized inauguration ceremony as he prepares to take office as the 47th president of the United States. The event, scheduled for January 20, 2025, is expected to...

Science

Public Health Experts Warn of ‘Quad-Demic’ as Flu, COVID, RSV, and Norovirus Threaten Winter Surge

Public health experts are raising alarms over a potential quad-demic this winter, with flu, COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and norovirus all expected to surge simultaneously. This unprecedented convergence of...

Philippines' 'Missile Acquisition' Plan Provokes China's 'Arms Race' Warning

The Philippines has announced plans to acquire the U.S.-developed Typhon missile system to bolster its maritime defense capabilities. This decision has elicited strong reactions from China, which warns that such a move...

Christmas Eve Asteroid' to Skim Past Earth at 14,743 mph Tonight, NASA Warns

NASA has announced that an asteroid, comparable in size to a 10-story building, will make a close approach to Earth on Christmas Eve. The space rock, designated 2003 SD220, is expected to pass by our planet at a speed of...

Emergency Declared as Bird Flu 'Spreads' to California Dairy Cows

California Governor Gavin Newsom has officially declared a state of emergency in response to the rapidly escalating bird flu outbreak. The declaration comes after avian influenza was detected in dairy cows, a rare and...

Missing Radioactive Material in New Jersey Sparks Panic — Are Drones ‘Hunting for It’?

A small amount of radioactive material went missing in New Jersey earlier this month, raising concerns over public safety and potential security risks. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) confirmed on December 2,...

Technology

Sam Altman Says Superintelligence Will Ignite a 10X Boom in AI Breakthroughs Transforming the Future of Innovation

Sam Altman envisions a world where superintelligence propels AI innovation 10x faster than expected, transforming global progress and redefining humanitys future. Early Arrival of AGI Sparks Debate The most noteworthy is...

BYD Factory in Brazil Faces Investigation as Chinese Workers Found in 'Slavery-like Conditions'

Brazilian officials discovered 163 Chinese workers in slavery-like conditions at a BYD factory construction site in Bahia. Workers faced withheld passports, long hours, and unsafe environments, sparking an ongoing...

Toyota Targets BYD and Chinese Rivals with Shanghai EV Factory for Lexus Production by 2027

Toyota is reportedly planning a new EV factory in Shanghai to independently produce Lexus models, starting in 2027. The move comes as the automaker faces stiff competition from Chinese rivals like BYD in the worlds largest...

Biden Hands China Chip Tariff Probe to Trump as Trade War Heats Up Over Semiconductor Dominance

The U.S. has opened a trade investigation into Chinese legacy semiconductors, aiming to curb Beijings state-driven chip buildup. The probe, announced just weeks before Donald Trumps inauguration, could lead to additional...

Musk’s X Raises Premium-Plus Plan to $22 With Creator Payouts and AI Features in Focus

X, the platform owned by Elon Musk, raised its premium-plus subscription to $22 in the U.S., emphasizing enhanced creator payouts and advanced AI-driven features like the Grok chatbot. The updated pricing takes effect for...