Building Society Research Articles

Operational resilience implementation: Challenges and opportunities for UK building societies

Operational resilience is the preparedness and existence of resilient IT systems, processes and resources to provide services continuously during a disruption. This study examines the operational resilience implementation challenges and opportunities for UK building societies and wider financial institutions. The key challenges are resource constraints, understanding regulatory requirements, supplier concerns, domain knowledge, legacy systems and manual-driven processes. Some challenges are being addressed with awareness and training, improved governance and risk management, recruitment and industry support networks. The opportunities include realising the actual state of IT systems, adopting cloud solutions, resources and capabilities, as well as improved domain knowledge and a better understanding of services and markets. Regulators need to be more explicit about their expectations and requirements, while the industry needs to collaborate on setting up common frames of reference for operational resilience frameworks. Lastly, the study provides a holistic view of operational resilience, including its implementation and management challenges, control measures and emerging opportunities.

The Role of the New Media in Spreading the Culture of Volunteering in the Iraqi Society: Facebook as a Model

Volunteering is considered and continues to be the cornerstone of building society, spreading love, and fostering social cohesion among its members. This practice varies from time to time and from one community to another. Sometimes it decreases, and other times it increases. It can take the form of monetary donations or other charitable deeds. Volunteering is a humanitarian act closely tied to all the meanings of goodness and pure, righteous deeds for the sake of Allah. It is connected to the religious aspect, as Allah says: 'So whoever volunteers good, it is better for him. So volunteering has become a necessity among life's necessities due to its social message aimed at participation in building, developing, and strengthening the foundations of society. Consequently, the culture of volunteering has become an integral part of the cultures of developed societies, representing a system of principles, ethics, standards, and practices that encourage initiative and positive actions that benefit others (1). At the global level, volunteering has received increasing attention from the United Nations through its programs and institutions that provide assistance to the poor, marginalized, afflicted, and refugees. December 5th has been designated as International Volunteer Day as a tribute by the international organization to the significant role that volunteering can play in all areas of humanitarian and developmental work (2). In this research, the study indicates a significant increase in the number of donors among both young and adult individuals. The study seeks to shed light on the role of new media in promoting a culture of volunteering within Iraqi society, especially among the audience in Thi Qar province. The aim of promoting the culture of volunteering through new media platforms is to instill positive values of volunteering, encourage active participation in volunteer programs at the individual, institutional, and community levels, and extend this to regional and international levels. It emphasizes that volunteering is not merely about good intentions; rather, it has evolved into a professionally performed activity that employs new skills in management, finance, service delivery, and communication with others. The study emphasizes the importance of setting performance standards and evaluation criteria to develop, renew, and innovate new mechanisms for volunteering (3).

Comparative Study of E-Banking

Through online banking, users can transact money on a safe website run by their building society, credit union, or virtual bank. Everyone needs rapid banking solutions in today's demanding world in order to live a better living. Currently, internet banking is available at practically all Indian banks. People now have much simpler access to banking online, which also saves a great deal of time. The types of issues consumers run across when utilizing business banking apps are covered by this study. A range of e- channels, including ATMs, credit cards, debit cards, internet banking, mobile banking, electronic cash transfers, and electronic clearing services, are available through online banking for accessing banking services. ATMs are utilized more frequently than other e-channels in the Indian e-banking landscape, nonetheless. ICICI Bank is a private sector bank that focuses on its customers. All of ICICI Bank's facilities and services are centered on its customers. KEYWORDS: - Digital banking, Internet banking, mobile banking, digitalization.

Spatial and temporal diffusion of property prices and sales across British regions

Purpose The purpose of this study is to reveal the dynamics of house prices and sales in spatial and temporal dimensions across British regions. Design/methodology/approach This paper incorporates two empirical approaches to describe the behaviour of property prices across British regions. The models are applied to two different data sets. The first empirical approach is to apply the price diffusion model proposed by Holly et al. (2011) to the UK house price index data set. The second empirical approach is to apply a bivariate global vector autoregression model without a time trend to house prices and transaction volumes retrieved from the nationwide building society. Findings Identifying shocks to London house prices in the GVAR model, based on the generalized impulse response functions framework, I find some heterogeneity in responses to house price changes; for example, South East England responds stronger than the remaining provincial regions. The main pattern detected in responses and characteristic for each region is the fairly rapid fading of the shock. The spatial-temporal diffusion model demonstrates the presence of a ripple effect: a shock emanating from London is dispersed contemporaneously and spatially to other regions, affecting prices in nondominant regions with a delay. Originality/value The main contribution of this work is the betterment in understanding how house price changes move across regions and time within a UK context.

Leveraging new emerging technologies to enhance the anticorruption arsenal: Assimilating India's experiential insights into Uzbekistan's criminoverse

Corruption looms large throughout Uzbekistan's sociopolitical landscape, stifling economic growth and social harmony. To combat this formidable challenge, Uzbekistan seeks to draw upon India's extensive experience in harnessing new emerging technologies (NETs), such as the Digital India mission and the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), for effective anticorruption measures. This paper conducts a comprehensive exploration of Uzbekistan's corruption landscape, unveiling the historical, cultural, and institutional factors that fuel this pervasive issue. This paper also delves into the severe consequences of corruption for Uzbekistan's economy, governance, and society, emphasizing the critical need for robust anticorruption strategies. Leveraging India's proven insights, it meticulously dissects successful strategies tailored to the Indian context. This includes strengthening anticorruption laws, empowering anticorruption agencies, fostering transparency, promoting accountability, and engaging civil society. Recognizing that combating corruption demands a multidimensional approach, this paper advocates a holistic strategy encompassing legal, institutional, societal, and cultural dimensions. Through comparative analysis, this paper offers recommendations for Uzbekistan's anticorruption arsenal. These include establishing specialized anticorruption agencies, enacting comprehensive legislation criminalizing all forms of corruption, promoting transparency and accountability via digital platforms, and nurturing a culture of integrity through educational and awareness initiatives. Acknowledging the disparities between Uzbekistan and India, this paper underscores the importance of adapting strategies to the local context. This study highlights the significance of institutional capacity building, international collaboration, and civil society engagement in anticorruption endeavors. Furthermore, unwavering political commitment and leadership are stressed as pivotal elements in the fight against corruption. In conclusion, the integration of India's experiential insights and the strategic utilization of new emerging technologies provide Uzbekistan with a unique opportunity to confront and overcome its pervasive corruption challenges. By embracing these recommendations and tailoring them to their specific context, Uzbekistan can aspire to become a more transparent, accountable, and corruption-free society. This transformation holds the promise of sustainable development, good governance, and social justice for its citizens.

The guidance culture in the context of building society 5.0.

The purpose of the study was to analyze the development of educational policy, which should contribute to significant social improvements and still remains a major problem area in most democratic societies. The article focuses on educational institutions and, in particular, their leaders, who must confront the challenges of education in the twenty-first century. It is noted that educational institutions should be transformed into institutions to promote internal change, stimulate social transformation and prepare students for active participation in increasingly diverse, complex and dynamic communities. Attention is focused on educational managers and leaders who should be agents of change, civic leaders and promoters of social development, playing the role of leaders, in particular within the framework of the five-pillar spiral model and the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The article is devoted to the analysis of the phenomenon of leadership as a new stage of leadership development of future education managers in the context of building Society 5.0. The obtained results demonstrate the need for synergistic modeling of the concept and programs for the development of leadership culture in future education managers, with the inclusion in the «orbit» of this training of the goals of sustainable development, achieving social justice, translating knowledge and innovation in society, strengthening the foundations of the country's soft power on the basis of transformational leadership and deep conscious personal motivation. The practical significance of the study lies in the possibility of applying the conclusions and recommendations in the process of optimizing the university training of future education managers.

On the dual‐purpose buildings constructed by the Incorporated Church Building Society (Part 1) from the mid‐19th to the early 20th century

AbstractThe Incorporated Church Building Society, established in 1818, was initially unable to subsidize secular‐use buildings from the general fund. However, in 1858, it established the mission building fund and began to construct hamlet chapels, school churches, mission halls, and mission rooms. In the early years, there were some examples of dual‐purpose buildings without a strict distinction between sacred and secular spaces, but a type of building with a church on the upper floor and secular rooms on the lower floor emerged. However, the distinction between sacred and secular spaces was insufficient, and a stage for secular use had not yet emerged.

Active mobility and mental health: A scoping review towards a healthier world.

Research has proven that engaging in active mobility (AM), namely walking and cycling for transportation, significantly enhances physical activity levels, leading to better physical health. It is still unclear whether AM could also offer any mental health benefits. This scoping review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the current knowledge on the relationship between AM and mental health, given its crucial role in public health. The authors searched online databases to isolate primary studies written in English involving an adult sample (16 or over). AM was the exposure factor. Many mental health elements were included as outcomes (depression, anxiety, self-esteem, self-efficacy, stress, psychological and subjective well-being, resilience, loneliness and social support, quality of life, mood, life satisfaction and sleep). The results were organised in a narrative summary per each outcome selected, graphical syntheses and an overview of gaps to be further examined. The authors identified a total of 55 papers as relevant. The results show inconsistency in study designs, definition and operationalisation of the variables, approach and methodologies used. A cross-sectional design was the dominant choice, primarily examining data from national public health surveys. Nonetheless, there has been improvement in outcomes of interests, initially mainly the quality of life and affect. Lately, authors have focused on a broader range of mental health-related factors (such as travel satisfaction). The experimental studies showed promising mental health improvements in those who used active modes more than those who used motorised vehicles. It creates a rationale for further research towards implementing a unified theoretical and methodological framework to study the link between AM and mental health. The ultimate goal is to generate solid conclusions that could support building societies and cities through public health promotion and sustainable strategies, like walking and cycling as a means of transport.

An Evaluation of Happiness Status of Academic personnel in Nigerian University Community: Work Environ Perspective

Educationists, in recent times have accepted the importance of happiness in human life. They have acknowledged that teaching and learning goals and objectives are consistent with happiness. Quality and equity education lead to the enhancement of capabilities and functioning, which facilitates positive life that brings about happiness and development. The ideal university system generally enhances happiness of the university community which overflows in the society. It is in line with these assertions that this work aimed to ascertain the happiness status of academic personnel in Nigerian University community with emphasis on their working environment. Linear Regression Model method was employed and the work discovered that the academic personals of the Nigerian university community are not happy. The work therefore, concludes that university teachers/lecturers are key when it comes to building society’s happiness and recommends that university academic community be taken more seriously in terms of provisions that will enhance their happiness.

Welcome to EDS 2023!

The Engineering Design Show (EDS) returns to The Coventry Building Society Arena on the 11th-12th of October 2023, bringing together thousands of design engineers to source, learn and network

Brief Reflections on The Obstacles and Solutions Towards Arabic Language Through The Nigerian Literary Ages

Arabic language has made important and effective contributions in Nigeria since its emergence and is among the three foreign languages that are officially used higher islamic schools in the country, and it is also in the forefront among the languages taught in major educational institutions in Nigeria, but unfortunately, the language is facing alots of problems and obstacles, which hinder the language from massive development, This paper aims to shed light on the those obstacles and also state some possible solutions and factors that masy help in the growth and development of Arabic language in Nigeria and the extent of its vital contributions to building society. It was noted that the Arabic language is the only language that suffers from cruelty in the hands of orientalists, but it preserves its honor and dignity. Indeed throughout the history of mankind, this language has a great spirit that helps it restore its nobility. This is because in its fold is a great and honorable message, which is the word of God the Mighty.

Implementation of Christian Education in Early Congregations in the Church: Its Relevance to the Era of Society 5.0 and Christian Learned Wisdom

The implementation of Christian Religious Education in the context of the church, related to the Christian Religious Education of the early church in the Bible, although there are changes regarding the implementation of Christian Religious Education technically, but the principle of Christian Religious Education in the early church remains a reference Christian Religious Education of the current church, for this research discusses the implementation of Christian Religious Education in the early congregations of the church and its relevance to the era of Society 5.0, as well as the importance of learned wisdom in the development of Christian Religious Education and sustainable community development. The history of the early church congregation is also explained, as well as the contribution of Christian Education in shaping character and building society in the era of Society 5.0. This research uses literature method, and the purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive and integrated view of the Implementation of Christian Religious Education Early Congregational in the Church and its relevance in the era of Society 5.0.

The UK’s Biggest Celebration of Electronics, Mechanical and Embedded Design, the Engineering Design Show (EDS) Returns to the Coventry Building Society Arena this Autumn, Bringing Together Thousands of Design Engineers to Source, Learn and Network

The UK’s Biggest Celebration of Electronics, Mechanical and Embedded Design, the Engineering Design Show (EDS) Returns to the Coventry Building Society Arena this Autumn, Bringing Together Thousands of Design Engineers to Source, Learn and Network

What’s on at EDS?

Starting on 12-13 October at Coventry Building Society Arena, the Engineering Design Show will include a number of key attractions.

Establishing a strong digital foundation for a 150-year-old building society with business process re-engineering and RPA

Banking and financial services organisations have been at the forefront of digital transformation. The success rate, however, has been uneven. Digital transformation discussions are often hijacked by conversations around the latest technologies and ignore the building blocks on which these technologies must rest. Moreover, initiatives that are not rooted in the organisational vision and that lack a well-thought-out framework are likely to miss their goals. Yorkshire Building Society (YBS), a 150-year-old organisation based in the UK, took measured steps to embrace digital as a way to reaffirm its commitment to its core businesses of mortgage and savings. The challenging market conditions, largely owing to disruptions caused by FinTechs, led YBS on this path. High dependence on paper-based processes made the business slow, adding unnecessary layers of complexity. YBS wanted to inject agility and efficiency into its operations with digitisation and process automation and lay the groundwork for transformation. The YBS story shows how a deep understanding of business challenges must influence the choice of technology and the approach to transformation. A successful framework must be structured around the critical building blocks and leverage the interplay of technology with process, people and culture to create cumulative outcomes. Here are a few takeaways from the case study: • Customer, and not technology, should be placed at the heart of digital transformation. • Business process re-engineering and robotic process automation (RPA) must go hand in hand for greater outcomes. • Small step changes can become a force multiplier as processes are automated and the foundation for speed and agility is established.

A Yorkstone Godzilla. A materiality of mutuality at the Halifax Building Society, 1968–1974

ABSTRACT How does a monumental building – the former headquarters of the Halifax Building Society – in a northern English town embody a material expression of the mutualised mortgage industry dominant in the UK at the time of its conception and construction? How does this building correspond to a specific dispositif of mutuality? I consider questions such as these through documentary research, an interview, and correspondence with an architect who worked on the project (1968–1974). The building’s current use as a global banking group’s ‘head office’ is significantly different from that which supported mutuality in the 1970s, and I consider the building’s architectural and technological forms to understand how it organised a material cultural expression of the mutual building society’s power, and of its members’ money–power, through the mechanisation of an intensifying mortgage-handling business and the bunkering of a gradually increasing stock of mortgage paper.

Links between the pandemic and urban green spaces, a perspective on spatial indices of landscape garden cities in China.

The COVID-19 pandemic has inevitably changed people's lifestyles and demands for urban green space and public open space. The National Landscape Garden Cities in China (NLGCC) policy is one of the key development models in China aimed at building sustainable cities and society. In this paper, the development of the study's selection criteria and the significance and benefits of the NLGCC policy are first summarised. 391 cities were chosen from the NLGCC list to analyse the spatial distribution and construction of driving factors. The results show that the NLGCC's selection criteria have shifted from a focus on quantity to overall habitat quality. During the COVID-19 pandemic, city resilience has been examined more closely. The NLGCC policies have boosted to address ecological and environmental crises and enhanced urban disaster preparedness. The spatial distribution analysis shows that the NLGCC is spatially unevenly distributed and has a clustering trend. A total of 54.96% of the NLGCC is concentrated in China's eastern and central regions. The natural environment and socioeconomics are two main categories of driving factors. This study provides significant value to the understanding of the spatial pattern of the NLGCC offers a reference for decision-making about the construction of urban environments worldwide.

The Lanica affair: An attempted takeover of a consumer co-operative society

Early in 1997 a series of events occurred which sent a seismic shock wave through the UK co‑operative sector, whose ripples reached throughout the co-operative ‘world’ and are still being felt today. We had got used to the idea of ‘demutualisation’ of the UK building society sector (which is now down to around 30 per cent of its former size) but the prospect of a hostile attempt to ‘deco‑operativise’ a consumer co-operative had been thought unlikely. It is the sort of event that, when it comes, leaves one wondering why one had been so complacent, and determined never again to take the existence of the co-operative form of business for granted. To paraphrase a well known saying, there is nothing so concentrates the mind than the prospect of one’s own (organisation’s) death. In this article, the story is told of how the takeover bid came about, how it was overcome, and where this leaves the UK co-operative sector. The subject is so controversial, and the memory of it so recent, that the article concentrates on providing an accurate account of what happened and when (though towards the end some more personal views are given about the implications of the bid for the co‑operative sector as a whole). It is important that we have as accurate and unbiased an account as possible, as an archive on which to build.

Sustainability and Resilience Consideration of a RC Building

At seismic events, the building society need to be sustainable in terms of its functionality at post-seismic event. During the seismic event, the performance of the building gets gradually deteriorated. Two approaches which relates with strength and serviceability are important to maintain the building sustainable at disaster events. In first approach, the member sizes are increased which leads to higher base shear design for the futuristic events. In second approach, the building is designed with higher ductility with reduction in member sizes. Since, the sustainability addresses the socio-economic impacts of a building society, the most efficient approach is assessed. Though it’s possible to have sustainable society, it does not mean that it is resilient in case of disaster event. This indicates that even if a society/city is socio-economically efficient and environmental friendly in terms of green building concept, it is not said to be sustainable in extreme events. Hence, in this study the building’s resiliency is estimated and addressed.

PROPERTY, PRIORITY AND APPORTIONMENT: THE CASE OF THE ACQUISITION CREDITOR

AbstractIn Abbey National Building Society v Cann, the House of Lords held that a mortgagee who has funded the purchase of the mortgaged title to land (an “acquisition creditor”) has a right over the land that binds any other grantee of the purchaser. This article considers the basis for and limits of this principle, in light of its origins. It argues that the cases treat the lender's financial contribution as an independent source of an equitable interest in the purchased asset, rather than as a reason why the grant in favour of the lender takes effect earlier in time than the grant in favour of any third party. This has important and desirable consequences for the scope of the principle, rendering it more coherent with general principles of English property law and allowing for an apportionment solution in some situations involving co-contributors to acquisition.