Rhanbarth - Bangor Centre for Sustainable Regions and Economies, Bangor Business School

Rhanbarth seeks to conduct innovative and cutting-edge research to revitalize, help sustain and improve regions in terms of economies, communities and citizens. We work with charities, government bodies, social enterprises and businesses, communities and people, to promote inclusive and sustainable regional development, boosting local job creation, developing and informing rigorous social and economic policies, in Wales and beyond

Our Mission Statement

Rhanbarth Research Centre concentrates on the key drivers of sustainable businesses, communities and regions, with particular focus on applying world-leading research to support economies, communities and people of north Wales, and beyond.

Brief Info

Rhanbarth Research Centre provides excellent resources and directory for providing data, research services and consultancy, and postgraduate opportunities, to include:

access to experienced researchers, and data, for commissioned research and consultancy;
a gateway to our published research material, such as research reports for industry and government, and academic papers;
watch our promotional research videos and listen to podcasts of our team members talking about their research projects, findings and areas of interest;
Read our research blogs and engage with our team by adding your comments and thoughts to the dialogue;

We have a proven track record of carrying out relevant, innovative and successful research projects and consultancy work.

Image of mother and baby shopping in a supermarket

Our Research Themes Understanding Consumers

The Understanding Consumers research planning group brings together academics with interests in risky behaviours (e.g., smoking), sustainable consumption, consumer attitudes to climate change and communication, community engagement, branding, profile/persona marketing, consumer decision-making and the impact of social norms on individual decisions, the impact of emotions on (in)action, discrimination behaviours, and the ethics of business practices and their effects on consumers. The group combines expertise in a number of methodologies including qualitative research (interviews, focus groups), surveys, quantitative modelling, field experiments and ethnography. We organise various events to reflect our research in this area including the memorable Consumer Research Summit that was held at Bangor. See our past events for more details.

Our group members include:

To view a list of PhD projects we have an interest in supervising please visit our PhD course page.

PhD Projects

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Our Research Themes Tourism, destinations, and place engagement

The Tourism, destinations, and place engagement research planning group aims to develop research in wider topics related to tourism, destinations, and places. Adopting a multidisciplinary approach, the group analyses the tourism sector, place branding, and destination management and marketing employing both quantitative and qualitative research methods. Tourism is characterised by the existence of an abundance of data, which, if properly edited and analysed, can extend theoretical knowledge, and offer managerial implications to tourism businesses. Consequently, the group focuses on tourism analytics. The group also places particular attention to sustainability, including the economic and sociocultural sustainability of both tourism development and place identity and branding.

Our group members include:

External Member

Dr Nam Dang

Read about one of our research projects.

To view a list of PhD projects we have an interest in supervising please visit our PhD course page.

PhD Projects

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Our Research Themes Organisational behaviour

The Organisational behaviour research planning group contributes to existing and new knowledge creation in the following research fields: HRM, SME’s internationalisation, innovation, entrepreneurial behaviour, CSR, sustainability, stakeholder engagement, and sustainable supply chain management. The group adopts various methodological approaches to include ethnography, action research, case study and forecast modelling.

Our group members include:

To view a list of PhD projects we have an interest in supervising please visit our PhD course page.

PhD Projects

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Our Research Themes Tax and Welfare

The Tax and Welfare research planning group is interested in examining all topics relating to taxes and benefits in Wales and similar nations/territories around the world. The group brings together economists, accountants, and other social scientists to consider taxation and welfare from a variety of perspectives. Members of the multidisciplinary team have an existing reputation of working together with partners on issues relating to devolved taxes and social welfare programmes in Wales. The group adopts several different quantitative and qualitative methodological approaches, such as cluster analysis, forecast modelling, ethnography, action research and case study.

Our group members include:

External members:

PhD students:

Paul Roberts

To view a list of PhD projects we have an interest in supervising please visit our PhD course page.

PhD Projects

Our Management Board

Meet the staff members that make up the Rhanbarth Management Board.

Michael Butler

Director of the Rhanbarth & Co-Lead of the Organisational Behaviour Research Planning Group

Chris Davies

Co-Lead of Organisational Behaviour Planning Group

Sara Parry

Lead of the Understanding Consumers Research Planning Group

Linda Osti

Lead of the Tourism, destinations and place engagement Research Planning Group

Rhys ap Gwilym

Lead of the Tax and Welfare Research Planning Group

Blogs and Media Appearances

We are proud that our team have an existing reputation of working with the media to promote their expertise and research on issues that affect industry, poverty, economy and society. Details of our media coverage and appearances can be found below.

Are Community-Led Tourism Models, the Future of Travel? - ISP Project on Community-led tourism in Uganda.
Dr Rhys ap Gwilym contributed to the ICAEW’s latest podcast, which discusses the subject of Tourism Taxes. He had the opportunity to discuss the work that he and Dr Linda Osti recently completed on how tourism tax revenues are spent, as well as the work that Rhanbarth’s Tax and Welfare group published in 2022 on the overall tax burdens faced by tourism providers in different jurisdictions.
How to make your outdoor business accessible: A story from a disabled business researcher - Dr Felix Shi
Dr Linda Otsi's interview with The Guardian - 'People understand the cap': how a Spanish eco-beauty spot tackled overtourism
Dr Linda Otsi Interview with BBC News - Can Wales avoid Europ's mass tourism tensions
Dr Linda Osti discusses with Roel Verrycken of the Benelux financial newspaper Tijd the impacts of climate change on tourism and the prospects of North Wales.
On 19th June, Dr Linda Osti and Dr Rhys ap Gwilym discussed the use of price discrimination in tourism with the Washington Post.
On 8^th May, Dr Rhys ap Gwilym and Dr Linda Osti published an article in The Conversation on the contentious issue of tourist taxes. Other media outlets: CNN, nation.cymru, Channel News Asia

Working Papers and Publications

Our research is always developing and our team members are active in their research work. Find details below of our working papers and team members' publications.