Arash Habibi Lashkari, professor in the School of Information Technology, has co-authored a new book titled, Understanding Cybercrime Victim Services: Challenges, Risks, Strategies, and Trends. Alongside other authors, the book examines cybercrime and its victims, highlighting examples of cybercrime victim services in Canada and comparing their strengths and weaknesses with those offered internationally. 

Lashkari is a Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Cybersecurity, a senior member of the IEEE, and an associate professor at 91��ɫ. He brings more than 25 years of teaching experience across several international universities and was responsible for designing Canada’s first cybersecurity Capture the Flag (CTF) competition for post‑secondary students. His research interests include information technology, science and technology, information security, network security, threat hunting and cybersecurity risk management. 

 

A new research article by Steffi Hamann, assistant professor in the Department of Social Sciences, examines private sector investment incentives and development dynamics in Sub-Saharan Africa

Steffi Hamann, assistant professor in the Department of Social Science, has recently contributed a research paper to the journal World Development examining the contemporary investment promotion landscape in Sub-Saharan Africa. The study analyzes national‑level policy frameworks across 46 countries and explores how governments seek to attract private sector investment. 

Hamann specializes in international development and food security. Her research combines her academic background as a political scientist with an interest in agrarian change and sustainable livelihoods. She has conducted extensive fieldwork in sub-Saharan Africa and employs mixed methods approaches to engage with diverse stakeholder groups for data collection and knowledge mobilization.  

Duygu Biricik Gulseren, an associate professor in the School of Human Resources Management, recently contributed her expertise to an article in HR Reporter.

The article explains that research has shown women’s wages increase more slowly than men’s over the course of their careers, even though their job-to-job transitions are similar. This is because women’s career progression is often based on amenities such as remote work options, flexibility and better hours which substitute for pay. The research highlights the structural constraints that force women to accept lower-paying roles to accommodate other obligations, since amenities and lower pay are now often tied together by companies.

Gulseren says companies must be conscious of whether they are creating high-paying, high-value roles for employees of different genders and working arrangements. Managers must also create clear standards for evaluation so that employees working remotely, in-person, or in hybrid roles are all treated fairly and given equal opportunities to progress.

Gulseren holds a PhD in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Saint Mary’s University. Her research focuses on work disability, leadership and healthy, sustainable work.

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A recent Financial Post article says mistakes made by CEOs deliver important lessons about conduct for those governing other companies. Richard Leblanc, a professor in the School of Administrative Studies at the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies who specializes in corporate governance, was quoted in the article, which discusses the recent resignation of Air Canada’s CEO, Michael Rousseau.

Rousseau announced that he would step down from the role after facing criticism for delivering a condolence announcement in English following the airline accident at LaGuardia Airport that led to the death of two Air Canada pilots.

Leblanc says that the CEO lacked a key skill needed for the governance of a national, bilingual airline and that this is a teachable moment for boards in Quebec. This was the second time the CEO failed to make the effort to speak French publicly, which he said diminished his credibility.

Leblanc is a leading expert in corporate governance and accountability. He is lawyer, public speaker and consultant and has taught corporate governance at Harvard University. He is a  Fellow of the Institute of Certified Management Consultants of Ontario and an academic fellow of the International Council of Management Consulting Institutes.

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A recent article in the Toronto Star covered the closure of Filmores Hotel and Gentleman’s Club, a strip club located in downtown Toronto. The club had been in business for 45 years and closed its doors on Jan. 31. The article features quotes from several of the club’s longstanding dancers who reflect positively on several aspects of the club and its management, including flexible hours, a sense of control and community, and the diversity of its employees. Also quoted was Tuulia Law, an associate professor in the Department of Social Science, sharing her academic expertise on sex work and sex industry management. Law discusses the repercussions of the club’s closure on the dancers’ lives and the community at large.

Tuulia Law holds a Doctorate of Philosophy in Criminology from the University of Ottawa. She works with community partners in the sex industry to research topics like labour relations, working conditions, management and the performance of gender, class and race. Her additional research interests include intersectional gendered violence, sexual assault on campus and criminalized masculinities.

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A recent study showed that 39% of US employees have cried at work at least once, and other studies have shown that burnout and work-related stress is increasing in the workplace. Parbudyal Singh, professor in the School of Human Resource Management, says that while crying at work is uncommon, organizations should not ignore it, since it likely indicates an underlying issue. This could be a personal problem an employee is experiencing, or the pressures of work becoming overwhelming. Crying at work can have a negative impact on workplace culture since it sends a message to other employees. Singh says crying should never be dismissed and that organizations should support employees regardless of whether their crying is a result of work stress or personal stress, since other employees may also be struggling emotionally.

Singh received his PhD from McMaster University. His research covers emerging issues in human resources management and labour relations. He is the recipient of numerous awards and has supervised more than 50 graduate students.  

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Rising gas prices in Canada have become a stressor for many employees, especially following the widespread return-to-office mandates. In a recent Canadian HR Reporter article, Parbudyal Singh, a professor in the School of Human Resource Management, discusses whether employers should consider ways of assisting commuting employees – such as gas stipends – and whether such support would have any benefits.

Singh said when deciding whether to offer this benefit, employers should look at how rising fuel costs are affecting the financial health of both the organization and employees. He notes that because commuting expenses are generally factored into compensation planning, he does not expect gas subsidies to become a common fixture.

Singh earned his PhD from McMaster University. His research covers emerging issues in human resources management and labour relations. He is the recipient of numerous awards and has supervised more than 50 graduate students. 

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In 2019, Quebec introduced Bill 21, a secularism law that prohibits public-sector employees from wearing religious symbols or attire at work. The provincial government is now hoping to expand the legislation to include more rules and workplaces. 

Nadia Hasan, a professor in the School of Gender, Sexuality & Women’s Studies, says that Muslim women are more impacted by Bill 21 since they make up the largest minority group in the province. Hasan interviewed over 400 Muslim women living in Quebec about the law’s impact. Seventy-three per cent said Bill 21 affected their ability to look for a job, with a similar percentage saying they have considered leaving the province. She worries that the expansion of the legislation will further harm Muslim women and other visible minority communities.

Hasan’s writing on Islamophobia and related issues has appeared in CBC, CTV, Globe and Mail and other media outlets. Her research interests include race and racism, gender issues, Islamophobia, diaspora studies and South Asia.

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Ian Stedman, associate professor of Canadian public law and governance at 91��ɫ’s School of Public Policy & Administration, was quoted in a recent CBC article addressing opposition to the construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge.

The Moroun family, which operates the Ambassador Bridge between Ontario and Michigan, has opposed construction of the new Gordie Howe International Bridge because it will shrink their toll revenue. Last month, Matthew Moroun met with a member of U.S. President Donald Trump’s cabinet, which has led to Trump blocking further construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge. Records also show the Morouns have lobbied in Ottawa using a firm run by former senior Harper officials.

Stedman said it is not surprising for the firm to represent clients whose interests differ from those held by the Harper government, since lobbyists often shift positions depending on the issue. He says regardless of whether or not the public agrees with their activities, lobbying is a legitimate and publicly documented part of politics and a sign of a healthy democracy.

Stedman holds a PhD in law from Osgoode Hall Law School. His research interests include law and justice, science and technology, public sector ethics and accountability as well as AI.

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Many Canadians are facing insecurity in wages, employment and housing, creating a cost-of-living crisis. Carlo Fanelli, an associate professor in the Department of Social Science, has written an article for Policy Options responding to a recent piece in the Globe & Mail titled “What cost-of-living crisis? The data tell a different story.” The Globe & Mail article argues that the crisis is a result of perception, but Fanelli disputes this, pointing out that median wages are growing slower than rising consumer prices. Additionally, the labour market has become more unstable, and the housing crisis has furthered insecurity, with housing inflation outpacing overall inflation. He argues we need new policies that support low- and middle-income levels to ensure that working full-time provides stability and security.

Fanelli teaches and conducts research in the areas of work and labour market restructuring, labour and employment law, public policy, political economy and socio-economic inequality. Since 2009, he has been editor-in-chief of Alternate Routes: A Journal of Critical Social Research. In addition to his scholarly writing, he has written for The Huffington Post, iPolitics, Policy Options, The Hill Times, Jacobin and other outlets. His work has also been featured in the Globe & Mail, Toronto Star, Global News, Financial Post, CBC News, CTV News, �ճհ�’s The Agenda and other media.

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