Next Step Ventures - Research https://nextstepventures.ai/research/ Academic and independent business research by James Bell. Original research dates, methods and limitations are identified on each study page. en-gb Does profit per employee predict stock returns? https://nextstepventures.ai/research/profit-per-employee/ A point-in-time study of profit per employee and subsequent stock returns, with a negative finding, explicit coverage limits and no justified stock screen. https://nextstepventures.ai/research/profit-per-employee/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT James Bell Could pizza vending work in the UK? https://nextstepventures.ai/research/pizza-vending-feasibility/ A commercial feasibility study of UK pizza vending, covering machine formats, suppliers, failed operators and illustrative unit economics. https://nextstepventures.ai/research/pizza-vending-feasibility/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT James Bell Papa Johns UK expansion outlook https://nextstepventures.ai/research/papa-johns-uk-expansion/ An independent UK expansion assessment for Papa Johns, comparing store footprint, household density, housing growth and franchise requirements. https://nextstepventures.ai/research/papa-johns-uk-expansion/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT James Bell Domino’s UK expansion opportunities https://nextstepventures.ai/research/dominos-uk-expansion/ A dated UK expansion screen for Domino’s, combining store evidence, target areas, postcode checks and housing data, with clear limits on delivery-gap claims. https://nextstepventures.ai/research/dominos-uk-expansion/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT James Bell Climate protests and European stock returns https://nextstepventures.ai/research/climate-protests-dissertation/ James Bell’s Edinburgh MSc Finance dissertation on Fridays for Future protests and European stock returns, with an amended summary and explicit data review notes. https://nextstepventures.ai/research/climate-protests-dissertation/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT James Bell Climate protests and stock returns revisited https://nextstepventures.ai/research/climate-protests-2026/ A 2026 exploratory follow-up examining global climate strikes, named-company protests and weekly protest activity, with source and causal limits. https://nextstepventures.ai/research/climate-protests-2026/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT James Bell