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The UK’s Intended Move to Electric and Connected and Autonomous Vehicles: Are Infrastructural Barriers Preventing Successful Transition?
No full textThe advent of Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) is poised to transform global
transportation systems, offering unparalleled opportunities to enhance safety, sustainability,
and efficiency. Given that CAVs are most likely also to be electric vehicles (EVs), and in the
UK, CAVs/EVs are a central element of government efforts to modernise mobility while
achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, it would seem the UK is ready to embrace the transition
to this new and disruptive form of transportation. However, while technological innovation has
surged, critical questions remain about the readiness of physical, digital, and policy
infrastructures to support the widespread adoption of CAVs. In this paper we examine the UK's
preparedness for CAV deployment, focusing on the pivotal role of Local Authorities (LAs) in
bridging infrastructure gaps. Drawing on qualitative data from interviews with LAs and experts
from a broader project and report, findings presented in this paper reveal significant disparities
in preparedness, driven by funding constraints, inconsistent national policies, and public
ambivalence. By situating these findings within the broader global context of CAV research,
this paper underscores the urgency of coordinated strategies to align CAV integration with
sustainable mobility goals
Effectuated Spirituality: How Spiritual Beliefs Influence Social Entrepreneurship in a Low-income Country Context
Get PDFPurpose This study explores how social entrepreneurs in Nigeria integrate spiritual beliefs with pragmatic business strategies through the lens of effectuation theory. It aims to extend the knowledge of social entrepreneurial business management practices and models in a low income context. Design/methodology/approach The research adopted a hybrid of phenomenological and case study qualitative research approaches. Through thematic analysis of interviews with 30 social entrepreneurs across Nigeria, the study identified 15 constructs. Seven of these constructs characterize notions of spirituality, while eight reveal social entrepreneurial actions across four phases of business development: ideation, formation, operation, and scaling. Findings Spirituality for social entrepreneurs is exhibited in practices such as meditating, praying, believing, faithing, discerning, sensing, and trusting, which act as critical drivers in the journey of social entrepreneurship. The findings suggest that Nigerian social entrepreneurs are guided not only by market dynamics but also by spiritual insights. This indicates a paradigm where business strategies are informed by a blend of market considerations and spiritual beliefs, often with a pronounced emphasis on the latter. Originality The integration of spirituality within the entrepreneurial domain challenges and expands the conventional understanding of effectuation theory, which traditionally lacks explicit spiritual dimensions. This study makes a unique contribution by identifying new constructs for the contextual interpretation of spirituality, effectuation, and social entrepreneurship in Nigeria. It enhances understanding of their interplay in a low-income context and introduces a new conceptual framework of effectuated spirituality. Research limitations/implications As the study focuses on social entrepreneurs in Nigeria, the findings may not be generalizable to other cultural or economic contexts. Future research could explore the intersection of spirituality and effectuation in different settings to validate and expand upon the proposed conceptual framework. Practical implications The study argues for the significance of spirituality and effectuation in social entrepreneurship. It posits that spirituality should be a major consideration in framing policies and stakeholder engagements that promote social entrepreneurship in low-income countries like Nigeria. Social implications By highlighting the role of spirituality in guiding social entrepreneurial actions, the study underscores the potential of integrating spiritual beliefs into business practices. This integration can foster more effective social entrepreneurship initiatives that address societal challenges in low-income contexts.
Originality/value
The integration of spirituality within the entrepreneurial domain challenges and expands the conventional understanding of effectuation theory, which traditionally lacks explicit spiritual dimensions. This study makes a unique contribution by identifying new constructs for the contextual interpretation of spirituality, effectuation and social entrepreneurship in Nigeria. It enhances understanding of their interplay in a low-income context and introduces a new conceptual framework of effectuated spirituality
An evaluation of pre-registration research teaching provision for Operating Department Practice students
Get PDFBackground:
Understanding and engaging in and with research is a professional obligation of both student and registered operating department practitioners. This study was designed to explore how research is embedded into operating department practice undergraduate pre-registration curriculum.
Method:
Data collection took place via a questionnaire sent to programme leaders at Higher Education Institutions who deliver Health and Care Professions Council–validated operating department practice programmes. Overall, 30 higher education institutions were invited to participate, with 14 higher education institutions completing the questionnaire. The data were thematically analysed.
Findings:
It was identified that some aspects of research are embedded throughout operating department practice programmes, with a broad focus on research methodologies, methods and ethical considerations. The evidence supports the hypothesis that operating department practitioner students are undertaking primary and secondary research. However, there is limited evidence of dissemination. This work has identified the perceived barriers and challenges to embedding research in undergraduate programmes and the limited use of enrichment activities. This has led the authors to identify some areas worthy of further exploration and recommendations for the future
Simple rules for creating and sustaining an anti-racist sport and exercise organisation.
Get PDFThe murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor in 2020 incited a surge in anti-racism efforts across the world. Many organisations, including those related to sport and exercise, were quick to make their stances on racism clear. In efforts to promote anti-racism, new equality, equity, diversity and inclusion (EEDI) groups were formed, while many individuals joined protests and took to social media to raise awareness of the racism that Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) continue to face. In the sporting world, a significant burden and labour is placed on athletes of colour to make strides towards anti-racism. However, every individual working with the sport and exercise industry must act to condemn and eradicate racism. Sport and exercise organisations are in an opportune place to contribute to anti-racism efforts because of their wide reach, yet there is a need for clear advice on how to make change. Therefore, we provide commentary on 10 simple ‘rules’ that can support sport and exercise organisations in creating and sustaining an anti-racism
The trickle-up effect: exploring the relationship between youth sports participation and elite sporting success.
Get PDFPurpose/rationale
In response to the limited empirical research on the ‘trickle-up effect’ this study aims to answer a fundamental question in elite sports policy literature: ‘Does widespread youth sport participation contribute to elite sporting success?’
Design/methodology/approach
Using 23 years of data across 29 sports in Flanders, the study evaluates the relationship between youth sport membership levels and elite sporting success through descriptive and correlation analysis.
Findings
The results indicate a modest positive relationship (r = 0.15) between both variables. However, substantial differences among sports were found, which led to a four-quadrant classification: sports with (I) low participation and high success, (II) high participation and high success, (III) low participation and low success, or (IV) high participation and low success. Interestingly, in Flanders, no sports were classified in quadrant IV.
Practical implications
The classification system indicates that extensive youth participation may contribute to international success in all but category I sports. These findings indicate that elite sports policies should pay attention to youth participation.
Research contribution
This study is the first to investigate the influence of youth participation on elite sporting success across different sports, thereby challenging the assumption of a generic trickle-up effect.
Originality/value
The extensive Flemish data provide modest and conditional yet original empirical evidence supporting the trickle-up effect
Anti-consumption and self-identity: How does anti-consumption transformation contribute to self-identity construction?
Get PDFPurpose
This paper aims to explore customers’ insights to understand how they can construct self-identity through the anti-consumption transformation.
Design/methodology/approach
Adopting the grounded theory methodology, this paper presents findings from laddering interviews conducted with twenty-two anti-consumers in Sri Lanka. All interviews were transcribed, and thematic analysis was undertaken.
Findings
Our findings uncovered that the anti-consumption transformation process is mainly influenced by the social and moral valuation of the environment, external pressure, willingness to change, monetary savings and having children. In particular, the acts of rejection, reduction and reuse are vital behavioral patterns observed in anti-consumption. Moreover, findings reveal that anti-consumption transformation contributes to individuals’ self-identity by changing their surroundings, expressing anti-consumption to others, using increased control and experiencing inner change.
Originality/value
This paper is one of the first attempts to qualitatively explore how pursuing anti-consumption behavior contributes to self-identity construction of an individual from the transtheoretical model of behavioral change perspective
Coaching Ethics: The story so far
Get PDFThis article examines the results of a survey conducted during the Coaching Ethics Forum (CEF) conference 2023, inviting coaches from the event, the CEF email database and LinkedIn. The survey invited participants to examine how reflecting on coaching ethics impacted on their ethical coaching practice.
There were 101 responses to four primary areas:
Understanding the background and approaches of our sample.
Understanding their view of supervision.
Understanding their approach to reflection.
Understanding their approach to ethical practice.
The survey participants came from a range of different countries but with a large majority from English-speaking countries. In addition to the data on the background, views, approaches and ethical practice of the coaches, we explored various primary and sub-themes emerging. The group were mainly experienced and trained coaches who held a wide range of prior occupations. Overall, they showed a commitment to supervision (although many did not) and engagement in ethical reflection. The breadth of experience, types of training and diversity of frameworks followed was noteworthy, implying that coaching is very broadly based as a field of practice. We identify some key themes and further questions about the relationship between ethical practice, supervision and ethical reflective practice
