1993 research outputs found
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Investigating the Impact of Transformational Leadership Style on Employee Job Satisfaction in Fintech Companies in Wales
Get PDFThis study examines the idiosyncrasies of transformational leadership that focus on usability in fintech platforms, its cascading effects on employee satisfaction, followed by customer satisfaction. Guided by transformational leadership and affordance theories, the study develops a conceptual framework that reveals the relationship between leadership-driven organisational dynamics, usability empowerment, and satisfaction outcomes. The qualitative methodology utilized in this study draws on data received from 10 employees and 16 customers, thereby providing an overarching understanding of both internal workforce empowerment and external customer experiences. The researchers identify usability characteristics, such as navigation, rapid feedback, customizable tools, and error minimization, which were positively influenced by key leadership behaviours like inspiring purpose, articulating vision, catalysing innovation, and persisting through change. These usability factors directly correspond with critical operational and customer-oriented objectives that promote reduction of cognitive load for employees, while simultaneously creating reliable, intuitive and inclusive platforms.
Employee satisfaction, following from usability improvements, flows through to delivery — to customer experience — as a service that is sustainable, personalized, efficient, and trustworthy. The research proposes new theoretical constructs like employee-customer bridge and satisfaction chain, extending dystopian theories by framing employees as proactive agents in customer-oriented transformation.
On the one hand, the theoretical contribution discusses an emergent phenomenon among fintech organisations that shift to usability excellence through design thinking and human-centered design; on the other hand, practical strategies are offered for fintech organisations to navigate these changes, in particular making adaptive leadership, inclusivity, and iterative feedback key to their usability attempt’s. The study acknowledges limitations regarding a small sample and qualitative scope and suggests future research that uses longitudinal and mixed methods approaches. The study ultimately contributes a foundational basis for utilising transformational
leadership principles to construct a user-oriented fintech ecosystem, with implications for both theory and practice in a rapidly changing market landscape
The ‘roots/routes to fruit’ model: developing a ‘fruitful’ collaborative network across universities
No full textThis study explores the development and dynamics of the Wales Collaborative for Learning Design (WCLD), a multidisciplinary network across eight Welsh universities. Funded by Welsh Government, the WCLD aimed to foster collaboration in digital learning design while supporting individual and collective academic growth. The study aimed to investigate what factors impact on the development and sustainability of a personal and professional, multidisciplinary Higher Education collaborative network. Using a collective autoethnographic approach, the research explored the network’s evolution, highlighting the interplay of person attributes, facilitating conditions, and professional relationships. Findings revealed key factors including trust, open-mindedness, and consistent communication as essential to the network’s sustainability and success. Further findings illustrate how positive constraints, diverse career stages, and interdisciplinary opportunities underpin growth and productivity. ‘Outcomes’ included enhanced institutional impact, significant personal and professional conversations, and the cross-pollination of ideas within and beyond the network. When considered as a process, the findings underscore the value of cultivating intentional, yet adaptable, collaborative networks to support higher education innovation and personal academic development. This culminates in the ‘Roots/routes to Fruit’ model. This original contribution builds on existing theory surrounding significant, collaborative networks and provides a process for future interdisciplinary, multi-institutional, collaborative networks to build upon
Are Net Zero Apprenticeships Fit For Purpose in Wales? A Quality Review with Apprentices, Providers and Industry Experts
Get PDFThis study evaluates the effectiveness of Net Zero apprenticeships in Wales in addressing the skills required to support the Welsh Government’s low-carbon transition. Using a mixed methods approach, data was collected from 82 apprentices on light or dark green programmes via questionnaires, and from 5 employers and learning providers through semi-structured interviews.
Findings show high levels of satisfaction with resources, support, and knowledge development, with most apprentices reporting an improved understanding of green skills since the programme commenced. However, results also reveal variability in employer support and limited opportunities for practical application. A small number of participants identified gaps in legislative and technical knowledge, indicating that curricula may not fully address regulatory requirements.
The study concludes that while Net Zero apprenticeships are achieving positive outcomes in awareness and knowledge-building, greater industry engagement, more workplace-based learning, and improved integration of regulatory content are needed. Recommendations focus on enhancing employer–provider collaboration, expanding practical training, improvement of funding systems and promotion of continuous skills development to meet the evolving sector’s needs
The Impact of Ethnicity on Maternal Health Outcomes and Mental Well-being: A Focus on Ethnic Minorities in the UK
Get PDFBackground: Ethnic minority women experience significantly higher maternal health issues and mental well-being outcome in the UK. Studies indicates that women from Black, Asian, and others ethnic communities suffer from maternal mortality, severe morbidity, and mental health conditions. This systematic review aimed to examine the impact of ethnicity on maternal health outcomes and mental well-being, especially on Black and South Asian women in the UK.
Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted using PRISMA guidelines based on research objectives. A comprehensive database (PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, etc.) was searched for qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods studies. The studies used only those studies that were published within the last 10 years and conducted among UK people. Data were analyzed thematically.
Results: Ethnic minority women were found to face multiple, intersecting inequities affecting both maternal health outcomes and mental well-being Key issues identified included perceived discrimination, cultural insensitivity, and poor patient–provider communication in maternity care. A higher prevalence of perinatal depression and anxiety, coupled with significant underdiagnosis and delayed treatment due to stigma and cultural barriers. Moreover, Profound structural disparities, including socioeconomic deprivation, language barriers, and inadequate interpretation services, exist. Furthermore, the detrimental impact of social isolation and restrictive cultural norms, as well as healthcare system failures, such as inequitable access to services and a critical lack of continuity of care, erodes trust. The intersection of racism, discrimination, and poverty drives these challenges.
Conclusion: Women from ethnic minorities women found systemic discrimination and structural barriers which contribute to higher maternal health outcome and mental wellbeing in Uk. Structural racism, cultural insensitivity, and systemic barriers to access were the most significant factors identified. Achieving equitable maternal health outcomes requires transforming healthcare systems towards culturally inclusive and anti-racist practices, ensuring continuity of care, and providing practitioners with training that integrates equitable healthcare for all
The Feasibility of Adopting A Hydrogen Powered Fleet of Vehicles
No full textThis study assessed whether a UK depot could convert a 20-truck, back to base fleet from diesel to hydrogen while meeting strict service, safety, reliability, cost, and emissions thresholds. The duty was fixed at 6,000 miles per day across two return peaks. Using published energy rates, daily hydrogen need was sized at 882 kg for typical days and 1,206 kg for stress duty; a 20% buffer for heat, clustering, and timing drift raised these to 1,058 kg and 1,447 kg. SAE J2601 limits, a two-wave queue model, and evidence on pre-cooling bottlenecks guided dispenser count, storage, and chiller sizing. Availability targets used predictive health monitoring to reach at least 97% during operating windows. Layout checks followed recognised siting rules. Three supply routes were tested: onsite PEM electrolysis, buy-in compressed or liquid hydrogen, and a hybrid with onsite baseload plus delivered peaks. Onsite gave strong control over purity and timing but exposed cost to power price and stack ageing. Buy-in lowered capital but imported delivery and price risk and still required robust station conditioning. The hybrid right-sized onsite production to about 60–70% of a hot-day load and used contracted deliveries to cover peaks and outages. The hybrid met wait targets (mean ≤10 minutes; P95 ≤20 minutes) more reliably at the study depot and sat mid-range on cost, while emissions results depended on the supply pathway and verified certificates. The study therefore recommended a hybrid baseline with firm clean-power contracts, supplier redundancy, multi-bank storage, strong pre-cooling, inline impurity monitoring, and simple queue controls throughout
Opportunities and Barriers with Vocational Education in a Secondary School in Wales: Teachers’ Perspectives.
Get PDFThis study explores the opportunities and barriers encountered by teachers in establishing vocational education within a secondary school context in Wales, aiming to generate actionable solutions for educational practice. Grounded in the evolving discourse on educational relevance (Hartas, 2010), the research adopts an interpretivist paradigm and employs a mixed-methods case study approach to capture the lived experiences of educators. Through the integration of quantitative data from exam entry statistics, qualitative insights from a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, the investigation delves into the complexities surrounding vocational education, highlighting the significance of social interactions and context (Thomas, 2022). Key findings reveal both the potential benefits such as enhanced student engagement and employability and substantial challenges, including entrenched stigma and inadequate institutional support. The study emphasizes the need for professional development and community engagement to foster an inclusive educational environment, ultimately aiming to inform policy and practice in Welsh vocational education. By addressing these critical aspects, the research aspires to contribute to a more equitable educational landscape, ensuring that all students can access high-quality vocational pathways and reach their full potential
Risk Factors Associated with the Outcome of Hypertension Among Afro-Caribbean Ethnic Groups in the United Kingdom: A Systematic Review
Get PDFBackground: Hypertension prevalence among individuals of Black African or Black Caribbean heritage in the UK is markedly higher than that of the general population. Despite advancements in blood pressure management, racial and ethnic minorities continue to face significant differences in hypertension care.
Aim: This systematic review aimed to evaluate the risk factors associated with hypertension outcomes in Afro-Caribbeans in the UK.
Method: A systematic search across PubMed, Science Direct, and ProQuest was conducted via the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) library, selecting 11 research articles out of the 61,769 articles collected that fulfilled the PRISMA 2020 checklist criteria, and the CASP checklist was used to appraise the articles.
Findings: The 11 studies included in this review highlight that African-Caribbeans and South Asians experience higher rates of hypertension, with blood pressure levels typically beginning to rise earlier in African-Caribbean individuals, often between ages 30 and 40, despite available monitoring options and related conditions compared to White British individuals, although patterns and contributing factors can vary by ethnicity and age. While some research found a higher BMI and central arterial stiffness in certain minority groups, other factors like dietary habits, particularly high salt intake and infrequent breakfast consumption, and diastolic dysfunction were also found to play a significant role in these health inequalities.
Conclusion: Findings indicate that blood pressure of the Afro-Caribbeans rises with age. Additionally, challenges in managing blood pressure persist among Black patients in the UK, influenced by dietary habits such as high salt consumption and elevated obesity rates within Afro-Caribbean communities. Notably, behaviours associated with adolescent dietary habits, including a tendency to skip breakfast, were more pronounced in Black populations. The review also highlights complex ethnic variations in arterial characteristics and cardiac function, emphasising the need for tailored hypertension management strategies
Nanogenerators: energy harvesting and self-powered systems
No full textNanogenerators (NGs) are a class of tiny devices, ranging in size from less than a mm to a few cm, which convert ambient thermal/mechanical/chemical energy into electricity. With their growing importance in powering micro- and nano-devices, e.g. biosensors and Internet of Things (IoT) applications, they have become a focal point of research. An overview of current advancements in NG technologies, including piezoelectric, triboelectric, thermoelectric and pyroelectric NGs - providing 70 of the latest references are presented herein. The paper discusses the underlying mechanisms, fabrication techniques, material innovations and applications. Future perspectives and barriers are addressed to present a holistic understanding of this evolving technology
A Study of the Digital Health Management Needs of the Elderly
Get PDFThe purpose of this paper is to explore the feasibility and development trend of utilizing smart medical technology for chronic disease health management in older people in the context of ageing at home. As the ageing society intensifies, the elderly population faces multiple health challenges, especially the management of chronic diseases. This paper analyzes the potential of smart medical technologies, such as remote monitoring, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things (IoT), to improve the efficiency and quality of health management for older people. By leveraging Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Theory and Fogg's Behavioral Model, the article explores how to design smart health management products that meet the different health needs of older adults. In addition, the article discusses the barriers that the elderly population may encounter in accepting and using technology, such as the digital divide and technology adaptation issues, and proposes relevant coping strategies. Ultimately, the article concludes that with the continuous development of technology, smart healthcare technology will play an increasingly important role in geriatric health management, helping to improve the health status of older people, enhance their quality of life, and promote the innovation and development of social health management. The research in this paper provides new ideas for designing health management products for older people and supports the design and optimization of intelligent health management services
Navigating Menopause in the Workplace: A Case Study exploring Attitudes, Awareness, and Impact of Menopause on employees at the Healthcare Management Trust
Get PDFWith growing encouragement from professional bodies and an expanding legislative duty requiring UK employers to provide supportive environments to menopausal employees, this study qualitatively evaluates the attitudes, awareness, and impact of the menopause transition amongst staff at the Healthcare Management Trust (HMT).
Using an inductive approach to explore the subjective experiences and perceptions of respondents, a survey was distributed amongst women within HMT to obtain qualitative data. The responses received by 58 participants are thematically analysed with several interconnected themes surrounding the menopause experience identified. A perceived lack of menopausal knowledge, varying symptoms, and strategies of support available to respondents were key themes to emerge and subsequently analysed. The results provide an invaluable insight into the menopause experience of staff within HMT by establishing experiences that were previously lesser explored within wider research.
The findings established the deeply personal nature of the menopause transition given the vastly varying range and severity of symptoms which challenges the generalisability of existing research alone in developing an effective women’s health strategy within HMT. The insights gained from the respondents within HMT subsequently offered a number of recommendations that offer a tailored and empathetic women’s health strategy at HMT. The recommendations seek to offer practical support to HMT staff by improving policy provisions, targeted training, and appropriate support measures all identified as key areas for improvement to support employees through the menopause journey
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