1993 research outputs found
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Identity, culture and belonging in the iron mining landscape of the Canigou Mountain, France.
Get PDFThis research examines the relationship between place, culture and identity in a population which lies at the heart of a long history of iron-mining. Known as Catalonia du Nord (North Catalonia) or French Catalonia, the region is a blend of French and Catalan cultures and the Canigou mountain, which is at the heart of this study, is the symbol of Catalans on either side of the border. Situated in a rural location at the eastern end of the French Pyrenees, the area has witnessed demographic change and industrial decline since the last mine closed in 1985. Consequently this research was designed to explore the ways in which the local population embed their sense of belonging in this mountain landscape.
An inductive approach allowed for data to be generated from fifty-seven participants from five former mining villages. These numbers included a significant proportion of incomers to the area, including a variety of European nationalities, who had settled in the communities. The importance of place emerged from the interviews as a potent feature of the cultural environment. The region has links with the Catalans south of the border with Spain, whilst at the same time is part of the French nation. Investigation of this duality reveals regional and national identity sit side by side but that strong local feelings emerge when this regional identity is threatened. Local cultural practices embody the present-day identity of these communities in the landscape. Rather than portraying culture as a fixed feature, this study also highlights the concept of cultural flow which accounts for the way in which people can cross cultural boundaries
The development of criteria and the subsequent evaluation of the available digital solutions for pharmaceutical care planning across ABUHB
Get PDFHospital pharmacists are routinely involved in patient care. Part of their work is to assess, monitor and advise on drug management during a patient’s hospital stay. Documentation of these interventions has historically been done via a paper Pharmaceutical Care Plan (PCP), kept separately to the patient’s medical records, and used by pharmacy staff to prioritise patients. Transfer of paper PCPs limits their effectiveness; therefore, a digital solution is required. While there have been studies that have looked at implementation and adoption of electronic patient records (EPRs), risk assessments, and prioritisation tools, there are no direct studies that define the requirements of a digital PCP.
This study sought to define a set of requirements for a digital PCP, through a combination of a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews with pharmacy staff, before undertaking an options appraisal of available solutions. Digital literacy of pharmacy staff was also assessed through the questionnaire.
Digital literacy of pharmacy staff was found to be below the level set by the UK Government with regards to basic digital literacy skills. This was linked to age, where older staff had lower levels of digital literacy, and lack of training on the specific systems used. Several training needs were identified to address the gaps.
From the options appraisal, it was found that there are currently no solutions that meet the full requirements for a digital PCP, as defined during the study. While each requirement was achievable within at least one of the solutions appraised, all solutions require a degree of development to achieve the full specification.
To meet the needs of a digital PCP, investment is required for its development as part of an EPR solution which is integrated with both an electronic prescription and medicines administration (ePMA) system and primary care systems. A locally developed solution, rather than a commercial solution or national development, allows for improved control over development timescales without the risks associated with commercial contracts or national engagement
The Possibility of Normative Moral Decision Making Artificial Intelligence and its Effects on the Practical Nature of Morality.
Get PDFBackground: Researchers from various background are working on the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) that is designed to support professionals in moral decision making. These types of AI are to predict our moral beliefs or judgments in specified choice situations. This paper explores the potential of such AI-technologies to be normative for its users and how that may affect the practice of moral decision making in specified choice situations.
Methods: An account of the practical nature of morality is given based on the ideas of Mary Midgley in her work on the nature of morality. Against this background the possibility Moral Decision Making AI (MDMAI) to be normative for its users is assessed for three different ways of designing such MDMAI. As an example of an MDMAI that has the possibility of being normative for its users, the technology of BAIT is used as a starting point in a post phenomenological analysis to assess how such normative MDMAI may transform the practical nature of moral decision making.
Conclusions: BAIT as a normative tool in specified moral choice situations, may transform the moral decision making into becoming conservative in nature. This effect may be enhanced by using BAIT as a tool for justifying our decisions. In relying on BAIT in our moral choices we leave out important though hard to identify motives in our deliberations. This may affect the social relation between the persons involved in the decision. Having more and more accurate technologies like BAIT available in the future in more specified situations of moral decision making, this may affect social relations on a larger scale and also the freedom of professionals in making moral decisions
Assessing Practice-based Research in the Visual Arts: A Proposed New Criterion
Get PDFPurpose
The article is intended to support doctoral students structuring theses for research through practices in the visual arts, supervisors advocating such proposals, and those responsible for assessing proposals in university research degrees committees with limited experience of practice-based research. It offers an original criterion of assessment for examiners of practice-based doctorates.
Methodology
It distinguishes between propositional knowledge, non-propositional knowledge, and understanding.
Findings
It acknowledges the several decades of work already published on this question, distilling an aesthetic cognitivist position from which the visual arts are construed as powerful means of deepening our understanding, a source of non-propositional knowledge on a par with, although qualitatively different from, the way that the sciences are accepted as the means to propositional knowledge.
Originality
The terms perceptual intrigue and conceptual intrigue are coined as values implicit in aesthetic cognitivism, and their balance proposed as an original criterion for the assessment of practice-based research.
Implications
Consolidation of the acceptance of practice-based doctoral research within cross-disciplinary universities
Paternalistic Leadership and Job Performance: A Chinese Perspective Using Conservation of Resources Theory Approach
Get PDFABSTRACT
PURPOSE: In the practice of university leadership, whether the current paternalistic leadership is suitable for the management of universities in the new era is the concern of the researcher. The purpose of this dissertation is to inquire the impact of paternalistic leadership on job performance. Drawing on the conservation of resources theory, this research focuses on subordinates. Not only the direct effect but also the indirect effect and moderated effect through work alienation and psychological capital are considered in this research.
DESIGN: This research followed a post-positivist research paradigm and survey methodology, using a questionnaire containing all variables of interest followed by semi-structured interviews. The sample consists of 544 teachers working in Chinese universities. The qualitative study was conducted by semi-structured interviews with 12 teachers and 6 leaders. Data were analyzed in SPSS 25, AMOS 24,and EXCEL using a series of statistical tests in which polynomial regression and response surface analysis were used to test the relationship of the hypotheses.
FINDINGS: The results showed that task performance and contextual performance are higher when both authoritarian and benevolent leaders are high than when both authoritarian and benevolent leaders are low. Low authoritarian and high benevolent leadership promote task performance and contextual performance of subordinates better than high authoritarian and low benevolent leadership. Whereas high authoritarian and low benevolent leadership promote higher counterproductive performance and work alienation of subordinates than low authoritarian and high benevolent leadership. Mediating and moderating analyses were also conducted, authoritarian and benevolent leadership has an indirect effect on counterproductive performance through work alienation. Psychological capital further moderates the relationship between both leadership constructs and task performance and work alienation. In practice, university leaders should change the traditional paternalistic leadership mode dominated by authoritarian leadership and supplemented by benevolent leadership. Universities should guide teachers and leaders to deepen their understanding of paternalistic leadership and change their attitude towards leadership management from the bottom of their heart. Paternalistic leadership is not invariable. Leaders can change their leadership style according to the personality of their subordinates.
ORIGINALITY: This research is original in several ways. Firstly, it explores the relationship between authoritarian-benevolent leadership and performance as an outcome which is neglected in the literature. Secondly, it expands the knowledge on the relationship between authoritarian-benevolent leadership and job performance by investigating the role of work alienation and psychological capital. Thirdly, researcher used polynomial regression with response surface analysis to examine the effects of different combinations of authoritarian and benevolent leadership on job performance. This research method can make us more intuitive to understand the impact of paternalistic leadership on job performance. Finally, this research also uses qualitative research method, from the practical point of view of universities, university leaders and teachers put forward specific operational practices.
IMPLICATIONS: This research has clear practical implications for leaders and teachers. It points out the importance of authoritarian and benevolent leadership to job performance, which is expected leaders to change their leadership style or adopt different management styles for different teachers, and discusses how universities, university leaders and teachers can work together to create an environment to strengthen the impact of paternalistic leadership on job performance
The Impact of Food Environment in Childhood Obesity in the UK: A Systematic Review
Get PDFIn the UK, childhood obesity is becoming a more serious public health issue that has a big impact on people's health as well as healthcare systems. It has been shown that one of the main factors impacting children's eating habits is the food environment, which includes the availability, accessibility, affordability, and marketing of unhealthy food alternatives. In order to better understand how the food environment affects childhood obesity in the UK, this dissertation will concentrate on the many ways that different factors influence children's unhealthy eating patterns. The study examined data from children aged 5 to 18 with the aim to determine whether exposure to food environments and obesity rates are related. Qualitative studies also shed light on the perceived difficulties and obstacles parents encounter when trying to encourage healthy eating in the contemporary food environment. The results show a substantial correlation between children's obesity rates and exposure to unhealthful eating situations. Poor dietary choices are mostly caused by factors like the abundance of fast-food restaurants, the aggressive marketing of high calorie, low-nutrient meals, and the difficulty in finding reasonably priced, healthful options. The study comes to the conclusion that while the food environment is a major contributing factor to childhood obesity, further investigation is necessary to completely comprehend the interactions between a number of variables, such as socioeconomic position, education, and governmental laws. To effectively reduce childhood obesity in the UK, comprehensive interventions addressing individual behaviours as well as systemic changes in the food environment are required
Talent Management as a Strategic Imperative for Value Creation: A Critical Analysis of Talent Management Practice Among State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) in Maldives
Get PDFThe State-owned enterprises (SOEs) are key revenue generators for the government and hold a dominant position in providing essential goods and services across Maldives. Unlike the private sector, public enterprises face unique challenges in investing in human resource development as they have limited budgets and are often controlled by the government. This requires SOEs to systematically recruit, develop, and retain their employees to improve performance and continuously add value. Many proceeding researchers in this area have focused on the effect of talent management practices on organisational performance and value creation in various contexts in different countries. Hence, the present study specifically investigated the impact of talent attraction, learning and development, career management and talent retention on organisational performance and value creation in SOEs in Maldives. The study adopted quantitative research method. A survey was conducted among 273 SOE employees (senior and middle management level) who represented seven major industry sectors using a structured self-administered questionnaire. The present study utilised a simple stratified random sampling technique to enable the respondents from the seven SOE strata to fall into. Multi-regression and correlation analysis are used to test the strength of the relationship between the dependent and the independent variables. The study found that talent management practices positively impact organisational performance and thus helped SOEs to add value to their organisations. The findings also showed a positive mediating impact of talent alignment on talent management practices and organisational performance. The study findings are significant for HR practitioners and top management of SOEs to develop more practical and effective talent management approaches and strategies that are more local in context to improve their organisations' performance and help them add more value. On the other hand, the present research findings are also significant to the government in developing effective policy strategies for workforce skill development
An investigation into the relevance of shared mental models in youth work settings, supporting young people to achieve positive outcomes.
Get PDFThis research demonstrates the relevance of shared mental models (SMMS) in developing the effectiveness of youth work teams. Much of the literature states that SMMs are crucial for team efficacy in healthcare settings, business, and aviation, although there is limited research about their development. Cooper et al. (2016) explored teamwork and collaboration, critical elements of SMMs, specifically in mental health services, and their importance in achieving positive outcomes for young people. Similarly, Fox (2022) researched a team of experts in social work education, discovering that cohesion and team support, again critical factors of SMMs, are essential for positive outcomes. Therefore, given their widespread use, SMMs have proven valuable tools in numerous sectors. However, utilising and developing SMMs in youth work have not received much attention in the literature.
Literature was scanned for constructs relating to supporting young people in youth support environments, primarily from UK websites such as the National Youth Agency (2024), The Centre for Youth Impact (2023), The Prince’s Trust (2024), Youth and Policy (2024) and What Works for Children’s Social Care (2024) were also used.
The methodology utilised a quantitative approach, which involved a ranking questionnaire to gauge the alignment of perceptions among team members in a charitable organisation that supports young people. Ten constructs were derived from the literature and used for a questionnaire. The study aimed to determine the extent of shared understanding among small teams in close and supportive environments, ultimately aiding young people in achieving positive outcomes and transitioning to independence. To this end, the presence of an SMM was evaluated.
The study revealed a degree of agreement in mental models within the team and significant disparities in priority setting. These disparities present opportunities for enhancing SMMs to boost team effectiveness and facilitate more positive outcomes. These findings underscore the potential of SMMs to address issues arising from restricted resources and the complex support requirements of young people, particularly during the post-COVID recovery period (Jeffs and Smith, 2010; Rhodes and Dubois, 2008) and with the large cohort of young people currently transitioning to independence (OECD, 2024). This potential offers a beacon of hope for improving youth support services.
This study offers a new perspective on how to work more effectively with what we already have, given cost-cutting, recruitment and changing governmental priorities, to ensure that young people receive the best available support. It underscores the transformative power of SMMs in bolstering team effectiveness, particularly within youth support services. It asserts that SMMs are critical in enhancing organisational performance, aligning with the literature on the transformative power of integrated team mental models (Jonker et al., 2010). The research advocates for targeted SMM development training as a strategic approach to fortify the functionality of youth support teams. It also calls for further investigation into effective SMM strategies and recommends that organisations invest in training programs that promote comprehensive, mutual understanding among team members. This research has found that SMMs are an important element of effective teams in many support environments other than youth work. Accordingly, the sector should consider its importance in improving the outcomes for young people against a backdrop of ever decreasing support resources
Finding my therapeutic voice: a heuristic enquiry into the power of magic
Get PDFThe process of becoming a psychotherapist can often be highly subjective and isolating. The literature around this process is focused on mainstream topics, such as: training, ethics and survival as a therapist; particularly after global events that effects the therapist stance. There seems to be missing links within the literature, around how a therapist finds their voice. Specifically, the way in which a therapist uses their internal landscape as a magical tool in deciphering their development and what they have experienced within their personal lives. This either aids or inhibits their psychotherapeutic development. In an attempt to address this gap within the field, a heuristic research study explored how a therapist was influenced by magical instances in order to find their voice as a therapist. The experience was captured by the researcher, who also played the role of the participant, in an expressive and personal dissertation. The participant was 28 years of age and a British, White/ Asian female. The participant had a clinical experience with counselling for ten years, and had been a qualified Psychotherapist for three years. This study focused on magical instances such as: magical thinking, dreams, parasocial relationships, symbolism, music and thanatophobia. Data were obtained through thematic analysis, where four superordinate themes were discovered. These themes demonstrated how the participant communicated with the unconscious mind, the internal processing and how magic affected the participants therapeutic abilities and skills. The research has contributed to the significant seldom topic of magic and how it is used by a practicing therapist, to make sense of psychotherapy and how magical instances can be applied to psychotherapeutic change
Internal physiological drivers of leaf development in trees: Understanding the relationship between non‐structural carbohydrates and leaf phenology
Get PDFPlant phenology is crucial for understanding plant growth and climate feedback. It affects canopy structure, surface albedo, and carbon and water fluxes. While the influence of environmental factors on phenology is well‐documented, the role of plant intrinsic factors, particularly internal physiological processes and their interaction with external conditions, has received less attention. Non‐structural carbohydrates (NSC), which include sugars and starch essential for growth, metabolism and osmotic regulation, serve as indicators of carbon availability in plants. NSC levels reflect the carbon balance between photosynthesis (source activity) and the demands of growth and respiration (sink activity), making them key physiological traits that potentially influence phenology during critical periods such as spring leaf‐out and autumn leaf senescence. However, the connections between NSC concentrations in various organs and phenological events are poorly understood. This review synthesizes current research on the relationship between leaf phenology and NSC dynamics. We qualitatively delineate seasonal NSC variations in deciduous and evergreen trees and propose testable hypotheses about how NSC may interact with phenological stages such as bud break and leaf senescence. We also discuss how seasonal variations in NSC levels, align with existing conceptual models of carbon allocation. Accurate characterization and simulation of NSC dynamics are crucial and should be incorporated into carbon allocation models. By comparing and reviewing the development of carbon allocation models, we highlight the shortcomings in current methodologies and recommend directions to address these gaps in future research. Understanding the relationship between NSC, source–sink relationships, and leaf phenology poses challenges due to the difficulty of characterizing NSC dynamics with high temporal resolution. We advocate for a multi‐scale approach that combines various methods, which include deepening our mechanistic understanding through manipulative experiments, integrating carbon sink and source data from multiple observational networks with carbon allocation models to better characterize the NSC dynamics, and quantifying the spatial pattern and temporal trends of the NSC‐phenology relationship using remote sensing and modelling. This will enhance our comprehension of how NSC dynamics impact leaf phenology across different scales and environments. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog
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