1993 research outputs found
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A Strategic Evaluation Model for Hotel Investments: A Value Management Approach for Key Stakeholders
Get PDFThe Covid-19 pandemic severely impacted the hotel industry, with hotels bearing the brunt of the onslaught, to a greater degree than the airlines and tour operators. Preceding the advent of the pandemic, hotels were already habitually perceived by a broad consensus as a precarious hybrid asset-class investment, simultaneously encompassing the risks of both physical real estate and business operations. To further confound the predicament, there is no systemic evaluation framework for hotel investments, with each stakeholder appraising opportunities based on their own criteria in silo, and allegedly at odds with one another. This study proposes to identify the key stakeholders and determinants in the hotel industry, to weight and rank said determinants in developing a Value Management approach to evaluate hotel investments.
A Sequential Exploratory Mixed-Methods research design was adopted, with the preliminary inductive approach utilising textual thematic analysis identifying 75 components across 11 categories. In contrast, the second deductive approach quantitatively collected and analysed responses in form of value predilections from 104 participants across 4 key stakeholder groups. Data collected was evaluated to be valid and reliable, but non-normally distributed. All 11 independent variables were deemed statistically significant, while “Location Specific”, “Financial Considerations”, and “Property Specific” aspects were designated the three lead predictors towards a successful hotel investment.
Near homogeneity among the stakeholder groups were observed, with “Financiers (Equity/Debt)” and “Asset Owners & Developers” placing higher emphasis on Financial Considerations as a predictor determinant towards a hotel investment’s success, as opposed to “Hotel Management, Operators & Chains” and “Advisor & Consultants” stakeholder groups. The findings were subsequently mapped into an evaluative model with a Multi-Criteria Decision Making method, in line with the principles of Value Management. This study is expected to contribute academically in terms of empirical knowledge to the domain of hotel investments, while practically, the resultant research model is expected to be utilised as a readily deployable analysis tool or frame of reference to support hotel investment decision making
An Investigation to Understand the Role of Social Determinants in Influencing Substance Among Teenagers Living in the UK: A Systematic Review
Get PDFTo better understand how social determinants—such as peer pressure, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), family dynamics, and socioeconomic status—affect substance use among teenage boys and girls in the UK, this dissertation examined these relationships. Ten quantitative studies that offered numerical data on these drivers were included in the systematic review, adhering to PRISMA principles. The results of the analysis showed that as teens get older, peer pressure becomes more important and frequently takes precedence over parental supervision. More precisely, the analysis showed that adolescents' rising independence and preference for peer approval are linked to the decreasing impact of parental monitoring. It was discovered that ACEs were crucial, with early trauma being closely linked to substance use later on. Parental supervision is important during the early stages of adolescence, but as peer-centered socialisation takes over, parental involvement declines and its influence diminishes. Risk factors are further complicated by socioeconomic status and family structure, particularly for marginalised and single-parent households. The review revealed gaps in the research, notably the paucity of studies addressing the relationship between numerous social variables and systemic inequities. It concluded that while current programs, such as the SBIRT model, are helpful, they still require improvements to fully address all pertinent variables. To better support at-risk adolescents, recommendations include incorporating preventative strategies into more comprehensive health interventions
Large-Scale Block-Play and the Five Development Pathways
Get PDFThis study explored whether the use of large-scale block play during child-initiated time in a Reception classroom would support pupils in attaining the Five Development Pathways (Welsh Government, 2022) as outlined by the Welsh Government in its curriculum guidance for early years settings. Considering the recent curriculum reform in Wales, it is an interesting exploration of how powerful free play with ambiguous resources can be in supporting pupils to meet the descriptors of the Development Pathways and in particular how blocks can support the develop of a child’s use of early language.
Ten observations on children’s play were conducted in a Reception classroom in Southwest Wales. The observations were recorded, transcribed and coded according to a thematic analysis approach to examine how children used language during their play. Transcriptions were also used to examine how play choices related to gender were made by the sample group of participants. In addition to observational data, a qualitative questionnaire was used to gain the views of three practitioners in the setting on block-play and its relevance to the Curriculum for Wales.
Ten observations were carried out during children’s free play with the blocks. The observations were recorded and transcribed in addition to the recording of fields notes whilst the researcher was in the field. The transcriptions were analysed using thematic analysis to determine how children use language in play and whether gender influences the play scenarios of the group. In addition to the observations, a qualitative questionnaire was used to gain insight into the perspectives of Early Years Practitioners on block play and its purpose in the Early Years classroom.
The main area highlighted by the study was the way in which children communicate during block-play, specifically how they use language imaginatively during narrative play and to influence others. Furthermore, the study also highlighted the need for an enabling environment to allow children opportunities to enhance their play and practice other key skills such as mark making and early writing. The study also provided insight into how gender can influence the play choices of young children, particularly the narratives formulated by girls
Machine Learning-Driven Corrosion Detection and Classification in Pipelines
Get PDFPipeline corrosion is a critical issue in the petrochemical industry, with significant implications for both operational safety and economic efficiency. This research focuses on developing a robust system for detecting and classifying pipeline corrosion using advanced signal processing techniques and machine learning algorithms. The study is grounded in a positivist research philosophy, employing a deductive approach to apply established theories in a real-world context. Data for this research was collected from a project conducted by a petrochemical company in China, where Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors were deployed along an oil pipeline to monitor vibrations caused by liquid flow. These vibrations were analyzed to detect potential corrosion. The raw sensor data, often noisy due to environmental factors, was processed using the Complete Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition with Adaptive Noise (CEEMDAN) and Bhattacharyya Variance Distance (BVD) algorithms to enhance signal quality. Key features indicative of pipeline condition were extracted and subjected to clustering analysis using the K-means algorithm, categorizing the data into distinct groups representing different levels of corrosion severity. Subsequently, classification models, including K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and XGBoost, were applied to predict corrosion severity. The XGBoost model demonstrated superior performance, achieving perfect accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 scores. The study also addresses the ethical considerations of data privacy and the responsible application of machine learning in industrial settings. The findings highlight the effectiveness of the proposed methodologies in accurately detecting and classifying pipeline corrosion, offering significant potential for improving pipeline maintenance and safety. Recommendations for further research include increasing the dataset size and exploring additional or hybrid models to further enhance system accuracy
Shakespeare's Portrayal of the Celtic Nations of Scotland and Wales and the Changing View of Ancient Britain
Get PDFShakespeare was writing at a time when the English monarchy changed from being in the hands of the ‘Welsh harridan’ Elizabeth I to the more cosmopolitan Scottish James VI/I, and this was also the time when the ancient British myths were no longer taken as the verbatim source for British history, with a preference for seeing the civilising influence of classical Rome. This then is a watershed period for the relationship between England and its Celtic neighbours, and the writings of Shakespeare can give us an indication of how this change was perceived at the time. I will compare Shakespeare’s earlier work from Elizabeth I’s reign with his later work under James I to determine if there is a change of approach to, or perception of the Celts. In doing so I will look at his portrayal of the Welsh, the Scots, and at the wider view of ‘Britishness’, to see how these Celtic nations are portrayed from an English viewpoint. I will also consider Shakespeare’s stance on the Antiquarian/Galfridian debate as understanding these two different views of British history, and how Shakespeare chose to use these, ultimately gives us a further insight into his depiction of the Celtic nations
A community-based perspective of children’s health literacy in Wales
No full textIn 2010, a scoping document for health literacy in Wales highlighted the role of health literacy in addressing health inequities and supporting a healthy future. In 2015, the Welsh Government launched its Wellbeing of Future Generations Act which aims to improve the social, economic, environmental and cultural wellbeing of Wales. This seminal legislation identifies seven wellbeing goals and details how public bodies must work together towards these. With an increasing emphasis on a salutogenic, strength-based approach to health, physical activity is discussed as an individual resource for supporting long-term health and wellbeing. Laying the foundations for physical activity begins in early childhood, and research is increasingly recognising the role of motor competence in supporting physical activity. This chapter outlines a programme of work identified as a case study in the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act. Using a collaborative, cross-sector approach to train education professionals in pre-schools and health professionals working with families in the community, consistent messages inform parents how to support their children to make the best start in life. In addition, the use of mobile app technology enables the sharing of information in an easy-to-access and engaging format for both parents and their children
Constructing child participation in early years classrooms: an exploration from Wales
Get PDFThis paper addresses the research problem that arises from evidence that, despite supportive policy contexts, enactment of pedagogies that attend to young children’s participation rights in classroom settings is highly variable. We report our exploration of the ways in which the child, and child participation are constructed in early education settings in Wales, where legislation and policy around children’s rights has been a key feature of the Welsh Government agenda post devolution. Data was gathered via a qualitative online bilingual (English and Welsh) survey offered via email to teachers of children aged 3-7 in Wales. The overarching research question of the project was: How do teachers of children 3-7 years understand and enact the notion of participation as it relates to the children they teach?
Data analysis focused on research participants’ apparent constructions of the children they teach and their capabilities, and unpacked the ways in which these constructions relate to the reported opportunities for participation. The discussion is informed by the notion of the threshold concept (Meyer and Land 2003), where a threshold concept can be seen as akin to a portal that opens new and previously inaccessible ways of thinking. We consider the extent to which the conceptual construction of the capable child maybe a threshold concept in shaping the realisation of children’s participation rights in educative contexts
Examining the fidelity of implementation of SKIP Cymru (Successful kinaesthetic instruction for pre-schoolers- Wales) by early childhood teachers in Wales following a programme of professional development
No full textEarly childhood is a crucial time to develop fundamental motor skills (FMS) such as throwing, running and kicking (Goodway, J. D., J. C. Ozmun, and D. L. Gallahue. 2019. Understanding Motor Development: Infants, Children, Adolescents, Adults. Jones & Bartlett Learning.). Existing research into the play-based early childhood curricular in Wales found that children were not making progress in learning object control skills (Wainwright, N., J. Goodway, M. Whitehead, A. Williams, and D. Kirk. 2018. “Laying the Foundations for Physical Literacy in Wales: The Contribution of the Foundation Phase to the Development of Physical Literacy.” Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy 23 (4): 431–444. https://doi.org/10.1080/17408989.2018.1455819.). This was a concern as object control skill competency is critical to physical activity later in childhood and adolescence (Barnett, L. M., E. Van Beurden, P. J. Morgan, L. O. Brooks, and J. R. Beard. 2009. “Childhood Motor Skill Proficiency as a Predictor of Adolescent Physical Activity.” Journal of Adolescent Health 44 (3): 252–259. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2008.07.004.). Therefore, SKIP (Successful Kinaesthetic Instruction for Pre-schoolers) – Cymru (Welsh word for Wales), a programme of professional development was developed based on the evidence-based work of SKIP by Goodway and colleagues (Goodway, J. D., J. C. Ozmun, and D. L. Gallahue. 2019. Understanding Motor Development: Infants, Children, Adolescents, Adults. Jones & Bartlett Learning.) to address the gaps in teacher knowledge. A limitation of previous SKIP and motor development literature is the lack of evaluation of the teacher’s fidelity to implementation. Ensuring fidelity of implementation (FoI) is a critical indicator of quality intervention programmes. Thus, this study examined the extent to which teachers could implement a 10-week SKIP-Cymru programme with fidelity with ongoing mentoring following a programme of professional development
Productivity Measurement with the Use of Pose Classification and Machine Learning with Fuzzy Approximate Reasoning
Get PDFObject detection refers to investigating the relationships between images or videos and
detected objects to improve system utilization and make better decisions. Productivity
measurement plays a key role in assessing operational efficiency across different industries.
However, capturing the workers’ working status can be resource-intensive and constrained
by a limited sample size if the sampling is conducted manually. While the use of object
detection approaches has provided a shortcut for collecting image samples, classifying human
poses involves training pose estimation models that may often require a substantial effort for
annotating the images. In this study, a systematic approach that integrates pose estimation
techniques, fuzzy-set theory, and machine learning algorithms has been proposed at an affordable level of computational resources. The Random Forests algorithm has been explored for handling classification tasks, while fuzzy approximation has also been applied to capture the imprecision associated with human poses, enhancing robustness to variability and accounting for inherent uncertainty. Decision-makers can utilize the proposed approach without the need for high computational resources or extensive data collection efforts, making it suitable for deployment in various workplace environments
Painting and socializing COVID-19 dreams
No full textA catastrophic worldwide trauma occurred with the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, which caused changes in the content of dreams worldwide. In response to this, the science art collaboration DreamsID (Dreams Interpreted and Drawn; Dreams Illustrated and Discussed) held dream salons online, from March to July 2020, to explore the effects of the pandemic on the dreams of healthcare professionals and keyworkers. In each salon a worldwide audience discussed the dream of a key worker, and the dream was painted simultaneously so as to return the dream to a visual form. Three of these dreams are described here. Each is shown to reflect metaphorically the adverse circumstances of the pandemic. The painting of each dream is reproduced, with feedback from each dreamer about this process. This article shows how, through discussion with others, the socialization of the dream results in an artistic intervention and a collaborative act of creativity. It concludes that the dream salon, as a forum, combines the dream and rational waking life of the dreamer, one of the key aims of Surrealism
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