E-Jurnal Universitas Tunas Husada Tasikmalaya
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Human Resource Management and Organisational Performance: Evidence from an Emerging Economy
No full textHR systems foster the development of human resource capability that organisations can leverage to create sustained competitive advantage. Grounded in this notion, the overarching goal of the three papers that comprise this thesis is to understand the processes through which HR systems influence individual and organisational performance in the context of an emerging economy. The first paper integrates the macro/micro divide in SHRM research by examining when and why unit-level high-commitment HR system relates to organisational and individual performance in a service context. Multisource and multi-wave data obtained from the hotel industry in Sri Lanka were used to test the hypothesized relationships. Results of the Mplus analysis reveal that serviced-oriented strategy moderates the unit-level high-commitment HR system-organisational performance relationships such that this relationship is stronger when service-oriented strategy is high but not low. Furthermore, unit-level high-commitment HR relates to emotional performance and supervisor-rated service quality indirectly through justice climate.Multisource and multi-wave data obtained from private sector organisations in Sri Lanka were used to test the hypothesized relationships proposed in the remaining two papers. As the two papers address different issues and are grounded in different theories, they could not be combined into a single paper. Drawing on the Ability, Motivation and Opportunity (AMO) framework, the second paper examines a revised version of the additive and multiplicative models whereby opportunity-enhancing HR system moderates the indirect influence of ability-enhancing and motivation-enhancing HR systems on organisational performance via the dual mediation of human capital and organizational-based psychological ownership. The Mplus results reveal that both HR systems relate to human capital and organisation-based psychological ownership (mediators) but only human capital transmits their respect influence on organisational performance. Furthermore, and contrary to our prediction, opportunity-enhancing HR system did not moderate the influence of the mediators on organisational performance.The third paper draws on social exchange theory to examine whether unit-level high-commitment HR system indirectly relates to operational effectiveness through the serial mediation of psychological need satisfaction and gratitude toward the organization. Additionally, it draws on contingency theory to examine whether organisational structure constitutes a first stage moderator of these relationships. Mplus results reveal that psychological need satisfaction and gratitude toward the organisation serially mediate the relationship between unit-level high-commitment HR system and operational effectiveness. Furthermore, and as predicted, the serial mediation uncovered is conditional upon organisational structure such that these relationships are stronger when structure is high (organic) but not low (mechanistic)
Scoping academic oracy in higher education: knotting together forgotten connections to equity and academic literacies
No full textAlthough the importance of developing students’ academic literacies has been well-established, academic oracy has been forgotten. There is a paucity of attention to oracy in higher education, despite the key role played by students’ oral communication in academic achievement and graduate employability. This study offers a scoping review of the international scholarly literature that does exist to explore how oracy has been framed and discussed in higher education, and whether connections have been made with the equity agenda to widen participation to traditionally under-represented groups. Following Arksey & O’Malley’s (2005) framework for scoping studies, the 31 papers reviewed suggest that oracy is framed in disparate ways, reflecting disconnected understandings of the range, breadth and possibilities for oracy teaching. An oracy as product perspective prevails in the studies, with oracy predominantly explored through monologic, monoglossic activities, assessments, and graduate attributes. The review has highlighted the need to recognise an oracy for learning perspective; to establish shared understandings of the features of oracy; and to embed the teaching of oracy practices that support all students, regardless of linguistic and educational background, within their disciplinary learning
Active Hyperuniform Disordered Materials
No full textHyperuniform disordered structures are a class of artificial structures that, despite arandom visual appearance, contain a hidden order that arises from their uniform distribution of geometric features and constrained correlations in the reciprocal space.Hyperuniform disordered photonic materials have highly tunable scattering characteristics and can exhibit large, isotropic photonic band gaps, which make them attractive tomany areas of research in photonics.This thesis explores the photonic characteristics of hyperuniform disordered structureswhich, combined with the dynamics of active materials, gives rise to complex functionalities in a number of photonic devices. Foremost, we argue that spatial correlations— in any structure — are central in establishing a fundamental link between geometricand optical properties. As such, we assemble a toolbox of analytical techniques thatcan extract important geometric features from arbitrary structures, such as averageseparation of structural features, uniformity, and strength of both long- and short-rangeorder, which we subsequently deploy in exploring the physics of hyperuniform disorderedphotonic materials.Hyperuniform disordered structures are first employed in the design of a thin solarcell architecture, where a light trapping technique is devised to attain large absorptionenhancements up 85% over the visible spectrum. This is predicated on understandingthe interplay between two key physical phenomena: the efficient coupling of light to theguided modes of the absorbing material, and diffraction via a patterned surface layer. Byanalysing the absorption spectra of several types of hyperuniform disordered structures,photonic crystals, and quasicrystals, using finite-difference time-domain computationalsimulations, we explore the presence of fundamental correlations not only between thestructures and their optical response, but also between visually contrasting structuresthat have similar absorption spectra.We subsequently probe the transport of electromagnetic waves through a hyperuniformdisordered photonic slab, in which the patterning is two-dimensional but the structurehas a finite vertical thickness. The behaviour of the transmission points towards severaltransport regimes that are present in hyperuniform disordered materials: a) completesuppression in the photonic band gaps, b) Anderson-like localisation in close spectralproximity to the photonic band gap, c) unimpeded transmission in a “stealthy” region,where the structure appears transparent to waves below a certain wavevector, and d)diffusive transport everywhere else. The individual guided resonances that photonichyperuniform disordered materials support are also investigated at great depth, particularly those in close spectral proximity to the bandgap. These modes are naturallylocalised — the lower frequency band edge modes of the hyperuniform disordered photonic slab exhibit very large quality factors up to 26,000, due to their excellent in-planeconfinement and their localisation within the dielectric material. The spatial extents,quality factors and robustness of the modes (against a reduction in the expanse of the dielectric structure that surrounds them) are explored using finite-difference time-domainsimulations.Using this knowledge, we design a laser that utilises a single mode of a hyperuniformdisordered photonic slab to achieve efficient laser action. Employing finite-differencetime-domain simulations, we observe and analyse the lasing dynamics of two lasingdevices: one that utilises hyperuniform disordered structuring and another that usesperiodic structuring.Our results indicate that hyperuniform disordered materials show a promising future forimplementation in such functionalities, with novel and interesting features that can beexploited in other applications
Exploring the Interplay Between Pay, Career Barriers and Management Support: An Intersectional Study of Migrant Doctors
No full textThe UK’s National Health Service (NHS) is heavily reliant on migrant labour to deliver essential services. While evidence indicates that overseas doctors have less positive career outcomes that may result in pay gaps in comparison to UK-trained counterparts, extant theoretical explanations have been slow to consider the crucial role of workplace practices, and the degree to which pay gaps differ between multiple identity sub-groups. Adopting an intercategorical approach to analyse statistical survey data from 5,753 NHS doctors, we examine how pay gaps stem from career barriers and management support in male and female International Medical Graduate, European Economic Area and UK doctors. Our findings provide insights into intersectional variations in career barriers and pay gaps for skilled medical migrants which point to penalties for migrants, especially migrant ethnicized women. Based on our findings we extend the literature in two ways. First, we extend theoretical explanations of pay gaps by conceptualizing pay differences as a complex multi-layered concept that embrace workplace practices as well as intersecting demographic identities. Second, we contribute to theory on skilled migration by highlighting the counter-intuitive shape of management support on migrants’ careers and diversifying extant understandings of constraint and enablement in migrant careers
Merit Sticks to Men: Gender Pay Gaps and (In)equality at UK Russell Group Universities
No full textAcademic studies of gender pay gaps within higher education institutions have consistently found pay differences. However, theory on how organisation-level factors contribute to pay gaps is underdeveloped. Using a framework of relational inequalities and advanced quantitative analysis, this paper makes a case that gender pay gaps are based on organisation-level interpretations and associated management practices to reward ‘merit’ that perpetuate inequalities. Payroll data of academic staff within two UK Russell Group universities (N = 1,998 and 1,789) with seeming best-practice formal pay systems are analysed to determine causes of gender pay gaps. We find marked similarities between universities. Most of the variability is attributed to factors of job segregation and human capital, however we also delineate a set of demographic characteristics that, when combined, are highly rewarded without explanation. Based on our analysis of the recognition of ‘merit,’ we extend theoretical explanations of gender pay gap causes to incorporate organisation-level practices
Balancing Accuracy and Complexity in Optimisation Models of Distributed Energy Systems and Microgrids with Optimal Power Flow: A Review
No full textOptimisation and simulation models for the design and operation of grid-connected distributed energy systems (DES) often exclude the inherent nonlinearities related to power flow and generation and storage units, to maintain an accuracy-complexity balance. Such models may provide sub-optimal or even infeasible designs and dispatch schedules. In DES, optimal power flow (OPF) is often misrepresented and treated as a standalone problem. OPF consists of highly nonlinear and nonconvex constraints related to the underlying alternating current (AC) distribution network. This aspect of the optimisation problem has often been overlooked by researchers in the process systems and optimisation area. In this review we address the disparity between OPF and DES models, highlighting the importance of including elements of OPF in DES design and operational models to ensure that the design and operation of microgrids meet the requirements of the underlying electrical grid. By analysing foundational models for both DES and OPF, we identify detailed technical power flow constraints that have been typically represented using oversimplified linear approximations in DES models. We also identify a subset of models, labelled DES-OPF, which include these detailed constraints and use innovative optimisation approaches to solve them. Results of these studies suggest that achieving feasible solutions with high-fidelity models is more important than achieving globally optimal solutions using less-detailed DES models. Recommendations for future work include the need for more comparisons between high-fidelity models and models with linear approximations, and the use of simulation tools to validate high-fidelity DES-OPF models. The review is aimed at a multidisciplinary audience of researchers and stakeholders who are interested in modelling DES to support the development of more robust and accurate optimisation models for the future
Novel Sensors Using Flexible Electrode Materials
No full textFlexible wearable sensors are emerging devices which can aid in tracking and monitoring medical treatments and conditions. One of the potential applications of flexible sensors is monitoring therapeutic ranges of drugs to ensure that safety and efficacy of the treatment are maintained. However, the effective dosage of various drugs is close to the toxic dosage which results in the requirement to frequently monitor drug concentration during case administration. Paracetamol is a widely used mild analgesic to treat fever and relieve mild to moderate pain and is considered safe when blood levels of the drug are in the range of 66 – 132 μM (10 ‒ 20 μg mL-1). In addition, Clozapine is a highly effective anti-psychotic medication that is approved for treatment-resistant schizophrenia. Psychiatrists estimate that clozapine drug levels associated with blood serum need to be lower than 1.84 μM (600 ng mL-1) to allow effective treatment and prevent severe side effects including toxicity, seizure, and myocarditis. To improve sensitivity of drug sensors, various materials have been used for the surface modification of electrodes.Polypyrrole (PPy) fibre electrodes were fabricated by electropolymerisation onto carbon fibres using cyclic voltammetry (CV). The use of PPy/sodium dodecyl sulfate (PPy.SDS) coated carbon fibre via differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) allowed sensing of paracetamol with the detection limit (3σ S/N) of 33.8 µM. A linear response range was observed at 50 – 500 µM which covers the safe therapeutic range. For a paracetamol concentration of 100 µM, the DPV anodic peak current (at 0.5 V vs. Ag/AgCl) was unaffected by the addition of interferents: 100 µM dopamine and 100 µM ascorbic acid.Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) coated carbon fibre electrode and PPy-rGO coated carbon fibre electrode were fabricated by electrochemical deposition (CV and potentiostatic technique) onto carbon fibres. Two distinguished oxidation peaks at 0.49 V and 0.25 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) were observed at the rGO fibre electrode during the simultaneous detection of paracetamol and dopamine, respectively, by CV. The detection limit (3σ S/N) of the rGO carbon fibre electrode for DPV determination of paracetamol was at 21.1 µM and 9.0 µM for dopamine. In comparison, the simultaneous determination of paracetamol and dopamine by CV at the PPy-rGO fibre electrode gave oxidation peaks of paracetamol and dopamine at 0.55 V and 0.25 V (vs. Ag/AgCl), respectively. The detection limit (3σ S/N) for paracetamol was notably improved to 3.7 µM and 6.0 µM for dopamine at the PPy-rGO carbon fibre electrode during DPV.The optimisation of the nanoscale conductive eutectic gallium indium (EGaIn)-rGO and Galinstan-rGO coated carbon fibres for drug sensing applications were electrodeposited onto the carbon fibres via CV. The simultaneous determination of dopamine and paracetamol is possible at the liquid metal-rGO flexible fibre electrodes via CV by showing two oxidation peaks with the peak-to-peak separation (ΔEp) of 0.32 and 0.55 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) for the EGaIn-rGO and Galinstan-rGO fibre electrodes, respectively. In addition, clozapine detection was also carried out to investigate the sensing ability of the various flexible electrode (PPy, rGO, PPy-rGO, EGaIn-rGO and Galinstan-rGO coated carbon fibres). The rGO, EGaIn-rGO and Galinstan-rGO fibre electrode showed the successful and repeatable detection of clozapine with the limit of detection of 5.8, 10.9 and 6.3 µM (S/N = 3), respectively.While many publications deal with the surface modification of bulk electrodes, there are few examples of fibre-based electrode modification that could be used for wearable applications. This thesis developed the modified fibre-based electrodes using electrochemical techniques to improve the electrochemical sensing properties of conducting fibre electrodes and to determine their ability to sense paracetamol and antipsychotic drug clozapine monitoring
Drivers and Challenges of Internet of Things Diffusion in Smart Stores: A Field Exploration 1
No full textThe digitally disruptive environment has evolved rapidly due to the introduction of new advancements within the field of smart applications. Applications of one of the most prominent technologies, Internet of Things (IoT), often appear in the retail sector, where smart services have transformed the customer experience holistically. Presented in this paper are the findings from an exploratory field study in the retail service sector, which drew on the views of experienced practitioners about the smart store experience and the associated changes. The paper presents an overview of the drivers of smart retail service diffusion and the relevant challenges, such as the business expectations and the heterogeneity of devices. The arising themes indicate that IoT security is a major challenge for businesses installing IoT devices in their journey towards smart store transformation. The paper highlights the importance of a secure data-sharing IoT environment that respects customer privacy as the smart experience in-store offers data-driven insights and services. Implications for research and practice are discussed in terms of the customer experience relevant to the identified challenges
Flood characterization based on UAV mapping and forensic analysis of a structural failure
No full textSaving the sea turtles of Anguilla: Combining scientific data with community perspectives to inform policy decisions
No full textHistoric over-exploitation and the more recent threats caused by fisheries by-catch, disease and climate change have left sea turtle populations in the Wider Caribbean at risk of extinction. In 1995, following regional declines in nesting and foraging populations, the island of Anguilla implemented a moratorium on the hunting of turtles. At the request of the Government of Anguilla for scientific data to either support or remove the moratorium, comprehensive population estimates were obtained, and foraging, nesting and migratory movements were examined. In addition, community perspectives on turtles and their protection were assessed. Between 2015 and 18 surveys of 30 nesting beaches estimated low nesting activity with a maximum of 41 hawksbill, 15 green, and 1–2 leatherback turtles nesting in Anguilla annually. The inter-nesting range of hawksbills exhibited high levels of geographic overlap and occurred within 1.5 km of nesting beaches. Migratory tracks of hawksbill turtles traversed through seven exclusive economic zones, two of which allow a legal turtle fishery. Site fidelity was observed in foraging areas of green turtles and genetic analysis revealed population differentiation between green turtle foraging sites in Anguilla and between hawksbill rookeries in Anguilla compared to other Leeward Islands, indicating the individual importance of each foraging and nesting site. The Anguillan public (n = 302) overwhelmingly agreed with the current ban on harvesting sea turtles and considered turtles important for ecotourism. Our work provides a case-study, that can be applied globally, of how scientific research combined with community perspectives can effectively inform policy and ultimately protect endangered species, and highlights that local Governments provided with high quality data in a timely fashion for their policy making timetable are more likely to integrate findings into their decision-making process