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The dual logic of Chinese transnationalism
Get PDFThis thesis is concerned with the organizational culture and global human resources strategy of Chinese multinational enterprises, and how these reflect the governmental context of their country of origin. This research therefore seeks to link the disciplines of human resource management, organizational behaviour and public policy. In China, the political leadership has in recent years expanded its influence and control over the corporate sector. This topic is addressed via an in-depth case study of Lenovo, a company once seen to symbolise China’s embrace of globalisation, and now adapting to a different political context to that in which it was founded and expanded. Therefore, the research rationale is to assess how far did Lenovo move from its previous couture and strategy under to political pressure. The starting point of the research is the notion of hybridity, that competing values underly the development of Chinese multinationals such as Lenovo, between global and national, market and hierarchy, and proposes a theoretical framework in which a hybrid culture emerges through the interaction of competing principles. A hybrid perspective suggests that the image of Lenovo as a transnational organization derived from its high-profile acquisition of the IBM personal computer (PC) business, but that this was only one side of the Lenovo culture, the other being its role as a key supplier to the Chinese public sector.
The research question is therefore to what extent does Lenovo have a hybrid culture? As human resources strategy was central to Lenovo’s transnational mission, the research question is pursued through two sub-questions:
RQ 1: What is Lenovo’s HR strategy?
RQ 2: To what extent is Lenovo’s HR strategy transnational?
Fieldwork consisted of a three-month participative observation and 11 follow-up interviews in the global HR headquarters of Lenovo in Beijing. The results of the empirical study showed the evolving HR strategy of Lenovo goes as ambiguous and hybrid, on the one hand showing the extent to which State influence has rolled back the global or transnational principle that had once been seen as synonymous with Lenovo, but also showing the extent to which elements of the earlier transnational or global culture remain. The research contributes to the dual identity of the Chinese corporate sector as the State’s approach to globalisation changes
An exploration of the primary to secondary school transition of deaf students
Get PDFWithin the field of deaf education research, there is a lack of research that has explored the primary-to-secondary school transition. This thesis comprises a case study involving three deaf pupils undertaking the transfer from a specialist Deaf Resource Provision into differing secondary schools, utilising the bioecological model of human development and associated Process-Person-Context-Time framework. Questionnaire data was collected from the pupils and their parents to explore their pre- and post-transfer views and to illuminate pupil transition experiences. This was analysed alongside pupil wellbeing data, staff questionnaire data and documents relevant to the setting and wider policy. The aim of this multi-perspective case study was to identify personal and contextual influences upon pupil experiences of transition. Using reflexive thematic analysis, multiple themes were identified that were indicative of positive transition experiences, shaped by several potentially contributory factors. These included factors related to proximal processes (e.g. pupil relationships), person (e.g. pupil attitudes towards transition), context (e.g. home-school mesosystems, macrosystemic policy) and time. Themes pertaining to time considered impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic such as restricted school access and increased technology usage. From this, a number of practice principles are suggested which may help to facilitate positive primary-to-secondary school transitions for deaf pupils
Televising asexuality: retracing a history of asexual representations on British television
No full textAsexuality – referring to people who experience little-to-no sexual attraction – is an almost invisible identity on British television. Even so, this research sets out to explore what representations of asexuality do exist and question the impact these representations may have on societal understandings of asexuality. Across three chapters, I explore three key areas. First, the emergence of asexuality on TV through the “asexual resonances” in ‘Eleanor’ (1972) and ‘Celibacy: Putting Sex in Its Place’ (1993). Secondly, the ‘confirmed’ asexual representations within Richard & Judy (2004), Doctors (2014), Emmerdale (2016-2022), and Steph’s Packed Lunch (2021). And third, the asexual potentiality of ambiguously asexual characters, with a focus on Doctor Who (2005). From this, I conclude that current methodologies for exploring asexual representations on screen – past and present – are inadequate, but nonetheless representations of asexuality can be retraced throughout British television history. However, these representations have involved characters and representatives who are almost exclusively white, under-30, heteronormative, cisgender, non-disabled, and neurotypical, whilst focusing on narratives surrounding dating and coming out, which misrepresents the diversity of asexual experiences. “Asexual resonances” and ambiguously asexual characters can, however, escape these narratives, but this reveals a further issue within the erasure of asexual identities on screen
An exploration of coherence, cohesion and confusion in the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain
Get PDFIn spite of initial enthusiastic commitment, members, even after several years’ membership, choose to leave The Society. Participation in The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain, (The Society), had declined by 31% between 1990 and 2021. To account for that state of affairs I explored those features that might account for a decline in participation. This research suggests The Society’s numerical decline and the breakdown of its distinctive theology and ecclesiology are related. A lack of cultural and structural integration within The Society was exacerbated by decisions taken within The Society leading to internal secularisation. Internal secularisation has compromised The Society’s distinctive theology and governance (ecclesiology).
The research began as a qualitative research project to identify and theorise about different ways of being Quaker and the attractions of Quakerism. Interviews with 12 members, previously unknown to the researcher, were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The outcome of that analysis was five themed tables in which the interviewees’ reflections on their experiences of Quakers and Quakerism were organised. An examination of those tables identified commonalities and differences between interviewees’ spiritual and religious experiences and their positive and negative comments on their experience of Quakerism.
Further primary source material for discussing The Society’s numerical decline were identified. They included interview data from a study on members’ disaffiliation from The Society, statistical data from British Quaker surveys, Quaker studies research and documents produced from within The Society e.g. dissertations from the Centre for Research in Quaker Studies, governing documents of The Society’s charities and Quaker faith & practice: the book of Christian discipline of the Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain (QF&P).
The research was effected by the creation and application of a critical realist based conceptual framework and model illustrating variables involved in social interactions in a religious denomination. That framework drew on the work of Georg Simmel and Margaret S. Archer. I claim that it may be used for researching the state of other religious denominations and voluntary organisations and is an original contribution to the sociology of religion.
The framework was applied in critical dialogue with Pink Dandelion’s theories of a Quaker ‘double culture’ and of ‘internal secularisation’. The analysis led to a clarification of the responses The Society might make to its continuing numerical decline. They involved revisiting the governing documents of The Society’s charities and the fundamental elements of being a Quaker as specified in QF&P
The Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire: a meta analysis and psychometric properties of the Perth Alexithymia questionnaire in a forensic population
Get PDFThis volume presents a meta-analysis, an original empirical study, and a press release for each, submitted as the clinical research component of the degree of Doctor in Clinical Psychology. The topic of this volume is namely alexithymia and how it is measured using the Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire. Alexithymia is a psychological construct defined by a person’s inability to identify and describe their own internal emotional states. A meta-analysis explores the psychometric properties of the Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire according to the current existing literature, including internal consistency and test-retest reliability. An original empirical study describes the psychometric properties of the PAQ in a forensic population, and explores the relationship between alexithymia and personal, social, and psychological characteristics of a forensic population
Structural investigation of putative lipid transport systems in Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus HD100
Get PDFMammalian Cell Entry (MCE) domain-containing proteins have been implicated in glycerophospholipid transport, a key component of the gram-negative OM. The model organism Escherichia coli contains three MCE proteins residing within unique operons; MlaD, PqiB and LetB, each presenting potential novel targets for innovative antibacterial agents. Characterising these proteins and their associated complexes within multiple organisms may provide additional insight into these putative lipid transport systems.
Here, we focus on MCE proteins within Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus HD100, a predatory gram- negative bacterium, that alternates between free-living growth and predation upon other gram-negative bacteria. Thus far, we investigated Bd1152, a two-MCE domain containing protein residing at the centre of a tripartite operon.
The inherent structural plasticity of Bd1152 posed a challenge in obtaining its high-resolution structure. Nevertheless, we present a crystal structure of Bd1152 as well as a cryo-EM structure of the Bd1152 top MCE ring at 2.6 Å and 3.4 Å resolution, respectively. Both structures reveal hexameric assemblies (MCE rings) with a central channel that has been implicated in phospholipid transport. Furthermore, we utilised the novel Zernike3D and cryoDRGN algorithms to compute inherent continuous flexibility, subsequently revealing that Bd1152 possesses high structural plasticity, potentially providing insight into the mechanism of lipid transport
Mycobacteriales: a Raman characterisation study and an investigation into diagnostic avenues for bovine and human tuberculosis
Get PDFDespite the overshadowing threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, tuberculosis (TB) persists as a major global health challenge, responsible for an estimated 1.6 million deaths in 2021 and afflicting approximately one-third of the global population. The World Health Organization's urgent appeal for cost-effective, accessible, sensitive, and specific diagnostic tools underscores the pressing need for innovative solutions.
This thesis was initiated by exploring the diagnostic potential of two promising technological avenues: the gene-editing tool CRISPR-Cas12a and Raman spectroscopy. At the inception of the project, these technologies remained largely uncharacterised within the context of TB diagnosis.
The investigation conducted throughout this research subsequently revealed a significant gap in the current knowledge base pertaining to the application of Raman spectroscopy in TB diagnostics. Specifically, no prior research had considered the influence of the microbiome on the Raman spectra of test results.
This thesis delves deeper into this uncharted territory, focusing on the Raman characterisation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium bovis BCG. Using In silico methods and examining the bacteria's cell wall lipids, the research illuminates the physical components contributing to the Raman spectra of these bacteria, unearthing new spectral elements in the process. Furthermore, deploying a collaboratively-developed Python package for multivariate statistical analysis, this study differentiates subtle variations between M. bovis BCG and other closely related bacteria using the bovine microbiome as an experimental model, an aspect not previously considered.
This research enhances our understanding of the Raman spectra of organisms similar to M. bovis BCG and, for the first time, takes into account the role of the microbiome. In the process, it broadens our knowledge of these complex organisms. By employing open-source statistical tools, the thesis also contributes to wider applications within the field.
Ultimately, this research hopes to facilitate the application of these diagnostic tools beyond tuberculosis, offering a potent weapon in humanity's ongoing battle against infectious diseases
Development of Phase-Field model for studying rapid solidification by incorporating continuous growth model kinetics
Get PDFThis work aims to improve the accuracy of phase field modelling for scenarios under which extremely rapid and far from equilibrium solidification occurs. The evolution of microstructure is highly dependent on the exchange of solute and heat at the interface between the solid and liquid phases, thus in order to accurately model microstructure evolution it is necessary to have an accurate model of phase growth and solute redistribution. The novelty of this work is to directly map the phase growth and solutal redistribution processes proposed continuous growth model, widely used to characterise the relation between interface velocity and solute partitioning, to a phase field model. This allows parameters derived from 1-D rapid solidification experiments to be used directly in phase field models that could make prediction of microstructure morphology in 2 or 3 dimensions. This work also investigates the properties of redistributive fluxes, how they compare to number fixed frame fluxes in the context of diffusion, and how they could be used to characterise redistribution of solute in more complex alloy systems
Temporal changes in halogenated flame-retardant concentrations in foodstuffs and indoor and outdoor environments: implications for human exposure
Get PDFBrominated flame retardants (BFRs) have been found to exert significant adverse impacts on environmental safety and human health. With global restrictions in use of legacy BFRs, demand for novel BFRs (NBFRs) is expected to rise. However, little is known about how global restrictions could impact on human exposure to legacy and emerging BFRs. Therefore, animal-derived food items were collected from Nigeria (n = 26), the US (n = 72), and the UK (n = 108) for BFR analysis. Comparison with previous dietary studies reveals high concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in Nigerian foodstuffs in recent years with associated high dietary exposure, while PBDE concentrations in US foodstuffs seemed to be relatively constant with time. Concentrations of NBFRs, but not PBDEs, in US food items were significantly impacted by price, raising the issue of environmental justice. In UK foodstuffs, however, concentrations of PBDEs and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD) declined significantly between 2015 and 2020-21, while concentrations of NBFRs increased considerably. Reassuringly, comparison of our exposure estimates with health-based limit values suggests minimal adverse health effects of dietary intake of BFRs on residents of the three countries.
Impact of legislation on BFR concentrations in UK indoor and outdoor environments is also explored. Paired floor dust samples (n = 30) and indoor air samples (n = 30) from 8 UK homes, together with outdoor air samples (n = 16), were collected in Birmingham, UK between 2021 – 2022. These samples enable us to estimate human exposure to BFRs via dust ingestion and inhalation in the UK. BDE-209 and decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) were the main BFRs in UK indoor and outdoor environments. The maximum concentration of DBDPE (10,000 pg/m3) in outdoor air is the highest reported anywhere to date, with DBDPE concentrations in UK indoor dust and indoor air also among the highest globally, likely due to its frequent use in construction materials and home appliances. For outdoor air, we observed significant correlations between concentrations of tri- to hepta-BDEs and HBCDD and temperature. These suggest primary emissions from active use of these BFRs have diminished and are now outweighed by secondary emissions (e.g., evaporation of BFRs from soil). Conversely, the lack of significant correlations between temperature and concentrations of BDE-209 and DBDPE, indicate ongoing primary emissions from indoor sources remain important for these BFRs. Comparison with earlier studies in Birmingham reveals significant declines in concentrations of legacy BFRs in UK indoor and outdoor environments over the last decade, but significant increases for concentrations of NBFRs. While there appears minimal health burdens from BFR exposure for UK adults, dust ingestion of BDE-209 may pose significant risk for UK toddlers.
We also analysed dust samples from inside (n = 6) and outside (n = 30) of five UK electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) recycling facilities for BFR concentrations. One of the studied e-waste recycling facilities was identified as a likely source of BFR contamination to UK urban environments. Further, industrial activities were also identified as another potential source of NBFRs (but not PBDEs or HBCDD). This likely reflects the phase-out of PBDEs and HBCDD and the use of NBFRs as substitutes in industrial activities in the UK. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study evaluating impacts of regulated e-waste recycling activities on environmental contamination with BFRs in Europe
International democracy and autocracy support and the agency of recipient states: the cases of Kenya and Ethiopia, 1963-2018
Get PDFThis thesis addresses the relationship between African authoritarian governments, and their agency-leveraging capacity with external actors; China, Russia, and Western donors. It focuses in on the phenomenon of autocratic support; the process of external actors supporting and stabilising authoritarian recipient governments by supplying material, political, and diplomatic support. More specifically, it asks how governments receiving autocratic assistance exercise agency and decision-making powers when negotiating for support from external actors. In this thesis, a framework of agency-leveraging strategies that recipient authoritarian governments use to capture autocratic support is developed, through case studies of Ethiopian and Kenyan governments from 1963 until 2018.
It is emphasised that in foreign policy negotiations, there exists significant scope for African authoritarian governments to negotiate and leverage their importance- and global dynamics between Western and non-Western supporters to make greater gains from external assistance. Utilising both the existing literature on this subject, and empirical data arising from interviews and archives, this thesis develops a framework of agency-leveraging strategies that African governments frequently use when in discussions with external actors.
This analysis reveals that these governments have consistently used strategies from the agency-leveraging framework to bolster and stabilise their rule and capture greater levels of assistance from external donors. These strategies include the development of narratives of authoritarian stability, the aligning of political aims and interests between recipient governments and supporters, and the use of historical legacies to endear supporters to gain greater benefits for recipients. The choice of strategies used by governments in both states has been motivated by the domestic politics in both states, including the level of domestic legitimacy the government has, alongside domestic, regional, and international crises and threats
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