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A new organisational model to promote entrepreneurial finance: Business Angel Platforms
No full textThis study explores a novel organisational model in entrepreneurial finance: Business Angel Platforms. Recent developments such as the growth of collective angel investment models, the expansion of equity crowdfunding, and the acceleration of digitalisation have transformed how business angels operate. Building on the activity system framework and a comparative multiple case study design, we identify five design elements and two design themes that characterise the structure and functioning of Business Angel Platforms. These platforms represent an innovative organisational model that combines the selectivity and relational depth of traditional angel groups with the scalability and standardisation typical of digital platforms. The findings show how Business Angel Platforms can reduce barriers to entry for new angel investors and support cross-border participation in angel investing. More broadly, the study suggests that conceptualising angel investing solely as a geographically bound and in-person activity may no longer be sufficient. This study contributes to the literature on entrepreneurial finance, digital platforms, and organisational design by positioning Business Angel Platforms as emerging digital investment infrastructures. It also offers practical insights for investors, entrepreneurs, and policymakers by showing how these platforms structure and coordinate investment processes, foster community building, and support digitally enabled innovations
Economic analysis for public policy decisions
Get PDFEconomics is the study of optimally allocating society’s limited resources. Public policy, what governments choose to do or not to do, involves distributing resources across sectors. Economic analysis encompasses all analytical approaches used to explore economics, including the costs and outcomes of policies and interventions. It therefore plays a crucial role in public policy decisions, supporting the optimal allocation of resources.
Five publications are presented in this thesis, each applying economic analysis to a different policy issue. Collectively, the papers demonstrate how economic analysis can support decision-making in various sectors. A critical analysis is presented alongside the publications, exploring the development of the studies and their contribution to the field, individually and collectively.
Chapter 1 introduces the critical analysis by providing context to the publications and the central theme that runs through them. Chapter 2 builds on this to develop an analytical framework used to critique each of the papers in turn, considering the background of the research, the methods and the contribution to the field. The papers are discussed collectively in Chapter 3, pulling together the insights from Chapter 2, including the influence of knowledge mobilisation and methods on the impact of the research, and how circumstances influence the approach taken.
Co-design with end-users appeared to improve research quality and reach, although the research with most impact provided decision-makers with information on value for money. The overarching economic analysis (e.g., cost-effectiveness analysis vs. cost-utility analysis) and the within-method approach (e.g., cost perspective) both influenced the results of the research, and potentially the policy decision.
The critical analysis demonstrated that the selection of economic analysis depends on practical constraints such as the existing evidence base, research question, timing of the analysis, data, time and resource. Synthesising insights from the critical analysis, a questionnaire was developed to provide researchers and decision-makers with advice on the appropriate considerations to be made and potential analytical approaches given their context
Persistent vulnerability and precarious futures: the limits of adaptation in ‘climate migrant’ informal settlements of coastal Bangladesh
No full textPopulations exposed and vulnerable to climatic shocks and environmental degradation are increasingly likely to employ migration as an adaptive strategy in response to escalating severity and frequency of hazards associated with climate change. This study responds to the critical need to assess the role of migration in adaptation, particularly how post-migration conditions shape vulnerability, well-being and opportunities for existing households and their subsequent generations. Drawing on qualitative, participatory research in so-called ‘climate migrant’ slums in southwest Bangladesh, the study examines how migration reconfigures household risk by changing levels of exposure whilst reshaping and potentially reproducing conditions of vulnerability. While moving away from high-risk rural areas may reduce exposure, informal urban settlements remain exposed and are marked by socio-economic precarity and political exclusion, reinforcing conditions of vulnerability. Many such households are rendered immobile, both in terms of future migration and socio-economic mobility. Therefore, the success of migration as an adaptation strategy will depend not only on reducing exposure to hazards but also on addressing broader social, economic and political factors that shape vulnerability, enabling households to withstand future hazards and support long-term development
Associations Between ADHD Symptom Dimensions and Cognition in Children With ADHD and Learning Difficulties
No full textBackground: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Specific Learning Difficulties (SLD) are both associated with attentional and cognitive difficulties. This study examined the extent to which the cognitive impairments could be consequences of elevated levels of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity. Method: Secondary analysis was conducted on data from four groups selected from the Centre for Attention, Learning, and Memory, a neurodivergent cohort of children aged 5 to 18 years with a mean age of 9 years : children with ADHD only (n = 70), learning difficulties only (n = 406), ADHD with learning difficulties (n = 128), and a comparison group (n = 166). Covariance analyses examined whether any differences in basic cognitive skills and higher executive functions between the neurodivergent and comparison groups could result from variations in inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity. Results: Irrespective of ADHD status, children with learning difficulties had low scores in short-term memory, working memory, sustained attention, processing speed, set sequencing, and set shifting. These cognitive deficits largely persisted when inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity were covaried. In contrast, the ADHD only group performed at age-appropriate levels on measures of verbal short-term memory, verbal and visuospatial working memory, processing speed, and sustained attention. Their difficulties with set sequencing and visuospatial short-term memory were accounted for by inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity, whereas their challenges with set shifting were independent of these attentional behaviors. Conclusions: The results point to distinct neurodevelopmental pathways to cognitive functioning for children with learning difficulties and those with ADHD. The independence of learning-related cognitive skills from levels of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity in children with learning difficulties either with or without ADHD suggests they represent the core deficits that underlie their learning difficulties. The limited cognitive challenges of children with ADHD without learning difficulties may be consequences of their elevated levels of attentional behaviors. Understanding the cognitive and learning profiles of children with ADHD and learning difficulties vital for identifying optimal intervention and support strategies that address their individual needs
Assessment of Paclitaxel Drug-Coated Balloon-Only Angioplasty for Multivessel Coronary Artery Disease
No full textBackground: There are limited data about the use of drug-coated balloon (DCB)-only angioplasty for multivessel coronary disease. Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of DCB-only angioplasty as compared with second-generation drug-eluting stents (DESs) in patients undergoing multivessel angioplasty. Methods: We compared major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) in all patients undergoing multivessel angioplasty in our institution from 1 January 2015 until 15 November 2019, with either the DCB-only or DES-only strategy. The primary endpoint of our study was a MACE, including cardiovascular mortality, acute coronary syndrome, target lesion revascularisation, stroke, or major bleeding. Data were analysed using Cox regression models, Kaplan–Meier estimator plots, and propensity score matching. Results: A total of 159 consecutive patients treated with DCB-only angioplasty and 222 consecutive patients treated with DES-only angioplasty were identified. The majority of the vessels treated were large vessels (>3 mm). After a median follow-up of 4 years, a total of 52 (33%) patients in the DCB and 73 (33%) patients in the DES group encountered a MACE (p = 0.97). The results did not change following propensity score matching. On multivariate Cox regression analysis in the propensity score-matched cohort, atrial fibrillation [HR = 2.37, CI: (1.22–4.61), p = 0.011] and diabetes [HR = 1.71, CI: (1.13–2.60), p = 0.011] were the only independent adverse predictors of MACE. Conclusions: DCB-only angioplasty appears to be safe and efficient when compared to DES for multivessel angioplasty in terms of MACEs after a follow-up of 4 years
Extreme weather and economic crisis in the 1430s in England, and the implications for tenurial change
No full textThe 1430s were characterized by extreme weather conditions, food and fodder shortages, and high mortalities among animals and humans, although the severity of events and their consequences in England have received limited attention. The economic downturn and the depressed customary land market in this decade marked the beginning of the Great Slump, which lasted until at least the 1460s. Evidence is drawn from across England to sketch the anatomy of the crisis, followed by consideration of its impact on tenurial change. Various devices adopted in the 1430s to retain or attract tenants gained traction over the next three decades. Some lords opted to alienate sections of their demesnes permanently into the peasant sector on customary tenure; the practice of leasing customary land diminished; grants of land for money tenure held heritably or for lives now became the dominant form of customary tenure; and the issue of copies of unfree land transfers became widespread. These changes were decisive in preventing any return to direct demesne management and the traditional servile tenures based on labour services and uncertain dues, and created the essential preconditions for the emergence of copyhold tenure
Experiences of swallowing and communication after nasopharyngeal cancer in Malaysian men: A Qualitative Study
Get PDFBackground: Nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) is a relatively common cancer in Malaysia, particularly in men, but there is little research exploring its impact from the perspective of patients, including in relation to communication, eating and swallowing. This study sought to highlight experiences from the perspectives of male patients receiving treatment for NPC in Malaysia. Methods: Nine males with NPC (age range 49-73) were recruited from a single hospital in Malaysia. Individual interviews were conducted by a trained graduate research assistant and guided by a semi-structured interview guide. Transcribed data from the interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Respondents identified four key themes: (1) “I was too tired even to chew”: challenges with chewing and swallowing; (2) “You eat because you have to survive”: losing the pleasure in food, (3) “I only talked about what I wanted”: becoming a different communicator, and (4) “…health back. That is what I hope”: negotiating life after cancer. Patients reported a change in eating habits, a loss of pleasure when eating, a change in behaviour in talking, and societal withdrawal. Most of the patients reported coping mechanisms such as resorting to religion or finding support through shared experiences with other cancer patients. Conclusion: This study highlights the need to understand patient perspectives of the impact of NPC on eating, swallowing and communication in order to inform intervention and to help manage the psychosocial sequelae. Speech and language pathology services are crucial for addressing swallowing and communication challenges in patients with NPC
Adverse childhood experiences' impact on the perinatal period: a scoping review
No full textBackground/Aims Those with a history of adverse childhood experiences are known to experience worse mental health and poorer obstetric and neonatal outcomes. This scoping review explored the perinatal experiences of women with a history of adverse childhood experiences. Methods Qualitative studies that explored lived experiences of the perinatal period for women with a history of adverse childhood experiences were included in this scoping review. Three databases, CINAHL, Medline and PsychInfo, were systematically searched for qualitative papers in June 2024 and eight papers were reviewed. Results Three themes emerged: pregnancy as a turning point, with the sub-theme of the pregnancy identity; interpersonal connections; and experiences of maternity care, with the sub-themes trust and judgement and control and triggers. Conclusions For women with a background of adverse childhood experiences, the perinatal period may be experienced uniquely, with notions around their sense of identity and relationships shaped by their past. Implications for practice Caregivers should actively deliver and promote trauma-informed care to account for potential vulnerabilities and enable a positive perinatal experience
Generative AI for Video Translation: Consumer Evaluation in International Markets
Get PDFGenerative AI tools (e.g., HeyGen, Adobe Firefly, Invideo AI) now enable marketers to translate videos not only by converting language but also by adjusting speech style, voice, and lip movements. Following this advancement, this exploratory study examined differences in perceived translation quality between AI-translated and human-translated marketing videos in international contexts. Two between-subjects experiments were conducted, involving English-to-Indonesian translation (Study 1) and Indonesian-to-English translation (Study 2). AI translation consistently yielded lower perceived naturality and accent neutrality than human translation. For language comprehension, AI performed worse in Study 1 but better in Study 2, indicating that translation direction matters. However, despite the perceptual differences, the two translation methods did not affect customer engagement intention. This study offers early evidence on how consumers evaluate AI video translation and provides 12 directions for future research