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A dialogical action research approach to innovation as organisational change
Get PDFThis paper argues that dialogical action research (AR) recently proposed by Mårtensson & Lee, provides a novel framework for both relevant and rigorous collaboration between academics and practitioners. The work is presented in the context of a case study of innovation in APC-MGE Ireland, a subsidiary of the critical power and cooling services division of the Schneider Electric Corporation. The paper addresses the thematic aspects of ALOIS by arguing that the Hermeneutics of Hans-Georg Gadamer offers a solid philosophical underpinning for dialogical AR. Suggestions are also proposed to assist further development of the research methodology
Exploring the succession planning process in Irish BMW dealerships
Get PDFThis thesis is an exploratory study undertaken to analyse Irish BMW Dealerships and \ud
whether they plan for succession and the taxes to be paid on the death or retirement of \ud
the founder. This study also explores the composition of the family business and the \ud
involvement of family members in the family business to ascertain the extent of \ud
generational transition. \ud
\ud
A substantial body of the literature is reviewed which initially defines succession in \ud
family business context. It then specifically highlights the meaning of succession \ud
planning and emphasizes the importance of succession planning for businesses. The \ud
literature review explores the many merits gained by having a succession planning \ud
process in operation within the business. Finally, the problems of succession and the \ud
ambivalence towards it are also explored, putting forward explanations as to why \ud
family businesses resist succession planning and the multitude of consequences that \ud
can arise when the process is ignored. \ud
\ud
The research methodology involved both quantitative and qualitative collection of \ud
data. The quantitative research was conducted using postal questionnaires and follow \ud
up emails. The qualitative research focused on one-to-one interviews with a family \ud
business specialist and a senior manager of BMW Ireland. \ud
\ud
The evidence from the analyse of the questionnaires suggests that the majority of Irish \ud
BMW Dealer Principals do plan for succession, however some of the respondents were \ud
of the belief that is was too early to plan for succession since they were still quite \ud
young. There was a general agreement amongst all the Dealerships that it was \ud
advisable to consult external professionals concerning succession and taxation \ud
planning. \ud
\ud
The findings also suggest that many of the Dealer Principals are making provisions for \ud
the taxes to be paid on death or retirement and thus availing of the numerous tax \ud
concessions available
Synthesis and characterisation of some osmium and ruthenium complexes and the application of Os(bpy)2-(pyridine-4-COOH)-CI in an electrochemical DNA biosensor
Get PDFThis thesis details the synthesis and characterisation of seven osmium and ruthenium\ud
bipyridyl complexes, reports on their electrochemical characteristics and outlines an\ud
application for one of the synthesised complexes in an electrochemical DNA biosensor.\ud
Complexes synthesised included cis-bis(2,2-bipyridine-N,N)dichlororuthenium, cis-bis(2,2-\ud
bipyridine-N,N)dichloroosmium, [Os(bpy)2-(4 -tetrazine)-Cl](PF6), [Ru(bpy)2(4 -tetrazine)-\ud
C1](PF6), [Os(bpy)2-(pyridine-4-COOH)-Cl](PF6), [Ru(bpy)2-(pyridine-4-COOH)-Cl](PF6),\ud
Ru(bpy)2(4-tetrazine)2(PF6)2- Diffusion coefficients determined using a glassy carbon\ud
electrode ranged from 1.51 x 10' to 3.28 x 10' cm s' for the osmium complexes and from\ud
c c ^ 1 2.39 x 10' to 4.76 x 10“ cm s" for the ruthenium complexes. Using the Laviron approach,\ud
solution phase electron transfer rates ranged from 0.29 cm s' 1 for [Os(bpy)2-(4-tet)-Cl](PF6)\ud
to 1.61 cm s' 1 for Ru(bpy)2(4-tet)2(PF6)2* Self assembled monolayers of [Os(bpy)2-(4-tet)-\ud
C1](PF6)> [Ru(bpy)2-(4-tet)-Cl](PF6) and Ru(bpy)2(4-tet)2(PF6)2 formed spontaneously on\ud
platinum electrodes and electron transfer rate constants were determined as 9.0 x 103, 5.7 x\ud
103 and 1.4 x 104 s_1 respectively. Monolayers of [Os(bpy)2-(pyridine-4-COOH)-Cl](PF6)\ud
and [Ru(bpy)2-(pyridine-4“COOH)-Cl](PF6) were formed on gold electrodes in a two-step\ud
assembly and the former complex shown to spontaneously adsorb on indium tin oxide.\ud
Complexes adsorbed by the two-step assembly exhibited much reduced electron transfer rate\ud
constants for example 33.86 s' 1 for [Os(bpy)2-(pyridine-4-COOH)-Cl](PF6). Rates of\ud
adsorption on platinum were determined in-situ and closely followed Langmurian adsorption\ud
and first order adsorption kinetics. Adsorption rate constants determined for complexes\ud
where adsorption occurred on a single site ranged from 14.30 ± 4.35 M 1 s' 1 for [Os(bpy)2-(4-\ud
tet)-Cl](PF6) to 30.93 ± 9.15 M' 1 s' 1 for Ru(bpy)2(4-tet)2(PF6)2. Rates of desorption followed\ud
first order kinetics for the complexes investigated and desorption rate constants ranged from\ud
2.33 x lO 'V to 5.66 x 10'5s \\ud
In a further two-step assembly procedure, a 5’ thiolated hairpin ssDNA probe specific to the\ud
bacterial genus Salmonella spp.: 5’ SH-(CH2)6- GCA GTA AC A AGA ATA AAA CGC\ud
ACT GC- (CH2)6- NH2 3’ was immobilised on a gold electrode surface and then [Os(bpy)2-\ud
(pyridine-4-COOH)-Cl](PF6) coupled to the amine group at the 3* end using carbodiimide\ud
coupling. This DNA biosensor was capable of hybridisation detection in the presence of a\ud
complementary sequence due to the conformational change in hairpin structure. This is the\ud
first report of the use of a covalently attached osmium bipyridyl complex as a redox label for\ud
the purpose of hybridisation detection
An investigation into the application of the SERVQUAL model in Cox's pharmacy, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim
Get PDFThe purpose of this study is to gain an understanding of the level of service quality\ud
within Cox’s pharmacy. A SERVQUAL methodology was used to measure service\ud
quality within the pharmacy where each element of the service was tracked under the\ud
models five dimensions tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy.\ud
To conduct this study a qualitative research approach was used where findings\ud
emerged from personal interviews with five pharmacy assistants and one pharmacist.\ud
Thirty customer surveys were also administered. Each respondent had different views\ud
on the quality of service provided.\ud
For the research design, a case study approach is used. This case study approach is\ud
used to illustrate the level of service being practiced within the Pharmacy. Initially the\ud
study provides an introduction to the general service quality literature before\ud
discussing the role that service quality plays in the pharmacy industry.\ud
The author identifies a number of structural steps to guide this empirical work. The\ud
first step examines the service market literature relevant to service quality. The\ud
second step illustrates what is meant by the concepts of service quality. The third step\ud
examines how Cox’s Pharmacy measures itself against the current service models.\ud
The final step investigates how service quality is perceived from respondents and\ud
highlights additional steps needed to improve the level of service the pharmacy\ud
currently offer. As part of the evaluation process, questions emerged from this research, which were\ud
in turn used to drive of the research questions within the case study. The outcome of\ud
the study highlighted that the level of service offered to customers varied within the\ud
pharmacy where discrepancies existed between the respondent’s perceptions and\ud
expectations of the service. The following gaps are identified in areas of training,\ud
communication, the servicescape and flexibility of the service. Further\ud
recommendations are then addressed for management to close the existing gaps so\ud
that the level of service can be improved.\ud
Service quality is not an simple concept to define and can mean different things to\ud
different people. Differences between consumer’s expectations and the organisations\ud
perception of consumer expectations of quality are imperative to recognize and\ud
determine the level and quality of service provided. Service quality is critical in\ud
business today and customer can be loss if their needs and wants are not met. By\ud
knowing your customers and designing services to meet their needs will result in\ud
customer’s satisfaction
An investigation into the marketing of the GAA focusing specifically on an underage programme, the VHI Cúl Camps
Get PDFThis study is concerned with the marketing o f the Gaelic Athletic Association\ud
focusing specifically on an underage programme the Cul Camps.\ud
The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) is an amateur sporting organisation that was\ud
founded in 1884 by Michael Cusack and Maurice Davin in order to preserve and\ud
cultivate the national games. It is the largest sporting organisation in Ireland with\ud
membership exceeding 800,000 at home and abroad. It is a powerful organisation\ud
with an important social and cultural influence in Irish life.\ud
The VHL/GAA Cul Camps were established in 2006 because members of the GAA\ud
felt other camps were better marketed. They felt they could set up a brand that could\ud
be used in all 32 counties and could be marketed more effectively.\ud
The GAA teamed up with VHI to promote healthy living at a community based level\ud
and also to increase the number of young children participating in sport.\ud
Now in its third year it is estimated that there will be in the region of 81,000\ud
participants this year and due to this demand 1,000 camps will be available around\ud
the country.\ud
The study examined the marketing o f an underage programme namely the Cul\ud
Camps and how marketing has helped the GAA. The study also examined if marketing fits into the amateur ethos of the GAA and\ud
identified if the Irish Sports Council (ISC) / Government play a significant role in\ud
the marketing and development of underage programmes within the GAA.\ud
The research methodologies used to undertake the research include telephone\ud
questionnaires with Coordinators, Coaches and Ambassadors involved in the\ud
running of the Cul Camps.\ud
Overall the conclusion was mixed. It is believed that marketing has helped the GAA\ud
greatly over the last number of years. The Cul camps appear to be marketing\ud
effectively but more marketing needs to be done in order for them to gain\ud
competitive advantage. One important conclusion that the researcher found was that\ud
many individuals felt the Irish Sports Council / Government do not play a significant\ud
role in the marketing of underage programmes within the GAA.\ud
From the extensive Primary and Secondary research conducted the dissertation\ud
concludes by offering recommendations to assist the GAA in further development.\ud
It also concludes by stating that more research should be done on the marketing of\ud
the GAA and its successful underage programmes
Conventional, regulatory, and unconventional T cells in the immunologic response to helicobacter pylori
Get PDFInfection by the gastroduodenal pathogen Helicobacter pylori elicits a complex immunologic response in the mucosa involving neutrophils, plasma cells, eosinophils, and lymphocytes, of which T cells are the principal orchestrators of immunity. While so-called classical T cells (e.g. T-helper cells) that are activated by peptide fragments presented on antigen-presenting cells have received much attention in H. pylori infection, there exists a diverse array of other T cell populations that are potentially important for the outcome of the ensuing immune response, some of which have not been extensively studied in H. pylori infection. Pathogen-specific regulatory T cells that control and prevent the development of immunopathology associated with H. pylori infection have been investigated, but these cells can also benefit the bacterium in helping to prolong the chronicity of the infection by suppressing protective immune responses. An overlooked T cell population, the more recently described Th17 cells, may play a role in H. pylori-induced inflammation, due to triggering responses that ultimately lead to the recruitment of polymorphs, including neutrophils. The so-called innate or unconventional T cells, that include two conserved T cell subsets expressing invariant antigen-specific receptors, the CD1d-restricted natural killer T cells which are activated by glycolipids, and the mucosal-associated invariant T cells which play a role in defense against orally acquired pathogens in the intestinal mucosa, have only begun to receive attention. A greater knowledge of the range of T cell responses induced by H. pylori is required for a deeper understanding of the pathogenesis of this bacterium and its ability to perpetuate chronic infection, and could reveal new strategies for therapeutic exploitation
Population dynamics of 0-group flounder (Platichthys flesus L.) in Galway Bay, West of Ireland and the value of flounder from shore angling tourism in Ireland
Get PDFThe economic value of flounder from shore angling around Ireland was assessed. Flounder catches from shore angling tournaments around Ireland were related to\ud
domestic and overseas shore angling expenditure in order to determine an economic value for the species. Temporal trends in flounder angling catches, and specimen (trophy) flounder reports were also investigated. Flounder was found to be the most\ud
caught shore angling species in competitions around Ireland constituting roughly one third of the shore angling competition catch although this did vary by area. The total value of flounder from shore angling tourism was estimated to be of the order of €8.4 million. No significant temporal trends in flounder angling catches and specimen reports were found. Thus there is no evidence from the current study for any decline in flounder stocks. The population dynamics of 0-group flounder during the early benthic stage was investigated at estuarine sites in Galway Bay, west of Ireland. Information was analysed from the March to June sampling period over five years (2002 to 2006).\ud
Spatial and temporal variations in settlement and population length structure were analysed between beach and river habitats and sites. Settlement of flounder began from late March to early May of each year, most commonly in April. Peak settlement\ud
was usually in April or early May. Settlement was recorded earlier than elsewhere, although most commonly was similar to the southern part of the UK and northern France. Settlement was generally later in tidal rivers than on sandy beaches. Abundance of 0-group flounder in Galway Bay did not exhibit significant inter -annual variability. 0-group flounder were observed in dense aggregations of up to 105 m'2, which were patchy in distribution. Highest densities of 0-group flounder were recorded in limnetic and oligohaline areas as compared with the lower densities in polyhaline and to a lesser extent mesohaline areas. Measurements to of salinity allowed the classification of beaches, and tidal river sections near the mouth, into a salinity based scheme for length comparisons. Beaches were classified as polyhaline,the lower section of rivers as mesohaline, and the middle and upper sections as\ud
oligohaline. Over the March to June sampling period 0-group flounder utilised different sections at different length ranges and were significantly larger in more\ud
upstream sections. During initial settlement in April, 0-group flounder of 8-10 mm (standard length, SL) were present in abundance on polyhaline sandy beaches. By\ud
about 10mm (SL), flounder were present in all polyhaline, mesohaline and (oligohaline) sections. 0-group flounder became absent or in insignificant numbers in polyhaline and mesohaline sections in a matter of weeks after first appearance. From\ud
April to June, 0-group flounder of 12-30mm (SL) were found in more upstream locations in the oligohaline sections. About one month (May or June) after initial\ud
settlement, 0-group flounder became absent from the oligohaline sections. Concurrently, flounder start to reappear in mesohaline and polyhaline areas at\ud
approximately 30mm (SL) in June. The results indicate 0-group flounder in the early benthic stage are associated with low salinity areas, but as they grow, this association diminishes. Results strongly suggest that migration of 0-group flounder between habitats takes place during the early benthic phase
The Irish revolution of 1916-1921 and modern remembrance: a case study of the commemorative heritages of County Tipperary
Get PDFBoth in Ireland and internationally, acts of commemoration have garnered much attention in recent time from political organisations and academic writers, as well as from the media and general public. Much of the focus has been on the ability of commemoration to keep open the old wounds which have long-divided certain communities, or, conversely, on the power of these remembrances to unite opposing factions by finding common ground and avenues for reconciliation. This thesis focuses on the commemorative heritages of County Tipperary. In exploring key dates and anniversaries in its militant republican history, the thesis will explore how the mythologies surrounding County Tipperary’s participation in the so-called ‘Irish Revolution’ of 1916-21 have been commemorated in modem times
A study of behaviour based safety in the Irish construction industry
Get PDFThe accident record of the Irish construction industry is poor, HSA statistics report\ud
that injury rate in the construction sector is consistently higher than any other sector\ud
since 2001. The researcher had a personal interest in exploring what drives people to\ud
behave unsafely at the risk of personal injury, having developed this interest while\ud
working as a safety officer in the construction sector, and wanted to explore the\ud
application of a behaviour based safety initiative to the Irish construction industry\ud
The method used was qualitative research by postal questionnaires, specifically\ud
designed for this thesis, one questionnaire aimed at management and a second for\ud
operatives, to include the views of both parties, the questionnaires followed up on\ud
findings from previous similar Irish studies. A pilot study was undertaken to improve\ud
the questionnaires and research technique. The research sample was small to medium\ud
sized construction companies based in predominately in the west of Ireland, one\ud
Dublin based company.\ud
The research found that organisations have a strong ability to influence the behaviour\ud
of their workforce, management commitment, having a strong safety culture and good\ud
supervision were identified as being the main influential factors. Contrary to previous\ud
research the role of the Safety Representative was found to be the least influential\ud
factor. Worker behaviour was found to be the biggest contributor to accident\ud
causation in participating organisations, and was considered to have a major input to\ud
the construction sector accident record.\ud
Management and operative’s survey revealed some differences of opinion between\ud
the employer and employee, the results suggested problems with communication and\ud
trust between the parties, neither the employer or the employee have taken ownership\ud
of the safety problem, while management indicated a strong will and a significant\ud
level of interest in a behavioural safety programme, a lot of ground work is needed to\ud
establish the cultural maturity and readiness of the Irish Construction Industry before\ud
its introduction. Unless there is active involvement and strong commitment by all the\ud
major stakeholders, to address the issues identified behavioural safety is very much an\ud
initiative for the future
An assessment of the impact of culverts on Atlantic salmon (salmo salar) migration through freshwater
Get PDFThe Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) is a migratory fish species that spends a number\ud
o f years in freshwater before migrating to the sea to feed and grow, and then returning\ud
to freshwater to spawn. It requires unhindered access to upstream spawning areas in\ud
order to complete its life-cycle. Culverts are structures that allow rivers to flow under\ud
roads or embankments and, if poorly designed and constructed, they may restrict the\ud
upstream passage o f Atlantic salmon.\ud
Five spawning streams on the River Moy, a productive Atlantic salmon river in Co.\ud
Mayo, were surveyed and a total of seventy culverts were inspected. The suitability o f\ud
these culverts, in terms o f unhindered salmon migration, was assessed based on specific\ud
fish passage criteria detailed in the National Roads Authority (NRA) guidelines. Further\ud
analysis o f salmon spawning, fish survey and water quality information from the River\ud
Moy was conducted in order to validate the findings from the field work. In order to\ud
assess the level o f awareness within local authorities o f fish passage issues, a culvert\ud
questionnaire was sent to senior engineers within each o f the twenty-nine Irish Local\ud
Authorities.\ud
Preliminary results indicate that poorly installed culverts have restricted the distribution\ud
o f Atlantic salmon in several parts of the River Moy catchment. Where culverts were\ud
found to breach a number o f the key fish passage criteria outlined in the NRA\ud
guidelines, there was no evidence o f any salmon being present upstream o f these\ud
culverts. Similarly, where salmon were found upstream o f culverts, the majority o f\ud
those culverts matched the NRA criteria. However, such findings can only be confirmed\ud
by baseline electrofishing surveys upstream and downstream o f the studied culverts.\ud
Such surveys would positively confirm the presence or absence o f salmon.\ud
Water quality was not found to be a factor limiting salmon distribution on the River\ud
Moy. with the majority o f spawning streams having a biological quality class o f Q4 or\ud
greater. Twenty out o f twenty-nine culverts questionnaires were returned and results\ud
indicated that the level o f fish passage awareness within the Local Authorities is low. It\ud
is apparent that the NRA guidelines need to be expanded and improved, to cover\ud
existing problem culverts, and that further field surveys are required to determine the\ud
extent o f the problem across the wider River Moy catchment