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Designing culturally inclusive case studies with generative AI: strategies and considerations
No full textThis study investigates the use of generative AI tools to create culturally inclusive case studies in postgraduate project management education, addressing a critical gap in existing research. While prior literature highlights the benefits of culturally responsive teaching (CRT) practices, there is notable lack of exploration into how generative AI can be leveraged to develop culturally relevant learning materials. Using an interpretivist philosophy and action research methodology, the study engaged eight international students to evaluate the effectiveness of AI-generated case studies tailored to diverse cultural contexts. The major contribution of this study is the development of a structured framework of strategies and considerations that guides educators in designing culturally inclusive materials using generative AI tools. The inclusion of clearly defined strategies provides educators with practical guidance, while the accompanying considerations act as essential safeguards, encouraging critical reflection on potential risks such as bias, stereotyping, and ethical misuse. The findings hold significant implications for educational practice, emphasising the ethical use of AI, targeted professional development for educators, and the potential for scalable, inclusive teaching strategies that enhance student engagement, equity, and learning outcomes in multicultural classrooms
Performance-based research funding and gender diversity in research: evidence from UK universities
No full textThis study provides causal evidence on how performance-based research funding affects gender diversity, using the UK’s transition from the Research Assessment Exercise to the Research Excellence Framework in 2009 as a natural experiment. Using difference-in-differences estimation, we compare twenty-four Russell Group UK universities with twenty-three matched US research-intensive universities from 2001 to 2021. Results demonstrate that performance-based funding increased female participation in collaborative research by 10.3 percentage points (0.90 standard deviations). Citation analysis reveals that increased female participation coincided with higher research impact, with treated papers receiving 4.79 more citations on average. Our findings suggest that performance-based research funding effectively promotes gender diversity while maintaining research quality. It is important to note, however, that increased female participation alone does not resolve or address the persistent gender pay disparities in UK academia
Microtiming in early funk: a microrhythmic analysis of fourteen influential funk grooves
No full textBeginning with “Cold Sweat” by James Brown, which is arguably the first funk track, this article focuses on the microrhythmic analyses of fourteen influential early funk grooves from the period 1967–1974. All the tracks under scrutiny were created without the use of click tracks, and many were recorded live in the studio, meaning that the determination of microtiming deviations was not straightforward. For this reason, methodologies used for note onset detection, the creation of rhythmic reference grids, and the calculation of microtiming deviations are summarised. These analyses have resulted in an empirical database of over one thousand microtiming deviations. Clear, systematic patterns of microtiming were observed, original and quantifiable data that justified many of the theories previously suggested and discussed in the literature was found, and new information regarding microtiming deviations and patterns was revealed. Sixteenth note swing rhythms were found to be an element of every track investigated (bar one, which was recorded with a drum machine with a straight feel). The degrees of swing varied from imperceptible thorough to overt funk shuffles. Evidence of backbeat delay (the slightly late articulation of beats two and four) was found to be limited. Unless specific musical instructions were being provided by lead vocalists, rhythmic elements of the tracks investigated were not perturbed by vocals. Novel findings were made demonstrating that structural aspects of musical arrangements may be highlighted microrhythmically
Evaluating alternative medicines for hypertension using Ghana’s Traditional and Alternative Medicine Practice Act: Standards of Safety and Legitimacy - a comprehensive policy analysis using implementation science frameworks
No full textThis comprehensive analysis employs implementation science frameworks to evaluate gaps in Ghana’s Traditional and Alternative Medicine Practice Act 575 concerning clinical efficacy evidence standards for integration, compared to global benchmarks and stakeholder perspectives. A systematic policy analysis combining the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), Exploration-Preparation-Implementation-Sustainment (EPIS) frameworks, and SEIPS-CRuPAC approach was conducted. Data sources included recent peer-reviewed literature (2020-2024), policy documents, stakeholder reports, and implementation assessments through systematic database searches and stakeholder analysis. Act 575 demonstrates comprehensive safety regulatory frameworks but significant gaps in mandated clinical efficacy evaluation requirements. Recent stakeholder studies (2021-2024) reveal persistent barriers including regulatory costs (GHC 60 vs GHC 20 for comparable treatments), limited approved traditional medicine products, and poor interprofessional collaboration. Implementation science analysis identifies critical gaps in outer context factors (policy support), inner context factors (organizational readiness), and bridging factors (evidence generation capacity). Ghana’s pioneering traditional medicine legislation requires strategic amendments incorporating evidence-based efficacy evaluation requirements, enhanced stakeholder engagement mechanisms, and strengthened implementation capacity to achieve WHO integration goals by 2030. Multi-level interventions including policy amendments mandating phased clinical trials, establishment of collaborative research platforms, dedicated funding mechanisms, and harmonization with international standards through implementation science-guided approaches.This study provides the first systematic implementation science-informed evaluation of African traditional medicine policy, offering replicable methodology for policy strengthening across similar contexts and direct relevance to Ghana’s 2024-2030 Strategic Plan for Traditional Medicine Development
The Living CV: translating partnership experience into real world employability outcomes for students
No full textSolent Student Partner Programme is a cross-institutional, co-creation initiative at Southampton Solent University in the UK. This paper discusses how we have used the principles of our institutional Living CV approach to support our Student Partners to translate their partnership experiences into work readiness. The paper starts by providing a review of the literature on student partnership and employability. Next, it outlines the institutional context of the Solent Student Partnership Programme. It then moves on to describe the principles and practice of our ‘Living CV’ approach, before presenting outcomes and data to show how this has been used to help student partners get future ready. We conclude the paper by arguing that there is a need for more proactive approaches to supporting the real-world employability outcomes of students who engage in university partnership work
Exploring team dynamics through network analysis: a season review of an elite Portuguese soccer team
Get PDFSocial network analysis was applied to investigate team dynamics and inter-player connections during matches to offer deeper insights into the organizational framework of an elite soccer team competing in the Portuguese First Division during the 2020–2021 season. This study aimed to assess the impact of match outcomes and the deployment of various tactical systems on the team’s macro network metrics, such as density and clustering coefficients. Data was collected from thirty-four matches, with each match’s passing interactions meticulously analyzed to construct adjacency matrices, thereby quantifying player interconnections. The study’s findings revealed a nuanced relationship between network metrics and match outcomes. Density was significantly higher in matches that ended in losses, suggesting a potential over-reliance on certain players or interactions in adverse scenarios. Conversely, matches won were characterized by higher clustering coefficients, indicating a more cohesive and interconnected team effort. The analysis of five different tactical systems revealed significant differences in density, pointing to the influence of tactical choices on player interactions. No significant differences were found in clustering coefficients across the tactical systems, suggesting a consistent internal team cohesion irrespective of the strategy employed. These insights highlight the utility of network analysis in enhancing the understanding of team dynamics and strategic planning. This study underscores the potential of such analytical approaches to inform better tactical decisions and optimize team performance, ultimately contributing to a more sophisticated level of competitive analysis in professional sports
Metadata and archival discoverability: driving use of the Philip Mackie collection at Southampton Solent University
Get PDFPurpose This descriptive paper aims to focus on the role of metadata for archival discoverability, highlighting a project the authors completed in 2023 at Southampton Solent University Library to describe the Philip Mackie Collection, a collection that had long lacked proper archival description. The authors explain the motivation for the project and discuss the rationale behind key decisions, such as which systems to use and who should create the descriptions. Ultimately, the authors decided to create the descriptions themselves, and thus the authors are able to describe their experience as bibliographic cataloguers adapting to archival standards (specifically ISAD(G) and EAD). On completion of this project, the library witnessed an increase in usage of the Mackie Collection. It is hoped that by describing some of the issues this project faced and highlighting its positive impact, we can encourage others to attempt similar projects and provide a (necessarily loose) framework for them to follow. Design/methodology/approach The aims of this project were to describe the collection according to archival standards; encode the description in a format that facilitates portability; where feasible, use URIs for entities in the description; publish the description online in a user-friendly format; publish the description in an archival discovery space; attain good visibility in search engine results. The major steps or decisions that the authors took to achieve these aims can be enumerated as follows: research archival theory and practice, especially in relation to description; select software for creating archival descriptions; decide who should create the descriptions; and choose spaces for publishing the descriptions. Findings In conclusion, it is clear that describing the collection according to archival standards and publishing it in Archives Hub have had a major impact on the usage of this collection. This is likely to be because of Archive Hub’s prominent presence in search engine results and its status as one of the major shared archival discovery spaces for the UK. Bearing in mind that the collection was already catalogued (for the most part), the increased usage provides evidence not only of the value of metadata itself but specifically of the importance of appropriately structured metadata exposed in appropriate locations. The collection’s old MARC records had only a minimal presence in search engine results, and so effectively our cataloguing was confined to the silo of library catalogues. It was bad enough being in a silo, but our records were not even in the right silo: they were archival records in a library catalogue. This failing has now been corrected. Research limitations/implications As an outcome of this work, the overall usage of the archive has improved. Originality/value The collection itself is unique to Southampton Solent University, and the process is informed by several standards and best practices
Critical factors influencing the maturity of business analytics of software and apparel industries in Sri Lanka
Get PDFIn today's data-driven business environment, Business Analytics Maturity (BAM) reflects an organization’s capability to leverage data for strategic decisions. In Sri Lanka’s key export sectors, software, and apparel, this study identifies six critical factors influencing BAM: technology-supporting infrastructure, data management, organizational culture, top management support, competitive pressure, and government regulations. Using a quantitative approach and data from 147 respondents, Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) revealed competitive pressure and government regulations as the strongest drivers, followed by organizational culture and data management. While top management support and technology infrastructure showed less direct effects their foundational role is acknowledged. This research offers insights for enhancing analytics adoption in emerging economies, advancing competitiveness, and compliance while enriching BAM literature for future studies
A hybrid methodology to identify port state control issues in Asia–Pacific
Get PDFPort State Control (PSC) inspections play a crucial yet challenging role in detecting substandard ships. However, the process becomes more complicated when several states in large geographical regions agree to collaborate with the same rules. This study addresses this challenge by proposing an innovative hybrid methodology that combines content analysis of PSC appeal cases with the Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (F-AHP) to assess regulatory inconsistencies within the Asia–Pacific region. A total of 43 PSC appeal cases from the Tokyo MoU were analysed to identify key areas of regulatory disputes. The findings indicate that SOLAS (53%) and MARPOL (26%) regulations are the most frequently contested, followed by document validity and equipment maintenance issues. Notably, in 84% of successful appeals, PSC officers were found to have applied overly strict interpretations or detained ships without conducting sufficient additional tests. Post-2015, successful appeals favouring shipowners increased to 68%, primarily due to deficiencies related to the International Safety Management (ISM) Code. By applying F-AHP and expert reviews, the study prioritised the most problematic areas of disputes, assigning a combined weight of 0.728 to procedural non-compliance and PSC officers' omissions. Key examples include expired ship equipment certificates (0.159), disagreements on regulatory interpretation and allegations of hidden defects by the crew (0.145), and failure to perform detailed examinations or additional tests (0.131). To address these challenges, the paper recommends adopting digital tools for recording inspections and real-time verification of certificates. Furthermore, clear communication of PSC procedures to seafarers may reduce disputes in ship detentions. These findings offer practical insights for policymakers and port authorities to reduce unnecessary delays and improve compliance through inspection consistency
Adaptive ruminant optimization with LoRa-based communication for formation control of multiple UAVs
Get PDFIn a dynamic environment with mountains and hazardous peaks, avoiding collisions and maintaining the desired formation is a crucial problem. This paper addresses this problem by presenting a novel formation control strategy of a cluster of UAVs in three different scenarios. The first scenario is designed to test the designed algorithm and hence contains no obstacles. The second scenario introduces some obstacles in the form of mountains to see whether the proposed algorithm can avoid the obstacles while maintaining the formation. In the last scenario, all the UAVs join together in one big cluster and have to avoid the obstacles while maintaining the formation. To design the environment for the scenarios, this study uses graph theory. To address the aforementioned scenarios, this paper offers a novel strategy by integrating a bio-inspired algorithm called the Adaptive Ruminant Optimization Algorithm (AROA) with the Long Range (LoRa) communication to achieve the formation control of multiple UAVs. Initially, AROA offers the best agents of each of the swarm. Then, the proposed method helps choose the best agent to be the leader for each of the swarm. The leader of each swarm finds the best trajectory for each swarm. LoRa-based networking technique is used for the connectivity between the UAVs. In addition, this study uses basis splines (B-splines) to smooth the planned trajectories of UAVs. Lastly, simulations demonstrate the better convergence and efficiency of the designed strategy by comparing it with classic algorithms. The simulations also show that the proposed method successfully maintains formation control in all three scenarios
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