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Co-creating experiences through the use of arts in social work education
No full textThe inclusion of citizens in social work education was initiated over 30 years ago and continues to travel a ‘long and winding road’. Social work education in the UK faces increasing pressure from a range of stakeholders including citizens who use services, regulatory bodies and the media to demonstrate that newly qualified social workers are competent and uphold public trust. While social work education and practice within England and Wales draw on similar traditions in theory and practice, there are important differences in the national and institutional frameworks within which they operate. This article illustrates some of these differences through a focus on social work education provision in one English and one Welsh university. Drawing on the experience and views of the student participants, we examine the benefits of creative approaches that promote citizen involvement and suggest how European traditions can contribute to this process. We define key terms and summarize the literature, followed by presentation of the results and identification of the key learning. We identify that emancipatory models of education can encourage recognition of learners’ different strengths and can help to assist social work students’ readiness for practice. Finally, we acknowledge the need for cost-benefit outcomes research into if and how citizen coproduction influences subsequent service delivery
Blood flow restriction pressure for narrow cuffs (5 cm) cannot be estimated with precision
No full textBlood flow restriction pressures are set relative to the lowest pressure needed to occlude blood flow with that specific cuff. Due to pressure limitations of some devices, it is often not possible to occlude blood flow in all subjects and apply a known relative pressure in the lower body with a 5 cm wide cuff. Objective: To use a device capable of generating high pressures (up to 907 mmHg) to create and validate an estimation equation for the 5 cm cuff in the lower body using a 12 cm cuff.Approach: 170 participants had their arterial occlusion pressure (AOP) with a 5 cm and 12 cm cuff and their thigh circumference measured in their right leg. The sample was randomly allocated to a prediction group (66%) and validation group (33%). Thigh circumference and 12 cm AOP were used as predictors. A Bland-Altman plot was constructed to assess agreement between measured and predicted values. Main results: The mean difference (95% confidence interval) between the observed (336.8 mmHg) and the predicted (343.9 mmHg) 5 cm AOP was 7.1 (-11.9, 26.1) mmHg. The 95% limits of agreement were -133.6 to 147.8 mmHg. There was a negative relationship between the difference and the average of predicted and measured 5 cm AOP (B= -0.137, p=0.000043). Significance: Although this was the first study to quantify AOP over 600 mmHg with a 5 cm cuff, our equation is not valid across all levels of pressure. If possible, larger cuff widths should be employed in the lower body
Global state of the art of teaching life cycle assessment in higher education
No full textPurposeGlobally, there is an increased demand for education on life cycle assessment (LCA). In response, there has been an increase in course availability, but also a lack of clarity on the comprehensiveness of these offerings and the resulting student competencies.MethodsA global survey was conducted to obtain empirical evidence on teaching LCA. The survey explored the availability of LCA courses globally and the depth of the teaching, including expected core competencies and related teaching and learning workloads. A purposive sampling strategy was adopted wherein eligible participants were approached by the researchers.Results and discussionAccording to the survey, annually, over 10,000 students participate in more than 200 LCA courses. The results reflected the interdisciplinary nature of LCA with courses being taught across different disciplines, including engineering, chemical sciences, and economics. Estimated workload demands for achieving different competency levels were significantly lower than those estimated by an expert panel before. This may be attributed in part to respondents not accounting for the full workload beyond classroom interactions. Nonetheless, workload demands increased with competency levels.Conclusions and recommendationsThe results emphasize the need for a common understanding of LCA teaching with regard to content, literacy levels, and competencies to avoid false expectations of the labor and research markets in terms of available expertise. Therefore, LCA curriculum development and program planning remain significant challenges and essential tasks for the global LCA community
Interlocking directorships and firm performance: the role of board diversity
No full textPurpose This study aims to examine the impact of interlocking directorships on firm performance in Turkey, with a specific focus on the moderating role of board diversity. Design/methodology/approach Using a panel dataset comprising the top 100 firms listed on Borsa Istanbul from 2014 to 2018, this study employs regression analysis to investigate the relationship between interlocking directorships, board diversity, and firm performance. It firm-level financial data and directorship information to assess the effects of interlocking directorships on firm performance while also considering the moderating influence of board diversity. Findings The findings of this study reveal several important insights. First, the results confirm the “busyness hypothesis” as an increase in the number of interlocks per director negatively impacts firm performance, indicating reduced monitoring effectiveness. However, the study also demonstrates that board diversity plays a significant moderating role. Specifically, board diversity positively influences the relationship between interlocking directorships and firm performance, suggesting that a diverse board can mitigate the negative effects of interlocks and enhance overall firm performance. Originality/valueThis study contributes to the existing literature in several ways. First, this study extends our understanding of the relationship between interlocking directorships and firm performance, considering contingency factors in the Turkish market. Second, our findings imply that board diversity mitigates the negative impact of busy interlocking directorates and improves firm performance, which provides invaluable directions to firms in setting their boards. Moreover, this research enhances corporate governance practices in Turkey and beyond in other emerging markets with similar corporate governance mechanisms by identifying the importance of board diversity and its moderating influence
Circular economy advances with artificial intelligence and digital twin: Multiple-case study of Chinese industries in agriculture
No full textThe population growth is drastically surging in demand for food and water and uplifting consumption and waste resulting in overburden of society and the environment. Urgent actions are required to address these emerging global issues. Therefore, adopting a circular economy (CE) is essential to sustain the consumption rate and accommodate the ever-increasing demand. Moreover, the CE practices accelerate the progress on sustainable development. From this perspective, digital technologies are playing driving roles in the successful implementations of CE practices and achievements of the United Nations’ (UN) sustainable development goals (SDGs). Among various emerging digital technologies, artificial intelligence (AI) and digital twin ((DT) are the promising ones. This paper aims to understand and explore how both technologies facilitate the CE transitions and attain SDGs in the agriculture domain. To this end, we provide insights into the concepts of CE, AI, and DT with preliminary and current research status. This research evaluates the contributions of global organizations for CE transitions. We elaborate on the significant contributions of AI and DT in the transition towards CE and identify some challenges that hinder the adoption of these technologies. Besides expanding knowledge, concise multiple case studies are also presented as evidence to depict how companies in China are deploying these technologies to digitize various operations and create solutions for waste management, sustainable resource consumption, renewal energy, water conservation, etc. Findings reveal that these companies successfully attain many SDGs of 1, 2, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 17. This paper enormously contributes to the emerging research domain of integrating CE, AI, DT, and agriculture
Factors influencing the adoption of agile project management methodologies by engineering teams in the telecommunications industry
No full textThis study explores the dynamic landscape of Sri Lanka’s telecommunications industry, specifically examining the correlation between engineering teams and the adoption of agile project management methodologies. With the industry’s shift towards virtual content, cloud computing, and software-driven systems, it is essential to examine the factors that impact the adoption of agile practices. Through a comprehensive literature analysis, this study identifies and analyzes ten key factors that significantly influence the integration of agile methodologies within engineering teams. Afterwards by obtaining the expert opinions, research conducts a comprehensive data analysis by identifying four key factors: organizational culture, adaptability, communication, problem-solving, and employee engagement. The study surveyed 145 telecommunication engineering teams, incorporating vital demographic characteristics to enhance the validity of its findings. Key insights reveal the critical role of organizational culture in driving agile implementation, with effective problem-solving practices contributing positively. Surprisingly, superior communication exhibits limited direct impact. Interestingly, the moderation effect of employee engagement on the relationship between organizational culture and agile adoption is negative. In contrast, employee engagement significantly influences the relationship between effective problem-solving practices and agile adoption. The study concludes with practical recommendations for creating an agile-friendly environment, investing in adaptability training, enhancing communication tools, and cultivating effective problem-solving practices. These insights aim to guide the telecommunications industry in Sri Lanka towards agile practices, fostering increased productivity, improved quality, and accelerated time-to-market
Modelling supply chain visibility: a framework with considerations for manufacturing and business
No full textSupply chain visibility plays a pivotal role in ensuring stakeholders have access to and share mutually beneficial information - information that is critical to processes, operations, and informed decision-making. This study leverages a framework to explore the influence of four key factors on supply chain visibility: supply chain linkages, supply chain relationships, green absorptive capacity, and information sharing. This investigation adopted a survey-based research methodology to collect data. A sampling strategy was employed to recruit participants from various industry sectors, with a primary focus on manufacturing and business. A total of 204 useable questionnaires were obtained. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to identify underlying factors within the data. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was then used to assess the validity and reliability of the identified factors. Finally, structural equation modelling was employed to test the hypothesised relationships between the constructs studied. This study's findings, particularly the significant positive correlations observed between information sharing, supply chain relationship, internal linkage, and green absorptive capacity, provide evidence that these factors are key drivers of supply chain visibility. Additionally, the analysis revealed that external linkages with supply chain partners further enhance information sharing within the chain. This study offers a unique contribution by exploring the interplay between green absorptive capacity, information sharing, internal and external supply chain linkages, and their combined influence on supply chain visibility. Extending prior research that focused primarily on information sharing and traditional supply chain relationships, this study integrates green absorptive capacity and linkages within a novel framework. Our findings suggest that green absorptive capacity enhances information sharing within the supply chain network, ultimately leading to improved visibility. Furthermore, the study distinguishes the influence of internal vs external linkages on visibility
Analysis of the internal and external loads, and technical actions of small-sided games in soccer
No full textThe priority in team sport training like soccer is the acquisition and refinement of individual and group skills as well as tactics to transform the group into an effective competitive unit. To achieve these objectives, it is common for coaches to reduce both the number of players and the field dimensions to manipulate exercise intensity, catering for the specific needs of their players. The use of small-sided games (SSGs) that feature less participant has proven a practical tool for coaches, for the development of technical, tactical, and physical abilities. The objective of this paper is to conduct a review of the literature on the topic of small-sided games to analyze specific parameters such as physiological, technical, and movement duration. The effectiveness of SSGs in enhancing aerobic and anaerobic capacities as well as technical skills is often highlighted although their main benefit might be to practice decision-making and problem-solving under pressure, replicating game-like situations. Examining the psychological aspects during small-sided games, such as confidence, motivation, enjoyment, and cognitive engagement, could also provide insights into optimizing training programs and enhancing player development. In summary, small-sided games offer diverse benefits for physical, technical, tactical development in players across different age groups and skill levels for both training and/or learning purposes. Future research should thus focus on investigating the long-term effects of small-sided games on players’ physical and technical development, as well as their transfer to actual match performance
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