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Managerial overconfidence and information opacity: evidence from China
No full textThis study examines how managerial overconfidence affects information opacity in China… We find that overconfident managers significantly increase information opacity. This effect is amplified in firms embedded in strong Confucian cultural environment, where hierarchy and harmony norms suppress the effectiveness of board oversight. However, external governance mechanisms are found effective in constraining overconfidence-induced opacity. Our findings suggest that the overconfidence-opacity relationship is contextually dependent and varies with cultural environment and governance quality. The results carry important implications for regulators and investors in the Chinese emerging market.Review of Quantitative Finance and Accountin
Nutrient dynamics and recovery efficiencies in a decentralised faecal sludge and food waste treatment system
Get PDFDecentralised faecal sludge (FS) and food waste (FW) treatment systems like co-composting system offer more practical solutions for waste treatment and nutrient recovery in low- and middle-income countries, yet nutrient recovery and losses across this system remain poorly quantified.This study aimed to assess the flows, losses, and recovery efficiencies of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) & potassium (K) with the goal of recommending measures to minimize pollution to water bodies. Raw FS, FW, compost, and effluent samples were collected at each treatment stage over three treatment cycles from August 2021 – 2022 in Somanya, Ghana. A total of 108 composite samples were collected and analysed for N,P & K using standard procedures. The N, P & K losses at each stage of the treatment system were calculated using the mass balance principle and the nutrient flow diagrams were created using the Sankey diagram generator. Results show that, 59-86% N, 8-40% P and 49-81% K were lost at the dewatering stages for all cycles. Losses were lumped together as either gaseous losses, adsorption to media surfaces or percolate. The overall nutrient recovery efficiency of the system was 6–17% N, 20–37% P & 17-24% K in co-compost and treated effluent. Despite high removal efficiencies in the facultative ponds, the final effluent did not meet EU standards. Effluent may become a resource in geographies that have scarce water and less stringent regulations. This study recommends strategies and approaches such as biochar use, percolate/leachate recirculation and covering of compost piles to reduce nutrient losses.We would like to acknowledge the Sue White Fund, Cranfield University and the International Water Management Institute for funding this work.Environmental Technology & Innovatio
How green are my apples - The greenhouse gas emissions and blue water scarcity footprint of fresh apple supply chain
Get PDFThe environmental impact of the UK fresh apple supply chain depends on the sourcing locations. This paper examines the contribution of production, storage, processing, and transport to evaluate the greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) and blue water scarcity footprint of the main sources of apple supply to the UK (2016 – 2025). Domestic production accounted for 38 % of supply, with imports from the rest of Europe (e.g. France, Italy, Germany, Ireland, The Netherlands, Spain) representing for 37 % and most of the remainder from southern hemisphere countries, such as South Africa (12 %), New Zealand (7 %) and Chile (5 %). Our results revealed that GHGE at the orchard stage for UK, European, and Chilean apples are similar. During postharvest, cold storage is the main contributor for GHGE, which were 40 % lower in northern hemisphere countries compared to maritime shipping stages for the southern hemisphere areas. Transport emissions are affected by international travel distances. South Africa and Spain presented the highest blue water consumption (BWC) as well as blue water scarcity footprint. We found that blue water scarcity footprints are negligible where apple production is rainfed. The results suggest that in order to mitigate GHGE, energy mixes need to be improved as well as cold storage technologies. For water footprint, implementing infrastructural changes is paramount. These results can help as decision making tool to define new sourcing strategies that can minimise environmental impacts. This assessment also highlights limitations in methodology, including inconsistent approaches in GHGE assessment, and underscores the need for standardised methodologies, emphasises the role of externalities, and highlights the importance of considering economic and social factors in assessing environmental trade-offs in apple supply chains.Agricultural Water Managemen
Introducing exaptation theory to social enterprise innovation: case study on the Circular Economy Innovation Communities (CEIC) project
No full textPurpose:
With the orientation for sustainability, circular economy (CE) is promoted through “exaptive events” such as educational workshops. Social enterprises (SEs) play an important role in CE transformation but face significant challenges. Whilst exaptation theory is well-studied in commercial context, less is known about its role in driving SE innovation. Thus, this paper aims to answer the following research question: how can exaptive events facilitate circular economy innovation in the context of social enterprise?
Design/methodology/approach:
This paper conducted an in-depth case study of a CE-themed project in the UK, engaging with the event organisers and SE participants. Data were collected through interview, observation and secondary documentation. Using a structured inductive approach, this paper identified key themes and generated a grounded theoretical model.
Findings:
Four themes are identified as: 1) knowledge sharing, 2) exaptive pools, 3) exaptive relations and 4) challenges to SE sustainability and success. Findings indicate that exaptive events can enhance SE innovation. Also, the connection of exaptive events, tools and relations helps overcome barriers in finance, commercial viability, social value and cross-sector collaboration. Nevertheless, finance and commercial viability inhibit SE’s further effective innovations.
Originality/value:
By offering a new perspective – exaptive events – on SE innovation, this study extends the application of exaptive innovation beyond private-sector product commercialisation to tackling challenges faced by SEs. This study indicates that practitioners and policymakers can leverage exaptive events to promote sustainable development. For SEs, collaboration with public sectors through these events promotes resource sharing, joint innovation and commercialisation opportunities.This study was supported by the European Social Fund (No. WWV 82251).Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Econom
Optimizing co-composting ratios of cocoa pod husk and poultry manure for cocoa organo-mineral fertilizer formulation in the West African cocoa belt
No full textSection: Waste Management in AgroecosystemsCocoa is a valuable global commodity but its management results in residues such as cocoa pod husk, leaves and placenta which are under-utilised as a resource. This study sought to address this by evaluating the impacts of different mixing ratios of cocoa pod husk (CPH), placenta (PL) and locally sourced poultry manure (PM) on compost quality and which mixing ratio will enhance compost NPK stoichiometry required for cocoa organo-mineral (OMF) fertiliser formulations. Quality of compost within OMF can influence nutrient release and potentially improve soil health in cocoa farms. The composting study considered 8 treatments consisting of different combinations of PM, and CPH at ratios of 1:1, 2:1, 1:2 and 1:3, with and without addition of PL. Treatments with PL recorded the highest (32 %) organic carbon at the end of the composting period. Highest available N (5919 mg kg-1) was observed in treatments with PL and the lowest (1146 mg kg-1) was observed in treatments without PL. Treatments without PL recorded the highest available P (3843 mg kg-1) and treatments with PL yielded the lowest (2167 mg kg-1). Highest (16922 mg kg-1) available K was observed in treatments with PL and the lowest (12263 mg kg-1) observed in treatments without PL. Addition of PL to CPH and PM causes an increase in organic carbon, available N, available K but reduces available P. Compost PM+CPH (2:1) and PM+CPH (1:2) have NPK stoichiometry which aligns with nutrient requirements of young cocoa (<7 years old) and matured cocoa (≥8 years), respectively. This study demonstrates the use of circular economy to improve resource efficiency in cocoa farms. For future studies, it is important to ascertain agronomic effectiveness of the compost PM+CPH (2:1) and PM+CPH (1:2) ratios on the young and matured cocoa trees, respectively.This study was co-funded by the Sue White Fund of Cranfield University and the African Plant Nutrition Institute (APNI) under the remote sensing-supported framework that incentivizes site-specific agronomic management of smallholder cocoa farms (FRAME-Cocoa project) in Ghana.Frontiers in Sustainable Food System
Advancing energy flexibility protocols for multi-energy system integration
No full textThis study investigates the incorporation of a standardised flexibility protocol within a physics-based models to enable controllable demand-side flexibility in residential energy systems. A heating subsystem is developed using MATLAB/Simulink and Simscape, serving as a testbed for protocol-driven control within a Multi-Energy System (MES). A conventional thermostat controller is first established, followed by the implementation of an OpenADR event engine in Stateflow. Simulations conducted under consistent boundary conditions reveal that protocol-enabled control enhances system performance in several respects. It maintains a more stable and pronounced indoor–outdoor temperature differential, thereby improving thermal comfort. It also reduces fuel consumption by curtailing or shifting heat output during demand-response events, while remaining within acceptable comfort limits. Additionally, it improves operational stability by dampening high-frequency fluctuations in mdot_fuel. The resulting co-simulation pipeline offers a modular and reproducible framework for analysing the propagation of grid-level signals to device-level actions. The research contributes a simulation-ready architecture that couples standardised demand-response signalling with a physics-based MES model, alongside quantitative evidence that protocol-compliant actuation can deliver comfort-preserving flexibility in residential heating. The framework is readily extensible to other energy assets, such as cooling systems, electric vehicle charging, and combined heat and power (CHP), and is adaptable to additional protocols, thereby supporting future cross-vector investigations into digitally enabled energy flexibility.Energie
Evaluation of the impact of coagulant choice on phosphorus removal from municipal wastewater
No full textJefferson, Bruce - Associate SupervisorPhosphorus removal is a critical objective in municipal wastewater treatment due to its role in eutrophication and the tightening of regulatory discharge limits. Chemical coagulation remains the most widely adopted method for phosphorus control; however, its effectiveness is influenced by coagulant type, pH conditions, dosing location, and wastewater matrix composition. This thesis aimed to advance the understanding of how these operational and chemical variables govern the mechanisms of phosphorus removal, with the goal of optimising coagulant selection and application strategies under real-world conditions.
A comprehensive screening of 17 coagulants, including ferric, aluminium, rare earth, zinc, and calcium-based formulations, was conducted under both uncontrolled and pH-adjusted conditions. Ferric sulphate, polyaluminium chloride (PACL), and aluminium sulphate emerged as the most effective agents, achieving residual total phosphorus concentrations as low as 0.35 mg/L, 0.15 mg/L and 0.6 mg/L, respectively, under controlled pH conditions, particularly under neutral pH, where stable hydroxide flocs are favoured. Rare earth coagulants demonstrated high phosphate affinity but formed fragile flocs, limiting their practical application. Floc characterisation revealed that compact, shear-resistant aggregates correlated strongly with higher removal efficiency.
To investigate the role of pH, a detailed comparative analysis of ferric sulphate (FS), aluminium sulphate (ALS), and PACL was performed across a pH range of 4-8. The results confirmed that coagulant solubility, hydrolysis potential, and metal speciation significantly impact phosphorus removal efficiency. FS and ALS were better than PACL under acidic conditions due to more complete hydrolysis and formation of stable flocs. Phosphorus fractionation and turbidity data supported these trends, identifying pH 6-7 as the optimal window for coagulant performance and floc settleability.
The final phase of the study examined how dosing location in the crude influent, after primary settling tanks (PST), and in the final effluent (FE) influences coagulant performance. FS showed enhanced phosphorus removal even in high-strength crude wastewater, though required careful pH control to avoid over-acidification. ALS and PACL were more effective at PST and FE, where organic loading and particulate interference were lower. A two-point dosing strategy applied to crude wastewater was found to enhance phosphorus removal while reducing total coagulant demand, offering a practical route for chemical cost optimisation.
Collectively, this thesis delivers critical insights into the physicochemical and operational factors driving chemical phosphorus removal. The findings inform coagulant selection and deployment in diverse wastewater environments, support compliance with future phosphorus discharge standards, and contribute to the development of cost-effective and environmentally sustainable treatment strategies.PhD in Wate
Examining the relationship between job characteristics and work engagement in mission-oriented and non-mission-oriented roles within the public sector
No full textKelliher, Clare - Associate SupervisorIn recent years, there has been growing academic interest in understanding how contextual features shape employee work engagement, particularly within the public sector where job roles and motivations are highly heterogeneous. While substantial literature has explored engagement through the Job Demands-Resources (JDR) theory, the influence of contextual variation across occupational roles remains under-theorised. This thesis focuses on the heterogeneity of public sector work and examines how differences between mission-oriented and non-mission-oriented roles influence the relationship between job characteristics and employee engagement.
Building on longstanding criticisms that engagement research has often neglected context or reduced it to a statistical control, this study draws on Johns’ (2006) framework to conceptualise context as an integral theoretical element. The research empirically investigates how contextual variation interacts with job demands and resources to shape engagement and exhaustion. Using data from the 2021 European Working Conditions Telephone Survey (EWCTS), this study applies Multigroup Structural Equation Modelling (MG-SEM) and Moderated Structural Equation Modelling (MSEM) to a stratified sample of public sector employees across Europe. The analysis tests the differential salience of job characteristics and the buffering role of resources in mitigating the negative effects of job demands.
This study finds that employees in mission-oriented public sector roles experience both higher work engagement and higher exhaustion than their non-mission-oriented counterparts, showing the importance of context in shaping psychological experiences at work. Emotional demands function as challenge demand but primarily as hindrance demands in mission roles, being strongly associated with exhaustion but not significantly with engagement. Contrary to expectations, work intensity and work-life interference showed similar effects across both role types. Among job resources, social support had greater significance for engagement in mission-oriented roles, while autonomy and voice were beneficial across roles. Only autonomy demonstrated a significant buffering effect, mitigating the impact of work intensity on exhaustion, but only in mission-oriented roles.
Theoretically, the study advances JDR theory by integrating role context as a central explanatory mechanism, using Johns’ (2006) contextual framework. It challenges assumptions of motivational homogeneity in public sector work and illustrates that the effect of job demands and resources is contingent on role type. Methodologically, it employs Multigroup Structural Equation Modelling (MG-SEM) to test the moderating role of context, positioning it as a central variable rather than a control variable. Practically, the study provides a foundation for more tailored, role-sensitive engagement strategies in public sector human resource management.PhD in Leadership and Managemen
Data supporting Molecular and metabolic response of ‘Piccolo’ cherry tomato to Graduated Controlled Atmosphere
No full textControlled atmosphere (CA) can trigger metabolic and hormonal disruptions that negatively impact fruit quality. This study aimed to understand the mechanisms underlying ethylene sensitivity under low oxygen conditions through the application of a novel approach to CA, called Graduated Controlled Atmosphere (GCA), in ‘Piccolo’ cherry tomato. Compared to standard CA, GCA treatment resulted in greater suppression of respiration and improved firmness retention, indicating reduced physiological stress and slower cell wall degradation. Gene expression analysis revealed downregulation of NCED1, ACS, and ACO genes under GCA, indicating delayed ethylene-associated transcriptional activity. These hormonal adjustments were also reflected in lower abscisic acid (ABA) concentrations, implying a more stable ripening trajectory. Besides hormonal modulation, GCA-treated fruit exhibited alterations in primary metabolism. Sucrose accumulation and changes in malate levels under GCA conditions suggest a shift in energy metabolism, consistent with improved hypoxia tolerance. However, a notable trade-off was observed in reduced lycopene accumulation, potentially due to lower oxidative signalling and shared precursors between carotenoid and ABA biosynthesis. GCA promotes a more controlled physiological and molecular response to hypoxic storage by reducing stress-associated metabolic and hormonal activity.Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC
Aerodynamics of short intake at high incidence
No full textThis work assesses the aerodynamics of a short aero-engine intake for a new rig that is planned to be tested at the Large Low-Speed Facility of the German Dutch Wind Tunnels (LLF-DNW) in 2025. A range of computations were performed to assess whether the expected aerodynamics in this arrangement encompass the envisaged range of flow field characteristics of the equivalent isolated configuration. The effect of massflow capture ratio and angle of attack are investigated. In addition, an intake flow separation taxonomy is proposed to characterise the associated flows. The wind tunnel analysis is based on two different modelling approaches: an aspirated isolated intake and a coupled fan–intake configuration. The coupled configuration uses a full-annulus model with a harmonic mixing plane method. Across the range of operating conditions with changes in the massflow capture ratio and angle of attack, there are attached and separated flows. The main separation mechanisms are diffusion-driven and shock-induced, which shows the different aerodynamics that may be encountered in a short intake. Overall, this work provides an initial evaluation of the aerodynamics of the new fan/intake test rig configuration, provides guidance for wind tunnel testing, and lays a foundation for subsequent unsteady coupled fan–intake studies.This research was funded in scope of the 6th Federal Aeronautical Research Program (LuFo VI-1) by the German Federal Ministery of Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK, formerly BMWi) and is part of the project ModeGo (FKZ: 20T1914A).International Journal of Turbomachinery, Propulsion and Powe