Thesis and Research Data Repository Leeds Beckett University
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Rethinking fiction of empire and the british press: reception and testimony in britain, 1897-1917
No full textRethinking Fiction of Empire and the British Press: Reception and Testimony in Britain, 1897-1917 critically examines Victorian and Edwardian Britain’s reception of fiction of empire. It identifies a gap in scholarship that surveys the relation between the British press, literature, and imperialism, which has paid little attention to the contribution that literary reviews gave to public discourse. The thesis argues that literary reviews were an important element of the culture of empire, alongside reporters, foreign correspondents and authors. The findings illustrate how fiction of empire was expected to relay reliable information, and was deployed as fictional testimony in the service of public debate.
Through archival research of British newspapers, journals, and periodicals between 1897 and 1917, this thesis thematically analyses reviews of literature to uncover what attributes contemporary readers chose to discuss about fiction of empire. It is an interdisciplinary study that combines historical research with literary analysis. It comprises three qualitative case studies: Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness (1899; 1902), Olive Schreiner’s Trooper Peter Halket of Mashonaland (1897), and A. E. W. Mason’s The Four Feathers (1902). The cases were chosen to demonstrate three places of conflict where the British press was mobilised to influence the public on imperial matters: Congo Free State, South Africa, and Sudan. This thesis is the first of its kind to bring together and analyse comprehensively these texts and their reviews.
The British public came in to contact with empire through narratives circulated by the press and popular literature. By examining reviews of literature, an intermediary position between journalism and literature, this thesis traces the rhetoric and representations that informed Victorian and Edwardian cultures. The way imperialism was conveyed to the British public on a day-to-day basis is revealed—and, the narratives that informed Britain’s perception of empire are laid bare
The match demands and physical qualities of elite women's rugby union players
No full textWomen’s rugby union is growing in popularity and participation internationally. However, there are still large gaps in the female evidence base, which means training and development are informed by male research despite the distinct physical and physiological differences between sexes. Information on the physical qualities and match demands of women’s rugby union players is crucial for both researchers and practitioners to aid the development of women’s rugby union. The Celtic Challenge competition was created to help develop women’s rugby in Scotland, Ireland, and Wales, and to provide their international players with an alternative elite domestic league to England’s Premier 15s. This study aimed to profile the physical qualities, movement demands and match characteristics of elite women’s domestic rugby in the British Isles and to compare the profile of the Premier 15s and the inaugural Celtic Challenge. Secondary fitness testing, GPS and video match data was collected from three teams in the Celtic Challenge and three teams in the 2022/23 season of the Premier 15s. Premier 15s players were found to be significantly older, more experienced, and faster than Celtic Challenge players during fitness testing and match play. The match characteristics of the two competitions were similar, aside from the number of mauls, which there were significantly more of in the Premier 15s. Findings suggest that Premier 15s players are faster than their CC counterparts; however, despite tactical differences, match characteristics are similar between the two competitions. </p
Implications of Environmental Liabilities on Corporate Financing Decisions: An International Cross-Industries Investigation
No full textThis thesis consists of a systematic literature review and three related empirical studies that examine the key implications of environmental risk management performance, specifically pollutant emissions, on the cost of capital and capital structure, as well as its causality direction with financial performance, using an international dataset of companies from 45 countries from 2002 to 2020. In all three empirical studies, environmental risk management performance is evaluated in terms of environmental risk exposure in the form of pollutant emission intensity, with the Refinitiv environmental pillar score used to assess the overall quality of an organisation's environmental risk management performance or environmental profile.It is motivated by the recognition that climate-related risks can have a catastrophic effect on business sustainability and by how organisations are now actively incorporating corporate environmental responsibility as an important component of their corporate sustainability strategy, thereby changing the way they conduct and operate their businesses. Furthermore, organisations are finding it increasingly difficult to make funding and investment decisions because of the trade-offs necessary to fulfil the expectations of many stakeholders for environmental action while maintaining profitability or firm value maximisation.According to the results of a systematic literature review covering 25 years (1995–2020), the relationship between environmental performance and financial performance continues to be varied (negative, neutral, and positive) due to the causal impact and effect environmental performance can have on an organisation's strategic, operational, economic, and compliance processes. Overall, most evidence points to a positive and perhaps synergistic (simultaneous and interactive) connection, with environmental performance leading to improved financial performance, allowing for reinvestment in environmental risk management and other operational activities. While the literature on the relationship between corporate environmental responsibilities and cost of capital indicates that when implemented strategically, corporate environmental responsibility may improve an organisation's overall financial and operational performance, reduce capital market sensitivity to its risk profile, and ultimately lead to a lower cost of capital and higher firm value. On the other hand, the presence of a U-shaped or non-linear relationship between environmental performance and financial performance suggests that the benefits of responsible corporate environmental actions diminish beyond an optimal level, inferring that corporate environmental responsibility investments and financing decisions must be well-balanced to avoid compromising the organisation's long-term value.The first empirical study in this thesis examines the effect of pollutant emissions on the cost of capital using a model that integrates the “win-win” and “win-lose” effects of corporate environmental responsibility activities to formulate environmental risk management strategy based on the theoretical underpinnings of stakeholder theory, resource-based view, and organisational institutional theories. The resulting relationship is an N-shaped curve, which first shows the cost of equity and debt increasing with initial environmental risk management activities to address the environmental risk (reactive strategy), then a negative relationship between increasing or moderate environmental risk management activities and the cost of both sources of capital, then positive at higher levels of environmental risk management pursuits. The first empirical study in this thesis examines the effect of pollutant emissions on the cost of capital using a model that integrates the “win-win” and “win-lose” effects of corporate environmental responsibility activities to formulate environmental risk management strategy based on the theoretical underpinnings of stakeholder theory, resource-based view, and organisational institutional theories. The resulting relationship is an N-shaped curve, which first shows the cost of equity and debt increasing with initial environmental risk management activities to address the environmental risk (reactive strategy), then a negative relationship between increasing or moderate environmental risk management activities and the cost of both sources of capital, then positive at higher levels of environmental risk management pursuits. Additionally, improvements in the overall quality of their environmental risk management profile also help to moderate the effects of the N-curve. Furthermore, the disparity in inflection points between investors and debt holders reflects differences in the payoff function as well as the relative weight they place on environmental risk and environmental risk management performance. These findings provide useful information for organisations in determining the levels at which environmental risk management initiatives will be advantageous before they become a disbenefit.The second empirical study in this thesis assessed the effect of environmental risk on capital structure. The results show that environmental risk has a differential impact on capital structure decisions, i.e., on average, high environmental risk exposure leads to lower utilisation of debt and long-term debt but increases short-term debt utilisation. Furthermore, consistent with the observation in the first study, organisations with quality environmental risk management profiles are better able to control the impact of environmental risk. Overall, the findings highlight environmental risk as a key predictor/determinant of capital structure, and a quality environmental risk management profile should assist organisations in securing access to the credit market with better borrowing terms and conditions.The last empirical study in this thesis used the panel vector autoregression framework based on the generalised method of moments and the Granger causality Wald test to investigate the existence of bi-directional causation between environmental performance and financial performance. The findings indicated that reducing pollution emission intensity can enhance subsequent financial performance, but better financial performance need not necessarily lead to subsequent emission intensity reduction. This bi-directional causality, however, occurs only when a market-based financial performance measure (Tobin's Q ratio) is utilised in the equation. Furthermore, the variance decomposition results imply that environmental performance is critical for long-term market value generation. Overall, the findings are more consistent with the enlightened stakeholder theory (Jensen, 2002) and general business practise, where strategic environmental risk management involves executive decisions on stakeholder compromises to maximise long-run firm value.In conclusion, the studies show that overall, environmental performance has a significant positive effect on an organisation's strategic, financing, and operational activities, ranging from the premium it pays for equity and debt capital, which influences the choice of debt and its utilisation, to its impact on the bottom line, implying that a proactive environmental risk management strategy is beneficial in improving future firm value. However, they also emphasise the importance of organisations’ assessing and prioritising their corporate environmental responsibility investments and/or expenditures in order to maintain long-term business sustainability.</p
“It's not the sort of thing you bring up over dinner with your grandma”: Recipient narratives of online sperm donation
No full textIn recent years, there has been a rapid increase in people using online, unregulated websites and social networking groups to look for potential sperm donors and recipients (Freeman et al., 2016). Online sperm donation has received negative media attention, and it is framed as inherently ‘risky’ in the official documentation provided by medical and regulatory bodies (Gilman & Nordqvist, 2023). Despite this, only a small number of studies have been conducted on the practice to date, and these have mostly focused on the motivations of donors. Thus far, no reviews have been undertaken to identify what is currently known about online sperm donation, and where the gaps are in the evidence base. Additionally, no studies have been able to ascertain the extent of online sperm donation and to explore the scope and nature of the online platforms which facilitate the practice. Finally, qualitative experiences of recipients who have, or are planning to conceive, via this route are largely absent. Therefore, this thesis comprises three studies which sought to respond to these gaps in the evidence base through a contextualist, feminist epistemological lens.
The first study is a systematic review of academic and grey literature on the characteristics, motivations, and experiences of donors and recipients who have used online sperm donation. A total of 23 papers/ reports/ book chapters were included in the review, and the findings were synthesised thematically, going beyond the original descriptive findings to generate new analytical themes. The second study was an environmental scan, which identified and mapped the scope, nature and characteristics of 61 online platforms, comprising over 350,000 members, which facilitate contact between sperm donors and recipients. The third study prospectively explored the experiences of 11 recipients of online sperm donation through a qualitative, longitudinal methodology. Creative, digital, and narrative methods were brought together to form an in-depth, chronological picture of the participants’ narratives over the course of one year: from the beginning of their search for a donor through to pregnancy and (in one case) postpartum.
Together, the findings from the three studies make a unique contribution to the scholarly understanding of online sperm donation. The findings support suggestions that online sperm donation is a rapidly growing practice that is changing the landscape of donor conception (Harper et al., 2017). In line with previous research, the findings highlight the stigma associated with donor conception, and suggest that shame and secrecy are even more pronounced in the context of online sperm donation. The thesis provides evidence to suggest that online sperm donation is intrinsically different from clinic-based donation, and the necessity to communicate and meet up with the donor raises issues of trust and power for those engaging in the practice. The most positive finding to come from this research, however, was that online sperm donation provides recipients with an opportunity to form new kinship connections and to achieve their family-building goals in what is currently a restrictive medico-legal context (Taylor et al., 2022). Theoretically, this thesis demonstrates the usefulness of a contextualist, feminist epistemological framework for exploring online sperm donation. Practically, the findings point to the need to make online spaces safer, to provide reliable information, to change and challenge the policy context, and to increase institutional inclusivity for those considering, and undertaking, this route to parenthood.</p
Managing Professional Standards: An Examination of Staff Experiences of the Complaints Management Process in an English Police Force and a City Council
No full textThis research study focuses on the experiences of staff involved in the complaint management processes within a large, English police force and a large local authority. Sixteen qualitative, semi-structured interviews were conducted with postholders involved in the complaints management process from the bottom to the top of each organisation. This comprised managers, investigators and staff who had been subject to complaints. As most of the complaints management literature is customer focused, this study represents an original and innovative contribution to the limited, existing literature. As well as comprising case study research, this research also drew from an Appreciative Inquiry (AI) research approach to elicit respondents’ views of what constituted best practice in complaints management. This, too, addresses a gap in the existing literature which has rarely involved the AI research approach within police and local authority studies and not at all with respect to complaints management. Nineteen separate themes were identified covering both organisations and these included key sociological and management issues: such as, communication; discretion; staff support; independence and accountability; and leadership. The themes led to a core theme encapsulating the importance of communication, timeliness and ethics/values for effective complaints management. Commonalities and contrasts were also drawn between the findings for both organisations. In addition to the findings of this study, this research also points to the potential for further, fruitful research in key areas related to complaints management as well as to the fields of policing and local government.</p
MANTIS WP2 Water Professionals Interviews
No full textInnovate UK Phase 1 MANTIS (Monitoring and ANalytics To Improve Service) Project, Work Package 2, Water Professional Interviews dataset</p
Exploring the potential for community pharmacists to support timely help seeking for dementia among the Black African and Caribbean population
No full textThis research is drawn from findings that, while Black African and Caribbean people have a higher chance of developing vascular dementia, they are often diagnosed at advanced stages of dementia because they present later to dementia care facilities. This poses significant concerns due to implications for poorer treatment outcomes and higher treatment cost. Interventions to support timely help seeking for dementia have been designed for BAME communities and implemented through diverse healthcare facilities but the challenge of late dementia help seeking persists among the Black African and Caribbean population specifically. Community pharmacies are healthcare facilities conveniently located within the community, thus the potential for timely dementia help seeking support to be provided to the Black African and Caribbean population through this health facility is explored in this research study.
A four-stage multi-method investigation was conducted. Starting with a scoping review which explored the range of existing dementia help seeking interventions designed for the BAME population, the research continued with two surveys. One survey provided initial insight into the dementia help seeking behaviour of the Black African and Caribbean people and the other examined the initial disposition of community pharmacists towards providing dementia help seeking support to the target population. The last stage was a qualitative interview study which built on the survey findings to explore the potentials for community pharmacists to offer the needed support.
While personal and systemic difficulties experienced on the help seeking journey of the Black African and Caribbean people contributed to their delayed help seeking for dementia, the community pharmacists were willing and believed they were suitably positioned to provide initial as well as ongoing dementia help seeking support to this population. Possible interventions were grouped into community pharmacy-based individual public health engagements, media engagement and wider community engagement, although the community pharmacists envisaged among other factors, a lack of adequate funding as a probable barrier to the implementation of these interventions
Competitive Positioning for Bid Writing Consultancy Firms
No full textData sets related to the following research: Strategic Lead Generation and Competitive Positioning for Bid Writing Consultancy Firms.</p
Identifying the driving factors for the future hospital in a climate change scenario
No full textClimate change, a severe and urgent problem, is causing an increase in the frequency and intensity of climate-related disasters. The healthcare sector, responsible for safeguarding people's health, is also a significant contributor to carbon emissions, accounting for a staggering 4.4% of global net emissions. Given the critical role of climate change in health and health inequalities, this statistic is not just concerning but alarming, demanding immediate attention. Healthcare services, too, can be affected by climate change-induced disruptions. The healthcare industry has identified estate and facilities as a significant area with the potential to achieve a net-zero healthcare system. However, the environment in which hospitals operate is evolving rapidly, and they must keep pace with future requirements. Therefore, it is crucial to identify the driving factors for change and integrate them into a future-proof approach for maintaining and upgrading the healthcare estate. This paper presents the results of a one-day workshop in which participants were asked to identify current drivers of hospital change and potential trends that may follow. The research reported in this paper is part of a larger project that aims to develop a framework to provide integrated mitigation strategies to transition to a zero-carbon future and adaptation strategies to address existing climate change through betterinformed facilities and built asset management planning. To shape a future hospital that is both sustainable and resilient, it is imperative, at a strategic level, to consider the interplay between evolving healthcare delivery, shifting user expectations, emerging technologies, and the hospitals' impact on the environment and their resilience to climate change. A future-proof approach is not just a choice but necessary in the face of the changing climate and evolving healthcare landscape.</p
Deciphering the biological activity of propolis and its constituents
No full textPropolis is a varied combination of plant resins scavenged by worker bees for use within the hive. A central challenge lies in establishing correlations between its chemical composition and biological activities.
This study aimed to investigate the biological activity of propolis using three global samples relating chemical composition and the potential interaction with antibiotics using an industry sample of propolis.
Methods utilised included microbial, biochemical, and RNA expression analyses. HPLC data showed notable disparities in concentrations of key propolis constituents between regions, with North Portuguese (NP) propolis exhibiting the highest levels of all standards compared to those of UK (Leeds) and Brazilian origin.
Antimicrobial testing revealed that the propolis MIC was lower for gram-positive bacteria; S. aureus and E. faecalis (MIC 0.03-0.06% for both UK and NP) when compared to gram-negative bacteria, with E. coli exhibiting an MIC of 0.125% and P. aeruginosa 1%.
Sub-inhibitory concentrations of propolis extended the lag phase most notably against S. aureus and E. faecalis. Biofilm assays demonstrated propolis' efficacy in inhibiting biofilm formation, whilst kill curves demonstrated bactericidal activity across all three propolis samples and antioxidant testing revealed potent antioxidant activity, with NP exhibiting the greatest activity.
Evaluation of propolis-antibiotic interactions revealed increased zones of inhibition for MRSA and MSSA isolates when combined with 6 out of 8 antibiotics tested. E-tests confirmed a MIC reduction. Chequerboard assays revealed the nature of the relationship. RNA sequencing showed evidence of bacterial stress, with downregulation of cellular metabolic processes.
In conclusion, findings highlight the multifaceted nature of propolis' biological activities, such as the exhibition of antimicrobial activity, however HPLC analysis of 13 standards is not sufficient to fully predict biological activity. Chequerboard assays confirmed either a synergistic or additive activity with three antibiotics highlighting the potential of propolis to be used in the fight against antibiotic resistance.</p