Thesis and Research Data Repository Leeds Beckett University
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The Critical Factors that Affect SME’s Access to External Finance
No full textAccess to external finance is one of the main challenges that hinder the growth of small
and medium enterprises (SMEs). The review of relevant literature reveals that adequate
access to external finance is a crucial factor for growth and development. However, little
is known about the status of SME financing in Bahrain, creating a gap that this study aims
to address. The thesis seeks to investigate the factors that affect SME access to external
finance in Bahrain by examining financing conditions, challenges and the relationships
between these factors and their access to external finance. This will aid in developing
implications and recommendations for stakeholders to improve their access to external
finance.
The data in this study were collected via questionnaires from 386 SMEs in Bahrain. The
data were analysed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests and binary logistic
regression. This revealed a significant relationship between credit history, interest rate and
lack of motivation. Conversely, collateral and audited financial statements are not
substantial; instead, they are required. The insignificance of these other factors stems from
the fact that borrowers do not consider collateral or audited financial statements a concern,
since they meet the bank's requirements.
The findings further suggest that most SMEs in Bahrain lack the motivation to seek
external finance, as they are satisfied with internal sources and do not meet the required
criteria. Additionally, the findings reveal that the loan application process has received
negative feedback, especially concerning bank business loans. As a result, many SMEs are
turning to personal loans as an alternative due to simpler lending and financing conditions.
The study also found that SMEs are largely unaware of any subsidy financing programmes
and have room for improvement. In conclusion, the thesis discusses the implications of
these findings and offers recommendations for academics, SMEs, banks, subsidy providers
and the government. This research contributes to existing knowledge and practice by
encouraging small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Bahrain to access external
financing. Ultimately, future research may address this study's limitations and explore
additional factors that influence SME financing.</p
Data for "Spontaneous self-affirmation and student-specific stress: relationships with overlapping constructs of positive self regard"
No full textData for study on relationships between spontaneous self-affirmation, student-specific stress, and covariates; self-esteem, self-integrity, and habitual positive thinking.</p
Impact assessment of the spatial layouts of studios on the students' learning experience at Architecture Schools in HE, in the UK
No full textUniversities worldwide invest in buildings and facilities to provide an indoor environment that enhances the learning experience of students. The aim of this paper is to critically evaluate the existing literature about the teaching spaces of Architecture Schools in the UK and address that there is a gap in the literature about the spatial layouts of the architectural open plan studio spaces at universities and which factors affect the learning experience of architecture students. This study examined 50 Architecture Schools in the UK, accredited by the Architects Registration Board (ARB) and validated by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). It reviewed and classified the university buildings and architectural studios into layout typologies based on the building and spatial configuration of the studio spaces. This study analysed the spatial configurations of the open plan studio spaces and focused on how certain sub-factors (furniture, natural light, views, materials and surface finishes) affect the learning experience of students. The information about the buildings and their architectural studio spaces derived from academic papers, credible online sources, pictures and visits to some Architecture Schools in the UK. The conclusions were justified and underpinned by relevant literature which includes academic papers that have examined open plan teaching and office spaces and professional architectural judgment. Two different building types and three architectural studio typologies were identified. All research findings were analysed, and the impact of the spatial layouts and indoor environmental conditions of open plan studio spaces in Architecture Schools in the UK was assessed regarding the students' learning experience.</p
Renewable Energy Approach for Wastewater Reuse in Horizontal Flow Constructed Wetlands and Solar Powered Drip Irrigation Systems in the Caribbean: A Case Study in the Caroni River Basin, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies
No full textWater and wastewater management is a vital topic that commands attention and action through various initiatives, including reuse, recycling, reclamation, and restoration. These strategies are essential for promoting responsible water utilisation, treatment, and disposal. We have made significant strides in establishing a national standard for wastewater reuse, as demonstrated by the Cabinet-approved National Voluntary Wastewater Reuse Standard TTS 664-2022. In response to the anticipated rise in irrigation demand driven by agricultural needs, this study will rigorously evaluate effective approaches using permeable geotextile materials and filter media, including Coated Chitosan (CS), Coconut Shell Activated Carbon (CAC), biochar-based filters, and Construction Waste Gravel. The study aims to create a Wastewater Reuse Prototype (WWR) for evaluating wastewater treatment efficiency and significantly reducing water pollution. This research will showcase the application of vertical-flow constructed wetlands, utilising Phragmite Australis, for treating municipal wastewater. The main goal is to comprehensively assess the system's ability to remove pollutants and facilitate nitrification. A solar-powered automated drip irrigation (SPDI) system will be introduced and designed for watering lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and kale (Brassica oleracea var. acephala) crops. Conclusive evaluations will confirm that the employed technologies are suitable for water reclamation in agricultural applications. These approaches will be supplemented with appropriate irrigation methods to reach environmentally safe and sustainable objectives. Our study will also include extensive analyses of Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) and Willingness to Pay (WTP) to bolster the national voluntary standard for wastewater reuse and guide the implementation of effective strategies for treated wastewater and water management.</p
A Socially and Behaviourally Grounded Framework for Inclusive Engagement Towards Community Flood Resilience
No full textWithout robust community engagement, flood resilience efforts often lack legitimacy, traction, and sustainability. However, many existing engagement frameworks—often designed outside the flood context—fail to reflect the lived realities of flood-affected communities, overlooking emotional and informal dynamics, assuming linearity, relying on civic access and rationality, and neglecting structural inequalities. Many of these frameworks adopt a deficit-based lens, framing communities primarily in terms of what they lack—be it knowledge, organisation, or capacity—rather than recognising their existing strengths.This study addresses these limitations by proposing a socially and behaviourally grounded framework for inclusive engagement in flood-affected communities. Drawing on academic, policy, and grey literature—particularly from flood resilience, disaster studies, behavioural science, planning theory, and community development—it engages key theoretical contributions related to assets, social capital, adaptive learning, emotional wellbeing, and community knowledge to identify persistent gaps around diversity, emotional readiness, leadership, informal behaviours, and lived experience.In contrast to deficit-based frameworks, the framework positions engagement as an iterative, asset-driven, and context-sensitive process rooted in trust and mutual accountability. Structured across three phases—Community Groundwork, Engagement, and Reflection—it foregrounds community strengths, trust-building, emotional connections, and local leadership. Its distinctiveness lies in how engagement is implemented: communities choose their own entry point; leadership emerges from within; trust—not templates—guides the process; external actors support rather than steer; and built-in reflection ensures learning and adaptation over time. Unlike existing frameworks, it integrates emotional and behavioural dynamics, begins before formal participation, and offers a replicable yet flexible structure applicable across diverse flood contexts. By embedding these dynamics, the framework offers policymakers, practitioners, and communities a more grounded, equitable, and sustainable approach to engagement in flood-affected settings.</p
Structural Performance of 3D-Printed Concrete Walls
No full textThe additive manufacturing in construction offers significant efficiency, accuracy, and sustainability. Notably, 3D concrete printing (3DCP) allows for the creation of complex wall assemblies without traditional formwork. A key question on the broader application of 3DCP methods is their compliance with different building regulations and standards, particularly their structural behaviours in comparison to traditional/conventional construction methods. FEA Static Analysis is used to evaluates the structural performance of a prototype 3D-printed concrete wall. The study analyses stress distribution, and displacement of the printed layers to investigate compliance with the Approved Document A of the UK Building Regulations. The compressive strength of the 3D printed concrete mix is tested in the laboratory. The approach entails creating a digital twin model of the printed wall which is then subjected to realistic load conditions for a single-story building. The results indicate that the compressive strength of the wall is significantly over the required limits with negligible displacement. The study highlights the need for new regulations and standards for emerging construction methods and technologies such as 3DCP in the UK.</p
The impact of inter-organizational knowledge transfer on sustainable development of the Sri Lankan coastal tourism industry
No full textThis study explores the impact of inter-organizational knowledge transfer (IOKT) on the sustainable development of the coastal tourism industry in Sri Lanka, an area that is critical yet under-researched. Grounded in the Quintuple Helix Model (QHM), which combines academia, industry, government, civil society, and the environment, this research critically evaluates the model's applicability in the context of Sri Lanka, a developing country.
Using a qualitative methodology, the researcher interviews 25 participants from academia, government, industry, and coastal communities through purposive and snowball sampling. Reflexive thematic analysis is employed to identify key patterns in knowledge transfer processes. The results confirm that IOKT significantly contributes to the sustainable development of the coastal tourism industry. However, the factors influencing the stability and weakening of the IOKT are not adequately addressed in the original QHM. Therefore, this research refines the original QHM to better reflect the complex realities of IOKT in developing country contexts, particularly in socio-ecologically sensitive sectors such as coastal tourism.
This macro-level traditional QHM often overlooks critical structural, relational, and contextual factors, including institutional thickness or thinness, centre-local power dynamics, and the role of informal economies, which significantly influence the effectiveness of knowledge transfer in countries like Sri Lanka. To address these limitations, the refined model integrates key elements such as inter- and intra-organizational knowledge flows, formal and informal knowledge exchange processes, tacit and explicit knowledge, and factors influencing knowledge transfer. This approach enhances the model’s ability to strengthen central-local relationships, reduce power asymmetries, support participatory governance, and foster institutional robustness.
By incorporating these dimensions, the model becomes more adaptable to diverse global contexts, particularly those characterized by decentralization and informal governance. The refined framework offers a comprehensive and context-sensitive understanding of how knowledge is created, shared, and applied within complex socio-ecological systems. Practically, the refined model serves as a roadmap for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers, guiding them in developing inclusive, resilient, and effective knowledge systems, thereby demonstrating its practical applicability in real-world settings.</p
Black and People of Colour's lived experience of UK physiotherapy education: a critique of whiteness
No full textNo description supplied</p
Training Loads and Lower-Body Neuromuscular Responses in Academy Rugby League Players
No full textNo description supplied</p
Preface and Editorial
No full textSociology sets out to develop the sociological imagination of those who study it, allowing us to think critically and reflexively about the social world around us and make sense of the relationship between our personal experiences and wider society. This approach to interrogating the world is embodied in this collection of critical reflections written by final year students on the BA (Hons) Sociology, BA (Hons) Sociology and Criminology and BA (Hons) Sociology and Psychological Studies degrees here at Leeds Beckett University. The essays in this volume underline both the breadth of the subject and its power to shed light on the familiar and the taken for granted. They tackle a wide range of contemporary issues: forms of commodification, entrepreneurship and feminist questions, debates on objectification and empowerment, problematic masculinities, surveillance and devolving technologies such as AI, or self-service machines, as well as experiences of working lass students. To do this, they apply theory as an interrogative and explanatory tool, tackling these subjects through the lens of, for example, commodification, self-surveillance, risk society and post-modern consumption practices, underlining its central role in Sociology.</p