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How managers ‘make meaning’ of business tournament rituals
Get PDFIn this paper, we examine how managers ‘make meaning’ of business tournament rituals (BTRs)— recognition-based contests in which participating firms get social endorsements and winners receive prestigious awards. In exploring two UK BTRs, we found that managerial orienting systems, made up of beliefs about the identity of their firm, competitors, and customers, and what it takes to compete in their environments, drive managers to compete in BTRs. Their interpretive view of BTRs as sources of strategic capabilities and hard market power, we argue, is constructed, and projected to the viewing public through a set of four distinct but ‘durationally indivisible’ temporal frames: validating identity and values, competence signalling, product/service differentiation, and market and industry visibility; these may operate in combination or serially account for the observed managerial preoccupation with BTRs. We discuss the implications of our findings for theory, practice, and future research
An exploration of the experiences and factors influencing physical activity in people with Parkinsons
Get PDFAbstract:Background: Physical activity plays a crucial role in enhancing the well-being and quality of life of people with Parkinsons. Despite substantial evidence supporting its benefits, people with Parkinson’s struggle to maintain an active lifestyle. This thesis explored the perspective of people with Parkinsons on their engagement in physical activity.Methodology: This research employed a person-centred approach, comprised of three sequential phases. Phase One: A systematic review utilising the JBI approach of meta-aggregation synthesised the best available qualitative evidence of people with Parkinson\u27s\u27 views and preferences regarding physical activity interventions. Phase Two: Constructive Grounded Theory was used to explore the beliefs, attitudes, and meaning of physical activity in people with Parkinson’s who self-identified as physically inactive. Phase Three: A quantitative cross-sectional survey methodology evaluated the impact of a physically active self-identity, alongside other identified correlates, on self-reported physical activity levels in people with Parkinson’s. Findings and discussion: Physical activity behaviour is multifaceted, as highlighted by the proposal of an overarching socio-ecological model, which reflects the interconnected levels of influence. Many of these influences are present in models of other long-term conditions, suggesting that effective strategies could be shared. Additionally, healthcare professionals could use this model to foster discussions around individual challenges, thereby developing a shared understanding as a foundation for person-centred care. A novel finding was the influence of self-identity, particularly the salience of a physically active self-identity, which helped inform the development of five distinct categories of engagement within Phase Two of the thesis. Understanding a person’s self-identity might lead to more tailored strategies to promote physical activity. In Phase Three, the quantitative evaluation of the relationship between self-identity and self-reported physically activity identified a weak association with limited explanatory power; a model incorporating a physically active self-identity, self-efficacy and fatigue, age, and gender explained only 25.1% of the variance in physical activity. While unexplained factors are also likely to influence physical activity behaviour, the literature suggests that it is possible to foster the development of an individual’s physically active self-identity, indicating that further evaluation in this area is warranted. Conclusion: This thesis has offered a unique perspective on the physical activity behaviour of people with Parkinson\u27s across the spectrum of engagement, which has not been previously explored. Future research should explore the potential utility of a physically active self-identity in shaping strategies to promote and sustain physical activity engagement. Additionally, the views and experience of people supporting physical activity across the range of settings could be a valuable source of information to inform future strategies to enhance engagement
Exploring Research Culture in Care Homes to Identify the Barriers and Facilitators to Research: A Rapid Review
Get PDFAbstractContext: There are more than 400,000 people living in just over 17,000 care homes in the UK. Nevertheless, the quantity of care home research taking place in these settings is limited. This has led to a knowledge gap that impacts on care home practices, resident health outcomes, and the development of policy.Objectives: The objective of this rapid review is to explore what is known about the research culture within care homes, identify any barriers and facilitators to research, and provide evidence to inform future care home research practices.Methods: This rapid review was performed in accordance with the Cochrane Rapid Review Methods Group (RRMG) interim guidance. Literature was searched across six electronic databases, the Cochrane Library, and a grey literature search. A narrative synthesis approach was used for analysis.Findings: Twenty-seven articles met the inclusion criteria. Seven barriers and seven facilitators to research in care homes were identified. These included gatekeeping behaviours, and the need for good working relationships between researchers and care homes.Limitations: International articles were included in this review. However, the majority of articles were fully or partly completed in the UK. International diversity in care home provision and research governance means there needs to be some caution in applying these findings.Implications: The identification of the barriers and facilitators to research in care homes provides evidence to inform research practice, enhance access, and improve the facilitation and application of research in these settings. Increasing research in care homes will support the development of new knowledge and evidence to inform care policy and practice. This will not only benefit the residents of care homes, but also those who work with them
INHALE WP3, a multicentre, open-label, pragmatic randomised controlled trial assessing the impact of rapid, ICU-based, syndromic PCR, versus standard-of-care on antibiotic stewardship and clinical outcomes in hospital-acquired and ventilator-associated pneumonia
Get PDFPURPOSE: INHALE investigated the impact of seeking pathogens by PCR on antibiotic stewardship and clinical outcomes in hospital-acquired and ventilator-associated pneumonia (HAP and VAP).
METHODS: This pragmatic multicentre, open-label RCT enrolled adults and children with suspected HAP and VAP at 14 ICUs. Patients were randomly allocated to standard of care, or rapid in-ICU syndromic PCR coupled with optional prescribing guidance. Co-primary outcomes were superiority in antibiotic stewardship at 24 h and non-inferiority in clinical cure of pneumonia 14 days post-randomisation. Secondary outcomes included mortality, ICU length of stay and evolution of clinical scores.
RESULTS: 554 eligible patients were recruited from 5th July 2019 to 18th August 2021, with a COVID-enforced pause from 16th March 2020 and 9th July 2020. Data were analysed for 453 adults and 92 children (68.4% male; 31.6% female). ITT analysis showed 205/268 (76.5%) reviewable intervention patients receiving antibacterially appropriate and proportionate antibiotics at 24 h, versus 147/263 (55.9%) standard-of-care patients (estimated difference 21%; 95% CI 13-28%). However, only 152/268 (56.7%) intervention patients were deemed cured of pneumonia at 14 days, versus 171/265 (64.5%) standard-of-care patients (estimated difference - 6%, 95% CI - 15 to 2%; predefined non-inferiority margin -13%). Secondary mortality and ΔSOFA outcomes narrowly favoured the control arm, without clear statistical significance.
CONCLUSIONS: In-ICU PCR for pathogens resulted in improved antibiotic stewardship. However, non-inferiority was not demonstrated for cure of pneumonia at 14 days. Further research should focus on clinical effectiveness studies to elucidate whether antibiotic stewardship gains achieved by rapid PCR can be safely and advantageously implemented
The influence of climate on the invasion of the Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) to Guernsey, Channel Islands: citizen science and misidentified aliens
No full textVespa velutina is an Asian bee-hawking hornet that has rapidly colonised continental Europe since its accidental introduction in 2004. Its range continues to expand with the first confirmed sightings in Guernsey in 2017. This study aimed to analyse local weather variables over three years to assess their importance for predicting Asian hornet occurrences. We also investigated citizen science reporting to ascertain which species the public most commonly misidentify as Asian hornets. Weather analysis using zero-inflated negative binomial regression showed that Asian hornet observations are more likely in warmer weather (air temperature \u3e 12 °C). The year 2019 significantly affected the likelihood of zero counts, showing interannual variability in Asian hornet occurrences. Wind variables, air pressure, sunshine, rain and month were unimportant in predicting the number of occurrences. Misidentifications of Asian hornets were common, especially Vespula vulgaris and Vespa crabro. Some unexpected records were submitted, demonstrating a lack of entomological knowledge among the public. Implications for conservation To better utilize public effort in monitoring schemes, educational materials should not only focus on how to distinguish Asian hornets from social wasps, bees and hoverflies, but also large and strikingly patterned Lepidoptera and Coleoptera. Citizen science recording schemes and monitoring of uninvaded regions should coincide with queen and worker activity in warm weather
Visual thinking informed by repetition: A practice-based methodology
Get PDFThis artistic research proceeds from the idea that visual thinking is thinking about images through images. It explores how ideas are instigated, developed, and articulated exclusively through visual elements from a practice-based perspective. The use of repetition as a method of thinking is rooted in my previous practice as a pattern designer. I consider this a cognitive process based on the assumption that repetition is a tool for abstraction, as it changes one’s perspective from the particular to the general. Abstraction, in this context, becomes a method for processing information (i.e. to think visually).My artistic practice is engaged in combining photography and repetition as a technique to critically reflect on visual experience. Taking photographs in this work is a method for analysis in the sense that it deconstructs an observation into separate constituents, reflecting on both what is observed and the observation itself. The following compositional procedure through typology, sequence and pattern configurations presents a way to synthesise photographic material in search of a narrative and representation beyond the content of separate images.This thesis outlines a methodology for visual thinking which explores repetition through three capacities. As a strategy, it is suggested to be a cognitive tool for structure, criticality, and contemplation. As a method, it is described through stages of observation, taking photographs, and compositional work. As a mechanism, typology, sequence, and pattern compositions are compared and analysed to study the functions and effects of visual thinking across different repetitive structures. The methodology is demonstrated through visual ‘thinking models’, which combine graphic elements and words to describe thinking as a subjective, diverse and complex process which operates in-between ideas. The ‘thinking models’ manifest this navigation through visualisations as layers, spectrum, and cluster.Consequently, all three of these approaches – artistic practice (practising visual thinking), writing about the practice (writing about visual thinking), and visualising aspects of the practice (visual thinking about visual thinking) –contain elements of structural exploration. This constitutes a foundation for knowledge production – as knowledge about thinking – within and through this research. This thesis is interdisciplinary, drawing from and contributing to the fields of visual art, graphic design, and photography
Towards a realistic view of consumer behaviour
Get PDFMarginal utility (MU) theories of consumer demand assume that consumers try to maximise a generic benefit (‘utility’) by selecting purchases giving equal marginal utility per unit of cost, from which are predicted the observed relationships between price changes and quantities of demanded consumer goods. Attempts to remedy the explanatory shortcomings of MU theory usually supplement it with additional assumptions. This paper proposes taking that approach to its logical conclusion by using consumer and psychological research findings not to supplement but to replace the concept of utility entirely with realistic explanations of consumer behaviour
Pair creation, backreaction, and resummation in strong fields
Get PDFWe revisit particle creation in strong fields, and backreaction on those fields, from an amplitudes perspective. We describe the strong field by an initial coherent state of photons which we explicitly evolve in time, thus going beyond the background-field approximation, and then consider observables which quantify the effects of backreaction. We present expressions for the waveform, vacuum persistence probability, and number of produced photons at next-to-leading order, all of which are impacted by backreaction, along with the number and statistics of produced pairs. We find that converting between in-out (amplitude) and in-in (expectation value) expressions requires explicit resummation of an infinite number of disconnected loop diagrams
Comparing school leaders’ experiences of research use in England, Scotland and Germany
Get PDFIn some countries it is common for policymakers to advocate research use by practitioners as a means to bring about school development. Yet, despite their increasing sophistication, the enactment of protocols for using research is problematic and, even in optimal environments, practitioners have difficulty mobilising research findings to improve student attainment. In this study, we consider school leaders’ engagement with research, brokered by various intermediaries, in three countries where policy and practice differ. We explore research engagement through documentary analyses and in-depth interviews with school leaders from equivalent phase schools. Results suggest school leaders’ experiences of research use are shaped by political contexts and strongly framed by education governance processes. These conclusions are, however, tentative and invite further investigation
Intertidal Encounters: Centre for Sustainable Practice in the Arts Quarterly
Get PDFIntertidal Encounters ask: what are the stories cast up by intertidal being/s and how do they come to matter