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Regulating for International Labour Organisation ‘Decent Work’ and Family-Friendly Employment: Staffordshire University/APIIT Sri Lanka Project (2017-2019)
No full textThe presentation outlined the cross-disciplinary research being undertaken by the project team, and the project's key research questions (pp.9, 10 of the presentation). The project is concerned with work-life balance and flexible working schemes which enable groups like parents, carers, and parents adopting children to take leave from work and return to work; and then to be re-integrated into their employment. Such 're-integration' steps, and their effectiveness in achieving work-life balance, equalities, and other objectives, depend on effective arrangements being put in place and maintained. Among other things, schemes need to give effect to International Labour Organisation Decent Work standards and factor in best practice in human resource management standards. They also depend on recognition of the importance (and value) of work-life balance standards being maintained in the workplace.
The project is concerned with identifying models and best practice currently in operation; and then, by reference to International Labour Organisation Decent Work requirements, national legal requirements, HR and employee systems, and other regulatory aspects, developing a regulatory 'model' drawing on best practice. Sri Lanka, as a country which adopts ILO Decent Work and other standards, and which has a well-developed Labour Law jurisidiction in place (with family-friendly working practices, including maternity, paternity, and other leave arrangements) is an appropriate jurisdiction in which to assist in identifying and evaluating the elements that would make up such a regulatory model. Aspects like re-integration in the labour market - typically on reduced working time or other 'flexible' arrangements - and retention will provide a particular focus, assisted by consultations and collaborative work with key stakeholders. A further outline of the project is provided in the powerpoints that supported the presentation (provided).
There are six members of the project team (details below). The team has particular expertise in Labour Law and International Labour Law, Family Law, Equalities, Family Studies, Regulation, Human Resource Management, and Employee Relations.
As well as examining current models of flexible working in operation the world, a further dimension of the project is looking at the role played by the law in providing effective regulatory and enforcement mechanisms.
Key Phases 2017-2019:
Phase 1 of the project is concerned with: a literature review; analysis of current world schemes having regard to legal frameworks and HR practice, including schemes that have been collectively bargained and operate under collective arrangements (albeit within national regulatory frameworks); research into the application of ILO Decent Work, Conventions, and other standards; and identification of key features and attributes of an effective model for countries currently without legal regulatory frameworks.
Phase 2 is focused in Sri Lanka, a country which adopts ILO Decent Work and other standards but which currently does not have legal provision on a number of specific aspects of flexible working arrangements - particularly with regard to labour market re-integration for returnees.
The team will survey consultees' views and preferences on flexible work schemes, and options for the various forms of regulation. This stage of the research will encompass organisations representing employers, trade unions, the Institute of Personnel Management, Sri Lanka, and others. This phase will entail, in particular: consultation and data gathering by questionnaire, and follow-up face-to-face meetings with consultees; and data processing and evaluation of responses.
This paper was presented again at the APIIT Annual Research Conference on 20th July 2017.
Expected outputs. These will include conference papers, articles, and support for teaching and learning (including material for the Labour Law, International Labour Law, and Family Law programmes delivered by Staffordshire University and APIIT. It is also anticipated that work-in-progress and project findings and recommendations will inform public engagement events.
Project Team
Dr Keith Puttick - Labour Law, International Labour Law, and ILO Standards SU
Dr Kushanthi S. Harasgama - Family, Labour Law, Public Law Asia Pacific Institute of Technology, Colombo, Sri Lanka APIIT
Dr Peter Beszter - HR and Employee Relations SU
Prof David Williamson - Regulation, Compliance and Enforcement SU
Shashini Vidanapthirana Abeysinghe - Sri Lankan and South Asian Labour Law, and ILO Standards APIIT
Farhana Raheem - Sri Lankan and South Asian Labour Law, and ILO Standards APII
A Mobile Holistic Enterprise Transformation Framework
No full textMobile phones and tablets shipments are surpassing those of the PC category, as well as in relation to Internet usage as of 2016; all details which have made mobile adoption a priority for many enterprises and a challenge for them as well. Many enterprises have fallen into a paradox of spending on creating and updating mobile services, and gaining less than expected in return.
Reasons for this include the lack of vision, and the lack of a clearly defined, well communicated mobile strategy. Enterprise Architecture ‘EA’ facilitates a successful transformation by controlling and managing the transitions in order to arrive at a clearly defined future state. It is regarded as the science of change to many. However, EA frameworks are very comprehensive and require weeks of training and resources, and are often too generic for mobile transformation.
Therefore, an EA-based mobile holistic enterprise framework has been developed to support enterprises in making mobile initiatives a priority. The proposed framework ensures a clearly defined, well-communicated, holistic future state that is continually evaluated, as opposed to many of the existing frameworks.
The proposed Mobile Holistic Enterprise Architecture Framework - ‘MHETF’ - is based on the realisation of the capabilities of smartphones that are aimed at individual average consumers (the backbone of the current mobile trend). The capabilities are categorised and translated into four sets of services categories for business use. They are linked to another two components of the framework which are: (i) the categorisation of goals and objectives that are incorporated into the Balanced Scorecard for evaluation at a later stage in planning, and continually referred to during transitions and (ii) the categorisation of the implementation forms (categorisation of end solutions’ functionalities).
The framework is supported by EA inter-operability and maturity models to ensure continuity and alignment with the existing initiatives, the enterprise’s strategic objectives, and the change required in the scope of transformation. An evaluation for the available enterprise architecture frameworks was carried out and resulted in the selection of The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF). The decision was also commended by the participants in the case study evaluation due to their familiarity with this framework, which is being adopted as the Saudi E Government Standard in contrast to the other major frameworks of Zachman and Federal Enterprise Architecture (FEA). MHETF has been applied to three case studies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; two applications for a leading national outsourcing company, and the third for
the outpatient clinics in a large hospital in the capital city of Riyadh. The results have shown major improvements in the four goal areas of mobile transformation; productivity, processes, satisfaction improvement and facilitating new opportunities. Eventually, the final evolution has
shown that the participants are satisfied with the framework overall, and indicates that the framework changed their perspective of the power of mobile applications significantly, is relatively easy to understand, and that they are planning to adopt it for future mobile initiatives
A Companion to the History of Crime and Criminal Justice
No full textThe history of crime and punishment is an important, yet under-resourced area of criminology and criminal justice. This valuable book provides concise but robust definitions of key terms and concepts, going well beyond a simple explanation of the word or theme. Offering a succinct approach to the vocabulary and terminology of historical and contemporary approaches to crime and punishment, it includes entries from expert contributors in a user-friendly A-Z format with clear direction to related entries and further reading. Including explanations of terms ranging from 'garrotting' to The Bow Street Runners, baby farming to juvenile delinquency, this easily accessible text will be ideal for the reader to draw on across the variety of modules and studies relating to the topic
Chapter 3 - Current approaches to teaching, learning and assessment Chapter 5 - Inclusion, equality and SEND Chapter 9 - Making a difference: practitioner-led research
No full textThis book explores key contemporary issues in education, featuring the latest theoretical perspectives and policies, aimed at supporting the professional development and understanding of those working or intending to work in the education sector. Both school- and college-based education have faced rapid change over the last few years. A strong research base around the impact of these changes is emerging, enabling a critically informed debate on policy and practice developments. The book provides an up to date evidence-based overview of key changes, their underlying rationale and an examination of alternative viewpoints. The content is concise and focused while still developing readers’ critical thinking skills through tasks embedded within each chapter as well as a distinct section on critical reflective thinking. Other key topics include inclusion, leadership, community education, comparative education, research and education futures
Beyond ghosts, gangs and good sorts: Commercial cannabis cultivation and illicit enterprise in England’s disadvantaged inner cities
No full textThis article focuses on the commercial cultivation of cannabis in England. Based on extensive ethnographic fieldwork with organised crime groups in disadvantaged locales, we argue that the rapid growth of cannabis cultivation is not the preserve of ‘ghosts, gangs and good sorts’. Rather, these new markets reflect significant socio-cultural and technological transformations and the involvement of independent entrepreneurial criminals who, for the most part, come from impoverished neighbourhoods that have experienced, in recent years, a significant decline in legitimate job opportunities. This article offers new empirical data that shed light upon the organisation of commercial cannabis cultivation. It also challenges dominant academic accounts of these markets
An analysis of Feature extraction and Classification Algorithms for Dangerous Object Detection
Get PDFOne of the important practical applications of object detection and image classification can be for security enhancement. If dangerous objects e.g. knives can be identified automatically, then a lot of violence can be prevented. For this purpose, various different algorithms and methods are out there that can be used. In this paper, four of them have been investigated to find out which can identify knives from a dataset of images more accurately. Among Bag of Words, HOG-SVM, CNN and pre-trained Alexnet CNN, the deep learning CNN methods are found to give best results, though they consume significantly more resources
THE INTERPLAY BETWEEN COMPETITION AND CO-OPERATION AND THE EFFECT ON INNOVATION IN MATURE INDUSTRY CLUSTERS: A CASE STUDY OF THE NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE CERAMICS INDUSTRY, TABLEWARE AND GIFTWARE SECTOR
Get PDFThis thesis explores the relationship between competition and co-operation and identifies how the interplay between the two can affect innovation in industry clusters. The guiding theories underpinning this thesis are drawn from key theories of industry clusters and cluster competitive advantage, the starting point for which is Michael Porter’s (1990) theory of national/regional competitive advantage. From Porter’s studies of industry clusters two key elements are cited as being crucial to the success or failure of an industry cluster, they are: the roles of ‘co-operation’ and ‘competition’. Since Porter’s original studies, many cluster theories have been developed to examine and explain the roles of co-operation (1) and competition (2) and their effects on innovation (3) within industry clusters (e.g., Audretsch and Feldman, 1996; Baptista and Swann, 1998; Audretsch, 2000; Tallman et al., 2004; Lorentzen, 2008). Other recent studies have contended that co-operation and competition vary across the different stages of the industry life-cycle (4) (e.g., Klepper, 1996; Swann et al., 1998; Brenner, 2005; Belussi and Sedita, 2009; Potter and Watts, 2010, 2014). Consequently, the theoretical framework for this research study is drawn primarily from these four key themes (and related sub-themes), it combines and synthesises key elements of cluster theories from researchers in such fields as Industrial Districts, Production Systems, Economic Geography, and Industry Life-cycle. In addition, several other related theories are referred to, where relevant, e.g. dominant firm theory and transaction cost theory. These theories, whilst not core to the research, are included to clarify terminology and concepts.
A critical-realism paradigm is the core philosophical stance taken for this research study. A mixed/multi methods approach, that includes both deductive and inductive elements, is applied throughout the research process. Thus, this research study both tests and builds theory. To achieve the research objectives, three unique pieces of research are undertaken that, when integrated together, give important insights into the competitive advantage of the Stoke-on-Trent Ceramics Cluster (tableware and giftware sector). The first chapter of the empirical findings presents results of a longitudinal study of the cluster’s evolution between 1960 and 2016. The empirical findings clearly identify that a prolonged period of consolidation occurred in the cluster between 1960 and 2010. Moreover, the emergence, pattern of acquisitions and growth of the Cluster’s two once dominant firms, Wedgwood and Royal Doulton, are established. The second empirical chapter presents a historic analysis of co-operative behaviours in the cluster between 1700 and 2016. The empirical findings indicate that cluster firms have a long history of minimal co-operation with each other, and with other firms and institutions. The research findings suggest several reasons that may explain the un-cooperative culture apparent in the cluster. The empirical evidence also suggests that cluster firms may be starting to co-operate more, possibly due to changes in local governance, i.e. the balance of power and control has shifted since the decline of Wedgwood and Doulton. The final empirical chapter presents unique data from a questionnaire and interview survey into innovation and co-operation in the cluster between 2010 and 2016. The results indicate that strong innovative activity is evident in the cluster. However, co-operative activity appears to be relatively weak. The results also suggest that there are many opportunities for cluster firms to co-operate across a range of industry issues. Overall, the empirical findings indicate that the Stoke-on-Trent ceramics cluster is a relatively successful industry cluster but it could be stronger.
Although the empirical results supported several of the research propositions, in some areas the findings did not clearly map to either the maintained, or alternative, propositions, but positioned the Stoke-on-Trent cluster somewhere between the two. Consequently, alternative propositions that more closely fitted the apparent reality of the situation are presented in the conclusions chapter.
This thesis has contributed to knowledge by further developing the theory on industry clusters, i.e. through testing and further developing cluster theories a new framework for cluster analysis has been constructed. This new framework is based on Arikan’s original model (see chapter 2, Figure 2.2), which is aimed at identifying knowledge creating opportunities, but was further developed by the researcher to include other factors identified in the various literatures as important to knowledge creation and competitive advantage (see chapter 2, Figure 2.4 for an extension of Arikan’s original model). After application to the SOT cluster, the model was developed even further to include a new determinant, ‘factors affecting the propensity to co-operate’. The new determinant examines other historical antecedents not included in Arikan’s original model. Figure 7.1 Presents the new model for analysing industry clusters. Thus, the research makes a significant contribution to extant literature on clusters, industrial districts, networks and governance by providing new knowledge and new perspectives on the importance of co-operation in industry clusters. The empirical findings make a further contribution to cluster theory in that they develop the literature on dominant firm effects on the competitive advantage of clusters, an area that is somewhat under-reported in the extant literature. Finally, the research also contributes to the theory on evolutionary economics through the findings of the longitudinal study into the Stoke-on-Trent ceramic cluster’s evolution
MLED_BI: a new BI Design Approach to Support Multilingualism in Business Intelligence
Get PDFExisting approaches to support Multilingualism (ML) in Business Intelligence (BI) create problems for business users, present a number of challenges from the technical perspective, and lead to issues with logical dependence in the star schema. In this paper, we propose MLED_BI (Multilingual Enabled Design for Business Intelligence), a novel BI design approach to support the application of ML in BI Environment, which overcomes the issues and problems found with existing approaches. The approach is based on a revision of the data warehouse dimensional modelling approach and treats the Star Schema as a higher level entity. This paper describes MLED_BI and the validation and evaluation approach used
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