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Reality of Big Data Adoption in supply chain for sustainable manufacturing SMEs
No full textThe paper provides a literature review of Big Data Application (BDA) in Sustainable Manufacturing (SM) as focus of supply chain management. First of all, the concept of Big Data (BD) is explained followed by focusing on the dimensions and the potential of BD. It discusses the principle of SM, which is identified by literature as world-class sustainable manufacturing (WCSM). The literature review critically indicates differences and similarities between literatures in the research area to generate an entire understanding of the topic. Proper literature is provided to investigate the following aspects: utilization of BDA in manufacturing, BDA in manufacturing processes, principle of servitisiation, logistics and supplier integration, decision making processes and forecasting and finally sustainable aspects. Resulting research gaps are summarized and clustered to identify common gaps. Finally, the conclusion outlines cognitions provided by this literature review. The aim of this paper is to provide a literature review about BDA in SM as part of supply chain management to provide a general understanding of the topic and to identify common research gaps for further research projects. For achieving the aim some objectives have to be fulfilled. The concept of BD has to be explained first, before outlining the importance and the advantages of BDA. The meaning of SM is explained afterwards. A critical analysis of literature that combines both aspects leads to the understanding of BDA in Sustainable Manufacturing
WORKING IN CHINA: REFLECTIONS FROM THE JIANGXI PROVINCE
No full textThe internationalisation of higher education has led to an increase in both the expansion of higher education institutions into new countries and also the scope for partnerships between higher education institutions and organisations in different countries around the world. These expansions and partnerships can provide interesting opportunities for academics wishing to work internationally. The purpose of this paper is to use one such partnership as the context for a research project which has examined the experiences of a university lecturer from the UK, who, through a partnership arrangement has spent a year living and working in the Jiangxi province.
The data derived was based on 3 semi-structured interviews (2 Skype interviews and 1 face to face interview). These interviews were carried out between September 2016 and December 2017. During these interviews the respondent was asked to describe their experiences during this time-frame (both personally and professionally). The reflections and feedback of the respondent have been presented in this paper against the context of key research in the area of expatriate educators, focusing on 3 themes:
1 What were the influencing factors in the respondent deciding to leave the UK and start work in China?
2 What issues of adjustment has the respondent encountered in the new working and living context?
3 What are the key traits needed for successful expatriate educator adjustment?
The feedback from the interviews highlighted a range of issues and opportunities. The respondent indicated that the primary positive outcome of their year working in China was the career development acquired through the development of new and existing skills and also the new professional contacts they made (these contacts have resulted in further academic and professional collaboration). The respondent highlighted keys challenges as being not only overcoming personal adjustment issues related to the general culture shock they felt throughout their time in China but also the professional adjustments they had to make when working with not only their new colleagues but also the largely Chinese speaking cohorts at the University (these adjustment areas were based around issues of systems, culture and language). The respondent indicated in the interviews that the primary motivating factor for relocating to China for work purposes was a financial one.
The research was conducted as part of a larger project which is studying the working and living experiences of expatriate educators in different parts of the world; with the purpose of examining several key issues: motivating factors for expatriate movement, adjustment challenges, and the key traits needed for the successful adjustment of expatriate educators
Five plots: the relationship between plot and genre in short fiction
No full textThis thesis explores the notion that, in short fiction, plot is a component part of genre. Using original fiction, and with reference to classic and contemporary examples from a broad range of short stories, the thesis investigates this relationship through an examination of the semantic and syntactic features found in a variety of genres. The thesis begins with an examination of horror, romance and erotic fiction, three of the five supergenres examined and the genres that are perceived to have the strongest focus on character, and on characters’ inter-relationships. The thesis then moves on to consider plot-focused supergenres, such as the mystery and the adventure, arguing that the whodunit, fantasy and science fiction are basic level genres, subordinate to either the mystery or adventure supergenres. The thesis concludes by discussing further original, and somewhat experimental fiction that has come from this approach to the notion of plot being a component part of genre. It is hoped that this study will be of value to writers on both theoretical and practical levels. From a theoretical perspective, this material demonstrates one writer’s approach to analysing genre fiction, which should prove a useful model for other writers to use or appropriate. From a practical point of view, the contents of this thesis should prove an aid to writers, who will be able to see what it is that makes their fiction successful, or not, from a genre perspective
The female football spectator in England, 1870–1914: a Flaneuse made visible?
No full textFlanerie has recently undergone a conceptual expansion to include other observations of modernity, incorporating the flaneuse, a female equivalent in late nineteenth/early twentieth century cities. This scholarship makes a convincing case that public (masculine) spaces and domestic (feminine) spaces were not so mutually exclusive as to preclude a female presence within cities. A flaneuse could (within certain limitations) experience the city, producing observations based on this. Previous work related to flanerie has mainly concentrated on ‘high’ culture, including art criticism and literary production. This paper links the flaneuse to female football spectators at male professional football matches in England from c1800–1914, an expansion of the concept into popular culture, connected to other instances manifested in music halls and department store shopping. It also relates the journalistic observations of female football spectators and reporters as flaneuses, a form of literary production, which contrasts with the literature of ‘high’ culture previously analysed
A Time to Pause and Ponder
No full textIn this paper the authors share experiences from teacher education in the UK and Denmark. They apply methodologies for supporting teacher students from initial exposure to the classroom setting, through training programmes and into the early stages of their professional work. They use Frankl’s notion of meaning making through encountering and doing deeds as eminent ways of creating meaning in education. They demonstrate how two similar but also different methods i.e. narrative inquiry and self- study can create basis for exposing meaning-making among teacher students and teacher educators. They conclude that within education meaning is created in the engagement with the world and the persons inhabiting this world
Evaluation of Sport Rehabilitation Students’ value of communication skills to enhance the summative assessment of musculoskeletal injuries
No full textThe Summative Assessment for Musculoskeletal Injuries, an HE4 module at a University in the North of England, did not assess communication skills, therefore, it was not the most appropriate method of assessing clinical competence. An experimental approach was developed to evaluate the students’ clinical experiences gained on their clinical placement at the Sports and Spinal Injures Clinic (SSIC) within the University. The aim was to develop an approach to alter the weighting of the mark scheme for the module to include assessment of communication skills. A group consisting of students, male and female, completed a question online survey before and after clinical experience. The proposed approach allowed alteration to the weighting of marks in the current mark scheme to now include a percentage of marks awarded for communication skills, interpersonal skills, professionalism and differential diagnosis. This will ultimately enhance the assessment of clinical competence and constructive alignment
Developing the scholarship of teaching and learning (SOTL) at an institutional level
No full textThis workshop will build on a current initiative by Bolton University and University of East London ‘SOTLVision’, which brings academics together in person and online to discuss SOTL issues. The purpose of the workshop is to engage participants in discussion around factors affecting SOTL development, from its value in the development of research (TEF/REF) and teaching and learning practices, to how we drive wholescale cultural change that embraces SOTL as part of the academic framework. The workshop convenors will share outcomes of those discussions from the two initial institutions who took part, but also wish to engage those attending the workshop in discussions around these themes to build on the work
Gendered health and well-being : exploring links between health and social praxes for men in British motorcycling
No full textGendered health inequalities are socially-determined and remain a public health concern among men. Traditionally ‘masculine’ characteristics (eg stoicism) are routinely implicated by research, but evidence of healthcare environments’ inaccessibility to men has been observed. Motorcycling is predominantly male, mainstream leisure and enjoyed by men of all ages and abilities. Motorcycling environments, stereotypically masculine, offer men social, although not always healthful rewards. Associations between men’s well-being, health and gendered social praxes are unclear because they are under-researched and effects of traditional (hegemonic) masculinity are often assumed. The study investigates those associations to establish what influences male motorcyclists’ (MMs) health-relevant behaviour, explore their understandings and expression of health and well-being, and examine convergence between their health, well-being and social practices. Its approach was ethnographic, mixed method and cross-sectional. Quantitative data were collected using a web-based self-administered survey available to MMs via diverse well-known webPortals (eg Motorcycle News) from July-December 2012 (N = 1752). Respondents, aged 16-77 years old, came from all four UK countries. Statistical analyses showed that, irrespective of age, MM’s average mental well-being (measured using the short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale) exceeded English population norms for the same period. Statistically significant associations existed between well-being, marital status and advanced rider training. Age, alcohol use profile and ideological orientation towards traditional masculinity all shared statistically significant associations with riding speeds, and health-relevant behavioural and social risk-taking. Qualitative data were gathered concurrently from a randomly-drawn nested subset of 545 self-selected surveyed men (N = 33). Thematic analyses revealed MMs’ public health compliance influenced by three main drivers: prior ill-health exposure, homosocial edgework and competitive sport orientation. MMs’ health, well-being and social practices converged on complex trade-offs between compliance, well-being, socially-identified cultural masculinity and risk-taking norms. MMs favour proactive, informal, small-scale, innovative, action-oriented peer-led health-relevant self-help. This study is the first of its kind
A 1×8 linear ultra-wideband phased array with connected dipoles and hyperbolic microstrip baluns
No full textA 1×8 linear single polarized ultra-wideband connected dipole phased array with wide angle scan range is proposed. The dipoles in the array are connected with each other in E-plane to improve the impedance matching on the low end of the frequency band. The frequency band and the scan range in E-plane is 2~9 GHz for broadside radiation, 2~8 GHz for 30° scan, 2~7 GHz for 45° scan, and 2~6.5GHz for 60° scan. The VSWR is better than 2.0 across the frequency band from 2 to9 GHz for broadside radiation and the cross-polarization level is below -10dB. A hyperbolic microstrip balun is used as an impedance transformer to connect the 50Ω SMA connector to a 150 Ω broadband dipole in an array. The structure of this antenna is totally planar and low profile, thus it is made easy to integrate with the PCB boards. To eliminate the surface wave blindness, no other dielectric layer is used in the array. The proposed balun supports Common Mode (CM) current and the radiation of this CM current cancels the radiation of the dipole in some frequency for a certain scan angle, this results in Feed Blindness. Adding H-Plane PEC walls decreases the Feed Blindness frequency in the design
Inspiring innovation: A case study of successful business formation from an entrepreneurship module
No full textThe purpose of this study is to revive the business educational practices offered by one of the 1992 post-universities in the Northwest of England in relation to entrepreneurship. The motivational factor is to illuminate the entrepreneurial initiatives that lead to developing a business. Hence, consideration is given to entrepreneurship education, business ideas, skills, innovation and creativity, which requires practicing and reflecting on the learning obtained from the active participation in the study of entrepreneurship.The methodology used for this research is a case study of an entrepreneurship module that was run for a semester where undergraduate business students were given the opportunity to identify their business idea, write a business plan and execute the business. In total, 25 students took part in the study and shared their experiences of the business educational practices that were offered to them. The use of case allowed the researchers to deal with the subject in more depth. The findings show that there are more benefits in undertaking the entrepreneurship module and can helps students to develop an entrepreneurship mindset and change their pre-conceived ideas about entrepreneurship