4101 research outputs found
Sort by
Remarkable Lives: Rachel Taylor in conversation with Jerome Carson
No full textPurpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a profile of Rachel Taylor.Design/methodology/approach – Rachel provides a short biographical account and is then interviewed by Jerome. In her biography she discusses her search for happiness and belonging.Findings – Rachel talks about focussing on what we are good at, what we love and how discovery can ignite that spark of hope that there can be better than what has gone before.Research limitations/implications – Rachel’s story shows the potential that lies not just within some of us, but all of us. It is but one story, but its message is sure to touch many.Practical implications – How do services promote hope and build resilience and wellbeing? While another service user said recovery was about “coping with your illness and having a meaningful life,” (McManus et al, 2009), services have perhaps focussed too much on symptom reduction and not enough on helping people find meaning and purpose.Social implications – Rachel asks the question is Positive Psychology a movement for all or is it just for the elite? Originality/value – Rachel is someone who has discovered for herself the benefits of Positive Psychology. Hopefully her own discovery will lead to her bringing this promising approach to people with mental health problem
Modelling extreme temperatures in Ireland under global warming using a hybrid peak–over–threshold and generalised Pareto distribution approach
No full textIn the present paper, modelling extreme temperature to assess risk of global warming in Ireland is addressed. The approach used is a combination of peak–over–threshold (POT) - generalised Pareto distribution (GPD) in which the parameter of distribution is allowed to vary with a dominant feature of climate at the location. The dominant climatic feature at a location is approximated by climatic variables derived from the National Centre for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) reanalysis data. Data from six stations were used to develop seasonal models for winter, spring, summer and autumn. Future changes in extreme temperature values are generated by using climate variables derived from (HadCM3) GCM for the A2 emissions scenario. The software extRemes was used to develop the models as it serves the proposed modelling approach. Results indicate that significant changes in extreme temperature events are projected to occur in Ireland over the course of the present century. These include hotter summers and mild winter
Plasma modified Polytetrafluoroethylene(PTFE)lubrication of α-olefin-copolymerimpact-modified Polyamide66
No full textEvaluation of the Impact of E-business in Supply Chain Management: “A Case of the Retail Sector in Malawi”
No full textDevelopments in information and communication technology (ICT) and electronic business (e-business) have significant impact on business operations including in retail supply chain management. Retail managers are persistently seeking ways to improve customer service, marketing, supply chain performance, and profitability of their retail chain stores.In this regard, the study’s main objective was to evaluate the impact of e-business in supply chain management using a case of the retail sector in Malawi; identifying levels of e-business adoption, utilisation, benefits and challenges. Highlights were made on benefits derived from e-business adoption such as reduced transaction costs, improved communication and information flow, coordinated supply chain planning, ability to overcome geographical trade barriers, enable access to global sources of supply and markets. Prominent barriers to e-business adoption and utilisation are high cost for electronic equipment, poor technology infrastructure resulting in poor network quality, high internet subscription rates, and frequent power blackouts affecting operations and information processing.Technology development in Malawi is in infancy stage hence not allowing continuing development of electronic business. The study established that the low technology adoption rate means low adoption for e-business and associated applications. While there is awareness of e-business applications that can be utilized to improve customer service, procurement, logistics management, supplier and customer relationship management and marketing, very few of these applications are being utilized in the business models adopted by retail firms.The study identified areas that require consultative effort from all stakeholders in order to improve the technology environment and attain sustainable e-business utilization. Issues that were beyond the case firm’s business strategy scope are national technology infrastructure development, policy formulation and implementation, regulations on data security in an environment of online business and consistent provision of power for improved operations execution.The Researcher recommends government’s increased effort in investing to improve the national technology and power generation infrastructure, policy formulation and implementation to promote e-business adoption and utilisation in the country. The retail firms must put in place or update e-business strategies to ensure consistency with each firm’s corporate and business strategies and pursue cross organisation supply chain systems integration and collaboration for better performance
Flame retardant back-coated fabrics : the challenge to replace bromine-containing formulations
No full textFacilitating Greek young learners with Asperger’s syndrome into the mainstream English as an Additional Language (EAL) classroom through the use of Interactive Whiteboard Technologies
No full textStudents on the spectrum are often seen as having difficulty in learning a foreign language. This assumption often works as an additional barrier to their successful integration in the mainstream education, robbing them of one more learning opportunity in comparison to their peers. Their abilities have often been overlooked or underestimated and their needs have been given low priority. However, on the basis of their cognitive abilities children with Asperger syndrome are attractive candidates for inclusive education although some teachers still express their concern. Obstacles to participation reside mainly in the environment and such barriers can be eliminated as new technology seems to offer exciting opportunities to that end. This study explores ways to facilitate the learning and inclusion of students with Asperger syndrome in English as an Additional Language through the use of the Interactive Whiteboard. Recent literature has indicated a plethora of ways to support children’s learning through the use of the Interactive Whiteboard. The research took place in a language school in Greece and a case study approach was employed with naturalistic observations and semi-structured interviews so as to investigate how the Interactive Whiteboard as a teaching and learning tool enhanced the teacher’s pedagogical practices and allowed her to meet the specific needs of the two participants. The case study also reports on various strategies that can potentially help students with Asperger’s syndrome meet their learning objectives. Findings suggest that new technologies offer new answers to barriers for children’s participation in education and social life but also that inclusion is inherently dependent on the teachers’ perception of technology as a facilitating factor, on their attitudes towards children’s with Asperger’s syndrome needs, in-service training and on the provision of sufficient resources
An investigation of ports that serve land-locked Malawi with regard to reduction of costs and supply chain obstacles
No full textMalawi as a Land locked country face numerous of challenges in its supply chain networks for both imports and exports due to a number of obstacles ranging from long distances to the open sea, third-country transit regulations, poor road networks, high inland haulage costs, fragile currency, fragile external relations with neighboring countries, unreliable port infrastructures and capacities. This renders Malawian products uncompetitive on the world market compared with countries with direct access to the open seas. Over the years has continuously sought to find and develop the most direct and cost effective route to the open seas that can substantially reduce the overall cost of bring goods to Malawi considering that 55% of the total cost of the import charge constitutes the inland haulage cost.The continual search for viable options and alternatives led to the birth of this investigation to review the current port options used by Malawi, potential sea ports that could be used and also the proposed world inland port in Nsanje district on the Shire-Zambezi waterways, which can be harnessed and developed into viable options with regard to reducing the overall importation and exportation costs. It is also envisaged that the results of the investigation will add value to existing knowledge on the various challenges affecting efficient trade logistics in Malawi and ultimately form the basis for policy makers to embark on projects designed to reduce importation and exportation costs and elimination of supply chain obstacles from an informed position
Stimulating student note-taking and review : the effect of active learning with rapid feedback.
No full textAs part of a study skills workshop, first year undergraduate students participated in an active learning exercise on remembering; this involved watching a video and later being tested on how much they could recall. The students watching the video were divided into three groups with different approaches to note-taking and subsequent review; afterwards the test results were fed back to the class. Subsequently, a survey was carried out of the students' approach to note-taking and review, both before and after the workshop.The results during the classes clearly demonstrated to the students the learning benefits both of taking notes and of subsequently reviewing them and the questionnaire results confirm the students' behaviours in this area were positively impacted by the workshop. The theoretical basis for these results in terms of the impact of note-taking and review on information processing are also discussed. Additionally, a number of barriers to effective note-taking were identified which can be addressed in the future
Molecular dynamics simulation of glass formation and crystallization in binary Pd-Ni and Cu-Ni alloys
No full textMolecular dynamics (MD) using Quantum Sutton-Chen potentials were used to obtain an atomistic description of melting, glass formation and crystallization processes for amorphous Cu, Ni and Pd to study the PdNi and CuNi alloys. The thermodynamic and mechanical properties were calculated in the 0-2000K temperature range from the MD trajectories. The formation of amorphous Cu, Ni and Pd and their alloys by rapid quenching was investigated from MD at constant pressure and temperature (TPN ensemble). The structural properties were analyzed by means of pair distribution functions and volume vs temperature, at cooling rates ranging from 40 K/ps to 0.4K/ps. The relation between the cooling rate and glass transition temperature, or crystallization, was described. The radial distribution function agrees well with experimental results for amorphous phases. Upon cooling rates in the range of 5K/ps to 0.4K/ps, Cu, Ni, Pd and CuNi alloys were formed a crystalline structure while PdNi alloys formed a glass. The radius ratios of crystal former (CuNi) has 1.02 while glass former (PdNi) has ratios 1.134. Therefore, the role of mismatch in atomic size favoured to glass formation
Repeat victimisation, retraumatisation and victim vulnerability
No full textThis study explores the contribution that traumatic experiences and psychological post-traumatic stress symptoms make to predicting subsequent revictimisation in a sample of violent crime victims. In addition, the timing of first trauma exposure was also explored. Fifty-four adult victims (27 male and 27 female) of police recorded violent crime were interviewed and their traumatic exposure history, trauma symptomology, age at first trauma exposure as well as psychological and psychosocial functioning were assessed. These victims were followed longitudinally and subsequent revictimisation between six and twelve months post index victimisation measured. A greater number of types of trauma exposure was related lower emotional stability, higher trauma symptomology and revictimisation. Those victims with childhood traumatic exposure reported more trauma symptomology exposure than those without prior exposure. The implications for law enforcement and victim services are discussed