1522 research outputs found
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Assessing Ireland’s Pathways to Work : The impact of behavioural conditionality and sanctions
Full text linkThis thesis examines the lived experience of being unemployed in Ireland during the roll out of a range of new Active Welfare Policy measures introduced in 2012 as part of the Pathways to Work (PTW) scheme. Unemployment is not a naturally occurring phenomenon and instead is a political, institutional and governmental creation. There is a particular focus on how the introduction of more stringent measures of behavioural conditionality enforced by the threat of sanctions influences the experience of being unemployed. This work examines emergent practices of the use of sanctions as a means of eliciting job seeking behaviours. As such welfare policy under PTW justifies itself using punitive logics which individualise responsibility for unemployment and sees unemployed people as being in need of guidance into employment using an array of positive and negative incentives. The way in which unemployment and unemployed people are characterised is examined at length using the theoretical construct of the Active Welfare Imaginary. Theoretically speaking this thesis uses the governmentality paradigm as described initially by Foucault (2007) to examine the ways in which unemployed people are enjoined to become active job-seekers. In practice this happens through a variety of institutional and bureaucratic practices which range from filling out forms to group engagement sessions to one on one meetings with caseworkers. In order to gain a rich understanding of the experience of being governed as an unemployed person this research used semi-structured in depth qualitative interviews with 33 participants as its main method. Where possible, repeat interviews were carried out in an attempt to capture how attitudes evolved throughout the process of engaging with the unemployment services. This research captures the ways in which the experience of being unemployed under PTW involves being drawn into a system of close regulation which engenders a series of process pains (Feely 1979) where unemployed people lose many aspects of their agency and self-determination
Optimizing winter oilseed rape nitrogen management in the mild Atlantic climate of Ireland
Full text linkInvestigation of the foaming and encapsulation properties of whey proteins
Full text linkFoamed foods have been present for years and play an important role in the food we eat, e.g., in bread, carbonated drinks (e.g., beer), ice cream etc. Although aeration offers little nutritional benefit it provides foods with different textures and the air bubbles can help with digestion. However, foams are thermodynamically unstable and must be stabilised for consumer acceptance and product shelf-life.
This work looked at creating stable foams using whey protein isolate (WPI). Whey protein being amphiphilic, can stabilise foamed systems by residing at the air/water interface. Preliminary data found that WPI had good overrun but was unstable and drained within 1–48 h. Due to this instability, WPI microgels were prepared via cold-set gelation and their foamability was assessed, known as Pickering stabilisation. The microgels had lower overrun compared to native WPI, however, stability was much greater than native WPI. The microgels created self-supporting ultra-stable foams, remaining stable for >2 years.
In addition, microgels can also encapsulate compounds. In this work, the microgels encapsulated vitamin D3 (VD3), protecting it from stresses found in the food industry such as pasteurisation, UV-light and long-term storage. To the authors knowledge, there has been no published work based on using WPI microgels for encapsulation while also producing stable foams. This project proved that WPI microgels can simultaneously encapsulate VD3 while also forming an extremely stable foam.
Having established good foaming and encapsulation, the VD3 loaded WPI microgels (WPI/VD3) were incorporated into ice cream, whereby the melting rate was significantly reduced. Addition of WPI/VD3 microgels to ice cream did not negatively affect the ice creams properties and VD3 content remained stable, indicating the protective effect of WPI microgels from processing and storage conditions.
This demonstrated that WPI microgels could form ultra-stable foams, while acting as a delivery vehicle for VD3 for food fortification
Aging research and design thinking: How interdisciplinary collaboration and stakeholder engagement can drive trainees’ research impact
Full text linkAging research is increasingly seeking to solve complex challenges in a context where discovery to implementation and impact may take decades. Design thinking is an approach to problem solving that can accelerate impact by incorporating multiple perspectives, including those of interdisciplinary colleagues, stakeholders and end-users (including older adults), into research development and implementation. The objective of this study was to measure the research impact for 26 trainees (graduate students and postdoctoral fellows) who received funding and in-kind support from a central aging research institute for at least one year over the course of a five-year period (2017-2021). Trainees had varying uptake of these approaches to their aging research. Trainee respondents completed a survey that asked about interdisciplinary collaboration and design thinking approaches, including engagement with older adults, caregivers, and other stakeholders. Here we describe how these approaches were related to patterns in trainee success; trainees whose funded research involved more new collaborators - both within and outside of their discipline – reported more publications, conference presentations and invited talks associated with their research. Further, qualitative responses to survey questions regarding the impact of interdisciplinary and stakeholder interactions describe how trainees were able to make adaptive changes to methods, variables included for analysis, knowledge translation and implementation strategies. We conclude that, in this sample, trainees who engaged in greater interdisciplinary and stakeholder engagement had greater research impact, as measured via traditional academic metrics and more nuanced assessment of knowledge mobilization and implementatio
Whey protein microgels for stabilisation of foams
Full text linkRheological, foaming and foam textural properties of whey protein isolate (WPI) microgels formed via cold-set gelation were investigated and compared with those of native WPI foams. The effect of CaCl2 concentration and cross-linking time on microgel formation was studied assessing particle size, rheology and foamability. Foams, produced by mechanical whipping, were assessed by overrun, stability and texture. WPI had lower viscosity than the microgels, producing foams with greater overrun. For microgels, higher concentrations of CaCl2 formed smaller particles and decreased microgel viscosity, causing higher overrun. Increasing cross-linking time from 0 to 24 h significantly (P 2 years. This demonstrates that WPI microgels can be used as a novel functional application for creating ultra-stable foams for use in the food industry
Internal Strategic Talent Management of Key Positions at Senior Management Level in An Garda Síochána
No full textThis thesis explores internal strategic talent management (STM) of key positions at senior management level in An Garda Síochána (AGS), the national police service in the Republic of Ireland. Grounded in STM literature, the study’s overriding aim is to: explore the internal strategic talent management of key positions at senior level in the public sector, and specifically, AGS. Taking an interpretive position, the researcher describes the adopted qualitative case method. Informed by thematic analysis, the paper presents findings from 24 semi-structured interviews, underpinned by the critical incident technique. It identifies and discusses the talent pool of high potential intended participants, and presents an STM framework for use in the public sector policing environment. The paper concludes with the research contribution and research limitations before presenting paths to future studies
The mediating role of contemporary medical professionalism: The case of primary care physicians
No full textWhere no normative definition of medical professionalism exists, primary care physicians
(PCPs) can potentially adopt a definition to suit their circumstances. With PCPs required
to do more with fewer resources, the influence of medical professionalism on those PCPs
who receive both private and public income is a rich avenue for research, particularly
given the tensions between PCPs meeting their own needs and serving the public interest.
A theoretical framework of institutional logics, organisational response strategy, and
dual-income theory was applied to this study. A subjectivist qualitative research
methodology was employed to analyse historical documents (newspaper articles) and
semi-structured interviews with 25 Irish PCPs. This study poses research questions; as to
how PCPs conceptualise and operationalise the construct of medical professionalism,
how the construct influences PCPs preferred method of remuneration and their strategic
responses.
This study's findings reveal that PCPs poorly defined medical professionalism, although
operationalisation of the construct was described through the interviews. Medical
professionalism was found to constrain PCPs statements concerning dual-income and
preferred methods of remuneration. Temporal variation was found in medical
professionalism and strategic responses, with responses being influenced by a new
representative body's entrance.
In adopting an institutional lens to study PCPs at a micro-level, this study deepens an
understanding of how multiple logics influence the dynamic multi-layered construct of
medical professionalism. The study provides qualitative evidence for dual-income PCPs
motivation for remaining in practice and their response to means and goal-based
institutional change. In identifying PCPs lack of differentiation between medical
professionalism and professional ethics, practice and teaching can be improved to
enhance trust between a PCP and patients. This study offers a template to qualitative
medical research through sequential research methodologies built upon each other to give
robustness to the research findings
In-situ Bioremediation and Molecular Microbiological Monitoring of Ammonia Contaminated Groundwater
Full text linkTo reduce ammonia contamination in groundwater, two Permeable Reactive Barriers (PRBs) were installed in a closed landfill site in Ennis, Co. Clare to act as a sustainable in-situ bioremediation solution. The PRBs were designed to reduce ammonia (NH4-N) contamination in the groundwater by cycling ammonia through the nitrogen cycle to dinitrogen gas thereby reducing contamination of the receiving surface water bodies. The PRBs were designed to promote the first (aerobic) stage of the nitrogen cycle in PRB1, i.e., nitrification and the second (anaerobic) stage of the nitrogen cycle in PRB2 i.e., denitrification. Monitoring wells were installed upstream of the PRBs, within the PRBs, between the PRBs and downstream of the PRBs, resulting in five monitoring wells.
These five monitoring wells (S1- S5) were monitored onsite for pH, DO, temperature, and electrical conductivity. Water samples were analysed to determine concentrations of ammoniacal nitrogen, nitrite, nitrate, and total organic carbon. eDNA was extracted from water collected from the monitoring wells and analysed to determine abundance of nitrogen cycling functional genes (i.e., bacterial, and archaeal amoA as well as nirK, nirS and nosZ). eDNA from both PRBs at six monthly intervals was used to investigate the microbial communities present. The results showed that PRB1 significantly reduced the NH4-N contamination in the groundwater and that PRB2 significantly reduced the concentrations of the resulting nitrification by-products nitrite (NO2) and nitrate (NO3) thereby signalling bioremediation. Concentrations of target contaminant, NH4-N, were significantly lower in downstream monitoring S5 compared to all other monitoring wells. The molecular analysis confirmed that nitrogen cycling microbes were present on the site and suggested that the PRBs were functioning as a bioremediation solution for ammonia contamination
Wearable uBrain : Fabric Based-Spiking Neural Network
Full text linkOn garment intelligence influenced by artificial neural networks and neuromorphic computing is emerging as a research direction in the e-textile sector. In particular, bio inspired Spiking Neural Networks mimicking the workings of the brain show promise in recent ICT research applications. Taking such technological advancements and new research directions driving forward the next generation of e-textiles and smart materials, we present a wearable micro Brain capable of event driven artificial spiking neural network computation in a fabric based environment. We demonstrate a wearable Brain SNN prototype with multi-layer computation, enabling scalability and flexibility in terms of modifications for hidden layers to be augmented to the network. The wearable micro Brain provides a low size, weight and power artificial on-garment intelligent wearable solution with embedded functionality enabling offline adaptive learning through the provision of interchangeable resistor synaptic weightings. The prototype has been evaluated for fault tolerance, where we have determine the robustness of the circuit when certain parts are damaged. Validations were also conducted for movements to determine if the circuit can still perform accurate computation
An investigation of competencies for managing lean projects in Irish hospitals: A mixed methods study
Full text linkIncreasing demand for the provision of healthcare services pose significant pressures for hospitals that function in resource-constrained environments (Leite et al., 2022). Improvement approaches adopted from industry, such as lean management, are being increasingly implemented in healthcare organisations (Rotter et al., 2018). Implementing a lean management approach in hospital organisations is not straightforward, and in healthcare, lean implementation outcomes are not yet evidence based (Lawal et al., 2014). As managers play a key role in the success of any organisation, there is value in understanding the competencies that influence managerial effectiveness (Steyn and van Staden, 2018). Management competence positively influence healthcare service delivery and organisational success (Liang et al., 2017). Calls have been made for further research concerning the role of the lean healthcare project leader (Souza et al., 2018). This research identifies and investigates competencies for managing lean improvement projects in public hospitals in Ireland.
This research adopts a philosophical approach of engaged constructionism, recognising that human development is socially situated and knowledge develops through interactions with others (Easterby-Smith et al., 2015). A pragmatic and interpretative approach is utilised, reflecting that management research should contribute to both theory development and management practice. A mixed method design is utilised that consists of a Modified Delphi technique and critical-incident interviews. The Modified Delphi technique comprised four rounds that included an initial round of open-ended questions, followed by three consecutive rounds of closed-ended questions, employing a Likert scale, rating competency statements on their relative importance to lean improvement project success. Critical-incident interviews were held with 17 participants in a project manager, or a project lead, role in hospitals in Ireland. The data collected from the field research were analysed statistically using SPSS software and analysed thematically using NVivo software.
This research develops a visual map that contextualises the challenges facing healthcare organisations (see Fig. 1.1) and puts forward a human resource development approach, viewing strategy through a resource-based view and lean lens that seeks to maximise value for patients and minimise resource spend. Many lean healthcare implementations are project based (Souza et al., 2018; Regis et al., 2019). This research develops a competency model for managing lean improvement projects in hospitals, containing 90 competency statements and six competency domains. A conceptual framework (see Figure 9.3) is also developed that describes the application of this model in a broader organisational and healthcare system context, highlighting practical implications of the model at individual, team-level, and project manager roles, in addition to organisational applications.
The research contributes to the existing literature base in the competency management and lean management literatures. A contribution is also made by considering the application of the resource-based view as a lens to consider how a human resource, namely, the lean project manager, can be supported in their role of delivering lean project outcomes, thus supporting organisational strategy. Capability deficits are identified in hospitals in Ireland in certain competency areas. Recommendations are made for further research in lean competencies and for further testing of the competency model and the conceptual framework in sectors other than the healthcare sector