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Talking careers: using interviews with learner stakeholders to understand the graduate outcome gap. Stakeholder internal report. Autumn 2024.
Get PDFIt is well-recognized that students of colour studying in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) under-achieve relative to white students. One way in which inequality is apparent is in terms of a ‘graduate outcome gap’ reflecting ethnicity-based differences in graduates entering highly skilled graduate employment (i.e., ‘graduate employment’). The key metric here concerns the relative proportion of graduates who are white students and graduates who are of colour in graduate employment six months after completing degree studies. Evidence shows that fewer graduates of colour than white graduates in employment are working in meaningfully defined graduate-level roles (59% vs 69%) and that fewer graduates of colour than white graduates earn above £25,000 six months after graduating (25% vs 30%) and fewer graduates of colour employed full-time than white graduates (70% vs 80%) (Social Market Foundation, 2021).
A growing body of evidence associates these discrepancies with structural racism in educational contexts and areas of university life (McGee, 2020; Razack & Naidu, 2022; Ugiagbe-Green & Ernsting, 2022). Recent scholarship has unpacked factors that help explain and might help address the graduate outcome gap highlighting that the gap is partly sustained by assumed equality of opportunity ('the myth of meritocracy') (Ugiagbe-Green et al., 2021, p. 10). These authors also highlight the need for bold policy actions designed to address the graduate outcome gap including, illustratively, innovation to move away from competency-based assessment approaches and commitment to developing targeted internships and work experience schemes. Recent articles have reported similar interventions to address structural racism in both child and adult educational settings (e.g., Byfield & Talburt, 2020; Coles & Kingsley, 2021).
Little is known about what learners of colour have to say about the ethnicity linked graduate outcome gap. Given the critical importance for all learners of securing graduate level work, understanding factors relevant to addressing the graduate outcome gap as identified within the experiences and views of key stakeholders, i.e., of learners of colour, have been neglected in the literature to date. This internal report presents exploratory research designed to help address this area of neglect and to contribute to the relevant evidence base.
Therein, the aim of our research was to understand the experiences of learners of colour based at a post 1992 North London university setting pertaining to developing career plans, to accessing careers and employability services, and to viewpoints of ‘the graduate outcome gap’ as defined above. Our research applies locally, to a post 1992 university setting, but transfers to some degree to the stake held by all learners of colour studying in higher education and, by extension, to all relevant educators working in higher education institutions.
To achieve our aim, we sought to address the following research questions:
1. 'What are students of colour's experiences of exploring career possibilities and career goals?'
2. ‘What are students of colour’s experiences of accessing careers and employability services while studying at university?’
3. ‘What are students of colour’s viewpoints on factors that help explain, and may help mitigate, the ethnicity linked graduate outcome gap?
This report will provide provisional evidence to help address research questions 1, 2 and 3
Intimate capitalism: political economy of labour and culture in creative industries
No full textThe book explores the concept of ‘intimate capitalism’ within the context of the rising cultural and creative industries. The assimilation of culture with capitalism has produced a mass culture that socialises people with the culture of capitalism, effectively domesticating and controlling the masses by establishing an intimate relationship between labor and working conditions. Intimate capitalism is a new form of capitalism where workers invest their labor and work overtime due to an affective connection to the cultural product they are working on or an intimacy with the cultural working conditions. It critically examines the narratives surrounding the creative economy, as well as digital innovations within cultural industries, to highlight how they are reinforcing and perpetuating exploitative working conditions. The erosion of workers’ rights under intimate capitalism is examined to show how cultural industries seek to dominate the lives of those working within them, leading to an increased commodification of culture and institutionalisation of creative assets in the name of economic growth and development.
This book offers a critical framework for understanding intimate capitalism and outlines its impact on workers, particularly those within developing economies. It will be relevant to students and researchers interested in cultural economics, the political economy, and labour economics
UK environmentally sensitive businesses SDG’s disclosure in their sustainability reports, websites and social media
Get PDFThis study examines the relationship between financial investment, shareholder preference, corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance and life satisfaction for BP and Shell within the UK, together with their alignment with specific Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). about, using regression analysis, in both projects Hypotheses were tested to assess the significance of these predictors in the performance of CSR developed. The results showed that financial investment, shareholder ownership, and social satisfaction did not significantly predict CSR performance for BP and Shell. Furthermore, there were no significant differences in the impact of these predictors between the two companies. Further research revealed Shell’s strong commitment to SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 13 (Climate Action), with both initiatives drawing on Shell’s significant investments in renewable energy and climate recognition in the management system established him as a leader in sustainable development efforts. BP’s goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050, especially focused on SDG 7 and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), this proposal was adopted
Digital transformation for fashion and luxury brands: theory and practice
No full textThis book re-evaluates the diffusion and positioning of fashion and luxury brands following the impact and disruption of digital transformations, particularly on existing omni-channel models and touchpoints and consumer behaviours. By exploring the importance of digital transformation and discussing the benefits and challenges it has created for the fashion industry, this book provides insights into the role of various digital technologies, systems and strategies in generating and maintaining brand value and equity, customer engagement and experiences and connecting the marketplace and marketspace.
Chapters 2 and 16 are available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via Springer Link
Are Metaverse applications in Quality 4.0 enablers of manufacturing resiliency? An exploratory review under disruption impressions and future research
Get PDFPurpose:
The purpose of this paper is to investigate, from a thorough review of the literature, the role of metaverse-based quality 4.0 (MV-based Q4.0) in achieving manufacturing resilience (MFGRES). Based on a categorization of MV-based Q4.0 enabler technologies and MFGRES antecedents, the paper provides a conceptual framework depicting the relationship between both areas while exploring existing knowledge in current literature.
Design/methodology/approach:
The paper is structured as a comprehensive systematic literature review (SLR) at the intersection of MV-based Q4.0 and MFGRES fields. From the Scopus database up to 2023, a final sample of 182 papers is selected based on the inclusion/exclusion criteria that shape the knowledge base of the research.
Findings:
In light of the classification of reviewed papers, the findings show that artificial intelligence is especially well suited to enhancing MFGRES. Whereas transparency and flexibility are the resilience enablers that gain most from the implementation of MV-based Q4.0. Through analysis and synthesis of the literature, the study reveals the lack of an integrated approach combining both MV-based Q4.0 and MFGRES. This is particularly clear during disruptions.
Research limitations/implications:
This study addresses only the Scopus database. Furthermore, further empirical study on the subject needs to be added to this study. Within the same research domain, it would be interesting to evaluate the effect of MV-based Q4.0 on MFGRES. Instead of concentrating solely on the Scopus database as in this paper, researchers may also need to investigate the various databases more broadly while using different keywords.
Practical implications:
This study has a significant impact on managers and businesses. It also advances knowledge of the importance of MV-based Q4.0 in achieving MFGRES and gaining its full rewards.
Originality/value:
This paper makes significant recommendations for academics, particularly those who are interested in the metaverse concept within MFGRES. The study also helps managers by illuminating a key area to concentrate on for the improvement of MFGRES within their organizations. In light of this, future research directions are suggested
Populism and foreign policy: characteristics, sources, and implications
No full textInternational Relations (IR) and Foreign Policy Analysis (FPA) literature is increasingly preoccupied with the effect of populism on international politics. This chapter offers an overview of key debates in this literature, with an emphasis on how the ideational approach to populism is being used by IR and FPA scholars, the insights it generates but also the challenges it poses. The chapter identifies two such challenges: the necessity to disentangle the international effect of populism from that of the ‘thick’ ideologies populists carry; and the recognition that the content of populist foreign policies may differ widely among populists from different regional and historical contexts. On this basis, the chapter argues that the impact of populist ideas (anti-elitism and anti-pluralism) on international politics must be sought instead in the distinct foreign policy styles and postures they inform, as well as the increasing personalization of foreign policy conduct by populist leaders – the ‘how’ rather than the ‘what’ of foreign policy. The chapter concludes by arguing that one of the most commonly identified feature of populist ideology in foreign policy – the quest for sovereignty – is indeed important, but its intensity depends on the geopolitical position of states and their populist leaders, especially if they are located in the West or the Global South
Introduction (from: Beyond the translator’s invisibility: critical reflections and new perspectives)
Get PDFThis is the Introduction from the edited volume "Beyond the translator's invisibility: Critical reflections and new perspectives", co-edited by Peter J Freeth and Rafael Treviño.
In this introduction, I argue that despite the oft-cited criticisms and limitations of Lawrence Venuti's conceptualisation of translator invisibility, it has become a core idea in translation studies due to the volume and variety of research stemming from Venuti's, as well as the continued prevalence of translator invisibility as an issue outside academia. However, I also argue that for (in)visibility to truly become a nuanced and operationalizable analytical tool, we must move away from seeing invisibility as an inherently negative status quo to instead understand the various visibilities of translators and translation. In putting forward this argument in favour of the plurality of (in)visibility, I use overviews of the diverse and interdisciplinary contributions from the volume to demonstrate the value of such approaches and introduce the book more generally
L’urgenza del suono come espressione propria: conversazione con Anna Oxa
No full textIn questa conversazione la cantante italiana Anna Oxa riflette sulla sua carriera, sulla sua relazione con i fan, e sugli elementi chiave della sua pratica artistica, come ad esempio l’importanza di creare la propria musica al di là delle pressioni del mondo della celebrità, i dettami dell’industria musicale, o le aspettative tradizionali di genere che esistono nei confronti delle artiste donne nel mondo della musica. La conversazione adotta il punto di vista poco esplorato dell’‘aca-fan’, o ‘academic-fan’ (Jenkins 1992). L’intervistatrice entra in un dialogo con l’eroina della propria adolescenza, Anna Oxa, attraverso la tessitura di elementi personali e spunti accademici, con l’intenzione di offrire un resoconto relazionale sull’incontro con una celebrità che è stata soggetto di interesse e ammirazione nella vita personale di chi scrive.
In this conversation, the Italian pop singer Anna Oxa reflects on her career and on her relationship with her fans, as well as discussing the key elements of her artistic practice, such as the importance of creating her own music beyond the pressures of celebrity culture, the dictates of the record industry, and the traditional gendered expectations which apply to female artists in the music world. This conversation adopts the underexplored viewpoint of the ‘aca-fan’ or ‘academic-fan’ (Jenkins 1992). The interviewer enters into a dialogue with the heroine of her teenage years, Anna Oxa, by weaving together personal and academic elements, presenting a relational account of an encounter with a celebrity who has long been the subject of the interviewer’s interest and admiration
QUCS-S: a central tool in the openPDK IC design flow
Get PDFThe release by IHP-GmbH in September 2023, of a Process Design Kit (PDK) specification for a 130nm BiCMOS process provides IC designers access to an open source PDK for analog, digital mixed signal and RF IC Design. An important goal of the IHP project is to provide PDK, and related data, that are freely available for creating manufacturable designs at IHP’s facility based on FOSS software. The open access Qucs-S circuit simualtion package has been selected by IHP as a central tool in the IC design sequence. This presentation outlines the background and the IHP PDK capabilities currently implemented with Qucs-S, Ngspice and OpenVAF. The recent release of Qucs-S version 24.2.0 further expands the tool set to include RF microstrip layout and analysis, using the Qucs-RFlayout and openEMS software. Throughout the presentation a series of simulation examples are introduced. These demonstrate the application of Qucs-S in analog, mixed mode analog/digital and RF design. All the software introduced in this talk is freely available and can be downloaded using the internet links provided
Encountering the hostile environment: recently arrived Afghan migrants in London
Get PDFFollowing the dramatic evacuation from Kabul airport in August 2021, the UK government proclaimed its commitment to a ‘warm welcome’ for Afghans. In this paper we draw on original qualitative research to explore the emerging experiences of evacuees, and other recent arrivals, during their first year in London. Using the narratives of our Afghans participants, as well as insights from key stakeholders, we show how they navigated slow, opaque bureaucratic processes and lack of communication with official agencies. As a result of these lengthy processes, many thousands of evacuees remained in temporary hotel accommodation for protracted periods. Drawing on the concept of ‘everyday bordering’, we explore the extent to which Afghan resettlement policies are achieving their objectives. We consider how such policies are birthed within a punitive immigration system, which is designed to ‘wear down’ migrants in the UK, regardless of their reason for migration. Moreover, we argue that the ad hoc response of the Home Office and the Foreign Office has created ‘false distinctions’ between categories of Afghan refugees, reinforcing notions of ‘deserving’ versus ‘underserving’ migrants. This distinction allows the government to present itself as humanitarian, ‘rescuing’ people from Afghanistan, while simultaneously maintaining its commitment to the ‘hostile immigration environment’