Wolverhampton Intellectual Repository and E-Theses: Recent submissions
Now showing items 1-20 of 7301
-
Toward 'Squire Horror' : Genesis 1972-1973Folk Horror theorisation has tended to shy away from what could be read (justifiably or otherwise) as misanthropy in the representation and uses of the folk (in the sense of common people) in its three origin films: Witchfinder General, The Wicker Man, and The Blood on Satan’s Claw. Such misanthropy chimed with conservative and reactionary political positions of the 1970s (with respect to immigration and the homegrown ‘underclass’) and was at odds with progressive developments in the critical methodologies of history disciplines. In considering this impasse, this chapter identifies the aristocratic/clerical-judicial figures who also appear in the three origin films and explores the idea that the horror seems generated by those of the upper rather than sub-proletariat classes. This reading, then, is termed ‘Squire Horror’. In order to undergo this exploration, a consideration of the concept of ‘folk’ of British folk music occurs-as re-worked in the early music and performances of Genesis. This chapter argues that Genesis, at this point, both embraced and made strange foundational folk notions, aligned to a mythical Victorian era, explored through its juvenilia and upper-class cultures. In performance, ‘The Musical Box’ adds a paedophilic context to the supernatural narrative of the recorded song, and represents an upending of notions of Victorian propriety and morality and advances the idea of an excavation of previously repressed secrets. This critical position on the Victorian upper classes and culture is considered in respect to the coming strategy of a renewed moralism on the part of the British Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher, via a ‘return to Victorian values’. In this respect, Squire Horror can be considered to critically engage with a key ideological discourse of the 1970s. The chapter concludes with a preliminary filmography of British Squire Horror, acknowledging that this grouping is not as strong or artistically coherent as Folk Horror filmographies.
-
Key drivers for big data adoption in the Dominican Republic construction industry: an empirical studyConstruction methods have barely changed since the last industrial revolution, but new project requirements are subject to change every day. Including sustainability and new technologies that produce user and environmentally-friendly projects are now requirements in almost every country. Big Data (BD) is mainly characterised by improving the decision-making process through data analysis. Adopting BD in the construction industry is expected to positively impact efficiency in design and construction activities. However, it requires a change in the industry's culture and the adoption of digital approaches to be fully implemented. This paper addresses the key drivers for the adoption of BD in the construction industry of the Dominican Republic. Qualitative research was implemented to explore the topic due to the scarce information available. Twenty-one semi-structured interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. In some cases, the participants provided their point of view based on their experience with similar technologies such as BIM and IoT. The data analysis identified nine critical drivers, classified as internal and external. The internal drivers are knowledge of BD benefits to the organisation, impact on competitiveness, technology awareness, solution to company needs, organisation’s technology-driven culture and client requirements. Similarly, the internal drivers are industry motivation, regulatory framework, and technology change adaptability. This paper sheds light on the motivations behind adopting BD and helps to understand the industry's needs. It also delivers evidence on the need for improved training for present and future professionals focused on developing digital skills.
-
A survey of dental professionals’ opinions around the use of antibiotics in molar 3 extractions and dental implant placementAim. This survey was conducted to determine the type and frequency of antibiotics (AB) use for the prevention of infections in dental third molar (M3) extraction and implantation procedures (DIP) among UK dentists and the opinions underpinning their practice. Methods and design. Systematic reviews of the evidence were undertaken alongside this survey of practicing dentists in the United Kingdom to identify the opinions and practices of those undertaking the procedures. With ethical approval, a survey was designed for online delivery and was sent to every dental practitioner in the UK with a publicly available email address or social media contact. The opening page provided the project information sheet and proceeding to complete and submit the questionnaire was considered consent to participate. The online survey was circulated to 900 identified addresses and a total of 145 responses were received. Responses were collated in Microsoft® Excel™ and analyzed using IBM® SPSS™ plus thematic analysis of free text responses. Results. There were 42% of participants (n=61) who discouraged AB prophylactic use in M3 extractions in people with no systemic conditions and who also preferred postoperative AB use when required. Where, 57.9% of respondents (n=84) supported the short-term use of ABs (5-7 days) for M3 extraction and 53% (n=77) in DIP placement in patients with no relevant medical history. As an ad hoc finding, dentists reported on the negative impact of heavy smoking and oral parafunctional behavior on DIP success. Conclusion. The use of antibiotics and broad spectrum antibiotics remains higher than current guidelines would recommend. Further research is required to clarify the specific risks arising from underlying medical conditions to further clarify where prophylaxis is required.
-
Mind the gap – a comparative analysis of (in-)congruences in HRD role perceptionInspired by role conceptualisations and calls to rethink and reshape activities and competences of professionally qualified HRD practitioners, we examine HRD’s role and its associated activities through established versions of role theory. We ask: To what extent is there congruence in role expectations of HRD practitioners and other stakeholders? We study this question by interviewing 71 HRD practitioners and non-HRD managers across 16 organisations in three countries (US/UK/NL) and by analysing their responses on HRD role expectations and perceptions, congruences and incongruences. We map our findings on a 2 × 2 matrix and find that only a small number of organisations see professional HRD practitioners as strategic partners; most organisations find themselves within a more operational HRD role definition, or somewhere ‘on the fence’, with mixed ideas of role perceptions. Yet, a few organisations struggle to find alignment on HRD’s strategic aspirations and how those play out in practice. While our findings highlight the progress that HRD practice has made towards strategic partnership, we conclude that many HRD practitioners struggle to gain a seat at the table. We close our paper by discussing implications for HRD practice and scholarship.
-
How well is HRD meeting the needs of those it is intending to serve? From diffusion to confusionHuman Resource Development (HRD) is broadly concerned with individual and organisational learning and development. However, it is unclear how well HRD is meeting the needs of those it intends to serve and how key stakeholders (i.e. HRD professionals, managers, employees) perceive this function in organisations. Underpinned by stakeholder theory, this study explored the perception of the HRD function from the perspectives of employees, managers, and HRD professionals in UK public and private sector organisations. Qualitative semi-structured interviews with 30 participants across six organisations provided insights into the perceived role of HRD professionals. Employees and managers acknowledged HRD as a central focus for learning and development, but the HRD function is not perceived as strategic. HRD professionals, on the other hand, claimed that they have a strategic influence and add value through the employee life cycle. The differing views are centred on the perceived value, positioning, and responsiveness of the HRD role. Thus, a framework is developed to illustrate the tensions between HRD professionals and other critical stakeholders. Previous studies have provided extensive evidence of HRD's role and function. This study provides insights from the internal stakeholders on how HRD professionals and the HRD function meet their needs.
-
Age differences in the responses of vervet monkeys, Chlorocebus pygerythrus, to terrestrial alarm callsThe high costs of predation and the opportunity costs associated with predator avoidance are likely to select for flexibility in the development of antipredator responses based on local socioecological conditions. As group size is hypothesized to vary across populations as a function of predation risk, the development of antipredator behaviours throughout ontogeny may be influenced by the size of an individual's social group. Here, we explore the development of alarm call responses in wild vervet monkeys living at the Samara Game Reserve, South Africa. Vervet monkeys at this site live in relatively large social groups, and adult responses to alarms have previously shown less uniformity than in other sites where group sizes are smaller. We presented monkeys playback recordings of terrestrial alarm calls produced by individuals of different age–sex classes. We then videorecorded and scored the responses of receivers along an ordinal maturity scale. We used a mixed-effects ordinal logistic regression model within a Bayesian framework to explore how response intensity is affected by the age–sex of the caller, and the age of receivers. Our analysis showed that younger monkeys (<2 years old) exhibit strong evasive responses to call stimuli, regardless of the age–sex class of the caller. The intensity of these responses decreases with age, with responses to nonalarm calls decreasing earlier in development than responses to alarm calls. Adult responses to alarm calls in this population are as likely to be characterized by a general increase in vigilance as they are to consist of an evasive response. We suggest that responses in younger individuals at Samara are mediated by generalized startle responses to loud, plosive noises. Development of more specific responses throughout ontogeny is likely to be dependent on learning from adult models, whose milder responses reflect local socioecological conditions specific to Samara.
-
'They tried to evil me': an explanatory model for Black Africans’ mental health challengesThis paper explores the explanatory models of mental challenges among Black Africans in England. It argues that understanding these models is critical for providing culturally appropriate care to this population. The study employed qualitative methodology, and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). 12 mental health service users who are living in England and self-identified as first or second-generation black Africans were purposively selected. The data was gathered using face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Data was manually analyzed in accordance with IPA concepts of searching for common, unique, and idiosyncratic themes across transcripts. The findings revealed three themes black Africans associated to their explanatory model of mental health challenges: complexities of migration, African-centred worldview, and negative life experiences. To help alleviate the Eurocentric nature of mental health practice in England, it is hoped that this explanatory model will become an integral part of mental health practice in the England and around the world.
-
Technology assisted research assessment: Algorithmic bias and transparency issuesPurpose: Technology is sometimes used to support assessments of academic research in the form of automatically generated bibliometrics for reviewers to consult during their evaluations or by replacing some or all human judgements. With Artificial Intelligence (AI), there is increasing scope to use technology to assist research assessment processes in new ways. Since transparency and fairness are widely considered important for research assessment and AI introduces new issues, this review investigates their implications. Design/methodology/approach: This articles reviews and briefly summarises transparency and fairness concerns in general terms and through the issues that they raise for various types of Technology Assisted Research Assessment (TARA). Findings: Whilst TARA can have varying levels of problems with both transparency and bias, in most contexts it is unclear whether it worsens the transparency and bias problems that are inherent in peer review. Originality: This is the first analysis that focuses on algorithmic bias and transparency issues for technology assisted research assessment.
-
Strategy creation behaviour and ‘last gasp’ digitalization as predictors of sales performance and cash flowPurpose - Although recent literature has examined diverse measures adopted by SMEs to navigate the COVID-19 turbulence, there is a shortage of evidence on how crisis-time strategy creation behaviour and digitalization activities increase (1) sales and (2) cash flow. Thus, predicated on novel strategy creation perspective, this inquiry investigates the crisis behaviour, sales and cash flow performance of 528 SMEs in Morocco. Design/Methodology/Approach - Novel links between (1) aggregate wage cuts, (2) variable operating hours, (3) deferred payment to suppliers, (4) deferred payment to tax authorities and (5) sales performance are developed and tested. A further link between sales performance and cash flow is also examined and the analysis is performed using a non-linear structural equation modelling technique. Findings - While there is a significant association between the strategy creation behaviours and sales performance, only variable operating hours have a positive effect. Also, sales performance increases cash flow and this relationship is substantially strengthened by e-commerce digitalization and innovation. Originality/Value – Theoretically, this is one of the first inquiries to espouse the strategy creation view to explain SMEs’ crisis-time behaviour and digitalization. For practical use, to supplement Moroccan SMEs’ propensity to seek tax deferrals, it is argued that debt and equity support measures are also needed to boost sales performance and cash flow.
-
Can I do my job in peace? Hotel employees’ wellbeing in the face of sexual harassment awareness and organisational commitmentWorkplace sexual harassment, particularly in hospitality, is a significant issue with many implications. For decades, assessing its scope and impact has drawn the attention of scholars, but some gaps still exist. Based on Rational Choice Theory, this paper explored employee conformance behavior to sexual harassment in relation to organization strategic commitment and employee wellbeing in the global south context. A total of 712 completed questionnaires were collected from Nigeria and Ghana. WarpPLS version 8.0 partial least squares structural equation structural modelling was employed to assess the research model. Results revealed that hotel workers’ behaviors towards awareness and management of sexual harassment are nonlinear and complex. Conformance behavior, despite conceived by employees as an economic coping strategy, proved to be a temporary measure and is disadvantageous to wellbeing. An important managerial implication of this study is the need for education about what sexual harassment is and how it impacts employees’ wellbeing.
-
The uptake of digital twins in delivering infrastructure sector projectsPurpose: The anticipated strong growth of the infrastructure industry over the coming decades will require more modern, digital approaches to create data-centric infrastructure that allows infrastructure to be monitored and managed throughout its lifecycle. Digital Twins (DTs) are currently at an early stage in terms of their implementation on infrastructure projects across the United Kingdom (UK). The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the current uptake of DTs in delivering infrastructure sector projects and how DTs can help contribute towards strengthening the industry. Design/methodology/approach: A systematic Literature Review approach has been conducted with the research questions derived from the PRISMA article screening tool. In addition to this, inclusion and exclusion criteria have been used to screen irrelevant information and help streamline research documents. Following a screening of relevant information, 36 pieces of literature were reviewed in order to identify the key drivers, barriers, enabling technologies, and use cases. Findings: DTs have the potential to transform asset design, production, and maintenance. However, to further advance the digital innovation in the UK infrastructure sector, further study is necessary. An emerging technology must be considered on a broader scale than just its technical aspects, particularly when it comes to DTs. With enabling technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), sensors, and Artificial Intelligence (AI), the uptake of DTs appears promising. While current literature indicates that DTs offer clear benefits in the infrastructure sector, the uptake is low and hindered by both technical and non-technical challenges. Originality/value: This paper provides a rich insight into the understanding and awareness of the DTs in delivering infrastructure sector projects and how the infrastructure sector has evolved in order to develop new ways of designing, constructing, operating and monitoring infrastructure assets. This study contributes towards informing leaders in the sector of the current uptake of DTs within the UK's infrastructure sector as well as how DTs can contribute towards strengthening the industry.
-
The effectiveness of project-based learning on improving the undergraduate students’ speaking skills through M-learningThis case study aimed to identify the lessons learned from using m- Learning in project-based learning as a potential to improve the oral skills of EFL students in a Language Use Course at a Palestinian university during the second semester of the academic year 2019/2020. Despite the sudden closure of universities due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers had to evaluate students’ oral proficiency in effective use of vocabulary and expressions found in the course, improvising daily life situations, with decent fluency and enjoyment. The participants were 97 (19 males and 78 females) EFL learners majoring English, who were enrolled in the Language Use course. The participants were assigned a project-based task to develop their speaking skill through collaborative projects that were submitted at the end of the course to evaluate their skills and performances. To achieve this objective, a project-based cycle (OMEGA-P) was developed, and semi-structured interviews via Messenger and WhatsApp were also administered with students. Findings showed impressive signs of creative outputs manifested in various skills. The findings also highlighted the effectiveness of using project-based experience as an approach to online ‘Discussion Sessions’ that provided a flexible and enjoyable learning environment, that enhanced students’ self-confidence through active involvement with real communicative situations with other students as well as with the teacher.
-
Frameworks for standard cases of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in the construction industryUncertainty in the homologation of drone legislation for nations has resulted from the argument over whether to control developing technology. In the field of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) there is a lack of clarity in stablishing the policies. The intricacies involved in assessing risk probabilities, such as weight, altitude, commercial purpose, involvement of personnel, and other relevant variables, prompt countries to establish legislative frameworks for their Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) policies. This is driven by the recognition that homogeneity in certain application forms of UAS is achieved or discovered at varying rates. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to provide a comprehensive ontologies behind of regulating UAS by utilising standard cases of operations or ideal scenarios of application in which practices outside of these frames should be ethically evaluated for regulation in the field of construction. A longitudinal study was used to observe the policy changes, evolution of the technology, applications, and trends. In addition, 28 interviews and 30 surveys were conducted involving policy makers, practitioners, service providers, and academics in the Dominican Republic to identify their position in the adequate process of adopting UAS. The findings present that the implications in policy involve Building Information Modelling, safety aviation, technical inspection manuals, and design of cities by ruling the types and capabilities of UAS adopted for construction companies.
-
Challenges in the management of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) : Towards a compassionate approachRepresenting a growing ‘silent epidemic’, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects around 25–30% of the general population. Alarmingly, NAFLD increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, both independently and through its strong associations with obesity, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome, whilst posing a substantial burden from an economic and health-related quality of life perspective. Moreover, growing evidence links NAFLD to common mental health disorders including depression, anxiety, and stress. In this context, recent clinical and research attention further focuses on potential additional problems faced by patients with NAFLD, such as perceived stigma, lack of awareness regarding the condition, and possible feelings of loneliness and isolation that might emerge from unmet support needs. To date, despite a wealth of literature on NAFLD, management of the condition remains challenging and not straightforward, with most cases in primary care being treated with lifestyle modification on top of any other comorbidity treatment. However, for many patients with NAFLD, weight loss is hard to accomplish and/or sustain (e.g., patients may lack the skills, confidence, and motivation required to adhere to dietary changes, and/or may have problems limiting opportunities for increased physical activity). Therefore, tailored interventions which are manageable from the perspective of the individual patient with NAFLD could glean greater results. Accordingly, although there is a lack of research exploring the potential benefits of person-centered and compassion-based approaches to the management of NAFLD, in the present review, we draw on evidence from methods utilized in the treatment of other chronic conditions in postulating the view that such approaches might prove beneficial in the future management of NAFLD.
-
Do they know why they know? Student nurses’ experiences of mentors’ judgements of their clinical competence: an interpretative phenomenological studyIntroduction: Expectations of mentors vary in relation to the judgements made in the assessment of student nurses’ clinical competence. It is not clear in the existing literature how the subjective nature of judgements impacts on the student nurse. Aim: This research aims to explore the subjective nature of judgments of student nurse competency by mentors within clinical practice placements and how this is perceived and experienced by adult student nurses. Methods: A qualitative approach, focusing on adult student nurses’ experiences, perceptions and voice was utilised. A purposive sample of 10 participants was recruited and one-to-one semi-structured interviews were undertaken. An interpretive phenomenological analytical framework was employed to conduct the analysis of interviews. Findings: Findings from each participant were discussed in relation to their experiences and perceptions of the impact of mentors’ judgements of the assessment of their clinical competence. A cross case comparison was then undertaken with common themes being drawn across participants aligned to the complexities of being a student, the impact of the mentor role, the contribution of the clinical learning environment, relationship with your mentor and how the mentor’s judgement of the individual impacts on the assessment of their clinical competence. Discussion and Recommendations: The study contributes to the evidence base by being one of the first to specifically focus on the student voice and provide findings in relation to the adult student nurse experiences and perceptions of impact pertaining to the judgements made by mentors of their assessment of clinical competence. Significant findings portrayed the personal and emotional impact this had on participants in relation to their learning, development and progression aligned to the assessment process, mentor’s judgements, mentor’s approach, attitudes and characteristics. Dissemination of findings is key to support the development and further training of practice assessors and supervisors involved in the assessment of student nurse clinical competence. Further recommendations for higher education institutions to address at a Local, Regional and National level were highlighted focusing on student support, coping strategies, practice assessor/supervisor preparation, peer support, and consistency for clinical competency assessment.
-
Brief online interventions to improve 5K runningAthletes and coaches strive to identify and learn to use interventions to enhance performance. The goal to be a competent user of psychological skills which aid performance is common among coaches and athletes. However, how frequently such skills are used and how they are learned is less well understood. Many athletes experience plateaus in performance despite efforts to improve, and as such are prime candidates to test interventions to enhance performance. To he present study investigate the effectiveness of learning brief psychological skills among athletes who competed in a weekly 5km time trial whose performances had plateaued. Participants (n = 7) volunteered to follow brief psychological skills training which involved watching brief videos on how to use one of self-talk, reappraisal, if-then plans, or a non-treatment condition, but in the context of the study represent receiving encouragement to mentally prepare. Data analysis compared intervention results with baseline data taken from 2 months of data before the intervention. Results Psychological skills usage associated with finishing 347.37m (p = .019) ahead of baseline. Post-race reflections indicated using psychological skills helped re-appraise fatigue. Findings offer encouraging data on encouraging runners to engage in mental preparation and that following brief psychological skills training is helpful, however, confirmatory research is needed with larger samples.
-
Strength and conditioning (S&C) practices of judo athletes and S&C coaches: a survey-based investigationThe benefits of strength and conditioning (S&C) for improving judo performance and reducing injuries have been widely studied. However, the S&C practices employed and perspectives held by those delivering S&C have yet to be elucidated. Therefore, this study investigated the S&C practices and perspectives of judokas and S&C coaches working within judo. Forty-two judokas and nine S&C coaches completed an online survey comprising six sections: (a) written informed consent; (b) background information; (c) education, qualifications, and prescription; (d) views on S&C; (e) exercise selection; and (f) issues and improvements. Frequency analysis was used to report responses to fixed-response questions, and thematic analysis for open-ended questions. Results indicated that S&C coaches were primarily responsible for delivering S&C programs (60%), and S&C information was predominantly sourced from S&C coaches (43%). Strength and conditioning was deemed very important for randori (78-88%), overall judo-performance (67-79%), and judo-fitness (62-78%). Similarly, S&C was considered very important for the development of speed and power (76-89%), strength (71-89%), and injury reduction (69-78%). Novel findings were also observed, such as integrating judo-specific training within S&C practice, which may be partly explained by more S&C coaches holding judo belts (67%) than S&C qualifications (11%). This study supports practitioners delivering S&C in judo by offering a base of information to critique or align with their existing S&C practices and perspectives. Furthermore, our results may help identify potential gaps between methods used, proposed guidelines, and actual practice, facilitating the development of research and education resources tailored to the current climate.