Management (School of )
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/27
2024-03-29T07:31:51ZTitle redacted
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/29372
Abstract redacted
2024-06-14T00:00:00ZLi, AnqiAbstract redactedThe "business of human rights"? Exploring the social practice of corporate accountability under the UN guiding principles on business and human rights
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/29277
Attempts to ensure corporate accountability for human rights are numerous and diverse. The UN Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) have become the reference point for businesses to demonstrate their understanding of human rights responsibilities and enhance corporate accountability through human rights due diligence (HRDD). The UNGPs, which are ostensibly a soft law initiative, have inspired numerous global and national policies, and are being increasingly ‘hardened’ through national and supranational legislation. Precisely because of their popularity and endorsement, it is imperative that a critical analysis of their application is undertaken. However, at present there is a lack of empirical research that draws attention to how the UNGPs are implemented within the corporate context, or on the role of external human rights experts in this process. In order to provide insights into this aspect of their implementation, this exploratory study draws on two multinational case studies – an oil and gas company and a bank. The research utilises a conceptual framework informed by the social practice of accountability, and is underpinned by a social constructionist qualitative methodological research design. Findings suggest that translating human rights through the UNGPs into the corporate space is both a challenging and iterative exercise, which can lead to instances were human rights are regarded as manageable objects rather than realised. External experts must respond to a range of legitimacy claims to become experts in the business and human rights ecosystem, and while doing so may confer legitimacy onto MNCs’ human rights practices. Their roles are diverse and impactful and the expert industry itself appears to be increasingly competitive, as new actors enter this space. As such, this research provides a much-needed contribution to the expansion of interdisciplinary inquiry into business and human rights issues, evaluating the use of the UNGPs as an accountability mechanism and on the realities and nuances of ‘doing’ corporate accountability for human rights.
2021-07-02T00:00:00ZMcVey, Marisa CaitAttempts to ensure corporate accountability for human rights are numerous and diverse. The UN Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) have become the reference point for businesses to demonstrate their understanding of human rights responsibilities and enhance corporate accountability through human rights due diligence (HRDD). The UNGPs, which are ostensibly a soft law initiative, have inspired numerous global and national policies, and are being increasingly ‘hardened’ through national and supranational legislation. Precisely because of their popularity and endorsement, it is imperative that a critical analysis of their application is undertaken. However, at present there is a lack of empirical research that draws attention to how the UNGPs are implemented within the corporate context, or on the role of external human rights experts in this process. In order to provide insights into this aspect of their implementation, this exploratory study draws on two multinational case studies – an oil and gas company and a bank. The research utilises a conceptual framework informed by the social practice of accountability, and is underpinned by a social constructionist qualitative methodological research design. Findings suggest that translating human rights through the UNGPs into the corporate space is both a challenging and iterative exercise, which can lead to instances were human rights are regarded as manageable objects rather than realised. External experts must respond to a range of legitimacy claims to become experts in the business and human rights ecosystem, and while doing so may confer legitimacy onto MNCs’ human rights practices. Their roles are diverse and impactful and the expert industry itself appears to be increasingly competitive, as new actors enter this space. As such, this research provides a much-needed contribution to the expansion of interdisciplinary inquiry into business and human rights issues, evaluating the use of the UNGPs as an accountability mechanism and on the realities and nuances of ‘doing’ corporate accountability for human rights.High art and high finance : performing financialisation in the art market
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/28486
This research examines the financialisation of art within the tradition of STS-inflected market studies. The concept of financialisation has primarily emerged within political economy to analyse the discrepancy between booming finance and underperforming production. According to this body of literature, financialisation is fundamentally a political process revolving around the regime of accumulation. This presents a new challenge for market studies. In its earliest form, market studies maintained a political agnosticism that centred on calculation and calculative devices; their political implications and accompanying structural transitions have been largely unexplored. This study traces a material political economy of financialisation to construct the agencement of art finance. It examines a case study of ArtTactic, an art market analysis firm that offers regular art market reports, bespoke research for/to art market participants, and art finance education in the forms of lectures and podcasts. The study explores how financial devices are designed, introduced, and enacted in the art market. A specific mode of valuation and accumulation is enacted through the politics of market devices. ArtTactic conducts various performative works to implement these devices within and against the unique institutional structure of the art market. In navigating the multifaceted process of financialisation, I propose that this convergence can be further augmented by Bourdieu’s thinking tools.
2023-11-29T00:00:00ZLee, BanThis research examines the financialisation of art within the tradition of STS-inflected market studies. The concept of financialisation has primarily emerged within political economy to analyse the discrepancy between booming finance and underperforming production. According to this body of literature, financialisation is fundamentally a political process revolving around the regime of accumulation. This presents a new challenge for market studies. In its earliest form, market studies maintained a political agnosticism that centred on calculation and calculative devices; their political implications and accompanying structural transitions have been largely unexplored. This study traces a material political economy of financialisation to construct the agencement of art finance. It examines a case study of ArtTactic, an art market analysis firm that offers regular art market reports, bespoke research for/to art market participants, and art finance education in the forms of lectures and podcasts. The study explores how financial devices are designed, introduced, and enacted in the art market. A specific mode of valuation and accumulation is enacted through the politics of market devices. ArtTactic conducts various performative works to implement these devices within and against the unique institutional structure of the art market. In navigating the multifaceted process of financialisation, I propose that this convergence can be further augmented by Bourdieu’s thinking tools.Examining how individuals perceive, comprehend, and respond to unequal social and organisational contexts
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/28371
Human beings often exhibit paradoxical responses: they may respond to a particular event or issue in a way when they directly experience it whereas in a different way when they observe or imagine it happening to others. So too their responses to inequality: existing evidence shows that individuals simultaneously express a dislike for it as well as a preference for greater equality, yet their behaviours often align with actions that support and perpetuate inequality. Why is the case? Based on a comprehensive analysis on previous literature and five empirical studies (Studies 1,2,3a,3b, 4), Chapter 1-5 of this thesis found that when individuals are immersed in the economically unequal social and organisational environment they tend to be propelled by their contingent self-worth on social status and wealth to think, behave, and relate to others in a way that may facilitate inequality. The goal to validate their self-worth is so powerful that individuals are driven to pursue more achievements in the contingent domains, prefer to work for an unequal organisation in order to move up, and suffer from low self- evaluations.
These findings seem highly pessimistic: despite being harmful to themselves, individuals are propelled by their contingent self-worth to engage in behaviours that may further contribute to inequality (e.g., prefer unequal and less democratic workplace). This concern has led the second half of this thesis to ask: if inequality traps people who live in economically unequal societies, can inequality be reduced by the very same group of people? Chapter 6-8 showed that when they are observing intraorganisational inequality in the marketplace, individuals tend to support organisations that are more equal. Findings of this thesis contribute to a better understanding of the inequality syndrome and the design of interventions for reducing inequality.
2023-11-29T00:00:00ZLiu, ShutingHuman beings often exhibit paradoxical responses: they may respond to a particular event or issue in a way when they directly experience it whereas in a different way when they observe or imagine it happening to others. So too their responses to inequality: existing evidence shows that individuals simultaneously express a dislike for it as well as a preference for greater equality, yet their behaviours often align with actions that support and perpetuate inequality. Why is the case? Based on a comprehensive analysis on previous literature and five empirical studies (Studies 1,2,3a,3b, 4), Chapter 1-5 of this thesis found that when individuals are immersed in the economically unequal social and organisational environment they tend to be propelled by their contingent self-worth on social status and wealth to think, behave, and relate to others in a way that may facilitate inequality. The goal to validate their self-worth is so powerful that individuals are driven to pursue more achievements in the contingent domains, prefer to work for an unequal organisation in order to move up, and suffer from low self- evaluations.
These findings seem highly pessimistic: despite being harmful to themselves, individuals are propelled by their contingent self-worth to engage in behaviours that may further contribute to inequality (e.g., prefer unequal and less democratic workplace). This concern has led the second half of this thesis to ask: if inequality traps people who live in economically unequal societies, can inequality be reduced by the very same group of people? Chapter 6-8 showed that when they are observing intraorganisational inequality in the marketplace, individuals tend to support organisations that are more equal. Findings of this thesis contribute to a better understanding of the inequality syndrome and the design of interventions for reducing inequality.Slum-upgrading in the academic and World Bank discourse : a thematic analysis of academic articles and World Bank publications on slum-upgrading
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/28240
The World Bank’s Open Knowledge Repository and the academic discourse provide two major sources of knowledge on slum-upgrading. As they have thus far remained separate entities, this project sets out to contrast and compare both discourses and to figure out what opportunities their synthesis would provide for policy, research, and practice. Using a thematic- network approach to analysis, this project examines focal themes in both discourses and compares themes across them. It finds that while academic and World Bank discourse share a significant number of themes, the perspective from which they investigate these themes differs strongly. The World Bank’s discourse, thus, often focuses on the policy level and only looks toward slum communities top-down. The academic discourse on the other hand focuses predominantly on the grassroots level and is focally concerned with what impact slum- upgrading projects create for their beneficiaries. It concludes that while both discourses would offer significant opportunities for research, policy and practice to explore slum-upgrading from a holistic perspective, in practice, significant tensions between both discourses make a synthesis of academic and World Bank literature often difficult. It suggests that both discourses must expand their perspective toward each other to make synthesis more feasible.
2022-11-30T00:00:00ZBrune, RobertThe World Bank’s Open Knowledge Repository and the academic discourse provide two major sources of knowledge on slum-upgrading. As they have thus far remained separate entities, this project sets out to contrast and compare both discourses and to figure out what opportunities their synthesis would provide for policy, research, and practice. Using a thematic- network approach to analysis, this project examines focal themes in both discourses and compares themes across them. It finds that while academic and World Bank discourse share a significant number of themes, the perspective from which they investigate these themes differs strongly. The World Bank’s discourse, thus, often focuses on the policy level and only looks toward slum communities top-down. The academic discourse on the other hand focuses predominantly on the grassroots level and is focally concerned with what impact slum- upgrading projects create for their beneficiaries. It concludes that while both discourses would offer significant opportunities for research, policy and practice to explore slum-upgrading from a holistic perspective, in practice, significant tensions between both discourses make a synthesis of academic and World Bank literature often difficult. It suggests that both discourses must expand their perspective toward each other to make synthesis more feasible.Community water governance in Scotland : exploring meaning, practices, and order
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/28124
Amidst concerns about the global climate crisis, water allocation, management and governance have risen to the top of national and international agendas, including in countries traditionally viewed as having abundant water resources. Communities may – and some would argue should – be part of responding to these challenges. This research takes an interpretive approach to study how community involvement in water governance is understood and enacted. The research is set in the publicly managed and highly regulated context of water services, i.e., the activities associated with domestic drinking and wastewater provision and the avoidance and mitigation of harmful consequences of flooding in Scotland. This thesis provides a theoretically informed analysis of the role of communities in water governance using the concepts of meaning, practices and ordering derived from Emma Carmel’s Governance Analysis and grounded in wider interpretive policy theory. Building on data gathered from methods including interviews (walking and seated), observations, document analysis and systematic mapping, the study illustrates how governing takes place in real-life settings. The research provides much-needed insight into the practices and interactions of communities and practitioners, in particular, a subset of them called frontline workers. The thesis makes three contributions to scholarship. It deepens understanding of ‘community water governance’ based on multiple conceptual and empirical sources. Second, it presents new empirical insights into water services in Scotland, a setting which has received limited in-depth examination in academic literature. Finally, it enriches understanding of both communities and frontline workers and their contributions to addressing water challenges. The thesis shows that water governance is not solely a technical exercise but a social and political process of navigating social relations. Water governance needs to be understood first, as a contingent and relational practice in which communities and practitioners skilfully negotiate complex and ambiguous goals, and second, as having implications beyond the domain of water.
2023-11-29T00:00:00ZHolstead, Kirsty LeeAmidst concerns about the global climate crisis, water allocation, management and governance have risen to the top of national and international agendas, including in countries traditionally viewed as having abundant water resources. Communities may – and some would argue should – be part of responding to these challenges. This research takes an interpretive approach to study how community involvement in water governance is understood and enacted. The research is set in the publicly managed and highly regulated context of water services, i.e., the activities associated with domestic drinking and wastewater provision and the avoidance and mitigation of harmful consequences of flooding in Scotland. This thesis provides a theoretically informed analysis of the role of communities in water governance using the concepts of meaning, practices and ordering derived from Emma Carmel’s Governance Analysis and grounded in wider interpretive policy theory. Building on data gathered from methods including interviews (walking and seated), observations, document analysis and systematic mapping, the study illustrates how governing takes place in real-life settings. The research provides much-needed insight into the practices and interactions of communities and practitioners, in particular, a subset of them called frontline workers. The thesis makes three contributions to scholarship. It deepens understanding of ‘community water governance’ based on multiple conceptual and empirical sources. Second, it presents new empirical insights into water services in Scotland, a setting which has received limited in-depth examination in academic literature. Finally, it enriches understanding of both communities and frontline workers and their contributions to addressing water challenges. The thesis shows that water governance is not solely a technical exercise but a social and political process of navigating social relations. Water governance needs to be understood first, as a contingent and relational practice in which communities and practitioners skilfully negotiate complex and ambiguous goals, and second, as having implications beyond the domain of water.The role of stakeholder orientation and regulatory oversight on bank behaviour
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/28098
This thesis analyses the impact of stakeholder orientation and regulatory oversight on the behaviour of the United States (US) banks. In Chapter 2, we investigate the impact of stakeholder orientation on bank payout policy. As a quasi-experimental setting, we exploit the staggered enactment of constituency statutes across US states, which broaden the scope of managerial duties to an extended group of stakeholders. Our results for the period 1986-2012 suggest that bank holding companies (BHCs) incorporated in states enacting constituency statutes experience significant declines in total payouts, which is driven by a decline in share repurchases. This observed decline in share repurchases is stronger for banks with sizeable implicit claims, lower transparency and substantial agency conflicts. In Chapter 3, we investigate the impact of stakeholder orientation on the financial reporting quality of banks. Using the state-level enactment of constituency statutes as an exogenous variation in stakeholder orientation, and a sample of US commercial banks over the period 1980-2010, we find that the financial reporting quality improves for the stakeholder-orientated banks. Moreover, stakeholder-orientated banks prioritise internal stakeholders such as employees and depositors. In Chapter 4, we investigate how a change in regulatory oversight affects bank risk, using the passage of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act of 2018 as a setting. Using a sample of BHCs covering the period 2015Q1 through 2020Q1, we find that risk increases for large BHCs affected by a change in regulatory oversight. In addition to increasing bank level risk, affected BHCs increase their respective contribution to the systemic risk. These BHCs also experience higher profitability, increased market valuation and reduced compliance costs.
2023-11-29T00:00:00ZYilmaz, Muhammed HasanThis thesis analyses the impact of stakeholder orientation and regulatory oversight on the behaviour of the United States (US) banks. In Chapter 2, we investigate the impact of stakeholder orientation on bank payout policy. As a quasi-experimental setting, we exploit the staggered enactment of constituency statutes across US states, which broaden the scope of managerial duties to an extended group of stakeholders. Our results for the period 1986-2012 suggest that bank holding companies (BHCs) incorporated in states enacting constituency statutes experience significant declines in total payouts, which is driven by a decline in share repurchases. This observed decline in share repurchases is stronger for banks with sizeable implicit claims, lower transparency and substantial agency conflicts. In Chapter 3, we investigate the impact of stakeholder orientation on the financial reporting quality of banks. Using the state-level enactment of constituency statutes as an exogenous variation in stakeholder orientation, and a sample of US commercial banks over the period 1980-2010, we find that the financial reporting quality improves for the stakeholder-orientated banks. Moreover, stakeholder-orientated banks prioritise internal stakeholders such as employees and depositors. In Chapter 4, we investigate how a change in regulatory oversight affects bank risk, using the passage of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act of 2018 as a setting. Using a sample of BHCs covering the period 2015Q1 through 2020Q1, we find that risk increases for large BHCs affected by a change in regulatory oversight. In addition to increasing bank level risk, affected BHCs increase their respective contribution to the systemic risk. These BHCs also experience higher profitability, increased market valuation and reduced compliance costs.Regulatory change and the financial reporting quality of US depository institutions
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/27773
This thesis analyses the linkages between financial industry regulation and the reporting quality of commercial banks and credit unions. The thesis is comprised of three substantive empirical studies using large datasets of banks and credit unions located in the United States. Chapter 2 investigates the impact of the separation of audit and risk committees mandated by Section 165h of the Dodd-Frank Act on banks’ financial reporting quality. We find that the separation of audit and risk committees leads to an improvement in financial reporting quality. We attribute the observed improvements in financial reporting quality to the increased focus of audit committees arising from a reduction in the volume and complexity of tasks undertaken following the implementation of Section 165h. Chapter 3 investigates the impact of the imposition of minimum capital requirements on credit unions’ financial reporting quality. We find that affected credit unions improve their financial reporting quality through a reduction in discretionary loan loss provisions. This improvement is more prominent for affected credit unions that are less profitable. Overall, our results suggest that credit unions which should increase their capital to meet the minimum capital requirements improve their financial reporting quality.
Chapter 4 examines the impact of deposit insurance regulation on credit union financial reporting quality. We find that credit unions most affected by the change in deposit insurance coverage report more discretionary loan loss provisions than less affected counterparts, leading to a deterioration in financial reporting quality. This effect is more pronounced for “small” and “medium” credit unions according to their size. Furthermore, we find that low- capitalized credit unions exercise less discretion over loan loss provisions consistent with capital management. Overall, our results suggests that credit unions holding more insured deposits report more discretionary loan loss provisions at the expense of financial reporting quality and transparency. Finally, Chapter 5 provides a summary of main findings as well as limitations of this research and recommendations for future work.
2022-11-30T00:00:00ZRempoutsika, Lemonia MarinaThis thesis analyses the linkages between financial industry regulation and the reporting quality of commercial banks and credit unions. The thesis is comprised of three substantive empirical studies using large datasets of banks and credit unions located in the United States. Chapter 2 investigates the impact of the separation of audit and risk committees mandated by Section 165h of the Dodd-Frank Act on banks’ financial reporting quality. We find that the separation of audit and risk committees leads to an improvement in financial reporting quality. We attribute the observed improvements in financial reporting quality to the increased focus of audit committees arising from a reduction in the volume and complexity of tasks undertaken following the implementation of Section 165h. Chapter 3 investigates the impact of the imposition of minimum capital requirements on credit unions’ financial reporting quality. We find that affected credit unions improve their financial reporting quality through a reduction in discretionary loan loss provisions. This improvement is more prominent for affected credit unions that are less profitable. Overall, our results suggest that credit unions which should increase their capital to meet the minimum capital requirements improve their financial reporting quality.
Chapter 4 examines the impact of deposit insurance regulation on credit union financial reporting quality. We find that credit unions most affected by the change in deposit insurance coverage report more discretionary loan loss provisions than less affected counterparts, leading to a deterioration in financial reporting quality. This effect is more pronounced for “small” and “medium” credit unions according to their size. Furthermore, we find that low- capitalized credit unions exercise less discretion over loan loss provisions consistent with capital management. Overall, our results suggests that credit unions holding more insured deposits report more discretionary loan loss provisions at the expense of financial reporting quality and transparency. Finally, Chapter 5 provides a summary of main findings as well as limitations of this research and recommendations for future work.Political uncertainty, regulatory change and the behaviour of Chinese listed firms
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/27551
This thesis investigates the impact of political uncertainty and regulatory change on the behaviour of Chinese listed firms.
In Chapter 2, the impact of political uncertainty on corporate cash holdings of private Chinese firms is investigated. The ascent to power of President Xi and resultant political uncertainty caused by the unexpected removal of ten provincial leaders is used as a setting. The results suggest that corporate cash holdings increase for private firms located in provinces where changes to political leadership took place relative to counterparts where no such change occurred. The observed increase is more pronounced for firms with higher levels of bank debt and substantive agency conflicts.
In Chapter 3, the impact of board independence on dividend payouts is investigated. The 2001 ‘Guideline for The Establishment of Independent Director System in Chinese Listed Companies’ is used as an exogenous shock. This guideline required that at least one-third of the corporate board be composed of independent directors. The results suggest that dividend payouts increase at affected firms (those with fewer than one-third independent directors at the time when the 2001 regulation was enacted). This is more pronounced for firms, which have independent directors with multiple directorships.
In Chapter 4, the impact of academic independent directors on green innovation is investigated. A policy change (the implementation of the ‘Notice on the Special Inspection of the Part-time Positions of Party and Government Leading Cadres in Enterprises’ in 2015) which mandated the resignations from corporate boards of many senior academics with administrative roles in universities is used as a setting. The results suggest that the resignation of academic independent directors leads to a decrease of green innovation. The observed decrease is more pronounced for firms where female academics, academics with overseas experiences and industrial expertise, and academics employed at top-ranking universities resigned.
2023-06-16T00:00:00ZShu, CaixiaThis thesis investigates the impact of political uncertainty and regulatory change on the behaviour of Chinese listed firms.
In Chapter 2, the impact of political uncertainty on corporate cash holdings of private Chinese firms is investigated. The ascent to power of President Xi and resultant political uncertainty caused by the unexpected removal of ten provincial leaders is used as a setting. The results suggest that corporate cash holdings increase for private firms located in provinces where changes to political leadership took place relative to counterparts where no such change occurred. The observed increase is more pronounced for firms with higher levels of bank debt and substantive agency conflicts.
In Chapter 3, the impact of board independence on dividend payouts is investigated. The 2001 ‘Guideline for The Establishment of Independent Director System in Chinese Listed Companies’ is used as an exogenous shock. This guideline required that at least one-third of the corporate board be composed of independent directors. The results suggest that dividend payouts increase at affected firms (those with fewer than one-third independent directors at the time when the 2001 regulation was enacted). This is more pronounced for firms, which have independent directors with multiple directorships.
In Chapter 4, the impact of academic independent directors on green innovation is investigated. A policy change (the implementation of the ‘Notice on the Special Inspection of the Part-time Positions of Party and Government Leading Cadres in Enterprises’ in 2015) which mandated the resignations from corporate boards of many senior academics with administrative roles in universities is used as a setting. The results suggest that the resignation of academic independent directors leads to a decrease of green innovation. The observed decrease is more pronounced for firms where female academics, academics with overseas experiences and industrial expertise, and academics employed at top-ranking universities resigned.A holistic approach to internationalisation : motives, enablers and patterns of emerging market SMEs
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/27091
Firm internationalisation has been a popular subject in the international business literature for many decades, with a strong focus on multinational enterprises (MNEs) and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from developed markets. Despite the recent interest in exploring the internationalisation of large MNEs from emerging markets, there is limited research on SMEs from emerging markets (EM SMEs). This study holistically explores EM SMEs' internationalisation motives, enablers, and patterns by extending the Goldilocks debate to SME internationalisation.
While the purpose of this study is to understand the internationalisation of EM manufacturing SMEs, it seeks answers to why, what, how, when, and to what extent questions relating to the firms' internationalisation. The existing perspectives are reviewed to achieve the research objectives by identifying motives, enablers and patterns relating to firm internationalisation. A case study method has been utilised with qualitative semi-structured interviews conducted with EM SMEs' decision-makers. The primary data are supported by secondary data, including supporting documents and additional interviews to triangulate the findings. Collected data is analysed using qualitative data analysis techniques, including coding, categorising the data into themes, identifying patterns, and devising a conceptual framework.
This thesis shows that EM SMEs predominantly use institutional networks rather than social networks. It demonstrates the importance of strategic entrepreneurship and government support as enablers, and the firms pursue proactive and reactive motives by following incremental patterns using exporting as the only entry mode. This study suggests that a holistic approach is important to better understand the phenomenon of internationalisation by demonstrating the influence of internationalisation motives and enablers on the firms' internationalisation patterns. The implications for managers and policymakers are discussed. Future research can extend the findings in this study by applying the conceptual framework in different countries and by testing the findings on a wider population to generalise the results.
2023-06-16T00:00:00ZHarmanci, HasanFirm internationalisation has been a popular subject in the international business literature for many decades, with a strong focus on multinational enterprises (MNEs) and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from developed markets. Despite the recent interest in exploring the internationalisation of large MNEs from emerging markets, there is limited research on SMEs from emerging markets (EM SMEs). This study holistically explores EM SMEs' internationalisation motives, enablers, and patterns by extending the Goldilocks debate to SME internationalisation.
While the purpose of this study is to understand the internationalisation of EM manufacturing SMEs, it seeks answers to why, what, how, when, and to what extent questions relating to the firms' internationalisation. The existing perspectives are reviewed to achieve the research objectives by identifying motives, enablers and patterns relating to firm internationalisation. A case study method has been utilised with qualitative semi-structured interviews conducted with EM SMEs' decision-makers. The primary data are supported by secondary data, including supporting documents and additional interviews to triangulate the findings. Collected data is analysed using qualitative data analysis techniques, including coding, categorising the data into themes, identifying patterns, and devising a conceptual framework.
This thesis shows that EM SMEs predominantly use institutional networks rather than social networks. It demonstrates the importance of strategic entrepreneurship and government support as enablers, and the firms pursue proactive and reactive motives by following incremental patterns using exporting as the only entry mode. This study suggests that a holistic approach is important to better understand the phenomenon of internationalisation by demonstrating the influence of internationalisation motives and enablers on the firms' internationalisation patterns. The implications for managers and policymakers are discussed. Future research can extend the findings in this study by applying the conceptual framework in different countries and by testing the findings on a wider population to generalise the results.Exploring the experiences of Black men in UK Higher Education (HE) : a comparative study
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/27058
Abstract redacted
2022-11-30T00:00:00ZHinds, Jasmin AndrinaAbstract redactedContemporary issues in the US financial services industry
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/27043
This thesis comprises three empirical studies, which investigate selected contemporary issues in the US financial services industry.
The first study, entitled “Organizational Culture, Competition and Bank Loan Loss Provisioning” examines the extent to which organizational culture affects bank loan loss provisioning practices following changes to the competitive environment. I use a textual analysis approach in conjunction with the so-called Competing Values Framework in order to measure various types of organizational culture (including control, collaborate, compete and create cultures). The results of a difference-in-difference analyses suggest that banks with a control culture exercise less discretion over loan loss provisions. Compete and create banks use more discretionary loan loss provisions when industry competition increases. These results provide novel cultural-based evidence to explain why banks behave differently following changes to the competitive environment. As such, this chapter contributes to the literature on: bank loan loss provisioning practices, bank competition, and organizational culture.
The second study, entitled “Does shareholder discipline benefit banking stability? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment”, investigates the impact of shareholder litigation rights on bank stability. As a quasi-natural experiment, I exploit the staggered adoption of the Universal Demand laws (which weakened the litigation rights of bank shareholders in listed banks) across numerous US states. The results of a difference-in-differences analysis suggest that weakened shareholder litigation rights enhance bank stability. Overall, this finding provides novel evidence that shareholder litigation rights may not be an effective corporate governance mechanism in constraining bank risk.
In the third study entitled “Strategic Relatedness and Mergers and Acquisitions Outcomes: Empirical Evidence from US Credit Unions”, I use the US credit union industry as a laboratory to examine the impact of strategic relatedness on deal initiations and merger and acquisition (M&As) outcomes. The results of an extensive empirical analysis suggest that if two credit unions are strategically related, they are more likely to merge. However, these types of merger destroy value.
2022-11-30T00:00:00ZLuu, Hiep NgocThis thesis comprises three empirical studies, which investigate selected contemporary issues in the US financial services industry.
The first study, entitled “Organizational Culture, Competition and Bank Loan Loss Provisioning” examines the extent to which organizational culture affects bank loan loss provisioning practices following changes to the competitive environment. I use a textual analysis approach in conjunction with the so-called Competing Values Framework in order to measure various types of organizational culture (including control, collaborate, compete and create cultures). The results of a difference-in-difference analyses suggest that banks with a control culture exercise less discretion over loan loss provisions. Compete and create banks use more discretionary loan loss provisions when industry competition increases. These results provide novel cultural-based evidence to explain why banks behave differently following changes to the competitive environment. As such, this chapter contributes to the literature on: bank loan loss provisioning practices, bank competition, and organizational culture.
The second study, entitled “Does shareholder discipline benefit banking stability? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment”, investigates the impact of shareholder litigation rights on bank stability. As a quasi-natural experiment, I exploit the staggered adoption of the Universal Demand laws (which weakened the litigation rights of bank shareholders in listed banks) across numerous US states. The results of a difference-in-differences analysis suggest that weakened shareholder litigation rights enhance bank stability. Overall, this finding provides novel evidence that shareholder litigation rights may not be an effective corporate governance mechanism in constraining bank risk.
In the third study entitled “Strategic Relatedness and Mergers and Acquisitions Outcomes: Empirical Evidence from US Credit Unions”, I use the US credit union industry as a laboratory to examine the impact of strategic relatedness on deal initiations and merger and acquisition (M&As) outcomes. The results of an extensive empirical analysis suggest that if two credit unions are strategically related, they are more likely to merge. However, these types of merger destroy value.Grammars of grantmaking : exploring the normativity and governance of relational philanthropy within a UK-based foundation
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/26987
This thesis examines the practice of relational philanthropy, which is premised on a democratic use of giving that brings in grantee voice and participation into grant making decisions (Barman 2017). More specifically, this thesis focuses on relational philanthropy as a grant making approach within UK grantmaking trusts and foundations, in which civic ideas of philanthropy are challenging market ones, as evident in the grey foundation literature (IVAR 2011) (DP 2012) (Buckley and Cairns 2012) (ACF 2020) (Listening fund 2020) (IVAR 2021). These practices warrant further investigation due to newfound discussions surrounding the role of trust, how relational philanthropy can supposedly equalise the power within a giving relationship, and the interpretive, normative value inherent in democratic approaches to grantmaking. Furthermore, there exists a glaring dearth of academic research on the organisational form of ‘the foundation’ in the UK context, especially given that it has no legal form (Jung 2017). Finally, there is a significant gap in philanthropic research that brings in the voice of the grant recipient within the UK context, showing a need for philanthropy to be an act that is received as much as it is given. Because of this, this thesis conducts an in-depth case study within a single UK-based trust and a handful of their grantees to examine how relational philanthropy is brought into practice, what normative forms underpin relational philanthropy for foundations and their grantees, and how relational philanthropy may or may not create more reciprocal and participatory forms of giving. A qualitative and phenomenological study, this thesis draws on interviews, dozens of brief conversations, email communication, document analysis, and online materials, and over 50 hours of observations. By applying the theoretical lens of French Pragmatic Sociology, this thesis demonstrates how a UK foundation and a select group of grantees use a variety of normative forms to justify relational philanthropy practices. Findings show the story of a foundation that has moved towards relational practices over the years alongside the hiring of key players in their organisation; how these key players established emotional and interpersonal relationships with their grantees; and how these relationships formed trust between giver and receiver; all the while being disputed behind closed doors. By pulling from the grantee view, findings show that a variety of normative justifications (both civic and financialised) underpin relational philanthropy that is contingent on much agency grantees are warranted in the relational philanthropy process and the grassroots potential of using relational philanthropy in place-based giving. Findings suggest that the value of relational philanthropy depends on how trusting the relationship is between the foundation and grantee, which ultimately shows that social and sometimes emotional processes of giving (alongside objects of giving) can yield democratic value, therefore contributing to new interpretations of impact beyond cost-benefit analysis; however, given the urgency of the COVID-19 pandemic, findings showed the importance of industrious grantmaking, showing that financialised forms of philanthropy still have a place, but not without the added value of flexibility and trust in the grant recipients. While relational philanthropy moves towards a more democratic vision and practice of philanthropy, questions remain if this move is moving at a slower pace than rapidly growing socioeconomic inequality, reaffirming the question of the role of foundations in society.
2023-06-16T00:00:00ZPetzinger, Janis ThomasThis thesis examines the practice of relational philanthropy, which is premised on a democratic use of giving that brings in grantee voice and participation into grant making decisions (Barman 2017). More specifically, this thesis focuses on relational philanthropy as a grant making approach within UK grantmaking trusts and foundations, in which civic ideas of philanthropy are challenging market ones, as evident in the grey foundation literature (IVAR 2011) (DP 2012) (Buckley and Cairns 2012) (ACF 2020) (Listening fund 2020) (IVAR 2021). These practices warrant further investigation due to newfound discussions surrounding the role of trust, how relational philanthropy can supposedly equalise the power within a giving relationship, and the interpretive, normative value inherent in democratic approaches to grantmaking. Furthermore, there exists a glaring dearth of academic research on the organisational form of ‘the foundation’ in the UK context, especially given that it has no legal form (Jung 2017). Finally, there is a significant gap in philanthropic research that brings in the voice of the grant recipient within the UK context, showing a need for philanthropy to be an act that is received as much as it is given. Because of this, this thesis conducts an in-depth case study within a single UK-based trust and a handful of their grantees to examine how relational philanthropy is brought into practice, what normative forms underpin relational philanthropy for foundations and their grantees, and how relational philanthropy may or may not create more reciprocal and participatory forms of giving. A qualitative and phenomenological study, this thesis draws on interviews, dozens of brief conversations, email communication, document analysis, and online materials, and over 50 hours of observations. By applying the theoretical lens of French Pragmatic Sociology, this thesis demonstrates how a UK foundation and a select group of grantees use a variety of normative forms to justify relational philanthropy practices. Findings show the story of a foundation that has moved towards relational practices over the years alongside the hiring of key players in their organisation; how these key players established emotional and interpersonal relationships with their grantees; and how these relationships formed trust between giver and receiver; all the while being disputed behind closed doors. By pulling from the grantee view, findings show that a variety of normative justifications (both civic and financialised) underpin relational philanthropy that is contingent on much agency grantees are warranted in the relational philanthropy process and the grassroots potential of using relational philanthropy in place-based giving. Findings suggest that the value of relational philanthropy depends on how trusting the relationship is between the foundation and grantee, which ultimately shows that social and sometimes emotional processes of giving (alongside objects of giving) can yield democratic value, therefore contributing to new interpretations of impact beyond cost-benefit analysis; however, given the urgency of the COVID-19 pandemic, findings showed the importance of industrious grantmaking, showing that financialised forms of philanthropy still have a place, but not without the added value of flexibility and trust in the grant recipients. While relational philanthropy moves towards a more democratic vision and practice of philanthropy, questions remain if this move is moving at a slower pace than rapidly growing socioeconomic inequality, reaffirming the question of the role of foundations in society.Understanding the foundation professional : an exploration of UK family foundation CEOs' experiences
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/26978
The foundation professional sits at the intersection of wealth and giving. As representatives of influential individuals and powerful families, they report to trustees who hold fiduciary and governance responsibilities and liaise with organisations working on society's most pressing issues. Nevertheless, as prominent figures within foundations, their presence has been eclipsed by their donors, boards, and grantees. The black box of the foundation insulates them. This concealment has left foundation professionals underexplored in research and their roles poorly understood. In turn, it remains challenging to understand the internal dynamics of philanthropic foundations. This study has two research aims. First, to gain an understanding of the foundation professional within philanthropic foundations. Second, to explore how the study of professions contributes to understanding this figure.
To achieve these research aims, this study examines how UK family foundation CEOs experience their roles and view developments in the wider field. Drawing on the study of professions, it develops three perspectives - trait, power, and institution – from which to explore these research questions. These perspectives link with the foundation field, creating a framework for understanding the foundation professional experience. This study utilises a qualitative exploratory design and semi-structured interviews to surface participants’ reflections of their roles within foundations. Thematic analysis complements this data collection by prioritising participants’ voices. Six key themes emerge demonstrating the CEOs’ experiences of their roles: entry, expertise, expectations, enactment, evolution, and exit.
Deviating from the manifestation of the professional in the study of professions literature, foundation professionals appear in a nontraditional professional presentation with individuation, peer group clustering, and organisational crafting. Moreover, the field's inconsistent formalisation yet professionalising context reflects competing expertise between foundation professionals and trustees. The study thereby also contributes to the study of professions by offering a more thorough conceptualisation of nontraditional professionals. Empirically, the study reprioritises the individual through experiential and qualitative accounts. It also places the study within the UK context, extending US-centric literature. Finally, it provides practitioners with an entry-to-exit spectrum of foundation professionals’ experiences and a framework for understanding these roles. This study delivers a nuanced view of these critical figures’ experiences and establishes the importance of their roles within philanthropic foundations.
2022-11-30T00:00:00ZFugiel Gartner, MicheleThe foundation professional sits at the intersection of wealth and giving. As representatives of influential individuals and powerful families, they report to trustees who hold fiduciary and governance responsibilities and liaise with organisations working on society's most pressing issues. Nevertheless, as prominent figures within foundations, their presence has been eclipsed by their donors, boards, and grantees. The black box of the foundation insulates them. This concealment has left foundation professionals underexplored in research and their roles poorly understood. In turn, it remains challenging to understand the internal dynamics of philanthropic foundations. This study has two research aims. First, to gain an understanding of the foundation professional within philanthropic foundations. Second, to explore how the study of professions contributes to understanding this figure.
To achieve these research aims, this study examines how UK family foundation CEOs experience their roles and view developments in the wider field. Drawing on the study of professions, it develops three perspectives - trait, power, and institution – from which to explore these research questions. These perspectives link with the foundation field, creating a framework for understanding the foundation professional experience. This study utilises a qualitative exploratory design and semi-structured interviews to surface participants’ reflections of their roles within foundations. Thematic analysis complements this data collection by prioritising participants’ voices. Six key themes emerge demonstrating the CEOs’ experiences of their roles: entry, expertise, expectations, enactment, evolution, and exit.
Deviating from the manifestation of the professional in the study of professions literature, foundation professionals appear in a nontraditional professional presentation with individuation, peer group clustering, and organisational crafting. Moreover, the field's inconsistent formalisation yet professionalising context reflects competing expertise between foundation professionals and trustees. The study thereby also contributes to the study of professions by offering a more thorough conceptualisation of nontraditional professionals. Empirically, the study reprioritises the individual through experiential and qualitative accounts. It also places the study within the UK context, extending US-centric literature. Finally, it provides practitioners with an entry-to-exit spectrum of foundation professionals’ experiences and a framework for understanding these roles. This study delivers a nuanced view of these critical figures’ experiences and establishes the importance of their roles within philanthropic foundations.Habitus, capitals, and strategies : the engagement of high-net-worth-individuals in the UK philanthrocapitalism sub-field
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/26492
This thesis examines the engagement of UK-based high-net-worth-individuals (HNWIs) in philanthrocapitalism. Conceived as the application of market- and business-based actors, methods, and motives to philanthropy (Bishop, 2006; Rogers, 2015), philanthrocapitalism has been offered as a solution to perceived failings of both philanthropy and capitalism, combining the ‘best of both worlds’ whilst avoiding common pitfalls (Bishop, 2006). Advocates present philanthrocapitalism as a means of improving the effectiveness and efficiency of philanthropy (Bishop & Green, 2008); critics argue it reinforces capitalist doctrines and accentuates power and wealth inequalities (Edwards, 2008a; McGoey, 2012; Amarante, 2018).
Despite the growing policy- and agenda-setting abilities of philanthrocapitalists (Goss, 2016; Baltodano, 2017), relevant scholarly research has remained thematically, geographically, and methodologically limited. Previous empirical research has predominantly: examined the impact of philanthrocapitalist values in a narrow range of sectors, neglecting the experiences and perceptions of philanthrocapitalist individuals; focused on or stemmed from the USA, presenting a disproportionately USA-centric narrative; and been reliant on small samples, secondary data sources, and sensationalist accounts of ultra-HNWIs, limiting first-hand insights from HNWI actors. Addressing these issues, this thesis explores the perspectives of HNWI philanthrocapitalists, focusing on the UK context. This study addresses the overarching research question: what influences whether and how high-net-worth-individuals engage in philanthrocapitalism?
This research is framed by an integrated theoretical framework. This framework combines insights from Bourdieu’s (1986, 1998, 2010) social theory (‘field’, ‘habitus’, ‘capital’) and a social relations theory of philanthropy (‘philanthropic strategies’) (Ostrander & Schervish, 1990). Accordingly, philanthrocapitalism is theorised as a sub-field of the philanthropy field characterised by the application of business- and market-based habitus, capitals, and strategies to philanthropy.
To address the research questions posed, 42 interviews with UK-based HNWI philanthropists were conducted and analysed using a thematic approach. Findings demonstrate that participants primarily pursue one of five philanthropic strategies: charitable donation, strategic philanthropy, venture philanthropy, social investment, or socially responsible business. Participants’ philanthropic preferences, including which strategy they aim to pursue, are shaped by their professional habitus – dispositions developed during their professional experience. The strategy they take is shaped by the ongoing interplay of their habitus and relative stock of and access to capitals. These insights make several contributions, including: a nuanced theorisation of philanthrocapitalism, supporting a richer understanding of philanthrocapitalism as a sub-field of the philanthropy field; methodological insights from qualitative, first-hand accounts from the 42 HNWIs interviewed, complemented with extensive analysis of related documents; and empirical insights regarding contemporary UK-based HNWIs’ engagement in philanthrocapitalism, the philanthropic strategies they adopt, and the circumstances under which their strategy may change. Collectively these insights expand our understanding of the UK philanthrocapitalism landscape and of high-net-worth philanthropy in the UK.
2022-11-30T00:00:00ZHaywood, StephanieThis thesis examines the engagement of UK-based high-net-worth-individuals (HNWIs) in philanthrocapitalism. Conceived as the application of market- and business-based actors, methods, and motives to philanthropy (Bishop, 2006; Rogers, 2015), philanthrocapitalism has been offered as a solution to perceived failings of both philanthropy and capitalism, combining the ‘best of both worlds’ whilst avoiding common pitfalls (Bishop, 2006). Advocates present philanthrocapitalism as a means of improving the effectiveness and efficiency of philanthropy (Bishop & Green, 2008); critics argue it reinforces capitalist doctrines and accentuates power and wealth inequalities (Edwards, 2008a; McGoey, 2012; Amarante, 2018).
Despite the growing policy- and agenda-setting abilities of philanthrocapitalists (Goss, 2016; Baltodano, 2017), relevant scholarly research has remained thematically, geographically, and methodologically limited. Previous empirical research has predominantly: examined the impact of philanthrocapitalist values in a narrow range of sectors, neglecting the experiences and perceptions of philanthrocapitalist individuals; focused on or stemmed from the USA, presenting a disproportionately USA-centric narrative; and been reliant on small samples, secondary data sources, and sensationalist accounts of ultra-HNWIs, limiting first-hand insights from HNWI actors. Addressing these issues, this thesis explores the perspectives of HNWI philanthrocapitalists, focusing on the UK context. This study addresses the overarching research question: what influences whether and how high-net-worth-individuals engage in philanthrocapitalism?
This research is framed by an integrated theoretical framework. This framework combines insights from Bourdieu’s (1986, 1998, 2010) social theory (‘field’, ‘habitus’, ‘capital’) and a social relations theory of philanthropy (‘philanthropic strategies’) (Ostrander & Schervish, 1990). Accordingly, philanthrocapitalism is theorised as a sub-field of the philanthropy field characterised by the application of business- and market-based habitus, capitals, and strategies to philanthropy.
To address the research questions posed, 42 interviews with UK-based HNWI philanthropists were conducted and analysed using a thematic approach. Findings demonstrate that participants primarily pursue one of five philanthropic strategies: charitable donation, strategic philanthropy, venture philanthropy, social investment, or socially responsible business. Participants’ philanthropic preferences, including which strategy they aim to pursue, are shaped by their professional habitus – dispositions developed during their professional experience. The strategy they take is shaped by the ongoing interplay of their habitus and relative stock of and access to capitals. These insights make several contributions, including: a nuanced theorisation of philanthrocapitalism, supporting a richer understanding of philanthrocapitalism as a sub-field of the philanthropy field; methodological insights from qualitative, first-hand accounts from the 42 HNWIs interviewed, complemented with extensive analysis of related documents; and empirical insights regarding contemporary UK-based HNWIs’ engagement in philanthrocapitalism, the philanthropic strategies they adopt, and the circumstances under which their strategy may change. Collectively these insights expand our understanding of the UK philanthrocapitalism landscape and of high-net-worth philanthropy in the UK.The German automotive industry at a crossroads : an explorative case study of the communication of electrification
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/26213
The German automotive industry is facing the most challenging and demanding change in its 130-year history. It finds itself at a crossroads with an unknown future ahead. The renunciation of internal combustion engines and the pressure to replace them with emission-free electric engines poses an immense challenge to the entire industry. This thesis examines how electrification as a pro-environmental change is communicated and perceived, and how its communication differs from conventional change communication.
An explorative case study structure was applied. It focuses on three automotive companies from South-West Germany, of which two are supplier companies, and one is an original equipment manufacturer. In total, 41 participants took part in semi-structured interviews. Secondary data in the form of publications issued by the government and automotive companies were additionally analysed. Moreover, observations at the study locations were undertaken to gain an understanding of how electrification as a change impacts the work environment of this thesis’ participants.
This thesis found that the perceptions of electrification differ between automotive companies and are linked to the extent to which corporate cultures, business models, and individual beliefs support and facilitate pro-environmental actions. Moreover, an understanding of how German automotive companies attempt to communicate electrification was established. This thesis shows that companies discontinue their established change communication processes and replace them with new communication methods. In response to electrification, the case study companies created communication methods that they have never used before to communicate changes, showing the uniqueness of this pro-environmental change. This research is the very first academic contribution that explores automotive companies’ communicative responses to electrification and the perceptions towards electrification and its communication. Thus, this thesis aims to understand how automotive companies address electrification and how they utilise new communication methods in the pursuit of moving transportation into a new age.
2022-11-30T00:00:00ZHein, TobiasThe German automotive industry is facing the most challenging and demanding change in its 130-year history. It finds itself at a crossroads with an unknown future ahead. The renunciation of internal combustion engines and the pressure to replace them with emission-free electric engines poses an immense challenge to the entire industry. This thesis examines how electrification as a pro-environmental change is communicated and perceived, and how its communication differs from conventional change communication.
An explorative case study structure was applied. It focuses on three automotive companies from South-West Germany, of which two are supplier companies, and one is an original equipment manufacturer. In total, 41 participants took part in semi-structured interviews. Secondary data in the form of publications issued by the government and automotive companies were additionally analysed. Moreover, observations at the study locations were undertaken to gain an understanding of how electrification as a change impacts the work environment of this thesis’ participants.
This thesis found that the perceptions of electrification differ between automotive companies and are linked to the extent to which corporate cultures, business models, and individual beliefs support and facilitate pro-environmental actions. Moreover, an understanding of how German automotive companies attempt to communicate electrification was established. This thesis shows that companies discontinue their established change communication processes and replace them with new communication methods. In response to electrification, the case study companies created communication methods that they have never used before to communicate changes, showing the uniqueness of this pro-environmental change. This research is the very first academic contribution that explores automotive companies’ communicative responses to electrification and the perceptions towards electrification and its communication. Thus, this thesis aims to understand how automotive companies address electrification and how they utilise new communication methods in the pursuit of moving transportation into a new age.Exploring competent professional practice : a social practice theory approach
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/25774
During a medical consultation, the right answer in terms of medical knowledge from evidence within clinical guidelines, may not align with the right answer for an individual patient. This can create tension within a medical consultation between the delivery of patient-centred care and externally imposed performance measures. This thesis illuminates a way to differentiate between unwarranted variation from a well-founded, mandated evidence base versus exercise of professional judgement and use of alternative sources of knowledge.
This qualitative case study used a practice-based approach, and reflexive thematic analysis, to investigate how medical students use evidence-based knowledge within a consultation with an individual patient. This involved observation of teaching practice, and simulated consultations, then follow-up interviews with medical students, simulated patients and medical school tutors. This illuminated what is meant by competent professional practice and provision of patient-centred care. The thesis makes a methodological contribution by providing an alternative way of studying the complexity of implementation of evidence-based practice, as a social practice rather than a linear predictable practice.
This study showed the value of considering ethical principles to support the patient to co-construct the performance. Patient-centred care could be demonstrated by the medical student being explicit about connecting with meaning from within the practice of the patient, to respect patient autonomy and epistemic justice. This required attention to which practice, and which elements within practice were attended to, from within the bundle of multiple practices within any context at each point in time.
By teaching for connections, tutors support the competence of students to reflect on both the meaning element within the practice, and the material element within practice. The tutors can use feedback to support the students to use sociological imagination, to create a practice which is most meaningful for an individual patient, to provide patient-centred care within evidence-based medicine.
2022-06-17T00:00:00ZDumbreck, SiobhanDuring a medical consultation, the right answer in terms of medical knowledge from evidence within clinical guidelines, may not align with the right answer for an individual patient. This can create tension within a medical consultation between the delivery of patient-centred care and externally imposed performance measures. This thesis illuminates a way to differentiate between unwarranted variation from a well-founded, mandated evidence base versus exercise of professional judgement and use of alternative sources of knowledge.
This qualitative case study used a practice-based approach, and reflexive thematic analysis, to investigate how medical students use evidence-based knowledge within a consultation with an individual patient. This involved observation of teaching practice, and simulated consultations, then follow-up interviews with medical students, simulated patients and medical school tutors. This illuminated what is meant by competent professional practice and provision of patient-centred care. The thesis makes a methodological contribution by providing an alternative way of studying the complexity of implementation of evidence-based practice, as a social practice rather than a linear predictable practice.
This study showed the value of considering ethical principles to support the patient to co-construct the performance. Patient-centred care could be demonstrated by the medical student being explicit about connecting with meaning from within the practice of the patient, to respect patient autonomy and epistemic justice. This required attention to which practice, and which elements within practice were attended to, from within the bundle of multiple practices within any context at each point in time.
By teaching for connections, tutors support the competence of students to reflect on both the meaning element within the practice, and the material element within practice. The tutors can use feedback to support the students to use sociological imagination, to create a practice which is most meaningful for an individual patient, to provide patient-centred care within evidence-based medicine.The experience of entrepreneurial exit : an exploratory study of average micro and small business owners
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/23607
This thesis develops a typology and a test of how micro and small business owners
experience the entrepreneurial exit process and the primary factors triggering such action.
The current study explores the narratives of 40 entrepreneurs from diverse industries in
the Southern Ontario region of Canada that discuss 51 retrospective accounts of exits. The
departure process is a series of actions and/or events that trigger the relinquishment, by
the entrepreneur’s own accord or not, of all ownership shares; operational duties and
physical commitments to their venture. Entrepreneurship is significant for job creation;
investment; economic growth and innovation. Society is set to experience the significant
demographic shift of ‘baby boomers’ from the market, which is concerning for
entrepreneurship as Canadian exit rates are increasing and a third have no succession plan.
Much of the entrepreneurial exit literature explores the association between exit
planning and outcomes on macro, organisational-levels. Because of its infancy as a field
of study, exit literature tends to be piecemeal; crude and develops in isolation to other
complimentary academic fields such as family business that can contribute knowledge on
the succession process. The exit subfield lacks qualitative and processual contributions to
understand the motivations of why entrepreneurs are exiting, which can tie existing
academic contributions and develop a greater understanding on discontinuance.
The current research contributes to the entrepreneurial exit; entrepreneurship and
family business literatures by developing a typology and test of the exit experiences of
Model A: financial harvest exits and Model B: nonfinancial harvests. Key findings
identify that the entrepreneurial exit process takes over a year to complete and has five
distinct phases: starting; operating; triggering; exiting and post-exiting. Within the exit
journey, Model A entrepreneurs rely on their weak networks to achieve a financial
harvest, whereas Model B entrepreneurs seek alternative employment for stability before
realising their intention to exit. Financial harvests; dissolving and defaulting exit types
are planned outcomes whereas bankruptcy is a catastrophic result. The strong networks
of the entrepreneur provide emotional support throughout the process which is necessary
given the gradual decline in the entrepreneurs’ well-being throughout the journey. Having
greater adaptability in the exiting process is beneficial compared to planning an exit
strategy early in the venture.
2019-12-04T00:00:00ZPauley, Matthew KevinThis thesis develops a typology and a test of how micro and small business owners
experience the entrepreneurial exit process and the primary factors triggering such action.
The current study explores the narratives of 40 entrepreneurs from diverse industries in
the Southern Ontario region of Canada that discuss 51 retrospective accounts of exits. The
departure process is a series of actions and/or events that trigger the relinquishment, by
the entrepreneur’s own accord or not, of all ownership shares; operational duties and
physical commitments to their venture. Entrepreneurship is significant for job creation;
investment; economic growth and innovation. Society is set to experience the significant
demographic shift of ‘baby boomers’ from the market, which is concerning for
entrepreneurship as Canadian exit rates are increasing and a third have no succession plan.
Much of the entrepreneurial exit literature explores the association between exit
planning and outcomes on macro, organisational-levels. Because of its infancy as a field
of study, exit literature tends to be piecemeal; crude and develops in isolation to other
complimentary academic fields such as family business that can contribute knowledge on
the succession process. The exit subfield lacks qualitative and processual contributions to
understand the motivations of why entrepreneurs are exiting, which can tie existing
academic contributions and develop a greater understanding on discontinuance.
The current research contributes to the entrepreneurial exit; entrepreneurship and
family business literatures by developing a typology and test of the exit experiences of
Model A: financial harvest exits and Model B: nonfinancial harvests. Key findings
identify that the entrepreneurial exit process takes over a year to complete and has five
distinct phases: starting; operating; triggering; exiting and post-exiting. Within the exit
journey, Model A entrepreneurs rely on their weak networks to achieve a financial
harvest, whereas Model B entrepreneurs seek alternative employment for stability before
realising their intention to exit. Financial harvests; dissolving and defaulting exit types
are planned outcomes whereas bankruptcy is a catastrophic result. The strong networks
of the entrepreneur provide emotional support throughout the process which is necessary
given the gradual decline in the entrepreneurs’ well-being throughout the journey. Having
greater adaptability in the exiting process is beneficial compared to planning an exit
strategy early in the venture.The dynamics of data donation : privacy risk, mobility data, and the smart city
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/23559
With the development of new technologies and their increased applications in the context of a local government, cities have started to claim that they are smart. Smart Cities make use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to support planning and policy making. For an appropriate and sustainable functioning of these smart cities, collecting data about the different aspects of their territory and operations, including its citizens, is a crucial activity. Currently, there are two main avenues in which smart cities can collect data about their citizens: either through sensors, and cameras strategically placed throughout the city or by asking citizens to voluntarily donate to the local government their personal data (i.e., citizen engagement or ‘e-participation’). Despite the growth and increasing prevalence of the latter practice, little attention has been given to how individuals experience the risks of data donation. Often, studies consider data donation as an aspect of the phenomenon of surveillance, or as a type of data sharing. This study theorises and empirically examines data donation and its risks as a phenomenon which is separate from either surveillance or data sharing.
Focusing on mobility data, this study draws on two established donation and privacy risk frameworks to investigate how the risks of donating personal data to a smart city are experienced and socially constructed. The thematic analysis of ten focus groups conducted showed that, in the context of this empirical examination, privacy-specific risks alone do not constitute constructed risks. Instead, they combine in various ways with perceived donation risks to constitute more nuanced and embedded risk constructions. Donation risks are seen as potential consequences of privacy risks and combined they constitute the risks of donating data. This thesis underlines the importance of the context under which data donation takes place as well as privacy’s value in a free and democratic society.
2021-07-02T00:00:00ZPereira Campos, Jorge FernandoWith the development of new technologies and their increased applications in the context of a local government, cities have started to claim that they are smart. Smart Cities make use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to support planning and policy making. For an appropriate and sustainable functioning of these smart cities, collecting data about the different aspects of their territory and operations, including its citizens, is a crucial activity. Currently, there are two main avenues in which smart cities can collect data about their citizens: either through sensors, and cameras strategically placed throughout the city or by asking citizens to voluntarily donate to the local government their personal data (i.e., citizen engagement or ‘e-participation’). Despite the growth and increasing prevalence of the latter practice, little attention has been given to how individuals experience the risks of data donation. Often, studies consider data donation as an aspect of the phenomenon of surveillance, or as a type of data sharing. This study theorises and empirically examines data donation and its risks as a phenomenon which is separate from either surveillance or data sharing.
Focusing on mobility data, this study draws on two established donation and privacy risk frameworks to investigate how the risks of donating personal data to a smart city are experienced and socially constructed. The thematic analysis of ten focus groups conducted showed that, in the context of this empirical examination, privacy-specific risks alone do not constitute constructed risks. Instead, they combine in various ways with perceived donation risks to constitute more nuanced and embedded risk constructions. Donation risks are seen as potential consequences of privacy risks and combined they constitute the risks of donating data. This thesis underlines the importance of the context under which data donation takes place as well as privacy’s value in a free and democratic society.A market in the making : sociomaterial enactment of the graduate labour market
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/23526
This thesis is about the graduate labour market. More specifically, this thesis deploys a market studies approach to examine how the graduate labour market is assembled in one specific instance: graduate recruitment program in the technology department of an international financial services corporation, GlobalFinCo. Based on fieldwork comprising 30 hours of observation, 20 in-depth interviews, dozens of shorter conversations, email communications, relevant documentation and online materials on the subject of graduate recruitment, and a diffractive (Barad, 2007) reading of empirical and theoretical materials, my study reveals that great efforts go into enacting the graduate labour market. Though they often remain, or are deliberately rendered, invisible, these efforts have material ethical and political effects. Drawing on market studies, I argue that the unfolding of the graduate recruitment process in the empirical site that I studied, GlobalFinCo, constituted an instance of assembling a politicised market order. I mobilise the concept of care to suggest that this assemblage is not ad-hoc and accidental, nor simply a manifestation of adversarial relations of capital and labour, but a provisional stabilisation of a multiplicity of efforts, agendas, and actions performed by a heterogeneous cast of actors. This study contributes to the labour market scholarship by indicating how a market studies approach can be usefully deployed to examine the enactment of market politics in concrete empirical settings. At the same time, this empirical account of the efforts and care that go into constructing and maintaining this assemblage offers a counterpoint to the critiques of market studies’ inability to properly tackle the political relations inherent in markets. As such, through telling a “care-infused market tale” (de Wilde, 2020: 1), this study offers a contribution to the ongoing project of politicising market studies.
2021-07-02T00:00:00ZLoza, OlgaThis thesis is about the graduate labour market. More specifically, this thesis deploys a market studies approach to examine how the graduate labour market is assembled in one specific instance: graduate recruitment program in the technology department of an international financial services corporation, GlobalFinCo. Based on fieldwork comprising 30 hours of observation, 20 in-depth interviews, dozens of shorter conversations, email communications, relevant documentation and online materials on the subject of graduate recruitment, and a diffractive (Barad, 2007) reading of empirical and theoretical materials, my study reveals that great efforts go into enacting the graduate labour market. Though they often remain, or are deliberately rendered, invisible, these efforts have material ethical and political effects. Drawing on market studies, I argue that the unfolding of the graduate recruitment process in the empirical site that I studied, GlobalFinCo, constituted an instance of assembling a politicised market order. I mobilise the concept of care to suggest that this assemblage is not ad-hoc and accidental, nor simply a manifestation of adversarial relations of capital and labour, but a provisional stabilisation of a multiplicity of efforts, agendas, and actions performed by a heterogeneous cast of actors. This study contributes to the labour market scholarship by indicating how a market studies approach can be usefully deployed to examine the enactment of market politics in concrete empirical settings. At the same time, this empirical account of the efforts and care that go into constructing and maintaining this assemblage offers a counterpoint to the critiques of market studies’ inability to properly tackle the political relations inherent in markets. As such, through telling a “care-infused market tale” (de Wilde, 2020: 1), this study offers a contribution to the ongoing project of politicising market studies.Postulating consumers : how marketers conceptualise consumers in the era of big data analytics
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/22987
The proliferation of big data analytics in marketing appears to be having significant effects on the field, such as changing how marketers perceive their consumers and how they act on them. As I discuss in my research, marketers are not satisfied to work solely with approximate, imagined conceptualisations of consumers as a basis for advertisements and offers. Instead, they are looking for exact virtual data doubles of existing and potential consumers, which is something they hope to achieve through big data analytics. In my thesis, I explore the question of how and why marketers conceptualise consumers differently when using big data analytics compared with traditional market and consumer research methods. This is embedded in the theory of the co-production of knowledge and empirically relies on interviews with marketers and data analysts, case studies, and participant observations at industry conferences.
In my research, I show to what extent the idea of the data double consumer conceptualisation is considered an ideal case for marketers, and that it is believed to be made possible through big data analytics, which is expected to create an exact knowledge about consumers. However, my findings show that in practice, big data analytics should be considered a sociotechnical assemblage that produces knowledge which contains inaccuracies, errors and uncertainties. Knowledge about consumers is not just discovered – neither through traditional market and consumer research methods nor through big data analytics. Instead, it is the outcome of a co-production that involves different steps, individuals, teams, normativities, and technologies. Hence, knowledge about consumers is never an exact representation of reality, irrespective of its methods of production. Consequently, consumer conceptualisations expected to be exact data doubles cannot be attained. Instead, postulations are established that are believed to be accurate, without having actual proof. Yet, my findings show that knowledge resulting from big data analytics has a higher credibility and epistemic authority amongst the participants, explaining the persistence of the data double consumer conceptualisation in digital marketing.
2021-07-02T00:00:00Zvon Laufenberg, Roger Ferdinand FrancoisThe proliferation of big data analytics in marketing appears to be having significant effects on the field, such as changing how marketers perceive their consumers and how they act on them. As I discuss in my research, marketers are not satisfied to work solely with approximate, imagined conceptualisations of consumers as a basis for advertisements and offers. Instead, they are looking for exact virtual data doubles of existing and potential consumers, which is something they hope to achieve through big data analytics. In my thesis, I explore the question of how and why marketers conceptualise consumers differently when using big data analytics compared with traditional market and consumer research methods. This is embedded in the theory of the co-production of knowledge and empirically relies on interviews with marketers and data analysts, case studies, and participant observations at industry conferences.
In my research, I show to what extent the idea of the data double consumer conceptualisation is considered an ideal case for marketers, and that it is believed to be made possible through big data analytics, which is expected to create an exact knowledge about consumers. However, my findings show that in practice, big data analytics should be considered a sociotechnical assemblage that produces knowledge which contains inaccuracies, errors and uncertainties. Knowledge about consumers is not just discovered – neither through traditional market and consumer research methods nor through big data analytics. Instead, it is the outcome of a co-production that involves different steps, individuals, teams, normativities, and technologies. Hence, knowledge about consumers is never an exact representation of reality, irrespective of its methods of production. Consequently, consumer conceptualisations expected to be exact data doubles cannot be attained. Instead, postulations are established that are believed to be accurate, without having actual proof. Yet, my findings show that knowledge resulting from big data analytics has a higher credibility and epistemic authority amongst the participants, explaining the persistence of the data double consumer conceptualisation in digital marketing.Social and environmental reporting in the UK : a neo-Gramscian critique
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/22017
This thesis explores the practice of stand-alone Social and Environmental Reporting (SER) in the UK. This exploration encompasses a detailed description of SER practice as it currently is perceived in the UK. SER is conceived ideally as a means of making organisations accountable to wider society by rendering transparent the conflict inherent in commercial activity, in turn empowering wider society. However, in practice this goal remains elusive. It is within this context that a detailed investigation of corporate motivations to SER was undertaken. The thesis reflects upon what these motivations imply for a more accountable SER in the UK context, and generally. A qualitative methodological approach was taken in the study. Corporate motivations were explored through a series of in-depth interviews with corporate SER managers. In addition to exploring motivations, the interviews were also framed in a way that allowed the ideologies of managers to be interrogated. This represents an attempt to build upon the insights of the SER fieldwork of recent years. The study was also informed by a critical theoretical perspective. Fieldwork that is critically informed in this manner is largely absent from the literature. The results of this study indicate that SER is driven by a variety of motivations. These motivations are presented as complex and multifarious, manifesting themselves in different configurations across companies. However, the overwhelming majority of these motivations may be understood as forming part of a business case for SER. The thesis is less concerned with dissecting the complexity of the business case than it is with understanding the dominance of this business case per se, and what such a dominance implies for SER. This is reflected upon using Neo-Gramscian theory where it is suggested that, given present societal arrangements, companies will always try to render SER as an ideological tool that obfuscates, rather than exposes the conflicts inherent in commercial activity. However, the thesis concludes by suggesting that even this somewhat disappointing state of affairs does not necessarily imply that SER is without emancipatory potential.
2006-01-01T00:00:00ZSpence, CrawfordThis thesis explores the practice of stand-alone Social and Environmental Reporting (SER) in the UK. This exploration encompasses a detailed description of SER practice as it currently is perceived in the UK. SER is conceived ideally as a means of making organisations accountable to wider society by rendering transparent the conflict inherent in commercial activity, in turn empowering wider society. However, in practice this goal remains elusive. It is within this context that a detailed investigation of corporate motivations to SER was undertaken. The thesis reflects upon what these motivations imply for a more accountable SER in the UK context, and generally. A qualitative methodological approach was taken in the study. Corporate motivations were explored through a series of in-depth interviews with corporate SER managers. In addition to exploring motivations, the interviews were also framed in a way that allowed the ideologies of managers to be interrogated. This represents an attempt to build upon the insights of the SER fieldwork of recent years. The study was also informed by a critical theoretical perspective. Fieldwork that is critically informed in this manner is largely absent from the literature. The results of this study indicate that SER is driven by a variety of motivations. These motivations are presented as complex and multifarious, manifesting themselves in different configurations across companies. However, the overwhelming majority of these motivations may be understood as forming part of a business case for SER. The thesis is less concerned with dissecting the complexity of the business case than it is with understanding the dominance of this business case per se, and what such a dominance implies for SER. This is reflected upon using Neo-Gramscian theory where it is suggested that, given present societal arrangements, companies will always try to render SER as an ideological tool that obfuscates, rather than exposes the conflicts inherent in commercial activity. However, the thesis concludes by suggesting that even this somewhat disappointing state of affairs does not necessarily imply that SER is without emancipatory potential.From policy framework to practice real work : exploring knowledge mobilisation within a complex adaptive system
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/21289
Rationale: Successful implementation of evidence-based innovations has been identified as offering the best outcomes for service users, communities, and organisations. A widening understanding of structures, processes and resources essential to the successful adoption of innovative practices has informed the development of implementation frameworks that seek to bring research users and providers closer together. Despite these efforts, best available research knowledge is still difficult to translate into innovations in practice at scale, requiring the investment and co-ordination of resources across interconnected social structures that can be resistant to change.
However, some changes do take hold and lead to new practices becoming integrated into organisational routines. Mobilising individual and collective knowledge have been identified as a key factor in delivering organisational changes. Research in this area has highlighted the role of complex, context dependent and power-laden organizational structures in relation to the spread and use of knowledge while the role of the individual as the agent of change within these organisational structures has received less attention.
This study adds empirically to the conceptual and theoretical literature by focusing on the individual as the agent of change and the role of knowledge as a catalyst for the implementation of changes in practice.
Drawing on literature on the creation, sharing and use of knowledge and employing the principles of complexity theory to construe the context as a series of complex adaptive systems, the study seeks to gain an understanding of how a Government policy framework transforms into individuals creating, sharing and actioning knowledge to secure changes in practice.
Study Context:
This study considered how the ambitions of a Scottish Government Policy, Ready to Act (R2A) were implemented within the organisational setting of an NHS Scotland health board. The participants in the study were a group of Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) which included physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech & language therapists, podiatrists and dieticians along with their leaders and representatives from the Scottish Government who had been instrumental in setting the overall direction of service redesign. The R2A policy aimed to break down professional silos to create a more integrated service delivery that focused on early intervention and prevention approaches.
The overarching research aim was addressed in this context through the following research questions:
What are the underlying mechanisms that enabled individuals to create, share and action knowledge to reconfigure services towards early intervention-prevention service delivery within this context?
What underlying mechanisms facilitate and maintain the momentum and direction of change across diverse and dynamic agents within the system?
Study Design:
The qualitative longitudinal study adopted a realist approach to consider what works for whom and in what context in relation to implementing practice change in line with policy ambitions. Participants’ understandings of the change process and their attributions for successful changes were explored over a 17-month period.
Context-mechanism-outcome (CMO) theory configurations were constructed and refined through three tranches of focus groups (4) , interviews (23), observations (50 hours) and documentary analysis (16 documents) to provide a robust explanation of how knowledge drawn from a learning activity was mobilised across a complex adaptive system of health and social care.
Theoretical Framings
Employing concepts from complexity theory and knowledge mobilisation literature, the health and social care context is construed as a complex adaptive system (CAS), where interconnected entities adapt and self-organise in response to stimulus or feedback from their environment. Considering outcomes as an emergent quality of the system rather than a product of command and control, enabled the unpredictable and uncontrollable aspects of the context to be viewed as potential assets to the knowledge mobilisation process.
Main Findings:
The study considered two workstreams of AHPs who were collaboratively designing changes in practice which aligned with the ambitions of the R2A policy. The groups had different starting points in relation to their workstream tasks.
These different starting points, and the resources and histories of the participants had continuing impacts on how the individuals within each workstream group responded to knowledge presented within the learning activity and to the policy ambition of a move to a proactive approach to service provision.
Employing a complexity theory lens provided a useful analytical frame for surfacing and explaining differences in the nature and pace of change across contexts. Key constructs from complexity theory (self-organisation, feedback loops, emergence and interconnectivity) provided a useful way of explaining differences across the system and brought attention to elements of the change process which were unforeseen, forgotten or hidden in plain view.
The study also identified distributed leadership and the cultivation of an allocentric disposition, where individuals were willing to engage with the knowledge from other groups and individuals, as necessary antecedents of knowledge mobilization. The importance of feedback loops in maintaining the trajectory and momentum of change across the system and over time was another important finding. Feedback loops were observed manifesting as epistemic artefacts which were created, refined and often replaced by individuals and groups as the system adapted and evolved. The longitudinal nature of the study revealed incremental changes which were important, but which were largely unacknowledged by the measures of change adopted by local management and the Scottish Government.
Theoretical Contribution:
The study revealed how the attributes of complex systems were harnessed to mobilise knowledge and deliver desired outcomes.
Drawing together the literature on epistemic artefacts and the attributes of complex adaptive systems, this study provides a greater understanding of the role of artefacts within feedback loops in the sharing and application of knowledge.
The nature of feedback loops has not been explored fully in previous studies. This study sheds light on how linguistic, social, and physical artefacts are created and employed within the process of knowledge mobilisation to support sustainable changes in practice.
Empirical Contribution:
This research provides a rich, detailed account of knowledge mobilisation in AHPs, an under-researched group of key actors within health care. It provides much needed longitudinal empirical evidence to a field which has received predominantly theoretical attention and provides an inter-group observation of knowledge mobilisation within a complex adaptive system.
Practical Contribution:
Employing realist methodology provided an ontologically deep exploration of the factors impacting on individuals and collectives as they sought to create, share, and implement their knowledge to deliver changes in practice. The realist methodology also provided a reflexive space for participants to review and unpack their experiences and set these within the context of how events emerged across the wider system over time. The refined CMO theories resonated with the experience of stakeholders from a wider national context who identified with the complexity-informed explanations of outcome variation across the system. The refined CMO configurations provide practical guidance on how key factors of complex adaptive system were harnessed to support the development and spread of innovation.
Implications of the study
The findings from the study suggest that where knowledge is a catalyst for changes in practice, the scale-up and spread of change across a complex adaptive system is facilitated through micro-processes of feedback. These feedback loops are highly sensitive to context. Understanding how feedback loops evolve and influence the trajectory of change within specific contexts offers an opportunity to harness the feedback loop to create virtuous cycles of change, moving the CAS in the desired trajectory of change. Understanding how vicious cycles of undesirable change or status quo are being sustained through feedback loops offers formative opportunities to dampen the influence of these feedback loops.
The findings also suggest distributed and hierarchical approaches to leadership are both required within complex organisations. Although command and control structure are necessary to ensure the organisation is stable enough to function effectively, a distributed model of leadership is necessary to foster engagement and innovation. These different forms of leadership were not in competition but could be construed as operating as further feedback loops which influenced the direction of change.
Creating change across this complex system relied on the mobilisation of knowledge between engaged agents. This occurred within this study through respectful and empowering relationships which were based on a model of distributed leadership and an allocentric disposition. These factors took time to become established. Individuals and groups working to mobilise knowledge were supported when anticipated timeframes for projects and activities were extended to facilitate change processes, particularly in context where individuals and groups had no history of working together.
This study sought to provide a coherent explanation of the events experienced by practitioners and leaders as they addressed the shared ambitions of a government policy. The findings suggest that feedback loops which emerge from a deep understanding of how relationships are formed, managed and sustained across a system, provide key knowledge that can be mobilised to promotes the scale up and spread of innovation across a complex system.
2020-12-04T00:00:00ZCraig, Anne-MarieRationale: Successful implementation of evidence-based innovations has been identified as offering the best outcomes for service users, communities, and organisations. A widening understanding of structures, processes and resources essential to the successful adoption of innovative practices has informed the development of implementation frameworks that seek to bring research users and providers closer together. Despite these efforts, best available research knowledge is still difficult to translate into innovations in practice at scale, requiring the investment and co-ordination of resources across interconnected social structures that can be resistant to change.
However, some changes do take hold and lead to new practices becoming integrated into organisational routines. Mobilising individual and collective knowledge have been identified as a key factor in delivering organisational changes. Research in this area has highlighted the role of complex, context dependent and power-laden organizational structures in relation to the spread and use of knowledge while the role of the individual as the agent of change within these organisational structures has received less attention.
This study adds empirically to the conceptual and theoretical literature by focusing on the individual as the agent of change and the role of knowledge as a catalyst for the implementation of changes in practice.
Drawing on literature on the creation, sharing and use of knowledge and employing the principles of complexity theory to construe the context as a series of complex adaptive systems, the study seeks to gain an understanding of how a Government policy framework transforms into individuals creating, sharing and actioning knowledge to secure changes in practice.
Study Context:
This study considered how the ambitions of a Scottish Government Policy, Ready to Act (R2A) were implemented within the organisational setting of an NHS Scotland health board. The participants in the study were a group of Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) which included physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech & language therapists, podiatrists and dieticians along with their leaders and representatives from the Scottish Government who had been instrumental in setting the overall direction of service redesign. The R2A policy aimed to break down professional silos to create a more integrated service delivery that focused on early intervention and prevention approaches.
The overarching research aim was addressed in this context through the following research questions:
What are the underlying mechanisms that enabled individuals to create, share and action knowledge to reconfigure services towards early intervention-prevention service delivery within this context?
What underlying mechanisms facilitate and maintain the momentum and direction of change across diverse and dynamic agents within the system?
Study Design:
The qualitative longitudinal study adopted a realist approach to consider what works for whom and in what context in relation to implementing practice change in line with policy ambitions. Participants’ understandings of the change process and their attributions for successful changes were explored over a 17-month period.
Context-mechanism-outcome (CMO) theory configurations were constructed and refined through three tranches of focus groups (4) , interviews (23), observations (50 hours) and documentary analysis (16 documents) to provide a robust explanation of how knowledge drawn from a learning activity was mobilised across a complex adaptive system of health and social care.
Theoretical Framings
Employing concepts from complexity theory and knowledge mobilisation literature, the health and social care context is construed as a complex adaptive system (CAS), where interconnected entities adapt and self-organise in response to stimulus or feedback from their environment. Considering outcomes as an emergent quality of the system rather than a product of command and control, enabled the unpredictable and uncontrollable aspects of the context to be viewed as potential assets to the knowledge mobilisation process.
Main Findings:
The study considered two workstreams of AHPs who were collaboratively designing changes in practice which aligned with the ambitions of the R2A policy. The groups had different starting points in relation to their workstream tasks.
These different starting points, and the resources and histories of the participants had continuing impacts on how the individuals within each workstream group responded to knowledge presented within the learning activity and to the policy ambition of a move to a proactive approach to service provision.
Employing a complexity theory lens provided a useful analytical frame for surfacing and explaining differences in the nature and pace of change across contexts. Key constructs from complexity theory (self-organisation, feedback loops, emergence and interconnectivity) provided a useful way of explaining differences across the system and brought attention to elements of the change process which were unforeseen, forgotten or hidden in plain view.
The study also identified distributed leadership and the cultivation of an allocentric disposition, where individuals were willing to engage with the knowledge from other groups and individuals, as necessary antecedents of knowledge mobilization. The importance of feedback loops in maintaining the trajectory and momentum of change across the system and over time was another important finding. Feedback loops were observed manifesting as epistemic artefacts which were created, refined and often replaced by individuals and groups as the system adapted and evolved. The longitudinal nature of the study revealed incremental changes which were important, but which were largely unacknowledged by the measures of change adopted by local management and the Scottish Government.
Theoretical Contribution:
The study revealed how the attributes of complex systems were harnessed to mobilise knowledge and deliver desired outcomes.
Drawing together the literature on epistemic artefacts and the attributes of complex adaptive systems, this study provides a greater understanding of the role of artefacts within feedback loops in the sharing and application of knowledge.
The nature of feedback loops has not been explored fully in previous studies. This study sheds light on how linguistic, social, and physical artefacts are created and employed within the process of knowledge mobilisation to support sustainable changes in practice.
Empirical Contribution:
This research provides a rich, detailed account of knowledge mobilisation in AHPs, an under-researched group of key actors within health care. It provides much needed longitudinal empirical evidence to a field which has received predominantly theoretical attention and provides an inter-group observation of knowledge mobilisation within a complex adaptive system.
Practical Contribution:
Employing realist methodology provided an ontologically deep exploration of the factors impacting on individuals and collectives as they sought to create, share, and implement their knowledge to deliver changes in practice. The realist methodology also provided a reflexive space for participants to review and unpack their experiences and set these within the context of how events emerged across the wider system over time. The refined CMO theories resonated with the experience of stakeholders from a wider national context who identified with the complexity-informed explanations of outcome variation across the system. The refined CMO configurations provide practical guidance on how key factors of complex adaptive system were harnessed to support the development and spread of innovation.
Implications of the study
The findings from the study suggest that where knowledge is a catalyst for changes in practice, the scale-up and spread of change across a complex adaptive system is facilitated through micro-processes of feedback. These feedback loops are highly sensitive to context. Understanding how feedback loops evolve and influence the trajectory of change within specific contexts offers an opportunity to harness the feedback loop to create virtuous cycles of change, moving the CAS in the desired trajectory of change. Understanding how vicious cycles of undesirable change or status quo are being sustained through feedback loops offers formative opportunities to dampen the influence of these feedback loops.
The findings also suggest distributed and hierarchical approaches to leadership are both required within complex organisations. Although command and control structure are necessary to ensure the organisation is stable enough to function effectively, a distributed model of leadership is necessary to foster engagement and innovation. These different forms of leadership were not in competition but could be construed as operating as further feedback loops which influenced the direction of change.
Creating change across this complex system relied on the mobilisation of knowledge between engaged agents. This occurred within this study through respectful and empowering relationships which were based on a model of distributed leadership and an allocentric disposition. These factors took time to become established. Individuals and groups working to mobilise knowledge were supported when anticipated timeframes for projects and activities were extended to facilitate change processes, particularly in context where individuals and groups had no history of working together.
This study sought to provide a coherent explanation of the events experienced by practitioners and leaders as they addressed the shared ambitions of a government policy. The findings suggest that feedback loops which emerge from a deep understanding of how relationships are formed, managed and sustained across a system, provide key knowledge that can be mobilised to promotes the scale up and spread of innovation across a complex system.Bank payout policy : evidence from three regulatory changes
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/19546
This thesis examines contemporary issues in bank payout policy. The thesis
comprises three empirical studies, which investigate how different forms of regulation
in the banking industry impact payout decisions. Chapter 2 examines the effect of
deposit insurance coverage on bank payout policy. We find that banks most affected by
the change in deposit insurance coverage pay lower dividends than less affected
counterparts. This suggests that when deposit insurance coverage increases, the need
for banks to signal their strength to uninsured depositors declines. Chapter 3
investigates the effect of deregulation and competition on bank payout policy. Using an
exogenous measure of competition that captures regulatory induced changes to
competition, we find that banks operating in states where extensive deregulation led
to intensified competition pay lower dividends than counterparts operating in states
where deregulation took place more slowly. Our findings are more pronounced for
banks with lower expected future earnings. This suggests that competition reduces the
ability of lower performing banks to continue paying dividends. We also find that
regulatory scrutiny moderates the strength of the relationship between competition
and bank dividends such that banks operating in states characterised by higher
competition and lower regulatory scrutiny pay higher dividends than counterparts
operating in similarly competitive states, but with greater regulatory scrutiny. Chapter
4 studies how a change in the supervision of bank capital distributions affects the
information content of dividends regarding the future level and the volatility of bank
profitability. Employing a 2012 change in Regulation Y that requires US banks with assets exceeding $50 billion to submit detailed capital plans for regulatory approval
prior to any dividend payouts, we find that the increased supervision of capital
distributions (following amendments to Regulation Y) improves the information
content of dividends regarding the future level and volatility of bank profitability.
2020-06-26T00:00:00ZChe Johari, Edie ErmanThis thesis examines contemporary issues in bank payout policy. The thesis
comprises three empirical studies, which investigate how different forms of regulation
in the banking industry impact payout decisions. Chapter 2 examines the effect of
deposit insurance coverage on bank payout policy. We find that banks most affected by
the change in deposit insurance coverage pay lower dividends than less affected
counterparts. This suggests that when deposit insurance coverage increases, the need
for banks to signal their strength to uninsured depositors declines. Chapter 3
investigates the effect of deregulation and competition on bank payout policy. Using an
exogenous measure of competition that captures regulatory induced changes to
competition, we find that banks operating in states where extensive deregulation led
to intensified competition pay lower dividends than counterparts operating in states
where deregulation took place more slowly. Our findings are more pronounced for
banks with lower expected future earnings. This suggests that competition reduces the
ability of lower performing banks to continue paying dividends. We also find that
regulatory scrutiny moderates the strength of the relationship between competition
and bank dividends such that banks operating in states characterised by higher
competition and lower regulatory scrutiny pay higher dividends than counterparts
operating in similarly competitive states, but with greater regulatory scrutiny. Chapter
4 studies how a change in the supervision of bank capital distributions affects the
information content of dividends regarding the future level and the volatility of bank
profitability. Employing a 2012 change in Regulation Y that requires US banks with assets exceeding $50 billion to submit detailed capital plans for regulatory approval
prior to any dividend payouts, we find that the increased supervision of capital
distributions (following amendments to Regulation Y) improves the information
content of dividends regarding the future level and volatility of bank profitability.The role of self-control in pro-environmental behaviour
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/19249
Enhancing individuals’ pro-environmental behaviour is a key aspect of climate change mitigation. Despite most individuals endorsing positive environmental motivations, such as attitudes, pro-environmental behaviour uptake remains low. The thesis proposes that one’s self-control ability may play a role in their pro-environmental behaviour, by enabling individuals to overcome the obstacles in the way of acting on pro-environmental motivations. This thesis thus explores the relationship between self-control and pro-environmental behaviour, and the practical implications of this relationship, by investigating how self-control strategies can be used as a marketing tool to enhance pro-environmental behaviour.
The first six studies provide evidence that self-control influences pro-environmental behaviour. A consistent, positive relationship between self-control and pro-environmental behaviour is found across three correlational studies. Findings from three experiments further suggest that lower self-control is linked to reduced pro-environmental behaviour, while higher self-control is linked to higher pro-environmental behaviour. Furthermore, self-control and attitudes are shown to predict pro-environmental behaviour together.
The latter five experiments address the implication that enhancing one’s self-control may benefit one’s pro-environmental behaviour engagement, and explore the use of implementation intentions, a strategy shown to effectively support one’s self-control, for promoting pro-environmental behaviour, in a marketing context. As implementation intentions typically involve lengthy manipulations that are not suitable for wider-scale marketing use, this set of studies explores a brief, picture-based format of implementation intentions that is more suitable for marketing application. The first two experiments demonstrate that this implementation intentions format is as effective in influencing behaviour as the conventional format. Next, three field experiments demonstrate that implementation intentions, in this brief format, can effectively enhance pro-environmental behaviour.
The findings contribute to a better understanding of pro-environmental behaviour, by highlighting a novel influence on pro-environmental behaviour, and identifying a new, independent predictor of pro-environmental behaviour. Furthermore, the findings provide practical insights into interventions for promoting pro-environmental behaviour and suggest an effective marketing tool that policy-makers and social marketers could use to promote pro-environmental behaviour on a wide scale.
2019-12-04T00:00:00ZOniga, AndreeaEnhancing individuals’ pro-environmental behaviour is a key aspect of climate change mitigation. Despite most individuals endorsing positive environmental motivations, such as attitudes, pro-environmental behaviour uptake remains low. The thesis proposes that one’s self-control ability may play a role in their pro-environmental behaviour, by enabling individuals to overcome the obstacles in the way of acting on pro-environmental motivations. This thesis thus explores the relationship between self-control and pro-environmental behaviour, and the practical implications of this relationship, by investigating how self-control strategies can be used as a marketing tool to enhance pro-environmental behaviour.
The first six studies provide evidence that self-control influences pro-environmental behaviour. A consistent, positive relationship between self-control and pro-environmental behaviour is found across three correlational studies. Findings from three experiments further suggest that lower self-control is linked to reduced pro-environmental behaviour, while higher self-control is linked to higher pro-environmental behaviour. Furthermore, self-control and attitudes are shown to predict pro-environmental behaviour together.
The latter five experiments address the implication that enhancing one’s self-control may benefit one’s pro-environmental behaviour engagement, and explore the use of implementation intentions, a strategy shown to effectively support one’s self-control, for promoting pro-environmental behaviour, in a marketing context. As implementation intentions typically involve lengthy manipulations that are not suitable for wider-scale marketing use, this set of studies explores a brief, picture-based format of implementation intentions that is more suitable for marketing application. The first two experiments demonstrate that this implementation intentions format is as effective in influencing behaviour as the conventional format. Next, three field experiments demonstrate that implementation intentions, in this brief format, can effectively enhance pro-environmental behaviour.
The findings contribute to a better understanding of pro-environmental behaviour, by highlighting a novel influence on pro-environmental behaviour, and identifying a new, independent predictor of pro-environmental behaviour. Furthermore, the findings provide practical insights into interventions for promoting pro-environmental behaviour and suggest an effective marketing tool that policy-makers and social marketers could use to promote pro-environmental behaviour on a wide scale.Shepherding knowledge : a case study of social interactions that support knowledge mobilisation for sepsis care in Scotland
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/19246
This thesis is about knowledge that interconnects across different domains, and the
social interactions that support the mobilisation of such knowledge for clinical
practice. These issues are explored in the context of sepsis care in Scotland.
Sepsis claims the lives of at least 52,000 people in the UK each year, more than breast,
bowel and prostate cancer combined. While Hippocrates observed the dangers of
sepsis well over two thousand years ago, only in the last 25 years has a coordinated
research strategy been established to guide modern therapeutic efforts. Yet despite a
mounting clinical evidence base, the cause(s), progression, treatment and even the
very definition of sepsis remain often unclear and sometimes contested. In care
settings, the clinical manifestations of sepsis are frequently subtle and difficult to
distinguish from other common conditions, and the lack of a definitive diagnostic test
heightens the range of knowledge clinicians depend upon in order to recognise and
treat potentially septic patients.
Within this context of uncertainty, connecting the domains of research, policy and
practice remains an enduring concern in sepsis care, as with many other clinical issues.
In particular, there are significant challenges in ensuring that knowledge (and
knowing) in each of these domains better connect for continued improvements in
patient care.
This thesis then contributes to improved understanding of the persistent ‘knowing in
practice’ problem: using a knowledge mobilisation framing to capture the
development, sharing, and use of knowledge, where these processes are
conceptualised as multifaceted and intertwined rather than segmented and detached.
With a dual focus on both knowers and their knowledge, this work seeks a closer understanding of the social interactions that contribute to an interconnected
‘knowledge network’, a network that can, in turn, underpin better, safer patient care.
Using a qualitative case study design, this study provides a detailed exploration of an
interconnected knowledge network (on sepsis care in Scotland) that successfully drew
together the research, policy, and practice communities and resulted in improved
patient outcomes. Drawing on documentary, observational, and interview data, this
work found that knowledge is carefully curated (through social interactions) in order
to connect knowledge from the different domains and to support the mobilisation of
new actionable understandings for care. Tensions within both what knowledge ‘is’, as
well as the social system in which knowledge is employed, are negotiated
and nurtured by social practices that have been termed ‘shepherding’. Shepherding
practices are those that tend to the social interactions that support the mobilisation of
knowledge, and they are in evidence throughout the distributed areas of research,
policy and practice. In concluding, this thesis argues that – because knowledge is
complex and emergent, and because mobilising knowledge is an ongoing social
process – a developmental perspective needs to be taken as the normative frame for
the ‘knowing in practice’ problem.
The thesis makes two main contributions:
• empirically it provides a rich and detailed account of interconnected
knowledge and the social interactions that contribute to the mobilisation of
that knowledge in sepsis care in Scotland;
• theoretically, this work extends the academic literature that explores the
diversity, complexity, and interconnectivity of knowledge for practice by
emphasising the role of social interactions in supporting knowledge networks;
and the study demonstrates the successful use of Soft Knowledge Systems
(SKS) and Clinical Mindlines (CM) as a combined ‘relational knowledge
systems’ lens to better understand knowledge mobilisation processes.
2019-12-04T00:00:00ZTooman, Tricia RayThis thesis is about knowledge that interconnects across different domains, and the
social interactions that support the mobilisation of such knowledge for clinical
practice. These issues are explored in the context of sepsis care in Scotland.
Sepsis claims the lives of at least 52,000 people in the UK each year, more than breast,
bowel and prostate cancer combined. While Hippocrates observed the dangers of
sepsis well over two thousand years ago, only in the last 25 years has a coordinated
research strategy been established to guide modern therapeutic efforts. Yet despite a
mounting clinical evidence base, the cause(s), progression, treatment and even the
very definition of sepsis remain often unclear and sometimes contested. In care
settings, the clinical manifestations of sepsis are frequently subtle and difficult to
distinguish from other common conditions, and the lack of a definitive diagnostic test
heightens the range of knowledge clinicians depend upon in order to recognise and
treat potentially septic patients.
Within this context of uncertainty, connecting the domains of research, policy and
practice remains an enduring concern in sepsis care, as with many other clinical issues.
In particular, there are significant challenges in ensuring that knowledge (and
knowing) in each of these domains better connect for continued improvements in
patient care.
This thesis then contributes to improved understanding of the persistent ‘knowing in
practice’ problem: using a knowledge mobilisation framing to capture the
development, sharing, and use of knowledge, where these processes are
conceptualised as multifaceted and intertwined rather than segmented and detached.
With a dual focus on both knowers and their knowledge, this work seeks a closer understanding of the social interactions that contribute to an interconnected
‘knowledge network’, a network that can, in turn, underpin better, safer patient care.
Using a qualitative case study design, this study provides a detailed exploration of an
interconnected knowledge network (on sepsis care in Scotland) that successfully drew
together the research, policy, and practice communities and resulted in improved
patient outcomes. Drawing on documentary, observational, and interview data, this
work found that knowledge is carefully curated (through social interactions) in order
to connect knowledge from the different domains and to support the mobilisation of
new actionable understandings for care. Tensions within both what knowledge ‘is’, as
well as the social system in which knowledge is employed, are negotiated
and nurtured by social practices that have been termed ‘shepherding’. Shepherding
practices are those that tend to the social interactions that support the mobilisation of
knowledge, and they are in evidence throughout the distributed areas of research,
policy and practice. In concluding, this thesis argues that – because knowledge is
complex and emergent, and because mobilising knowledge is an ongoing social
process – a developmental perspective needs to be taken as the normative frame for
the ‘knowing in practice’ problem.
The thesis makes two main contributions:
• empirically it provides a rich and detailed account of interconnected
knowledge and the social interactions that contribute to the mobilisation of
that knowledge in sepsis care in Scotland;
• theoretically, this work extends the academic literature that explores the
diversity, complexity, and interconnectivity of knowledge for practice by
emphasising the role of social interactions in supporting knowledge networks;
and the study demonstrates the successful use of Soft Knowledge Systems
(SKS) and Clinical Mindlines (CM) as a combined ‘relational knowledge
systems’ lens to better understand knowledge mobilisation processes.Essays on the institutional and financial foundations of local economic development, mobility, and growth
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/19102
This thesis consists of three independent chapters. Chapter 1 describes briefly several
schools of thoughts and recent interest regarding economic development. Moreover, it explains
the role of historical shocks on economic development and provides an outline of this thesis.
The second chapter examines whether there is any long-term effect arising from ancient
colonialism on current economic development along the Mediterranean Sea at the local level.
More specifically, it is argued that ancient Greek, Phoenician, or Etruscan colonies that were
established after the 8
century BC, left their institutional, technological, and cultural legacy
perennially. Therefore, in places where there is at least one ancient colony from the abovementioned
civilizations,
there
is
higher
development
at
the
beginning
of
the
21st
century.
The
main
variables
consist
of
the
coordinates
of
ancient
colonies
as
well
as
light
density
at
night
from
the
space
as
an
index
of
development
at
the
local
level.
The
findings
suggest
that,
indeed,
in
places
that
we
observe
at
least
one
Greek,
Phoenician
and/or
Etruscan
ancient
colony
there
is
higher recent economic development. Several robustness checks validate the initial
hypothesis. In the third chapter, it is assumed that the Australian localities which were
colonised earlier by Europeans after 1788, experienced higher economic development
nowadays. Due to the limitation of technology, the size of Australia and the dissimilar
relationships between Europeans and Aboriginals along the Australian coasts, cities were
established almost in a random way and time. It is suggested that cities follow a dynamic
process of development based on several forces such as technology adoption, institutional
development etc. Thus, time is a significant parameter in explaining the development of urban
cities. Chapter 4 examines the role of financial environment on intergenerational mobility. In
1994, the United States adopted a reform which permitted the interstate banking. As a
consequence, banking competition at the local level increased and impacted on the real
economy via changes in household incomes, entrepreneurship, innovation and state-level GDP.
While prior literature has provided insights as to the interconnections between these banking
reforms and banking, household, firm and macroeconomic outcomes, to date there is no
evidence regarding the implications of banking sector deregulation for the economic mobility
of individuals. In Chapter 4, the results of an extensive empirical analysis suggest that banking
reforms affected the local financial environment and influenced the rates of intergenerational
mobility for children.
2019-06-28T00:00:00ZKampanelis, Sotirios LamprosThis thesis consists of three independent chapters. Chapter 1 describes briefly several
schools of thoughts and recent interest regarding economic development. Moreover, it explains
the role of historical shocks on economic development and provides an outline of this thesis.
The second chapter examines whether there is any long-term effect arising from ancient
colonialism on current economic development along the Mediterranean Sea at the local level.
More specifically, it is argued that ancient Greek, Phoenician, or Etruscan colonies that were
established after the 8
century BC, left their institutional, technological, and cultural legacy
perennially. Therefore, in places where there is at least one ancient colony from the abovementioned
civilizations,
there
is
higher
development
at
the
beginning
of
the
21st
century.
The
main
variables
consist
of
the
coordinates
of
ancient
colonies
as
well
as
light
density
at
night
from
the
space
as
an
index
of
development
at
the
local
level.
The
findings
suggest
that,
indeed,
in
places
that
we
observe
at
least
one
Greek,
Phoenician
and/or
Etruscan
ancient
colony
there
is
higher recent economic development. Several robustness checks validate the initial
hypothesis. In the third chapter, it is assumed that the Australian localities which were
colonised earlier by Europeans after 1788, experienced higher economic development
nowadays. Due to the limitation of technology, the size of Australia and the dissimilar
relationships between Europeans and Aboriginals along the Australian coasts, cities were
established almost in a random way and time. It is suggested that cities follow a dynamic
process of development based on several forces such as technology adoption, institutional
development etc. Thus, time is a significant parameter in explaining the development of urban
cities. Chapter 4 examines the role of financial environment on intergenerational mobility. In
1994, the United States adopted a reform which permitted the interstate banking. As a
consequence, banking competition at the local level increased and impacted on the real
economy via changes in household incomes, entrepreneurship, innovation and state-level GDP.
While prior literature has provided insights as to the interconnections between these banking
reforms and banking, household, firm and macroeconomic outcomes, to date there is no
evidence regarding the implications of banking sector deregulation for the economic mobility
of individuals. In Chapter 4, the results of an extensive empirical analysis suggest that banking
reforms affected the local financial environment and influenced the rates of intergenerational
mobility for children.Exploring the clinical guideline development process : influences and interactions
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/18260
Evidence-based clinical guidelines serve as an important support for medical decision-making.
To date, research on clinical guidelines has focused mainly on guideline
development methodology and the extent of guideline implementation. How guideline
groups utilise various forms of evidence and the social processes involved in developing
clinical guidelines have not yet been fully explored.
This qualitative study considers the individual, group and external factors that influenced
the recommendations made by one guideline development group for the guideline
concerning diagnosis and management of macular degeneration within the
ophthalmology therapeutic area in the UK. Using direct observation, interviews and
document analysis methods, this study explored, over 27-months, how the guideline
group proceeded from reviewing the evidence on this condition to drafting guideline
recommendations.
This research provides a detailed account of how the guideline group – working within
an environment that includes influential external stakeholders – interpreted evidence,
interacted and functioned as a group, and made consensus decisions on guideline
recommendations. The study reveals that the ready availability (and acceptability) of
evidence shapes the extent of reliance on expert opinion. In circumstances of low
evidence availability, expert opinion is relied upon and factors such as group composition
and dynamics, resource availability and external network challenges appear to be
particularly important in the guideline development process and in shaping the guideline
recommendations.
The study is the first to provide an account of the guideline development process in the
ophthalmology area as well as adding, more generally, to the empirical literature on the
clinical guideline development. The findings suggest that clinical and economic evidence
does not easily or smoothly translate into strong recommendations. Rather, guideline
development involves the interplay of many factors. An additional contribution of this
research is the development of an integrative framework to capture and analyse these
factors within the guideline development process.
2019-06-28T00:00:00ZHughes, Judith DeborahEvidence-based clinical guidelines serve as an important support for medical decision-making.
To date, research on clinical guidelines has focused mainly on guideline
development methodology and the extent of guideline implementation. How guideline
groups utilise various forms of evidence and the social processes involved in developing
clinical guidelines have not yet been fully explored.
This qualitative study considers the individual, group and external factors that influenced
the recommendations made by one guideline development group for the guideline
concerning diagnosis and management of macular degeneration within the
ophthalmology therapeutic area in the UK. Using direct observation, interviews and
document analysis methods, this study explored, over 27-months, how the guideline
group proceeded from reviewing the evidence on this condition to drafting guideline
recommendations.
This research provides a detailed account of how the guideline group – working within
an environment that includes influential external stakeholders – interpreted evidence,
interacted and functioned as a group, and made consensus decisions on guideline
recommendations. The study reveals that the ready availability (and acceptability) of
evidence shapes the extent of reliance on expert opinion. In circumstances of low
evidence availability, expert opinion is relied upon and factors such as group composition
and dynamics, resource availability and external network challenges appear to be
particularly important in the guideline development process and in shaping the guideline
recommendations.
The study is the first to provide an account of the guideline development process in the
ophthalmology area as well as adding, more generally, to the empirical literature on the
clinical guideline development. The findings suggest that clinical and economic evidence
does not easily or smoothly translate into strong recommendations. Rather, guideline
development involves the interplay of many factors. An additional contribution of this
research is the development of an integrative framework to capture and analyse these
factors within the guideline development process.Post-digital audience engagement activity in and across visual arts and publishing
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/17967
This thesis conceptualises post-digital audience engagement activity in activity settings across visual arts and publishing. The research question is: how is audience engagement activity understood in and across publishing and the visual arts in the post-digital age? The central argument this thesis makes is that in the post-digital age relationships between the audience (and conceptualisations thereof) and cultural/sector organisations are undergoing a degree of transformation. Additionally, activities in the publishing industry have become significant to other areas of the creative industries, as media has begun to converge in the post-digital age. Greater understanding of audience engagement activity in this wider context bears significance for the potential roles and expanded activities that publishers can undertake.
This thesis explains the dynamics of post-digital audience engagement activity undertaken in the visual arts and publishing. Post-digital audience engagement activity is motivated towards expanding audiences, creating new relationships with audiences and developing new playful transactions. Events have a key role in expanding audiences, generating participation and transformations of activity. Other key features of post-digital audience engagement are digital tools which interact with other analogue instruments of engagement and gamification and playful features of activity drawn from games development practice.
Taking a practice-based studies approach, this research used Cultural Historical Activity Theory. The research methodology adopted a mixture of research strategies drawn from ethnography and case study research. An adaptation to the case study strategy of activity settings was used relating to the challenge of demarcating boundaries of a case while adopting a practice ontology. Qualitative data in the form of semi-structured interviews, observational fieldnotes, documents and images form the data sets for this research in three activity settings of publishing, national art collections and contemporary art. Organisations which are central to these activity settings are Publishing Scotland, National Galleries of Scotland and Dundee Contemporary Arts.
2019-06-28T00:00:00ZPreston, LouisaThis thesis conceptualises post-digital audience engagement activity in activity settings across visual arts and publishing. The research question is: how is audience engagement activity understood in and across publishing and the visual arts in the post-digital age? The central argument this thesis makes is that in the post-digital age relationships between the audience (and conceptualisations thereof) and cultural/sector organisations are undergoing a degree of transformation. Additionally, activities in the publishing industry have become significant to other areas of the creative industries, as media has begun to converge in the post-digital age. Greater understanding of audience engagement activity in this wider context bears significance for the potential roles and expanded activities that publishers can undertake.
This thesis explains the dynamics of post-digital audience engagement activity undertaken in the visual arts and publishing. Post-digital audience engagement activity is motivated towards expanding audiences, creating new relationships with audiences and developing new playful transactions. Events have a key role in expanding audiences, generating participation and transformations of activity. Other key features of post-digital audience engagement are digital tools which interact with other analogue instruments of engagement and gamification and playful features of activity drawn from games development practice.
Taking a practice-based studies approach, this research used Cultural Historical Activity Theory. The research methodology adopted a mixture of research strategies drawn from ethnography and case study research. An adaptation to the case study strategy of activity settings was used relating to the challenge of demarcating boundaries of a case while adopting a practice ontology. Qualitative data in the form of semi-structured interviews, observational fieldnotes, documents and images form the data sets for this research in three activity settings of publishing, national art collections and contemporary art. Organisations which are central to these activity settings are Publishing Scotland, National Galleries of Scotland and Dundee Contemporary Arts.The elusive 'good' : how performance measures shape the US child support enforcement program
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/17890
Performance measures do not just capture an organization’s ‘good performance’; they intervene in the valuation and construction of what counts as ‘good’ so it can be valued, enacted, and measured. This is the central theme of this thesis. Using a performativity lens, and drawing on valuation studies and the sociology of quantification, this research investigates the framing processes and mechanisms by which the federal performance measures, through a network of actors and devices, enable a U.S. child support enforcement agency to enact the ‘good performance’ that can be measured. Using ethnographic and case study methods, the study examines how actors and devices, through a framing process, qualify and negotiate the boundaries of their interactions to produce the ‘good performance’ that can be counted and measured. The boundaries they establish, however, produce overflows that potentially threaten the production of the qualified and quantified ‘good’. Such overflows emerge due to unexpected events, different versions of ‘good’, and conflicting frames of valuation of what counts as ‘good’. Based on the findings, the study offers a taxonomy of performative framing to explain how measures stimulate the organizing work of an agency so the ‘good performance’ can be organized, articulated, produced, and validated. It also offers a taxonomy of counter-performation to describe the uncertainties, multiplicities, and rivalries that the measured ‘good performance’ generates.
2019-06-28T00:00:00ZMacatangay, Ana CarolinaPerformance measures do not just capture an organization’s ‘good performance’; they intervene in the valuation and construction of what counts as ‘good’ so it can be valued, enacted, and measured. This is the central theme of this thesis. Using a performativity lens, and drawing on valuation studies and the sociology of quantification, this research investigates the framing processes and mechanisms by which the federal performance measures, through a network of actors and devices, enable a U.S. child support enforcement agency to enact the ‘good performance’ that can be measured. Using ethnographic and case study methods, the study examines how actors and devices, through a framing process, qualify and negotiate the boundaries of their interactions to produce the ‘good performance’ that can be counted and measured. The boundaries they establish, however, produce overflows that potentially threaten the production of the qualified and quantified ‘good’. Such overflows emerge due to unexpected events, different versions of ‘good’, and conflicting frames of valuation of what counts as ‘good’. Based on the findings, the study offers a taxonomy of performative framing to explain how measures stimulate the organizing work of an agency so the ‘good performance’ can be organized, articulated, produced, and validated. It also offers a taxonomy of counter-performation to describe the uncertainties, multiplicities, and rivalries that the measured ‘good performance’ generates.Constructing control in the global shipping industry : the development of regulations for CO₂ emissions
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/17832
Shipping transports between 80-90% of world trade (Smith et al. 2015). In 2012 the
industry accounted for around 3% of global emissions with a predicted increase of
between 50 and 250% by 2050 (Scott et al, 2017). As such, the question of how to
regulate Shipping’s CO₂ emissions in line with international climate change agreements
(e.g. the Paris Agreement) is of major concern.
Current CO₂ regulations have been criticized as ineffective (Devanney 2010) with
growing calls for new regulations (Cullinane & Cullinane 2013; Wan et al. 2018).
Existing literature on the regulation of Shipping tends towards impact assessments,
scientific critiques and general overviews. This thesis contributes an ethnography of the
development of new regulations. Ontologically constructionist, the research is guided
by Actor-Network Theory, chosen for its applicability in scientific and technical
communities, appreciation of non-human agency and its conceptualization of control
through networked heterogeneity. The thesis follows development of new regulations in
the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of the International Maritime
Organization (IMO). Directed by two questions ‘What actors constitute the MEPC?’
and ‘How does it create regulations?’ the thesis offers an account of the actors and
processes that enable the construction of control over Shipping emissions. This account
is produced from observational, interview, documentary and photographic data.
The study contributes to the limited literature on Shipping regulation in three ways: (i)
examining actor-roles in the network; (ii) illustrating network convergence informed by
sociological framings of translation (Callon 1986a) and treason (Galis & Lee 2013);
and (iii) tracing the agential qualities of concepts and principles enacted and acting in
the MEPC. Their shared characteristics are distilled to create the typology: Meta-actor
which strengthens the descriptive capabilities of ANT, extends the core principle of
symmetry, facilitates new identifications of networked power, and illustrates a link
between influence and vulnerability. Overall the thesis shows how a heterogeneous
network of actors converges to produce regulation for the reduction of CO₂ emissions
from Shipping.
2018-12-07T00:00:00ZMacNeill-Weir, Alison ElizabethShipping transports between 80-90% of world trade (Smith et al. 2015). In 2012 the
industry accounted for around 3% of global emissions with a predicted increase of
between 50 and 250% by 2050 (Scott et al, 2017). As such, the question of how to
regulate Shipping’s CO₂ emissions in line with international climate change agreements
(e.g. the Paris Agreement) is of major concern.
Current CO₂ regulations have been criticized as ineffective (Devanney 2010) with
growing calls for new regulations (Cullinane & Cullinane 2013; Wan et al. 2018).
Existing literature on the regulation of Shipping tends towards impact assessments,
scientific critiques and general overviews. This thesis contributes an ethnography of the
development of new regulations. Ontologically constructionist, the research is guided
by Actor-Network Theory, chosen for its applicability in scientific and technical
communities, appreciation of non-human agency and its conceptualization of control
through networked heterogeneity. The thesis follows development of new regulations in
the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of the International Maritime
Organization (IMO). Directed by two questions ‘What actors constitute the MEPC?’
and ‘How does it create regulations?’ the thesis offers an account of the actors and
processes that enable the construction of control over Shipping emissions. This account
is produced from observational, interview, documentary and photographic data.
The study contributes to the limited literature on Shipping regulation in three ways: (i)
examining actor-roles in the network; (ii) illustrating network convergence informed by
sociological framings of translation (Callon 1986a) and treason (Galis & Lee 2013);
and (iii) tracing the agential qualities of concepts and principles enacted and acting in
the MEPC. Their shared characteristics are distilled to create the typology: Meta-actor
which strengthens the descriptive capabilities of ANT, extends the core principle of
symmetry, facilitates new identifications of networked power, and illustrates a link
between influence and vulnerability. Overall the thesis shows how a heterogeneous
network of actors converges to produce regulation for the reduction of CO₂ emissions
from Shipping.Potential users’ perceptions of general purpose water accounting reports.
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/17302
2017-09-18T00:00:00ZRussell, ShonaBank taxation : implications for financial intermediation, liquidity creation, and the real economy
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/17233
This thesis investigates the implications of bank taxation for financial intermediation, bank liquidity creation, and the real economy. Our empirical analysis is underpinned by an identification strategy which relies on an exogenous variation in the taxation of banks. We exploit a unique quasi-natural experiment which occurred in the early 2000s when a group of Japanese commercial banks unexpectedly became liable to pay a gross-profit tax based on their respective presence in Tokyo prefecture. In Chapter 3, we investigate the impact of the Tokyo bank tax on loan supply, pricing of loans and deposits, and the monitoring efforts of banks. Using a difference-in-differences approach, we find that affected banks increase net interest and fee margins. Depositors are most affected by adjustments to interest and fee rates. The imposition of the tax also reduces the credit supply of affected banks. Moreover, affected banks appear to reduce the effort devoted to the monitoring of borrowers. In Chapter 4, we investigate the impact of the Tokyo bank tax on bank liquidity creation. Using a difference-in-differences approach, we find that affected banks reduce liquidity creation. This is driven primarily by the negative impact of the tax on the asset side of the balance sheet of affected banks. Specifically, the imposition of the tax leads affected banks to hold significantly less illiquid assets. In Chapter 5, we investigate whether the Tokyo bank tax matters for the investments of corporates that borrow from banks affected by the tax. Using a sample of banks matched with corporates, we find that banks with a greater exposure to the tax reduce lending more. Following the reduction in credit supply, corporate borrowers reduce levels of investment. Other funding sources available to corporates do not alleviate fully the impact of the tax on the overall level of corporate funding and subsequent investment.
2018-01-01T00:00:00ZSobiech, Anna LuciaThis thesis investigates the implications of bank taxation for financial intermediation, bank liquidity creation, and the real economy. Our empirical analysis is underpinned by an identification strategy which relies on an exogenous variation in the taxation of banks. We exploit a unique quasi-natural experiment which occurred in the early 2000s when a group of Japanese commercial banks unexpectedly became liable to pay a gross-profit tax based on their respective presence in Tokyo prefecture. In Chapter 3, we investigate the impact of the Tokyo bank tax on loan supply, pricing of loans and deposits, and the monitoring efforts of banks. Using a difference-in-differences approach, we find that affected banks increase net interest and fee margins. Depositors are most affected by adjustments to interest and fee rates. The imposition of the tax also reduces the credit supply of affected banks. Moreover, affected banks appear to reduce the effort devoted to the monitoring of borrowers. In Chapter 4, we investigate the impact of the Tokyo bank tax on bank liquidity creation. Using a difference-in-differences approach, we find that affected banks reduce liquidity creation. This is driven primarily by the negative impact of the tax on the asset side of the balance sheet of affected banks. Specifically, the imposition of the tax leads affected banks to hold significantly less illiquid assets. In Chapter 5, we investigate whether the Tokyo bank tax matters for the investments of corporates that borrow from banks affected by the tax. Using a sample of banks matched with corporates, we find that banks with a greater exposure to the tax reduce lending more. Following the reduction in credit supply, corporate borrowers reduce levels of investment. Other funding sources available to corporates do not alleviate fully the impact of the tax on the overall level of corporate funding and subsequent investment.To what extent can behaviour change techniques be identified within an adaptable implementation package for primary care? A prospective directed content analysis
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/17194
Background: Interpreting evaluations of complex interventions can be difficult without sufficient description of key intervention content. We aimed to develop an implementation package for primary care which could be delivered using typically available resources and could be adapted to target determinants of behaviour for each of four quality indicators: diabetes control, blood pressure control, anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation and risky prescribing. We describe the development and prospective verification of behaviour change techniques (BCTs) embedded within the adaptable implementation packages. Methods: We used an over-lapping multi-staged process. We identified evidence-based, candidate delivery mechanisms-mainly audit and feedback, educational outreach and computerised prompts and reminders. We drew upon interviews with primary care professionals using the Theoretical Domains Framework to explore likely determinants of adherence to quality indicators. We linked determinants to candidate BCTs. With input from stakeholder panels, we prioritised likely determinants and intervention content prior to piloting the implementation packages. Our content analysis assessed the extent to which embedded BCTs could be identified within the packages and compared them across the delivery mechanisms and four quality indicators. Results: Each implementation package included at least 27 out of 30 potentially applicable BCTs representing 15 of 16 BCT categories. Whilst 23 BCTs were shared across all four implementation packages (e.g. BCTs relating to feedback and comparing behaviour), some BCTs were unique to certain delivery mechanisms (e.g. 'graded tasks' and 'problem solving' for educational outreach). BCTs addressing the determinants 'environmental context' and 'social and professional roles' (e.g. 'restructuring the social and 'physical environment' and 'adding objects to the environment') were indicator specific. We found it challenging to operationalise BCTs targeting 'environmental context', 'social influences' and 'social and professional roles' within our chosen delivery mechanisms. Conclusion: We have demonstrated a transparent process for selecting, operationalising and verifying the BCT content in implementation packages adapted to target four quality indicators in primary care. There was considerable overlap in BCTs identified across the four indicators suggesting core BCTs can be embedded and verified within delivery mechanisms commonly available to primary care. Whilst feedback reports can include a wide range of BCTs, computerised prompts can deliver BCTs at the time of decision making, and educational outreach can allow for flexibility and individual tailoring in delivery.
2018-02-17T00:00:00ZASPIRE programme teamBackground: Interpreting evaluations of complex interventions can be difficult without sufficient description of key intervention content. We aimed to develop an implementation package for primary care which could be delivered using typically available resources and could be adapted to target determinants of behaviour for each of four quality indicators: diabetes control, blood pressure control, anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation and risky prescribing. We describe the development and prospective verification of behaviour change techniques (BCTs) embedded within the adaptable implementation packages. Methods: We used an over-lapping multi-staged process. We identified evidence-based, candidate delivery mechanisms-mainly audit and feedback, educational outreach and computerised prompts and reminders. We drew upon interviews with primary care professionals using the Theoretical Domains Framework to explore likely determinants of adherence to quality indicators. We linked determinants to candidate BCTs. With input from stakeholder panels, we prioritised likely determinants and intervention content prior to piloting the implementation packages. Our content analysis assessed the extent to which embedded BCTs could be identified within the packages and compared them across the delivery mechanisms and four quality indicators. Results: Each implementation package included at least 27 out of 30 potentially applicable BCTs representing 15 of 16 BCT categories. Whilst 23 BCTs were shared across all four implementation packages (e.g. BCTs relating to feedback and comparing behaviour), some BCTs were unique to certain delivery mechanisms (e.g. 'graded tasks' and 'problem solving' for educational outreach). BCTs addressing the determinants 'environmental context' and 'social and professional roles' (e.g. 'restructuring the social and 'physical environment' and 'adding objects to the environment') were indicator specific. We found it challenging to operationalise BCTs targeting 'environmental context', 'social influences' and 'social and professional roles' within our chosen delivery mechanisms. Conclusion: We have demonstrated a transparent process for selecting, operationalising and verifying the BCT content in implementation packages adapted to target four quality indicators in primary care. There was considerable overlap in BCTs identified across the four indicators suggesting core BCTs can be embedded and verified within delivery mechanisms commonly available to primary care. Whilst feedback reports can include a wide range of BCTs, computerised prompts can deliver BCTs at the time of decision making, and educational outreach can allow for flexibility and individual tailoring in delivery.Getting on with field research using participant deconstruction
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/15600
This paper adds to the repertoire of field research methods through developing the technique of ‘participant deconstruction’. This technique involves research participants challenging and re-interpreting organizational texts through the application of orienting, disorienting and re-orienting deconstructive questions. We show how participant deconstruction complements existing strategies for ‘getting on’ with field research – cultivating relationships, developing outsider knowledge and mobilising insider knowledge – by facilitating research participants’ questioning and challenging of organizational texts and thus opening up alternative latent understandings, illuminating concealed meanings and supporting reflexivity for participants and researchers, thereby opening up fruitful lines of inquiry. We illustrate the application of the technique with examples drawn from healthcare research projects. Through gathering further practitioner feedback from a variety of alternative contexts, we go on to demonstrate the potential application of participant deconstruction in a range of field contexts, by different types of practitioners undertaking deconstructive readings of a wide variety of organizational texts. We also offer suggestions for further research to extend the technique.
We acknowledge the support of the Australian Research Council in providing funding for this project under Linkage Project grant LP0989662 and Discovery Project grant DP140103237.
2018-07-15T00:00:00ZWright, AprilMiddleton, StuartHibbert, Paul CharlesBrazil, VictoriaThis paper adds to the repertoire of field research methods through developing the technique of ‘participant deconstruction’. This technique involves research participants challenging and re-interpreting organizational texts through the application of orienting, disorienting and re-orienting deconstructive questions. We show how participant deconstruction complements existing strategies for ‘getting on’ with field research – cultivating relationships, developing outsider knowledge and mobilising insider knowledge – by facilitating research participants’ questioning and challenging of organizational texts and thus opening up alternative latent understandings, illuminating concealed meanings and supporting reflexivity for participants and researchers, thereby opening up fruitful lines of inquiry. We illustrate the application of the technique with examples drawn from healthcare research projects. Through gathering further practitioner feedback from a variety of alternative contexts, we go on to demonstrate the potential application of participant deconstruction in a range of field contexts, by different types of practitioners undertaking deconstructive readings of a wide variety of organizational texts. We also offer suggestions for further research to extend the technique.Investing, personality and social preferences : essays on the psycho-graphics of US individual investors
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/15599
In three essays, I investigate whether investors’ social preferences and personality traits can
help explain individual investors' investment decisions. The first essay investigates whether
investors' social preferences are associated with three measures of engagement in socially
responsible investments (SRI): (1) 'interest' in investing, (2) the likelihood of having invested,
and (3) the share of the portfolio invested. The results suggest that investors' social
preferences are positively associated with the reported 'interest' investors have in investing in
SRI, and the likelihood that investors have invested in SRI in the past. I do not find evidence
that investors' social preferences are associated with the share of their portfolio invested in
SRI. This pattern is consistent with a 'warm glow' interpretation of investor motivation to
hold SRI. The second essay explores whether investors' personality traits - linked to prosocial
behaviour - are associated with two measures of engagement in SRI: (1) 'interest' in investing,
and (2) the likelihood of having invested. The findings suggest that prosocial personality
traits are related to both the 'interest' investors' report in investing in SRI, and the likelihood
that investors' have invested in SRI in the past. What is more, investors' aversive personality
traits are also associated with the likelihood that investors' have invested in SRI in the past.
Together, these results suggest that both 'altruistic' and 'selfish' motivations drive investors'
engagement in SRI. The third essay investigates whether investors' personality traits - linked
to risk taking - are associated with four measures of financial risk taking. The evidence I
uncover in the third essay paints an unclear picture, on the whole the evidence suggests that
investors' personality traits are not very important characteristics when it comes to financial
risk taking.
2017-01-01T00:00:00ZWiesel, Moritz K. H.In three essays, I investigate whether investors’ social preferences and personality traits can
help explain individual investors' investment decisions. The first essay investigates whether
investors' social preferences are associated with three measures of engagement in socially
responsible investments (SRI): (1) 'interest' in investing, (2) the likelihood of having invested,
and (3) the share of the portfolio invested. The results suggest that investors' social
preferences are positively associated with the reported 'interest' investors have in investing in
SRI, and the likelihood that investors have invested in SRI in the past. I do not find evidence
that investors' social preferences are associated with the share of their portfolio invested in
SRI. This pattern is consistent with a 'warm glow' interpretation of investor motivation to
hold SRI. The second essay explores whether investors' personality traits - linked to prosocial
behaviour - are associated with two measures of engagement in SRI: (1) 'interest' in investing,
and (2) the likelihood of having invested. The findings suggest that prosocial personality
traits are related to both the 'interest' investors' report in investing in SRI, and the likelihood
that investors' have invested in SRI in the past. What is more, investors' aversive personality
traits are also associated with the likelihood that investors' have invested in SRI in the past.
Together, these results suggest that both 'altruistic' and 'selfish' motivations drive investors'
engagement in SRI. The third essay investigates whether investors' personality traits - linked
to risk taking - are associated with four measures of financial risk taking. The evidence I
uncover in the third essay paints an unclear picture, on the whole the evidence suggests that
investors' personality traits are not very important characteristics when it comes to financial
risk taking.A tale from the field : an ethnographic study of power dynamics in leadership work
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/15598
In this thesis, I take a practice-based approach to examine the ways in which the work
of leadership is socially accomplished, and thereby implicated with power dynamics.
Although the Leadership-as-Practice (LAP) literature acknowledges the omnipresence
and significance of the ways in which power dynamics are brought to bear on
leadership, studies that focus on such dynamics remain rare.
In this thesis, therefore, I contribute to conversations indeed concerned with the
relationship between power dynamics and practices, by asking how power dynamics are implicated in the work of leadership, and how said dynamics contribute to the ways in which leadership gets accomplished. I studied these questions ethnographically at a
British textiles organisation, comprising approximately 100 employees. Access,
thereby, concentrated on the ‘commercial’ part of the company. The main methods of
inquiry were participant observations supplemented with variously structured
interviews. To analyse my substantial data set subsequently, I conducted a thematic
analysis. Doing so yielded three major ways in which power dynamics are implicated in
the work of leadership: through shaping normativity of leadership work, enabling and
constraining action, as well as including and excluding actors from practices.
My thesis thus contributes to the literatures of practice and LAP in several ways. First,
theorising power dynamics in practices can itself be seen as an important contribution –
whilst my conceptual framework developed in this thesis might be adopted to conduct
future research. Second, I demonstrate the critical role of normativity in the work of
leadership, which also entails showing that not only do practices produce power
dynamics as argued by the present literature, but that power dynamics affect the way in
which practices and thus leadership are accomplished. Third, by theorising the recursive relationship between practice and power further, my thesis demonstrates that it is not practice per se that enables and constrains possible activity, but the interplay between the two phenomena. Lastly, I contribute to the literature by highlighting the ways in which dynamics of access to practices are brought to bear on how the work of leadership gets accomplished.
2017-01-01T00:00:00ZMueller, ChristopherIn this thesis, I take a practice-based approach to examine the ways in which the work
of leadership is socially accomplished, and thereby implicated with power dynamics.
Although the Leadership-as-Practice (LAP) literature acknowledges the omnipresence
and significance of the ways in which power dynamics are brought to bear on
leadership, studies that focus on such dynamics remain rare.
In this thesis, therefore, I contribute to conversations indeed concerned with the
relationship between power dynamics and practices, by asking how power dynamics are implicated in the work of leadership, and how said dynamics contribute to the ways in which leadership gets accomplished. I studied these questions ethnographically at a
British textiles organisation, comprising approximately 100 employees. Access,
thereby, concentrated on the ‘commercial’ part of the company. The main methods of
inquiry were participant observations supplemented with variously structured
interviews. To analyse my substantial data set subsequently, I conducted a thematic
analysis. Doing so yielded three major ways in which power dynamics are implicated in
the work of leadership: through shaping normativity of leadership work, enabling and
constraining action, as well as including and excluding actors from practices.
My thesis thus contributes to the literatures of practice and LAP in several ways. First,
theorising power dynamics in practices can itself be seen as an important contribution –
whilst my conceptual framework developed in this thesis might be adopted to conduct
future research. Second, I demonstrate the critical role of normativity in the work of
leadership, which also entails showing that not only do practices produce power
dynamics as argued by the present literature, but that power dynamics affect the way in
which practices and thus leadership are accomplished. Third, by theorising the recursive relationship between practice and power further, my thesis demonstrates that it is not practice per se that enables and constrains possible activity, but the interplay between the two phenomena. Lastly, I contribute to the literature by highlighting the ways in which dynamics of access to practices are brought to bear on how the work of leadership gets accomplished.The masculinization of everyone? : a study of a profession in gender transition
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/14397
This thesis is an exploration of how professional status is gained and sustained. Sociologists, in taking for granted which occupations are universally identified as professions have concentrated their studies on elite occupations, primarily law and medicine. Their attention has been focussed on the occupational, organizational and behavioural characteristics of these professions, rather than the personal or social characteristics of the incumbents. Consequently, although acknowledging that class, gender and race can provide or limit the resources for professionalizing, these personal attributes have not been considered central to the understanding of the term profession. The research is concerned with the relationship between professional status and gender in probation during a period in its history when it faced considerable threats. It traces the profession's history and maps its rise and fall in relation to its changing gendered composition, culminating in the government's decision to remove the prior qualification for practice in 1995 in order to attract ex-servicemen into probation. The reconstruction of probation into a credible profession is the substantive focus of this study. The analysis of the reconstruction is through a gendered lens and a discourse analytical approach is used to examine texts prepared by probation to promote its cause. This thesis concludes that the status of an occupation is directly related to its gendered construction and to be considered a 'full' profession requires middle class masculinity. Whilst masculine characteristics continue to be necessary for influence and success, the constant drift towards the masculinization of everyone undermines the contribution women can make to organizations and services. In retrospectively revealing the processes through which masculinization and professionalization are discursively achieved, the study opens up the possibility for future challenges to the devaluation of occupations dominated by women.
2003-01-01T00:00:00ZPerrott, StellaThis thesis is an exploration of how professional status is gained and sustained. Sociologists, in taking for granted which occupations are universally identified as professions have concentrated their studies on elite occupations, primarily law and medicine. Their attention has been focussed on the occupational, organizational and behavioural characteristics of these professions, rather than the personal or social characteristics of the incumbents. Consequently, although acknowledging that class, gender and race can provide or limit the resources for professionalizing, these personal attributes have not been considered central to the understanding of the term profession. The research is concerned with the relationship between professional status and gender in probation during a period in its history when it faced considerable threats. It traces the profession's history and maps its rise and fall in relation to its changing gendered composition, culminating in the government's decision to remove the prior qualification for practice in 1995 in order to attract ex-servicemen into probation. The reconstruction of probation into a credible profession is the substantive focus of this study. The analysis of the reconstruction is through a gendered lens and a discourse analytical approach is used to examine texts prepared by probation to promote its cause. This thesis concludes that the status of an occupation is directly related to its gendered construction and to be considered a 'full' profession requires middle class masculinity. Whilst masculine characteristics continue to be necessary for influence and success, the constant drift towards the masculinization of everyone undermines the contribution women can make to organizations and services. In retrospectively revealing the processes through which masculinization and professionalization are discursively achieved, the study opens up the possibility for future challenges to the devaluation of occupations dominated by women.The Kimberley Process and Certificate Scheme : a classical Aristotelian rhetorical analysis of the international tripartite regime against conflict diamonds
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/14255
Established in 2003, the Kimberley Process (KP) is a binding agreement; backed by the United Nations, that unites civil societies, state actors and the diamond industry to safeguard ‘conflict’ diamonds from entering legitimate rough diamond trade around the world. The unique international tripartite organization is voluntary but mandates state participants to abide by the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) minimum requirements in order to stem the financing or wars against legitimate governments. This study represents the first to explore the communications within the KP. The linguistic turn relies on Classical rhetoric theory with an emphasis on Aristotle’s three appeals of persuasion (“pisteis”): ethos, logos and pathos of elite actors in the KP. As for the precise nature of the contribution to rhetorical analysis, this project is best characterised as an application of Classical principals of rhetorical analysis, rather than as a development of theory. A comprehensive literature review of the KP and KPCS is another distinctive contribution. Furthermore, this academic endeavour offers a unique method as shown in the observation of a KP Intersessional meeting. Supplementing the qualitative inquiry, semi-structured interviews were conducted with all of the KP groups and included a wide sample of civil society international and national non-government organizations, state actors and industry members otherwise not represented in previous empirical efforts on the subject. The data chapters achieve the primary aim to add to the understanding of the KP. Firstly, the civil societies engage in boycott rhetoric using ethos and negative pathos. As for state actors, the KP Chair exhibits charismatic leadership rhetoric, while ‘recognized’ established states use logical reasoning, the ‘outlier’ states evoke positive pathos. Lastly, the diamond industry experts appeal to negative emotions, the World Diamond Council to logos, and De Beers to positive emotional appeals. Combined, the rhetoric shows (a) how KP rhētors use different rhetorical strategies; (b) which in turn shape distinct discourses; (c) and contain dissimilar claims; (d) points to different motivations; (e) highlight different identities; (f) reveal key characteristics, and; (g) the nature of relationships within the KP. The organization rhetorical analysis also entails how the multiple KP leaders view the KP and KPCS and change. While the rhetoric helps demonstrate the constraints surrounding the KP and KPCS it also underlines the primary human rights and human security in which they all share. This thesis provides an extended critical view of the rhetoric by connecting Aristotelian pisteis with different conceptions of power outlined by French and Raven (1959) and Lukes (2005/1974). Combined, the rhetoric helps to explain the ways the KP attempts to achieve their specific political and economic goals while also building relationships with their stakeholders. Rhetoric is a worthwhile theory and methodological approach in order to explore organizations. The KP, and other international organizations provide an opportune arena for further rhetorical attention.
2018-05-01T00:00:00ZDavis, Lori LeighEstablished in 2003, the Kimberley Process (KP) is a binding agreement; backed by the United Nations, that unites civil societies, state actors and the diamond industry to safeguard ‘conflict’ diamonds from entering legitimate rough diamond trade around the world. The unique international tripartite organization is voluntary but mandates state participants to abide by the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) minimum requirements in order to stem the financing or wars against legitimate governments. This study represents the first to explore the communications within the KP. The linguistic turn relies on Classical rhetoric theory with an emphasis on Aristotle’s three appeals of persuasion (“pisteis”): ethos, logos and pathos of elite actors in the KP. As for the precise nature of the contribution to rhetorical analysis, this project is best characterised as an application of Classical principals of rhetorical analysis, rather than as a development of theory. A comprehensive literature review of the KP and KPCS is another distinctive contribution. Furthermore, this academic endeavour offers a unique method as shown in the observation of a KP Intersessional meeting. Supplementing the qualitative inquiry, semi-structured interviews were conducted with all of the KP groups and included a wide sample of civil society international and national non-government organizations, state actors and industry members otherwise not represented in previous empirical efforts on the subject. The data chapters achieve the primary aim to add to the understanding of the KP. Firstly, the civil societies engage in boycott rhetoric using ethos and negative pathos. As for state actors, the KP Chair exhibits charismatic leadership rhetoric, while ‘recognized’ established states use logical reasoning, the ‘outlier’ states evoke positive pathos. Lastly, the diamond industry experts appeal to negative emotions, the World Diamond Council to logos, and De Beers to positive emotional appeals. Combined, the rhetoric shows (a) how KP rhētors use different rhetorical strategies; (b) which in turn shape distinct discourses; (c) and contain dissimilar claims; (d) points to different motivations; (e) highlight different identities; (f) reveal key characteristics, and; (g) the nature of relationships within the KP. The organization rhetorical analysis also entails how the multiple KP leaders view the KP and KPCS and change. While the rhetoric helps demonstrate the constraints surrounding the KP and KPCS it also underlines the primary human rights and human security in which they all share. This thesis provides an extended critical view of the rhetoric by connecting Aristotelian pisteis with different conceptions of power outlined by French and Raven (1959) and Lukes (2005/1974). Combined, the rhetoric helps to explain the ways the KP attempts to achieve their specific political and economic goals while also building relationships with their stakeholders. Rhetoric is a worthwhile theory and methodological approach in order to explore organizations. The KP, and other international organizations provide an opportune arena for further rhetorical attention.(Sm)othering the self : an analysis of the politics of identity of women accountants in the UK
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/14191
This thesis examines the politics of identity of women accountants in the UK who are mothers, by exploring the links between working in the accounting profession and the experience of motherhood. It takes a sociological approach to analyse how social, political, cultural and moral forces, in relation to accounting, motherhood and wider society, affect identity, or the self. The accounting profession is arguably a masculine enviromnent into which the accountant is socialised. Motherhood illustrates the tensions between an essentialist and a non-essentialist view of identity. The thesis explores the contradictions and juxtapositions between these two identities of accountant and mother, and the struggle of women to exercise agency within the confines of the profession. It uses a feminist methodological framework based on the subjective experience of women. As such, I present my own autobiographical account of being an accountant and mother, and the oral history narratives of fifteen other women, arguing that narrative forms an integral part of identity construction. The thesis concludes that the narrative approach and the use of oral histories has much to offer to accounting research and has important implications for our understanding of the interrelationships between accounting and motherhood. These include the emotions, transformations and constructions of identity of women accountants.
2005-01-01T00:00:00ZHaynes, KathrynThis thesis examines the politics of identity of women accountants in the UK who are mothers, by exploring the links between working in the accounting profession and the experience of motherhood. It takes a sociological approach to analyse how social, political, cultural and moral forces, in relation to accounting, motherhood and wider society, affect identity, or the self. The accounting profession is arguably a masculine enviromnent into which the accountant is socialised. Motherhood illustrates the tensions between an essentialist and a non-essentialist view of identity. The thesis explores the contradictions and juxtapositions between these two identities of accountant and mother, and the struggle of women to exercise agency within the confines of the profession. It uses a feminist methodological framework based on the subjective experience of women. As such, I present my own autobiographical account of being an accountant and mother, and the oral history narratives of fifteen other women, arguing that narrative forms an integral part of identity construction. The thesis concludes that the narrative approach and the use of oral histories has much to offer to accounting research and has important implications for our understanding of the interrelationships between accounting and motherhood. These include the emotions, transformations and constructions of identity of women accountants.The working lives of migrant professionals : exploring the case of migrant academics
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/14129
This thesis examines the working lives of foreign-born academics who come to work to the
UK. Its main aim is to understand the degree and conditions of migrant scholars’ inclusion
in professional practice abroad. The thesis fulfils this aim by developing a conceptual
approach to encapsulate how migrant professionals’ working lives are conditioned by the
pre-existing professional structures. Grounded in the principle of social closure, this
framework proposes that migrant professionals’ employment abroad is influenced by the
different forms and rules of closure, as well as by the sites in which closure rules are applied.
The synthesis of the theoretical framework with findings from sixty-two interviews with
foreign-born scholars employed in thirteen British universities shows that migrant
academics’ working lives are explained by ‘modes of incorporation’. ‘Modes of
incorporation’ designate the distinct ways in which the academic profession has reacted to
the increased presence of foreign incomers, and comprise integration, exclusion,
subordination and indifference. The proposed framework extends the understanding of the
demographic change in professions, and offers a way to capture migrant professionals’
movement across countries.
2018-06-29T00:00:00ZPustelnikovaite, TomaThis thesis examines the working lives of foreign-born academics who come to work to the
UK. Its main aim is to understand the degree and conditions of migrant scholars’ inclusion
in professional practice abroad. The thesis fulfils this aim by developing a conceptual
approach to encapsulate how migrant professionals’ working lives are conditioned by the
pre-existing professional structures. Grounded in the principle of social closure, this
framework proposes that migrant professionals’ employment abroad is influenced by the
different forms and rules of closure, as well as by the sites in which closure rules are applied.
The synthesis of the theoretical framework with findings from sixty-two interviews with
foreign-born scholars employed in thirteen British universities shows that migrant
academics’ working lives are explained by ‘modes of incorporation’. ‘Modes of
incorporation’ designate the distinct ways in which the academic profession has reacted to
the increased presence of foreign incomers, and comprise integration, exclusion,
subordination and indifference. The proposed framework extends the understanding of the
demographic change in professions, and offers a way to capture migrant professionals’
movement across countries.Post-Communist enterprise restructuring in the Czech Republic : seven case studies
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/14066
Voucher privatisation was designed to effect a rapid transformation of state-owned enterprises into private ownership with as limited state intervention as possible. Premised on neo-classical economic theory, the Czech government anticipated new private owners would emerge with greater incentives than the state to undertake restructuring and ensure the efficient operation of these firms. However, this thesis argues that for restructuring to occur, formal ownership patterns are less important than an ability to exercise control because of institutional influences. The de jure and de facto roles of owners, managers, and labour are discussed, showing how endogenous and exogenous factors affect their ability to dictate and control restructuring outcomes in voucher privatised firms. The thesis argues that observed post-privatisation restructuring outcomes cannot be understood without considering the institutional environment within which firms are situated. Institutions are conceived to comprise formal, informal and enforcement aspects, but also with a temporal dimension encapsulated by the use of path- dependency and embeddedness. The explanatory framework offered here is a modified version of new institutionalism perspectives, termed "embedded institutionalism". Case studies of seven firms privatised by voucher are presented in this study to demonstrate how the interaction of institutional influences, understood through embedded institutionalism, is the most appropriate framework for understanding postprivatisation restructuring processes in post-communist countries. This approach provides a synthesis between the theoretical expectations of neo-classical economic theory and the practical outworking of post-privatisation restructuring in Czech firms. Voucher privatisation was a novel scheme, and became the central aspect of the Klaus government's economic transformation. Important historical and contemporary institutional influences impacted on its design and implementation. However, it is argued that understanding privatisation and its effects on restructuring through embedded institutionalism negates the view that a unique Czech way of privatisation exists, and that observed outcomes are simply responses to the surrounding institutional environment.
2003-01-01T00:00:00ZCarter, HelenVoucher privatisation was designed to effect a rapid transformation of state-owned enterprises into private ownership with as limited state intervention as possible. Premised on neo-classical economic theory, the Czech government anticipated new private owners would emerge with greater incentives than the state to undertake restructuring and ensure the efficient operation of these firms. However, this thesis argues that for restructuring to occur, formal ownership patterns are less important than an ability to exercise control because of institutional influences. The de jure and de facto roles of owners, managers, and labour are discussed, showing how endogenous and exogenous factors affect their ability to dictate and control restructuring outcomes in voucher privatised firms. The thesis argues that observed post-privatisation restructuring outcomes cannot be understood without considering the institutional environment within which firms are situated. Institutions are conceived to comprise formal, informal and enforcement aspects, but also with a temporal dimension encapsulated by the use of path- dependency and embeddedness. The explanatory framework offered here is a modified version of new institutionalism perspectives, termed "embedded institutionalism". Case studies of seven firms privatised by voucher are presented in this study to demonstrate how the interaction of institutional influences, understood through embedded institutionalism, is the most appropriate framework for understanding postprivatisation restructuring processes in post-communist countries. This approach provides a synthesis between the theoretical expectations of neo-classical economic theory and the practical outworking of post-privatisation restructuring in Czech firms. Voucher privatisation was a novel scheme, and became the central aspect of the Klaus government's economic transformation. Important historical and contemporary institutional influences impacted on its design and implementation. However, it is argued that understanding privatisation and its effects on restructuring through embedded institutionalism negates the view that a unique Czech way of privatisation exists, and that observed outcomes are simply responses to the surrounding institutional environment.Organisational self-renewal : process design
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/14064
Firms compete based on their relative ability to renew as much as they do on their ability to extract profits from product-markets. Drawing from literature and case studies the research explores how renewal is affected in organisations. The main dynamics of the renewal process, and the issues and skills involved in its management, therefore, receive detailed treatment. Relevant data is gathered from a variety of primary and secondary sources. The research begins with an effort to understand the forces that trigger and processes that act to sustain decline in organisations. These findings are contrasted with a number of case studies that serve the identification of underlying characteristics and dynamics common to successful organizations. This comparison serves to uncover principles of successful organisation and that hold the key to renewal and sustained growth. The main objective of this research is to increase the understanding and awareness of the processes, problems and successful means of organisational renewal. Underlying is the concern to develop more formalised models and translate these findings into a useful conceptual framework as a basis and stimulus for further research and as a helpful guideline for management practitioners to handle successfully the problems of entropy and organisational ossification of their business.
2004-01-01T00:00:00ZTeichert, BroerFirms compete based on their relative ability to renew as much as they do on their ability to extract profits from product-markets. Drawing from literature and case studies the research explores how renewal is affected in organisations. The main dynamics of the renewal process, and the issues and skills involved in its management, therefore, receive detailed treatment. Relevant data is gathered from a variety of primary and secondary sources. The research begins with an effort to understand the forces that trigger and processes that act to sustain decline in organisations. These findings are contrasted with a number of case studies that serve the identification of underlying characteristics and dynamics common to successful organizations. This comparison serves to uncover principles of successful organisation and that hold the key to renewal and sustained growth. The main objective of this research is to increase the understanding and awareness of the processes, problems and successful means of organisational renewal. Underlying is the concern to develop more formalised models and translate these findings into a useful conceptual framework as a basis and stimulus for further research and as a helpful guideline for management practitioners to handle successfully the problems of entropy and organisational ossification of their business.Environmental scanning activities of private firms : the case of Saudi Arabia
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/14060
Environmental scanning is an essential activity for organisation's success undertaken by top executives to allow them to be effective in steering the organisation within a changing environment. Organisations exist in an increasingly turbulent world. Organisations which want to succeed in the ever-changing business environment need to adopt suitable management tools that can identify emerging issues that may have the capacity to impact on their business. Environmental scanning is such a technique, often used within a suite of tools as part of a strategic planning process; it can be an important source of information for firms which operate in rapidly changing environments. The aim of this study is to investigate environmental scanning activities in the Saudi private sector. In recent years, changes in the domestic and global environment have created very different economic challenges. A number of factors have promoted these changes; political uncertainty, economic decline, youth explosion, the rapid increase in unemployment among Saudi youth and Islamic extremism highlight some of the challenges that the country now faces which ultimately might impact on Saudi business. Most of the previous research on environmental scanning has been carried out in a Western context, and no empirical research exists on the scanning activities of Arab executives in general and Saudis in particular. This research aimed to address this gap in the literature by investigating environmental scanning activities in Saudi private firms. In particular the study looks at (1) executives' perception of their business environment: (2) the frequency of, and level of interest in, executives' scanning: (3) the information sources used to investigate what is happening in the business environment: (4) the decisions which dependent on scanning activities: (5) the methods used by Saudi firms to scan their environment. The research adopted a triangulation methodology using both a mail survey questionnaire and personal interview. A total of 500 surveys were sent to executives of the Saudi top 500 firms; 162 were returned. However, only 150 usable questionnaires were included for data analysis. The study revealed that Saudi executives in general believe that their businesses operate in a highly turbulent environment where competition, economic and legal factors are perceived as the most strategically uncertain. Surprisingly, political factors produced a low level of perceived strategic uncertainty. The study pointed out that the executives in this sample tend to scan for a large number of issues in their environment. In particular, they conduct the greatest amount of scanning in the competition, economic and legal areas. In addition, the study indicated that the executives in the sample increase scanning frequency in response to increased perception of environmental uncertainty in the macro-environment more than in the micro-environment. The findings from this study also show that personal sources are used more frequently than impersonal sources in scanning by executives in this study. Among the five most used sources for scanning, four are personal sources (customers: subordinate managers: subordinate staff: business/ professional associates).
2004-01-01T00:00:00ZAlshagawi, Mohammed N.Environmental scanning is an essential activity for organisation's success undertaken by top executives to allow them to be effective in steering the organisation within a changing environment. Organisations exist in an increasingly turbulent world. Organisations which want to succeed in the ever-changing business environment need to adopt suitable management tools that can identify emerging issues that may have the capacity to impact on their business. Environmental scanning is such a technique, often used within a suite of tools as part of a strategic planning process; it can be an important source of information for firms which operate in rapidly changing environments. The aim of this study is to investigate environmental scanning activities in the Saudi private sector. In recent years, changes in the domestic and global environment have created very different economic challenges. A number of factors have promoted these changes; political uncertainty, economic decline, youth explosion, the rapid increase in unemployment among Saudi youth and Islamic extremism highlight some of the challenges that the country now faces which ultimately might impact on Saudi business. Most of the previous research on environmental scanning has been carried out in a Western context, and no empirical research exists on the scanning activities of Arab executives in general and Saudis in particular. This research aimed to address this gap in the literature by investigating environmental scanning activities in Saudi private firms. In particular the study looks at (1) executives' perception of their business environment: (2) the frequency of, and level of interest in, executives' scanning: (3) the information sources used to investigate what is happening in the business environment: (4) the decisions which dependent on scanning activities: (5) the methods used by Saudi firms to scan their environment. The research adopted a triangulation methodology using both a mail survey questionnaire and personal interview. A total of 500 surveys were sent to executives of the Saudi top 500 firms; 162 were returned. However, only 150 usable questionnaires were included for data analysis. The study revealed that Saudi executives in general believe that their businesses operate in a highly turbulent environment where competition, economic and legal factors are perceived as the most strategically uncertain. Surprisingly, political factors produced a low level of perceived strategic uncertainty. The study pointed out that the executives in this sample tend to scan for a large number of issues in their environment. In particular, they conduct the greatest amount of scanning in the competition, economic and legal areas. In addition, the study indicated that the executives in the sample increase scanning frequency in response to increased perception of environmental uncertainty in the macro-environment more than in the micro-environment. The findings from this study also show that personal sources are used more frequently than impersonal sources in scanning by executives in this study. Among the five most used sources for scanning, four are personal sources (customers: subordinate managers: subordinate staff: business/ professional associates).Menu costs : an overview and a study within a strategic interaction setting
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/14058
Chapter 1 presents the background to the development of macroeconomic models with "menu costs", i.e., the costs of adjusting nominal prices. The debate on microeconomic foundations of macroeconomics is introduced in Section 1. The theoretical basis of the "classical dichotomy" between real and nominal variables and the role of nominal imperfection for the failure of such dichotomy are briefly surveyed in Section 2 and 3, respectively. The "monetary illusion" assumption and its limits are presented in Section 4. An account of some potential sources of nominal imperfections concludes the chapter. Chapter 2 deals with the New Keynesian microeconomic foundations of nominal rigidity. Section 1 introduces the key elements of New Keynesian microfoundations. In Section 2, the seminal 1985 paper by Mankiw is examined in some detail. It will be shown that small menu costs can cause "monetary" business cycles to have large welfare effects. The role of real rigidities in explaining nominal price stickiness is addressed in Section 3. The remaining part of the chapter focuses on dynamic models of menu costs. Chapter 3 gives a quick overview of microeconomic studies on costly price adjustment. Section 1 outlines Barro (1972) and Sheshinski and Weiss (1977), where a monopoly optimal pricing policy is derived. In Section (2), an overview of recent game-theoretic frameworks with menu costs is given. It will be argued that these models fail to capture the theoretical essence of menu costs. The last part of the chapter deals with the issue of the empirical relevance of costly price adjustments. Chapter 4 presents a theoretical study that can contribute to shed light into menu costs within a game-theoretic setting. Section 1 introduces the issue. In Section 2, a Bertrand duopoly model with menu costs is set up in order to derive the duopolists' best response to a nominal shock. The main findings are expounded in Section 3. A duopoly nominal price adjustment rule will be derived. This turns out to be contingent to the sign of the nominal shock. Situations of multiple equilibria, both symmetric and asymmetric, can also arise.
2003-01-01T00:00:00ZTerzi, OsvaldoChapter 1 presents the background to the development of macroeconomic models with "menu costs", i.e., the costs of adjusting nominal prices. The debate on microeconomic foundations of macroeconomics is introduced in Section 1. The theoretical basis of the "classical dichotomy" between real and nominal variables and the role of nominal imperfection for the failure of such dichotomy are briefly surveyed in Section 2 and 3, respectively. The "monetary illusion" assumption and its limits are presented in Section 4. An account of some potential sources of nominal imperfections concludes the chapter. Chapter 2 deals with the New Keynesian microeconomic foundations of nominal rigidity. Section 1 introduces the key elements of New Keynesian microfoundations. In Section 2, the seminal 1985 paper by Mankiw is examined in some detail. It will be shown that small menu costs can cause "monetary" business cycles to have large welfare effects. The role of real rigidities in explaining nominal price stickiness is addressed in Section 3. The remaining part of the chapter focuses on dynamic models of menu costs. Chapter 3 gives a quick overview of microeconomic studies on costly price adjustment. Section 1 outlines Barro (1972) and Sheshinski and Weiss (1977), where a monopoly optimal pricing policy is derived. In Section (2), an overview of recent game-theoretic frameworks with menu costs is given. It will be argued that these models fail to capture the theoretical essence of menu costs. The last part of the chapter deals with the issue of the empirical relevance of costly price adjustments. Chapter 4 presents a theoretical study that can contribute to shed light into menu costs within a game-theoretic setting. Section 1 introduces the issue. In Section 2, a Bertrand duopoly model with menu costs is set up in order to derive the duopolists' best response to a nominal shock. The main findings are expounded in Section 3. A duopoly nominal price adjustment rule will be derived. This turns out to be contingent to the sign of the nominal shock. Situations of multiple equilibria, both symmetric and asymmetric, can also arise.Globalisation and equality : a libertarian perspective
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/14009
Why are some people rich and others poor. Why are some states more prosperous than others. In answering these questions, the public and scholars alike often take the rarely challenged position that economic inequalities result from past or present discrimination or other forms of injustice. Evidently, few believe that all economic inequality is produced by injustice; slackers are despised for their unwillingness to help themselves; countries with failing economic policies do not go uncriticised. Nevertheless, the belief that economic disparities arise because of calculated injustice is deeply ingrained. Underlying this conviction is the assumption that "given equal opportunity, all people would perform equally well". In fact, this assertion ignores instances of economic success achieved despite vigorous negative discrimination. There are many examples of poor, migrant minorities, who, despite transplantation into alien, discriminating environments, succeeded in out-performing the indigenous population and so incurred envy, resentment, and worse. What remains inescapably evident is that people differ in their ability to utilise opportunities presented by a free market system. Defensively, under-performing groups therefore invest energy in securing state interference to change market outcomes in their favour, and demonise the free market system as inherently unjust. In fact, it can be shown that the only economic arrangement compatible with the equality of all individuals and groups before the law is the free market. Globalisation facilitates the spread of this free market system. It should, therefore, be welcomed as the path to greater economic prosperity and greater equality before the law for everyone.
2002-01-01T00:00:00ZTupy, Marian L.Why are some people rich and others poor. Why are some states more prosperous than others. In answering these questions, the public and scholars alike often take the rarely challenged position that economic inequalities result from past or present discrimination or other forms of injustice. Evidently, few believe that all economic inequality is produced by injustice; slackers are despised for their unwillingness to help themselves; countries with failing economic policies do not go uncriticised. Nevertheless, the belief that economic disparities arise because of calculated injustice is deeply ingrained. Underlying this conviction is the assumption that "given equal opportunity, all people would perform equally well". In fact, this assertion ignores instances of economic success achieved despite vigorous negative discrimination. There are many examples of poor, migrant minorities, who, despite transplantation into alien, discriminating environments, succeeded in out-performing the indigenous population and so incurred envy, resentment, and worse. What remains inescapably evident is that people differ in their ability to utilise opportunities presented by a free market system. Defensively, under-performing groups therefore invest energy in securing state interference to change market outcomes in their favour, and demonise the free market system as inherently unjust. In fact, it can be shown that the only economic arrangement compatible with the equality of all individuals and groups before the law is the free market. Globalisation facilitates the spread of this free market system. It should, therefore, be welcomed as the path to greater economic prosperity and greater equality before the law for everyone.Networks, evidence and lesson-drawing in the public policy process : the case of Sarah Payne and the British debate about sex offender community notification
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/14006
This thesis examines the public policy process. It explores the role of and relation between three concepts considered important in defining and shaping the making of policies: policy networks, evidence-use and policy transfer. It does this through examining a high profile and controversial area of public policy: the debate about sex offender community notification that resulted from the abduction and murder of eight-year-old Sarah Payne by a convicted sex offender in the summer of 2000. A case study methodology is employed, which includes interviews with key players and extensive documentary analysis. The study finds that none of the main concepts for understanding policy networks - iron triangles, issue networks, policy communities and advocacy coalitions - provide sufficient characterisation of the policy network involved in the 2000 community notification debate. Areas that these concepts do not fully address include the degree of choice participants have in getting involved in a policy network, the causes and processes of alliance building between network participants and the importance, characteristics and impact of organisational as well as personal links. Practitioner knowledge emerges as a major influence in policy making with different forms of evidence entering the policy debate in a strategic way - that is to support an argument. Factors that explain the influence of research evidence are its comprehensiveness, its perceived value for future policy debates on the same topic and the assumed integrity of the evidence-provider. The existing concept of lesson-drawing is found to focus too much on cases in which policy transfer has taken place. It is necessary to develop the concept further to explain situations in which lessons are drawn but where the idea of transferring a policy is dismissed. Finally, lesson-drawing is not limited to the substance of policies and practices but also includes lessons about tactics and processes.
2005-01-01T00:00:00ZJung, TobiasThis thesis examines the public policy process. It explores the role of and relation between three concepts considered important in defining and shaping the making of policies: policy networks, evidence-use and policy transfer. It does this through examining a high profile and controversial area of public policy: the debate about sex offender community notification that resulted from the abduction and murder of eight-year-old Sarah Payne by a convicted sex offender in the summer of 2000. A case study methodology is employed, which includes interviews with key players and extensive documentary analysis. The study finds that none of the main concepts for understanding policy networks - iron triangles, issue networks, policy communities and advocacy coalitions - provide sufficient characterisation of the policy network involved in the 2000 community notification debate. Areas that these concepts do not fully address include the degree of choice participants have in getting involved in a policy network, the causes and processes of alliance building between network participants and the importance, characteristics and impact of organisational as well as personal links. Practitioner knowledge emerges as a major influence in policy making with different forms of evidence entering the policy debate in a strategic way - that is to support an argument. Factors that explain the influence of research evidence are its comprehensiveness, its perceived value for future policy debates on the same topic and the assumed integrity of the evidence-provider. The existing concept of lesson-drawing is found to focus too much on cases in which policy transfer has taken place. It is necessary to develop the concept further to explain situations in which lessons are drawn but where the idea of transferring a policy is dismissed. Finally, lesson-drawing is not limited to the substance of policies and practices but also includes lessons about tactics and processes.Firm type, feed-in tariff, and wind energy investment in Germany : An investigation of decision making factors of energy producers regarding investing in wind energy capacity
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/13870
The development of renewable and sustainable energy is advanced by public financial support. Particularly so in the German Energiewende, which seeks to replace nuclear and fossil electricity generation with wind, sun, and biomass. We study the impact of the (changes in the) feed-in tariff policy on the investment in wind electricity generation capacity in Germany in the period 2000-2014. We estimate a generic investment model which includes this support mechanism, the cost of capital, investment risks like wind and price volatility, and manufacturing costs. We discuss specific features for different types of wind energy investors, such as the incumbents, small private investors, diversified companies, and independent power producers. We find that a change in the feed-in tariff has a negative impact on investment capacity regarding the generation of wind energy: a one monetary unit increase in the variation of the tariff is to be associated with a decrease by 0.17 MW wind capacity installed. We argue it is policy uncertainty that makes investors shy away from making real investments. We also argue that the drivers for wind energy investment can differ along different types of firms. For the traditional power producers, especially electricity price volatility, construction costs, and carbon prices seem to matter. But for the other investor types, the feed-in tariff is crucial indeed.
2017-04-19T00:00:00ZWerner, LoneScholtens, Lambertus Johannes RegnerusThe development of renewable and sustainable energy is advanced by public financial support. Particularly so in the German Energiewende, which seeks to replace nuclear and fossil electricity generation with wind, sun, and biomass. We study the impact of the (changes in the) feed-in tariff policy on the investment in wind electricity generation capacity in Germany in the period 2000-2014. We estimate a generic investment model which includes this support mechanism, the cost of capital, investment risks like wind and price volatility, and manufacturing costs. We discuss specific features for different types of wind energy investors, such as the incumbents, small private investors, diversified companies, and independent power producers. We find that a change in the feed-in tariff has a negative impact on investment capacity regarding the generation of wind energy: a one monetary unit increase in the variation of the tariff is to be associated with a decrease by 0.17 MW wind capacity installed. We argue it is policy uncertainty that makes investors shy away from making real investments. We also argue that the drivers for wind energy investment can differ along different types of firms. For the traditional power producers, especially electricity price volatility, construction costs, and carbon prices seem to matter. But for the other investor types, the feed-in tariff is crucial indeed.The development and application of audit criteria for assessing knowledge exchange plans in health research grant applications
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/13484
Background: Research funders expect evidence of end user engagement and impact plans in research proposals. Drawing upon existing frameworks, we developed audit criteria to help researchers and their institutions assess the knowledge exchange plans of health research proposals. Findings: Criteria clustered around five themes: problem definition; involvement of research users; public and patient engagement; dissemination and implementation; and planning, management and evaluation of knowledge exchange. We applied these to a sample of grant applications from one research institution in the United Kingdom to demonstrate feasibility. Conclusion: Our criteria may be useful as a tool for researcher self-assessment and for research institutions to assess the quality of knowledge exchange plans and identify areas for systematic improvement.
2014-07-14T00:00:00ZRuppertsberg, Alexa I.Ward, VickyRidout, AliciaFoy, RobbieBackground: Research funders expect evidence of end user engagement and impact plans in research proposals. Drawing upon existing frameworks, we developed audit criteria to help researchers and their institutions assess the knowledge exchange plans of health research proposals. Findings: Criteria clustered around five themes: problem definition; involvement of research users; public and patient engagement; dissemination and implementation; and planning, management and evaluation of knowledge exchange. We applied these to a sample of grant applications from one research institution in the United Kingdom to demonstrate feasibility. Conclusion: Our criteria may be useful as a tool for researcher self-assessment and for research institutions to assess the quality of knowledge exchange plans and identify areas for systematic improvement.Developing a framework for gathering and using service user experiences to improve integrated health and social care : the SUFFICE framework
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/13464
BACKGROUND: More people than ever receive care and support from health and social care services. Initiatives to integrate the work of health and social care staff have increased rapidly across the UK but relatively little has been done to chart and improve their impact on service users. Our aim was to develop a framework for gathering and using service user feedback to improve integrated health and social care in one locality in the North of England. METHODS: We used published literature and interviews with health and social care managers to determine the expected service user experiences of local community-based integrated teams and the ways in which team members were expected to work together. We used the results to devise qualitative data collection and analysis tools for gathering and analyzing service user feedback. We used developmental evaluation and service improvement methodologies to devise a procedure for developing service improvement plans. FINDINGS: We identified six expected service user experiences of integrated care and 15 activities that health and social care teams were expected to undertake. We used these to develop logic models and tools for collecting and analysing service user experiences. These include a narrative interview schedule, a plan for analyzing data, and a method for synthesizing the results into a composite 'story'. We devised a structured service improvement procedure which involves teams of health and social care staff listening to a composite service user story, identifying how their actions as a team may have contributed to the story and developing a service improvement plan. CONCLUSIONS: This framework aims to put service user experiences at the heart of efforts to improve integration. It has been developed in collaboration with National Health Service (NHS) and Social Care managers. We expect it to be useful for evaluating and improving integrated care initiatives elsewhere.
This project was supported by the National Institute of Health Research (KRD/012/001/006) and by the Leeds South and East Clinical Commissioning group.
2016-09-08T00:00:00ZWard, VickyPinkney, LisaFry, GaryBACKGROUND: More people than ever receive care and support from health and social care services. Initiatives to integrate the work of health and social care staff have increased rapidly across the UK but relatively little has been done to chart and improve their impact on service users. Our aim was to develop a framework for gathering and using service user feedback to improve integrated health and social care in one locality in the North of England. METHODS: We used published literature and interviews with health and social care managers to determine the expected service user experiences of local community-based integrated teams and the ways in which team members were expected to work together. We used the results to devise qualitative data collection and analysis tools for gathering and analyzing service user feedback. We used developmental evaluation and service improvement methodologies to devise a procedure for developing service improvement plans. FINDINGS: We identified six expected service user experiences of integrated care and 15 activities that health and social care teams were expected to undertake. We used these to develop logic models and tools for collecting and analysing service user experiences. These include a narrative interview schedule, a plan for analyzing data, and a method for synthesizing the results into a composite 'story'. We devised a structured service improvement procedure which involves teams of health and social care staff listening to a composite service user story, identifying how their actions as a team may have contributed to the story and developing a service improvement plan. CONCLUSIONS: This framework aims to put service user experiences at the heart of efforts to improve integration. It has been developed in collaboration with National Health Service (NHS) and Social Care managers. We expect it to be useful for evaluating and improving integrated care initiatives elsewhere.Action to Support Practices Implement Research Evidence (ASPIRE) : protocol for a cluster-randomised evaluation of adaptable implementation packages targeting 'high impact' clinical practice recommendations in general practice
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/13465
BACKGROUND: There are recognised gaps between evidence and practice in general practice, a setting which provides particular challenges for implementation. We earlier screened clinical guideline recommendations to derive a set of 'high impact' indicators based upon criteria including potential for significant patient benefit, scope for improved practice and amenability to measurement using routinely collected data. We aim to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a multifaceted, adaptable intervention package to implement four targeted, high impact recommendations in general practice. METHODS/DESIGN: The research programme Action to Support Practice Implement Research Evidence (ASPIRE) includes a pair of pragmatic cluster-randomised trials which use a balanced incomplete block design. Clusters are general practices in West Yorkshire, United Kingdom (UK), recruited using an 'opt-out' recruitment process. The intervention package adapted to each recommendation includes combinations of audit and feedback, educational outreach visits and computerised prompts with embedded behaviour change techniques selected on the basis of identified needs and barriers to change. In trial 1, practices are randomised to adapted interventions targeting either diabetes control or risky prescribing and those in trial 2 to adapted interventions targeting either blood pressure control in patients at risk of cardiovascular events or anticoagulation in atrial fibrillation. The respective primary endpoints comprise achievement of all recommended target levels of haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), blood pressure and cholesterol in patients with type 2 diabetes, a composite indicator of risky prescribing, achievement of recommended blood pressure targets for specific patient groups and anticoagulation prescribing in patients with atrial fibrillation. We are also randomising practices to a fifth, non-intervention control group to further assess Hawthorne effects. Outcomes will be assessed using routinely collected data extracted 1 year after randomisation. Economic modelling will estimate intervention cost-effectiveness. A process evaluation involving eight non-trial practices will examine intervention delivery, mechanisms of action and unintended consequences. DISCUSSION: ASPIRE will provide 'real-world' evidence about the effects, cost-effectiveness and delivery of adapted intervention packages targeting high impact recommendations. By implementing our adaptable intervention package across four distinct clinical topics, and using 'opt-out' recruitment, our findings will provide evidence of wider generalisability. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN91989345.
This paper presents independent research funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) under its Programme Grants for Applied Research scheme (grant Reference Number RP-PG-1209-10040).
2016-02-29T00:00:00ZWillis, Thomas AHartley, SuzanneGlidewell, LizFarrin, Amanda JLawton, RebeccaMcEachan, Rosemary R CIngleson, EmmaHeudtlass, PeterCollinson, MichelleClamp, SusanHunter, CherylWard, VickyHulme, ClaireMeads, DavidBregantini, DanieleCarder, PaulFoy, RobbieASPIRE programmeBACKGROUND: There are recognised gaps between evidence and practice in general practice, a setting which provides particular challenges for implementation. We earlier screened clinical guideline recommendations to derive a set of 'high impact' indicators based upon criteria including potential for significant patient benefit, scope for improved practice and amenability to measurement using routinely collected data. We aim to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a multifaceted, adaptable intervention package to implement four targeted, high impact recommendations in general practice. METHODS/DESIGN: The research programme Action to Support Practice Implement Research Evidence (ASPIRE) includes a pair of pragmatic cluster-randomised trials which use a balanced incomplete block design. Clusters are general practices in West Yorkshire, United Kingdom (UK), recruited using an 'opt-out' recruitment process. The intervention package adapted to each recommendation includes combinations of audit and feedback, educational outreach visits and computerised prompts with embedded behaviour change techniques selected on the basis of identified needs and barriers to change. In trial 1, practices are randomised to adapted interventions targeting either diabetes control or risky prescribing and those in trial 2 to adapted interventions targeting either blood pressure control in patients at risk of cardiovascular events or anticoagulation in atrial fibrillation. The respective primary endpoints comprise achievement of all recommended target levels of haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), blood pressure and cholesterol in patients with type 2 diabetes, a composite indicator of risky prescribing, achievement of recommended blood pressure targets for specific patient groups and anticoagulation prescribing in patients with atrial fibrillation. We are also randomising practices to a fifth, non-intervention control group to further assess Hawthorne effects. Outcomes will be assessed using routinely collected data extracted 1 year after randomisation. Economic modelling will estimate intervention cost-effectiveness. A process evaluation involving eight non-trial practices will examine intervention delivery, mechanisms of action and unintended consequences. DISCUSSION: ASPIRE will provide 'real-world' evidence about the effects, cost-effectiveness and delivery of adapted intervention packages targeting high impact recommendations. By implementing our adaptable intervention package across four distinct clinical topics, and using 'opt-out' recruitment, our findings will provide evidence of wider generalisability. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN91989345.Towards a cultural politics of sustainability transitions : an exploratory study of artistic activism in Scottish community woodlands
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/13148
Sustainability, and transitions away from currently prevailing unsustainability, is a project
with political (economic) and cultural dimensions. Yet, the potential of a cultural political
lens to investigate sustainability prefigurations is neglected by the academy. Moreover,
existing cultural political conceptualizations are ontologically incoherent with green
political perspectives. In this thesis, I articulate a revised notion of cultural politics
consistent with normative visions of sustainability transitions, and validate the new
approach through an exploratory investigation of Scottish community woodland
organizations (CWOs). CWOs are alternative organizations troubling hegemonic land
tenurial and forest management practices. However, these organizations are under-
researched by sustainability scholars. The study shows how one CWO prefigures
sustainability transitions, not least through distinctive woodland artistic activities.
The thesis narrates threefold theoretical originality, and also extends empirical
knowledge. Originality lies (first) in the practice-theoretical recasting of cultural politics
theory, (second) in the synthesis concept describing practices of everyday artistic
activism, and (third) in the green republican interpretive framework of sustainability
subjectivities, against which cultural political performances may be evaluated. Empirical
originality lies in the exploration of community woodlands. I argue that through practices
of everyday artistic activism and more general woodland practices, woodland activists
perform alternative conceptions of human-nature relations, intrahuman relations, and
organization. Through these performances, woodland artistic activists enact a cultural
politics of sustainability transitions, and make visible alternative modes of humans being
in the world. The study contributes to theoretical debates concerned with cultural politics
and artistic activism, with researching community organizing for sustainability
transitions, and with interpretive approaches to sustainability knowledge production.
Empirically, it extends alternative organizational knowledge, showing how sustainability
subjectivities can be communicated through woodland practices.
2017-06-23T00:00:00ZBain, RoderickSustainability, and transitions away from currently prevailing unsustainability, is a project
with political (economic) and cultural dimensions. Yet, the potential of a cultural political
lens to investigate sustainability prefigurations is neglected by the academy. Moreover,
existing cultural political conceptualizations are ontologically incoherent with green
political perspectives. In this thesis, I articulate a revised notion of cultural politics
consistent with normative visions of sustainability transitions, and validate the new
approach through an exploratory investigation of Scottish community woodland
organizations (CWOs). CWOs are alternative organizations troubling hegemonic land
tenurial and forest management practices. However, these organizations are under-
researched by sustainability scholars. The study shows how one CWO prefigures
sustainability transitions, not least through distinctive woodland artistic activities.
The thesis narrates threefold theoretical originality, and also extends empirical
knowledge. Originality lies (first) in the practice-theoretical recasting of cultural politics
theory, (second) in the synthesis concept describing practices of everyday artistic
activism, and (third) in the green republican interpretive framework of sustainability
subjectivities, against which cultural political performances may be evaluated. Empirical
originality lies in the exploration of community woodlands. I argue that through practices
of everyday artistic activism and more general woodland practices, woodland activists
perform alternative conceptions of human-nature relations, intrahuman relations, and
organization. Through these performances, woodland artistic activists enact a cultural
politics of sustainability transitions, and make visible alternative modes of humans being
in the world. The study contributes to theoretical debates concerned with cultural politics
and artistic activism, with researching community organizing for sustainability
transitions, and with interpretive approaches to sustainability knowledge production.
Empirically, it extends alternative organizational knowledge, showing how sustainability
subjectivities can be communicated through woodland practices.Enacting a limit case of autonomous service-learning : insights from an ethnographic inquiry into a contemporary application of the pedagogy
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/12223
Service-learning (SL) is a socially embedded and experience-based pedagogy that develops the link between theory and practice through community engagement. It fosters learning outcomes for students and benefits for community members. This thesis builds on recent applications of the pedagogy and advances our understanding of SL by studying a limit case of student autonomy in the absence of faculty intervention. Student-community and peer-to-peer relationships are particularly influential on students’ lived experience if their interactions are unmediated by educators. This thesis firstly explores how students enact SL if left to their own devices. Secondly, by adopting a relational embeddedness perspective, it investigates the influence of student-community and peer-to-peer relations on participants’ learning experience. An organisational (“at-home”) ethnography in a student-led social enterprise yielded insights into the two streams of research. The findings suggest that students’ learning process consisted of a blend of emergent and deliberate micro learning processes that highlight the importance of - among other components of students’ learning experience - role enactment, student autonomy, peer engagement, informal learning, and community co-education. With regards to the relationality of this limit case of SL, community and peer relations had an enabling and constraining influence on student learning. The findings further speak to the causality of such impact and suggest that the nature of inter-personal relationships determined the effects they had on students’ experiential basis for learning. These findings contribute to the debate about the promise, effectiveness, and principles of SL in business and management education by problematizing student autonomy and faculty intervention. Moreover, this thesis responds to a gap in the literature and sheds light on the relationality of the pedagogy.
2017-12-07T00:00:00ZSemler, MirkoService-learning (SL) is a socially embedded and experience-based pedagogy that develops the link between theory and practice through community engagement. It fosters learning outcomes for students and benefits for community members. This thesis builds on recent applications of the pedagogy and advances our understanding of SL by studying a limit case of student autonomy in the absence of faculty intervention. Student-community and peer-to-peer relationships are particularly influential on students’ lived experience if their interactions are unmediated by educators. This thesis firstly explores how students enact SL if left to their own devices. Secondly, by adopting a relational embeddedness perspective, it investigates the influence of student-community and peer-to-peer relations on participants’ learning experience. An organisational (“at-home”) ethnography in a student-led social enterprise yielded insights into the two streams of research. The findings suggest that students’ learning process consisted of a blend of emergent and deliberate micro learning processes that highlight the importance of - among other components of students’ learning experience - role enactment, student autonomy, peer engagement, informal learning, and community co-education. With regards to the relationality of this limit case of SL, community and peer relations had an enabling and constraining influence on student learning. The findings further speak to the causality of such impact and suggest that the nature of inter-personal relationships determined the effects they had on students’ experiential basis for learning. These findings contribute to the debate about the promise, effectiveness, and principles of SL in business and management education by problematizing student autonomy and faculty intervention. Moreover, this thesis responds to a gap in the literature and sheds light on the relationality of the pedagogy.Unpacking the effects of trade union membership on job (dis)satisfaction
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/12040
This dissertation sets out to explore the roots of trade union members’ job dissatisfaction, as a large body of prior quantitative research, spanning more than four decades, indicates that trade union members express higher levels of job dissatisfaction than non-union members. Industrial relations scholars have not been able to agree on an explanation as to why trade union members express comparatively more job dissatisfaction. The ambiguity in establishing a causal relationship between trade union membership and job dissatisfaction is due to the fact that previous works have largely been biased towards the use of quantitative methods. The present study, therefore, uses a unique qualitative approach consisting of grounded theoretical techniques and interviews with 43 trade union members to gather new insights on the topic. Interviews were conducted at two case study organisations, one a manufacturer and the other a public services organisation, in Scotland. Three alternative explanations that have sought to explain trade union members’ job dissatisfaction were unpacked. These explanations link trade union members’ job dissatisfaction to (i) unmet expectations from trade union membership, (ii) awareness of inequalities and (ii) industrial relations climates. The aim of this dissertation was to develop insights to enable a better understanding of why trade union members appear to express dissatisfaction with their jobs. The grounded theoretical approach has enabled at least three contributions to the industrial relations literatures and, to a lesser extent, to the human resources and job satisfaction literatures. These contributions are: (i) a deep, qualitative approach towards understanding the phenomenon; (ii) a critical evaluation of three alternative explanations of the phenomenon; and (iii) insights towards an initial model explaining the roots of trade union members’ job dissatisfaction.
2017-08-01T00:00:00ZMajeed, TheresaThis dissertation sets out to explore the roots of trade union members’ job dissatisfaction, as a large body of prior quantitative research, spanning more than four decades, indicates that trade union members express higher levels of job dissatisfaction than non-union members. Industrial relations scholars have not been able to agree on an explanation as to why trade union members express comparatively more job dissatisfaction. The ambiguity in establishing a causal relationship between trade union membership and job dissatisfaction is due to the fact that previous works have largely been biased towards the use of quantitative methods. The present study, therefore, uses a unique qualitative approach consisting of grounded theoretical techniques and interviews with 43 trade union members to gather new insights on the topic. Interviews were conducted at two case study organisations, one a manufacturer and the other a public services organisation, in Scotland. Three alternative explanations that have sought to explain trade union members’ job dissatisfaction were unpacked. These explanations link trade union members’ job dissatisfaction to (i) unmet expectations from trade union membership, (ii) awareness of inequalities and (ii) industrial relations climates. The aim of this dissertation was to develop insights to enable a better understanding of why trade union members appear to express dissatisfaction with their jobs. The grounded theoretical approach has enabled at least three contributions to the industrial relations literatures and, to a lesser extent, to the human resources and job satisfaction literatures. These contributions are: (i) a deep, qualitative approach towards understanding the phenomenon; (ii) a critical evaluation of three alternative explanations of the phenomenon; and (iii) insights towards an initial model explaining the roots of trade union members’ job dissatisfaction.Exploring and mapping the knowledge and practice terrain
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/11996
2016-05-03T00:00:00ZNutley, Sandra MargaretBain, RoderickMoran, ClareOrr, Kevin MartinRussell, Shona LouiseA resourceful aspiration : understanding the governmentality of Zero Waste in Scotland
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/11946
This thesis is about Zero Waste governance in Scotland. The thesis has three aims: empirically, it seeks to develop an understanding of the Scottish Zero Waste policy; theoretically, it aims to critically assess this policy in relation to Governmentality for Sustainable Development; and methodologically, it investigates the use of governmentality as an analytical framework through which to understand governance of complex sustainability issues. The thesis argues that existing studies of Zero Waste have limited engagement with social theories. It is suggested that governmentality offers a potential theoretical framing through which to better understand Zero Waste governance. The thesis develops a process to critically evaluate Zero Waste governmentalities in comparison with a prescriptive Governmentality for Sustainable Development. Using a Sustainability Science approach, the thesis adopts a pluralist methodology in which multiple perspectives are valued in both data collection and analysis. Using a framework developed from empirical data and academic studies, data from expert interviews and policy documents is used to construct an understanding of Zero Waste policy in Scotland. The thesis found that Zero Waste in Scottish policy is understood as a tangible goal and a philosophy of resource use. Innovative governance techniques to promote Zero Waste are identified within policy. It is argued that the Zero Waste policy in Scotland presents a new form of governmentality. It is suggested that this governmentality has the potential to align with Governmentality for Sustainable Development. However, it is found that the strong transdisciplinarity envisaged as part of Governmentality for Sustainable Development is lacking in Zero Waste governance. This thesis considers the role of post-normal techniques in Zero Waste and evaluates and promotes the use of governmentality as a way to develop the strong transdisciplinarity missing from the Zero Waste policy in Scotland.
2015-06-01T00:00:00ZWishart, Lucy J.This thesis is about Zero Waste governance in Scotland. The thesis has three aims: empirically, it seeks to develop an understanding of the Scottish Zero Waste policy; theoretically, it aims to critically assess this policy in relation to Governmentality for Sustainable Development; and methodologically, it investigates the use of governmentality as an analytical framework through which to understand governance of complex sustainability issues. The thesis argues that existing studies of Zero Waste have limited engagement with social theories. It is suggested that governmentality offers a potential theoretical framing through which to better understand Zero Waste governance. The thesis develops a process to critically evaluate Zero Waste governmentalities in comparison with a prescriptive Governmentality for Sustainable Development. Using a Sustainability Science approach, the thesis adopts a pluralist methodology in which multiple perspectives are valued in both data collection and analysis. Using a framework developed from empirical data and academic studies, data from expert interviews and policy documents is used to construct an understanding of Zero Waste policy in Scotland. The thesis found that Zero Waste in Scottish policy is understood as a tangible goal and a philosophy of resource use. Innovative governance techniques to promote Zero Waste are identified within policy. It is argued that the Zero Waste policy in Scotland presents a new form of governmentality. It is suggested that this governmentality has the potential to align with Governmentality for Sustainable Development. However, it is found that the strong transdisciplinarity envisaged as part of Governmentality for Sustainable Development is lacking in Zero Waste governance. This thesis considers the role of post-normal techniques in Zero Waste and evaluates and promotes the use of governmentality as a way to develop the strong transdisciplinarity missing from the Zero Waste policy in Scotland.Organizing creativity : the role of aesthetic knowledge in advertising creative processes
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/11868
This thesis presents the results of research which investigated how creative processes in advertising agencies are organized and the role aesthetic understandings play therein. In-depth accounts describing how creative processes in advertising agencies are organized were not well characterized in the extant literature. This was surprising, given the confusion that existed about whether or not advertising practitioners share similar tastes. Whereas some research suggests highly homogenous taste patterns, other research, reporting about severe conflicts in advertising agencies, suggests that the contrary is true. Consequently, also research on taste-making processes and thus the ways through which tastes and collective action are negotiated was missing. This research aims to address these gaps in the literature by providing an in-depth account of the way specific practices creative processes are organized by analysing how practices and tastes interlink as well as by providing insights into the ways through which taste and collective action are sustained at advertising agencies. To do so, qualitative research at a leading London-based advertising agency was carried out over a period of five months. Two sets of practices by which the advertising creative processes were organized were identified. In addition, four types of tensions between both sets of practices and thus different tastes among advertising practitioners, depending on the practices in which they were immersed, were found. Moreover, ways in which tensions were resolved and thus how different tastes were negotiated were identified. By doing so, this research closes the above gaps in the literature and reveals that at advertising agencies’ creative processes and taste-making go hand in hand. Finally, practical insights for managers in the advertising industries, aiming to foster collective engagement, collaboration and conversations, and creative expression in creative advertising processes as well as suggestions for future research are offered.
2015-01-01T00:00:00ZGrahle, Christian RenéThis thesis presents the results of research which investigated how creative processes in advertising agencies are organized and the role aesthetic understandings play therein. In-depth accounts describing how creative processes in advertising agencies are organized were not well characterized in the extant literature. This was surprising, given the confusion that existed about whether or not advertising practitioners share similar tastes. Whereas some research suggests highly homogenous taste patterns, other research, reporting about severe conflicts in advertising agencies, suggests that the contrary is true. Consequently, also research on taste-making processes and thus the ways through which tastes and collective action are negotiated was missing. This research aims to address these gaps in the literature by providing an in-depth account of the way specific practices creative processes are organized by analysing how practices and tastes interlink as well as by providing insights into the ways through which taste and collective action are sustained at advertising agencies. To do so, qualitative research at a leading London-based advertising agency was carried out over a period of five months. Two sets of practices by which the advertising creative processes were organized were identified. In addition, four types of tensions between both sets of practices and thus different tastes among advertising practitioners, depending on the practices in which they were immersed, were found. Moreover, ways in which tensions were resolved and thus how different tastes were negotiated were identified. By doing so, this research closes the above gaps in the literature and reveals that at advertising agencies’ creative processes and taste-making go hand in hand. Finally, practical insights for managers in the advertising industries, aiming to foster collective engagement, collaboration and conversations, and creative expression in creative advertising processes as well as suggestions for future research are offered.A plant-level analysis of the spill-over effects of the German Energiewende
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/11770
In order to analyse international effects of national energy policies, we investigate the spill-over effects of the German Energiewende on the Dutch power market, which is closely connected to the German market. We estimate the impact of the German supply of wind and solar electricity on the Dutch day-ahead price of electricity and the utilisation of the conventional power plants. We take cross-border capacity constraints into account and use hourly plant-level data over 2006–2014. We find that the price elasticity of German wind on Dutch day-ahead prices is −0.03. However, this effect vanishes when the cross-border capacity is fully utilised. We find a modest negative impact on the utilisation of the Dutch power plants. As such, we conclude that the German Energiewende has had modest spill-over effects to the Dutch market. The recent dramatic performance of the Dutch gas-fired plants can be attributed to the changes in the relative prices of coal versus natural gas. We conclude that national energy policies in one country do not necessarily strongly affect neighbouring markets in case of constrained cross-border capacities.
2016-12-01T00:00:00ZMulder, MachielScholtens, BertIn order to analyse international effects of national energy policies, we investigate the spill-over effects of the German Energiewende on the Dutch power market, which is closely connected to the German market. We estimate the impact of the German supply of wind and solar electricity on the Dutch day-ahead price of electricity and the utilisation of the conventional power plants. We take cross-border capacity constraints into account and use hourly plant-level data over 2006–2014. We find that the price elasticity of German wind on Dutch day-ahead prices is −0.03. However, this effect vanishes when the cross-border capacity is fully utilised. We find a modest negative impact on the utilisation of the Dutch power plants. As such, we conclude that the German Energiewende has had modest spill-over effects to the Dutch market. The recent dramatic performance of the Dutch gas-fired plants can be attributed to the changes in the relative prices of coal versus natural gas. We conclude that national energy policies in one country do not necessarily strongly affect neighbouring markets in case of constrained cross-border capacities.Enskiled coping : exploring the process of becoming skilled in and through the practice of craft
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/11517
Becoming skilled is often portrayed through linear trajectories and stepwise models that
reduce the complexity of lived experience. In turn, these models restrict the possibilities
for going on by suggesting that what we do, and how we know, unfolds in a
unidirectional and predetermined manner. This thesis addresses this problem by
exploring the process of becoming skilled over time. It traces the author’s own
becoming a potter through apprenticeship in the practice of craft. Based on this rich
empirical data three contributions are made to process studies in management and
organisation. Firstly, this thesis illuminates a multi-directional, two-phased ‘pattern of
enskilment’ through which practitioners develop the necessary foundational skills to
grasp the underlying logic of practice and reveal new ways of going on. Secondly,
patterns of enskilment are shown to unfold in the forces and flows of the wider
institutional arrangements as practitioners both follow and orchestrate the rhythms of
practice. In turn, the emergent and potent forces that shape the course of ongoing
becoming are revealed. In so doing, form-imposing structures, such as rules, judgments
and intentions are shown to be ongoing and emergent forces that are generated in and
through process, as it unfolds against a background of practice. Finally, apprenticeship
is presented as means of understanding becoming through the process of becoming
itself. Herein researcher and researched are reunited in the synchronous weaving
together of simultaneous lines of becoming as they traverse overlapping practice(s). To
this end, what we know and what we do are inherently entangled in who we are.
2017-01-01T00:00:00ZBrown, AnnaBecoming skilled is often portrayed through linear trajectories and stepwise models that
reduce the complexity of lived experience. In turn, these models restrict the possibilities
for going on by suggesting that what we do, and how we know, unfolds in a
unidirectional and predetermined manner. This thesis addresses this problem by
exploring the process of becoming skilled over time. It traces the author’s own
becoming a potter through apprenticeship in the practice of craft. Based on this rich
empirical data three contributions are made to process studies in management and
organisation. Firstly, this thesis illuminates a multi-directional, two-phased ‘pattern of
enskilment’ through which practitioners develop the necessary foundational skills to
grasp the underlying logic of practice and reveal new ways of going on. Secondly,
patterns of enskilment are shown to unfold in the forces and flows of the wider
institutional arrangements as practitioners both follow and orchestrate the rhythms of
practice. In turn, the emergent and potent forces that shape the course of ongoing
becoming are revealed. In so doing, form-imposing structures, such as rules, judgments
and intentions are shown to be ongoing and emergent forces that are generated in and
through process, as it unfolds against a background of practice. Finally, apprenticeship
is presented as means of understanding becoming through the process of becoming
itself. Herein researcher and researched are reunited in the synchronous weaving
together of simultaneous lines of becoming as they traverse overlapping practice(s). To
this end, what we know and what we do are inherently entangled in who we are.The poetics of quality : an anthropological exploration of quality improvement in Scottish healthcare
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/11378
This thesis is an ethnographic exploration of how “quality” is made into an object of
improvement in healthcare. Focusing on a specific method and brand of quality
improvement (that of the Boston-based Institute of Healthcare Improvement [IHI])
and a particular quality improvement initiative (that undertaken by the Scottish Patient
Safety Programme [SPSP] to improve the safety and quality of healthcare in
NHSScotland), I frame “quality improvement” as an endeavour that can be approached
as a practice of entification: described by Larsen as the process by which something is
summoned into existence from an inchoate state, and made into a bounded entity. I
seek to “thicken” the problematic of entification as laid out by Larsen through an
analysis guided by linguistic anthropology and semiotics; governmentality and critical
accounting studies; and the literatures on numbers and standards.
The research is based on participant observation at IHI and SPSP training events
conducted over an eighteen-month period across Scotland; interviews with people
involved in the Scottish quality improvement initiative; and textual analysis of
training and promotional materials associated with IHI and the SPSP.
The dissertation unfolds in an iterative manner, constantly revisiting a series of
binaristic contrasts that I use strategically in order to highlight what I discern to be
two historically distinct styles of entification. I also develop the notion of “ideologies
of entification” in order to better grasp how contrasting styles of entification are
related to different social imaginaries and structures of feeling, and to engage the
ways they are bound up with processes of subject-formation. I strive to link these
insights to a range of other theoretical interventions, and in so doing provide a
meaningful theoretical synthesis; an expansion of the concept of entification; and
critical insights meant to enhance on-going efforts to improve the safety and quality of
healthcare.
2014-01-01T00:00:00ZJunghans, Frances TrenholmeThis thesis is an ethnographic exploration of how “quality” is made into an object of
improvement in healthcare. Focusing on a specific method and brand of quality
improvement (that of the Boston-based Institute of Healthcare Improvement [IHI])
and a particular quality improvement initiative (that undertaken by the Scottish Patient
Safety Programme [SPSP] to improve the safety and quality of healthcare in
NHSScotland), I frame “quality improvement” as an endeavour that can be approached
as a practice of entification: described by Larsen as the process by which something is
summoned into existence from an inchoate state, and made into a bounded entity. I
seek to “thicken” the problematic of entification as laid out by Larsen through an
analysis guided by linguistic anthropology and semiotics; governmentality and critical
accounting studies; and the literatures on numbers and standards.
The research is based on participant observation at IHI and SPSP training events
conducted over an eighteen-month period across Scotland; interviews with people
involved in the Scottish quality improvement initiative; and textual analysis of
training and promotional materials associated with IHI and the SPSP.
The dissertation unfolds in an iterative manner, constantly revisiting a series of
binaristic contrasts that I use strategically in order to highlight what I discern to be
two historically distinct styles of entification. I also develop the notion of “ideologies
of entification” in order to better grasp how contrasting styles of entification are
related to different social imaginaries and structures of feeling, and to engage the
ways they are bound up with processes of subject-formation. I strive to link these
insights to a range of other theoretical interventions, and in so doing provide a
meaningful theoretical synthesis; an expansion of the concept of entification; and
critical insights meant to enhance on-going efforts to improve the safety and quality of
healthcare.Corporate governance and product innovation in the machine-tool sector in Italy
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/11116
In this thesis we study the influence of corporate governance on product innovation in the machine-tool sector in Italy. The theoretical framework employed in the analysis is part of the Systems of Innovation literature. It can be defined as a "national-technological system of innovation" type of approach as it distinguishes between countries with different systems of corporate governance and between sectors that employ different technologies. The main hypothesis is that variations in national systems of corporate governance can help to explain national patterns of sectoral specialisation.
The thesis focuses on the Italian National System of Innovation from the point of view of its corporate governance. The main characteristics of the system are analysed in the first part of the thesis where it is also shown how they can help to explain the Italian industrial specialisation. The study proceeds with an application of the theoretical framework to the analysis of the machine-tool sector, its technology and its historical evolution. A particular focus is put on the decline of the US in the sector during the 1970s and 1980s and the corresponding upsurge of Japan.
The final part of the thesis studies the Italian System of Innovation in the machine-tool sector. It highlights that firms are not the only actors in the System and that other stakeholders, such as customers and suppliers, play an important part in the innovation process. It shows also that the system presents some weaknesses, consisting mainly of the lack of financial resources, that need to be resolved. Our final argument, supported by an econometric analysis, is that one of the solutions suggested by the machine-tool builders association, namely a wave of mergers and acquisitions, is not necessarily the best answer. A stronger coordination and cooperation among competing and non-competing firms appears to be the most incisive solution from the point of view of innovation for this sector.
2002-01-01T00:00:00ZVisintin, FrancescaIn this thesis we study the influence of corporate governance on product innovation in the machine-tool sector in Italy. The theoretical framework employed in the analysis is part of the Systems of Innovation literature. It can be defined as a "national-technological system of innovation" type of approach as it distinguishes between countries with different systems of corporate governance and between sectors that employ different technologies. The main hypothesis is that variations in national systems of corporate governance can help to explain national patterns of sectoral specialisation.
The thesis focuses on the Italian National System of Innovation from the point of view of its corporate governance. The main characteristics of the system are analysed in the first part of the thesis where it is also shown how they can help to explain the Italian industrial specialisation. The study proceeds with an application of the theoretical framework to the analysis of the machine-tool sector, its technology and its historical evolution. A particular focus is put on the decline of the US in the sector during the 1970s and 1980s and the corresponding upsurge of Japan.
The final part of the thesis studies the Italian System of Innovation in the machine-tool sector. It highlights that firms are not the only actors in the System and that other stakeholders, such as customers and suppliers, play an important part in the innovation process. It shows also that the system presents some weaknesses, consisting mainly of the lack of financial resources, that need to be resolved. Our final argument, supported by an econometric analysis, is that one of the solutions suggested by the machine-tool builders association, namely a wave of mergers and acquisitions, is not necessarily the best answer. A stronger coordination and cooperation among competing and non-competing firms appears to be the most incisive solution from the point of view of innovation for this sector.The impact of World Bank and International Monetary Fund programme lending on health care delivery, health conditions and health status in sub-Saharan Africa, 1980 to 1992
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/10013
The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have been active in Africa for
several decades. In the early 1980s both institutions expanded the role that they play
in the restructuring of African economies through the introduction of structural
adjustment loans. These programme loans sought to provide the basis for sustainable
economic expansion following a period of near economic collapse in the region. In
the case of the Fund, public expenditure reducing and expenditure switching policies
were encouraged. The Bank, also, was active in these areas and focused on long-term
measures to restore efficiency to the ailing economies. These policies, although not
novel, were implemented on a large scale were perceived to have a pervasive
influence on the economic and social performance of African countries.
It was theorised by some that such programme lending would have a long-run
beneficial impact on social development. However, other authors, observers and
researchers have criticised the activities of the Bretton Woods institutions. First, the
loans have been heavily criticised in the past for the supposedly heavy handed nature
that Bank and Fund staff use in implementing their programmes. The main idea is
that the institutions have too much leverage when bargaining with African
governments to undertake reforms. Second, it has been said that the use of
programme loans will have adverse consequences for national welfare. UNICEF, the
main critic, has pointed out, and provided evidence, to indicate that vulnerable groups
in society may suffer under adjustment schemes.
This thesis looks at the areas of macroeconomic reforms and the impact that
they may have on one part of the social area: the health sector. The thesis examines
the pre-adjustment situation in Sub Saharan Africa and reviews the role and the tools
that the Bank and the Fund have at their disposal to tackle economic problems. The
thesis then moves on to explore the linkages between these policy weapons and
changes in health care development. In order to fully understand the implications for
Africa considerable attention is devoted to exploring the health problems that the
region faces and the health care delivery systems and health conditions that are
prevalent in many of the countries. The last part of the thesis provides an aggregate
study and a case study analysis of the impact of adjustment in Africa. Although, it is
determined that the impact, overall, has not been unfavourable, recommendations for
the future design of adjustment programmes is offered in the conclusion.
1996-07-01T00:00:00ZEvans, Christopher J.The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have been active in Africa for
several decades. In the early 1980s both institutions expanded the role that they play
in the restructuring of African economies through the introduction of structural
adjustment loans. These programme loans sought to provide the basis for sustainable
economic expansion following a period of near economic collapse in the region. In
the case of the Fund, public expenditure reducing and expenditure switching policies
were encouraged. The Bank, also, was active in these areas and focused on long-term
measures to restore efficiency to the ailing economies. These policies, although not
novel, were implemented on a large scale were perceived to have a pervasive
influence on the economic and social performance of African countries.
It was theorised by some that such programme lending would have a long-run
beneficial impact on social development. However, other authors, observers and
researchers have criticised the activities of the Bretton Woods institutions. First, the
loans have been heavily criticised in the past for the supposedly heavy handed nature
that Bank and Fund staff use in implementing their programmes. The main idea is
that the institutions have too much leverage when bargaining with African
governments to undertake reforms. Second, it has been said that the use of
programme loans will have adverse consequences for national welfare. UNICEF, the
main critic, has pointed out, and provided evidence, to indicate that vulnerable groups
in society may suffer under adjustment schemes.
This thesis looks at the areas of macroeconomic reforms and the impact that
they may have on one part of the social area: the health sector. The thesis examines
the pre-adjustment situation in Sub Saharan Africa and reviews the role and the tools
that the Bank and the Fund have at their disposal to tackle economic problems. The
thesis then moves on to explore the linkages between these policy weapons and
changes in health care development. In order to fully understand the implications for
Africa considerable attention is devoted to exploring the health problems that the
region faces and the health care delivery systems and health conditions that are
prevalent in many of the countries. The last part of the thesis provides an aggregate
study and a case study analysis of the impact of adjustment in Africa. Although, it is
determined that the impact, overall, has not been unfavourable, recommendations for
the future design of adjustment programmes is offered in the conclusion.The clinical paradigm in organisational analysis : with reference to Beamish and Crawford Plc
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/10011
There has been much discussion in the literature in the past decade as boards of directors
worldwide have faced increasing stakeholder demands for accountability. The
conventional wisdom that stakeholders were passive players, who ceded responsibility
for the company to the board, has gone and been replaced by a growing sensitivity to the
risk of corporate liability. It is still not widely understood that business enterprise is as
much a moral act as an economic one. In the 1980's, boardroom behaviour was perceived
as unresponsive, mercenary, formal, guarded, ritualistic and legalistic. However, we
know little about the culture of these 'managerial elites' (Pettigrew and McNulty, 1995)
but one approach is to adopt a psychoanalytic perspective.
Psychoanalytic theory is, inter alia, a method of understanding group processes.
Bion (1959) and Bridger (1986) postulated that rationality in groups could be
compromised by the activity of 'basic assumptions' or unconscious mechanisms that, in
turn, can impact upon the formation of the group as a social institution (Fenichel, 1945).
The search for deep, underlying structures has been continuously advocated by Geertz
(1973), an anthropologist, and the need to distinguish between 'thin' and 'thick'
description; the former relating to what is merely observable and the latter to an
interpretive, iterative process that seeks out the basic significance of events. The
psychoanalytic model, with its premise of not taking for granted what is directly
observable, presents an opportunity to examine the power of unconscious group
processes in the construction of boardroom decisions.
This research aims to demonstrate that the application of clinical concepts to the analysis
of boardroom relationships can produce an enriching effect on more traditional theories
of organisational functioning.
2001-01-01T00:00:00ZUrquhart, James KeithThere has been much discussion in the literature in the past decade as boards of directors
worldwide have faced increasing stakeholder demands for accountability. The
conventional wisdom that stakeholders were passive players, who ceded responsibility
for the company to the board, has gone and been replaced by a growing sensitivity to the
risk of corporate liability. It is still not widely understood that business enterprise is as
much a moral act as an economic one. In the 1980's, boardroom behaviour was perceived
as unresponsive, mercenary, formal, guarded, ritualistic and legalistic. However, we
know little about the culture of these 'managerial elites' (Pettigrew and McNulty, 1995)
but one approach is to adopt a psychoanalytic perspective.
Psychoanalytic theory is, inter alia, a method of understanding group processes.
Bion (1959) and Bridger (1986) postulated that rationality in groups could be
compromised by the activity of 'basic assumptions' or unconscious mechanisms that, in
turn, can impact upon the formation of the group as a social institution (Fenichel, 1945).
The search for deep, underlying structures has been continuously advocated by Geertz
(1973), an anthropologist, and the need to distinguish between 'thin' and 'thick'
description; the former relating to what is merely observable and the latter to an
interpretive, iterative process that seeks out the basic significance of events. The
psychoanalytic model, with its premise of not taking for granted what is directly
observable, presents an opportunity to examine the power of unconscious group
processes in the construction of boardroom decisions.
This research aims to demonstrate that the application of clinical concepts to the analysis
of boardroom relationships can produce an enriching effect on more traditional theories
of organisational functioning.Building careers, managing capitals
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/9393
I sought to find out whether this was a tension between artistic and commercial in the
career of visual artists, and if so, how this tension was managed. In attempting to uncover
information which could address the research question I undertook in-depth career
history interviews with artists which covered their time at art school through to their
current practice. The career history method was deliberately chosen in order to address
the research question at a tangent as both the literature, and my own personal experience
of the field of contemporary visual art, had suggested that the topic of artistic and
commercial was a sensitive one. By framing the interviews around the experiences the
artists had through the time period of their training and career, I was able to approach the
research questions indirectly from the perspective of the artists. Through analysis of the
interview transcripts the framework of Bourdieu’s capitals arose as one that would
capably explain the activities which the artists were undertaken and I used this as a
framing device for the empirical chapters in the thesis. In exploring ideas of cultural, social
and economic capitals in relation to how artists describe the activities they undertake
during their career it became apparent that the broad structures of cultural capital needed
further refinement in their application to the careers of visual artists. In the thesis I chose
to elaborate further on the concept of artistic capital which has, until now, been
unexplored by scholars. I have developed an understanding of artistic capital as a
subcategory of cultural capital with particular application to the field of contemporary
visual art – with the potential for wider application beyond the thesis. The three capitals of
artistic, social and economic proved a capable structure for understanding whether there
was a tension between artistic and commercial and how artists managed this. Through
this research I have found that artists come to believe, during their early career and
training through art school, that there is a tension between artistic and commercial as this
is perpetuated by institutions and art world participants through their exclusion or
dismissal of commercial aspects of the visual art field. Through their careers they come to
realise that this tension is less prevalent than they thought and that they are able to
manage these two aspects of artistic and commercial more effectively. However, artists
continue to be faced with instances where this tension is imposed upon them by other art
world players who perpetuate the belief that there is an inherent, unresolvable tension
between artistic and commercial. These individuals attempt to shield artists from this
perceived tension later in their careers when artists are already adept at managing the
competing priorities of artistic and commercial without the two creating tension.
2015-06-01T00:00:00ZFlynn, EmmaI sought to find out whether this was a tension between artistic and commercial in the
career of visual artists, and if so, how this tension was managed. In attempting to uncover
information which could address the research question I undertook in-depth career
history interviews with artists which covered their time at art school through to their
current practice. The career history method was deliberately chosen in order to address
the research question at a tangent as both the literature, and my own personal experience
of the field of contemporary visual art, had suggested that the topic of artistic and
commercial was a sensitive one. By framing the interviews around the experiences the
artists had through the time period of their training and career, I was able to approach the
research questions indirectly from the perspective of the artists. Through analysis of the
interview transcripts the framework of Bourdieu’s capitals arose as one that would
capably explain the activities which the artists were undertaken and I used this as a
framing device for the empirical chapters in the thesis. In exploring ideas of cultural, social
and economic capitals in relation to how artists describe the activities they undertake
during their career it became apparent that the broad structures of cultural capital needed
further refinement in their application to the careers of visual artists. In the thesis I chose
to elaborate further on the concept of artistic capital which has, until now, been
unexplored by scholars. I have developed an understanding of artistic capital as a
subcategory of cultural capital with particular application to the field of contemporary
visual art – with the potential for wider application beyond the thesis. The three capitals of
artistic, social and economic proved a capable structure for understanding whether there
was a tension between artistic and commercial and how artists managed this. Through
this research I have found that artists come to believe, during their early career and
training through art school, that there is a tension between artistic and commercial as this
is perpetuated by institutions and art world participants through their exclusion or
dismissal of commercial aspects of the visual art field. Through their careers they come to
realise that this tension is less prevalent than they thought and that they are able to
manage these two aspects of artistic and commercial more effectively. However, artists
continue to be faced with instances where this tension is imposed upon them by other art
world players who perpetuate the belief that there is an inherent, unresolvable tension
between artistic and commercial. These individuals attempt to shield artists from this
perceived tension later in their careers when artists are already adept at managing the
competing priorities of artistic and commercial without the two creating tension.The silence of the lamps : visibility, agency and artistic objects in the play production process
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/8971
This thesis is a case study which looks at the creation of two theatre productions. Using the literature of Actor-Network Theory as a methodological provocation, it analyses the processes by which networks of actors created these theatre pieces with particular attention to where agency was observed. Through data gathered through observing material interactions, the thesis develops the concept of the (play)text: an object that is an expression of the ideas of the text, but is not the text itself – rather, a bricolage of ‘translations’ of a piece of written and rehearsed work bound together by time and combined action. Conceiving of the eventual product – the (play)text in performance – as an example of the ANT concept of an agencement, a network of different people and objects working together to maintain a stable construction, but one which perpetually refines and redefines each of its component parts – this thesis proposes that the (play)text is an example of a dynamic and fractional artistic object, stabilised only briefly in the moments of its performance. Examining the theatre production process in this way contributes to ANT literature by providing specific examples of an artistic object created materially and agentively; it also highlights the limitations of the ways in which theatre has been used as a metaphor within Organisation Studies. Finally, it contributes to work on process change in showing an object which is, though it appears constantly improvisational and changing in its form, stabilised by material interactions.
2016-06-24T00:00:00ZStephens, LouiseThis thesis is a case study which looks at the creation of two theatre productions. Using the literature of Actor-Network Theory as a methodological provocation, it analyses the processes by which networks of actors created these theatre pieces with particular attention to where agency was observed. Through data gathered through observing material interactions, the thesis develops the concept of the (play)text: an object that is an expression of the ideas of the text, but is not the text itself – rather, a bricolage of ‘translations’ of a piece of written and rehearsed work bound together by time and combined action. Conceiving of the eventual product – the (play)text in performance – as an example of the ANT concept of an agencement, a network of different people and objects working together to maintain a stable construction, but one which perpetually refines and redefines each of its component parts – this thesis proposes that the (play)text is an example of a dynamic and fractional artistic object, stabilised only briefly in the moments of its performance. Examining the theatre production process in this way contributes to ANT literature by providing specific examples of an artistic object created materially and agentively; it also highlights the limitations of the ways in which theatre has been used as a metaphor within Organisation Studies. Finally, it contributes to work on process change in showing an object which is, though it appears constantly improvisational and changing in its form, stabilised by material interactions.The assemblage of Digital Engagement Metrics as a market device : the case of independent film
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/8249
Digital technology has radically disrupted the established ways of organising the film industry. However, digital initiatives such as marketing and distribution strategies involving social media and online distribution have also provided means through which filmmakers manage this environment. I investigate the role of the digital data involved, which I term Digital Engagement Metrics (DEMs), in market reconfiguration. Through exploratory, longitudinal case study of market construction for independent films, the thesis articulates the interdependent combination of attributes that co-constitute DEMs’ highly mobile, and multifaceted valuation capacities, and develops a conceptualisation of their role as a market device.
I engage with the literature of translation, calculation, and the performativity and materiality of markets. I then develop an approach for tracing market activity to understand the interaction of networked agencies that shape the arrangement of economic transactions. My analysis is delivered in three empirical chapters, which provide rare data on the emergent digital practice of a film production company. I chart the progressive establishment of DEMs’ role in the hybridisation of established market attachment frameworks, and the instantiation of new modes of coordinating market actors. I conclude that the dynamic assembly, content and distributed architecture of market arrangements involving DEMs simultaneously shape the product and enable its calculation. In addition to extending the reach of market studies into a new empirical field, I make a number of contributions to the theoretical literature. My findings bring two coordinating kinds of performativity into focus. These are the creation of felicitous conditions required to mobilise DEMs as an organisational concept, and the digital materialisation of the audience both as the market, and as a qualified property of the market object. Reading DEMs through the market devices lens renders previously hidden modes of calculation visible, and this has implications for developing assemblage-oriented research in the creative industries.
2016-06-24T00:00:00ZFranklin, MichaelDigital technology has radically disrupted the established ways of organising the film industry. However, digital initiatives such as marketing and distribution strategies involving social media and online distribution have also provided means through which filmmakers manage this environment. I investigate the role of the digital data involved, which I term Digital Engagement Metrics (DEMs), in market reconfiguration. Through exploratory, longitudinal case study of market construction for independent films, the thesis articulates the interdependent combination of attributes that co-constitute DEMs’ highly mobile, and multifaceted valuation capacities, and develops a conceptualisation of their role as a market device.
I engage with the literature of translation, calculation, and the performativity and materiality of markets. I then develop an approach for tracing market activity to understand the interaction of networked agencies that shape the arrangement of economic transactions. My analysis is delivered in three empirical chapters, which provide rare data on the emergent digital practice of a film production company. I chart the progressive establishment of DEMs’ role in the hybridisation of established market attachment frameworks, and the instantiation of new modes of coordinating market actors. I conclude that the dynamic assembly, content and distributed architecture of market arrangements involving DEMs simultaneously shape the product and enable its calculation. In addition to extending the reach of market studies into a new empirical field, I make a number of contributions to the theoretical literature. My findings bring two coordinating kinds of performativity into focus. These are the creation of felicitous conditions required to mobilise DEMs as an organisational concept, and the digital materialisation of the audience both as the market, and as a qualified property of the market object. Reading DEMs through the market devices lens renders previously hidden modes of calculation visible, and this has implications for developing assemblage-oriented research in the creative industries.Alternative approaches in ESG investing : four essays on investment performance & risk
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/8127
ESG (Environmental, social, and governance) investing is an investment philosophy to inform holistic and sound decision-making of investors for the purposes of both, nourishing a stable economy with acceptable rates of return while at the same time addressing stakeholders' non-financial concerns to preserve an inhabitable planet. Some scholars in finance argue that institutions subject to norms, i.e. responsible investors pay a financial cost from engaging in ESG activities. Moreover, they see ESG investing as distracting, inappropriate, risky and legally challenging. In response, several studies have emerged to show that ESG investing is a growing interest with investors, helps to mitigate financial risks, and does not need to represent a financial cost. Despite convincing evidence in a growing body of academic literature, many questions are still open to debate. Therefore, the principal objective of this thesis is to explore three dimensions of ESG investing, namely corporate environmental responsibility, renewable energy, and ESG disclosure quality. The research questions address issues relating to pension funds' investment decisions and legal obstacles resulting from utilising ESG information, financial return and risk implications of investing in renewable energy, substitutability of renewable energy for fossil fuel investments, and the effects of ESG disclosure quality on the expected cost of capital. To answer these questions, the thesis employs several standard and alternative empirical methods from the asset pricing and risk literatures. The thesis concludes the following. First, the integration of environmental responsibility into pension fund investment decision-making processes does not impede the financial and risk performance of pension funds. This means that pension funds should be allowed to consider such information in their investment decision making processes as the information does not reduce the overall financial return of the tested portfolios and does not violate trust law, i.e. the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). Pension fund trustees have been prohibited to consider any non-financial criteria such as environmental, social, or governance criteria in their investment processes under trust law such as ERISA, when they could harm the finanical performance of the portfolio. To be more specific, a pension fund trustee breaches his fiduciary duties (the duty of loyalty and the duty of prudence), if he sacrifices the financial well-being of the pension fund for pursuing any other social goal (Langbein and Posner, 1980). In particular, the duty of loyalty is "...forbidding the trustee to invest for any object other than the highest return consistent with the preferred level of portfolio risk" (Langbein and Posner, 1980:98). Second, the thesis finds no evidence for sustained renewable energy equity premia. Furthermore, investments in renewable energy equity are considerably riskier than in fossil fuel energy equity, meaning that renewable energy firms are undergoing a period of high uncertainties related to their business model, low carbon prices, and lacking public and private infrastructure investment (Bohl et al., 2013; Kumar et al., 2012; Sadorsky, 2012b ). Finally, my thesis shows that
companies with high ESG disclosure quality experience lower expected cost of equity and cost of debt financing, everything else equal.
2016-06-24T00:00:00ZRezec, MichaelESG (Environmental, social, and governance) investing is an investment philosophy to inform holistic and sound decision-making of investors for the purposes of both, nourishing a stable economy with acceptable rates of return while at the same time addressing stakeholders' non-financial concerns to preserve an inhabitable planet. Some scholars in finance argue that institutions subject to norms, i.e. responsible investors pay a financial cost from engaging in ESG activities. Moreover, they see ESG investing as distracting, inappropriate, risky and legally challenging. In response, several studies have emerged to show that ESG investing is a growing interest with investors, helps to mitigate financial risks, and does not need to represent a financial cost. Despite convincing evidence in a growing body of academic literature, many questions are still open to debate. Therefore, the principal objective of this thesis is to explore three dimensions of ESG investing, namely corporate environmental responsibility, renewable energy, and ESG disclosure quality. The research questions address issues relating to pension funds' investment decisions and legal obstacles resulting from utilising ESG information, financial return and risk implications of investing in renewable energy, substitutability of renewable energy for fossil fuel investments, and the effects of ESG disclosure quality on the expected cost of capital. To answer these questions, the thesis employs several standard and alternative empirical methods from the asset pricing and risk literatures. The thesis concludes the following. First, the integration of environmental responsibility into pension fund investment decision-making processes does not impede the financial and risk performance of pension funds. This means that pension funds should be allowed to consider such information in their investment decision making processes as the information does not reduce the overall financial return of the tested portfolios and does not violate trust law, i.e. the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). Pension fund trustees have been prohibited to consider any non-financial criteria such as environmental, social, or governance criteria in their investment processes under trust law such as ERISA, when they could harm the finanical performance of the portfolio. To be more specific, a pension fund trustee breaches his fiduciary duties (the duty of loyalty and the duty of prudence), if he sacrifices the financial well-being of the pension fund for pursuing any other social goal (Langbein and Posner, 1980). In particular, the duty of loyalty is "...forbidding the trustee to invest for any object other than the highest return consistent with the preferred level of portfolio risk" (Langbein and Posner, 1980:98). Second, the thesis finds no evidence for sustained renewable energy equity premia. Furthermore, investments in renewable energy equity are considerably riskier than in fossil fuel energy equity, meaning that renewable energy firms are undergoing a period of high uncertainties related to their business model, low carbon prices, and lacking public and private infrastructure investment (Bohl et al., 2013; Kumar et al., 2012; Sadorsky, 2012b ). Finally, my thesis shows that
companies with high ESG disclosure quality experience lower expected cost of equity and cost of debt financing, everything else equal.Essays on Islamic equity investing
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/7800
Islamic finance is rapidly gaining momentum around the world. Interpretations of Shari’ah, or Islamic law, state that investments must be free from elements of riba (interest), gharar (uncertainty), maysir (speculation) and haram (unethical) business activities. Islamic equity investing, therefore, utilizes a set of business activity screens and accounting-based screens to exclude firms considered non-permissible under Shari’ah. Despite increased academic interest, there is still much uncertainty surrounding the financial implications of these investment principles. This Ph.D. thesis, comprised of three empirical essays, aims to contribute to this debate. The first essay offers a comprehensive examination of Islamic equity index performance. The findings show that Islamic equity indices have exhibited abnormal returns on a global and developed market level, primarily due to their exclusion of stocks in the financial services sector. The second essay attempts to study the determinants of Islamic investments’ financial performance, with a particular focus on the role of country-level factors. The third essay studies performance related issues associated with the accounting-based screening process. A significant proportion of these screens are documented to contribute positively to risk-adjusted performance, most notably in periods of financial market turmoil.
2015-11-30T00:00:00ZAdamsson, HampusIslamic finance is rapidly gaining momentum around the world. Interpretations of Shari’ah, or Islamic law, state that investments must be free from elements of riba (interest), gharar (uncertainty), maysir (speculation) and haram (unethical) business activities. Islamic equity investing, therefore, utilizes a set of business activity screens and accounting-based screens to exclude firms considered non-permissible under Shari’ah. Despite increased academic interest, there is still much uncertainty surrounding the financial implications of these investment principles. This Ph.D. thesis, comprised of three empirical essays, aims to contribute to this debate. The first essay offers a comprehensive examination of Islamic equity index performance. The findings show that Islamic equity indices have exhibited abnormal returns on a global and developed market level, primarily due to their exclusion of stocks in the financial services sector. The second essay attempts to study the determinants of Islamic investments’ financial performance, with a particular focus on the role of country-level factors. The third essay studies performance related issues associated with the accounting-based screening process. A significant proportion of these screens are documented to contribute positively to risk-adjusted performance, most notably in periods of financial market turmoil.Negotiations of legitimacy : the value of recognition for Glasgow UNESCO City of Music
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/7050
This thesis examines the emergence of the organization, the Glasgow UNESCO City of
Music, following the award of the title UNESCO City of music to Glasgow in 2008 from a
Bourdieusian perspective. Bourdieu’s concepts of field, habitus, and particularly capital
are used to interrogate the negotiation of symbolic capital (Bourdieu, 1986) in the field of
music in Glasgow. The thesis examines how the members of the organization–viewed their organization’s position in the field of music in Glasgow and their attempts to secure
its legitimacy in a field with established players. It shows how agents ‘work’ to negotiate
for the positions they want, or need, in order to establish the legitimacy, and thus the
position, of an organization through the acquisition and use of capital. Although cultural capital is a core constituent of an organization’s original position in the field of music the dominant and influential position of economic capital means that it is the symbolic
capital associated with being granted funding rather than cultural capital, which
influences and thus legitimate organizations in the cultural field. In its discussion of
capital the thesis contributes to the literature on institutional work and organizational
legitimacy.
2014-01-14T00:00:00ZTuohy, HonorThis thesis examines the emergence of the organization, the Glasgow UNESCO City of
Music, following the award of the title UNESCO City of music to Glasgow in 2008 from a
Bourdieusian perspective. Bourdieu’s concepts of field, habitus, and particularly capital
are used to interrogate the negotiation of symbolic capital (Bourdieu, 1986) in the field of
music in Glasgow. The thesis examines how the members of the organization–viewed their organization’s position in the field of music in Glasgow and their attempts to secure
its legitimacy in a field with established players. It shows how agents ‘work’ to negotiate
for the positions they want, or need, in order to establish the legitimacy, and thus the
position, of an organization through the acquisition and use of capital. Although cultural capital is a core constituent of an organization’s original position in the field of music the dominant and influential position of economic capital means that it is the symbolic
capital associated with being granted funding rather than cultural capital, which
influences and thus legitimate organizations in the cultural field. In its discussion of
capital the thesis contributes to the literature on institutional work and organizational
legitimacy.Continuity in intermittent organisations : the organising practices of festival and community of a UK film festival
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/6901
This thesis considers the relationship between practices, communities and continuity in intermittent organisational arrangements. Cultural festivals are argued to offer one such particularly rich and nuanced research context; within this study their potential to transcend intermittent enactment emerged as a significant avenue of enquiry. The engagement of organisation studies with theories of practice has produced a rich practice-based corpus, diverse in both theoretical concerns and empirical approaches to the study of practice. Nevertheless, continuity presents an, as yet, under-theorised aspect of this field. Thus, the central questions of this thesis concern: the practices that underpin the enactment of festivals; the themes emerging from these practices for further consideration; and relationships between festivals and the wider context within which they are enacted. These issues were explored empirically through a qualitative study of the enactment of a community-centred film festival. Following from the adoption of a ‘practice-lens approach’, this study yielded forty-eight practices, through which to explore five themes emerging from analysis: Safeguarding, Legitimising, Gatekeeping, Connecting and Negotiating Boundaries. This study revealed an aspect of the wider field of practice that has not yet been fully examined by practice-based studies: the cementing or anchoring mechanisms that contribute to temporal continuity in intermittent, temporary or project-based organisations. The findings of this thesis suggest a processual model, which collectively reinforces an organisational memory that survives periods of latency and facilitates the re-emergence of practice, thus potentially enabling organisations to endure across intermittent enactment and, ultimately, transcend temporality and ephemerality. The themes examined and insights offered in this thesis seek to contribute to: practice-based studies and film-festival studies; forging a new path linking these two disciplines; and generating both theoretical and practical insights of interest to festival organisers and stakeholders of project-based, temporary or intermittent organisational arrangements.
2015-06-26T00:00:00ZIrvine, Elizabeth J.This thesis considers the relationship between practices, communities and continuity in intermittent organisational arrangements. Cultural festivals are argued to offer one such particularly rich and nuanced research context; within this study their potential to transcend intermittent enactment emerged as a significant avenue of enquiry. The engagement of organisation studies with theories of practice has produced a rich practice-based corpus, diverse in both theoretical concerns and empirical approaches to the study of practice. Nevertheless, continuity presents an, as yet, under-theorised aspect of this field. Thus, the central questions of this thesis concern: the practices that underpin the enactment of festivals; the themes emerging from these practices for further consideration; and relationships between festivals and the wider context within which they are enacted. These issues were explored empirically through a qualitative study of the enactment of a community-centred film festival. Following from the adoption of a ‘practice-lens approach’, this study yielded forty-eight practices, through which to explore five themes emerging from analysis: Safeguarding, Legitimising, Gatekeeping, Connecting and Negotiating Boundaries. This study revealed an aspect of the wider field of practice that has not yet been fully examined by practice-based studies: the cementing or anchoring mechanisms that contribute to temporal continuity in intermittent, temporary or project-based organisations. The findings of this thesis suggest a processual model, which collectively reinforces an organisational memory that survives periods of latency and facilitates the re-emergence of practice, thus potentially enabling organisations to endure across intermittent enactment and, ultimately, transcend temporality and ephemerality. The themes examined and insights offered in this thesis seek to contribute to: practice-based studies and film-festival studies; forging a new path linking these two disciplines; and generating both theoretical and practical insights of interest to festival organisers and stakeholders of project-based, temporary or intermittent organisational arrangements.Less cognitive conflict does not imply choice of the default option : Commentary on Kieslich and Hilbig (2014)
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/6788
Kieslich and Hilbig (2014) employ a mouse-tracking technique to measure decision conflict in social dilemmas. They report that defectors exhibit more conflict than do cooperators. They infer that cooperation thus is the reflexive, default behavior. We argue, however, that their analysis fails to discriminate between reflexive versus cognitively controlled behavioral responses. This is because cognitive conflict can emanate from resisting impulse successfully—or unsuccessfully.
2015-05-01T00:00:00ZMyrseth, Kristian OveWollbrant, ConnyKieslich and Hilbig (2014) employ a mouse-tracking technique to measure decision conflict in social dilemmas. They report that defectors exhibit more conflict than do cooperators. They infer that cooperation thus is the reflexive, default behavior. We argue, however, that their analysis fails to discriminate between reflexive versus cognitively controlled behavioral responses. This is because cognitive conflict can emanate from resisting impulse successfully—or unsuccessfully.Community projects as liminal spaces for climate action and sustainability practices in Scotland
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/6701
The potential of communities for sustainability learning and governance has generated substantial interest in sustainability discourses, but their specific roles and remits are not always critically examined. This thesis' original contribution to these discourses lies in the analysis of community projects as liminal spaces for pro-sustainable change that are limited in scope within wider political landscapes that do not sufficiently address wider challenges of an unravelling biosphere. The particular manifestation of community projects which emerges in Scotland as a result of Climate Challenge Fund funding made available by the Scottish Government is one example of sustainability governance at a local level. The present study draws upon data from field notes of eleven months of fieldwork, and semi-structured interviews with fifty-two informants, constructing two case studies with references to a third one. A transdisciplinary analysis of findings examines leadership and organisational structures and their implication for governance, and similarities and differences in practices and values identified within the case studies. Community projects are described as liminal spaces which facilitate the learning, practice-based and theoretical knowledge of sustainable practices (such as food growing or energy efficiency), and stimulate thinking on behalf of the group of participants or wider community. Community projects may also build temporary spaces demonstrating sustainable solutions visible to passers-by (such as raised vegetable beds
in community gardens, or second-hand clothing in a swap shop). However, the longevity of these solutions is uncertain once the grant funding has come to an end. It is argued that in wider Scottish society, high-carbon lifestyles, inequalities and economic growth are the norm, and sustainable practices, community sustainability governance of tangible assets, and Education for Sustainable Development need to become less marginal and more widely embedded across all social and economic institutions.
2015-06-24T00:00:00ZMeyerricks, SvenjaThe potential of communities for sustainability learning and governance has generated substantial interest in sustainability discourses, but their specific roles and remits are not always critically examined. This thesis' original contribution to these discourses lies in the analysis of community projects as liminal spaces for pro-sustainable change that are limited in scope within wider political landscapes that do not sufficiently address wider challenges of an unravelling biosphere. The particular manifestation of community projects which emerges in Scotland as a result of Climate Challenge Fund funding made available by the Scottish Government is one example of sustainability governance at a local level. The present study draws upon data from field notes of eleven months of fieldwork, and semi-structured interviews with fifty-two informants, constructing two case studies with references to a third one. A transdisciplinary analysis of findings examines leadership and organisational structures and their implication for governance, and similarities and differences in practices and values identified within the case studies. Community projects are described as liminal spaces which facilitate the learning, practice-based and theoretical knowledge of sustainable practices (such as food growing or energy efficiency), and stimulate thinking on behalf of the group of participants or wider community. Community projects may also build temporary spaces demonstrating sustainable solutions visible to passers-by (such as raised vegetable beds
in community gardens, or second-hand clothing in a swap shop). However, the longevity of these solutions is uncertain once the grant funding has come to an end. It is argued that in wider Scottish society, high-carbon lifestyles, inequalities and economic growth are the norm, and sustainable practices, community sustainability governance of tangible assets, and Education for Sustainable Development need to become less marginal and more widely embedded across all social and economic institutions.Competition, profitability and risk in US banking
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/6609
This thesis is concerned with the relationships between profit, profit persistence, risk and competition within the US commercial bank sector. In particular, the thesis asks three questions: how profit and profit persistence are affected by changes in regulation designed to enhance competition; how profit persistence varies over time according to changes in market and economic conditions; how different aspects of banks’ risk is affected by competition and market structure. Understanding the nature of these relationships is important given the prominent role banks play in the allocation of resources, the provision of capital to the economy and the stability of the financial system. Moreover, these roles in turn, have an effect on bank performance and wider economic growth and stability. Such issues have especially come to prominence following the financial crisis and thus there is a need for empirical evidence on which to base policy.
To examine these relationships the thesis implements panel estimation techniques and
obtains data on all commercial banks, primarily over the period 1984-2009, thus
including births and deaths. The key findings show, first, that profit persistence is relatively low compared to previous US banking studies and compared to
manufacturing firms. Moreover, persistence varies with regulatory changes, although
not always in the expected direction, notably the increase in persistence following the 1999 Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. Second, additional time-variation in persistence is linked to bank specific, market structure and economic factors. Notably, persistence varies with bank size and market share, market concentration and output growth, but the precise nature of these relationships varies across the sample and by bank size. Third, that there is a difference in the nature of the relationship between competition and loan risk on the one hand and competition and total risk and leverage on the other. We also find that the relationship between risk and market structure varies according to bank size and that the economic cycle influences banks’ risk. The implications and contribution of this thesis lie in establishing empirical evidence for understanding the nature of the relationships between competition, profits and risk. This is particularly prescient given the move towards new regulation following the financial crisis. Key results here show that no simple relationship exists between bank size or market concentration and competition and risk, therefore policy should account for such differences, whether according to bank size or type of risk.
2014-11-01T00:00:00ZMcMillan, Fiona JayneThis thesis is concerned with the relationships between profit, profit persistence, risk and competition within the US commercial bank sector. In particular, the thesis asks three questions: how profit and profit persistence are affected by changes in regulation designed to enhance competition; how profit persistence varies over time according to changes in market and economic conditions; how different aspects of banks’ risk is affected by competition and market structure. Understanding the nature of these relationships is important given the prominent role banks play in the allocation of resources, the provision of capital to the economy and the stability of the financial system. Moreover, these roles in turn, have an effect on bank performance and wider economic growth and stability. Such issues have especially come to prominence following the financial crisis and thus there is a need for empirical evidence on which to base policy.
To examine these relationships the thesis implements panel estimation techniques and
obtains data on all commercial banks, primarily over the period 1984-2009, thus
including births and deaths. The key findings show, first, that profit persistence is relatively low compared to previous US banking studies and compared to
manufacturing firms. Moreover, persistence varies with regulatory changes, although
not always in the expected direction, notably the increase in persistence following the 1999 Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. Second, additional time-variation in persistence is linked to bank specific, market structure and economic factors. Notably, persistence varies with bank size and market share, market concentration and output growth, but the precise nature of these relationships varies across the sample and by bank size. Third, that there is a difference in the nature of the relationship between competition and loan risk on the one hand and competition and total risk and leverage on the other. We also find that the relationship between risk and market structure varies according to bank size and that the economic cycle influences banks’ risk. The implications and contribution of this thesis lie in establishing empirical evidence for understanding the nature of the relationships between competition, profits and risk. This is particularly prescient given the move towards new regulation following the financial crisis. Key results here show that no simple relationship exists between bank size or market concentration and competition and risk, therefore policy should account for such differences, whether according to bank size or type of risk.An exploration of accountability : evidence from the Nigerian oil and gas industry
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/6537
The economic activities of multinational corporations (MNCs) in the extractive industries of developing countries produce a myriad of immediate negative social, economic and environmental impacts on communities hosting their operations. Consequently, stakeholders have increasingly called for (greater) accountability of these corporations for the impacts of their operations on stakeholders and the wider society. The extent to which these MNCs are accountable for their operations’ negative environmental impacts in the developing countries is underexplored as prior studies have primarily focused on corporate social responsibility rather than accountability of these corporations. However, accountability apparently means different things to different parties, and especially in a non-Western context. This thesis primarily seeks to explore the concept of accountability in a developing country context and how it is understood and practised within the Nigerian oil industry. More specifically, it seeks to understand the extent to which oil MNCs in Nigeria discharge accountability in the context of gas flaring and oil spills environmental pollution emanating from their operations. The study utilises a mixed methods approach to generate data to provide understanding on stakeholders’ conceptions of accountability, the nature of accounts constructed by the MNCs on gas flaring and oil spills environmental incidents, and the plausible corporate sense-making embedded within those accounts. The empirical data produce both general and nuanced conceptions of accountability between the MNCs and stakeholders. An account-giving heuristic highlights four broad and further nuanced accounts the corporations provide on these negative environmental incidents which are largely in conflict with stakeholders’ narratives. Moreover, the sense-making analysis of the MNCs’ accounts suggests that those accounts apparently serve corporate self-interest rather than the discharge of accountability. However, organisational, institutional, relational, and national contextual factors apparently encourage the un-accountability of the MNCs. Accountability in the Nigerian oil industry will remain elusive without critical institutional and regulatory reforms.
2015-06-26T00:00:00ZEgbon, OsamuyimenThe economic activities of multinational corporations (MNCs) in the extractive industries of developing countries produce a myriad of immediate negative social, economic and environmental impacts on communities hosting their operations. Consequently, stakeholders have increasingly called for (greater) accountability of these corporations for the impacts of their operations on stakeholders and the wider society. The extent to which these MNCs are accountable for their operations’ negative environmental impacts in the developing countries is underexplored as prior studies have primarily focused on corporate social responsibility rather than accountability of these corporations. However, accountability apparently means different things to different parties, and especially in a non-Western context. This thesis primarily seeks to explore the concept of accountability in a developing country context and how it is understood and practised within the Nigerian oil industry. More specifically, it seeks to understand the extent to which oil MNCs in Nigeria discharge accountability in the context of gas flaring and oil spills environmental pollution emanating from their operations. The study utilises a mixed methods approach to generate data to provide understanding on stakeholders’ conceptions of accountability, the nature of accounts constructed by the MNCs on gas flaring and oil spills environmental incidents, and the plausible corporate sense-making embedded within those accounts. The empirical data produce both general and nuanced conceptions of accountability between the MNCs and stakeholders. An account-giving heuristic highlights four broad and further nuanced accounts the corporations provide on these negative environmental incidents which are largely in conflict with stakeholders’ narratives. Moreover, the sense-making analysis of the MNCs’ accounts suggests that those accounts apparently serve corporate self-interest rather than the discharge of accountability. However, organisational, institutional, relational, and national contextual factors apparently encourage the un-accountability of the MNCs. Accountability in the Nigerian oil industry will remain elusive without critical institutional and regulatory reforms.Looking glasses and social ghosts : the impact of imagining others on identity working processes
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/6360
In organisation studies there has been an increasing interest in ‘identity work’ – that is, the processes through which people’s identities become constructed. The role that others play, along with the self, in identity work has, with varying degrees of emphasis, been a recurrent theme both in the contemporary literature and in its classical antecedents. Extant research leaves scope for further investigation of how others are present within identity working processes and this thesis is primarily concerned with the elaboration and understanding of the centrality of others to the working of identities.
An interest in this area stemmed from my professional occupation and its context in a performing arts organisation. My observation of the constructions of the identities of my colleagues and myself was forming prior to my engagement in a formal research role. I adopted an interpretivist perspective, an ethnographic and autoethnographic method and an abductive analytical approach. The data collection was achieved through: field note collection; autoethnographic reflection; semi structured and interactive interviewing; and a reflexive diary.
The thesis seeks to augment the identity work literature by applying and elaborating previously under-used theories, in particular, reflexive imagination in Cooley’s ‘Looking Glass Self’ (1902/1983) and ‘social ghosts’ (Gergen, 2001). These ideas are synthesised to produce an understanding of the significance of others to identity working and the processes through which they impact on identity construction.
A detailed explication of the qualities of social ghosts and the ways in which actors use them in interaction (identity work moves) leads to more profound understandings of how people work identities in relation to others. This reveals that identity emerges in an interactive process that is other-multiple, tentative and reactive, and which is underpinned by imagining the self in relation to others.
2014-06-27T00:00:00ZDonald, JaneIn organisation studies there has been an increasing interest in ‘identity work’ – that is, the processes through which people’s identities become constructed. The role that others play, along with the self, in identity work has, with varying degrees of emphasis, been a recurrent theme both in the contemporary literature and in its classical antecedents. Extant research leaves scope for further investigation of how others are present within identity working processes and this thesis is primarily concerned with the elaboration and understanding of the centrality of others to the working of identities.
An interest in this area stemmed from my professional occupation and its context in a performing arts organisation. My observation of the constructions of the identities of my colleagues and myself was forming prior to my engagement in a formal research role. I adopted an interpretivist perspective, an ethnographic and autoethnographic method and an abductive analytical approach. The data collection was achieved through: field note collection; autoethnographic reflection; semi structured and interactive interviewing; and a reflexive diary.
The thesis seeks to augment the identity work literature by applying and elaborating previously under-used theories, in particular, reflexive imagination in Cooley’s ‘Looking Glass Self’ (1902/1983) and ‘social ghosts’ (Gergen, 2001). These ideas are synthesised to produce an understanding of the significance of others to identity working and the processes through which they impact on identity construction.
A detailed explication of the qualities of social ghosts and the ways in which actors use them in interaction (identity work moves) leads to more profound understandings of how people work identities in relation to others. This reveals that identity emerges in an interactive process that is other-multiple, tentative and reactive, and which is underpinned by imagining the self in relation to others.The possible role of business organisations in sustainable development: approaches, boundaries, future directions
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/5900
It is increasingly evident that human development is proceeding in an unsustainable manner, and that large business organisations are significantly complicit in this process. In this context, the purpose of this study is to explore the possibilities by which business organisations could come to support sustainable development, with a particular focus on related barriers and how they may be overcome.
Literature on business and sustainable development is dominated by managerialist, organisation-centric perspectives, where the focus is on business profitability rather than planetary sustainability. This study seeks to challenge this mainstream literature, engaging with more critical perspectives and exploring the subtleties of the contradictory arguments presented by these two literatures.
Empirical investigation involved two major steps. First the thesis employs a) a content analysis and b) a “close reading” of corporate public utterances on sustainability. Secondly, and more substantively, the thesis comprises a series of semi-structured interviews with individuals in organisations. To obtain a range of perspectives on the sustainable development-business relationship, a number of “different types” of organisation are sampled, in the form of social enterprises, large PLCs, SMEs and co-owned businesses.
Based on the research findings, it is argued that the most significant barriers within the business-sustainable development relationship in fact concern the nature of modern international financial capitalism, and the nature of business itself. Certain characteristics, such as growth, competition and self-interest, essential to both the nature of the “system” and the nature of business, are fundamentally incompatible with sustainable development.
In recognising this dissonance, a blank canvas is created where new imaginings of “sustainable business” can begin to take place. Through detailed engagement with the critical and managerialist literatures, and drawing insight from the different types of organisations sampled, the thesis identifies a number of characteristics, such as collaboration, compromise and consideration of the common good, which may have the potential to enable an alternative, more “human”, and ultimately more “sustainable” form of business organisation.
2014-12-01T00:00:00ZO'Dochartaigh, AideenIt is increasingly evident that human development is proceeding in an unsustainable manner, and that large business organisations are significantly complicit in this process. In this context, the purpose of this study is to explore the possibilities by which business organisations could come to support sustainable development, with a particular focus on related barriers and how they may be overcome.
Literature on business and sustainable development is dominated by managerialist, organisation-centric perspectives, where the focus is on business profitability rather than planetary sustainability. This study seeks to challenge this mainstream literature, engaging with more critical perspectives and exploring the subtleties of the contradictory arguments presented by these two literatures.
Empirical investigation involved two major steps. First the thesis employs a) a content analysis and b) a “close reading” of corporate public utterances on sustainability. Secondly, and more substantively, the thesis comprises a series of semi-structured interviews with individuals in organisations. To obtain a range of perspectives on the sustainable development-business relationship, a number of “different types” of organisation are sampled, in the form of social enterprises, large PLCs, SMEs and co-owned businesses.
Based on the research findings, it is argued that the most significant barriers within the business-sustainable development relationship in fact concern the nature of modern international financial capitalism, and the nature of business itself. Certain characteristics, such as growth, competition and self-interest, essential to both the nature of the “system” and the nature of business, are fundamentally incompatible with sustainable development.
In recognising this dissonance, a blank canvas is created where new imaginings of “sustainable business” can begin to take place. Through detailed engagement with the critical and managerialist literatures, and drawing insight from the different types of organisations sampled, the thesis identifies a number of characteristics, such as collaboration, compromise and consideration of the common good, which may have the potential to enable an alternative, more “human”, and ultimately more “sustainable” form of business organisation.Corporate social responsibility and gambling industry : an exploratory study
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/5021
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is one important response to the increasing amounts of criticism levelled at corporations. A number of studies have focused on CSR in a range of industries; however, some contentious industries, e.g. the gambling industry, remain unexplored. Mobilizing CSR in a novel setting not only enhances the knowledge of CSR and gambling, but also provides an overview of this industry itself.
This thesis attempts to investigate three questions: to what extent does the gambling industry disclose CSR-related data, how is CSR understood in this industry and why does the gambling industry engage in CSR? This thesis provides a general overview of the international gambling industry and an in-depth investigation of Macao’s gambling industry. The research design of the thesis employs mixed methods: content analysis and semi-structured interviews. The principal research is based on 49 interviews.
This thesis advances three main arguments. First, it will be argued that there are relatively low volumes of Corporate Social Disclosure (CSD) and Responsible Gambling (RG) disclosure in the international gambling industry, which can be viewed as a legitimising strategy. Second, in Macao’s gambling industry, it is argued that organisations in this industry tend to place a greater emphasis on positive social impacts, while obscuring such negative impacts as gambling addiction and health-related issues. Third, this thesis holds that organisations in Macao’s gambling industry engage symbolically, rather than substantively, with CSR and RG in order to manage stakeholders’ perceptions in an attempt to gain different sources of legitimacy and in turn to enhance its economic interests. In conclusion, the gambling industry does not entirely conform to the institutional environment, which poses a challenge to the organisational legitimacy literature. This thesis introduces a necessary caution into the discussions about the extent of CSD, CSR, and RG in this industry more generally.
2014-06-27T00:00:00ZLeung, Cheng HanCorporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is one important response to the increasing amounts of criticism levelled at corporations. A number of studies have focused on CSR in a range of industries; however, some contentious industries, e.g. the gambling industry, remain unexplored. Mobilizing CSR in a novel setting not only enhances the knowledge of CSR and gambling, but also provides an overview of this industry itself.
This thesis attempts to investigate three questions: to what extent does the gambling industry disclose CSR-related data, how is CSR understood in this industry and why does the gambling industry engage in CSR? This thesis provides a general overview of the international gambling industry and an in-depth investigation of Macao’s gambling industry. The research design of the thesis employs mixed methods: content analysis and semi-structured interviews. The principal research is based on 49 interviews.
This thesis advances three main arguments. First, it will be argued that there are relatively low volumes of Corporate Social Disclosure (CSD) and Responsible Gambling (RG) disclosure in the international gambling industry, which can be viewed as a legitimising strategy. Second, in Macao’s gambling industry, it is argued that organisations in this industry tend to place a greater emphasis on positive social impacts, while obscuring such negative impacts as gambling addiction and health-related issues. Third, this thesis holds that organisations in Macao’s gambling industry engage symbolically, rather than substantively, with CSR and RG in order to manage stakeholders’ perceptions in an attempt to gain different sources of legitimacy and in turn to enhance its economic interests. In conclusion, the gambling industry does not entirely conform to the institutional environment, which poses a challenge to the organisational legitimacy literature. This thesis introduces a necessary caution into the discussions about the extent of CSD, CSR, and RG in this industry more generally.The Scottish national screen agency : justifications of worth
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/5020
This thesis examines the role of the former national screen agency in Scotland, which was in charge of distributing public funds for screen activity between 1997 and 2010. It examines how external factors such as cultural policy and internal factors such as individual approaches to film funding, affected the agency’s perception and remit. The study draws on the institutional logics perspective (Thornton et al., 2012) to frame the interplay of two competing imperatives, one commercial, one creative, affecting the creative industries in Scotland and Scottish Screen’s activities more specifically. However, it goes beyond this duality by examining more nuanced factors which significantly affected the organisation’s trajectory and remit. Taking into account the predominant logic(s) throughout Scottish Screen’s history and focusing on organisational responses during moments of transition or conflict, I use the analytical framework developed by Boltanski and Thévenot in On Justification (2006) to examine criticisms, justifications, and attempts at compromising expressed through official and non-official channels. The thesis outlines how opinions and decisions stemming from disparate views of what is “worthy” affected the agency’s activity and funding decisions, as well as the dialogue with its stakeholders. The conclusions extracted from my findings inform existing literature on responses to plurality and challenge some claims made by institutional logic scholars: the first conclusion is that lack of conflict between logics does not necessarily translate into lack organisational conflict, as the latter often derives from different orders of worth which override the commercial-creative logic divide and are incompatible amongst themselves. The second conclusion, related to the first one, is that stability may be enhanced (at least temporarily) in a professional environment dominated by a plurality of logics as long as there is compatibility amongst the orders of worth set forth in pursuit of organisational goals. A third conclusion is related to the examination of some contributions to the orders of worth perspective and the study of plurality and instability in organisational practices, notably Boltanski and Chiapello’s (2007) depiction of a seventh world of worth called the ‘projective city’ (underpinned by the higher value of activity aimed at creating or maintaining ever-changing networks), and David Stark’s (2009) study of plurality and ambiguity management in organisations. My findings suggest that organisational models based on pervasive, horizontal networks capable of transgressing traditional hierarchical structures were never fully deployed in Scottish Screen - traces of these practices are identified, but, overall, actors defended more traditional organisational scripts.
2014-06-27T00:00:00ZAlvarez, FabiolaThis thesis examines the role of the former national screen agency in Scotland, which was in charge of distributing public funds for screen activity between 1997 and 2010. It examines how external factors such as cultural policy and internal factors such as individual approaches to film funding, affected the agency’s perception and remit. The study draws on the institutional logics perspective (Thornton et al., 2012) to frame the interplay of two competing imperatives, one commercial, one creative, affecting the creative industries in Scotland and Scottish Screen’s activities more specifically. However, it goes beyond this duality by examining more nuanced factors which significantly affected the organisation’s trajectory and remit. Taking into account the predominant logic(s) throughout Scottish Screen’s history and focusing on organisational responses during moments of transition or conflict, I use the analytical framework developed by Boltanski and Thévenot in On Justification (2006) to examine criticisms, justifications, and attempts at compromising expressed through official and non-official channels. The thesis outlines how opinions and decisions stemming from disparate views of what is “worthy” affected the agency’s activity and funding decisions, as well as the dialogue with its stakeholders. The conclusions extracted from my findings inform existing literature on responses to plurality and challenge some claims made by institutional logic scholars: the first conclusion is that lack of conflict between logics does not necessarily translate into lack organisational conflict, as the latter often derives from different orders of worth which override the commercial-creative logic divide and are incompatible amongst themselves. The second conclusion, related to the first one, is that stability may be enhanced (at least temporarily) in a professional environment dominated by a plurality of logics as long as there is compatibility amongst the orders of worth set forth in pursuit of organisational goals. A third conclusion is related to the examination of some contributions to the orders of worth perspective and the study of plurality and instability in organisational practices, notably Boltanski and Chiapello’s (2007) depiction of a seventh world of worth called the ‘projective city’ (underpinned by the higher value of activity aimed at creating or maintaining ever-changing networks), and David Stark’s (2009) study of plurality and ambiguity management in organisations. My findings suggest that organisational models based on pervasive, horizontal networks capable of transgressing traditional hierarchical structures were never fully deployed in Scottish Screen - traces of these practices are identified, but, overall, actors defended more traditional organisational scripts.Managing humanitarian emergencies : Teaching and learning with a virtual humanitarian disaster tool
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/4201
The importance of specialist intervention in the form of humanitarian aid from governments, NGOs and other aid agencies during a humanitarian emergency cannot be over-emphasised. Humanitarian aid is the assistance provided in response to a humanitarian crisis. Humanitarian aid may be logistical, financial or material and its central aim is to alleviate human suffering and save lives. This paper describes an inter-disciplinary project that created the Virtual Humanitarian Disaster learning and teaching resource (VHD) that is centred on the events occurring in the aftermath of an earthquake. To facilitate learning, scenarios with integrated task dilemmas have been modelled which will provide the opportunity for users of the resource to explore the inter-relationships between the key areas of activities which are important to the NGOs and other bodies which deliver humanitarian aid. Such areas include geo-political relationships, legal and regulatory requirements, information management, logistic, financial and human resource management imperatives. The VHD is primarily aimed at students. It creates a more flexible learning and teaching environment when compared with traditional classroom methods. The resource enables students to make decisions concerning critical situations within the controlled environment of a virtual world, where the consequences of any wrong decisions, will not directly impact on lives and property. The VHD has been embedded within an undergraduate module of the School of Management as it specifically relates to the final thematic area within which the module engages, namely the strategic and operational challenges faced by NGOs operating in the “humanitarian relief industry”. We demonstrate that virtual worlds can be used to enhance learning and make it more engaging. The VHD affords students the opportunity to explore given scenarios in accordance with a specified budget and in so doing, they realise module outcomes in a more active and authentic learning environment.
The project received start-up funding in the form of a University of St Andrews FILTA award
2012-01-01T00:00:00ZAjinomoh, OlatokunboMiller, Alan Henry DavidDow, LisaGordon-Gibson, Alasdair Norman StewartBurt, EleanorThe importance of specialist intervention in the form of humanitarian aid from governments, NGOs and other aid agencies during a humanitarian emergency cannot be over-emphasised. Humanitarian aid is the assistance provided in response to a humanitarian crisis. Humanitarian aid may be logistical, financial or material and its central aim is to alleviate human suffering and save lives. This paper describes an inter-disciplinary project that created the Virtual Humanitarian Disaster learning and teaching resource (VHD) that is centred on the events occurring in the aftermath of an earthquake. To facilitate learning, scenarios with integrated task dilemmas have been modelled which will provide the opportunity for users of the resource to explore the inter-relationships between the key areas of activities which are important to the NGOs and other bodies which deliver humanitarian aid. Such areas include geo-political relationships, legal and regulatory requirements, information management, logistic, financial and human resource management imperatives. The VHD is primarily aimed at students. It creates a more flexible learning and teaching environment when compared with traditional classroom methods. The resource enables students to make decisions concerning critical situations within the controlled environment of a virtual world, where the consequences of any wrong decisions, will not directly impact on lives and property. The VHD has been embedded within an undergraduate module of the School of Management as it specifically relates to the final thematic area within which the module engages, namely the strategic and operational challenges faced by NGOs operating in the “humanitarian relief industry”. We demonstrate that virtual worlds can be used to enhance learning and make it more engaging. The VHD affords students the opportunity to explore given scenarios in accordance with a specified budget and in so doing, they realise module outcomes in a more active and authentic learning environment.Inquiry and the social : an empirical study of the construction of knowledge in architectural designing
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/4180
This thesis is a study of inquiry. Drawing upon the work of American pragmatist John Dewey, this work seeks to contribute to our understanding of the construction of knowledge within the social system of communities of inquiry. The process of inquiry that is traced in this work is one effected in the course of architectural designing. An ethnographically informed study of an architectural masterplan project is used to illustrate Dewey’s ideas and how they are played out in design practice. This thesis is understood to correspond with the growing interest of the students of organisational learning and knowledge management in knowledge creation and the underlying social processes. It is further seen as a response to the claim that the key processes of knowledge creation remain largely an enigma. Agreement has been established with Dewey that knowledge is not just an end in itself but a form of action, a medium of change and social transformation. The formation of knowledge, however, within the operation of inquiry is not a matter that “naturally” runs its course. The process of inquiry as studied both in theory and practice has shown just how much its results, which by definition constitute knowledge, are shaped by the institution and control of a problem. A problem is a social construct and the product of the purposeful selection and arrangement of pieces of information. Inquiry is therefore considered a process of controlled knowledge formation. That which counts as knowledge in the realm of social phenomena has been shown to be a matter not so much of agreement between actions and their consequences but agreement in terms of intellectual acceptance. What “satisfies” as a solution (such as the final masterplan) has therefore been shown to be not necessarily a question of its logical status.
2013-11-29T00:00:00ZBerthold, Henning AlexanderThis thesis is a study of inquiry. Drawing upon the work of American pragmatist John Dewey, this work seeks to contribute to our understanding of the construction of knowledge within the social system of communities of inquiry. The process of inquiry that is traced in this work is one effected in the course of architectural designing. An ethnographically informed study of an architectural masterplan project is used to illustrate Dewey’s ideas and how they are played out in design practice. This thesis is understood to correspond with the growing interest of the students of organisational learning and knowledge management in knowledge creation and the underlying social processes. It is further seen as a response to the claim that the key processes of knowledge creation remain largely an enigma. Agreement has been established with Dewey that knowledge is not just an end in itself but a form of action, a medium of change and social transformation. The formation of knowledge, however, within the operation of inquiry is not a matter that “naturally” runs its course. The process of inquiry as studied both in theory and practice has shown just how much its results, which by definition constitute knowledge, are shaped by the institution and control of a problem. A problem is a social construct and the product of the purposeful selection and arrangement of pieces of information. Inquiry is therefore considered a process of controlled knowledge formation. That which counts as knowledge in the realm of social phenomena has been shown to be a matter not so much of agreement between actions and their consequences but agreement in terms of intellectual acceptance. What “satisfies” as a solution (such as the final masterplan) has therefore been shown to be not necessarily a question of its logical status.Challenging legitimacy in cultural fields : the case of Dundee Rep
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/4111
This thesis argues for a dualistic, epistemological, framework for the study of legitimacy which recognises the different ways it might be understood to exist, and as such be managed, within organisations. It is based on an ethnography of a Scottish professional theatre, Dundee Rep, undertaken over a 30 month period. The research adopts a social constructionist ontology and an epistemological framework based on the knowing that / knowing how framework of Gilbert Ryle to present three accounts of the legitimacy of the theatre – as belonging, becoming and integrated- and to challenge the notion implicit in the organisation studies literature that legitimacy is treated (and should be treated) as a belonging by organisations. The proposed integrated epistemological framing of legitimacy explains how notions of legitimacy as an emergent, negotiated perception and as a competitive resource possessed are both crucial to developing an integrated understanding of how legitimacy is produced at the organisational level.
2013-11-01T00:00:00ZPatrick, HollyThis thesis argues for a dualistic, epistemological, framework for the study of legitimacy which recognises the different ways it might be understood to exist, and as such be managed, within organisations. It is based on an ethnography of a Scottish professional theatre, Dundee Rep, undertaken over a 30 month period. The research adopts a social constructionist ontology and an epistemological framework based on the knowing that / knowing how framework of Gilbert Ryle to present three accounts of the legitimacy of the theatre – as belonging, becoming and integrated- and to challenge the notion implicit in the organisation studies literature that legitimacy is treated (and should be treated) as a belonging by organisations. The proposed integrated epistemological framing of legitimacy explains how notions of legitimacy as an emergent, negotiated perception and as a competitive resource possessed are both crucial to developing an integrated understanding of how legitimacy is produced at the organisational level.Correlations and linkages in credit risk : an investigation of the credit default swap market during the turmoil
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/4048
This thesis investigates correlations and linkages in credit risk that widely exist in all
sectors of the financial markets. The main body of this thesis is constructed around
four empirical chapters. I started with extending two main issues focused by earlier
empirical studies on credit derivatives markets: the determinants of CDS spreads and
the relationship between CDS spreads and bond yield spreads, with a special focus on
the effect of the subprime crisis. By having observed that the linear relationship can
not fully explain the variation in CDS spreads, the third empirical chapter investigated
the dependence structure between CDS spread changes and market variables using a
nonlinear copula method. The last chapter investigated the relationship between the
CDS spread and another credit spread - the TED spread, in that a MVGARCH model
and twelve copulas are set forth including three time varying copulas. The results of
this thesis greatly enhanced our understanding about the effect of the subprime crisis
on the credit default swap market, upon which a set of useful practical suggestions are
made to policy makers and market participants.
2013-11-29T00:00:00ZWu, WeiouThis thesis investigates correlations and linkages in credit risk that widely exist in all
sectors of the financial markets. The main body of this thesis is constructed around
four empirical chapters. I started with extending two main issues focused by earlier
empirical studies on credit derivatives markets: the determinants of CDS spreads and
the relationship between CDS spreads and bond yield spreads, with a special focus on
the effect of the subprime crisis. By having observed that the linear relationship can
not fully explain the variation in CDS spreads, the third empirical chapter investigated
the dependence structure between CDS spread changes and market variables using a
nonlinear copula method. The last chapter investigated the relationship between the
CDS spread and another credit spread - the TED spread, in that a MVGARCH model
and twelve copulas are set forth including three time varying copulas. The results of
this thesis greatly enhanced our understanding about the effect of the subprime crisis
on the credit default swap market, upon which a set of useful practical suggestions are
made to policy makers and market participants.Acquisitions and mergers in Saudi Arabia : reasons and effects
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/3701
The high scale of acquisition and merger's activity has produced great interest
among academic and policy makers alike, resulting in the development of a considerable amount of research on the advantages and disadvantages of A&Ms. Previous literature however, focused on the A&Ms' activity in advanced capitalist countries, specifically the USA and UK. Studies of A&Ms in developing countries are rare; this research attempts to fill part of this gap by investigating reasons for and effects of A&Ms in Saudi Arabia. Three main causes are behind the transfers of corporate assets within industry in the Anglo-American nations and some developed countries; managerial, disciplinary and economical. This study, however, suggests that the only group of causes behind A&Ms in S.A., among these three groups, is economical. Recently, the literature described A&Ms' decisions not as comprehensively rational choices but as outcomes of processes governed by several influences. This group of reasons was also tested in this study and gained its support. With regard to A&Ms' effects on firms' profitability as well as on the economic conditions, the research finds that A&Ms in S.A. are expected to improve merging firms' abilities to compete and to improve their profitability. Moreover, favourable effects on economic welfare was accepted. A reasonable step in A&Ms activity is to determine whether there are particular characteristics of A&Ms which are systematically linked to positive or negative effects on the performance. The current research finds that determinants of success could be predictive if analysed with a relationship to the type and cause of A&Ms. This study suggests that the type of A&M (consolidation or acquisition) and causes for A&Ms
(synergy or assets stripping) affects the factors of A&Ms' success and failure.
These findings were based on a survey of the top 500 Saudi Arabian companies,
of whom 124 companies responded to the questionnaire as well as on seven personal
interviews with seven executives, who experienced A&Ms before and who answered the
questionnaire and accepted to meet the researcher.
1997-01-01T00:00:00ZAlarfaj, Abdulmohsen H.The high scale of acquisition and merger's activity has produced great interest
among academic and policy makers alike, resulting in the development of a considerable amount of research on the advantages and disadvantages of A&Ms. Previous literature however, focused on the A&Ms' activity in advanced capitalist countries, specifically the USA and UK. Studies of A&Ms in developing countries are rare; this research attempts to fill part of this gap by investigating reasons for and effects of A&Ms in Saudi Arabia. Three main causes are behind the transfers of corporate assets within industry in the Anglo-American nations and some developed countries; managerial, disciplinary and economical. This study, however, suggests that the only group of causes behind A&Ms in S.A., among these three groups, is economical. Recently, the literature described A&Ms' decisions not as comprehensively rational choices but as outcomes of processes governed by several influences. This group of reasons was also tested in this study and gained its support. With regard to A&Ms' effects on firms' profitability as well as on the economic conditions, the research finds that A&Ms in S.A. are expected to improve merging firms' abilities to compete and to improve their profitability. Moreover, favourable effects on economic welfare was accepted. A reasonable step in A&Ms activity is to determine whether there are particular characteristics of A&Ms which are systematically linked to positive or negative effects on the performance. The current research finds that determinants of success could be predictive if analysed with a relationship to the type and cause of A&Ms. This study suggests that the type of A&M (consolidation or acquisition) and causes for A&Ms
(synergy or assets stripping) affects the factors of A&Ms' success and failure.
These findings were based on a survey of the top 500 Saudi Arabian companies,
of whom 124 companies responded to the questionnaire as well as on seven personal
interviews with seven executives, who experienced A&Ms before and who answered the
questionnaire and accepted to meet the researcher.A critical rearticulation of Foucault's panoptic paradigm : fingerprinting as a failing project
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/3617
Using a critical rearticulation of Michel Foucault's broad output, this thesis analyses juridical fingerprinting in England to illuminate panoptic systems as inevitably failing projects. Explicitly, it presents original scholarship in delineating twenty criteria that summarise Foucault's contribution to surveillance studies literature and which comprise the theoretical framework for this thesis. In narrating the story of the incremental panoptification of fingerprinting, it elucidates his interpretation of Jeremy Bentham's Panopticon design and how fingerprinting fails to meet this specific description of panopticism. This thesis also assesses a supplementary argument that whilst Foucault's work has influenced discourse of almost every genre, the inaccurate rendering of his texts has been frequent. The criticism of 'traditional' readings of Foucault centres on the ahistorical spatiality which eclipses discourse on moments of rupture and change that were so crucial to his genealogy. The thesis asserts that closer evaluation of Foucault's panopticon is required for application to contemporary surveillance assemblages, carefully rejecting the inappropriate extensions offered by petit Foucauldians who have limitedly engaged with his work. Utilising Pyrrhonian scepticism in line with Foucault's own, this thesis exposes accepted understandings of surveillance, especially fingerprinting, as flawed. By describing fingerprint technology as existed historically and as exists now, whilst predicting a future of intensified (but still failing) panoptification, this thesis explores the fundamental fragility of the mechanism. Furthermore, such corporal surveillance is therefore ineffective as a regime of governmental population control.
2012-01-01T00:00:00ZRimmer, DawnUsing a critical rearticulation of Michel Foucault's broad output, this thesis analyses juridical fingerprinting in England to illuminate panoptic systems as inevitably failing projects. Explicitly, it presents original scholarship in delineating twenty criteria that summarise Foucault's contribution to surveillance studies literature and which comprise the theoretical framework for this thesis. In narrating the story of the incremental panoptification of fingerprinting, it elucidates his interpretation of Jeremy Bentham's Panopticon design and how fingerprinting fails to meet this specific description of panopticism. This thesis also assesses a supplementary argument that whilst Foucault's work has influenced discourse of almost every genre, the inaccurate rendering of his texts has been frequent. The criticism of 'traditional' readings of Foucault centres on the ahistorical spatiality which eclipses discourse on moments of rupture and change that were so crucial to his genealogy. The thesis asserts that closer evaluation of Foucault's panopticon is required for application to contemporary surveillance assemblages, carefully rejecting the inappropriate extensions offered by petit Foucauldians who have limitedly engaged with his work. Utilising Pyrrhonian scepticism in line with Foucault's own, this thesis exposes accepted understandings of surveillance, especially fingerprinting, as flawed. By describing fingerprint technology as existed historically and as exists now, whilst predicting a future of intensified (but still failing) panoptification, this thesis explores the fundamental fragility of the mechanism. Furthermore, such corporal surveillance is therefore ineffective as a regime of governmental population control.Corporate social responsibility reporting in mainland China
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/3200
Although CSR has been the subject of substantial academic research for more than half a
century, the CSR literature is dominated by empirical studies in the industrialized countries.
There is limited knowledge on how CSR is perceived and implemented by companies in
developing countries. This research is trying to answer those questions: what has been
reported in China? Which stakeholder groups are the most important stakeholder groups in
China? What is the content of CSR reports in China? And what factors are associated with
CSR reporting in China, in terms of culture, political and legal system, ownership, size and
industry? Based on a content analysis approach, this paper aims to identify the determinants
of corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting in China using stand-alone reports of the
top 500 Chinese companies from 2006 to 2010. It is found that CSR reporting is positively associated with various factors. In addition, companies in environmental sensitive industries
tend to report more environmental responsibility information than others. State-Owned
Enterprises are not doing better than other types of companies. Laws, regulations or
guidelines have little impacts on the reporting in China. Also the government is not one of
the most important stakeholders in China. The research results support the stakeholder
theory in an emerging market with important and relevant insights for enterprise managers
interested in exploiting the reports as a tool to communicate with their stakeholders.
2012-11-30T00:00:00ZDu, YaningAlthough CSR has been the subject of substantial academic research for more than half a
century, the CSR literature is dominated by empirical studies in the industrialized countries.
There is limited knowledge on how CSR is perceived and implemented by companies in
developing countries. This research is trying to answer those questions: what has been
reported in China? Which stakeholder groups are the most important stakeholder groups in
China? What is the content of CSR reports in China? And what factors are associated with
CSR reporting in China, in terms of culture, political and legal system, ownership, size and
industry? Based on a content analysis approach, this paper aims to identify the determinants
of corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting in China using stand-alone reports of the
top 500 Chinese companies from 2006 to 2010. It is found that CSR reporting is positively associated with various factors. In addition, companies in environmental sensitive industries
tend to report more environmental responsibility information than others. State-Owned
Enterprises are not doing better than other types of companies. Laws, regulations or
guidelines have little impacts on the reporting in China. Also the government is not one of
the most important stakeholders in China. The research results support the stakeholder
theory in an emerging market with important and relevant insights for enterprise managers
interested in exploiting the reports as a tool to communicate with their stakeholders.Managed clinical and care networks (MCNs) and work: an ethnographic study for non-prioritised clinical conditions in NHS Scotland
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/3197
Managed clinical and care networks (MCNs) have emerged in Scotland as a collaborative form of organising within health and between health and social services. Bringing together disparate disciplines and professions their aim has been to allow work across service and sector boundaries to improve care for patients. Whilst MCN prevalence has increased and policy has moved to centralise this method of organising, many research questions remain. These include: how can we understand the form, function and impact of MCNs, and further, what are the underlying motivations for practitioners and managers to organise in this way?
Focussing in on the work of 3 voluntary MCNs operating in Scotland, the centrality of practice emerges. Practice is defined broadly to encompass both the interactions between practitioner-patient and practitioner-population. From this, the MCN becomes conceptualised as a set of activities focussed around ground-level clinical MCN service issues and top-level policy direction.
Through considering work the interplay between ethics and scientific evidence emerges. The inherent uncertainty and suffering of daily practice comes to the fore, these concepts are brought together within a framework, morals-in-practice. Further, using the hermeneutic dynamics of alterity, openness and transcendence, MCNs can be understood as providing a space to foster creative responses to the wicked problems created by health and social service design and delivery.
The organising opportunities provided by MCNs thus arguably serve several organisational and social functions, providing a forum to: mutually support and respond to the intrinsically challenging nature of practice understood; debate morals-in-practice helping to ensuring collective clinical governance; sharing of organisational knowledge; planning, delivery and audit of services; and creatively respond to wicked problems.
By focussing in on the work, the practice particularities of each individual MCN are resultantly emphasised, whilst still maintaining recognition that much of the NHS operational context is more widely shared. Through this these voluntary MCNs, at least, can be viewed as an organising form which has emerged in response to the complexities of modern health and social service, care, design and delivery.
2012-05-22T00:00:00ZDuguid, Anne E.Managed clinical and care networks (MCNs) have emerged in Scotland as a collaborative form of organising within health and between health and social services. Bringing together disparate disciplines and professions their aim has been to allow work across service and sector boundaries to improve care for patients. Whilst MCN prevalence has increased and policy has moved to centralise this method of organising, many research questions remain. These include: how can we understand the form, function and impact of MCNs, and further, what are the underlying motivations for practitioners and managers to organise in this way?
Focussing in on the work of 3 voluntary MCNs operating in Scotland, the centrality of practice emerges. Practice is defined broadly to encompass both the interactions between practitioner-patient and practitioner-population. From this, the MCN becomes conceptualised as a set of activities focussed around ground-level clinical MCN service issues and top-level policy direction.
Through considering work the interplay between ethics and scientific evidence emerges. The inherent uncertainty and suffering of daily practice comes to the fore, these concepts are brought together within a framework, morals-in-practice. Further, using the hermeneutic dynamics of alterity, openness and transcendence, MCNs can be understood as providing a space to foster creative responses to the wicked problems created by health and social service design and delivery.
The organising opportunities provided by MCNs thus arguably serve several organisational and social functions, providing a forum to: mutually support and respond to the intrinsically challenging nature of practice understood; debate morals-in-practice helping to ensuring collective clinical governance; sharing of organisational knowledge; planning, delivery and audit of services; and creatively respond to wicked problems.
By focussing in on the work, the practice particularities of each individual MCN are resultantly emphasised, whilst still maintaining recognition that much of the NHS operational context is more widely shared. Through this these voluntary MCNs, at least, can be viewed as an organising form which has emerged in response to the complexities of modern health and social service, care, design and delivery.Essays on volatility forecasting
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/3191
Stock market volatility has been an important subject in the finance literature for which now an enormous body of research exists. Volatility modelling and forecasting have been in the epicentre of this line of research and although more than a few models have been proposed and key parameters on improving volatility forecasts have been considered, finance research has still to reach a consensus on this topic. This thesis enters the ongoing debate by carrying out empirical investigations by comparing models from the current pool of models as well as exploring and proposing the use of further key parameters in improving the accuracy of volatility modelling and forecasting. The importance of accurately forecasting volatility is paramount for the functioning of the economy and everyone involved in finance activities. For governments, the banking system, institutional and individual investors, researchers and academics, knowledge, understanding and the ability to forecast and proxy volatility accurately is a determining factor for making sound economic decisions. Four are the main contributions of this thesis. First, the findings of a volatility forecasting model comparison reveal that the GARCH genre of models are superior compared to the more ‘simple’ models and models preferred by practitioners. Second, with the use of backward recursion forecasts we identify the appropriate in-sample length for producing accurate volatility forecasts, a parameter considered for the first time in the finance literature. Third, further model comparisons are conducted within a Value-at-Risk setting between the RiskMetrics model preferred by practitioners, and the more complex GARCH type models, arriving to the conclusion that GARCH type models are dominant. Finally, two further parameters, the Volatility Index (VIX) and Trading Volume, are considered and their contribution is assessed in the modelling and forecasting process of a selection of GARCH type models. We discover that although accuracy is improved upon, GARCH type forecasts are still superior.
2012-06-22T00:00:00ZKambouroudis, Dimos S.Stock market volatility has been an important subject in the finance literature for which now an enormous body of research exists. Volatility modelling and forecasting have been in the epicentre of this line of research and although more than a few models have been proposed and key parameters on improving volatility forecasts have been considered, finance research has still to reach a consensus on this topic. This thesis enters the ongoing debate by carrying out empirical investigations by comparing models from the current pool of models as well as exploring and proposing the use of further key parameters in improving the accuracy of volatility modelling and forecasting. The importance of accurately forecasting volatility is paramount for the functioning of the economy and everyone involved in finance activities. For governments, the banking system, institutional and individual investors, researchers and academics, knowledge, understanding and the ability to forecast and proxy volatility accurately is a determining factor for making sound economic decisions. Four are the main contributions of this thesis. First, the findings of a volatility forecasting model comparison reveal that the GARCH genre of models are superior compared to the more ‘simple’ models and models preferred by practitioners. Second, with the use of backward recursion forecasts we identify the appropriate in-sample length for producing accurate volatility forecasts, a parameter considered for the first time in the finance literature. Third, further model comparisons are conducted within a Value-at-Risk setting between the RiskMetrics model preferred by practitioners, and the more complex GARCH type models, arriving to the conclusion that GARCH type models are dominant. Finally, two further parameters, the Volatility Index (VIX) and Trading Volume, are considered and their contribution is assessed in the modelling and forecasting process of a selection of GARCH type models. We discover that although accuracy is improved upon, GARCH type forecasts are still superior.Capital structure dynamics of US-based multinationals (MNCs) and domestic (DCs) firms
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/3147
This thesis is an empirical investigation of three related capital structure dynamics of
US-based multinationals and their domestic counterparts. Specifically, the thesis
examined whether there are differences in capital structure adjustment speed between
US-based Multinationals (hereafter, MNCs) and Domestic Corporations (hereafter,
DCs), and if so, what theoretical factors contribute to the differences. At an industry
level, the thesis examine whether or not industries of US-based Multinationals (MNCs)
and their domestic counterparts (DCs) have different speed of capital structure
adjustment toward the target level, particularly the manufacturing industry. And at the
macro level, the thesis estimates the effect of macroeconomic factors (commercial paper
spread, growth in aggregate capital expenditure of nonfinancial firms, and consumer
price index (CPI)), and macroeconomic conditions defined by GDP, default spread,
unemployment and price-output ratio on capital structure dynamics of US-based MNCs
relative to DCs. Various econometric techniques were employed in the thesis to test the
hypothesis that capital structure dynamics of US-based MNCs differ from DCs.
Using fixed effect instrumental variables (FEIV), the empirical results shows that on
average, DCs adjust to target leverage faster than MNCs. Similarly, the results support
existences of capital structure differences among industries for MNCs and DCs.
2012-01-01T00:00:00ZCamara, OmarThis thesis is an empirical investigation of three related capital structure dynamics of
US-based multinationals and their domestic counterparts. Specifically, the thesis
examined whether there are differences in capital structure adjustment speed between
US-based Multinationals (hereafter, MNCs) and Domestic Corporations (hereafter,
DCs), and if so, what theoretical factors contribute to the differences. At an industry
level, the thesis examine whether or not industries of US-based Multinationals (MNCs)
and their domestic counterparts (DCs) have different speed of capital structure
adjustment toward the target level, particularly the manufacturing industry. And at the
macro level, the thesis estimates the effect of macroeconomic factors (commercial paper
spread, growth in aggregate capital expenditure of nonfinancial firms, and consumer
price index (CPI)), and macroeconomic conditions defined by GDP, default spread,
unemployment and price-output ratio on capital structure dynamics of US-based MNCs
relative to DCs. Various econometric techniques were employed in the thesis to test the
hypothesis that capital structure dynamics of US-based MNCs differ from DCs.
Using fixed effect instrumental variables (FEIV), the empirical results shows that on
average, DCs adjust to target leverage faster than MNCs. Similarly, the results support
existences of capital structure differences among industries for MNCs and DCs.Understanding the publishing field : the contributions of Bourdieu
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/3132
In this dissertation I call into question the way the concept of ‘field’ is treated in neo-institutional research by readdressing Pierre Bourdieu’s elaboration of field. I discuss
Bourdieu’s framework which includes three concepts: field, capital and habitus. While
Bourdieu’s work has been widely incorporated into extant research, there have been few
attempts to employ his concepts as a ‘theoretical triad’ for empirical analysis. I explore how
Bourdieu’s approach enriches understandings of field through an analysis of book publishing
with primary reference to Scotland. I contribute to the current literature on fields by
examining book publishing as a social space, structured by the distribution of capital and
moderated by habitus, that operates within the confines of internally defined boundaries. The
dissertation illustrates how Bourdieu’s elaboration of field addresses issues of struggle, power
and micro-dynamics that are underexplored within the field perspective of neo-institutional
theory. I argue that Bourdieu’s framework of field, capital and habitus is useful because it
brings simultaneous attention to processes of stability in social interaction and to conflict and
difference.
2011-01-01T00:00:00ZGulledge, Elizabeth AnneIn this dissertation I call into question the way the concept of ‘field’ is treated in neo-institutional research by readdressing Pierre Bourdieu’s elaboration of field. I discuss
Bourdieu’s framework which includes three concepts: field, capital and habitus. While
Bourdieu’s work has been widely incorporated into extant research, there have been few
attempts to employ his concepts as a ‘theoretical triad’ for empirical analysis. I explore how
Bourdieu’s approach enriches understandings of field through an analysis of book publishing
with primary reference to Scotland. I contribute to the current literature on fields by
examining book publishing as a social space, structured by the distribution of capital and
moderated by habitus, that operates within the confines of internally defined boundaries. The
dissertation illustrates how Bourdieu’s elaboration of field addresses issues of struggle, power
and micro-dynamics that are underexplored within the field perspective of neo-institutional
theory. I argue that Bourdieu’s framework of field, capital and habitus is useful because it
brings simultaneous attention to processes of stability in social interaction and to conflict and
difference.Exploring the relationship between leadership, leadership behaviours and organisational culture
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/3072
This thesis explores the theme of leadership in the NHS, specifically focusing on
nursing. Leadership has become an important area in recent years particularly in
relation to improving efficiency, effectiveness and quality of services. As nurses
provide 80% of care in the NHS their role is pivotal in achieving any change.
Despite the importance placed on leadership in the NHS, literature shows little is
known about perceptions of leadership, how leaders function or what importance
staff place on the culture and context in which they work. This study is based on
the findings of 28 qualitative interviews with leaders in two health boards in
Scotland. Through the presentation of informants' perceptions, beliefs and
collective accounts, the study illustrates how staff view leadership in the NHS and
provides some significant results. Firstly, it proposes that leadership is comprised
of two elements; one relating to individuals and one relating to how individuals
function in organisations. Secondly, it indicates three models of leadership are
particularly relevant and how these apply differently according to role and hierarchy.
Thirdly, it reveals leadership and management as distinct components. In nursing
a number of complexities make these roles challenging, and the culture and context
of health boards influence how these function in practice. Finally this research
concludes that staff value a clear set of characteristics, styles and behaviours not
related to vision and change but which centre on character, values, integrity and
engagement. The study has considerable implications for emerging work on
leadership in the NHS and for the future development of leadership roles in nursing.
2011-11-01T00:00:00ZEgan, Julia AnneThis thesis explores the theme of leadership in the NHS, specifically focusing on
nursing. Leadership has become an important area in recent years particularly in
relation to improving efficiency, effectiveness and quality of services. As nurses
provide 80% of care in the NHS their role is pivotal in achieving any change.
Despite the importance placed on leadership in the NHS, literature shows little is
known about perceptions of leadership, how leaders function or what importance
staff place on the culture and context in which they work. This study is based on
the findings of 28 qualitative interviews with leaders in two health boards in
Scotland. Through the presentation of informants' perceptions, beliefs and
collective accounts, the study illustrates how staff view leadership in the NHS and
provides some significant results. Firstly, it proposes that leadership is comprised
of two elements; one relating to individuals and one relating to how individuals
function in organisations. Secondly, it indicates three models of leadership are
particularly relevant and how these apply differently according to role and hierarchy.
Thirdly, it reveals leadership and management as distinct components. In nursing
a number of complexities make these roles challenging, and the culture and context
of health boards influence how these function in practice. Finally this research
concludes that staff value a clear set of characteristics, styles and behaviours not
related to vision and change but which centre on character, values, integrity and
engagement. The study has considerable implications for emerging work on
leadership in the NHS and for the future development of leadership roles in nursing.Procurement and strategy in manufacturing firms
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/2972
The strategic role of the Procurement function in manufacturing firms has received
increased attention in the literature over the past two decades. Before the 1970s, the
supply environment was seen to be stable for most firms, with no particular strategic
opportunities or threats. Procurement was treated as an administrative or service
function. The oil crisis in the early 1970s changed the situation, bringing in its wake
acute inflation and material shortages. The 1980s saw a revolution in manufacturing
with the advent of JIT, increased automation and global operations. Theoretical
researchers saw the potential for a proactive and strategic role for the Procurement
function. This was, however, not reflected in empirical research, which failed to find
consistent evidence of firms considering Procurement as strategic. This thesis
addresses the gap between precept and practice evident in the literature.
A major criticism of the empirical literature is the treatment of the strategic (value)
activities on the supply side and the activities of the Procurement department as
synonymous. This thesis questioned that view and made a distinction between the two
activities. A theoredcal framework was built up from the literature to identify the
contexts in which Supply considerations would be strategic. Propositions were
generated which allowed for strategic Supply activities both through the Procurement
department as well as outside it. The empirical work looked at 25 UK manufacturing
firms through the case study approach. The cases were scrutinised for evidence of
strategic activities on the supply side, as well as the strategic importance of the
Procurement department.
The results confirmed that (1) Supply considerations were strategic for a majority of
firms. (2) Strategic consideration of Supply depended on a number of contingent
variables.(3) Strategic Supply activities were not necessarily reflected in the strategic
importance given to the Procurement department.
1994-01-01T00:00:00ZIyengar, Gopal S.The strategic role of the Procurement function in manufacturing firms has received
increased attention in the literature over the past two decades. Before the 1970s, the
supply environment was seen to be stable for most firms, with no particular strategic
opportunities or threats. Procurement was treated as an administrative or service
function. The oil crisis in the early 1970s changed the situation, bringing in its wake
acute inflation and material shortages. The 1980s saw a revolution in manufacturing
with the advent of JIT, increased automation and global operations. Theoretical
researchers saw the potential for a proactive and strategic role for the Procurement
function. This was, however, not reflected in empirical research, which failed to find
consistent evidence of firms considering Procurement as strategic. This thesis
addresses the gap between precept and practice evident in the literature.
A major criticism of the empirical literature is the treatment of the strategic (value)
activities on the supply side and the activities of the Procurement department as
synonymous. This thesis questioned that view and made a distinction between the two
activities. A theoredcal framework was built up from the literature to identify the
contexts in which Supply considerations would be strategic. Propositions were
generated which allowed for strategic Supply activities both through the Procurement
department as well as outside it. The empirical work looked at 25 UK manufacturing
firms through the case study approach. The cases were scrutinised for evidence of
strategic activities on the supply side, as well as the strategic importance of the
Procurement department.
The results confirmed that (1) Supply considerations were strategic for a majority of
firms. (2) Strategic consideration of Supply depended on a number of contingent
variables.(3) Strategic Supply activities were not necessarily reflected in the strategic
importance given to the Procurement department.A cross-sectional study of the inter-relationships of strategic, contextual and performance variables
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/2947
This is an empirical investigation of the nature of corporate
strategic planning practices among major corporations operating
in the ASEAN countries - Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand,
Philippines and Indonesia. The study is structured along a
hypothesis testing framework. The data was collected via mailed
survey instruments (using mainly 5-point Likert-type scales)
which were developed for each respondent type - the Chief
Executive, Senior Manager, and Corporate Planner - and refined
through pre-testing. Comparative analyses are made of
inter-country and inter-industry differences in strategic
planning practices. Hypotheses concerning the interrelationships
of strategic, contextual and performance variables are then
subjected to statistical testing. This study found interesting
individual as well as patterns of correlationships between
strategic-contextual, contextual-performance, and
strategic-performance variables. The implications of these
findings to management were discussed. Suggestions were also
made as to the future directions of planning research.
1990-01-01T00:00:00ZFoo, Check-TeckThis is an empirical investigation of the nature of corporate
strategic planning practices among major corporations operating
in the ASEAN countries - Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand,
Philippines and Indonesia. The study is structured along a
hypothesis testing framework. The data was collected via mailed
survey instruments (using mainly 5-point Likert-type scales)
which were developed for each respondent type - the Chief
Executive, Senior Manager, and Corporate Planner - and refined
through pre-testing. Comparative analyses are made of
inter-country and inter-industry differences in strategic
planning practices. Hypotheses concerning the interrelationships
of strategic, contextual and performance variables are then
subjected to statistical testing. This study found interesting
individual as well as patterns of correlationships between
strategic-contextual, contextual-performance, and
strategic-performance variables. The implications of these
findings to management were discussed. Suggestions were also
made as to the future directions of planning research.The impact of information technology on organisations : the case of the Saudi private sector
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/2938
For several decades, researchers in the field of information technology and
management have studied the impact of using computers and other information
technology facilities on business organisations. In the 1960's and 1970's, information
technology was widely employed by many firms mainly for achieving routine clerical
and administrative activities such as processing data related to bookkeeping and
accounting activities. The 1980's and 1990's have witnessed advancements in the
technological field (along with other advancements) which have enhanced the
economies of information technology and greatly expanded its applications.
Today, information technology has become not only a tool to process data and
record transactions, but also a competitive weapon that can change an industry's
structure. This observation was one of the motives for the present study. This study
explores the impact of using information technology in developing countries by
considering its application in the Saudi private sector. The study was examined from
two major perspectives: 1) the impact; and 2) the implementation. The impact
perspective focuses on the impact of using information technology on the organisations'
strategy, structure, and people. The implementation perspective covers several issues
including the information technology strategic planning, technical considerations,
behavioural considerations, and the role of top management in the implementation
process.
The sample under study was comprised from the top managers of the top 500
companies in Saudi Arabia in 1996. A total of 205 companies from 7 different business
sectors in Saudi Arabia participated in the study. This represented more than a 41
percent response rate. The necessary data were collected through two methods: 1)
mailed questionnaire, and 2) personal interviews. Based on the statistical analysis of the
data, the study suggests that the use of information technology in the Saudi private
sector is expected to have positive impacts on the strategy of business organisations.
The data also suggests that information technology usage could induce many
organisations to adopt smaller and flatter structures. Also it was found that information
technology utilisation can lead toward a more decentralised decision-making
organisation. The results showed that a positive relationship exists between information
technology usage and decentralisation in the private firms of Saudi Arabia.
The study also finds that respondents believe that the use of information
technology in business organisations in Saudi Arabia can help to reduce the total
number of the organisations' employees. This is particularly the case regarding
unskilled workers. The study did not provide evidence to support the view that the use
of information technology in business organisations would lead to the elimination of
middle management. The study also did not provide evidence to support the hypothesis
that information technology utilisation is dependent upon the size of the company. The
data analysis showed that several technical and behavioural problems could effect the
success of information technology in business organisations and the involvement and
support of the top management is essential for success in the implementation process.
The study concludes with recommendations for the Saudi government and suggestions
of several topics to be carried out for future research to enable us to understand and use
information technology as an important resource for business organisations in Saudi
Arabia.
1998-01-01T00:00:00ZAlshoaibi, Ahmed AbdullahFor several decades, researchers in the field of information technology and
management have studied the impact of using computers and other information
technology facilities on business organisations. In the 1960's and 1970's, information
technology was widely employed by many firms mainly for achieving routine clerical
and administrative activities such as processing data related to bookkeeping and
accounting activities. The 1980's and 1990's have witnessed advancements in the
technological field (along with other advancements) which have enhanced the
economies of information technology and greatly expanded its applications.
Today, information technology has become not only a tool to process data and
record transactions, but also a competitive weapon that can change an industry's
structure. This observation was one of the motives for the present study. This study
explores the impact of using information technology in developing countries by
considering its application in the Saudi private sector. The study was examined from
two major perspectives: 1) the impact; and 2) the implementation. The impact
perspective focuses on the impact of using information technology on the organisations'
strategy, structure, and people. The implementation perspective covers several issues
including the information technology strategic planning, technical considerations,
behavioural considerations, and the role of top management in the implementation
process.
The sample under study was comprised from the top managers of the top 500
companies in Saudi Arabia in 1996. A total of 205 companies from 7 different business
sectors in Saudi Arabia participated in the study. This represented more than a 41
percent response rate. The necessary data were collected through two methods: 1)
mailed questionnaire, and 2) personal interviews. Based on the statistical analysis of the
data, the study suggests that the use of information technology in the Saudi private
sector is expected to have positive impacts on the strategy of business organisations.
The data also suggests that information technology usage could induce many
organisations to adopt smaller and flatter structures. Also it was found that information
technology utilisation can lead toward a more decentralised decision-making
organisation. The results showed that a positive relationship exists between information
technology usage and decentralisation in the private firms of Saudi Arabia.
The study also finds that respondents believe that the use of information
technology in business organisations in Saudi Arabia can help to reduce the total
number of the organisations' employees. This is particularly the case regarding
unskilled workers. The study did not provide evidence to support the view that the use
of information technology in business organisations would lead to the elimination of
middle management. The study also did not provide evidence to support the hypothesis
that information technology utilisation is dependent upon the size of the company. The
data analysis showed that several technical and behavioural problems could effect the
success of information technology in business organisations and the involvement and
support of the top management is essential for success in the implementation process.
The study concludes with recommendations for the Saudi government and suggestions
of several topics to be carried out for future research to enable us to understand and use
information technology as an important resource for business organisations in Saudi
Arabia.The location decision of the multinational corporation and the national tax accounting system : the case of Egypt
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/2915
Foreign direct investment has attracted many
researchers and scholars. In Egypt, this topic has been
discussed and debated by economists, the People's
Assembly and Cabinet Ministers since the President of
the Republic declared the adoption of the policy of
economic openness "Al-Infitah" in June 1974. This new
economic approach aimed to encourage the inflow of
foreign capital into Egypt in an attempt to solve the
mounting problems of the Egyptian economy, mainly growth
of the population, shortage of foreign exchange, and
persistent deficit of the balance of payments.
The main purpose of this study has been to
investigate the impact of the Egyptian Tax Accounting
System on the foreign decision to invest in Egypt. The
main concentration is on the general tax principles
applied to foreign corporations in Egypt, the impact of
tax incentives, in general, on the inflow of foreign
capital into Egypt, the key tax and non-tax problems
encountered by foreign investors in Egypt, and the main
tax and non-tax motives for investment in Egypt.
The findings of this study and the insights gained
about the nature of foreign investment in Egypt, provide
the basis for some recommendations and suggestions for
the effective implementation of the "Open Door" policy
declared by the government for the purpose of attracting
foreign investment.
1989-01-01T00:00:00ZEl-Sharkawy, Mosaad M.Foreign direct investment has attracted many
researchers and scholars. In Egypt, this topic has been
discussed and debated by economists, the People's
Assembly and Cabinet Ministers since the President of
the Republic declared the adoption of the policy of
economic openness "Al-Infitah" in June 1974. This new
economic approach aimed to encourage the inflow of
foreign capital into Egypt in an attempt to solve the
mounting problems of the Egyptian economy, mainly growth
of the population, shortage of foreign exchange, and
persistent deficit of the balance of payments.
The main purpose of this study has been to
investigate the impact of the Egyptian Tax Accounting
System on the foreign decision to invest in Egypt. The
main concentration is on the general tax principles
applied to foreign corporations in Egypt, the impact of
tax incentives, in general, on the inflow of foreign
capital into Egypt, the key tax and non-tax problems
encountered by foreign investors in Egypt, and the main
tax and non-tax motives for investment in Egypt.
The findings of this study and the insights gained
about the nature of foreign investment in Egypt, provide
the basis for some recommendations and suggestions for
the effective implementation of the "Open Door" policy
declared by the government for the purpose of attracting
foreign investment.Looking for harm in healthcare : can Patient Safety Leadership Walk Rounds help to detect and prevent harm in NHS hospitals? A case study of NHS Tayside
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/2804
Today, in 21st century healthcare at least 10% of hospitalised patients are subjected to some degree of unintended harm as a result of the treatment they receive. Despite the growing patient safety agenda there is little empirical evidence to demonstrate that patient safety is improving. Patient Safety Leadership Walk Rounds (PSLWR) were introduced to the UK, in March 2005, as a component of the Safer Patients Initiative (SPI), the first dedicated, hospital wide programme to reduce harm in hospital care. PSLWR are designed, to create a dedicated ‘conversation’ about patient safety, between frontline staff, middle level managers and senior executives.
This thesis, explored the use of PSLWR, as a proactive mechanism to engage staff in patient safety discussion and detect patient harm within a Scottish healthcare system- NHS Tayside. From May 2005 to June 2006, PSLWR were held on a weekly basis within the hospital departments. A purposive sample, (n=38) of PSLWR discussions were analysed to determine: staff engagement in the process, patient safety issues disclosed; recognition of unsafe systems (latent conditions) and actions agreed for improvement. As a follow-up, 42 semi-structured interviews were undertaken to determine staff perceptions of the PSLWR system. A wide range of clinical and non-clinical staff took part (n=218) including medical staff, staff in training, porters and cleaners, nurses, ward assistants and pharmacists. Participants shared new information, not formally recorded within the hospital incident system. From the participants perspectives, PSLWR, were non threatening; were easy to take part in; demonstrated a team commitment, from the Board to the ward for patient safety and action was taken quickly as a result of the ‘conversations’.
Although detecting all patient harm remains a challenge, this study demonstrates PSLWR can be a useful tool in the patient safety arsenal for NHS healthcare organisations.
2012-06-22T00:00:00ZO'Connor, PatriciaToday, in 21st century healthcare at least 10% of hospitalised patients are subjected to some degree of unintended harm as a result of the treatment they receive. Despite the growing patient safety agenda there is little empirical evidence to demonstrate that patient safety is improving. Patient Safety Leadership Walk Rounds (PSLWR) were introduced to the UK, in March 2005, as a component of the Safer Patients Initiative (SPI), the first dedicated, hospital wide programme to reduce harm in hospital care. PSLWR are designed, to create a dedicated ‘conversation’ about patient safety, between frontline staff, middle level managers and senior executives.
This thesis, explored the use of PSLWR, as a proactive mechanism to engage staff in patient safety discussion and detect patient harm within a Scottish healthcare system- NHS Tayside. From May 2005 to June 2006, PSLWR were held on a weekly basis within the hospital departments. A purposive sample, (n=38) of PSLWR discussions were analysed to determine: staff engagement in the process, patient safety issues disclosed; recognition of unsafe systems (latent conditions) and actions agreed for improvement. As a follow-up, 42 semi-structured interviews were undertaken to determine staff perceptions of the PSLWR system. A wide range of clinical and non-clinical staff took part (n=218) including medical staff, staff in training, porters and cleaners, nurses, ward assistants and pharmacists. Participants shared new information, not formally recorded within the hospital incident system. From the participants perspectives, PSLWR, were non threatening; were easy to take part in; demonstrated a team commitment, from the Board to the ward for patient safety and action was taken quickly as a result of the ‘conversations’.
Although detecting all patient harm remains a challenge, this study demonstrates PSLWR can be a useful tool in the patient safety arsenal for NHS healthcare organisations.Market structure and conduct in the pharmaceutical industry: the case of brand loyalty
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/2736
The Pharmaceutical Industry is important both socially and
economically; however, the market structure and conduct which distinguishes it
have brought it under the critical eye of both the regulatory authorities and the
public. This thesis describes the market structure and conduct of the industry
beginning with an historical description of its development and the market
theories behind it. It is from these theories that a number of characteristics and
behavioural traits have been identified as contrary to the interests of society.
As an oligopolistic multinational the pharmaceutical industry has been
identified with high prices and profits, a lack of price competition and heavy
product differentiation leading to high concentration ratios. Consumer
exploitation is possible via these continuously high prices and the possibilities of
ineffective, unsafe and poor quality pharmaceuticals. These outcomes emerge
from the distinct organisation of various aspects of the industry, viz. research
and development, promotional activities, pricing and profits, which are
examined. Concerns over possible consumer exploitation have led governments
throughout the world to impose increasingly stringent regulations on all of these
aspects. Such regulations have significantly changed the market structure and
conduct of the industry world-wide.
Having established the market structure of the industry the thesis
continues with an in-depth look at brand loyalty. Analysis was conducted on the
strength of brand loyalty in the face of generic competition and the attitude of
doctors to company promotional material. While brand loyalty continues to
have an impact on prescribing its strength appears to be diminishing.
The market structure and conduct of the pharmaceutical industry is
dynamic, with the present industrial climate increasingly competitive for all
those concerned. Nevertheless, while the future of the industry will be difficult,
evidence of its previous flexibility and strength suggests it will adapt and will
continue to be successful.
1994-01-01T00:00:00ZCraig, Ann-MarieThe Pharmaceutical Industry is important both socially and
economically; however, the market structure and conduct which distinguishes it
have brought it under the critical eye of both the regulatory authorities and the
public. This thesis describes the market structure and conduct of the industry
beginning with an historical description of its development and the market
theories behind it. It is from these theories that a number of characteristics and
behavioural traits have been identified as contrary to the interests of society.
As an oligopolistic multinational the pharmaceutical industry has been
identified with high prices and profits, a lack of price competition and heavy
product differentiation leading to high concentration ratios. Consumer
exploitation is possible via these continuously high prices and the possibilities of
ineffective, unsafe and poor quality pharmaceuticals. These outcomes emerge
from the distinct organisation of various aspects of the industry, viz. research
and development, promotional activities, pricing and profits, which are
examined. Concerns over possible consumer exploitation have led governments
throughout the world to impose increasingly stringent regulations on all of these
aspects. Such regulations have significantly changed the market structure and
conduct of the industry world-wide.
Having established the market structure of the industry the thesis
continues with an in-depth look at brand loyalty. Analysis was conducted on the
strength of brand loyalty in the face of generic competition and the attitude of
doctors to company promotional material. While brand loyalty continues to
have an impact on prescribing its strength appears to be diminishing.
The market structure and conduct of the pharmaceutical industry is
dynamic, with the present industrial climate increasingly competitive for all
those concerned. Nevertheless, while the future of the industry will be difficult,
evidence of its previous flexibility and strength suggests it will adapt and will
continue to be successful.Rhetorical strategies of legitimation: the 9/11 Commission's public inquiry process
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/2470
This research project seeks to explore aspects of the post-reporting phase of the public inquiry process. Central to the public inquiry process is the concept of legitimacy and the idea that a public inquiry provides and opportunity to re-legitimate the credibility of failed public institutions. The current literature asserts that public inquiries re-legitimise through the production of authoritative narratives. As such, most of this scholarship has focused on the production of inquiry reports and, more recently, the reports themselves. However, in an era of accountability, and in the aftermath of such a poignant attack upon society, the production of a report may represent an apogee, but by no means an end, of the re-legitimation process. Appropriately, this thesis examines the post-reporting phase of the 9/11 Commission’s public inquiry process. The 9/11 Commission provides a useful research vehicle due to the bounded, and relatively linear, implementation process of the Commission’s recommendations. In little more than four months a majority of the Commission’s recommendations were passed into law. Within this implementation phase the dominant discursive process took place in the United States Congress. It is the legislative reform debates in the House of Representatives and the Senate that is the focus of this research project. The central research question is: what rhetorical legitimation strategies were employed in the legislative reform debates of the post-reporting phase of the 9/11 Commission’s public inquiry process?
This study uses a grounded theory approach to the analysis of the legislative transcripts of the Congressional reform debates. This analysis revealed that proponents employed rhetorical strategies to legitimise a legislative ‘Call to Action’ narrative. Also, they employed rhetorical legitimation strategies that emphasised themes of bipartisanship, hard work and expertise in order to strengthen the standing of the legislation. Opponents of the legislation focused rhetorical de-legitimation strategies on the theme of ‘flawed process’. Finally, nearly all legislators, regardless of their view of the legislation, sought to appropriate the authoritative legitimacy of the Commission, by employing rhetorical strategies that presented their interests and motives as in line with the actions and wishes of the Commission.
2011-11-30T00:00:00ZParks, Ryan WilliamThis research project seeks to explore aspects of the post-reporting phase of the public inquiry process. Central to the public inquiry process is the concept of legitimacy and the idea that a public inquiry provides and opportunity to re-legitimate the credibility of failed public institutions. The current literature asserts that public inquiries re-legitimise through the production of authoritative narratives. As such, most of this scholarship has focused on the production of inquiry reports and, more recently, the reports themselves. However, in an era of accountability, and in the aftermath of such a poignant attack upon society, the production of a report may represent an apogee, but by no means an end, of the re-legitimation process. Appropriately, this thesis examines the post-reporting phase of the 9/11 Commission’s public inquiry process. The 9/11 Commission provides a useful research vehicle due to the bounded, and relatively linear, implementation process of the Commission’s recommendations. In little more than four months a majority of the Commission’s recommendations were passed into law. Within this implementation phase the dominant discursive process took place in the United States Congress. It is the legislative reform debates in the House of Representatives and the Senate that is the focus of this research project. The central research question is: what rhetorical legitimation strategies were employed in the legislative reform debates of the post-reporting phase of the 9/11 Commission’s public inquiry process?
This study uses a grounded theory approach to the analysis of the legislative transcripts of the Congressional reform debates. This analysis revealed that proponents employed rhetorical strategies to legitimise a legislative ‘Call to Action’ narrative. Also, they employed rhetorical legitimation strategies that emphasised themes of bipartisanship, hard work and expertise in order to strengthen the standing of the legislation. Opponents of the legislation focused rhetorical de-legitimation strategies on the theme of ‘flawed process’. Finally, nearly all legislators, regardless of their view of the legislation, sought to appropriate the authoritative legitimacy of the Commission, by employing rhetorical strategies that presented their interests and motives as in line with the actions and wishes of the Commission.An empirical analysis of a scenario-informed strategic planning process : a public sector case
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/1978
This thesis lies at the nexus of scenario planning and strategy. Scenario planning is a foresight activity used extensively in strategic planning and public policy development to imagine alternative, plausible futures as means to understand the driving forces behind the uncertainties and possibilities of a changing environment. Despite significant application in both private and public sectors, and a growing body of academic and practitioner-orientated literature, little empirical evidence exists about how organisations actually use scenario planning to inform strategy. Moreover, the emerging Strategy-as-Practice (S-as-P) perspective, which has exposed strategy to more sociological pursuits, presented a way of conceiving and studying strategy not as something an organisation has, but rather as something people do. By examining the activities of scenario planning, understanding its use as an example of episodic, interactive strategizing, S-as-P provides a theoretical lens through which to perform a much-needed empirical analysis of the scenario-to-strategy process. A second goal of the thesis is to advance understanding of the S-as-P perspective by addressing recent criticisms as well as contributing to the growing body of practice-based research. The central research question which guides the thesis is, how does an organisation use scenario planning to inform the strategic planning process? To answer this question, the research vehicle is a single, in-depth case study of community planning in Fife, which extends from 1999 until April 2008. A detailed, longitudinal narrative of Fife’s scenario planning and strategy process is presented before using empirical evidence from the case to understand how an organisation manages the scenario planning process, how scenario planning affects policy development, and how cognitive processes manifest physically in an organisation. The thesis concludes that scenario planning created a sensemaking/sensegiving framework that provided structural and interpretive legitimacy which facilitated communicative activities and helped the Fife Partnership understand and improve the interconnectedness of Fife’s public services and community planning process. While contributing to the S-as-P research agenda, the investigation of the scenario-to-strategy process also revealed, and solidified, a number of criticisms that challenge the theoretical, conceptual, and empirical validity of the strategy-as-practice perspective.
2011-06-01T00:00:00ZBowman, GaryThis thesis lies at the nexus of scenario planning and strategy. Scenario planning is a foresight activity used extensively in strategic planning and public policy development to imagine alternative, plausible futures as means to understand the driving forces behind the uncertainties and possibilities of a changing environment. Despite significant application in both private and public sectors, and a growing body of academic and practitioner-orientated literature, little empirical evidence exists about how organisations actually use scenario planning to inform strategy. Moreover, the emerging Strategy-as-Practice (S-as-P) perspective, which has exposed strategy to more sociological pursuits, presented a way of conceiving and studying strategy not as something an organisation has, but rather as something people do. By examining the activities of scenario planning, understanding its use as an example of episodic, interactive strategizing, S-as-P provides a theoretical lens through which to perform a much-needed empirical analysis of the scenario-to-strategy process. A second goal of the thesis is to advance understanding of the S-as-P perspective by addressing recent criticisms as well as contributing to the growing body of practice-based research. The central research question which guides the thesis is, how does an organisation use scenario planning to inform the strategic planning process? To answer this question, the research vehicle is a single, in-depth case study of community planning in Fife, which extends from 1999 until April 2008. A detailed, longitudinal narrative of Fife’s scenario planning and strategy process is presented before using empirical evidence from the case to understand how an organisation manages the scenario planning process, how scenario planning affects policy development, and how cognitive processes manifest physically in an organisation. The thesis concludes that scenario planning created a sensemaking/sensegiving framework that provided structural and interpretive legitimacy which facilitated communicative activities and helped the Fife Partnership understand and improve the interconnectedness of Fife’s public services and community planning process. While contributing to the S-as-P research agenda, the investigation of the scenario-to-strategy process also revealed, and solidified, a number of criticisms that challenge the theoretical, conceptual, and empirical validity of the strategy-as-practice perspective.Econometric forecasting of financial assets using non-linear smooth transition autoregressive models
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/1898
Following the debate by empirical finance research on the presence of non-linear predictability in stock market returns, this study examines forecasting abilities of nonlinear STAR-type models. A non-linear model methodology is applied to daily returns of FTSE, S&P, DAX and Nikkei indices. The research is then extended to long-horizon forecastability of the four series including monthly returns and a buy-and-sell strategy for a three, six and twelve month holding period using non-linear error-correction framework. The recursive out-of-sample forecast is performed using the present value model equilibrium methodology, whereby stock returns are forecasted using macroeconomic variables, in particular the dividend yield and price-earnings ratio. The forecasting exercise revealed the presence of non-linear predictability for all data periods considered, and confirmed an improvement of predictability for long-horizon data. Finally, the present value model approach is applied to the housing market, whereby the house price returns are forecasted using a price-earnings ratio as a measure of fundamental levels of prices. Findings revealed that the UK housing market appears to be characterised with asymmetric non-linear dynamics, and a clear preference for the asymmetric ESTAR model in terms of forecasting accuracy.
2011-06-23T00:00:00ZClayton, MayaFollowing the debate by empirical finance research on the presence of non-linear predictability in stock market returns, this study examines forecasting abilities of nonlinear STAR-type models. A non-linear model methodology is applied to daily returns of FTSE, S&P, DAX and Nikkei indices. The research is then extended to long-horizon forecastability of the four series including monthly returns and a buy-and-sell strategy for a three, six and twelve month holding period using non-linear error-correction framework. The recursive out-of-sample forecast is performed using the present value model equilibrium methodology, whereby stock returns are forecasted using macroeconomic variables, in particular the dividend yield and price-earnings ratio. The forecasting exercise revealed the presence of non-linear predictability for all data periods considered, and confirmed an improvement of predictability for long-horizon data. Finally, the present value model approach is applied to the housing market, whereby the house price returns are forecasted using a price-earnings ratio as a measure of fundamental levels of prices. Findings revealed that the UK housing market appears to be characterised with asymmetric non-linear dynamics, and a clear preference for the asymmetric ESTAR model in terms of forecasting accuracy.Workaround as a craft skill of the computerised paper production process
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/1855
Tacit knowledge and craft skills are widely discussed in management research and practice. Impacts of computer technology on knowledge and skills attract great interests in the field of organisation research. Research in the papermaking and other continuous process manufacturing reveals that the computer leads to skills to cope with abstraction of work. However, none of the key work explicitly addressed the issue of the tacit knowledge and skills.
This research draws on the philosophy of tacit knowledge of Michael Polanyi to explain an exercise of tacit knowledge and skills in critical problem-solving. The interpretive research uses a critical incident technique and a thickly descriptive method to study the production workers’ exercise of their unique problem-solving capability at the disruptive events to the routine activity.
The finding shows that a workaround to overcome limitation of the control system are key to successful problem-solving at a computer interface. In contrary to a number of studies that placed an exclusive focus on an ability to perform abstract reasoning, the successful workaround presupposes the workers’ traditional physical and sensory-based exposure to the work process.
2011-06-23T00:00:00ZSupachayanont, AnnopTacit knowledge and craft skills are widely discussed in management research and practice. Impacts of computer technology on knowledge and skills attract great interests in the field of organisation research. Research in the papermaking and other continuous process manufacturing reveals that the computer leads to skills to cope with abstraction of work. However, none of the key work explicitly addressed the issue of the tacit knowledge and skills.
This research draws on the philosophy of tacit knowledge of Michael Polanyi to explain an exercise of tacit knowledge and skills in critical problem-solving. The interpretive research uses a critical incident technique and a thickly descriptive method to study the production workers’ exercise of their unique problem-solving capability at the disruptive events to the routine activity.
The finding shows that a workaround to overcome limitation of the control system are key to successful problem-solving at a computer interface. In contrary to a number of studies that placed an exclusive focus on an ability to perform abstract reasoning, the successful workaround presupposes the workers’ traditional physical and sensory-based exposure to the work process.Pursuing sustainability : an exploratory study of organisations that have environmental missions
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/1707
Numerous management scholars argue that management theory is anthropocentric and considers humans as being separate from the environment. Further anthropocentrism does not enable theory and organisations to contribute to sustainable development. To counter this it is argued theory and organisations should embrace an environmental paradigm that does not separate humans and the environment. This exploratory research attempts to identify whether any organisations operate with an environmental paradigm. The research questions focus on paradigms and some of the tensions surrounding the human-environment debate, such as; sufficiency versus profit maximisation and quoted status, money as a means or an end and notions of boundaries between the organisation and the environment. The questions are explored with individuals from 23 environmentally focused, primarily for profit, organisations. The results indicate that the organisations operate with an environmental paradigm, do not perceive of boundaries between the organisation and the environment, do not pursue profit maximisation, can demonstrate sufficiency, view money as a means rather than an end and do not have a favourable view of quoted status. Furthermore, the interviewees do not separate their world into two realms, one social and one natural. Narratives that arise include the organisations operating to a mode of mission and money and that an aphorism of “altruistically selfish and selfishly altruistic” (Maturana & Varela, 1998:197) can be applied. In short, the results indicate some challenges to conventional management theory, in particular strategy and competitive advantage, and that the organisations interviewed could help to, some extent, enable sustainable development.
To close, the hope of this study it that its narratives and the conceptual tool it has prompted, provide succour to students and managers who want to develop a ‘future normal’ of theories and organisations that better enable sustainability.
2011-06-22T00:00:00ZBarter, Nicholas J.Numerous management scholars argue that management theory is anthropocentric and considers humans as being separate from the environment. Further anthropocentrism does not enable theory and organisations to contribute to sustainable development. To counter this it is argued theory and organisations should embrace an environmental paradigm that does not separate humans and the environment. This exploratory research attempts to identify whether any organisations operate with an environmental paradigm. The research questions focus on paradigms and some of the tensions surrounding the human-environment debate, such as; sufficiency versus profit maximisation and quoted status, money as a means or an end and notions of boundaries between the organisation and the environment. The questions are explored with individuals from 23 environmentally focused, primarily for profit, organisations. The results indicate that the organisations operate with an environmental paradigm, do not perceive of boundaries between the organisation and the environment, do not pursue profit maximisation, can demonstrate sufficiency, view money as a means rather than an end and do not have a favourable view of quoted status. Furthermore, the interviewees do not separate their world into two realms, one social and one natural. Narratives that arise include the organisations operating to a mode of mission and money and that an aphorism of “altruistically selfish and selfishly altruistic” (Maturana & Varela, 1998:197) can be applied. In short, the results indicate some challenges to conventional management theory, in particular strategy and competitive advantage, and that the organisations interviewed could help to, some extent, enable sustainable development.
To close, the hope of this study it that its narratives and the conceptual tool it has prompted, provide succour to students and managers who want to develop a ‘future normal’ of theories and organisations that better enable sustainability.Enacting social accounting within a community enterprise : actualising hermeneutic conversation
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/976
The research was carried out using a participatory action research approach to
develop social accounts with Jesmond Swimming Pool (JSP). The original
motivation to carry out this project was to see what social accounts would look like
and whether it was possible to develop them in this organisation. The experience of
doing social accounts is further examined using Gray, et al., (1997) to explore
whether these were either ‘ideal’ or ‘good’ social accounts for the organisation. A
communitarian philosophical framework is used in order to examine the
conceptualisation of ‘good’ social accounts.
The first part of the thesis explores the social and environmental accounting (SEA)
and accountability literature, with the second part exploring the experience of
reaching initial agreement to do social accounts (SAs). The agreement to do the
accounts was then followed by two years of social accounts developed with JSP.
This empirical data provides a detailed account from the perspectives of insiders
and other sources as to the experience of doing social accounts. This experience is
then opened up to interrogation from a wider view point.
The third part of the thesis examines the experience of JSP using third sector
communitarian philosophy and a voluntary accountability framework in order to
demonstrate that JSP could provide an example of a ‘good’ or ‘ideal’ social
account. This raises the issue of whether or not ‘good’ or ‘ideal’ social accounts for
third sector organisations are only possible within a communitarian paradigm. If it
is possible to establish what ‘good’ social accounts entail then it may be appropriate
to extend this approach to other contexts, for example, the public sector or the
corporate world.
2010-01-01T00:00:00ZGibbon, Rebecca JaneThe research was carried out using a participatory action research approach to
develop social accounts with Jesmond Swimming Pool (JSP). The original
motivation to carry out this project was to see what social accounts would look like
and whether it was possible to develop them in this organisation. The experience of
doing social accounts is further examined using Gray, et al., (1997) to explore
whether these were either ‘ideal’ or ‘good’ social accounts for the organisation. A
communitarian philosophical framework is used in order to examine the
conceptualisation of ‘good’ social accounts.
The first part of the thesis explores the social and environmental accounting (SEA)
and accountability literature, with the second part exploring the experience of
reaching initial agreement to do social accounts (SAs). The agreement to do the
accounts was then followed by two years of social accounts developed with JSP.
This empirical data provides a detailed account from the perspectives of insiders
and other sources as to the experience of doing social accounts. This experience is
then opened up to interrogation from a wider view point.
The third part of the thesis examines the experience of JSP using third sector
communitarian philosophy and a voluntary accountability framework in order to
demonstrate that JSP could provide an example of a ‘good’ or ‘ideal’ social
account. This raises the issue of whether or not ‘good’ or ‘ideal’ social accounts for
third sector organisations are only possible within a communitarian paradigm. If it
is possible to establish what ‘good’ social accounts entail then it may be appropriate
to extend this approach to other contexts, for example, the public sector or the
corporate world.The relationship between stock market returns and inflation : new evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/939
The literature investigating the relationship between stock market returns and inflation is long and has produced diverse findings. This thesis examines the nature of stock–inflation relations in Sub-Saharan countries whose stock markets were established before 1992. Evidence in this thesis shows that in the short term there is a positive relationship between stocks and inflation. Using the Johansen (1988) evidence, a long-run stock–inflation relationship is confirmed only in Nigeria and South Africa, where it is found to be negative. However, accounting for structural breaks provides evidence for a long-run relationship in Botswana, Ghana and Kenya. The evidence of the effects of regimes in the relationship is further supported by a nonparametric cointegration analysis which finds a long-run relation in countries where the Johansen (1988) method had failed. Unexpected inflation is also found to be related to stock returns in Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and Mauritius, which raises concerns about the use of month-end stock data in analysing this relationship. The thesis confirms the existence of hidden inflation in Kenya, Mauritius, Nigeria and Zimbabwe. Imported inflation, interest rates and the exchange rate are found to have useful information about inflation movements in Sub-Saharan Africa.
2010-06-24T00:00:00ZMpofu, BekithembaThe literature investigating the relationship between stock market returns and inflation is long and has produced diverse findings. This thesis examines the nature of stock–inflation relations in Sub-Saharan countries whose stock markets were established before 1992. Evidence in this thesis shows that in the short term there is a positive relationship between stocks and inflation. Using the Johansen (1988) evidence, a long-run stock–inflation relationship is confirmed only in Nigeria and South Africa, where it is found to be negative. However, accounting for structural breaks provides evidence for a long-run relationship in Botswana, Ghana and Kenya. The evidence of the effects of regimes in the relationship is further supported by a nonparametric cointegration analysis which finds a long-run relation in countries where the Johansen (1988) method had failed. Unexpected inflation is also found to be related to stock returns in Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and Mauritius, which raises concerns about the use of month-end stock data in analysing this relationship. The thesis confirms the existence of hidden inflation in Kenya, Mauritius, Nigeria and Zimbabwe. Imported inflation, interest rates and the exchange rate are found to have useful information about inflation movements in Sub-Saharan Africa.Three essays on the value premium : can investors capture the promised rewards?
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/936
A consensus exists in the body of academic literature that stocks with high BE/ME characteristics outperform stocks with low BE/ME characteristics. Researchers disagree, however, as to the cause of the phenomenon. Two competing theories have emerged. The value premium originates either from the relative riskiness of high BE/ME value and low BE/ME growth stocks or from the persistent irrational pricing of those stocks. Market participants question whether the long lineage of academic research showing the existence of the value premium can actually be applied to their portfolio decision-making. The lack of a pervasive value premium across stock size strata suggests the return phenomenon may result from information asymmetry or trading noise, and not from the pricing of greater risk. The value premium appears to be exclusively available to market participants who can effectively navigate the smallest, most illiquid segment of the stock market. In other words, the value premium does not appear to be available to large institutional investors.
2010-06-11T00:00:00ZScislaw, Kenneth EdwardA consensus exists in the body of academic literature that stocks with high BE/ME characteristics outperform stocks with low BE/ME characteristics. Researchers disagree, however, as to the cause of the phenomenon. Two competing theories have emerged. The value premium originates either from the relative riskiness of high BE/ME value and low BE/ME growth stocks or from the persistent irrational pricing of those stocks. Market participants question whether the long lineage of academic research showing the existence of the value premium can actually be applied to their portfolio decision-making. The lack of a pervasive value premium across stock size strata suggests the return phenomenon may result from information asymmetry or trading noise, and not from the pricing of greater risk. The value premium appears to be exclusively available to market participants who can effectively navigate the smallest, most illiquid segment of the stock market. In other words, the value premium does not appear to be available to large institutional investors.Essays in long memory: evidence from African stock markets
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/883
This thesis explores various aspects of long memory behaviour in African stock markets (ASMs). First, we examine long memory in both equity returns and volatility using the weak-form version of the efficient market hypothesis (EMH) as a criterion. The results show that these markets (largely) display a predictable component in returns; while evidence of long memory in volatility is mixed. In general, these findings contradict the precepts of the EMH and a variety of remedial policies are suggested. Next, we re-examine evidence of volatility persistence and long memory in light of the potential existence of neglected breaks in the stock return volatility data. Our results indicate that a failure to account for time-variation in the unconditional mean variance can lead to spurious conclusions. Furthermore, a modification of the GARCH model to allow for mean variation is introduced, which, generates improved volatility forecasts for a selection of ASMs. To further evaluate the quality of volatility forecasts we compare the performance of a number of long memory models against a variety of alternatives. The results generally suggest that over short horizons simple statistical models and the short memory GARCH models provide superior forecasts of volatility; while, at longer horizons, we find some evidence in favour of long memory models. However, the various model rankings are shown to be sensitive to the choice of error statistic used to assess the accuracy of the forecasts. Finally, a wide range of volatility forecasting models are evaluated in order to ascertain which method delivers the most accurate value-at-risk (VaR) estimates in the context of Basle risk framework. The results show that both asymmetric and long memory attributes are important considerations in delivering accurate VaR measures.
2010-06-17T00:00:00ZThupayagale, PakoThis thesis explores various aspects of long memory behaviour in African stock markets (ASMs). First, we examine long memory in both equity returns and volatility using the weak-form version of the efficient market hypothesis (EMH) as a criterion. The results show that these markets (largely) display a predictable component in returns; while evidence of long memory in volatility is mixed. In general, these findings contradict the precepts of the EMH and a variety of remedial policies are suggested. Next, we re-examine evidence of volatility persistence and long memory in light of the potential existence of neglected breaks in the stock return volatility data. Our results indicate that a failure to account for time-variation in the unconditional mean variance can lead to spurious conclusions. Furthermore, a modification of the GARCH model to allow for mean variation is introduced, which, generates improved volatility forecasts for a selection of ASMs. To further evaluate the quality of volatility forecasts we compare the performance of a number of long memory models against a variety of alternatives. The results generally suggest that over short horizons simple statistical models and the short memory GARCH models provide superior forecasts of volatility; while, at longer horizons, we find some evidence in favour of long memory models. However, the various model rankings are shown to be sensitive to the choice of error statistic used to assess the accuracy of the forecasts. Finally, a wide range of volatility forecasting models are evaluated in order to ascertain which method delivers the most accurate value-at-risk (VaR) estimates in the context of Basle risk framework. The results show that both asymmetric and long memory attributes are important considerations in delivering accurate VaR measures.Corporate disclosure of greenhouse gas emissions : a UK study
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/840
Two beliefs drove this dissertation to be centered on the analysis of the UK corporate
disclosure (CD) related to global climate change (GCC). Firstly, GCC is the most
significant environmental concern of our current age (IPCC, 2001; Stern, 2006; IPCC,
2007). Secondly, CD could illustrate the values of organizations and possibilities for
changing organizations’ responsibility regarding to GCC (Gray et al., 1996; Bebbington
and Larrinaga-Gonzalez, 2008; Bebbington et al., 2009).
This study utilizes content analysis as its principal method and seeks to achieve its goal
by way of a two investigations. The first investigation focuses on disclosures made by
direct participants’ (DP) in the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS). It captures
GCC disclosures from both stand alone (SA) and annual reports (AR) during 2000 -
2004. This part of the study explores if joining the UK ETS changed GCC disclosures.
This is tested on both a longitudinal and matched pair (MP) basis. An analysis using
institutional theory suggests that instruments of environmental policy may influence
GCC disclosures. Results showed that DP increased GCC disclosure, especially in the
AR where mainstream business rationale is accepted. MP disclosures, in contrast, focus
on the SA media and on different topics than DP disclosures. AR and SA both contain
CD, but in this study they showed different patterns of disclosure and therefore may
constitute different disclosure media.
The second investigation suggests a method to compare GCC disclosure for a sample of
DP and MP, using three different media: carbon disclosure project (CDP), AR and SA.
Analysis shows that GCC disclosure did not provide sufficient information to compare
GCC initiatives and disclosures. Despite the fact that organizations have similar
characteristics in terms of sector, size and origin country, they showed different views
on GCC issues and this may partially explain differences on GCC initiatives and
disclosure.
2009-11-30T00:00:00Zde Aguiar, Thereza R. S.Two beliefs drove this dissertation to be centered on the analysis of the UK corporate
disclosure (CD) related to global climate change (GCC). Firstly, GCC is the most
significant environmental concern of our current age (IPCC, 2001; Stern, 2006; IPCC,
2007). Secondly, CD could illustrate the values of organizations and possibilities for
changing organizations’ responsibility regarding to GCC (Gray et al., 1996; Bebbington
and Larrinaga-Gonzalez, 2008; Bebbington et al., 2009).
This study utilizes content analysis as its principal method and seeks to achieve its goal
by way of a two investigations. The first investigation focuses on disclosures made by
direct participants’ (DP) in the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS). It captures
GCC disclosures from both stand alone (SA) and annual reports (AR) during 2000 -
2004. This part of the study explores if joining the UK ETS changed GCC disclosures.
This is tested on both a longitudinal and matched pair (MP) basis. An analysis using
institutional theory suggests that instruments of environmental policy may influence
GCC disclosures. Results showed that DP increased GCC disclosure, especially in the
AR where mainstream business rationale is accepted. MP disclosures, in contrast, focus
on the SA media and on different topics than DP disclosures. AR and SA both contain
CD, but in this study they showed different patterns of disclosure and therefore may
constitute different disclosure media.
The second investigation suggests a method to compare GCC disclosure for a sample of
DP and MP, using three different media: carbon disclosure project (CDP), AR and SA.
Analysis shows that GCC disclosure did not provide sufficient information to compare
GCC initiatives and disclosures. Despite the fact that organizations have similar
characteristics in terms of sector, size and origin country, they showed different views
on GCC issues and this may partially explain differences on GCC initiatives and
disclosure.Doing, describing and documenting : inscription and practice in social work
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/766
The thesis explores the role of inscription in the management of social work and the
effect of this on front-line practice. Inscription is a response to current trends in public
sector management, in particular the focus on transparency, accountability and
performance management, which drive an increasing demand for the documentation of
work in areas of professional practice, traditionally assumed to be at odds with
codification. The research investigates the effect of new documenting procedures in
social work, specifically, the introduction of a ‘standard assessment format’ and
responses to this by social work practitioners. The thesis uses a constructivist theoretical
framework drawn from Actor Network Theory, which understands inscription as a
performative technology, which is used to manage the process and content of practice
through representation and translation. The thesis is based upon an exploratory, critical
case study in a Local Authority Children and Families Social Work Service between
November 2004 and May 2006. The thesis explores the translations between practice
(doing), articulation (describing) and textual representation (documenting). For front-line
practitioners, practice is understood as the ‘doing’ of work whilst the ‘describing’ and
‘documenting’ of work are categorised as secondary, bureaucratic concerns, with no
material effect on the core processes and outcomes of social work practice. The research
indicates that social work practice is in fact is a series of practices, which include the
doing, describing and documenting of work. The research suggests that the
conceptualisation of practice as ‘doing’, rather than ‘describing’ and ‘documenting’ work
determines practitioner responses to the use of inscription in managing social work
practice.
2009-01-01T00:00:00ZDoyle, RosemaryThe thesis explores the role of inscription in the management of social work and the
effect of this on front-line practice. Inscription is a response to current trends in public
sector management, in particular the focus on transparency, accountability and
performance management, which drive an increasing demand for the documentation of
work in areas of professional practice, traditionally assumed to be at odds with
codification. The research investigates the effect of new documenting procedures in
social work, specifically, the introduction of a ‘standard assessment format’ and
responses to this by social work practitioners. The thesis uses a constructivist theoretical
framework drawn from Actor Network Theory, which understands inscription as a
performative technology, which is used to manage the process and content of practice
through representation and translation. The thesis is based upon an exploratory, critical
case study in a Local Authority Children and Families Social Work Service between
November 2004 and May 2006. The thesis explores the translations between practice
(doing), articulation (describing) and textual representation (documenting). For front-line
practitioners, practice is understood as the ‘doing’ of work whilst the ‘describing’ and
‘documenting’ of work are categorised as secondary, bureaucratic concerns, with no
material effect on the core processes and outcomes of social work practice. The research
indicates that social work practice is in fact is a series of practices, which include the
doing, describing and documenting of work. The research suggests that the
conceptualisation of practice as ‘doing’, rather than ‘describing’ and ‘documenting’ work
determines practitioner responses to the use of inscription in managing social work
practice.Evaluation of healthcare management issues in the provision of clinical services for familial breast/ovarian cancer
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/728
Despite there being pragmatic national guidelines for assigning risk
to women with a family history of breast cancer, the evidence base
is still sparse. There are three major questions: First, how can an
assignment of "low" risk be made most efficiently? Second, what
are the actual outcomes for higher-risk women enrolled in special
surveillance programmes? Third, what are the costs and benefits of
current management of members of breast cancer families?
My thesis reviews the evolution of clinical services for familial
breast cancer and the existing literature in the field. I describe
the gathering of information from the service records of the Tayside
Breast Cancer Family History Clinic and from specific research
exercises that involved collaboration with other centres in the UK
and abroad. My findings are as follows:
1. Histories provided by the families are not sufficient to assign
risk accurately. They must be extended and verified from other
records by clinical geneticists. Women assigned a low risk can be
informed by post, but some may require further support. The 2004
NICE guidelines for assigning risk are fairly accurate, but may
under-estimate it for some women aged 45--55 years.
2. Annual screening of young women at increased risk results in
detection of most cancers at a curable stage. Women who carry BRCA1
mutations fare less well, even when tumours are detected at an apparently early stage.
3. Costs of accurate risk assessment are outweighed by savings from
the better targeting of surveillance programmes. Early cancer
detection in young women enrolled in these programmes achieves a
substantial gain in life expectancy at a cost of £3,700 per
quality adjusted life year (QALY). Prophylactic surgery for carriers
of BRCA1 mutations is highly cost-effective.
The thesis concludes with a discussion as to how these findings might
be extended and clinical practice improved in the future.
Electronic version does not contain associated previously published material
2009-06-25T00:00:00Zde Azevedo Moreira Reis, MartaDespite there being pragmatic national guidelines for assigning risk
to women with a family history of breast cancer, the evidence base
is still sparse. There are three major questions: First, how can an
assignment of "low" risk be made most efficiently? Second, what
are the actual outcomes for higher-risk women enrolled in special
surveillance programmes? Third, what are the costs and benefits of
current management of members of breast cancer families?
My thesis reviews the evolution of clinical services for familial
breast cancer and the existing literature in the field. I describe
the gathering of information from the service records of the Tayside
Breast Cancer Family History Clinic and from specific research
exercises that involved collaboration with other centres in the UK
and abroad. My findings are as follows:
1. Histories provided by the families are not sufficient to assign
risk accurately. They must be extended and verified from other
records by clinical geneticists. Women assigned a low risk can be
informed by post, but some may require further support. The 2004
NICE guidelines for assigning risk are fairly accurate, but may
under-estimate it for some women aged 45--55 years.
2. Annual screening of young women at increased risk results in
detection of most cancers at a curable stage. Women who carry BRCA1
mutations fare less well, even when tumours are detected at an apparently early stage.
3. Costs of accurate risk assessment are outweighed by savings from
the better targeting of surveillance programmes. Early cancer
detection in young women enrolled in these programmes achieves a
substantial gain in life expectancy at a cost of £3,700 per
quality adjusted life year (QALY). Prophylactic surgery for carriers
of BRCA1 mutations is highly cost-effective.
The thesis concludes with a discussion as to how these findings might
be extended and clinical practice improved in the future.The social poetics of place making : challenging the control/dichotomous perspective
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/691
Grappling with the success of their business ventures and coping with the rise in number of new products FifeX was working on, operating out of their shared office in the St Andrews Technology Centre, the co-founders were feeling more ‘cramped’ than ever before. The decision was made to relocate. Although it was felt to be long overdue, much to their relief they finally moved to larger premises in Tayport in July, 2006. The activity of moving was a starting point for a number of place making activities.
Using the case of FifeX, this thesis explores the process of place making. It seeks to understand place making from ‘inside’ the activity of place making itself. The guiding research question in this thesis is, what happens -during place making- when people move into ‘new’ business premises? More specifically, this thesis asks the following questions: (i) what are the comparative advantages / disadvantages of the alternative ways of explaining place making? and (ii) which theory or combination of theories, has greater explanatory value in analysing place making / moving? The study, which uses FifeX as an empirical setting is best described as an in-depth qualitative narrative exploration, and thus narrates the unfolding processes of deciding to relocate, relocating, moving and place making.
Three different theoretical perspectives (control, engagement, polyphony) were applied, each in turn, to three separate (yet interrelated) instances of place making (a story about a wall, one about chairs, and one about a worktop) in order to cast fresh light on the constitutive talk-entwined-activities of place making. The study demonstrates that although efforts to control space may dominate the discourse and activities of place making, control only explains some of what happens during place making. The findings of the case suggest that place is the outcome of inhabitants’ ongoing experiences and understanding. This thesis argues that alternative theoretical perspectives (engagement and polyphony) are better at explaining what goes on. But because they do not operate ‘naturally’ within the dominant paradigm, it is noted that an alternative practice-based perspective is needed which combines the effectiveness of engagement and polyphony, with the attractiveness of control.
A model is presented to help reflect on place making which provides an alternative route for thinking about relocating, moving, and place making that is expected to create engagement and polyphony in a decent way. The proposed model is centred on thinking directed toward: (i) individual place, (ii) inside space, and (iii) what story(s) the space tell outsiders. The focus is on balancing the tensions that emerge from dialoging on these three aspects of space and place.
2008-11-27T00:00:00ZClarke, Daniel WadeGrappling with the success of their business ventures and coping with the rise in number of new products FifeX was working on, operating out of their shared office in the St Andrews Technology Centre, the co-founders were feeling more ‘cramped’ than ever before. The decision was made to relocate. Although it was felt to be long overdue, much to their relief they finally moved to larger premises in Tayport in July, 2006. The activity of moving was a starting point for a number of place making activities.
Using the case of FifeX, this thesis explores the process of place making. It seeks to understand place making from ‘inside’ the activity of place making itself. The guiding research question in this thesis is, what happens -during place making- when people move into ‘new’ business premises? More specifically, this thesis asks the following questions: (i) what are the comparative advantages / disadvantages of the alternative ways of explaining place making? and (ii) which theory or combination of theories, has greater explanatory value in analysing place making / moving? The study, which uses FifeX as an empirical setting is best described as an in-depth qualitative narrative exploration, and thus narrates the unfolding processes of deciding to relocate, relocating, moving and place making.
Three different theoretical perspectives (control, engagement, polyphony) were applied, each in turn, to three separate (yet interrelated) instances of place making (a story about a wall, one about chairs, and one about a worktop) in order to cast fresh light on the constitutive talk-entwined-activities of place making. The study demonstrates that although efforts to control space may dominate the discourse and activities of place making, control only explains some of what happens during place making. The findings of the case suggest that place is the outcome of inhabitants’ ongoing experiences and understanding. This thesis argues that alternative theoretical perspectives (engagement and polyphony) are better at explaining what goes on. But because they do not operate ‘naturally’ within the dominant paradigm, it is noted that an alternative practice-based perspective is needed which combines the effectiveness of engagement and polyphony, with the attractiveness of control.
A model is presented to help reflect on place making which provides an alternative route for thinking about relocating, moving, and place making that is expected to create engagement and polyphony in a decent way. The proposed model is centred on thinking directed toward: (i) individual place, (ii) inside space, and (iii) what story(s) the space tell outsiders. The focus is on balancing the tensions that emerge from dialoging on these three aspects of space and place.Corporate visioning : a cross comparison between SMEs in Scotland and Sweden
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/690
The business environment of today is characterised as both dynamic and complex, and many corporations face fierce competition on all fronts. To deal with strategic planning in this businesses environment has become difficult and visioning has been argued to be one approach forward. Numerous prescriptive models on how to develop visions have identified in the literature, but studies on how corporations actually develop visions are few. This study therefore aims to describe the process of how small and medium sized firms develop visions.
This study compares small and medium sized firms in Scotland and Sweden on how they developed their visions. The study adopted a survey methodology where 210 firms of different sizes were contacted in each country. The response rate was 24,3% in Scotland and 47,6 % in Sweden.
The main findings of this study are that the process of developing visions was rather diverse, some firms used short process, whereas in other firms the vision developed over time. In general it was an emergent process. The firms used many of the techniques and looked at factors found in the management literature, but maybe not in the way as prescribed by vision methodologies. In general the vision process was leader driven or developed by top management, but in some cases it was developed by a wider involvement. Few differences could be found between how Scottish and Swedish firms develop their visions, except that the Swedish firms to a higher degree had a developed vision. The major finding of this study is that the bigger the firm the more likely they are to have developed a vision, used management techniques and had wider involvement in the process.
2008-11-27T00:00:00ZEriksson, Thomas K.The business environment of today is characterised as both dynamic and complex, and many corporations face fierce competition on all fronts. To deal with strategic planning in this businesses environment has become difficult and visioning has been argued to be one approach forward. Numerous prescriptive models on how to develop visions have identified in the literature, but studies on how corporations actually develop visions are few. This study therefore aims to describe the process of how small and medium sized firms develop visions.
This study compares small and medium sized firms in Scotland and Sweden on how they developed their visions. The study adopted a survey methodology where 210 firms of different sizes were contacted in each country. The response rate was 24,3% in Scotland and 47,6 % in Sweden.
The main findings of this study are that the process of developing visions was rather diverse, some firms used short process, whereas in other firms the vision developed over time. In general it was an emergent process. The firms used many of the techniques and looked at factors found in the management literature, but maybe not in the way as prescribed by vision methodologies. In general the vision process was leader driven or developed by top management, but in some cases it was developed by a wider involvement. Few differences could be found between how Scottish and Swedish firms develop their visions, except that the Swedish firms to a higher degree had a developed vision. The major finding of this study is that the bigger the firm the more likely they are to have developed a vision, used management techniques and had wider involvement in the process.Managing to implement evidence-based practice? an exploration and explanation of the roles of nurse managers in evidence-based practice implementation
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/560
Nurses face ongoing difficulties in using evidence and making a reality of evidence-based practice. Studies of the factors that facilitate or impede evidence-based practice suggest that nurse managers should have a key role, but the nature of this role has not yet been fully articulated. This study aimed to explore and explain the roles of nurse managers in relation to evidence-based practice implementation. Four case studies in Scottish NHS Acute Trusts provide rich data on evidence-based practice implementation, drawing on interviews (n = 51), observation and documentary analysis.
A wide literature on evidence use in nursing suggests that implementation is hindered by confusion and debate about what counts as evidence, and by an incomplete understanding by staff of the complexity of implementation processes. This study confirms such conclusions. Moreover, the study reveals that the roles of nurse managers in facilitating evidence use are currently limited, largely passive and under-articulated. As such, the findings expose significant discrepancies between nurse managers' roles in practice and those espoused in much of the literature. Partial explanation for this can be found in the organisational contexts in which nurses and their managers work (e.g. competing demands; confused communication; diffuse and overloaded roles and limits to authority and autonomy). In particular, the role of the contemporary nurse manager is one that places considerable emphasis on aspects of general management to the detriment of clinical practice issues.
More positively, the study uncovered genuine facilitation in two study sites where hybrid roles of nurse manager and clinical nurse specialist were in place. In both sites, these roles had been successful in supporting and progressing implementation in discrete areas of practice and show some potential for advancing evidence-based practice more widely. These findings have significant implications for research, policy and practice in relation to evidence-based practice in nursing.
2008-11-27T00:00:00ZWilkinson, Joyce ENurses face ongoing difficulties in using evidence and making a reality of evidence-based practice. Studies of the factors that facilitate or impede evidence-based practice suggest that nurse managers should have a key role, but the nature of this role has not yet been fully articulated. This study aimed to explore and explain the roles of nurse managers in relation to evidence-based practice implementation. Four case studies in Scottish NHS Acute Trusts provide rich data on evidence-based practice implementation, drawing on interviews (n = 51), observation and documentary analysis.
A wide literature on evidence use in nursing suggests that implementation is hindered by confusion and debate about what counts as evidence, and by an incomplete understanding by staff of the complexity of implementation processes. This study confirms such conclusions. Moreover, the study reveals that the roles of nurse managers in facilitating evidence use are currently limited, largely passive and under-articulated. As such, the findings expose significant discrepancies between nurse managers' roles in practice and those espoused in much of the literature. Partial explanation for this can be found in the organisational contexts in which nurses and their managers work (e.g. competing demands; confused communication; diffuse and overloaded roles and limits to authority and autonomy). In particular, the role of the contemporary nurse manager is one that places considerable emphasis on aspects of general management to the detriment of clinical practice issues.
More positively, the study uncovered genuine facilitation in two study sites where hybrid roles of nurse manager and clinical nurse specialist were in place. In both sites, these roles had been successful in supporting and progressing implementation in discrete areas of practice and show some potential for advancing evidence-based practice more widely. These findings have significant implications for research, policy and practice in relation to evidence-based practice in nursing.The social construction of the mature student experience
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/553
Using a Social Constructionist lens, this study gathers fresh empirical data on the experience of a “Mature Student”, examining its multiple constructions, both objective and subjective, within the context of a Scottish Ancient university. For six centuries, Ancient universities have held expectations that incoming students will adjust to fit the autonomous institutional culture. However the expansion of Higher Education in 1992 has introduced changes in legislation and funding which have shifted the onus of that adjustment to the organisations themselves.
This study is placed at the fundamental core of the tension between an institution struggling with the changing nature of its purpose and non-traditional students with changing expectations. Through analysis of daily journals and semi-structured interviews with 16 students and 12 staff, it explores the interpretations which both sets of actors take from student/institution interaction, and does so with respect to the student’s holistic life context rather than viewing only the learner role. Particular emphasis is placed on the losses and gains from the experience, including examination of what a degree symbolises in personal, fiscal and psychological terms.
Based on a synthesis of literature reviews and empirical data, the study categorises the Mature students into three groups according to experiential themes within the student journey, drawing out theoretical and policy contributions from the process. Although mismatches are shown to exist between student and staff expectations of institutional purpose, a contemporary, and valid, role for the Ancient institution is outlined in terms of developing individual agency.
2008-11-27T00:00:00ZLusk, Christine IsabelUsing a Social Constructionist lens, this study gathers fresh empirical data on the experience of a “Mature Student”, examining its multiple constructions, both objective and subjective, within the context of a Scottish Ancient university. For six centuries, Ancient universities have held expectations that incoming students will adjust to fit the autonomous institutional culture. However the expansion of Higher Education in 1992 has introduced changes in legislation and funding which have shifted the onus of that adjustment to the organisations themselves.
This study is placed at the fundamental core of the tension between an institution struggling with the changing nature of its purpose and non-traditional students with changing expectations. Through analysis of daily journals and semi-structured interviews with 16 students and 12 staff, it explores the interpretations which both sets of actors take from student/institution interaction, and does so with respect to the student’s holistic life context rather than viewing only the learner role. Particular emphasis is placed on the losses and gains from the experience, including examination of what a degree symbolises in personal, fiscal and psychological terms.
Based on a synthesis of literature reviews and empirical data, the study categorises the Mature students into three groups according to experiential themes within the student journey, drawing out theoretical and policy contributions from the process. Although mismatches are shown to exist between student and staff expectations of institutional purpose, a contemporary, and valid, role for the Ancient institution is outlined in terms of developing individual agency.Understanding barriers to small business growth from the perspective of owner-managers in Russia
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/546
Small businesses, particularly growing small businesses, are regarded by policy makers and academics alike as being important sources of wealth creation, employment generation and innovation. Yet, few small businesses grow. One potential way of explaining why so many businesses do not grow is through the notion of 'barriers'. Previous studies on barriers typically identify and predict what kinds of barriers affect business growth, rather than attempt to explain how or why this is the case, if indeed it is the case at all. This thesis aims to elaborate on our understanding of barriers to small business growth. Two qualitative inductive interview-based studies were conducted in St. Petersburg Russia; the first was conducted in 2003, the second in 2005. Using semi-structured interviews in the second study (the main study), 27 owner-managers of small businesses in Russia were asked if they had intentions to grow the business, how they grew their businesses or intended to do so, and what, if anything, interfered with this process. The purpose of the study was two-fold: first, its purpose was to examine barriers from the perspective of individual owner-managers, with an emphasis on the meaning of barriers and the context in which they are perceived, and second to explore and examine how or the ways in which perceived barriers may influence owner-managersâ growth intentions and behaviours. Data were analysed using template analysis mainly, drawing on interpretive phenomenological analysis and matrix analysis. Based on the accounts of owner-managers, barriers were found to work in different ways to shape intentions to grow or not to grow, and as well to shape intention realization. How this occurred depended partly on owner-managersâ perceptions of the institutional environment. Findings suggest that the relationship between barriers and small business growth is complex. It is, nevertheless, a relationship which purports to be a fruitful area of study, one in which future research might further our understanding of small business growth from a continuing examination of barriers, particularly in relation to intentions, in relation to how meaningful barriers are perceived to be, and in relation to the context in which they are perceived.
2008-11-27T00:00:00ZDoern, Rachel R.Small businesses, particularly growing small businesses, are regarded by policy makers and academics alike as being important sources of wealth creation, employment generation and innovation. Yet, few small businesses grow. One potential way of explaining why so many businesses do not grow is through the notion of 'barriers'. Previous studies on barriers typically identify and predict what kinds of barriers affect business growth, rather than attempt to explain how or why this is the case, if indeed it is the case at all. This thesis aims to elaborate on our understanding of barriers to small business growth. Two qualitative inductive interview-based studies were conducted in St. Petersburg Russia; the first was conducted in 2003, the second in 2005. Using semi-structured interviews in the second study (the main study), 27 owner-managers of small businesses in Russia were asked if they had intentions to grow the business, how they grew their businesses or intended to do so, and what, if anything, interfered with this process. The purpose of the study was two-fold: first, its purpose was to examine barriers from the perspective of individual owner-managers, with an emphasis on the meaning of barriers and the context in which they are perceived, and second to explore and examine how or the ways in which perceived barriers may influence owner-managersâ growth intentions and behaviours. Data were analysed using template analysis mainly, drawing on interpretive phenomenological analysis and matrix analysis. Based on the accounts of owner-managers, barriers were found to work in different ways to shape intentions to grow or not to grow, and as well to shape intention realization. How this occurred depended partly on owner-managersâ perceptions of the institutional environment. Findings suggest that the relationship between barriers and small business growth is complex. It is, nevertheless, a relationship which purports to be a fruitful area of study, one in which future research might further our understanding of small business growth from a continuing examination of barriers, particularly in relation to intentions, in relation to how meaningful barriers are perceived to be, and in relation to the context in which they are perceived.The role and importance of context in collective learning: multiple case studies in Scottish primary care
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/500
Organisational learning is conceptualised within healthcare policy as an acontextual entity to be implemented across services through a prescribed governance framework.
Studies of organisational learning often exclude context in this way. The central questions of this thesis concern how and why context is relevant and important in relation to organisational learning. In order to address these issues, context and organisational learning were conceptualised as mutually constitutive activity and knowing-in-practice respectively. Taking a cultural-historical activity theoretical approach, learning is understood to be an intrinsic part of activity. These issues were explored empirically through qualitative case study in three purposively sampled Scottish primary care teams.
Initial findings suggested collective learning occurred through participation in everyday activity. Team accounts of apparently the same routine object of work revealed distinctive patterns of activity. Each team seemed to be doing the same thing differently. Exploration of mediating means present in each teamâ s activity accounted for these differences: although similar on the surface, the attribution of meaning to each was contested and shaped through the cultural, historical and inherently contextual activity which they mediated within each activity system. Further analysis demonstrated members of each primary care team co-configured these objects with members of other interlinked activity systems. Different things were actually being done in similarly different ways. This showed how inherently contextual activities shaped the content of collective learning and offered an explanation of why context is relevant and important in collective learning.
These findings suggest efforts to transfer knowledge as a discrete, manageable entity between situations are unlikely to succeed due to the filtering and translating effect of inherently contextual activity. From this perspective, organisational learning and related concepts such as â implementationâ and â best practiceâ become problematic. Healthcare policy concerning collective learning, within which such approaches are central, may benefit from reconsideration.
2008-06-27T00:00:00ZGreig, Gail JaneOrganisational learning is conceptualised within healthcare policy as an acontextual entity to be implemented across services through a prescribed governance framework.
Studies of organisational learning often exclude context in this way. The central questions of this thesis concern how and why context is relevant and important in relation to organisational learning. In order to address these issues, context and organisational learning were conceptualised as mutually constitutive activity and knowing-in-practice respectively. Taking a cultural-historical activity theoretical approach, learning is understood to be an intrinsic part of activity. These issues were explored empirically through qualitative case study in three purposively sampled Scottish primary care teams.
Initial findings suggested collective learning occurred through participation in everyday activity. Team accounts of apparently the same routine object of work revealed distinctive patterns of activity. Each team seemed to be doing the same thing differently. Exploration of mediating means present in each teamâ s activity accounted for these differences: although similar on the surface, the attribution of meaning to each was contested and shaped through the cultural, historical and inherently contextual activity which they mediated within each activity system. Further analysis demonstrated members of each primary care team co-configured these objects with members of other interlinked activity systems. Different things were actually being done in similarly different ways. This showed how inherently contextual activities shaped the content of collective learning and offered an explanation of why context is relevant and important in collective learning.
These findings suggest efforts to transfer knowledge as a discrete, manageable entity between situations are unlikely to succeed due to the filtering and translating effect of inherently contextual activity. From this perspective, organisational learning and related concepts such as â implementationâ and â best practiceâ become problematic. Healthcare policy concerning collective learning, within which such approaches are central, may benefit from reconsideration.Assurance of corporate stand-alone reporting : evidence from the UK
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/423
Since the early 1990’s the number of corporate stand-alone reports produced by various organisations worldwide has increased considerably (Kolk, 2004; Owen, 2006). It is argued that introducing an assurance statement with the stand-alone report may contribute to enhancing the credibility of the reported information (FEE, 2002; Dando and Swift, 2003; ACCA and AccountAbility, 2004).
This thesis reports on a multi-level analysis of assurance statements attached to stand-alone reports that were produced by the UK FTSE100 companies during the reporting years 2000-2004. Drawing on a research instrument (which itself has been informed by previous literature, namely O’Dwyer and Owen, 2005) as well as the most recent assurance guidelines and standards (such as FEE, 2002; GRI, 2002, AA1000AS, 2003; and ISAE3000, 2004), this thesis examines the extent to which assurance statements disclose information about crucial elements of the assurance engagement, the amount of disclosure as well as factors associated with the information disclosed. In this context, particular attention is given to issues of independence of the assurance provider; the methodology used to conduct the assurance engagement; the degree to which stakeholders have been engaged and their issues taken account of within the assurance process; and assurance results (namely presentation of the assurance opinion, findings and recommendations).
The research results suggest that, despite the increased amount and quality of information disclosed within the assurance statements over the years, engagement of stakeholders and taking adequate account of their issues within the assurance process is still lacking compared to other dimensions of assurance. In the absence of generally accepted stand-alone reporting criteria and assurance standards for this type of reporting, various assurance approaches have emerged and these correspond to the nature of the assurance provider (for example, accountancy, consultancy and certification body). The FTSE100 companies (in almost in two-thirds of the conducted engagements) rely most heavily on consultancy firms for assurance and as a result, this approach dominates UK assurance practice. As a consequence, there are noticeable variations in the assurance methodologies, results of the assurance engagements (findings, opinions and recommendations) and shape of the assurance statements over the study. There are also changes that emerge over time and these are most strongly associated with the standards that are used to govern the assurance engagement and also the type of information being assured. These findings raise concerns about whether it is possible to harmonise assurance practice of the corporate stand-alone reports. This thesis concludes with some practical implications for the assurance of stand-alone reports, as well as recommendations for future research.
2007-11-09T00:00:00ZAl-Hamadeen, Radhi MousaSince the early 1990’s the number of corporate stand-alone reports produced by various organisations worldwide has increased considerably (Kolk, 2004; Owen, 2006). It is argued that introducing an assurance statement with the stand-alone report may contribute to enhancing the credibility of the reported information (FEE, 2002; Dando and Swift, 2003; ACCA and AccountAbility, 2004).
This thesis reports on a multi-level analysis of assurance statements attached to stand-alone reports that were produced by the UK FTSE100 companies during the reporting years 2000-2004. Drawing on a research instrument (which itself has been informed by previous literature, namely O’Dwyer and Owen, 2005) as well as the most recent assurance guidelines and standards (such as FEE, 2002; GRI, 2002, AA1000AS, 2003; and ISAE3000, 2004), this thesis examines the extent to which assurance statements disclose information about crucial elements of the assurance engagement, the amount of disclosure as well as factors associated with the information disclosed. In this context, particular attention is given to issues of independence of the assurance provider; the methodology used to conduct the assurance engagement; the degree to which stakeholders have been engaged and their issues taken account of within the assurance process; and assurance results (namely presentation of the assurance opinion, findings and recommendations).
The research results suggest that, despite the increased amount and quality of information disclosed within the assurance statements over the years, engagement of stakeholders and taking adequate account of their issues within the assurance process is still lacking compared to other dimensions of assurance. In the absence of generally accepted stand-alone reporting criteria and assurance standards for this type of reporting, various assurance approaches have emerged and these correspond to the nature of the assurance provider (for example, accountancy, consultancy and certification body). The FTSE100 companies (in almost in two-thirds of the conducted engagements) rely most heavily on consultancy firms for assurance and as a result, this approach dominates UK assurance practice. As a consequence, there are noticeable variations in the assurance methodologies, results of the assurance engagements (findings, opinions and recommendations) and shape of the assurance statements over the study. There are also changes that emerge over time and these are most strongly associated with the standards that are used to govern the assurance engagement and also the type of information being assured. These findings raise concerns about whether it is possible to harmonise assurance practice of the corporate stand-alone reports. This thesis concludes with some practical implications for the assurance of stand-alone reports, as well as recommendations for future research.International competition and strategic response in the Dundee jute industry during the inter-war (1919-1939) and post-war (1945-1960s) period : the case of jute industries, Buist Spinning, Craiks and Scott & Fyfe
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/415
This research uses the ‘demand-side thesis’ to examine the decline of the Dundee jute
industry. In particular, it examines the effect of international competition and the
strategic response of the industry during the inter-war (1919-1939) and the post-war
(1945-1960s) period to counter this challenge. The strategic response is studied by examining strategies employed at the firm and the industry level. Strategy at the firm
level is studied in the form of capability development using the capabilities approach.
The thesis also makes an attempt to redress the issue of determinism in the capabilities
approach which suggests that the pattern of capability development is governed by path-dependency. By drawing on the techniques employed in the history literature, this
research identifies strategic options that were being considered by firms at the time of
capability development and examine why certain alternatives were not pursued. This will bring to light aspects other then those associated with path-dependency that played a role in the pattern of capability development. The capabilities developed by firms during the two periods are compared and contrasted in order to understand the pattern over this period. These findings are juxtaposed with the British cotton textile industry, a related sector, to examine the effectiveness of the demand-side thesis in explaining the decline of the jute
industry in particular and the textile industry in general.
This thesis makes contribution to three areas of literature: First, the thesis helps to further develop the demand-side framework by introducing a new case (Dundee jute industry) and developing a better understanding of strategic response within the jute and textile industry in general. Second, this thesis contributes to the theoretical development of capabilities approach in two specific areas: a) it helps to address the issue of determinism
inherent in the capabilities approach through the notion of path-dependency. This was done by also examining the strategic options that were available to firms while
developing their capabilities and underlining the reasons for not pursuing them. b) the analysis sheds new light on the nature of branching of capabilities in an industry over a long period. Third, this research makes significant contribution to the existing literature on the business history of the Dundee jute industry, which is sparse. The contributions can be categorised into four key aspects which have not been examined in the current literature: a) period (inter-war and post-war), b) issue (systematic examination of the Dundee jute industry’s decline, strategic response and role of collective strategies), c)
method (detailed study of individual firm’s strategies), and d) cross comparison of
industry’s experience with related sectors (for example, the cotton industry). Focusing on these issues has helped to throw new light on the challenges, especially technological, facing the industry in developing its strategic response.
2008-01-01T00:00:00ZMasrani, SwapneshThis research uses the ‘demand-side thesis’ to examine the decline of the Dundee jute
industry. In particular, it examines the effect of international competition and the
strategic response of the industry during the inter-war (1919-1939) and the post-war
(1945-1960s) period to counter this challenge. The strategic response is studied by examining strategies employed at the firm and the industry level. Strategy at the firm
level is studied in the form of capability development using the capabilities approach.
The thesis also makes an attempt to redress the issue of determinism in the capabilities
approach which suggests that the pattern of capability development is governed by path-dependency. By drawing on the techniques employed in the history literature, this
research identifies strategic options that were being considered by firms at the time of
capability development and examine why certain alternatives were not pursued. This will bring to light aspects other then those associated with path-dependency that played a role in the pattern of capability development. The capabilities developed by firms during the two periods are compared and contrasted in order to understand the pattern over this period. These findings are juxtaposed with the British cotton textile industry, a related sector, to examine the effectiveness of the demand-side thesis in explaining the decline of the jute
industry in particular and the textile industry in general.
This thesis makes contribution to three areas of literature: First, the thesis helps to further develop the demand-side framework by introducing a new case (Dundee jute industry) and developing a better understanding of strategic response within the jute and textile industry in general. Second, this thesis contributes to the theoretical development of capabilities approach in two specific areas: a) it helps to address the issue of determinism
inherent in the capabilities approach through the notion of path-dependency. This was done by also examining the strategic options that were available to firms while
developing their capabilities and underlining the reasons for not pursuing them. b) the analysis sheds new light on the nature of branching of capabilities in an industry over a long period. Third, this research makes significant contribution to the existing literature on the business history of the Dundee jute industry, which is sparse. The contributions can be categorised into four key aspects which have not been examined in the current literature: a) period (inter-war and post-war), b) issue (systematic examination of the Dundee jute industry’s decline, strategic response and role of collective strategies), c)
method (detailed study of individual firm’s strategies), and d) cross comparison of
industry’s experience with related sectors (for example, the cotton industry). Focusing on these issues has helped to throw new light on the challenges, especially technological, facing the industry in developing its strategic response.Management, restructuring and industrial relations : organizational change within the United Kingdom broadcasting industry, 1979-2002
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/349
In the past decade researchers began to remedy a literature deficit in the study of broadcasting institutions – addressing in particular the issues of labour process, restructuring and industrial relations. This thesis which considers management change, industrial relations and restructuring within the United Kingdom (‘UK’) broadcasting industry employs a case study format with a view to highlighting the variations of industry (macro) and firm (micro) based restructuring. Organizational change was not a uniform process throughout the UK broadcasting industry and significantly different strategies were developed by management within the two main terrestrial broadcasters – in particular in attempting to fundamentally alter the organization of programme production. The labour process and experience of employees and owner-managers within the independent production sector was also distinguishable as between the two main UK terrestrial broadcasters.
In order to provide a theoretical underpinning to the empirical studies which form the centrepiece of this thesis, the four themes of contemporary labour process theory are explored. These contributions are included because examinations undertaken of labour processes have resulted in critical insights as to the nature of management and labour relationships. Together with firm based organizational restructuring of the broadcasting industry, the past 25 years have seen very significant regulatory change consequent on a variety of legislative initiatives and which are set out.
The case studies begin with the wide-scale restructuring of industrial relations within the Independent Television (‘ITV’) sector since 1979 (Chapter 4). The second case study (Chapter 5) is concerned with the implementation of a set of managerial strategies aimed at reshaping the labour processes within the Central Scotland ITV franchise – Scottish Television Ltd. (‘STV’). Chapter 6 deals with the implementation of new working practices and what might be described as an attack on employee identity within BBC Scotland. The restructuring of the Corporation along quasi-commercial lines with specific reference to the employment of the directorate (distinct business units) system is examined. The final case study (Chapter 7) is an examination of the independent production sector tracing the emergence of a group of Producer Owners (independent production company owners) who emerged during the first half of the 1990s and who have since become a significant force in British television production. This study also traces the development of the career and networking labour of the group of individuals employed on short-term contracts by the independent production company owners.
2007-01-01T00:00:00ZQuinn, Brian J.In the past decade researchers began to remedy a literature deficit in the study of broadcasting institutions – addressing in particular the issues of labour process, restructuring and industrial relations. This thesis which considers management change, industrial relations and restructuring within the United Kingdom (‘UK’) broadcasting industry employs a case study format with a view to highlighting the variations of industry (macro) and firm (micro) based restructuring. Organizational change was not a uniform process throughout the UK broadcasting industry and significantly different strategies were developed by management within the two main terrestrial broadcasters – in particular in attempting to fundamentally alter the organization of programme production. The labour process and experience of employees and owner-managers within the independent production sector was also distinguishable as between the two main UK terrestrial broadcasters.
In order to provide a theoretical underpinning to the empirical studies which form the centrepiece of this thesis, the four themes of contemporary labour process theory are explored. These contributions are included because examinations undertaken of labour processes have resulted in critical insights as to the nature of management and labour relationships. Together with firm based organizational restructuring of the broadcasting industry, the past 25 years have seen very significant regulatory change consequent on a variety of legislative initiatives and which are set out.
The case studies begin with the wide-scale restructuring of industrial relations within the Independent Television (‘ITV’) sector since 1979 (Chapter 4). The second case study (Chapter 5) is concerned with the implementation of a set of managerial strategies aimed at reshaping the labour processes within the Central Scotland ITV franchise – Scottish Television Ltd. (‘STV’). Chapter 6 deals with the implementation of new working practices and what might be described as an attack on employee identity within BBC Scotland. The restructuring of the Corporation along quasi-commercial lines with specific reference to the employment of the directorate (distinct business units) system is examined. The final case study (Chapter 7) is an examination of the independent production sector tracing the emergence of a group of Producer Owners (independent production company owners) who emerged during the first half of the 1990s and who have since become a significant force in British television production. This study also traces the development of the career and networking labour of the group of individuals employed on short-term contracts by the independent production company owners.