SPARC 12 Parallel Session Abstracts
Parallel session 1A: Art and Design
Name University Subject Area Presentation Title
1A Identities in a Diversity of Art and Design Contexts. Chair: Dr Anna Catalani
Antonio Benitez Salford Art The ageing population and museum audiences.
Sarah Lawton Salford Art Tapestries of Identity: Salford in the Digital Age.
Sylvia Theuri Salford Art Visual Arts Education and the Black Community in Britain.
Abstracts
The broadness of the field of Art and Design allows for many opportunities for identities to emerge and be explored.
This session will consider three different contexts in which identities are formed in Art and Design:
• Benefits and needs to engage older people in museum activities
• Collaborative artistic processes and media interfaces as tools to explore identities within Salford’s transforming society
• Aspiration, participation and representation: Black students in Higher Education visual arts
The ageing population and museum audiences
Antonio Benitez
Why should museums give more importance to their older audiences? What are the benefits and challenges of engaging older people in museums? How will the ageing of the population affect the profile of museum visitors?
In the last decade audience development work in museums has achieved great results working with Black and Ethnic Minority communities and younger audiences. But until now, most museums have not given much attention to their older audiences. With the ageing of the population transforming our societies museums need to react to these important demographic changes. This presentation will explore the current profile of older people visiting museums and the opportunities, mutual benefits and policy implications needed for museums working closely with their older audiences.
Tapestries of Identity: Salford in the Digital Age
Sarah Lawton
The key investigation that forms the core of this research project stems from, ‘What is the tapestry of Salford’s identity in the throes of the digital era and to what extent does it bear a relationship to its industrial heritage?’
The current working title of the project is; ‘A Digital Tapestry of Salford,’ with the aim of using collaborative processes to explore Salford’s emerging identity via technologies such as animation, sound, film and networking platforms.
Distinctive and unique variations of each area in Salford will be focal points for such lines of enquiry, correlating with the development of MediaCityUK at Salford Quays. The site was originally introduced as a major engineering achievement of the Victorian era; one of its key functions being to export Northern English cotton overseas. The current period presents an equally pivotal point for Salford that has comparative functionalities of global exportation and overhaul. By using threads, tapestry and weaving as metaphorical concepts, this presentation will outline an investigative approach that aims to document and depict contemporary characteristics of the locality in the early part of the Millennia.
Visual Arts Education and the Black Community in Britain
Sylvia Theuri
How has the development of the visual arts sector in Britain to be more ‘culturally diverse’ impacted the Black community? Has it made a difference to their Higher Education aspirations?
At present, within the Black community in Britain there is evidence to show that Higher Education visual arts is currently outside the scope of aspiration.
In 2005 the Arts Council England published a report which highlighted a lack of participation by the Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities in Higher Education (HE) visual arts. The report also noted that in-depth research within this field was greatly lacking.
This presentation will focus specifically on the Black community and their aspiration, participation and representation in HE Visual Arts. It will look at this group as opposed to the wider BME community in order to bring it out of its anonymity within the field of HE visual art.
Why is HE visual arts outside the scope of aspiration for this community? Are there specific historical, cultural and contextual circumstances related to this? Parallel session 1B
1B Business. Chair: Dr Maria Burke. Co-chair: Xiaoxian Zhu
Hayel Ababneh Salford Business Exploring the Potential of Human Resource Information Systems in Jordanian Mobile Telecommunication Companies.
Maria Salford Business A snapshot with technological frames on the technological- Emmanouilidou organisational innovation interplay: preliminary findings from a Greek public hospital.
Francis Ojie Salford Business A search for paradigm in achieving project success in sporting projects through effective stakeholder management.
Abstracts
Exploring the Potential of Human Resource Information Systems in Jordanian Mobile Telecommunication Companies
Hayel Ababneh
Purpose: This research aims to explore the drivers behind the use of Human Resource Information System (HRIS) in Jordanian Mobile Telecommunication Companies. The main intention is to investigate supporting and hindering factors affecting the use of HRIS in participating two Jordanian companies.
Design/methodology/approach: An interpretive case research, based on in-depth interviews, was conducted to gain greater depth understanding of HRIS use.
Findings: Despite the gained evidence that HRIS has been significantly contributing to achievement of organisational objectives, there are some imperfections in HRIS especially on the side of human capital. Human Capital Information System (HCIS), a new paradigm of the current HRIS was emerged that overcomes its deficiencies.
Research limitations/implications: Further research is needed to examine the proposed framework and to validate it by applying it in different contexts.
Practical implications: The developed framework should help practitioners to acquire a clear sight about the future prospects of HRIS in improving the existing HR practices, and to learn how to use and manage HRIS to revitalise HR function, and gain competitive advantage from the adoption of HCIS.
Originality/value: Much of the empirical literature on using HRIS has focused on the developed world. This research contributes to knowledge of the HRIS theory in the context of Arab countries, particularly in Jordan. This research attempts to assess the impact of HRIS on the individual level.
A snapshot with technological frames on the technological-organisational innovation interplay: Preliminary findings from a Greek public hospital
Maria Emmanouilidou
The notion of technological innovation in the healthcare setting is nowadays of paramount importance. The healthcare milieu is confronted with intensive socio-demographic and economic challenges, all of which call for innovative solutions. Information-related technological innovations, in particular, such as Electronic Health Records (EHR) can provide substantial benefits including improved patient outcomes, increased efficiency and lower costs. As a result, EHR has received considerable attention by national governments as a means of reforming the status quo of health services across all levels of healthcare delivery. Nevertheless, the transition to the ‘paperless’ hospital appears to be a complicated process due to a number of interrelated factors, namely technological, organisational and political. The aim of this paper is to explore the interplay between technological and organisational innovation in the context of a Greek public hospital with EHR being the focal technological innovation of inquiry. Through a Technological Frames of Reference (TFR) lens the paper portrays a selective subset of the interpretations of healthcare professionals, doctors and nurses with an administrative role in their clinical unit, on the technological innovation per se, its effect on organisational innovation and the enabling and disabling determinants of the reciprocal relationship of these two innovation dynamics.
A search for paradigm in achieving project success in sporting projects through effective stakeholder management. (A case of stakeholder involvement in the London 2012 Olympics project)
Francis Ojie
This research adopts the London 2012 Olympics project as a case study to investigate success and failure in sporting projects with particular emphasis on managing stakeholder involvement in project management. Primarily, the research problem which this study seeks to address is establishing the extent to which the level of stakeholder involvement contributes to project success/failure in large sporting projects. Though significant research has been done by researchers such as Aaltonen & Sivonen (2009), Jepsen & Eskerod (2009) and Bourne & Walker (2008) in the area of stakeholder management which show this area to be critical in determining the success or failure of projects, Kirsi (2011) maintains that the need for more research in this area is more significant in larger projects with more complex stakeholder environments thus the researcher’s interest in the London 2012 Olympics project as an appropriate case study.
The aim/contribution of the study is to develop a practical and theoretical framework which could be applied to effectively manage the level of stakeholder involvement in sporting projects in order to optimise their success rates.
The presentation at SPARC therefore, will give the researcher the opportunity to speak about the research objectives and the general scope of the study in more detail. The researcher also hopes to share some of the findings in the study gained from speaking with the London Olympic stakeholders.
References
Aaltonen, K., & Sivonen, R. (2009). Response strategies to stakeholder pressures in global projects. International Journal of Project Management, 27(2), 131-141. Bourne, L., & Walker, D. H. T. (2008). Project relationship management and the Stakeholder Circle™. International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 1(1), 125-130.
Jepsen, A. L., & Eskerod, P. (2009). Stakeholder analysis in projects: Challenges in using current guidelines in the real world. International Journal of Project Management, 27(4), 335-343.
Kirsi, A. (2011). Project stakeholder analysis as an environmental interpretation process. International Journal of Project Management, 29(2), 165-183.
Parallel session 1C
1C: Built Environment. Chair: Chair: Dr Jason Underwood, co chair: Masrilayanti
Rachel Russel Salford Built The potential use of virtual environments to support "Post" Environment Occupancy Evaluation during the design of homes for older adults.
Julius Akotia Salford Built Early Stage Socio-Economic Impact Evaluation of Sustainable Environment Regeneration – a case study of a commercial project.
Dania Issa Manchester Built Reviewing risk allocation methods for infrastructure public Environment private partnership (PPP) projects.
Abstracts
The potential use of virtual environments to support "Post" Occupancy Evaluation during the design of homes for older adults
Rachel Russel
With an increasingly ageing population, the design of homes will be required to support people to live independently longer, as well as to accommodate new models of health and social care delivery. Traditionally, Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE) techniques have provided designers with feedback as to how well their building performs. A range of POE tools exist to measure the performance of building, including whether the environment supports and meets the requirements of end users of the building. Through POE, designers can use the knowledge and understanding gained from one building to enhance the design of the next.
Even before a brick is laid, there is now the potential to perform virtual POE using increasingly sophisticated architectural modelling, including virtual reality environments. The possible benefits of virtual POE are many, including the reduction of resource, both financial and material, to rectify problems not foreseen in the initial design of the building. This paper discusses initial research aims and objects of a PhD project. The purpose of the project is to explore the potential of virtual environments as a method of virtual POE in evaluating building design to support independence and new models of health and social care delivery for older people.
Early stage socio-economic impact evaluation of sustainable regeneration – a case study of a commercial project.
Julius Akotia
In recent years, sustainable regeneration has been recognised as being of major economic and social concern in the world. In the UK for instance, government has initiated a number of policies and evaluation methods to deal with some of the environmental problems associated with regeneration projects. However, the approach to the management of these projects has often been seen as not achieving their set objectives. Attempts aimed at evaluating the implementation of sustainability by built environment professionals have primarily been limited to the assessment of environmental impacts with the associated socio-economic aspects of the projects often neglected.
While there have been a number of studies on sustainability and its evaluation in relation to regeneration projects in the UK, there has not been any well-defined built environment research that has been able to deal holistically with the broader issues of sustainability in terms of impacts of the regeneration projects to the end-user and the communities concerned. The findings of an exploratory case study that adopted a semi-structured interviews approach for data collection from stakeholders involved in a commercial regeneration project in the UK are presented in this paper.
The findings reveal a lack of a mechanism to evaluate the socio-economic impacts of sustainability in relation to a commercial project at the early stage of the project’s development. The results suggest that the environmental factors of sustainability continue to be the most dominant factor of sustainability considered by built environment practitioners as compared to the consideration of a project’s potential socio-economic benefits.
Reviewing risk allocation methods for infrastructure public private partnership (PPP) projects
Dania Issa
PPP projects are well known for two major management-related characteristics; risk and conflict. This is due to the special multi-party, complex, and long life-cycle nature of these projects. These features are magnified when the PPP project is to deliver an infrastructure service, thus resulting in a greater exposure to a variety of static and dynamic risks. The common notion of the public sector transferring risks to the private does not describe the reality nor define the optimum way of dealing with risks in PPPs. Improper risk allocation (RA) can directly result in conflict, contract renegotiation, costly compensations and unrealistic guarantees promised by the public sector. Therefore, deciding on the optimal risk allocation strategy between the PPP’s stakeholders is a vital and critical decision that needs to be addressed systematically.
The decision process involves quantifying experts’ judgment and considering a variety of conflicting decision criteria. Several approaches have been proposed to solve the decision making problem. In order to understand the context within which the decision is made, it is essential to review the current literature on custom-made RA methods as well as the current practice in real projects. The purpose of this paper is to critically evaluate the existing theoretical methods proposed in literature and to compare them with the methods applied in practice. Data is collected through a literature review on both the theoretical research on RA decision making as well as the experimental research based on surveys and case studies. A conclusion is made on RA methods and preferences in reality and the ability of existing quantitative decision making approaches to correspond with them.
Parallel session 1D
1D: Humanities. Chair: Dr Jonathan Colman, co-chair: Robert Coles
Stephen Dippnall Salford Humanities Believing in ‘a good America’: Interpretations of America within the British Labour Party during the 1950s.
Sheryl Buckley Salford Humanities The Communist Party of Great Britain: the National Union of Mineworkers as an example of its industrial politics.
Guy Hodgson Chester Media Propaganda at its darkest or little white lies? The Manchester Guardian in the Second World War.
Abstracts
Believing in ‘a good America’: Interpretations of America within the British Labour Party during the 1950s.
Stephen Dippnall
The twentieth century Anglo-American ‘special’ relationship has been subject to significant contemporary and academic debate. Apart from a handful of studies however, the overwhelming majority of the existing research adopts a state-centric realist perspective, primarily examining Britain’s gradual decline vis-á-vis the US, and the tensions which this process caused at an intergovernmental level. Such a focus tends to exclude analysis of the broader political elite, isolating the UK Prime Minister and US President from the political debates and cultural context within which attitudes towards the US in Britain were determined.
This paper examines the discourse about the US within the British Labour Party in opposition during the 1950s. Throughout the decade, the Labour Party experienced frequent bitter divisions over foreign policy, central to which was conflict about the importance of the Anglo-American relationship. In the course of these overt intra-party debates- personified by the rivalry between Hugh Gaitskell and Aneurin Bevan- a range of contradictory narratives were invoked about the political, social and cultural trajectory of the US. For example, optimistic claims that America was, apart from Britain, the ‘most progressive state in the world’ were countered by critics who characterised the US as defined by ‘aggressive, self- confident capitalism’. Using archival sources, several popular Labour journals and published primary literature, this paper has two main aims. It seeks to outline and scrutinise these differing portrayals whilst also drawing tentative conclusions about how the Anglo-American relationship was understood and debated amongst this section of the political elite. The Communist Party of Great Britain: the National Union of Mineworkers as an example of its industrial politics.
Sheryl Buckley
The study of the CPGB, the NUM and industrial relations have attracted attention: historians have focused on each of these aspects individually, sometimes focusing on one or more of these issues. However there has been no work that has addressed the wider research question, ‘what does the NUM, as a case study, show about the CPGB’s industrial politics between 1947-1991?’ This paper seeks to address one element of this, namely to answer the question ‘how did the CPGB build up influence within the NUM, in order to help it achieve its wider industrial politics?’
This is a pertinent question because the CPGB was often deemed to be ubiquitous in industrial strife during this period: despite this, it was unable to replicate this success either in parliamentary elections, or in membership gains to the CPGB itself. Therefore it sought to utilise trade unions, such as the NUM, to implement a two-tiered strategy. Primarily the CPGB wanted to use the NUM so that it could control the block vote at both the Trades Union Congress and Labour Party conferences. Alongside this the CPGB sought to politicise the workers of the NUM to its own agenda, namely through the tactic of wage militancy. This, it was hoped, would either create tangible gains for the workers or draw the NUM into a conflict with the state, alerting the union members to the perceived ills of Capitalism.
Propaganda at its darkest or little white lies? The Manchester Guardian in the Second World War.
Guy Hodgson
All newspapers were subject to censorship between 1939 and 1945 but there is evidence that Fleet Street exceeded even those strictures placed upon them, abandoning the normal tenets of reporting. Using the Guardian Archive in John Rylands Library, memos by the Manchester Guardian editor W. P. Crozier reveal that the newspaper chose not to reveal several important stories, including the potential unification of Britain and France, advance news of the invasion of Russia by Germany in June 1941 and the true state of morale in the East End of London at the height of The Blitz.
This paper, which is drawn from a PhD examining the role of local newspapers in creating a myths centred on the Manchester and Salford Blitz of Christmas 1940, will look at these omissions and other examples of mis-truths and propaganda that were the norm in Fleet Street and the local press in the Second World War. It will ask why Crozier and other editors were willing to slavishly follow the official line to an extent that even Home Intelligence, which monitored morale for the government, felt their coverage was counter-productive and was holding back the recovery process. People believed their suffering was neglected as the news agenda, even in Manchester’s newspapers, moved too hastily back to London. The result was an increased distrust in what appeared in the press, a legacy that endures to today.
Parallel session 2A
2A Environment and Engineering. Chair: Prof. Miklas Scholz
Yu Dong Edinburgh Environment Nutrients release from sediments in integrated constructed wetlands
Mawuli Dzakpasu Dundalk Environment Infiltration and contaminant migration beneath an Irish Institute of integrated constructed wetland Technology
Dewi Fitria Salford Engineering Influence of different types of mixers on sludge dewaterability assessments using the capillary suction time test
Abdulkadir Sani Salford Engineering Clogging of Vertical-flow Constructed Wetland Systems Treating Domestic Wastewater
Abstracts
Nutrients release from sediments in integrated constructed wetlands
Yu Dong
The sediment accumulation is an important characteristic in the ageing process of integrated constructed wetlands (ICW). Accumulated sediments are frequently contaminated with nitrogen and phosphorus. Most nutrients stored within sediments have the potential to be remobilized and released to the overlying water or groundwater when environmental conditions change. In this study, five mesocosms which filled with saturated sediments (collected from the most contaminated first cells of two 10-year-old fully operational ICW systems) and planted with Phragmites australis and Agrostis stolonifera were set up to examine nutrient release from sediments and sub-soil pack. The effects of physico-chemical parameters on sediment-water nutrient exchange were also studied through the application of statistical and artificial neural network models. The results demonstrated an average net release of chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonia-nitrogen (NH4-N), molybdate reactive phosphorus (MRP) from the wetland sediments to the overlying water, indicating that the sediment acted as new nutrient sources. The type of vegetation made no significant difference to the nutrients release characteristics, however, the mesocosm planted with Phragmites australis achieved better performance. No water reached the bottom outlet of the mesocosms suggesting that there was no risk to groundwater. The clay liner and the biogeochemical processes taking place within sediments proved to be effective in prevent the surface water from infiltrating into lower lying soils. The research highlights the need of ICW sediment management regarding the loss of pollutant sequestration which may contribute to decrease in contaminant removal rates over time.
Infiltration and contaminant migration beneath an Irish integrated constructed wetland
Mawuli Dzakpasu
The Integrated Constructed Wetlands Concept is based on the free flow of water through a series of interconnected wetlands. Each individual wetland, called a wetland cell, is constructed and lined with local on-site soils. The integrity of soil materials, however, may provide a potential pathway for contaminants to flow into the subsoil and consequently, potentially polluting local groundwater resources. In this study, the rates of infiltration and contaminants loading occurring underneath a full- scale integrated constructed wetland treating domestic wastewater were evaluated. The wetland system consists of two sedimentation ponds and a sequence of five shallow vegetated wetland cells, each lined with 500 mm thick local subsoil materials. Infiltration water was collected from zero-tension pan lysimeters, which were placed within the soil-liners of the first three wetland cells and analysed for water quality parameters such as chemical oxygen demand, ammonia-nitrogen, nitrate-nitrogen, and molybdate reactive phosphate. Infiltration rates from the first three wetland cells, and apparent hydraulic conductivity of the soil liner, calculated with empirical water budgets, ranged between approximately 4x10-9 and 1x10-8 m s-1 across the cells. In the first two cells of the integrated constructed wetland, less than 0.5 % of the influent contaminant loading to the cells was lost through infiltration to subsoil. Higher contaminant loading was recorded in the third cell, which received partially treated wastewater. This implies that each wetland cell has the potential to impact differently on the underlying groundwater and that the potential for groundwater contamination from wetlands was minimal in the first cell, when compared to the last cell.
Influence of different types of mixers on sludge dewaterability assessments using the capillary suction time test
Dewi Fitria
As a common process in water and water treatment plant and used to remove unsettleable small particles, much research work has been undertaken on the science of coagulation, but very little in the area of rapid mixing influencing coagulation and subsequently floc properties. The majority of research into mixing has been carried out with respect to mixing velocity; either in rapid mixing (coagulation) or slow mixing (flocculation). Findings show that varying rapid mixing velocities and times give different impacts on contaminant removal from water. However, there has been insufficient research on the impact of rapid mixing velocity and time on coagulation performance in terms of sludge dewaterability (the easiness of water to be removed from sludge)properties. Alum and ferric chloride are the most commonly used coagulants. Recently, Moringa Oleifera has also been used as a natural coagulant. In this study, comparisons between alum, ferric chloride and Moringa oleifera have been undertaken. Different mixing device geometries have dissimilar impacts on turbidity removal from water. The influence of different geometries on sludge dewaterability is being researched in this study. In industry, many types of mixers are being used, and recommendations regarding the best mixer shape are outstanding. The capillary suction time is the most commonly used tool for rapid sludge dewaterability measurement tests even though time-consuming and costly rheological investigations may be superior. Therefore, the influence of different mixer geometries used in industry with different coagulants and different rapid mixing velocities and times are being investigated in this study to assess corresponding impacts on sludge dewaterability using the capillary suction time apparatus. Findings indicate that the temperature needs to be kept constant to reduce data variability. Clogging of vertical-flow constructed wetlands treating domestic wastewater
Abdulkadir Sani
As a result of their mechanical simplicity, cost effectiveness, and low operation and maintenance effort, vertical-flow (i.e. water flow from top to bottom) constructed wetlands have been used to treat pollutants from wastewaters all over the world. A major drawback limiting the efficiency of these vertical-flow constructed wetlands is clogging, which can greatly affect the lifetime of the system. In this study, different laboratory vertical-flow constructed wetlands filled with gravels and planted with common reed were used to assess clogging mechanisms as a function of hydraulic and organic loading rates, media size, and contact and rest time. A range of hydraulic loading rates was applied across the systems using real urban waste water. A water quality analysis was carried out to monitor both clogging and treatment performance variations. Results of the study show that treatment efficiencies (in terms of chemical oxygen demand, phosphorus and suspended solids) increase as the wetlands mature. Furthermore, findings indicate that all systems perform relatively similar independently of their specific design and operation. With regard to clogging, none of the systems show any sign of clogging after about one year of operation. However, it is expected that the differences in design and operation will eventually lead to differences in the evolution of clogging patterns and this will subsequently help engineers to better understand the causative factors of clogging alongside treatment efficiency. This paper will focus on the discussion of results covering approximately one year of experimental study, and the wider research context.
Parallel session 2B
2B Health Sciences. Chair: Dr Sarah Norgate, co-chair: Nagat Elmsallati
Maria Forde Liverpool Midwifery Phenomenon of becoming a midwife
Ruth Laidler Salford Health Naive biology and health behaviour: how functional is naive Sciences biology?
Lindsay Hill Salford Health An Investigation into Users’ Experiences of Foot Orthoses in Sciences a Population of Patients with Low Back Pain.
Nafiseh Salford Health 3D Modelling of the Human Heel Pad Ahanchian Sciences
Abstracts
Phenomenon of becoming a midwife
Maria Forde
Lived experiences of being a first year student midwife.
This presentation will present the results of stage two of my PhD research studies into the phenomenon of becoming a midwife. The main study is a longitudinal study over three years. Stage two explores the experiences of being in the world of a first year student midwife, within the diverse environment of work based learning. The student midwives were from two universities within the North West of England n=22.
The broader aims of the research are to discover the nature of the students’ experiences of becoming a midwife, also to understand the influences of the working environment on the process. Using a hermeneutic phenomenological methodology, focus group discussions were held in 2010. The students were asked to maintain reflective diaries. Using Max van Manen’s (1990) phenomenological guiding principles to analyse the data three main themes emerged with ten sub-themes:
Adjusting to new ways of learning
• Reflection on learning • Skills acquisition • Coping with assessments
Development – personal and professional
• Maturity • Confidence in new abilities • Coping with a new life style • Approaches to midwifery education
Socialisation into the midwifery profession
• Being a first year student midwife • Midwives professional status • Being a student in an NHS Trust
The results of stage two of the study will support further exploration and interpretation of the students’ experiences of becoming midwives during subsequent years. Some of the findings of stage two of the research form the focus of the presentation.
Naive biology and health behaviour: how functional is naive biology?
Ruth Laidler
The present study looks at the development of a naïve theory of biology in the preschool years; furthermore it observes whether this biological theory is applied in order to guide every-day behaviours. This study uses hand washing as an example behaviour to study how the theory of biology may be applied. Parents of children aged 24-48 months from private preschool provisions in Salford were approached for their child’s participation in the study. Children were tested on three measures: A naïve biological knowledge forced-choice task, a hand washing quality task and the British Picture Vocabulary scale. Preliminary data analysis revealed that children as young as 24 months possess some theory of biology. Though no significant differences appeared between age groups within the study, there is an emerging developmental pattern in the order the domains of biology emerge; this is consistent with previous research (Hatano and Inagaki, 1994). No link between naïve biological reasoning and hand washing quality was demonstrated. This suggests that the biological theory may not be as functional as initially thought in relation to hand washing. The application of naïve biological theory to other domains of health will be discussed to further assess the functionality of naïve biological theory.
An Investigation into Users’ Experiences of Foot Orthoses in a Population of Patients with Low Back Pain.
Lindsay A Hill
Low Back Pain is a common and debilitating condition that can become chronic. It can impact on a persons’ ability to work and not only on their physical but also their psychological well being. The cost implications have been documented with expensive investigations and interventions often proving negative or unsuccessful in addition to the wider cost implications with days lost from work and benefits claimed.
There has been a lack of research exploring the use of foot orthoses in the treatment of low back pain.
The aim of this study was to investigate the patients’ experience of foot orthoses for low back pain over a 3-4 month period.
A mixed methods approach was taken with quantitative data captured using The Roland and Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) pre and post intervention and qualitative data captured in the form of interviews. 25 patients participated and interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) was used to identify themes within their accounts.
The result of the quantitative data is a mean reduction in RMDQ scores of 6.46 (SD 4.34).
Five strong themes emerged from the qualitative data analysis: (1) User’s Expectations; (2) Feelings about Assessment and Visual Technology; (3) Usability; (4) The Physical Experience and (5) The Psychological / Emotional Experience.
These themes demonstrate the benefits of foot orthoses for patients with low back pain and also the problems patients experience with them. Also highlighted are a number of strategies that practitioners could use to improve the experience for their patients and improve clinical outcomes.
3D Modelling of the Human Heel Pad
Nafiseh Ahanchiana
The human heel-pad is subject to repetitive loading associated with locomotion. It plays an important role as a shock absorber reducing impact forces generated during gait. The human heel-pad is characterized by visco-elastic mechanical behavior like many other biological soft tissues.
It has a composite biological structure consisting of macro-chamber, micro-chamber and skin layers. Detailed information about the mechanical behavior of each heel-pad sub-layers is essential for development of the realistic numerical models of the foot. Modelling the heel-pad provides an opportunity to test the effect of external factors, such as choice of insole or foot wear materials, on the stress experienced by heel tissues, without the need for slow and expensive experimental tests on real subjects. This work contributes to the development of an anatomically detailed 3D model of the heel region which will be used to determine the hyper-elastic and visco-elastic material properties of macro- chamber, micro-chamber and skin layers through the inverse finite element analysis.
A 3D model of heel region is developed based on MRI scan data of the right foot of a female subject. SIMPLEWARE®-ScanIP 3.2 is used to segment different tissues forming the heel-pad and the surrounding areas including stiff tissues (bones), tendon Achilles, muscles, plantar fascia, heel-pad soft tissues (macro-chamber, micro-chamber and skin layers). The geometries of these components are then imported into SolidWorks 2010 to develop smooth solid model of each part. These different layers are assembled together to form a complete model which will be imported into ABAQUS for finite element analysis.
Parallel session 2C
2C Life Sciences. Chair: Prof Geoff Hide
Robert Coles Salford Life Sciences Tracing genealogical relationships in a common toad (Bufo bufo) population.
Samina Farooqi LJMU Life Sciences Social Network Analysis to Examine Interaction Patterns of Immature Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) in Captivity.
Carly Tetley Salford Life Sciences The effects of social group housing on the behaviour of captive cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus).
Abstracts
Tracing genealogical relationships in a common toad (Bufo bufo) population
Robert Coles
Over the last decades, long-term studies on pond-breeding amphibians have revealed vital insights into the dynamics of populations, contributing to natural history knowledge as well as producing a wealth of conservation-relevant information. However, in contrast to birds and mammals, for example, amphibian population studies only rarely capture information based on genealogical relationships among individuals. As a consequence, we only have very limited knowledge about individual fitness measures such as lifetime reproductive success and the consequences of such variation on the linkage between generations of amphibians in the wild. Here, we make use of an existing long-term study on the common toad (Bufo bufo) in southern England (Dorset), and employ genetic markers to identify parent- offspring relationships among individuals sampled in years that represent two successive generations (2004/2005/2006 and 2008/2009). To generate the cross-generational genealogies, about 1000 individual toads were genotyped using PCR amplification of eight microsatellite loci. Parentage assignments were achieved using the software Colony, and parental pairs were compared with field observations of amplexed pairs. Preliminary results reveal that at least one parent could be assigned to approximately 40% of offspring, and that about half of the parent pairs identified with genetic markers matched with amplexed pairs identified in the field. Apart from shedding light on the genetic mating system, the obtained pedigree information will also be invaluable in the identification of a possible hereditary basis for an observed decrease in female body condition and fecundity correlated to increased temperatures.
Social Network Analysis to Examine Interaction Patterns of Immature Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) in Captivity
Samina H. Farooqi
We used Social Network Analysis (SNA) to examine the pattern of affiliative interactions of immature chimpanzees in captivity. SNA provides quantifiable measures of an individual’s position in its social group, their number of interaction partners and a visual perspective of the spatial cohesiveness of individual networks. We collected data on five immature chimpanzees at Chester Zoo, UK from February 2008 to November 2009 using 15-minute focal animal sampling. Our analyses included social grooming and play interactions of immatures with other group members (excluding mothers as potential social partners). Our results showed that the node degree and tie strength for play networks was significantly higher than for grooming networks in each of the two years. Moreover, Immatures were more central in their play networks and more peripheral in their grooming networks. Play networks expanded from 2008 to 2009 whereas grooming networks remained stable during the two years. Finally, there was no matrix correlation between the play network of immatures and the grooming network of mothers. These results suggest that immature chimpanzees used social play rather than grooming as a means to interact and integrate into adults’ social networks and supports the idea that play in infants and juveniles functions to strengthen an individual’s ties to its own social group and potentially improve social cohesion.
The effects of social group housing on the behaviour of captive cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus).
Carly Tetley
The cheetah is known to reproduce poorly in captivity, which is detrimental to conservation efforts and might indicate underlying welfare concerns. One important aspect of captive cheetah management is social group housing. This study attempts to identify behavioural correlates of social group type so that recommendations can be made with a view to improving social housing arrangements and thus, potentially, breeding success in this endangered species. In the wild, adult females are solitary unless accompanied by cubs, whilst related males remain in stable groups, or coalitions, throughout their lifetime. Housing animals in appropriate social groups is a further effective way of improving animal welfare by providing animals the context in which to express wild-counterpart behaviour. Thus, knowledge of captive cheetah social interaction is crucial if zoos are to provide optimal conditions for welfare and breeding. This paper presents the preliminary findings of the effects of social housing on the behaviour of captive cheetahs. Behavioural observations were carried out on 27 cheetahs housed at ten UK zoos between May 2011 and Feburary 2012. Among group housed individuals, affiliative behaviours were more frequent than aggressive behaviours. Related males (natural grouping type) groomed each other more and were less aggressive than unrelated males (unnatural grouping type). No difference was observed in the rate of aggressive interactions between related and unrelated females (both unnatural grouping types). The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to cheetah breeding and management. Parallel session 2D
2D Science and Computing. Chair: Dr James Christian
Christopher Salford Science Stability of two-colour spatial solitons in Helmholtz vector Bostock beam models.
Emily McCoy Salford Science Arbitrary-angle interaction of spatial solitons with layered photonic structures.
Abstracts
Stability of two-colour spatial solitons in Helmholtz vector beam models.
Christopher Bostock
This presentation will cover a few very basic aspects of our latest research into how laser beams behave when they travel through some types of materials. In particular, we are interested in the properties of overlapping light beams with different colours when they are confined to a, technologically very common, type of material structure called an "optical waveguide" (a three-layered 'sandwich' that is able to trap, and hence guide, the light in the middle layer). The intrinsic properties of the materials we consider allow each beam to 'see' and 'talk to' the other beam. Indeed, this (vector) pair of beams can interact in quite a complicated way, giving rise to a range of interesting and potentially useful effects.
The earliest work in this general field was undertaken within a collaboration between researchers in France and Spain in the early 1990s [1, 2]. The model equations they used were relatively simple, and involved a type of assumption (or "approximation") that restricted the validity of their results in some quite crucial ways. Using our new (Helmholtz) techniques, we can now solve the full equations exactly (in other words, we no longer have to make the same type of approximation as earlier researchers). We can now make lots of new predictions about the properties and behaviour of this technologically- important type of multi-colour optical system.
References
[1] R. De La Fuente, Optics Communications vol. 88, 491 - 423 (1992).
[2] M. Shalaby and A. J. Barthelemy, IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics, vol. 28(12), pp. 2736 - 2741 (1992).
Arbitrary-angle interaction of spatial solitons with layered photonic structures
Emily McCoy
The behaviour of light at the interface between different adjoining materials underpins the entire field of Optics. In nonlinear photonics, a fundamental geometry comprises a spatial soliton incident on the planar boundary between two dissimilar Kerr-type media. Seminal analyses by Aceves et al. [Phys. Rev. A 39, 1809 (1989)] were ground-breaking and highly instructive, but they remain limited by the assumptions of the paraxial approximation. Interface geometries are, in general, intrinsically nonparaxial: angles of incidence, reflection, and refraction (measured relative to the interface in the laboratory frame) may be of arbitrary magnitude.
In earlier collaborations, we derived a Snell law governing arbitrary-angle refraction of spatial solitons at the interface between different Kerr materials [Opt. Lett. 35, 1347 (2010); 32, 1127 (2007)]. Analyses were facilitated by solution of an underlying nonlinear Helmholtz equation, and they completely lifted the angular limitation that is inherent to paraxial theory.
Novel material considerations have been central to our most recent studies of spatial soliton refraction. In this presentation, we extend our preliminary Kerr-based analyses to non-Kerr regimes involving optical media with cubic-quintic nonlinear susceptibilities [Opt. Quantum Electron. 11, 471 (1979)]. A key result is the derivation of a generalized Snell law, which was obtained through the deployment of exact analytical bistable Helmholtz solitons [Phys. Rev. A 76, 033833 (2007)]. Excellent agreement has been uncovered, across wide parameter ranges, between theoretical predictions and direct numerical calculations. Simulations have also identified qualitatively new phenomena, strongly dependent on the beam incidence angle, that were not captured by analysis.
Parallel session 2E
2E : Social Sciences and Humanities. Chair: Prof Chris Birkbeck, co-chair: Majda Elferjani
Heidi Koljonen Salford Social Building Evaluation Capacity into Greater Manchester Fire Sciences and Rescue Service: an Action Research Study.
Dimitrina Kaneva Manchester Humanities Creative methods for data generation: Learning walks.
Antonia Wood Salford Social Penetrating the Penal Periphery: Ethical concerns and Sciences considerations of prison research.
Abstracts
Building Evaluation Capacity into Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service: an Action Research Study.
Heidi Koljonen Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) runs over 400 community initiatives every year, and an appropriate evaluation framework is necessary to provide evidence of the impact and effectiveness of these initiatives. Information that previous evaluation processes had failed to provide. There is also a lack of theoretical models and/or guidance to assist emergency services to develop internal evaluation capacity. Insufficient attention has been paid to embedding organisational support processes to nurture individual’s evaluation skills and abilities and to assisting complex organisations utilise evaluations.
This action research study aims to investigate the feasibility of building evaluation capacity into the design process of GMFRS’s community initiatives, and to explore establishing an evaluation framework for use by non-specialists users. Mixed research methods -- document analyses, qualitative interviews, observations and focus groups -- were used in the three action research cycles conducted between April 2008 and April 2010.
This presentation will report on the progress of the study, and discuss the development of an evaluation system for an organisation in which evaluation had previously failed, and the challenges involved in embedding evaluation within a large public sector emergency service.
Creative methods for data generation: Learning walks
Dimitrina Kaneva
This paper explores the use of creative methods in qualitative research and specifically in the work with children struggling with English. Giving voice to students and enabling them to be actively engaged in articulating their views about schools is a significant issue in education (Ainscow et al. 2012). However, the majority of existing research has adopted more orthodox methods for generating data such as interviews or observations. Focusing on innovative ways of collecting the views of children by enabling them to reflect on their experiences through visual cues from the surroundings, this paper proposes a different take on researching children. It argues that learning walks are a way of collecting views by interacting with children on the move within their schools. I will present my methodological design and discuss the use of learning walks as a creative and exciting way to elicit the views of children who speak English as an additional language. I will outline the planning and use of learning walks, the advantages and disadvantages of this method and some ideas of how data could be triangulated and analysed. I will provide reflections on my methodology and important lessons I have learned by using learning walks as part of my research. I will conclude by suggesting that even though I have used learning walks as part of an educational study, as a flexible research method, learning walks or walking interviews could be applicable and potentially powerful in a range of disciplines and research situations.
Penetrating the Penal Periphery: Ethical concerns and considerations of prison research.
Antonia Wood
Prisoners are classified as both vulnerable and high risk individuals, and care is required before, during and after the research process has finished. By taking an ethnographic approach the researcher will immerse herself into the world of both prisoners and prison staff. Through the duration of the fieldwork, it is possible the researcher may overhear conversations – not necessarily meant for her ears. This in itself poses ethical dilemmas and this paper will bring to light how prison researchers have to first consider these issues, and second decide how to deal with them.
This presentation will also highlight the difficulties in cutting through the bureaucratic red tape that eventually allows academic researchers access to the prison system in England and Wales. The paper will go on to cover the ethical considerations and dilemmas in regards to researching prisoners in their ‘natural’ environment. It will briefly illustrate the journey from gaining access to HM prison system and prisoners, through to informed consent, risk assessments, anonymity, confidentiality and the importance of data security/protection. Whilst also looking at the potential for negative impacts generated through the interview process, the researcher will take an in-depth view of the male prison as a research location for female researchers; an environment that is male dominated and has the potential to be volatile.
Parallel session 3A
3A Arts and the Built Environment. Chair: Dr Benachir Medjdoub, co-chair: Majda Elferjani
Pat Moss Cumbria Art Can photography aid understanding and communication in chronic pain patients and their families?
Linda El-Qaisi Salford Built AVERROES: Applying Virtual sElf miRroring for ROle playing Environment to Enhance awareneSs, the case of Thalassemia.
Lloyd Peters Salford Media The representation of visual disability on screen, stage and in radio drama.
Abstracts
Can photography aid understanding and communication in chronic pain patients and their families?
Pat Moss
Around 7.8 million people in the UK are affected by chronic pain, which can have devastating effects on their and their families' quality of life. Studies suggest that children may show lower than average social skills and higher levels of pain complaints whilst partnerships lack of intimacy and social interaction as argued by Snelling (1994), Subhadra et al (2007), Michael et al (2010) and Closs et al (2009).
However, conventional treatment routes are limited and often only available to patients themselves excluding family members leaving them to cope with a dis-located family life on their own. My research addresses the issue of communication - or lack thereof - within those families. I suggest it may be improved through the help of imagery, similarly to the methods which have been used successfully for the treatment of phantom limb pain and most recently in patients with chronic facial pain at London’s UCLH. I argue that all family members experience some form of disruption when one member is affected by chronic pain caused by lack of communication and understanding, social isolation, role reversal, exhaustion, resentment, helplessness and sadness. Some of these feelings may be alleviated by photography depicting all of those emotions, sharing the experiences without the need of words.
In conclusion, this project may provide sufferers and their families with a tool to improve understanding, communication and ultimately family life by translating this sheaf of emotions into photographic imagery.
AVERROES: Applying Virtual sElf miRroring for ROle playing to Enhance awareneSs, the case of Thalassemia
Linda El-Qaisi
An immense necessity to enhance awareness towards an inherited blood disorder known as Thalassemia lead to the need of developing an intelligent persuasive system that will increase the level of maturity amongst affected populations. Governments of deprived, less developed countries tried many traditional passive means like TV campaigns and seminars to raise the capability towards Thalassemia. However, the level of awareness remained low causing the number of people affected by this disease to continuously increase, burdening the world's blood bank supplies and health systems.
This paper presents a mixed reality (MR) based system known as AVERROES (Applying Virtual sElf miRroring for ROle playing to Enhance awareneSs) that makes it possible to live the world assuming a new role; this new role is virtually experiencing Thalassemia in order to enhance awareness towards it. AVERROES mirrors the user’s real image into a virtual sick reflection of him/her through avatars, and then uses this reflection to role play a virtual experience of a patient’s life in interactive MR scenarios and storylines driven of real life situations. Therefore, actively involving people in enhancing their own awareness rather than passively inform them about this illness.
Powerful persuasive illusions can be created using avatars empowered with TSI (Transformed Social Interaction) tools that minimize the interaction space using the required sociable talents for positive influencing. The study shows that people are more influenced in the real world via computer-mediated communications when represented in the virtual world using avatars made of their actual pictures giving the person the opportunity to see how he/she looks and how it feels like being virtually affected by Thalassemia, to make him/her more aware of it. Learning-by-doing and active engagement that MR provides facilitates higher-level cognition and preservation of learned skills.
The representation of visual disability on screen, stage and in radio drama.
Lloyd Peters
Developing the narrative I have presented at international conferences, my practice-led PhD research aims to re-define traditional disability theories with an examination of the contrasting medial portrayals of visual impairment on radio, film and stage. This research develops the debate that I presented at the International Federation for Theatre Research (IFTR) Munich (2010) and Lisbon (2009) conferences that addressed the creative re-interpretation and “transcoding” issues that characterise the development of adaptation and new writing. I feel this is important research due to the paucity of scholarship that attempts to define, or rather reformulate, traditional disability theory discourse.
The starting point for the research is my BBC Radio 4 play Bell in the Ball (transmitted 16th July 2010) which presented the dramatic narrative of a cricketer recovering his sense of purpose after going blind. Most importantly the research will provide the opportunity to examine how the experience of visual impairment can be more authentically presented to a wide audience through adapted scripts for film and stage. To this end I have begun to seek collaborations with individuals and media/theatre companies working with visually impaired performers, writers and practitioners. I have already commenced shooting the film pilot.
The presentation will attempt to examine both the cultural and political forces that shape disability representation. Extracts from the radio play will be played and scenes from the film adaptation pilot will also be screened.
Parallel session 3B
3B Business. Chair: Dr Saad Yousif, co-chair: Godfrey Somtochukwu
Imtiaz Hussain Salford Engineering Onboard estimation of the wheel-rail contact conditions.
Grainne Gordon Bolton Engineering Identifying distinct cycle route typologies from single point bicycle counts.
Mohammed Salford Engineering The Use of Road Narrowing “Throttle” as Traffic Calming: Alterawi Modeling Junction Operation.
Abstracts
Onboard estimation of the wheel-rail contact conditions
Imtiaz Hussain
Since the beginning of the railway, the low adhesion problem between the wheel and the rail has been a crucial parameter in the design and operation of the railway vehicles. Although in last few decades the railway industry has been able to manage the low adhesion to some extent, but currently available measures are not sufficient to eliminate the safety incidents and train delays. In this paper a novel and vehicle based technique for the real time estimation of the wheel-rail contact conditions is proposed. The proposed scheme exploits the fact that the dynamic behaviour of a railway vehicle is strongly affected by the variations in the adhesion level. The purpose of the proposed scheme is to interpret these variations in the dynamic response of the wheelset into useful contact condition information. The proposed system involves the use of a number of carefully selected mathematical models of a rail vehicle to mimic the train dynamic behaviours in response to the different track conditions. Each of the estimators is tuned to match one particular track. The level of matches/mismatches is reflected in the estimation errors of the models concerned, when compared with the real vehicle (through the measurement output of vehicle mounted inertial sensors). The output residuals from all the models are then assessed by a fuzzy logic based decision making system to determine which of the models provide a best match to the present operating condition and hence to identify the real time information about the track conditions .
Identifying distinct cycle route typologies from single point bicycle counts
Grainne Gordon
Accurate estimation of bicycle traffic volumes and trends is important in transport monitoring and planning. Nationally, the UK government measures levels of cycling activity from information collected through the National Travel Survey (NTS), and from counts which form the National Road Traffic Estimates (NRTE). The Department for Transport has been concerned about monitoring mechanisms for some time and accepts that surveys tend to under-record the level of cycling activity and that the incomplete coverage of surveying of traffic on minor roads and lack of coverage on motor traffic-free routes leads to an under-reporting of cycle use.
The establishment of patterns of cycling for different route types will help in understanding the variability in cycling. Current methods of analysis used for traffic counts are not sufficiently well disaggregated by route type to provide robust estimates for cycle traffic.
Traffic estimates are produced using twenty two classes of route, six of which are minor roads where most cycling takes place. The six minor route classifications are: urban (London and non-London); rural (two flow levels) and; holiday routes (two flow levels).
This paper investigates available cycle count data from Sustrans, a UK sustainable transport charity, and presents a range of route typologies for cycle traffic based on an analysis of patterns of use by season, day of week, and time of day.
The Use of Road Narrowing “Throttle” as Traffic Calming: Modeling Junction Operation
Mohammed Alterawi
Traffic calming measures have been widely used in urban areas across the world with the aim to reduce both vehicles’ flow but mainly to reduce drivers’ speed and consequently reduce accidents level and severity. Road narrowing (Throttle) is a one-way priority system which is widely used as a traffic calming countermeasure in the United Kingdom. The installation of such a measure close to a junction can severely affect its operation and level of service especially to the major road movements. There is a lack in research, guidance and design standards of such a measure.
This paper provides a summary of the terms and standards used in practice for traffic calming measures worldwide. It mainly deals with the use of Throttles as one of the commonly used measure. In this paper, the Paramics micro-simulation model has been used. The model was calibrated and validated using field data from a site within Greater Manchester. Various scenarios were carried out for different combinations to test the effects on delays and queues for various parameters such as Throttle spacing (X), major arms flow level and changing the direction of priority for each stream.
The findings suggest that there are significant reductions in delays to the major arm flow by switching the direction of the existing priority sign (i.e. from having priority to drivers from the side road to giving priority to those travelling from the main junction and into the Throttle). It also shows a direct relationship between Throttle spacing (X) and the level of delay for junction major arms traffic.
Parallel session 3C
3C Business. Chair: Dr Kevin Kane. Co-chair : Dima Alsayeed Assa'd
Nyoman Dewi Salford Business Exploring and Understanding Relationship Marketing and Networks in the Hotel Industry: A Case Study of Hotels in the Bali Province of the Republic of Indonesia.
Stela Georgiana Salford Business The Role of Gastronomic Factors on Perceived Motivation for Ciuchete Choosing Cruise Holidays in Romania.
Abstracts
Exploring and Understanding Relationship Marketing and Networks in the Hotel Industry: A Case Study of Hotels in the Bali Province of the Republic of Indonesia
Nyoman Dewi
This research attempts to integrate the concepts of relationship marketing and network organisations especially within a service marketing context and in this case the Bali Hotel industry. This research particularly explores the business to business networks whereas most of the research in the hotel industry is related to business to consumer. This paper considers how successful marketing strategy uses a network of business relationships and through the critical evaluation of relevant and appropriate academic literature, a conceptual model is proposed. The paper describes, evaluates and justified the development of such a model which comes from an analysis and evaluation of literature in the following aspects of marketing. Firstly, the concept and philosophy of relationship marketing is considered and its key components. Given that many of hotel industry stakeholders are other businesses. This paper then considers the literature in business-to-business marketing which then automatically leads to a consideration of the literature of business networks. The paper concludes with a discussion about future research objectives and how they can be met. The findings of this research will contribute not only for the enhancement of the concept of business networks but also for the development of hotel industry particularly in the Republic of Indonesia.
The Role of Gastronomic Factors on Perceived Motivation for Choosing Cruise Holidays in Romania
Stela Georgiana Ciuchete
This study aims at identifying the importance of food choices and other gastronomic factors and their role in cruising motivation and on the intention to cruise amongst tourists from Romania. The growth of the cruise industry during the last few years and increasing competition suggests that tour operators need to focus their business strategies on the key drivers that motivate cruise tourists. This study measures the links between hedonics, behavioral intentions and value perception related to the food served on cruises. It is demonstrated that emotional and affective factors related to cross-cultural and gastronomic incentives are decisive in the motivation of Romanian tourists when choosing to cruise. Moreover, the links between the cultural and historical heritage of cruise destinations and the culinary preferences on those on board were shown to be amongst the most important motivational drivers for Romanian consumers. Based on the results of this study, business strategy insights are provided for tour operators and tourism agencies from Romania dealing with the cruise market along with a contribution to the academic literature on tourism motivation.
Parallel session 3D
Wednesday 30 May, 3:00pm – 4:00pm, Mary Seacole room 169/70
3D Social Sciences. Chair: Cristina Costa, co-chair: Maimoona Al Rawahi
Rachel Hallet Keele Social An Investigation of Age, Motivations and Music Use in Gym- Sciences Based Exercise Sessions.
Marta Zurawik Bolton Social Well-being and the role of physical activity in later life. Case Sciences study of senior Nordic Walkers.
Ana Borges da Bolton Social Circle Dance: a leisure occupation promoting well-being. Costa Sciences
Abstracts
An Investigation of Age, Motivations and Music Use in Gym-Based Exercise Sessions
Rachel Hallet
Music is frequently used to accompany both group and individual exercise and has been shown to have a motivating effect. Despite recommendations to tailor music to exerciser age, there is a lack of evidence to support doing so in gyms, and over-35s are neglected in the existing literature. This study sought to address these gaps in knowledge, using interviews with gym members reflecting a broad age range to explore music use during exercise. Sixteen members of a local authority gym in the West Midlands area were recruited to take part in semi-structured interviews. Participants were 8 males and 8 females, ranging in age from 17 to 67. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed to establish key themes. The study found two distinct groups of exercisers: socialisers and workers. The two groups engaged differently with the gym environment and showed contrasting use of media while exercising. Socialisers were largely ambivalent towards music for exercise, while workers displayed sophisticated tailoring of playlists to facilitate increased effort. Music choices for exercise were diverse, contradicting existing literature’s suggestion of preference for music released in one’s late adolescence or early adulthood. The study suggests that music preferences may reflect changing technologies for music dissemination. The socialiser/worker groups are a new finding and worthy of further research to understand how life stage and age may be influencing exercise behaviours.
Well-being and the role of physical activity in later life. Case study of senior Nordic Walkers.
Marta Zurawik
Sedentary lifestyle is a cause of various chronic health conditions, which can be prevented, improved or managed with even low levels of daily physical activity such as walking. Most adults living in western societies miss the recommended level of 30 minutes’ daily physical activity (British Heart Foundation, 2001; DH, 2011) which, when added to the fact that we are living longer, suggests that the associated risks present increasing concerns as we age.
Walking, as the nearest activity to perfect exercise (Tolley, 2003), is the most common daily physical activity accepted and performed by most people across all racial, ethnic, income and age groups. In addition, walking has known social benefits implicated in psychological wellbeing and quality of life; especially for older adults who prefer this type of lower intensity exercise.
Nordic Walking is a form of physical activity, based on marching technique, where to regular walking the active use of specially designed poles is added (Piech, Raczynska 2010). It is easy to learn and can be practiced throughout the year. Nordic Walking engages around 90% of body muscles, strengthens the lower body, whilst improving upper body performance (Piech, Raczynska 2010). The growing interest in Nordic Walking endorsed researchers’ attention to activity and its effects on human body (Morgulec- Adamowicz, Marszałek et al. 2011). However, none research findings have explained its benefits on mental well-being. Therefore, the key focus of the research is to explore the benefits of Nordic walking on elderly peoples’ mental well-being and life quality.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. 2011. Start Active, Stay Active – A report on physical activity for health from the four home countries’ Chief Medical Officers
TOLLEY, R., 2003. Sustainable transport : planning for walking and cycling in urban environments. Cambridge: Woodhead
PIECH, K., and RACZYNSKA, B., 2010. Nordic Walking- a versataile physical activity. Polish Journal of Sport and Tourism, 17, pp. 69-78
MORGULEC-ADAMOWICZ, N., MARSZAŁEK, J. and JAGUSTYN, P., 2011. NORDIC WALKING -- A NEW FORM OF ADAPTED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY (a LITERATURE REVIEW). Human Movement, 12(2), pp. 124-132
Circle Dance: a leisure occupation promoting well-being
Ana Borges da Costa
Circle dance comes from the tradition of folk dance; its repertoire includes a combination of traditional dances from different countries and cultures in addition to contemporary choreographies. My doctoral research approaches the potential contribution of circle dance to well-being through the subject field of occupational therapy (Borges da Costa, 2012). The overall focus of this investigation is to develop an understanding of the complexity and meanings that participants attribute to circle dance and its impact on their sense of occupational well-being, generating a detailed knowledge of the process of being engaged in this shared occupation. It will also consider how pedagogic practice might induce a sense of well-being in participants and how the principles of occupational therapy could enhance the pedagogy of circle dance. This qualitative study draws on rich empirical data from in-depth interviews with participants, teachers and coordinators of teacher training programmes from the circle dance network in the United Kingdom (U.K.).
This paper aims to provide a brief analytical outline of the potential of circle dance, as an element of an active leisure lifestyle, to enable individuals to experience perceptions of well-being and self- regeneration. It will also discuss the initial findings of my research undertaken to date, exploring correlations to the concept of serious leisure (Stebbins, 2008) and engaging occupation (Jonsson, 2008). The contribution to knowledge, informing occupational therapy and circle dance practices as well as the field of leisure and well-being, will also be further explored in this paper.
References
Borges da Costa, A.L. (2012) Occupational therapy, circle dance and well-being: the need for research, British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 75(2), pp.114-116
Jonsson, H. (2008) A new direction in the conceptualization and categorization of occupation. Journal of Occupational Sciences, 15(1), pp.3-8
Stebbins, R.A. (2008) Serious leisure: a perspective for our time, New Brunswick, N.J.: Transaction Publishers.
Parallel session 4A
4A Arts and Humanities. Chair: Dr Victoria Sheppard, co-chair: Sheryl Buckley
Ruth White LJMU Art "Fly-On-The-Wall": Social Class in The Art of Gillian Wearing.
Bee Hughes LJMU Art Illustrating Dracula: The Hunt for the Count's Moustache.
Abby Bentham Salford Humanities Dexter: Monstrous Psychopath, or Rational Response to Bewildering Modernity?
Minghui Li Salford Languages Six Chinese translations of Great Expectations (1964-2009)
Abstracts
"Fly-On-The-Wall": Social Class in The Art of Gillian Wearing.
Ruth White
This paper provides a unique sociological and philosophical reading of the art of Gillian Wearing. Utilizing Pierre Bourdieu’s theories of habitus and capital (1986, 1989), Diane Reay’s extension of Bourdieu, emotional capital (2004) and the fieldwork and insights of Simon J Charlesworth (2000), I argue that the damaged psyches of her subjects are a result of experiences that emanate from their positions in the English class system. The core of this paper provides an in-depth analysis of a number of Wearing’s works, in particular the theme of lower class alcoholism in; Drunk and Theresa and. . . , and the contrasting life experiences and viewpoints expressed by the lower and middle class young people in 10 – 16. Jay Prosser has described Wearing’s work as ‘ethical realism,’ (2002) in part because of her reflexive ethnographic methodology that acknowledges the problematic nature of documentary photography and allows her subjects a voice. This paper asks, is this enough? Does not much of Wearing’s work reinforce perceptions of Britain’s underclass? Do the representation of the alcoholics in her work evoke sympathy and a deeper understanding of their plight or do they merely repel the predominantly ‘well educated’, ‘higher social classes’ that visit galleries? (Stallabrass 2006).
Illustrating Dracula: The Hunt for the Count's Moustache
Bee Hughes
This study investigates the interpretation of a literary work from the perspective of an illustrator. Central to the research is a close reading of the novel Dracula by Bram Stoker published in 1897, employed as a platform from which to compare existing and specially commissioned illustrations for the novel. This study uniquely combines practical research, historical context and literary and artistic theory, proposing a new way to consider and interpret literary works. The cross-pollination of ideas linking image and text has become instrumental in my practice and by concentrating on one novel this research aims to offer a meaningful contribution to the spheres of both Dracula scholarship and to illustrative practice and theory.
Exploration of the world in which Stoker lived is necessary in order to gain an insight into the complex and dynamic era that produced the novel. Key to understanding the novel is recognising the great societal changes that took place in during this period, with the emergence of such concepts as the New Woman, the advent of Freud’s psychoanalysis and the earth shattering revelations of he work of Charles Darwin.
Dracula has played a pivotal role in creating the dark glamour we now associate with the vampire myth, which has only been amplified by numerous cinematic adaptations. Many contemporary visual representations draw heavily upon this well-established aesthetic quality. The practical phase of this study aims to redress the balance, drawing on the exact words of the novel rather than the idea of gothic glamour to produce a set of illustrations that truly encapsulate the themes and atmosphere of Stoker’s novel.
Dexter: Monstrous Psychopath, or Rational Response to Bewildering Modernity?
Abby Bentham
Over the last 100 years or so, the figure of the psychopath has become increasingly central to fictional depictions, perhaps as a result of humankind’s enduring fascination with narratives of monstrous villainy. Representations have made the transition from depictions of the psychopath as fiendish ‘other’, such as Dostoyevsky’s Svidrigailov, to modern portrayals of the psychopathic murderer as hero, as portrayed in Jeff Lindsay’s series of ‘Dexter’ novels. Lindsay offers a unique perspective on this trajectory in that he places his psychopath in the central, heroic role, thus subverting traditional morality. My paper will explore cultural fascination with the psychopath and question what the romanticisation - and the audience’s ultimate acceptance - of this figure reveal about cultural responses to transgression within contemporary society. I will focus predominantly on the series of ‘Dexter’ novels but also examine the popular TV series for evidence of wider cultural trends.
Dexter is the embodiment of Kristeva’s notion of the ‘criminal with good conscience...the killer who claims he’s a saviour’ (4). His actions are cast not as the indefensible deeds of an unknowable fiend, but as a rational response to bewildering modernity. This phenomenon, I suggest, emanates from the mainstreaming of deviancy in popular culture, a process which leads, ultimately, to the acceptance of characters like Dexter. I will examine this dramatic renegotiation of the rhetoric of ‘evil’ in Lindsay’s novels, exploring the points of congruence and divergence between the novels and the TV series to ascertain what they reveal about twenty-first century society.
Works Cited
Kristeva, Julia. The Powers of Horror: An Essay on Abjection. New York: Colombia UP, 1982.
Six Chinese translations of Great Expectations (1964-2009)
Minghui Li
The translation of Charles Dickens’ novels into Chinese can be traced back to 1907. The reception of Dickens’ works in China has developed in a significant fashion since then; their influence on Chinese society has continued to the present day.
This paper gives a historical reading of the ‘cultural journey’ of Great Expectations in China, investigates the translation norms adopted by six translations between 1964 and 2009. These six translations produced by Beijing Foreign Language Institute, Department of English (1964), Wang Keyi’s translation published by Shanghai Translation Publishing House (1979), Chen Zuoqing’s translation published by the Commercial Press (1983), Luo Zhiye’s translation published by Yilin Publishing House (1994), Zhuwan and Yezun’s transaltion published by the People’s Literature Publishing House (2004), and Jin Changwei’s translation published by Changjiang Literature & Arts Publishing House (2009).
Drawing on these six translation case studies, this paper attempts to answer the following question: Given the shift in the translation norms in these texts, how can they be accounted for and how dramatic were they? This paper will provide an overview of my PhD research project, which seeks to trace the presence and influence of translation norms in these translated texts within broader historical, social and cultural contexts, and examines what caused these shifts in contemporary China. It will critically reflect upon Toury's conceptualisation of translation norms, with the aim of identifying his contribution to the field as well as the methodological limitations of his model.
Parallel session 4B
4B Social work and Social Sciences. Chair: Cristina Costa, co-chair: Munira Elmagri
Siân E Lucas Salford Social Work To interpret or not to interpret: Child Language Brokering in a Social Welfare Context.
Amy Shephard Bolton Social Social capital and health potential in community based health Sciences projects.
Sue Brown Bolton Social Why ask male motorcyclists about the influence of cultural Sciences masculine identities on men’s health and wellbeing?
Abstracts
To interpret or not to interpret: Child Language Brokering in a Social Welfare Context
Siân E Lucas
Child language brokering (CLB) is the act of interpreting and translating by bilingual children to adults in both private and public spheres. It is widely accepted that CLB occurs; however its legitimacy is a site of contestation, dependent of context. The paper considers different responses to CLB; first it looks at research that claims CLB is detrimental to children, due to premature exposure to adult realms of discourse, technical difficulties in translation and the associated emotional burden and responsibility of interpreting between adults. Conversely, there is research to suggests children find brokering unproblematic and to be of benefit; cognitively, emotionally and economically. In consideration of these binary positions, the paper considers what CLB may mean in a social work milieu, particularly where intervention is managed under the rubric of safeguarding. The paper argues that, while a diagnostic approach to CLB, in terms of harm or not, is characteristic of the interventionist approach to social welfare; the regulation of CLB is problematic. It is therefore suggested that social work research critically examines the naturalization of the dominant discursive model of CLB.
Social capital and health potential in community based health projects
Amy Shephard
A significant body of research exists exploring the association between social capital and health. Social capital can be defined as the ‘actual or potential resources that inhere in a network’. However, the focus of social capital research has been on a biomedical model of health, such as life expectancy and self rated health. My research instead aims to explore whether social capital is a resource that helps people lead a healthy life.
This is important as there is a growing movement across commissioners in the North West to develop asset based approaches to improving health. They are keen to support activities that help build several aspects of positive health, activities that help people move along the health, ill health continuum regardless of their starting point. My research is interested in exploring the interplay between what it means to lead a healthy life and social capital, within the setting of community based health projects. Community based health projects can be seen as an environment in which social capital is built leading to an increase in assets and movement towards the health end of the health - ill health continuum.
The presentation will cover the journey from the first 18 months of my research. It will include an outline of the underlying theories of social capital and health. I will outline how I have approached my method using participatory research techniques. It will finish by exploring some of the early emerging findings from the data.
Why ask male motorcyclists about the influence of cultural masculine identities on men’s health and wellbeing?
Sue Brown
Men’s health is an emerging discipline (White, 2006). Men resist timely health help-seeking and experience many resultant health harms (Galdas, Cheater & Marshall, 2005). Risk-based research causally links ‘being a man’ to various physiological, psychological and social health inequalities, including earlier death through coronary heart disease, suicide or deprivation (DH, 2002:3). Health messages commonly portray masculinity as hegemonic and singular (Smith, 2007). Despite the negative health associations of ‘traditional masculinity’ (Doyal, 2001), men’s health exemplars often embody, sport-leisure linked (heteronormative?) muscularity (Connell, 2005; Warren, 2002). And though ‘singular masculinity’ health promotion messages limit their own success (Smith, 2007), they continue to be used (e.g. Cosmo Magazine’s annual Everyman Testicular Cancer campaign).
Theorising masculinities and health is much debated, mainly from two dichotomous standpoints (men’s studies, critical studies on men). Since the 1990s, the established field of men’s studies has consistently problematised the construal of men’s bodies, masculine identities and position within structural and institutional patriarchies (Crawshaw & Smith, 2009). Contested variants include the existence of intrinsic health orientations, hegemonic masculinity and plural masculinities.
1.1million machines are licensed with the DVLA to men and many more to companies with men likely to be the main rider (Lloyd/DfT, 2011). In Britain, motorcycling is a status-linked, male-dominated leisure segment that valorises traditional masculinity. Operationalising men’s health and wellbeing from this perspective positions it directly in a man-centric context with established masculine norms that counterpoise compliance with desirable health praxis. My presentation will explore the literature context in which the research is taking place.
Parallel session 4C
4C Environment and Built Environment . Chair: Dr Phil Brown, co-chair: Gebril Elagili
Sonja Rewhorn Chester Environment Is there Proof in the rural pudding? Has the mechanism of rural proofing become effective and inherent in policy development process in England?
Suat Nasifoglu Salford Built Different retrofitting scenarios in BIM with contrast to SAP. Environment Gaia Zamburlini Salford Built Heritage Buildings in the UK: Current Position, Importance and Environment Significance.
Carl Wilkinson LJMU Built Building Schools for the Future – Government Schools Environment Investment Programme 2005/2010.
Abstracts
Is there Proof in the rural pudding? Has the mechanism of rural proofing become effective and inherent in policy development process in England?
Sonja Rewhorn
December 2000 saw the UK Government publish its Rural White Paper for England ‘Our Countryside the future fair deal for rural England’ which established rural proofing. Rural proofing is the process by which policy makers systematically consider significant differential policy impacts in rural areas and what adjustments could be made to enable policy to fit rural circumstances more equitably. Since the establishment of rural proofing the principle has been adapted and adopted to a lesser or greater degree within different spatial geographies and socio-economic functions across England. There are many examples of rural proofing good practice. However, there appears to be a need to holistically evaluate rural proofing within the policy development process. This research is in its early stages however, it will gather data from interviews and discussions and make use of social media. It is based on reflective and experiential knowledge working with stakeholders in the (English) rural socio-economic field, focussing on the general area of the south Pennines. The discussions will be focused around evaluating the practice of rural proofing within all stages of policy development and within the governance structures which form part of the policy development process. The evaluation will establish the effectiveness of rural proofing as a policy development practice and identify recommendations for improving the integration of rural proofing principles with policy making. This research will contribute to the on-going rural proofing debate and to more equitable future rural policy development.
Different retrofitting scenarios in BIM with contrast to SAP
Suat Nasifoglu
Nowadays, different retrofitting options are being developed with the intention of mitigating the deprecating impacts of the buildings’ on the environment in addition to enhancing wise and efficient energy usage.
In today’s construction services, demand on retrofitting services like BREEAM and CfSH (Code for Sustainable Homes) assessors are improving their limits of sustainability design and better thermal efficiencies for buildings as owners or contractors desire to come out with alternative solutions.
According to 2008 Climate Act which is settled by UK Government, it is intended to reduce CO2 emissions by 34% by 2020 and 80% by 2050 because of the improving energy demand. Upon on this act, it will be great opportunity for the occupants to achieve reduced annual usage which leads them to obtain reduced utility bills and lower energy consumption. On the other hand, in UK, researches and market reviews estimate that residential places hold 29% of the overall energy consumed annually, where this rate accounts for 21% of the CO2 emissions which have a significant role on extermination of resources.
In contrast with these, consequently this visionary paper examines regulations on SAP (Standard Assessment Procedure) calculations and will be conducted with BIM (Building Information Modelling) and will produce energy performance integrated into a live BIM model with different retrofitting scenarios. These scenarios will suggest to users different retrofitting techniques by taken EPA (Energy Performance Assessment) information from the simulation in contrast with SAP then apply these techniques into BIM in loop cycle in order to be more beneficial for assessors or designers in bigger projects by saving time, money and energy consumption.
Heritage Buildings in the UK: Current Position, Importance and Significance
Gaia Zamburlini
Abstract: The report seeks to explore the nature of Heritage Buildings in the UK, while highlighting related semantic and etymologic definitions, and understanding their potential influence within the current practice of Heritage Protection. A thorough categorization of Heritage types is often recurring in the literature. It mainly points at the relevance of tangible architectural and historical values in the current legislative context, which therefore reflects onto the adopted Conservation criteria. This notwithstanding, the fabric itself is not only believed to retain aesthetical values, but also cultural significance, with the relevance of such underlying concepts dating back to the early principle of minimal intervention. The paper considers a systematic care of the individual asset as a material and cultural artifact, which has set the ground for a Planned, rather than responsive, maintenance strategy. A shift of focus towards the historical environment is also discussed as Integrated Conservation, from which contradictions on the scale of action derive. On a national level, the position of Heritage Buildings currently leans towards a reformed policy, which is believed to even such tensions through a bottom-up approach, with Cultural Heritage resulting as a supporting paradigm rather than a set of strictly defining criteria. In terms of its importance and significance, the co-existence of local values with national statutory provisions is essential. Although such perspective has been taken and relevant legislation changes achieved, this area of discourse has proved to be complex, socio-culturally and politically embedded. It is therefore recommended that more empirical research is conducted, with particular regard to the aspects of multidisciplinarity in the practice of Conservation.
Building Schools for the Future – Government Schools Investment Programme 2005/2010 Carl Wilkinson
My Educational Doctorate is based on the ‘transformational’ aspects of Building Schools for the Future (BSF), namely, ‘flexible buildings’, ‘innovative teaching and learning’ and ‘the use of Information and Control Technology’, through an ethnographic study of two comprehensive schools amalgamating in a Local Education scheme. This presentation will focus on ‘flexible buildings’ and looks at the history of school building through a range of school architecture literature, the practice built up through the Ministerial Office responsible for school building after World War II, the Architects and Building Branch, with their research and development of prefabricated school building and the publication of Building Bulletins and its subsequent closure. It compares this to the free for all of BSF as concluded by the James Report 2010. By comparing 20 other schools built in the first wave of BSF to the subject school, with a particular interest in the Science and Technology facilities, this presentation will indicatehow the environment affects the curriculum, acoustics and well-being of both staff and pupils. I have collected data, through questionnaires and interviews of the staff as they were about to close their original school and a year after occupying their new school, based on the PriceWaterhouseCoopers Annual Review of BSF. This data is being used to analyse the facility and make comparisons to the other Wave 1 schools in the study and will be drawing on similar studies by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Parallel session 4D
4D Engineering. Chair: Prof T X Mei, co-chair: Nafiseh Ahanchian
Masrilayanti Salford Engineering Effect of Soil Stiffness on the Behaviour of Integral Bridges under Earthquake.
Mohamed Salford Engineering The Behaviour of Cold-Formed Lipped Zed Purlins Using ANSYS Mohamed and CUFSM.
Mohammad Salford Engineering Applying Fault Tolerance Technique to Active Control in Mirzapour Railway System.
Abstracts
Effect of Soil Stiffness on the Behaviour of Integral Bridges under Earthquake
Masrilayanti
An important consideration for the design of earthquake resistant structure is the condition of the soil where the structures built on for maximum considered earthquake shaking. Earthquake creates ground movements that can be dangerous for structure including bridges. In recent years, considerable research about earthquake and soil structure interaction effects has been conducted. In this study, the effect of earthquake to integral bridges on several soil conditions through computer simulation of an integral abutment bridge is examined. The study is made based on Eurocode 8, which provides data in different types of soil to be recommended for earthquake analysis. A symmetrical medium length integral bridge obtaining from an existing structure is used to be analysed and modelled. To create artificial earthquake, 0.35g peak ground acceleration is applied to the structure. The method used is arranging a simulation for synthetic time history for 5 different types of soil by using mathcad. The synthetic acceleration time history will be validated by seismosoft, software which allows users to create their own library of ground motion records. This time history then is applied to ANSYS (engineering simulation software) to get the response from the bridge. The results show that lower stiffness soil faces a worse effect of earthquake compared to higher stiffness soil, because lower stiffness soil yields a larger deflection. It also tends to amplify ground shaking. Therefore it can be concluded that the damage will usually be more severe on soft soils in comparison to higher stiffness soil.
The Behaviour of Cold-Formed Zed Purlins Using ANSYS and CUFSM
Mohamed Mohamed
Demand of using cold-formed steel structures has increased significantly due to their advantages compared with concrete, hot rolled steel, and wood. Cold-formed steel beams (purlins) are used widely in residential, industrial, and commercial buildings.
In this study, the behavior of cold-formed zed steel sections with the effect of lateral and rotational restraints of purlins of cold-formed lipped zed sections provided by the roof sheeting are investigated and also to investigate the importance of using edge fold and stiffener at the web of the cross-section to obtain the optimum cross-section. Adding edge fold and stiffener is to reduce buckling phenomenon and to increase the strength of the purlins. Finite element analysis software ANSYS is incorporated for calculation to fulfill the accuracy, quickness, and easiness using linear and non-linear analysis. Uniformly distributed loads are applied on the upper flange of the purlins downward or upward. Connection of roof sheeting to the purlin provided lateral and rotational restraints to the purlins. ANSYS software provided a high ability for simulating the model of connection roof sheeting to the purlins.
Constrained finite strip method (CUFSM) and direct strength method (DSM) both are employed to calculate and separate the types of buckling and obtaining flexural nominal moments of the sections which used for design.
The extensive work has been conducted before this study on cold-formed steel purlins and purlin sheeting systems are still few. Different (various) means have been used in this study to predict the precise response of connecting roof sheeting to purlins and recommending the optimum cross-section
Applying Fault Tolerance Technique to Active Control in Railway System
Mohammad Mirzapour
Recently there has been increasing attention in the use of active control within primary suspension to provide stability and steering performance to improve operation efficiency. This technology tries to eliminate the design conflict between stability and steering performance which previously perceived of traditional passive components. Traditional passive components are generally accepted as “safe”, which mean that mechanical components can be designed not to fail. Therefore, any new technology must demonstrate that it can deal with any component fault without compromising passenger safety and prove that any failure in component would not lead to system failure. Therefore, any active steering scheme must meet the necessary standards of reliability. The aim of this study is to develop the fault tolerant method to improve reliability and efficiency of an active wheelset for railway vehicle in order to maintain the acceptable level of safety in the event of system component failures. However, it is possible for a real time system to equip with redundant hardware module to provide the necessary functionality, but the main disadvantage is that it establishes high cost for the use of multiple actuators for redundancy. Hence, the focus of this study is to guarantee system controllability in the event of actuator fault without the need for costly hardware redundancy.
Parallel session 4E
4E Social Sciences and Built Environment. Chair: Dr Paul Chynoweth, co-chair: Mauro DiLullo
Mhorag Goff Salford Social The Electronic Patient Record: an Actor-Network for the ‘risk Sciences society’.
Mark Crowder Chester Science/ Decision-making: Two schools of thought or one? psychology
Hussein Alkinani Salford Built The Need for Training of Site Project managers in Iraq Environment construction firms.
Selim Tugra Demir Liverpool Built Collaborative Risk Management: A team framework for Environment managing risks on construction projects
Abstracts
The Electronic Patient Record: an Actor-Network for the ‘risk society’.
Mhorag Goff
This presentation will describe ongoing research into Electronic Patient Records (EPRs) within the NHS in England, preliminary findings and methodological challenges. Exploring EPRs through the lens of the ‘risk society’ aims to capture how this concept applies to EPRs as a complex and far-reaching technology.
The ‘risk society’ expresses the notion that modernisation processes associated with industrialization and advances in science and technology have, rather than achieving unequivocal benefits for society, also generated new kinds of risk as a result of techno-scientific projects; risks which tend to be invisible, global in reach, hard to predict and whose avoidance has become a key driver, producing heightened awareness of risk within societies.
Using Actor-Network Theory I intend to describe the EPR as a product of a network of human and non- human actor-stakeholders which is brought into being through the negotiation of multiple interests. In question is whether these interests will be held in balance and maintain a delicate stability for this technology, particularly because of the contentious nature of their introduction through the National Programme for IT, or whether they will ultimately fail to become established. I aim to map out the human and non-human actors within this network to understand how the record creates new connections and relationships through data flows and through associated shifts in accountabilities and responsibilities, and whether these changes bring new, unanticipated ‘risk society’ risks as well as the intended benefits mapped out in the government’s vision.
Decision-making: Two schools of thought or one?
Mark Chowder
In the current economic climate, it is important to ensure that the right decisions are made. Managers are being forced to find new and innovative ways to deliver key services, and thus, an understanding of how decisions are made is particularly relevant at the present time.
The decision-making literature is extensive, but theories can be broadly grouped into two main schools of thought – normative (how decisions ‘should’ be made) and behavioural (how decisions are ‘actually’ made). Current research by Kahneman and others suggests that the two approaches can work together, with behavioural decisions being ‘amended’ by normative techniques.
This presentation asks the question ‘Are there really two schools of thought?’
The presentation begins by briefly outlining the normative and behavioural approaches before focusing on one behavioural approach – cognitive heuristics (rules of thumb which are used to simplify decisions). Practical examples are given showing how heuristics can explain key decisions that have been made.
By exploring two commonly occurring heuristics in detail, with actual examples of each, this presentation will show that the ‘two schools of thought’ approach is somewhat artificial and that heuristics can be used to explain both normative and behavioural decision-making processes.
The Need for Training of Site Project manager in Iraq construction firms
Hussein Alkinani
Fast changing in the Construction Industry make it necessary for project manager to be kept abreast of the challenges of ever–changing construction technology, knowledge ideology, management techniques, dynamic nature of construction site works and this requires training and retraining. To meet the demands of successful projects the construction employees involved in project management on site need to be highly competent in the fields of project planning financial and people management. Continuing training has now become a means of keeping abreast with new developments, and identified as one of the most effective vehicles for learning which in-turn will contribute to quality and performance improvements of people in their job. Training needs identifies the performance ‘gap’ when designing training. TN is necessary to determine in particular the training needs of project managers in construction. This paper presents the findings of an on-going research study in Assessment of construction workforce skills need in Iraq construction firms. The emergent findings suggest that although there are some significant differences in the perception of the importance of training needs between workforces. The aim of this paper is to examine and evaluate the importance of the training of project managers handling selected construction projects in Iraq. Research Methods:
The study covered Iraq only and from the Project Engineers, Site managers, Civil Engineers and Architect engineer’s point of view. This study relied mainly on analytical descriptive and field study methodology. A questionnaire was designed and sent to 260 people and reply was 165 responders working in construction companies; classified in Iraq as first, second and third degrees.
Collaborative Risk Management: A team framework for managing risks on construction projects
Selim Tugra Demir
There are usually four main stakeholder groups involved in a construction project, namely: the owner, the project manager, the designers and the contractors. Each of these individual parties perceives different types of risks to the project. Therefore there needs to be a high degree of collaboration when managing risks in order to integrate the different perspectives into a coherent and holistic risk management strategy. This research seeks to establish a team-based framework for managing risk in construction, with the aim being to create a high level of interactions between the four main stakeholder groups mentioned previously at each step of the risk management process. The research involved the case of a construction project in the South-West of Germany. Firstly interviews were undertaken with the parties involved to understand the different perspectives and to identify their requirements from the risk management process. Secondly, a questionnaire was developed. 150 questionnaires were sent out to clients, project managers, designers and contractors. 97 usable responses were received, giving a response rate of 65%. The results show how the different perspectives on risks from the various stakeholders can enrich the risk management process. The survey findings are used to inform the development of a collaborative team-based framework for managing risks which is the focus of the presentation.
Parallel session 5A
5A Art and Social Sciences, chair: Dr Victoria Sheppard
Kate Holmes Bolton Social How Technology Enables Local Narratives within Craft and Sciences DIY Culture.
Ying Ying Law Salford Social The Travelling Gamer: Exploring the Everyday Life of Video Sciences Gamers.
Abstracts
How Technology Enables Local Narratives within Craft and DIY Culture
Kate Holmes
The aim of this investigation is to explore how technology enables creative communities of practice that follow a Do-it-yourself (DIY) ethic. This study includes a variety of perspectives from craftspeople, musicians and knitting and craft group members. It will endeavor to understand the relationship of how people may use technology such as social media to learn skills to apply to their everyday making and to create and form communities. This is to gain a deeper understanding of how the use of technologies may enable empowerment by giving a voice to local narratives.
This study will be informed by a postmodern position and will embrace the notion of plurality. I will adopt the role of a bricoleur by using multi-method qualitative techniques in order to piece together the story of a complex field. This study is using an interpretivist lens to focus on the opinions and perceptions of the participants’ relationship with technology. The data collected has been analyzed for emergent themes. This will allow me to gain a deeper understanding of this domain and to assist in the answering of the research questions. The interpretivist stance acknowledges that findings are subject to the interpretation of the researcher and the participants. This research is not intended to be representative or generalizable but will provide a unique insight into an under-explored and flourishing domain of creativity. I will present some of the concepts that surround my research along with examples of my findings.
The Travelling Gamer: Exploring the Everyday Life of Video Gamers
Ying Ying Law
Digital gaming refers to all types of electronic gaming played on game consoles, arcade machines, computers, mobile phones and other gaming hardware (Blackshaw and Crawford 2009). Previously, what was once a province of enthusiasts and bedroom coders has now evolved to what we now recognise as a major global industry, where sales are worth annually billions of dollars (Rutter and Bryce 2006). Researchers have responded rapidly to new leisure technologies, and there have been various debates and social concerns around the perceived ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ effects of digital gaming (Rutter and Bryce 2006). However, the majority of research to date has focused most specially on either the games themselves, or the direct engagement with games. This research will explore the meanings and importance of digital gaming in everyday life and the different understandings of digital gaming culture away from the gaming screen. The presentation will focus on two main themes; the career of video gamers (this will focus on the development and importance of becoming a ‘good’ gamer through various methods to enhance gaming experience away from the gaming screen) and the sociological functions of gaming events and everyday activities of digital gaming (this will focus on the social significance of gaming in enabling and maintaining social networks, patterns and the identity formations through game-related activities). This includes a focus on a range of activities, including, gaming conventions and game-related orchestral concerts, the interaction between gamers, the daily routines and conversations involving digital gaming and the attached meanings beyond the gaming screen.
Parallel session 5B
5B Built Environment, Chair Georgios Kapogiannis co-chair: Majda Elferjani
Rachel Russel Salford Built The potential use of virtual environments to support "Post" Environment Occupancy Evaluation during the design of homes for older adults.
Nana Akyempim Salford Built Towards the development of a process map for early stage Environment building project budgetary advice – A case study of a new build primary schools programme in Ghana.
Abdallah Salford Built An Evaluation of Voluntary Disclosure in the Annual Hawashe Environment Reports of Commercial Banks: Empirical Evidence from Libya.
Abstracts
The potential use of virtual environments to support "Post" Occupancy Evaluation during the design of homes for older adults
Rachel Russel
With an increasingly ageing population, the design of homes will be required to support people to live independently longer, as well as to accommodate new models of health and social care delivery. Traditionally, Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE) techniques have provided designers with feedback as to how well their building performs. A range of POE tools exist to measure the performance of building, including whether the environment supports and meets the requirements of end users of the building. Through POE, designers can use the knowledge and understanding gained from one building to enhance the design of the next.
Even before a brick is laid, there is now the potential to perform virtual POE using increasingly sophisticated architectural modelling, including virtual reality environments. The possible benefits of virtual POE are many, including the reduction of resource, both financial and material, to rectify problems not foreseen in the initial design of the building.
This paper discusses initial research aims and objects of a PhD project. The purpose of the project is to explore the potential of virtual environments as a method of virtual POE in evaluating building design to support independence and new models of health and social care delivery for older people.
Towards the development of a process map for early stage building project budgetary advice – A case study of a new build primary schools programme in Ghana.
Nana Akyempim
The budgetary provision made for new build education projects in developing countries such as Ghana is key towards the achievement of its free compulsory universal basic education (FCUBE). In order to meet the target for implementation of the FCUBE policy, it is important that the budgetary provision made for the construction of a programme of primary school projects is adequate to ensure their completion without having to suspend or abandon construction works due to lack of funding.
Previous studies have produced theoretical models of the building project price forecasting process, both at the generic and also at the micro project level. An initial process map of the building project budgetary processes used for a programme of primary school construction projects in Ghana is developed in this paper. A qualitative methodology was used that deployed semi structured interviews (9Nr) to collect data from the key stake holders involved in the budgeting process. An analysis of this data and an evaluation of relevant literature enabled the initial process map to be developed. Further work is discussed in the context of an on-going PhD study looking at the reliability of early stage project pre-tender capital cost estimating.
An Evaluation of Voluntary Disclosure in the Annual Reports of Commercial Banks: Empirical Evidence from Libya
Abdallah Hawashe
The purpose of this paper as a part of my PhD research project is to help develop the disclosure literature in relation to banking sector, which is currently sparse due to the limited empirical research studies on the extent of banking disclosure. The intention is to examine the extent of the current voluntary disclosure practices by listed and unlisted commercial banking organisations and their association with commercial bank-specific characteristics, and to do this with particular reference to Libya as a developing country. Specifically, this paper seeks to accomplish two main objectives. The first objective is to evaluate voluntary disclosure practices in the annual reports of twelve commercial banks (four listed and eight unlisted) in Libya, over a four-year period (2007-2010). It also seeks to determine whether there have been any significant changes in the levels of voluntary information disclosure in the published annual reports of Libyan commercial banks over the period 2007 to 2010. The second objective is to test the significance of the relationship between seven commercial bank-specific characteristics: namely, age, size, liquidity, government ownership, profitability, listing status, and auditor-type, and the extent of voluntary disclosure of five types of information: background about the bank/general corporate information, corporate social disclosure, financial ratios and other statistics, accounting policies, and corporate governance information by listed and unlisted Libyan commercial banks. The expected outcomes of this paper are likely to help banking regulators, suppliers of the banks’ annual reports, market participants, international organisations, government agencies and academics to obtain better understanding of the banking reporting and disclosure practice in Libya as a developing country.
Parallel session 5C
5C Social Sciences and Law. Chair: Prof Peter Dwyer, co-chair: Marilayanti
Ewa Duda- Salford Social Citizenship, gender and migration: Polish migrant women in Mikulin Sciences the UK.
Mauro Di Lullo Glasgow Law Are Human Rights still Relevant in a Time of Globalization?
Samantha Salford Law The Role Of Non-Governmental Organisations in the Samkange Development of International Refugee Law
Abstracts
Citizenship, gender and migration: Polish migrant women in the UK.
Ewa Duda-Mikulin
Accession 8 (A8) migration to the UK has been studied extensively over the last few years. In fact, migration from the new EU member states to the UK has been one of the most significant social phenomena of recent times. However, gender and gender roles, in particular in relation to A8 migration, remain an under-researched area. There is now much evidence to support the view that migrant women constitute a large proportion of international migrants. In fact, when considering migration within the European context, migrant women already outnumber their male counterparts.
Evidence suggests that characterising women as passive followers of migrant men is flawed. Drawing on an extensive review of secondary literature in relation to citizenship, gender and the new Accession 8 migration to the UK, in this paper it is argued that migrant women should be seen as active decision makers. The aim of this paper is to explore how migrant women utilise migratory spaces within the European Union (EU) to better their own and their families’ wellbeing. In this paper migration is considered as a catalyst for change in traditional gender roles, and it is explored how Polish migrant women negotiate their gender roles in regard to work and welfare responsibilities when exercising their rights as EU citizens. It is concluded that gender roles are reconfigured through the migratory process. However, when taking women into account, migration may result in ‘double caring responsibilities’, as the literature suggests.
Are Human Rights still Relevant in a Time of Globalization?
Mauro Di Lullo
It is…impossible, Fukuyama tells us, to talk about human rights…without having some concept of what human beings actually are like as a species….without some constitution of human nature: the species- typical characteristics shared by all human beings qua human beings.
What is the main purpose of my work? This paper explores the relation existing between human rights, neoliberal ideologies and globalization. Are human rights still relevant for the excluded multitude in achieving liberation from oppression and exploitation in western liberal democracies?
The Postmodern multitude represents the new model for organization of resistance against the global capitalist order: the revolutionary collective social subject which can create and generate a ‘no mystified’ form of democracy (Negri, 1981, 2003). Its power consists in co-operation and resistance against any form of mystified democracy (Negri, 2003.)
Are human rights a mystified form of democracy?
Theoretical justifications of human rights have been troubled by many criticisms and critiques. It has been objected that the source of human rights is unclear as is the meaning attached to human rights.
Raymond Gaita rejects, the vocabulary of rights –his reason for rejecting it is that to say that an action is unjust because it violates someone’s rights adds nothing to any political and philosophical discussion... (PD: 200)
In my work I will make a groundwork attempt to examine the extent and relevance of these critics.
Can the multitude achieve freedom from oppression throughout Human Rights in a time in which neoliberalism and globalization celebrate a world apparently with no alternatives?
The Role Of Non-Governmental Organisations in the Development of International Refugee Law
Samantha Samkange
The research aims to assess the international legal framework for the recognition of socio-economic refugees, and particularly how non-governmental organizations have influenced the development of the inclusion of this traditionally excluded group of migrants. It will begin by providing an overview of the historical context within which international refugee law was conceived and subsequently developed. This will include an assessment of the definition of refugee in international legal instruments, with particular regard to the requirement of ‘persecution’.
Of particular interest for this research will be how countries such as South Africa have implemented more inclusive approaches. While such assessments would be based on regional and national experiences , given the universality of the inadequacies of the refugee/migrant dichotomy, it may inform debates about the treatment of socio-economic rights deprivations in refugee law beyond local jurisdictions.
A broader conception of refugee hood has utility only if strategies of response to refugee emergencies are similarly broad, where transnational procedures and institutions replace the current, predominantly unilateral ones. This is where assessment the efforts of non-governmental organisations would be important. Through exploring the methods employed by the relevant NGOs in exposing and advocating on behalf of socio-economic refugees, the research will provide insight of the role that NGOs can play in influencing the development, implementation and monitoring of international law and human rights.
Parallel session 5D
5D Computing. Chair : Prof Samia Nefti-Meziani , co-chair: Abdulbasit Khashkhush
Bassem Alachkar Salford Computing Object Recognition with Local Features.
Samer Ayyat Salford Computing DiffSense: A Differentiated Service Architecture for Wireless Sensor Networks Tobias Duckworth Salford Computing 3D video-conferencing: The motivation and challenges - An and Carl Moore interactive demonstration.
Abstracts
Object Recognition with Local Features
Bassem Alachkar
Object recognition is a very challenging problem particularly for mobile robot applications like service robots. The difficulties are due to the variation of imaging conditions which may involve occlusion of the object. The suitable approach in our case is the local features-based approach. The methods used in this approach include two stages; the first is the extraction of local features, and the second is the matching operation. Scale Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) is recognised as one of the most robust and efficient algorithms for the extraction of local features. The SIFT algorithm for the determination of the keypoints is used. These keypoints are used in the matching stage for object detection and pose estimation. The focus of our work is more on the matching stage, analysing the different used techniques, and proposing some improvements taking into consideration the balance between reliability and efficiency required in mobile robot object recognition system. Both sources of information on the disposition of the keypoints are used in the matching operation; the relative positions of the keypoints in the descriptors space and the geometric information about their positions in the image. We use a simplified method of object recognition and pose estimation that is based on robust selection of matching keypoints exploiting in addition to the descriptors matching the geometric information on the keypoints. Clusters of reliably selected matched keypoints are used in object pose estimation using the least squares method. Experimental results on the matching operation are presented.
DiffSense: A Differentiated Service Architecture for Wireless Sensor Networks
Samer Ayyat
Recent advances in sensor technology have introduced new heterogeneous sensors that can send multiple types of data traffic such as real time, non real time and critical data. Real time data such as voice traffic is considered to be delay sensitive, while critical data (i.e. fire or smoke) is crucial to the survivability of the network and non real time data (best effort data) is delay tolerable such as temperature measurements. As a result, it became imperative and crucial to provision a Quality of Service (QoS) mechanism that can differentiate between such various types of traffic to have a functional and reliable network. Despite the immense increase in various applications and standards in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), existing QoS offer very limited support to the heterogeneous traffic types in WSNs. Therefore, this paper presents a Differentiated Service Architecture for WSNs (DiffSense) using differentiation and classification techniques, which take into consideration the issues and challenges imposed by the characteristics of WSNs to enhance the performance and reliability of the network.
3D video-conferencing: The motivation and challenges - An interactive demonstration
Tobias Duckworth and Carl Moore
Human communication across a distance could be significantly enhanced by technology enabling people to be captured in 3D and inserted into a shared virtual environment. Currently, conventional video- conferencing systems confine users to a small working area in front of a camera: such systems do not scale well to more than two users. Avatars that track real, human body and eye movements can be used within shared virtual environments, enhancing collaboration at a distance and scaling to more than two participants.
Avatars at best resemble a snapshot of the person, and important visual cues such as facial expression are lost. The ability to capture, in real-time, both form and appearance of a person in 3D can replace traditional avatars. This more faithful embodiment of their human counterpart is the video avatar. If the 3D form of a human participant can be determined purely from camera images, this removes the requirement of marker-based tracking. There are significant challenges when using 3D capture within a communication system to ensure it is sufficiently responsive and useful to system users.
This demonstration presents the culmination of two research projects working toward the common goal of enhanced, video-avatar based virtual collaboration. One improves a state of the art 3D reconstruction algorithm to run in real-time on commodity processing hardware, and the other tackles distribution of images from multiple cameras required to reconstruct the 3D form.
Parallel session 6A
6A Arts and Humanities. Chair: Dr Ursula Hurley, co-chair: Jeanne Lythgoe
James Layton Chester Performance Hotel Medea: Slowness and Self-Actualization in an Instant Culture.
Maxime Manchester Humanities Foucault's Biopolitics and the Question of Sovereignty. Lallement Mignotte Salford Humanities Where Theory and Practice Meet: A Reading. Mekuria
Abstracts
Hotel Medea: Slowness and Self-Actualization in an Instant Culture
James Layton
Henri Bergson, whose philosophy is seldom discussed in relation to performance, believed that there was no precise method of accurately measuring duration, asserting that to truly understand time, one must experience it in its rawness. He wrote that ‘…pure duration…excludes all idea of juxtaposition, reciprocal externality, and extension’ (1912:26); something that is explored in Brazilian performance collective Zecora Ura’s Hotel Medea, in which audiences experience a slow unfolding of the story through a participatory and immersive six-hour, overnight performance. In their storytelling, the performers allow for a non-reciprocal sense of duration to prevail, the story opening out over six hours; whilst asking the audience to stay awake throughout the night, fighting against their circadian rhythms.
Enveloped in the performance space, it seemed to me that the passing of time assumed a different quality to the pace of the external world, that of a Bergsonian duration. Through the ubiquity of modern technology we live in an age of high-speed communication, instantaneity of experience, and an omnipresent awareness of time. Standing in opposition to this instantaneity of contemporary Western living, the slow unfolding of Hotel Medea tests the quality of our phenomenological experience of time, increasing the possibilities for self-actualization. I examine how the ‘reciprocal externality’ of clock measured time becomes irrelevant in Hotel Medea; illustrating how through the experience of slowness and playfulness of actions undertaken in a performance of long duration we can go some way to achieving a Bergsonian sense of time and, in turn, to realising a positive state of self-actualization.
Foucault's Biopolitics and the Question of Sovereignty
Maxime Lallement
Entitled "Towards a new understanding of biopolitics: rethinking the notion of norm in the work of Michel Foucault", my Ph.D thesis focuses on the concepts of "bio-power" and "biopolitics" and questions the way in which they reveal the logic of Foucault’s philosophical enterprise. More specifically, my research provides a new scope to Foucault’s concept of norm which, in the fashion of recent works by Pierre Macherey, Stéphane Legrand and Mathieu Potte-Bonneville, allows to understand the articulation at stake in modernity between what Foucault calls in the first volume of "The History of Sexuality" "anatomo-politics of the body" and "regulation of the population". Amongst the recent and influential studies in this field, my project significantly challenges Agamben’s understanding of "bio- power" - via his concept of "bare life" - as a continuation of the sovereign's act of tracing the limit between the Greek notions of zoe and bios (life as biological persistence and life as a temporal series of events) and shows the importance of grasping the concept of life in both its materiality and temporality.
Through a joint commentary of Agamben’s and Foucault’s analyses, my oral presentation will show that a genuine approach to Foucault’s concept of "bio-power" leaves the seat of the sovereign empty in favour of a polymorphic concept of power as relations. By doing so, I will provide a clear account of Foucault’s concept of "dispositive" and show in what extent it is key to understand, in the light of what Deleuze once called “societies of control”, the intrinsic relations between security and government in our modern societies.
Where Theory and Practice Meet: A Reading
Mignotte Mekuria
Comprising a novel and critical research, my thesis seeks to examine the possibilities of racial self- affirmation in connection to identity, memory and fiction writing. My research uses Negritude's focus on 'a return to the self, knowledge of self, and the rediscovery of African civilisations, values, and institutions'1 in connection to creative writing as a starting point from which to craft a new black feminist writing style and literary theory. My primary interests are in understanding how writing can help answer questions about origin and identity, and how the mother and memory influence a woman writer's work. My research and creative piece will rely on studying the seminal texts of Negritude and black feminism and (in order to better address all the research issues from a personal standpoint) returning to Ethiopia and tracing back my memories in conversations with my mother. I feel that the experience will enable me to further investigate issues of race and gender in a novel that will explore the constraints and possibilities of language by making use of traditional Ethiopian storytelling methods as well as poetic, fantastical, and autobiographical elements. I hope to give a brief introduction to my research and do a reading from the creative piece I am developing alongside it. I hope to share how my novel and research have impacted upon each other and helped develop one another.
Parallel session 6B
6B Business. Chair: Derek Hill, co-chair: Georgios Kapogiannis
Dima Alsayeed Salford Business Factors Affecting the Excellence of Service Quality at Syrian Assad Banking Sector.
Ahmed Mohamed Salford Business Online banking in Libya, customer’s trust perspective.
Abstracts
Factors Affecting the Excellence of Service Quality at Syrian Banking Sector
Dima Alsayeed Assad
The main aim of this paper is to present the preliminary research findings of the factors affecting the excellence of service quality at Syrian Banking Sector (SBS). A comparative approach has been adopted between three case studies of the sector. The case study organisations have been chosen to be representative of own state banks (Real Estate of Bank), private banks (Francabank), and Islamic private banks (Syria International Islamic Bank). Different sources of data collection were used for triangulation and achieving the aim and objectives of this research. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were the main source of data collection for these findings, while other supporting data was obtained from direct observation, archival records and documentation. The collected data try to gain in depth understanding of the significance, and appraisal of service quality concept according to the perceptions of the top, middle and shop floor levels at the case study organisations. Additionally, they explain the factors affecting the excellence of service quality according to the fundamental concepts of the excellence model (EFQM) perspectives which represent by Leading with Vision, Inspiration, and Integrity,Adding value for customers,Succeeding through People, Managing by Process, Building Partnerships, Achieving Balanced Results, Taking Responsibility for a Sustainable Future, and Nurturing Creativity & Innovation. Consecuently, an appropriate service quality model for the Syrian Banking Sector (SBS) and context will be designed.
Online banking in Libya, customer’s trust perspective.
Ahmed Mohamed
Libyan banks continue to conduct most of their banking transactions using traditional methods. Given the prevalence of online technology adoption by the banking industry in developed countries, reasons for the lack of such innovation in developing countries such as Libya is of interest in any consideration of technological innovation. After reviewing literature on online banking technology, this study considers various factors that might act to determine whether a given technology is likely to be trusted and accepted by customers of banking industry in developing country like Libya. Jayawardhena & Foley (2000) argue that the fundamental reasons for the online banking technology are the transactions- processing cost and time savings. At the same time online banking technology brings with it a number of challenges such as technology cost, privacy, legal and security issues (Sathye, 1999). Banks in Arab countries have recently acknowledged the benefits of online banking technology in improving their productivities, efficiencies and customers trust. However, some banks in Arab countries like Libya have struggled to provide their customers with online banking technology within its existing banking system (Khalfan & Akbar, 2006). This is not primarily because they are unable to afford the technology, but rather, are due to customer’s trust and acceptance issues preventing them from trusting online banking technology (Khalfan & Alshawaf, 2004). Data was collected using quantitative method by questionnaire survey distributed to more than 100 Libyan customers of Bank of Commerce and Development (BCD). The data was based on customers’ decisions whether to trust or not trust online banking technology in Libya. It thus addresses the question: How can the Libyan bank customers’ trust of online banking be improved?
Parallel session 6C
6C Social Sciences. Chair: Dr Sudi Sharifi, co-chair: Chrissy Patman
Pål Vik Salford Social Manifestations of modernity in British retail banking, 1960- Sciences 2010.
John Pitsopoulos Bolton Social The estimation of the natural rate of unemployment and Sciences the non-accelerating inflation rate of unemployment. (NAIRU) in Eurozone and non-Eurozone European countries, 1990 – 2010.
Abstracts
Manifestations of modernity in British retail banking, 1960-2010
Pål Vik
Over the past 50 years, the British retail banking sector has undergone a series of profound changes. Banks have increasingly emphasised marketing due to the intensification of competition with associated cultural changes (Morgan and Sturdy, 2000). Bank branches have lost autonomy due to the standardisation and centralisation of banking procedures (Stovel et al, 1996). There has been a shift to remote-banking technology, especially over the past 25 years. These changes are, at least at face value, manifestations of modernity, in particular disembedding (Giddens, 1990) and depersonalisation (Weber, 1920).
This paper develops an ideal type theoretical model of depersonalised and disembedded banking. Given the extent to which banking permeates the daily lives of most UK households, such a theoretical model may help understand everyday experiences of households. The model draws on four dynamics associated with the theories modernity: the abstraction of values and trust (Giddens, 1990), the rationalisation of administration and decision-making (Weber, 1920), individualisation of behaviour and values (Beck, 1986) and increased reflexivity (Giddens, 1990).
In personalised banking, the bank staff will draw on feelings, opinions, perceptions and judgements of the potential customers (lifestyle, morality, thrift etc). In depersonalised banking, all aspects of banking are driven by formal rules, procedures and metrics. It will be argued that the juxtaposition of personalised and depersonalised challenges the idealised and romanticised view of banking and banks in the past. In its pure form, personalised banking changes the dynamics of exclusion rather than banishing it.
The estimation of the natural rate of unemployment and the non-accelerating inflation rate of unemployment. (NAIRU) in Eurozone and non-Eurozone European countries, 1990 – 2010.
John Pitsopoulos
In this paper, drawing on a sample for the period 1990-2010, we estimate (and subsequently model) the natural rate of unemployment and the NAIRU, the non-accelerating inflation rate of unemployment, in several European countries, which, for reasons of comparison, we have essentially divided them up into three groups: (a) the Eurozone “PIGS” (Portugal, Italy, Greece, and Spain); (b) rest of Eurozone countries; and (c) non Eurozone countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and UK). Our estimation involves both a static and a dynamic approach; with the former approach we make use of the Phillips curve and the Okun’s Law to derive our static estimates, while with the latter approach, we rely on methods to extract the trend in a time series in order to come up with time-varying estimates of the NAIRU and the natural rate.
Knowing the level of the natural rate and the NAIRU is of utmost importance for policymakers. On the one hand, acting on a wrong estimate for the natural rate could cause stabilization policies to backfire. On the other hand, the NAIRU can be used as a powerful forecasting tool(see Ball and Mankiw, 2002) for an inflation-rate-targeting monetary regime. By and large, the empirical results, which reveal significant differences in the natural rate and the NAIRU among Eurozone members, and among Eurozone and non-eurozone members, connote the inherent difficulties in building a monetary union consisting of highly heterogeneous member-countries. Presumably, these difficult-to-shrug-off differences run up the cost of implementing a successful monetary policy by the ECB.