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1 – 10 of 25Antóin Lawlor, Javier Torres, Brendan O'Flynn, John Wallace and Fiona Regan
DEPLOY is a successful technology demonstration project showing how state of the art technology can be implemented to achieve, continuous, real‐time monitoring of a river…
Abstract
Purpose
DEPLOY is a successful technology demonstration project showing how state of the art technology can be implemented to achieve, continuous, real‐time monitoring of a river catchment.
Design/methodology/approach
The DEPLOY system is a wide area network of monitoring stations delivering data in near real‐time. The demonstration sites chosen are based in the River Lee, which flows through Ireland's second largest city, Cork. The sites include monitoring stations in five zones considered typical of significant river systems and demonstrate the versatility of the technology available. Data were collected from stations at pre‐programmed intervals and transmitted to the DEPLOY servers either by short range ISM band radio or directly via the GSM GPRS network. The data were then processed and made available in a controlled manner at www.deploy.ie Findings – The project demonstrates the capability of multi‐sensor systems to remotely monitor temporal and spatial variations in water quality, through the identification of short‐term events. A system like DEPLOY could be used as a decision support tool by regulatory bodies in managing our aquatic environment with the potential to cut overall monitoring costs and provide better coverage representing long‐term trends in fluctuations of pollutant concentrations.
Originality/value
The demonstration of a truly heterogeneous water quality monitoring networked system was one of the first of its kind in Ireland. Based on the collected data DEPLOY can provide recommendations for water quality monitoring systems from various perspectives, technical, operational and strategic.
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Liran Christine Shan, Áine Regan, Frank J. Monahan, Chenguang Li, Fiona Lalor, Celine Murrin, Patrick G. Wall and Áine McConnon
In response to increasing public health concerns about processed meat consumption, many innovations in meat technology focus on health-oriented product reformulations. Processed…
Abstract
Purpose
In response to increasing public health concerns about processed meat consumption, many innovations in meat technology focus on health-oriented product reformulations. Processed meat is not a homogeneous food category. The purpose of this paper is to explore consumer perception of the “healthier” reformulation of different processed meat products using two approaches: salt and fat reduction; and enrichment with healthy ingredients.
Design/methodology/approach
Seven focus group interviews were carried out with 40 Irish regular meat consumers (30 female, ten male) who were solely or jointly responsible for food shopping. Two rounds of card sorting procedures were employed to reveal perceptions on reformulation of 20 different processed meat products. Thematic analysis was used for analysing transcripts.
Findings
Health and flavour concerns and product popularity were the main factors influencing participants’ perceptions. Some participants were unsure or had misconceptions about the healthiness of certain meat products. Participants suggested reducing salt and fat content in processed meat products they perceived as the least healthy ones (theme 1) and improving the healthiness of products which were favoured by children (theme 2) and those meat products which people consumed regularly as a source of protein (theme 3). Participants were not in favour of any reformulation of speciality-type products (theme 4).
Originality/value
Consumer insights identified in this study can inform future approaches to making processed meats healthier.
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Jason Paul Mika, Graham Hingangaroa Smith, Annemarie Gillies and Fiona Wiremu
This paper aims to examine indigenous governance and economies of iwi Maori (Maori tribes) in Aotearoa New Zealand. Research into persisting inequities amongst iwi that have…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine indigenous governance and economies of iwi Maori (Maori tribes) in Aotearoa New Zealand. Research into persisting inequities amongst iwi that have settled treaty claims and the potential for intervention through new governance models and indigenous entrepreneurship contextualise the paper.
Design/methodology/approach
Kaupapa Maori (Maori philosophy) is used as an indigenous methodology to facilitate and empower transformative change, underpinned by Maori knowledge, language and culture. A multi-level approach is used to collect data from international, national and local tribal organisations. Validity is established through stakeholder engagement.
Findings
A central challenge in the post-treaty settlement context is exponentialising tribal capabilities because of the multiple purposes ascribed to post-settled iwi. Four themes, characterised as “unfolding tensions”, offer a critique and basis for solving tribal development challenges: how do tribes create culturally grounded global citizens; how do tribes rebalance wealth creation and wealth distribution; how do tribes recalibrate tribal institutions; and how do tribes embed entrepreneurship and innovation within their economies?
Research limitations/implications
As data collection is still underway, the paper is conceptual.
Practical implications
Five strategies to address unfolding tensions are identified for tribes to consider.
Social implications
Tribal governors and tribal members are implicated in the analysis, as well as the architects of post-treaty settlement governance models.
Originality/value
The paper contributes to theorising about tribal governance, economies and entrepreneurship.
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Liran Christine Shan, Aine Regan, Frank J Monahan, Chenguang Li, Celine Murrin, Fiona Lalor, Patrick G. Wall and Aine McConnon
– The purpose of this paper is to investigate consumer attitudes towards and interest in enriching processed meat with healthy ingredients (“functional processed meat”).
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate consumer attitudes towards and interest in enriching processed meat with healthy ingredients (“functional processed meat”).
Design/methodology/approach
Seven focus groups across age and gender were conducted. Discussions were analysed using an inductive thematic approach.
Findings
Strategies that participants felt as important for improving the healthiness of processed meat mainly included the use of better quality meat and less salt, fat, preservatives and other additives. “Functional processed meat” was a new concept for participants. Four themes were constructed to reflect participants’ attitudes towards functional processed meat: opposing views on processed meat as a carrier of healthy ingredients; belief in the health benefits of functional processed meat; perceived value of functional processed meat for different consumer groups; and trust and perceived risk surrounding the functional food concept. A large proportion of the participants were unconvinced about the concept of functional processed meat; however many of the participants expressed an openness to purchase this food product if taste and price remained uncompromised.
Research limitations/implications
The sample size of the current study is small. Complementary quantitative research with a more representative sample should be implemented. Adopting a quantitative approach, the findings from this study should be explored further to investigate their application in a representative sample of the population.
Originality/value
This study represents a first exploratory investigation of consumer views on functional processed meat. It can inform further consumer and market research in relation to the development of “healthier” processed meat.
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Neil F. Doherty and Fiona Ellis‐Chadwick
The purpose of this study is to explore empirically the relationship between the scope of the e‐commerce strategies currently being deployed by the largest and most influential…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore empirically the relationship between the scope of the e‐commerce strategies currently being deployed by the largest and most influential UK‐based retailers, the drivers for their adoption, and perhaps most importantly the degree to which they are perceived to be successful.
Design/methodology/approach
The objectives of this research were addressed by using a quantitative research strategy, based on a postal questionnaire survey of the UK's largest retailers. The research strategy produced a wealth of primary data, which were thoroughly analysed using a variety of multivariate, statistical techniques.
Findings
The study's findings suggest that the scope of the retailers' e‐commerce strategies is strongly associated with the strength of management support behind the strategy and its perceived strategic fit. By contrast, the perceived success of their strategies is most strongly associated with the degree to which the retailer has deployed a portfolio of appropriate resources and capabilities, in support of its online operations.
Research limitations/implications
The major limitation associated with the study is with respect to the rather disappointing response rate of 10 per cent. However, this level of response is similar to many previous surveys in this domain, and it is probably not surprising, given the commercially sensitive nature of the data. Moreover, the extensive phone‐based follow‐up of non‐respondents has provided an important reassurance that any resultant bias is likely to have only a modest effect on the results.
Practical implications
The findings highlight that, despite their close relationship, the scope of an e‐commerce strategy and its success are rather different entities, and therefore the factors that affect the scope of adoption cannot be relied on to deliver success. In particular, retailer managers must recognise that, while their support and commitment may well be the impetus necessary to deliver a wide‐ranging strategy, its ultimate success may be dependent on their ability to deploy a suitable portfolio of resources and capabilities.
Originality/value
The study makes a major contribution in a number of ways. It provides one of the first attempts to measure the relationship between the drivers, scope and perceived success of e‐commerce strategies, and, in so doing, it delivers an objective comparison between those factors that affect the scope and the success of e‐commerce strategies. Moreover, important new measures of e‐commerce scope and success have been developed and deployed.
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Angus Hikairo Macfarlane, Fiona Duckworth and Sonja Macfarlane
This chapter describes the pivotal shift occurring in our national research psyche whereby Indigenous epistemology is increasingly recognised as both valid and enriching. Two key…
Abstract
This chapter describes the pivotal shift occurring in our national research psyche whereby Indigenous epistemology is increasingly recognised as both valid and enriching. Two key contentions emerge from a description and discussion of this shift. First, ethics review bodies must evolve to incorporate a wider knowledge framework, one which conscientiously locates Indigenous knowledge and which empowers researchers to appropriately traverse Aotearoa New Zealand’s cultural terrain. The second contention argues that there are ethical responsibilities to address inequities, based on our shared Treaty partnership, and that ethics review bodies should instantiate consideration of inequities within their oversight roles. This chapter sets the scene by describing the current shift away from Western homogeneity to cultural diversity in education, noting the formal higher learning undertaken by Māori prior to colonisation, alongside current Māori educational achievement and the goal of success as Māori. The emerging recognition of mātauranga Māori (Indigenous epistemology) is exemplified by Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga and Vision Mātauranga. However, this shift has not yet reached all parts of the New Zealand research community, and we argue particularly so for ethics review processes. Possible solutions are posed, and four cultural markers are offered as supporting foundations for professionals in the field as they traverse epistemological landscapes that are more attuned to Indigenous realities.
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John Goodwin, Laura Behan, Mohamad M. Saab, Niamh O’Brien, Aine O’Donovan, Andrew Hawkins, Lloyd F. Philpott, Alicia Connolly, Ryan Goulding, Fiona Clark, Deirdre O’Reilly and Corina Naughton
Adolescent mental health is a global concern. There is an urgent need for creative, multimedia interventions reflecting adolescent culture to promote mental health literacy and…
Abstract
Purpose
Adolescent mental health is a global concern. There is an urgent need for creative, multimedia interventions reflecting adolescent culture to promote mental health literacy and well-being. This study aims to assess the impact of a film-based intervention on adolescent mental health literacy, well-being and resilience.
Design/methodology/approach
A pretest-posttest intervention with a multi-methods evaluation was used. A convenience sample of ten schools facilitated students aged 15–17 years to engage in an online intervention (film, post-film discussion, well-being Webinar). Participants completed surveys on well-being, resilience, stigma, mental health knowledge and help-seeking. Five teachers who facilitated the intervention participated in post-implementation interviews or provided a written submission. Analysis included paired-t-test and effect size calculation and thematic analysis.
Findings
Matched pretest-posttest data were available on 101 participants. There were significant increases in well-being, personal resilience and help-seeking attitudes for personal/emotional problems, and suicidal ideation. Participants’ free-text comments suggested the intervention was well-received, encouraging them to speak more openly about mental health. Teachers similarly endorsed the intervention, especially the focus on resilience.
Originality/value
Intinn shows promise in improving adolescents’ mental health literacy and well-being. Film-based interventions may encourage adolescents to seek professional help for their mental health, thus facilitating early intervention.
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Fiona Sherwood-Johnson, Kirstein Rummery, Julia Lawrence, Kathryn Mackay, Kathryn Ramsay and Rebecca McGregor
Most abuse affecting older adults in the UK, as across Europe, takes place within caring relationships, where one person is disabled and needs care/support. This paper critically…
Abstract
Purpose
Most abuse affecting older adults in the UK, as across Europe, takes place within caring relationships, where one person is disabled and needs care/support. This paper critically appraises two of the key theoretical explanations. First, feminist theories of “intimate partner abuse” tell us that it is mostly men who perpetrate abuse against women. Second, “carer strain”: the stress caused by caring responsibilities, often with inadequate help from services. Neither fully reflects the complex dynamics of “dangerous care” leading to a lack of voice and choice in safeguarding responses. This paper aims to articulate the need for an overarching theoretical framework, informed by a deeper understanding of the intersectional risk factors that create and compound the diverse experiences of harm by disabled people and family carers over the life course.
Design/methodology/approach
The critical synthesis of the theoretical approaches informing UK policy and practice presented here arises from a structured literature review and discussions held with three relevant third sector agencies during the development of a research proposal.
Findings
No single theory fully explains dangerous care and there are significant gaps in policy, resources and practice across service sectors, highlighting the need for joint training, intersectional working and research across service sectors.
Originality/value
Drawing both on existing literature and on discussions across contrasting policy and practice sectors, this paper raises awareness of some less well-acknowledged complexities of abuse and responses to abuse in later life.
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