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Abstract

Details

Handbook of Transport Modelling
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-0-08-045376-7

Article
Publication date: 1 September 2007

Paul Tiffin, Parag Shah and Ann Couteur

Developmental delays in social and communication functioning have been proposed as a possible risk factor for offending behaviour in both young people and adults. These deficits…

Abstract

Developmental delays in social and communication functioning have been proposed as a possible risk factor for offending behaviour in both young people and adults. These deficits may be particularly common in young people with both offending behaviours and mental health needs. This article describes how an assessment for pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) may be undertaken in a forensic adolescent mental health setting and integrated into the overall needs and risk assessment. Two case histories are summarised to illustrate the advantages and challenges of using this approach as part of the assessment and management of young people. It is likely that a thorough evaluation of social and communication functioning can contribute to developing effective management strategies for patients with offending behaviours and complex needs.

Details

The British Journal of Forensic Practice, vol. 9 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-6646

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 January 2019

Karin A. Spenser, Ray Bull, Lucy Betts and Belinda Winder

Prosociality is considered important in the study of offenders and associated cognitive skills: theory of mind, empathic understanding and moral reasoning, are said to enable…

Abstract

Purpose

Prosociality is considered important in the study of offenders and associated cognitive skills: theory of mind, empathic understanding and moral reasoning, are said to enable self-control and reduce the risk of offending behaviours. Previous research has made associations between these skills and executive functioning; however, research into a link between them, in an offending population, is limited. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

To further understand the practicalities of this, the present study considered the predictive abilities of the constructs believed to underpin executive functioning: working memory, cognitive flexibility and inhibitory control, in relation to theory of mind, empathic understanding and moral reasoning. In total, 200 male and female offenders completed measures in all six constructs.

Findings

Using path analysis working memory was demonstrated to be predictive of theory of mind and empathic understanding, cognitive flexibility was found to be predictive of theory of mind, and inhibitory control was found to be predictive of theory of mind, empathic understanding and moral reasoning.

Research limitations/implications

The study focussed on offenders serving a custodial sentence of six months or less and did not differentiate between crime categories or take into consideration the socio-environmental backgrounds or ethnicity. Therefore, considering these things could further establish the generalisability of the current findings. It is noted that the more focussed the intervention is to the specific needs of an offender, the greater the impact will be. Therefore, pre-screening tests for the constructs discussed may be able to more accurately assess an offenders’ suitability for a programme, or indeed tailor it to meet the specific needs of that person.

Practical implications

These findings may enable practitioners to more accurately assess offenders’ suitability for interventions aimed at reducing offending behaviours by improving levels of prosociality and develop more focussed programmes to meet the specific needs of individual offenders to reduce re-offending.

Social implications

As recommended in the study, a more tailored approach to offender rehabilitation may be a potential aid to reducing levels of recidivism.

Originality/value

The present study adds to the literature as it is the first to consider whether the constructs of executive functioning can predict levels of theory of mind, empathic understanding and moral reasoning and so provide a more accurate method in assessing the cognitive abilities of offenders prior to participation in rehabilitative interventions.

Details

Journal of Criminal Psychology, vol. 9 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2009-3829

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 January 2017

Rachel Claire Douglas-Lenders, Peter Jeffrey Holland and Belinda Allen

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of experiential simulation-based learning of employee self-efficacy.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of experiential simulation-based learning of employee self-efficacy.

Design/methodology/approach

The research approach is an exploratory case study of a group of trainees from the same organisation. Using a quasi-experiment, one group, pre-test-post-test design (Tharenou et al., 2007), a questionnaire with validated scales at Time 1 (T1) prior to training and Time (T2) three months after training were used. All scales had been validated by the researchers and had acceptable levels of reliability. In addition interviews are undertaken with the participants immediately at the end of the programme.

Findings

The research found strong evidence of the positive impact of the training on skills transfer to the workplace with support from supervisors as key criteria.

Research limitations/implications

There remains a need for additional studies with larger and more diverse samples and studies which incorporate control groups into their design.

Practical implications

This study provided support for the transfer of knowledge using simulation-based training and advances our limited knowledge and understanding of simulation-based training as a form of experiential (management) learning and development.

Originality/value

This is the first study to undertake a longitudinal analysis of the impact on self-efficacy in the workplace and as such adds to the research in this field.

Details

Education + Training, vol. 59 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0040-0912

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 23 January 2009

Belinda T. Orzada, Mary Ann Moore, Billie J. Collier and Jonathan Yan Chen

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of laundering on the drape, shear, and bending properties of bottom weight fabrics.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of laundering on the drape, shear, and bending properties of bottom weight fabrics.

Design/methodology/approach

Six bottom‐weight 100 percent cotton fabrics were included. Collier's Drape Tester was utilized to obtain drape values. Bending and shear values were measured on the KES‐F Shear Tester and the Pure Bending Tester. Three laundering cycles (unlaundered, one and five home launderings) following AATCC methods were explored.

Findings

Laundry cycle did not have a significant effect on fabric drape, shear or bending properties. However, drape values increased overall, while shear and bending modulus and hysteresis decreased, resulting in a more drapable, pliable fabric after five laundry cycles.

Research limitations/implications

Future research examining a wider variety of fabrics and conducting a greater number of laundry cycles to approximate an average yearly number of laundry cycles is recommended. An expansion of this preliminary study should give more conclusive evidence of the trends observed.

Originality/value

Objective measurement of drape and fabric mechanical properties related to drape after laundry treatments would assist the apparel manufacturer in developing laundry recommendations based on the fabric's performance and in selecting fabrics which maintain their drape characteristics, mechanical properties, and dimensional stability with use. Higher quality garments with increased consumer satisfaction would result.

Details

International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology, vol. 21 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0955-6222

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 2 August 2021

Marquita Kilgore-Nolan

The overall objective of this research was to elucidate the ecosystem of women’s health social enterprises (WHSEs) based in the United States. The Aim I was to conduct a secondary…

Abstract

The overall objective of this research was to elucidate the ecosystem of women’s health social enterprises (WHSEs) based in the United States. The Aim I was to conduct a secondary data analysis of a random national sample of non-profit WHSEs based in the United States regarding their characteristics and areas of intervention. Aim II was to conduct a qualitative assessment of a sample of WHSEs based in the United States regarding their perspectives on the ecosystem of WHSEs. Aim I utilized the GuideStar database and assessed enterprise size, geographic location, financial distress, health intervention area, and health activity category using descriptive statistics, statistical tests, and multivariable regression analysis via SPSS. Aim II utilized in-depth interviewing and grounded theory analysis via MAXQDA 2018 to identify novel themes and core categories while using an established framework for mapping social enterprise ecosystems as a scaffold.

Aim I findings suggest that WHSE activity is more predominant in the south region of the United States but not geographically concentrated around cities previously identified as social enterprise hubs. WHSEs take a comprehensive approach to women’s health, often simultaneously focusing on multiple areas of health interventions. Although most WHSEs demonstrate a risk for financial distress, very few exhibited severe risk. Risk for financial distress was not significantly associated with any of the measured enterprise characteristics. Aim II generated four core categories of findings that describe the ecosystem of WHSE: (1) comprehensive, community-based, and culturally adaptive care; (2) interdependent innovation in systems, finances, and communication; (3) interdisciplinary, cross-enterprise collaboration; and (4) women’s health as the foundation for family and population health. These findings are consistent with the three-failures theory for non-profit organizations, particularly that WHSEs address government failure by focusing on the unmet women’s health needs of the underserved populations (in contrast to the supply of services supported by the median voter) and address the market failure of over exclusion through strategies such as cross-subsidization and price discrimination. While WHSEs operate with levels of financial risk and are subject to the voluntary sector failure of philanthropic insufficiency, the data also show that they act to remediate other threats of voluntary failure.

Aim I findings highlight the importance of understanding financial performance of WHSEs. Also, lack of significant associations between our assessed enterprise characteristics and their financial risk suggests need for additional research to identify factors that influence financial performance of WHSE. Aim II findings show that WHSEs are currently engaged in complex care coordination and comprehensive biopsychosocial care for women and their families, suggesting that these enterprises may serve as a model for improving women’s health and health care. The community-oriented and interdisciplinary nature of WHSE as highlighted by our study may also serve as a unique approach for research and education purposes. Additional research on the ecosystem of WHSE is needed in order to better inform generalizability of our findings and to elucidate how WHSE interventions may be integrated into policies and practices to improve women’s health.

Details

Entrepreneurship for Social Change
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80071-211-9

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 May 2014

Silvia Ranfagni, Simone Guercini and Belinda Crawford Camiciottoli

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the current role of qualitative research in the analysis of the relations between brands and consumers in new market spaces, with…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the current role of qualitative research in the analysis of the relations between brands and consumers in new market spaces, with particular reference to how it can be enhanced with quantitative techniques to study interactions in online communities.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reviews key scientific contributions in the area of qualitative marketing research. Drawing from this theoretical background, the authors then propose the integration of digital ethnography (a qualitative approach) with quantitative text mining as an innovative approach to gain insights into perceptions of brand associations among online consumers.

Findings

The paper contributes to a greater awareness of both limitations and new perspectives in relation to qualitative market research, while suggesting innovative paths for future research.

Practical implications

The new methodological approach described can be used to better understand brand knowledge based on consumer brand associations. These insights can then be applied towards developing and implementing effective branding strategies.

Originality/value

The authors propose an interdisciplinary methodology to study consumer behaviour in online communities which incorporates digital ethnography and computer-assisted textual analysis. Particularly the latter technique (borrowed from the field of linguistics) has not yet been exploited extensively in marketing research, but is capable of offering new types of knowledge with important implications for strategic brand management.

Details

Management Decision, vol. 52 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0025-1747

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 31 October 2018

Barbara Fedock, Armando Paladino, Liston Bailey and Belinda Moses

The purpose of this paper is to examine how robotics program developers perceived the role of emulation of human ethics when programming robots for use in educational settings. A…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine how robotics program developers perceived the role of emulation of human ethics when programming robots for use in educational settings. A purposive sampling of online robotics program developer professional sites which focused on the role of emulation of human ethics used when programming robots for use in educational settings was included in the study. Content related to robotics program developers’ perceptions on educational uses of robots and ethics were analyzed.

Design/methodology/approach

The design for this study was a qualitative summative content analysis. The researchers analyzed keywords related to a phenomenon. The phenomenon was the emulation of human ethics programmed in robots. Articles selected to be analyzed in this study were published by robotics program developers who focused on robots and ethics in the education. All articles analyzed in this study were posted online, and the public has complete access to the studies.

Findings

Robotics program developers viewed the importance of situational human ethics interpretations and implementations. To facilitate flexibility, robotics program developers programmed robots to search computer-based ethics related research, frameworks and case studies. Robotics program developers acknowledged the importance of human ethics, but they felt more flexibility was needed in the role of how classroom human ethical models were created, developed and used. Some robotic program developers expressed questions and concerns about the implementations of flexible robot ethical accountability levels and behaviors in the educational setting. Robotics program developers argued that educational robots were not designed or programmed to emulate human ethics.

Research limitations/implications

One limitation of the study was 32 online, public articles written by robotics program designers analyzed through qualitative content analysis to find themes and patterns. In qualitative content analysis studies, findings may not be as generalizable as in quantitative studies. Another limitation was only a limited number of articles written by robotics programs existed which addressed robotics and emulation of human ethics in the educational setting.

Practical implications

The significance of this study is the need for a renewed global initiative in education to promote debates, research and on-going collaboration with scientific leaders on ethics and programming robots. The implication for education leaders is to provide ongoing professional development on the role of ethics in education and to create best practices for using robots in education to promote increased student learning and enhance the teaching process.

Social implications

The implications of this study are global. All cultures will be affected by the robotics’ shift in how students are taught ethical decision making in the educational setting. Robotics program developers will create computational educational moral models which will replace archetypal educational ethics frameworks. Because robotics program developers do not classify robots as human, educators, parents and communities will continue to question the use of robots in educational settings, and they will challenge robotics ethical dilemmas, moral standards and computational findings. The examination of robotics program developers’ perspectives through different lens may help close the gap and establish a new understanding among all stakeholders.

Originality/value

Four university doctoral faculty members conducted this content analysis study. After discussions on robotics and educational ethics, the researchers discovered a gap in the literature on the use of robots in the educational setting and the emulation of human ethics in robots. Therefore, to explore the implications for educators, the researchers formed a group to research the topic to learn more about the topic. No personal gains resulted from the study. All research was original. All cultures will be affected by the robotics’ shift in how students are taught ethical decision making in the educational setting. Robotics program developers will create computational educational moral models which will replace archetypal educational ethics frameworks. Because robotics program developers do not classify robots as human, educators, parents and communities will continue to question the use of robots in educational settings, and they will challenge robotics ethical dilemmas, moral standards, and computational findings. The examination of robotics program developers’ perspectives through different lens may help close the gap and establish a new understanding among all stakeholders.

Details

Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching & Learning, vol. 11 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2397-7604

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 January 1992

J. Lau, G. Dody, W. Chen, M. McShane, D. Rice, S. Erasmus and W. Adamjee

The reliability of 0·5 mm pitch, 208‐pin FQFP solder joints has been studied by experimental temperature cycling and 3‐D nonlinear finite element analysis. Temperature cycling…

Abstract

The reliability of 0·5 mm pitch, 208‐pin FQFP solder joints has been studied by experimental temperature cycling and 3‐D nonlinear finite element analysis. Temperature cycling results have been presented as a Weibull distribution. Thermal fatigue life of the solder joints has been estimated based on the calculated plastic strain and isothermal fatigue data on solders. A correlation between the experimental and analytical results has also been made.

Details

Circuit World, vol. 18 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0305-6120

Article
Publication date: 1 April 1996

David C. Wyld

Introduction‐Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Do you have trouble concentrating in meetings? Do you find yourself forgetting what you just read? Do you constantly fight a…

Abstract

Introduction‐Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Do you have trouble concentrating in meetings? Do you find yourself forgetting what you just read? Do you constantly fight a losing battle at “getting organised”? Do you become “depressed” too often?

Details

Equal Opportunities International, vol. 15 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0261-0159

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