The gap between rhetoric and reality: an audit of postgraduate curricula for evidence of equality, diversity, and inclusion:Handbook of Inclusive Learning

Our chapter concerns the extent to which the topics of equality, diversity and inclusion are covered in the curricula of UK business schools. These topics are attracting a great deal of interest from higher education policy and professional bodies such as Advance HE (formerly the Higher Education Academy) and the Chartered Association of Business Schools, and yet, despite this high-profile interest, there is increasing evidence that these topics are often not covered in business school curricula, or only in the relatively ‘soft’ topics such as human resource management and business ethics

Pain displays in childbirth: How first-stage contractions are interactionally managed in midwife-led births

Birthing is an exemplary setting for investigating how non-pathological painful sensations are intersubjectively established. Contractions are integral to giving birth and are physiologically normal events that can range from mild to intensely painful sensations. This conversation analytic study is the first to examine how first-stage labour contractions are made recognisable and shape interaction between labouring women, birth partners and attending clinicians. Drawing on recordings from two UK midwife-led units, we show how participants convey and recognise contraction pain through breathiness, pain cries, (limited) talk, and visible bodily actions. Contractions can be prospectively announced and/or retrospectively noticed. We demonstrate that breathing patterns become central to how participants collectively orient to and manage contractions, with the onset of pain temporarily suspending ongoing activities in favour of breath work. Data are in British English

Market signalling by microenterprises when building reputational capital

This paper addresses two gaps in our understanding: how Microenterprises (MEs) build reputational capital and how this compares with current theory (here the Stereotype Content Model or SCM). It also aims to explain our finding that MEs focus on communicating their competence but not their status. A content analysis of the relevant parts of 44 ME websites from the UK and China, is used to assess ME signalling of their ‘warmth, competence, and status’ and to identify major themes within each category. Both samples included B2B as well as B2C businesses and a wide range of business types. Data were collected during late 2021. As hypothesised from the SCM, MEs used all three types of signalling. Contrary to SCM theory, but compatible with prior work that small firms are stereotyped as lacking in competence, competence, rather than warmth, signals predominated. Status signalling was the least used option. Using a 2 × 2 experimental design survey among potential customers, competing explanations for this last finding are then tested. A tenet from the SCM, that the role of status signals is to inform competence evaluations, was not supported. Instead, status signalling was found to be potentially off-putting to customers as it can imply higher prices. The paper’s practical contributions include both examples and a thematic structure to guide the content of ME communication. The theoretical implications are that some of the SCM’s underlying theory may need modification in the context of MEs, specifically that concerning the role of both competence and status signalling

Integration of AI and Cloud Computing:Advantages and Challenges

Cloud technology has led to a major growth in business cooperation. Each of the procedures has been improved by the use of AI. An organisation can benefit from excellent data security and low maintenance costs with a cloud computing solution the success of cloud services techniques is significantly influenced by the application of artificial intelligence in particular industries. As a result, the combined effect of these two developments increases the prosperity of certain firms. Public clouds function better when smart devices and computer vision models are used. It has also shown how businesses may gain from integrating AI into public cloud plans in several ways. This research provides insight into the advantages and challenges of combining artificial intelligence with cloud computing

‘Biographical continuity’: a qualitative study of the role of complementary and alternative medicine in restoring the self after breast cancer diagnosis

Introduction Breast cancer patients frequently use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) alongside biomedical treatment for symptom relief and to address the disruption caused by diagnosis and treatment. These experiences, however, are often overlooked within the cancer clinical encounter. This study explored CAM use in women with breast cancer, focusing on three main research questions: Why do women with breast cancer use CAM? In what ways does CAM help them maintain or regain a sense of normality? What barriers or tensions do they face when considering or using CAM? Methods The study used a qualitative interpretative-constructivist research design to analyse the subjective meanings women with breast cancer ascribed to their CAM use during their breast cancer journey. Unstructured interviews were conducted with nine female breast cancer patients undertaking treatment at a major NHS cancer centre in Southeast England. The interviews were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results The women engaged with a wide range of CAM therapies during their cancer journey. CAM was used not only to alleviate symptoms, but also to restore a sense of ‘ordinariness’ and biographical continuity. Central to this process were practices of self-care, self-help, and self-management, and the collaboration of CAM practitioners and open-minded medical doctors. Barriers included dominant biomedical approaches, limited information sharing and communication about CAM, financial and geographical constraints, and little clinical validation by medical staff. Conclusion These women experienced tensions and conflicts when trying to use CAM alongside cancer treatment. They sought overall well-being but often encountered barriers to accessing CAM and sharing their experiences within a biomedical context. The study highlights the role and value of CAM in restoring a sense of normality in the lives of breast cancer survivors, and recommends raising professional awareness of CAM use by women with breast cancer, normalising CAM dialogue in the clinical encounter, and considering relational care in training

Beyond movement alone: re-thinking health implications of physical activity and rest

Physical inactivity has become associated with a range of poor health outcomes. Major policy documents have urged actions to decrease physical inactivity at a population level and health promotion campaigns have urged individuals to change their behaviour at a personal level. In this Viewpoint, we challenge the orthodox view, which frames physical activity as solely good and healthy, and inactivity as solely bad and unhealthy. Labelling inactivity as only unhealthy ignores underlying politics and contexts, neglecting the vital role that rest plays in sustaining both wellbeing and the capacity to care for others. To resist, we call for a holistic appreciation of stillness and rest as part of a Dynamic Continuum of Human Movement. A shift in thinking would consider the potential health benefits of stillness as being socially active, mentally active and restorative. We offer policy and practice implications, and encourage the public health community to incorporate an empathetic, inclusive and holistic appreciation of stillness into health promotion messaging

When corona infested everything: a qualitative interview study exploring the impact of COVID-19 mitigation measures on school life from the perspectives of English secondary school staff and students

To reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection, transmission and illness during the pandemic, the Department for Education (DfE) issued guidance to schools. However, research on how the school community perceives the impact of the COVID-19 mitigation measures outlined remains limited. This qualitative study aims to explore the effects of school closures and in-school mitigation measures on daily school life, as well as their impact on mental health and wellbeing from the perspective of English secondary school staff and students. Participants were purposively sampled from English secondary schools serving diverse communities participating in the COVID-19 Mapping and Mitigation in Schools study (CoMMinS). Selection ensured representation of staff roles and student demographics. Semi-structured interviews were conducted remotely, and data analysed thematically. Interviews were between January and August 2021 with participants from five secondary schools (20 staff and 25 students). Both staff and students reported significant disruption to school life, with four themes identified: (1) teaching and learning impact, (2) social impact, (3) safeguarding impact, and (4) and mental health and wellbeing impact. Findings highlight widespread negative effects across every aspect of school life, for both staff and students. This study suggests that COVID-19 mitigation measures in UK secondary schools led to a sense of loss and uncertainty as well as increased self-reported stress among both staff and students

Experiences and attitudes of women and maternity care professionals towards the use of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines and therapies during and after pregnancy: a qualitative evidence synthesis

Background This paper explores the preliminary findings on the experiences and attitudes of women and maternity care professionals towards the use of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines and therapies (TCAMTs) during and after pregnancy in high-income countries. Objective We aim to answer the following research questions: (1) What are the experiences and attitudes of women towards the use of TCAMTs during and after pregnancy? (2) What are the attitudes of maternity care professionals towards women’s use of TCAMTs during and after pregnancy? Methods A systematic literature review of peer-reviewed qualitative and mixed-methods studies published in English, German, Portuguese, and Spanish between January 2014 and November 2024. Comprehensive searches were conducted using the following electronic databases: CINAHL Complete (EBSCO), MEDLINE (EBSCO), EMBASE (Ovid), APA PsycINFO (EBSCO), Web of Science (Clarivate Analytics), SocINDEX, and Scopus(Ovid). Findings Women often relied on self-prescribed herbal treatments or therapies recommended by friends, fellow pregnant women, and family rather than healthcare specialists. Their use of TCAMTs focused on: pain management (pregnancy-related, labour, and post-partum, particularly post-cesarean, pain); labour preparation (particularly spontaneous labour without pain relief intervention); emotional regulation; reclaiming post-partum femininity and sexuality; being in control and actively engaging in their healthcare and not just being instructed; seeking what they perceived as ‘safe’ and non-invasive therapies or remedies. They often perceived biomedical consultations as being insufficient and cited concerns over short consultations, avoidance of TCAMTs discussions, and lack of information about TCAMTs by maternity care professionals. Women, however, also raised concerns about TCAMTs safety and the lack of available information. Studies on healthcare professionals’ attitudes were limited, but one noted concerns about the lack of evidence for TCAMTs, their complementary nature, and their potential to empower women. Conclusion Improving communication between women and healthcare professionals is essential for shared decision-making and maximising the benefits of TCAMTs

The role of artificial intelligence in the tourism and hospitality sector

This timely, expert-led book brings together the latest academic and practitioner insights on Al technology within the hospitality and tourism industries. The disruptive nature of Al is captured in a logically structured and accessible way, with global case studies covering the latest technological developments in Al via a wide range of detailed, 'real-world' examples designed to help the reader understand how this complex subject area is applied in industry. Topics covered include privacy concerns, Al in hotels, personalisation of the guest experience, travel planning, virtual assistants and recommendation systems, sustainability, blockchain, AR, VR, loT, smart destinations and big data analytics, amongst others. Chapters also include insights on governmental policies, environmental sustainability, social change, and how these impact and interact with Al technologies within the context of tourism and hospitality. This volume is of pivotal interest to students, scholars and academics in the fields of tourism, hospitality, business, management, human geography, social sciences and sustainability, as well as those with an interest in Al technology more generally

Generative adversarial networks-enabled anomaly detection systems: a survey

Anomaly Detection (AD) is an important area of research because it helps identify outliers in data, enabling early detection of errors, fraud, and potential security breaches. Machine Learning (ML) can be utilized for distinct AD systems, and Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) have emerged as a promising technique due to their ability to generate new data that closely resembles a given dataset, allowing for the creation of realistic images, videos, audio, text, and other types of synthetic data. This paper explores state-of-the-art approaches in AD using GANs. The paper starts by providing a comprehensive overview of ML techniques for AD, including supervised, unsupervised, and semi-supervised approaches. This survey also explores various AD approaches based on GANs and provides an application-based classification of GANs-based AD approaches in the Internet-of-Things (IoT), Industrial IoT, Digital Healthcare, Energy Management Systems, and Cellular Network domains. Moreover, the paper discusses several datasets used in evaluating the performance of GANs-based AD techniques such as BOT-IoT, TON-IoT, CIC-IoT, CIC-IDS, and NSL-KDD. These datasets serve as valuable resources for researchers and practitioners to develop and test AD systems, particularly in the context of IoT and network security. Furthermore, the paper discusses the challenges and limitations of GANs-based AD techniques and proposes future research directions to address these challenges