Countryside and Community Research Institute Podcast: Pride of Place(ment)

In this episode, we hear from this year's placement students Marie Steytler and Harry Batchelor. Marie and Harry joined us in September 2023 and have since immersed themselves within the collaborative and inclusive CCRI community. Join them as they discuss their placement experience so far with Nick Lewis, Research Assistant and Placement Coordinator, and learn more about the tasks they've been working on to support various CCRI research projects

Effect of sex and lateral ankle sprain history on dorsiflexion range of motion asymmetry during the weight bearing lunge test

Background Reduced dorsiflexion range of motion (DFROM) which is commonly seen following lateral ankle sprain (LAS) has the potential to influence lower extremity biomechanics which have been linked to an increase injury risk in the female athlete. Current research on the effect of sex and LAS history on DFROM is limited. Hypothesis/Purpose: This study had three aims 1) determine the effect of sex, leg dominance and LAS history on DFROM, 2) determine the effect of sex and LAS history on magnitude of asymmetry and 3) the association of sex on direction of asymmetry. Study Design: Cross-Sectional Study Methods DFROM was measured bilaterally whilst performing the weight bearing lunge test (WBLT) in 105 healthy individuals all participating in multidirectional sports. A 3-way mixed ANOVA was carried out to determine the interaction between sex, LAS history and leg dominance on DFROM and a 2-way ANOVA for the effect of sex and LAS history on asymmetry. A chi-square test was used to determine the association of sex and direction of asymmetry. Results This study found no significant effect of sex, LAS history and leg dominance on DFROM (P>0.05). Main effects were significant for sex and LAS on DFROM. The mean asymmetry for all participants was reported as 12.25±14.76cm. No significant effect of sex and LAS history on magnitude of asymmetry was reported. There was a significant association of sex and direction of asymmetry (χ2(1) = 11.26, p = .00). 65.2% of males were shown to have higher DFROM of their non-dominant limb compared to 75% of females who were higher in their dominant limb. Conclusion Findings from this study suggest that DFROM is affected by sex and LAS history. Females have increased DFROM compared to males and those with LAS history are more likely to have a decreased DFROM. This study also suggests that interlimb asymmetries in DFROM are present in athletes, therefore practitioners should exercise caution when using bilateral comparisons in injury and return to play assessments

“Xanadu Hidden in the Heart of Bootle”: Place and Foreignness in The Unforgotten Coat

This chapter considers the relevance of notions of foreignness to our comprehension of place and identity in a case study text aimed at a middle-grade audience, Frank Cottrell Boyce’s The Unforgotten Coat (20112). The analysis will consider how this primary text problematizes various Anglocentric narratives and cultural paradigms and, in so doing, aligns with pertinent aspects of Postcolonial theory, engaging, for example, with Edward Said’s writings in Orientalism (1978), which traces the emergence of the figure of the “foreign Other” to Western attitudes to the “exotic” Orient. This chapter posits that the foreign “Other” in fiction for young people exists as a character trope invoked by authors to provide a commentary on, and critique of the “local” social order, in this case Britain in the opening years of the twenty-first century. Out of this chapter’s discussions of foreignness inevitably arise considerations of place and its relationship to national identity, assimilation and belonging

Lean and agile supply strategies in distribution centres to deliver Value Added Services (VAS)

Background: This paper examines how logistics mangers increase performance by in-corporating VAS in their distribution centres in the context of different natures of customer de-mand. The study is underpinned by the principles of lean and agile strategies as two key concepts that can be applied to respond to different customer expectations. Methods: Based on the phe-nomenological interpretivist paradigm, an empirical multiple-case study was applied in German distribution centres operated by six companies. The empirical data was collected by semi-structured interviews, built on the triangulation of sources. Open, axial, and selective coding were employed to analyse data collected by eighteen in-depth interviews with managers from the distribution centres. Results: The findings indicated that the construct of customer demand forms different benefits that the logistics service providers can achieve through VAS. Simultaneously, various customer demands on VAS requires distribution centres to focus on developing different operational capabilities to gain superior performance. Conclusions: Based on the research findings, a conceptual model was created. This model can support logistics service providers to improve company performance through effectively managing VAS in their distribution centres. The high dynamic VAS customer demand can bring more financial and non-financial benefits but needs higher flexibility of the warehouse operation system. Stable and predictable VAS, in turn requires a higher degree of standardisation

A horizon scan of issues affecting UK forest management within 50 years

Forests are in the spotlight: they are expected to play a pivotal role in our response to society’s greatest challenges, such as the climate and biodiversity crises. Yet the forests themselves, and the sector that manages them, face a range of interrelated threats and opportunities. Many of these are well understood, even if the solutions remain elusive. However, there are also emerging trends that are currently less widely appreciated. We report here the results of a horizon scan to identify developing issues likely to affect UK forest management within the next fifty years. These are issues that are presently under-recognised but have potential for significant impact across the sector and beyond. As the forest management sector naturally operates over long timescales, the importance of using good foresight is self-evident. We followed a tried-and-tested horizon scanning methodology involving a diverse Expert Panel to collate and prioritise a longlist of 180 issues. The top15 issues identified are presented in the Graphical Abstract. The issues represent a diverse range of themes, within a spectrum of influences from environmental shocks and perturbations to changing political and socio- economic drivers, with complex emerging interactions between them. The most highly ranked issue was ‘Catastrophic forest ecosystem collapse’, reflecting agreement that not only is such collapse a likely prospect but it would also have huge implications across the sector and wider society. These and many of the other issues are large scale, with far-reaching implications. We must be careful to avoid inaction through being overwhelmed, or indeed to merely focus on ‘easy wins’ without considering broader ramifications. Our responses to each of the challenges and opportunities highlighted must be synergistic and coherent, involving landscape-scale planning. A more adaptive approach to forest management will be essential, encouraging continual innovation and learning. The 15 horizon scan issues presented here are a starting point on which to build further research, prompt debate and action, and develop evidence-based policy and practice. We hope that this stimulates greater recognition of how our forests and sector may need to change to be fit for the future. In some cases, these changes will need to be fundamental and momentous

St Paul's Community Mural Project Paint Days Exhibition

We always wanted to know, what could happen if you bring people together, from across a neighbouhood, who don’t know each other, gave them coloured pencils, paper, and an idea, what would they draw? When was the last time you picked up a pencil, and drew something? A drawing’s told an unexpected tale of who we are and where we live right now. We found memories of postboxes, trees, games, and little moments of people’s lives that add up in letters, stories, and images. Come add to the story of St Paul’s mural

Study on funding for EU rural areas: Brochure

The study on funding for EU rural areas examines the contribution of the CAP 2014-2022 in addressing the needs and actions outlined under the Long-term vision for the EU’s rural areas (LTVRA)

Cybersecurity threats in FinTech: A systematic review

The rapid evolution of the Smart-everything movement and Artificial Intelligence (AI) advancements have given rise to sophisticated cyber threats that traditional methods cannot counteract. Cyber threats are extremely critical in financial technology (FinTech) as a data-centric sector expected to provide 24/7 services. This paper introduces a novel and refined taxonomy of security threats in FinTech and conducts a comprehensive systematic review of defensive strategies. Through PRISMA methodology applied to 74 selected studies and topic modeling, we identified 11 central cyber threats, with 43 papers detailing them, and pinpointed 9 corresponding defense strategies, as covered in 31 papers. This in-depth analysis offers invaluable insights for stakeholders ranging from banks and enterprises to global governmental bodies, highlighting both the current challenges in FinTech and effective countermeasures, as well as directions for future research

Reassessing Critical Success Factors for ERP Implementation in the Digital Era

This paper examines the recent evolution of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems and explores the critical success factors (CSFs) for project implementation in the digital age. Adopting a qualitative inductive approach, the article first reports on CSFs evident in relevant literature drawn from the past two decades. In the second research phase, interview feedback from nine industry project managers is analysed to identify the CSFs now considered of particular relevance in the digital era. The article concludes that many of the established CSFs remain relevant, but recent research suggests the deployment of digital technologies and the availability of the cloud for ERP operation will mean that CSFs will be re-formulated in new technology and business environments. CSFs related to cloud-based vs on-premise software operation, system configuration and functionality trade-offs, and the integration of digital technologies into ERP products, are likely to emerge in the digital era. Future studies could profitably focus on these largely unresearched aspects of ERP projects, to which this article makes a small contribution that may provide a useful point of reference for subsequent studies

Managing Upward and Downward Through Informal Networks in Jordan: The Contested Terrain of Performance Management

This study explores how local managers, in practicing HRM, may pursue their own interests that are out of line with the agendas of headquarters in Multinational companies (MNCs). It is widely acknowledged that informal networks have an impact on HRM practices in emerging markets. While these networks are often regarded as beneficial for organizations in compensating for institutional shortfalls, they may also lead to corruption, nepotism, or other ethical transgressions. Indigenous scholarship on informal networks in emerging markets has highlighted how their impact occurs through a dynamic process; powerful placeholders deploy informal networks to entrench existing power and authority relations when managing people. Qualitative data were gathered through 43 in-depth interviews and documentary evidence from MNCs operating in Jordan. MNCs are subject to both home and host country effects; we highlight how, in practicing HRM, country of domicile managers deploy the cultural scripts of wasta informal network to secure and enhance their own relative authority. HRM practices are repurposed by actors who secure and consolidate their power through wasta. They dispense patronage to insiders and marginalize outsiders; the latter includes not only more vulnerable local employees but also expatriates. This phenomenon becomes particularly evident during the performance appraisal process, which may serve as a basis for the differential treatment and rewards of employees. Consequently, this further dilutes the capacity of MNCs to implement – as adverse to espousing – centrally decided approaches to HRM