Facilitating Circular Economy in Urban Planning

A shift towards a more Circular Economy is crucial to achieve a more sustainable and inclusive built environment that meets future demands. Circular Economy is a promising concept for industry and society. If implemented well, Circular Economy can deliver environmental benefits and economic advantages for which innovation is essential. To achieve a resource-efficient built environment the Circular Economy should be developed and implemented systemically and on a large scale, going beyond cities. To realise this, local authorities, citizens, and other stakeholders need a collaborative and science-informed decision environment that allows for developing different waste and resource management options, and assessing their impacts on the environment, resilience, spatial quality and quality of life. The articles in this special issue all discuss different aspects of research to deliver solutions and strategies for a circular economy in urban planning throughout Europe, focusing on peri-urban locations. The first rticle introduces Living Labs as a methodology to co-create circular solutions and strategies with local stakeholders. The second article focuses on governance for the shift towards a Circular Economy, unravelling hindrances and revealing objectives, whereas the third article develops a means to transfer circular strategies and solutions from one location to another. The fourth article presents an open-source tool based on the geodesign approach which links the co-creation of design proposals to impact simulations informed by geographic contexts, systems thinking, and digital technology—the Geodesign Decision Support Environment. Finally, the fifth article presents the first results of incorporating the concept of Circular Economy in an integrative manner in urban design and planning courses

Professional translation between academic theory, best practice and market realities: a data-led investigation into practitioners’ experiences of their current working conditions

Translation is, as Ludwig Wittgenstein remarked, “a difficult business”. With a growing global annual sales volume that currently exceeds US$ 46bn, it is also an extremely lucrative one. This PhD project is primarily an investigation into the “internal knowledge” of professional practitioners who make their living at the intersection between these two aspects of translation; who operate simultaneously in the “mnemonic time” of translation and the “instantaneous time” of globalisation, and on a daily basis negotiate between their own experience of translation as a process that takes as long as it takes – and, according to Translation Studies scholars, in a sense always remains provisional and unfinished – and their clients’ reliance on receiving complete and accurate translations by or before a pre-agreed deadline. Quantitative and qualitative data obtained from a survey completed by 292 respondents from 33 different countries shows that, although almost 60 per cent of respondents define themselves as service providers, many perceive their work as translators – described as “the work itself”, “the actual work” or “the work as such” in a number of responses – as separate from, and less stressful than, their work as providers of translation services. This distinction, which is expressed most concisely in one respondent’s wish for “[l]ess paperwork, emails, negotiations – I would just like to translate” (emphasis added), appears to point beyond the simple difference between billable and non-billable work. While a number of respondents explicitly talk about their love or passion for “translating itself”, many are considerably less enamoured with the market environment that enables them to turn that passion into a livelihood. Time pressure emerges as a constant and near-ubiquitous issue that dominates many respondents’ experience of their professional practice and is inextricably linked to concerns about remuneration, work/life balance, mental and physical wellbeing and the standard of quality respondents feel able to deliver under these conditions. To compensate for growing pressure on rates, a substantial number report working longer hours and/or at greater speed than they would like to. As responses to survey questions about stress factors and enjoyment confirm, these concerns are frequently exacerbated by the feeling that clients who commission translations fail to appreciate the full of complexity of what translators actually do. Specifically, responses to survey questions about definitions of professional identity show that respondents were consistently more likely to ascribe reductive views of translators as service providers, suppliers or resources to their clients, and more likely to ascribe empowering and/or creative roles as language experts, knowledge workers, word artists or intercultural mediators to themselves. It may also be the case that this is a mutual failure: that some professional translators themselves have a reductive view of their clients’ constraints and expectations unless there is sufficient opportunity, time, inclination and trust on both sides for meaningful dialogue beyond negotiating rates and deadlines. This can be difficult in a market dominated by profit-driven corporate language service providers (LSPs) whose business model relies on marginalising professional translators as service providers, vendors and translation resources. My secondary research objective is to examine what can be done, and/or is already being done, by HE institutions, professional associations and other stakeholders to equip new and aspiring translators with the skills and resilience required to confront the working conditions described by survey respondents, and to offer proposals for new and existing models of best practice in translator education, e.g. situated learning under conditions that are as authentic as possible, mentorship schemes and other forms of collaboration between new and experienced professionals. The thesis concludes with a speculative chapter that explores potential scenarios for the future of human translation in a market environment that is progressively geared towards eliminating the human element from translation workflows altogether

Computer use as a social activity : a study involving Libyan women living away from their home country

The purpose of this study was to investigate displacement and the migrant experience, particularly in relation to the under-researched area of middle class migration, and the role of the computer in sustaining relationships at a distance. The participants were a group of elite Libyan women who lived with their husbands and children in North Manchester were the focus of the study. The focus of the study was centred on showing how these Libyan women used home computing and the internet as a social tool. A qualitative research methodology was utilised in this study. The data consisted of exploratory semi-structured interviews with a Libyan mother and her daughter, and a series of group discussions collected from Al Lamma gatherings (women’s social gatherings) which were attended by Libyan women of different backgrounds. The use of Al Lamma gatherings provided a culturally appropriate setting in which the women were able to express their views more freely than might have been the case in more traditional research settings such as group interviews or focus groups. The women’s group discussion transcripts were translated from spoken Libyan Arabic into English. Participantobservation field notes, reflective extracts and diary notes were also part of the research data. The analysis of the interviews and the women’s group discussions revealed important issues as a result of using home computing and the internet as a social activity. Home computing was used as a vehicle for informal learning and self-development. However the women found it necessary to overcome various barriers and obstacles to their access to 4 home computing. For instance, conflict and power relations in Libyan families in North Manchester were reflected in members’ access to and use of home computers, prompting strategies such as passive resistance by the women in order to secure access to home computing and the social and leisure goods that it offers. As a result, it is suggested, home computing contributed to the empowerment of the Libyan women participants. Culture and religion also had influences on family structures, and therefore upon practices around home computing and internet use. Further issues discussed in the study included the role of home computing in sustaining real and ‘imagined’ community, and the significance of engaging with virtual realities for children’s development. The thesis also addressed issues related to the role of the English language in creating hierarchies of knowledge and power among researchers. The thesis identifies a need for educators and policy makers to recognize the existence of middle class migrants who have diversity of needs and identities. It is suggested that the engagement with home computing by such migrant groups could have implications for classroom teaching or designing effective courses online. The thesis identifies a need for further research on education, employment and empowerment in relation to middle class immigrant women from under-represented groups in the United Kingdom. The experience of children of immigrant families or transnational families is also identified as a topic for future research. Finally, the thesis recommends enhancing an appreciation of differences by teaching about different social arrangements and cultures in the English education system

Postediting machine translation output and its revision: subject-matter experts versus professional translators

El presente estudio compara la post-edición de textos técnicos de ingenieros y traductores profesionales en términos de velocidad, documentación y cambios. También se compara la calidad de los textos post-editados. Además, se explora cuál de los siguientes flujos de trabajo es más rápido y produce resultados de mayor calidad: la post-edición de los resultados de Traducción Automática hecha por los ingenieros y la revisada por traductores profesionales, o viceversa. Los resultados sugieren que la experiencia y conocimientos en la materia son los principales factores que determinan la calidad de la post-edición. Cuando se penalizan los errores recurrentes, la post-edición de textos técnicos realizada por los ingenieros es significativamente de mayor calidad que la de los traductores. La velocidad de revisión de traductores e ingenieros no difirió significativamente. En textos técnicos, la mejora de la calidad que conlleva que el ingeniero revise la post-edición del traductor es mayor que en cuando el trabajo se organiza al revés. Además, la calidad de los textos post-editados y sus versiones revisadas (ya sea realizada por traductores profesionales o ingenieros) cambia significativamente según se penalicen o no los errores recurrentes.El present estudi compara la post-edició de textos tècnics d'enginyers i traductors professionals en termes de velocitat, documentació i canvis. També es compara la qualitat dels textos post-editats. A més, s'explora quin dels següents fluxos de treball és més ràpid i produeix resultats de major qualitat: la post-edició dels resultats de Traducció Automàtica feta pels enginyers i la revisada per traductors professionals, o viceversa. Els resultats suggereixen que l'experiència i coneixements en la matèria són els principals factors que determinen la qualitat de la post-edició. Quan es penalitzen els errors recurrents, la post-edició de textos tècnics realitzada pels enginyers és significativament de major qualitat que la dels traductors. La velocitat de revisió de traductors i enginyers no va diferir significativament. En textos tècnics, la millora de la qualitat que comporta que l'enginyer revisi la post-edició del traductor és major que en quan el treball s'organitza a l'inrevés. A més, la qualitat dels textos post-editats i les seves versions revisades (ja sigui realitzada per traductors professionals o enginyers) canvia significativament segons es penalitzin o no els errors recurrents.The present research compares engineers’ and professional translators’ postediting a technical text in terms of speed, documentation and changes. It also compares the postedited texts with regard to quality. Further, we explore which of the following workflows is faster and produces outputs of higher quality: Postediting MT output by engineers and revising the postedited text by professional translators, or vice-versa. The findings suggest that expertise and experience in the subject-matter are the main factors determining postediting quality. When the recurrent errors are penalized, the engineers’ postediting of technical texts is of significantly higher quality than the translators’. The translators’ and the engineers’ postediting and revision speed did not differ significantly. For technical texts, the quality improvement brought about by engineer-revision of translator-postediting is higher than vice-versa. Further, the quality of the postedited texts and their revised versions (either performed by professional translators or engineers) changes significantly as a result of penalizing and unpenalizing recurrent errors

Supporting lifelong learning with Open Educational Resources (OER) among diverse users: motivations for and approaches to learning with different OER

This thesis presents a study which aimed to understand: 1) What motivates and influences learning with Open Educational Resources (OER) among different users, and 2) What role OER play in supporting lifelong learning among different users. The activities of key international organisations promoting lifelong learning as significant in the context of globalisation, combined with the innovative character of OER as high-quality open learning resources, were the reasons for the focus. The aim was to understand the function of OER through exploring motivational aspects, approaches to and contexts of individual learning among users of five different OER: penLearn, OpenSpires, OpenStudy, METU OpenCourseWare and Wolne Lektury. A case study approach allowed the focus on the uniqueness of specific OER. Semi-structured interviews and virtual output collection were triangulated as data gathering methods. Interviews were analysed using the Miles and Huberman’s (1994) qualitative framework and output - using Preece et al.’s (2002) thematic analysis guidelines. Results show OER as not only resources but learning environments supporting ‘expansion of human learning’ (COL, 2011:2) through being accessible free-of-charge, openly, without registrations, exams; providing various subjects, levels and formats suitable for users with different needs, disabilities, interests and resources. OER support wider access to and inclusion in learning, empowering individuals in directing their learning, especially 9 during transitions or ‘critical periods’ (Knowles, 1973). OER users emerged as motivated by various online and offline factors related to supporting formal education or non-formal learning, and exchanging expertise or support. Even if linked to supporting formal goals, learning, participation and communication within OER are motivated intrinsically, by interest, knowledge, curiosity, enjoyment and appreciation of learning, subject or interactions. OER help foster positive attitudes to learning and teaching as flexible and innovative possibilities of skills development and re-using OER are valued by learners, educators and organisations using OER to promote their missions

A Geodesign Decision Support Environment for Integrating Management of Resource Flows in Spatial Planning

Improving waste and resource management entails working on interrelations between different material flows, territories and groups of actors. This calls for new decision support tools for translating the complex information on flows into accessible knowledge usable by stakeholders in the spatial planning process. This article describes an open source tool based on the geodesign approach, which links the co-creation of design proposals together with stakeholders, impact simulations informed by geographic contexts, systems thinking, and digital technology—the Geodesign Decision Support Environment. Though already used for strategic spatial planning, the potential of geodesign for waste management and recycling is yet to be explored. This article draws on empirical evidence from the pioneering application of the tool to promote spatially explicit circular economy strategies in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area

The performance implications of knowledge management and strategic alignment of MNC subsidiaries

Purpose: The purpose of this paper was to investigate antecedents and results of strategic choices of multinational corporation (MNC) subsidiaries in Croatia economy. Hence, the authors examined knowledge management and its association with performance. Additionally, they explored which of the strategies will be most likely chosen by subsidiaries in transitional economies that are characterized by market volatility and uncertainty. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from a survey of 131 MNC subsidiaries operating in Croatia. To test the theoretical correlation between knowledge management capabilities and strategic orientation, the authors used the ANCOVA method and controlled for industry, years in international business and firm size. Findings: The results pointed out the recognized necessities for a specific alignment between environment, strategy and knowledge management capabilities. The findings also suggest that there is a positive relationship between knowledge management and performance. Research limitations/implications: As with most of the research, this paper has limitations. First, all data were collected using self-report surveys raising the possibility of response set biases. Additionally, all data were collected at one point in one country specifically in Croatia. Practical implications: Clearly, there is substantial interaction between the MNC subsidiary’s environment and the MNC subsidiary’s strategic orientation. Most notably, the environment studied here was at the competitive and consumer market level. Firms need to develop a strategic plan for knowledge management based upon the local environmental influences. Social implications: Other firms from Central and Eastern European and developed countries may compare their own environment, strategy and knowledge management practices in MNCs with findings from Croatia to be aware of similarities and market differences. Originality/value: The strategic employment of knowledge acquisition, conversion and application are examined across firms using the Prospector, Analyzer, Defender and Reactor strategic orientations

TRANSNATIONALISM, HOME AND IDENTITY: PERSONAL ESSAYS

TRANSNATIONALISM, HOME AND IDENTITY: PERSONAL ESSAYSNatasha Garrett, PhD. University of Pittsburgh, 2011Through a collection of personal essays, this dissertation examines transnationalism as a contemporary mode of migration. The essays draw from my personal and professional experiences, as well as academic and literary sources, to create a collection that addresses significant aspects of the transnational experience, such as issues of identity, language, space/place and family, and explores the ways in which transnationalism as a postmodern phenomenon has transformed the perspective on those categories. The essay "Identifying Transnationalism and Transnational Identity," introduces the problem of identity for transnationals, both in the literature and in my personal life. The essay also examines how transnationals negotiate national/ethic and cultural identity. "Essay as Inquiry" is a discussion on the research method and a rationale for using the essay as a mode of inquiry when studying transnationalism. "International Students and Identity" suggests that the concept of transnationalism could be utilized to better illustrate and understand the experiences of international students in the United States. "Transnationalism and the Concept of Home" discusses the ways in which transnationals conceptualize space/place. In "Translating the Translator: Language, Poetry and Identity," the author draws from her experiences as a poetry translator to investigate issues of language and identity. Translation becomes a metaphor for understanding my own existence across two cultures. "Transnational Families" focuses on the changing family dynamics and the intra-generational relationships among transnational family members. The final essay, "Global Souls: Pico Iyer, Gogol Bordello and the Art of Academic Travel," discusses transnationalism as a source of global worldview and creative power