The Inclination of Library Professionals to Modern Tools in the Knowledge Era

The edited volume of the book consists of ten articles covering the innovative practices of libraries in the digital environment. It includes the areas such as library network, e-resources, scholarly publishing, digital libraries, knowledge management, Web 2.0, and blockchain technology etc., that can influence the work-life of the library professionals and the academic community

A Study of the Effect of Robotic Process Automation on the Role of the Accountant and the Finance Professional from the Perspective of the Postgraduate in Accounting and Finance in the Irish Job Market.

The aim of this dissertation is to explore the competencies required to work with robotic process automation in the Irish job market (RPA). RPA is software that has been a trendy topic in the accounting/financial sector due to its ability to perform repetitive and rule-based processes with high efficiency and efficacy. This research work was based on a literature review and interviews made with two groups of professionals: postgraduates in accounting and finance based in Ireland and, experienced professionals in the accounting industry. The findings underscore that there is a foreseen change in the competencies required in the Irish job market (e.g. programming, mastered analytical thinking, SQL query, IT knowledge) for accounting and finance professionals; however, it is not here yet. The main conclusion to be formed from this work is that regardless of the stage that RPA adoption is in the Irish job market, professionals must prepare themselves to achieve a high level in technological, human, and any other competencies that are perceived as fundamental to remain relevant and build a sustainable and successful career in the RPA era

Principles of Responsible Management Education (PRME): SIP Report SIP Report for Sheffield Business School

In 2014, Sheffield Business School (SBS) established a PRME Group to advance our PRME agenda. It undertook a 3-year project (2014 to 2017) to embed PRME values and principles in working practices and academic development. Our first SIP report occurred one year into this project. This, our second SIP report, is a timely review of both our approach to PRME, and the progress we have made over the last two years. • In Part 1 of this report, we start by providing an executive summary of our progress in this reporting period against the six PRME principles together with our recommendations for the next reporting period. We then introduce readers to Sheffield Business School, its three departments, the approach it took to embedding PRME and the way we are reporting on our progress. • In Part 2, we present the high-level review of how successful we have been in securing recognition of PRME amongst our staff. In 2017 we conducted a survey amongst our staff, the SBS 2017 PRME Survey, to collect information on levels of engagement with PRME principles in research, knowledge transfer and teaching activities. • In Part 3, we report in more detail against each of the goals we set in our previous SIP report. • In Part 4, we provide further information on how individual staff have developed their academic courses and research activities. • In Part 5, we highlight the FUSE project that brings together professional services staff to support charity projects. • In Part 6, we conclude the report with recommendations for the next PRME reporting period (Dec 2017 - Nov 2019)

The West Midland Space Sector Strengths, Underpinning Assets, and Market

This report outlines the key findings from the West Midlands Space Cluster project. The project has:• mapped regional space activities in industry, academia and beyond • developed a vision for how the region could become a major player in space industry – identified the regional specialisms and networking opportunities• assessed the opportunities for the regional supply chain to join these developments and hence the realise growth potential for the regionThere have been four key stages of research, these are:• Phase 1 – Secondary Data Analysis of Space Sector Firms in the Region • Phase 2 – Secondary Data Analysis of Underlying Assets in the Region • Phase 3: Interviews with Key Stakeholders • Phase 4: Local Space Leadership GroupThe project was led by WMREDI/City-REDI and supported by Professor Kai Bongs (Director of Innovation – College for Engineering and Physical Sciences) and Tariq Ali (Deputy Pro-Vice Chancellor for Strategic Partnerships, University of Birmingham, and Vice-Provost for Research & Innovation).This report developed in partnership with the West Midlands Combined Authority, Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP), the Black Country LEP and Coventry and Warwickshire LEP, under the UKSA Local Space Sector Cluster and Supply Chain Development Funding Call

Educational use of QR Codes.

Quick Response (QR) Codes were developed in 1994 by a company called Denso-Wave looking for an alternative to barcodes for the Toyota motor corporation. They contain significantly more information than barcodes and can be read and decoded by almost any mobile device with a scanner or camera function. In a little over twenty years they have become part of everyday life, from appearing on railway tickets in China, to bank notes in Nigeria and even part of gravestones in Japan! The revolution has not stopped there and they can frequently be seen in classrooms and lecture theatres across continents. This poster draws together the experiences of a significant number of undergraduate trainee teachers in their journey to use and develop QR Codes in classrooms as part of their initial teacher training. Initially based in the secondary education (11 ? 16years old) sector in England, it also looks at the work being undertaken that uses QR Codes to support these trainees whilst they are studying in Higher Education in pursuit of their professional qualification. In summary, the work presented here showcases good practice with real world examples, it highlights the problems and pitfalls and enables the inquisitive educator to begin their journey with QR Codes. At the same time, it offers scope and potential for seasoned users to extend and expand their use in a range of educational contexts and application

Bringing the Virtual World to the Real World; Use of Augmented Reality (AR) to Enhance the Learning Experience.

Augmented Reality (AR) has been around for close to thirty years. However it is only in the last decade that it has really become accessible to those outside of major technological industries. The work originally undertaken by research based companies like Autonomy, based at Cambridge University in the UK, have gone a long way to enable the casual user to be able to adapt and engage with AR technology - despite the complexities involved in the programming necessary to make it actually work. The work presented here looks at exactly how AR can be implemented in the pursuit of enhancing the learning experience. It considers the usability of commercially available packages and presents some of the advantages of using such an approach to AR alongside the respective limitations. It goes on to look at the greater complexities of using ?studio? based AR Software with the necessity of specific channel subscription in order to facilitate its use. The work presented is interactive and will not only describe AR and its use and limitations, through the use of AR itself, the work presented will actually showcase what is being presented in an interactive way

Consultation on Training Needs in Advanced Social Science Research Methods

One of the initial roles of the Training and Capacity Building (TCB) directorate of the National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM) in its current funding period (2014-2019) is to consult and liaise with key stakeholders in the UK training landscape to identify current and future training needs in advanced social science research methods. Given the significant recent and forthcoming changes in the UK methods training landscape, the emergence of new data and methods and the NCRM starting a new round of a broad-ranging training programme this is an appropriate time to take stock and to conduct a training needs assessment including a strategic review of advanced methods training in the UK. The aim of this consultation has been to seek the views of the social science research community on current and future provision of advanced methods training in the social sciences. The focus has been on questions not only of where capacity may be lacking but also of how identified under-capacity should best be addressed and be strengthened. The report is intended to inform the content and delivery of the NCRM training programme as well as the Economic and Social Research Council’s (ESRC) advanced training strategy