58 research outputs found

    Travelling People, Travelling Plants: An Exploration into Food-Plant Practice among Bengali Women across Transnational and Generational Landscapes

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    The flow of people between urban Britain and rural Bangladesh is longstanding and continuous. In addition to people; food, plants and seeds are transported between the countries. The exchanges are both practical and highly symbolic processes and while transnational in nature have a significant impact at a local level in both places. The PhD thesis explores the nature of food and plant exchange between Sylhet (Northeastern Bangladesh) and the UK among women at a household level, how these transnational exchanges impact on the food-scape and medicinal plant knowledge in each place and how differences are played out across generations. The PhD adopted a mixed methods approach (participant observation, interviews, focus groups and questionnaires) with research conducted in Cardiff, London and Sylhet among two generations of Bengali women. Research into ethnobotanical practices of migrant communities in industrialised countries has found a rich and distinct body of knowledge. However, among the substantial and well-established UK Bengali population there is a lack of research on ethnobotanical medicinal knowledge. Furthermore how they are influenced by on-going links with Bangladesh is unknown. The therapeutic use of plants among Bengalis exposes a significant overlap between food and medicine, this is an area largely ignored in public health, medical and food studies of Bengalis in the UK. This thesis builds on previous research and begins to address some of the gaps in literature. The research it presents indicates that the Bengali community in the UK remains connected to their place of origin (Sylhet), not least through the exchange of food and plants, however what these food and plants mean vary according to place and generation. If academics and professionals are to understand therapeutic food-plant use among diaspora it is essential to look at the existing links with 'home' countries and changes in knowledge and practice across generations and ages. The implications of this research are important for ethnobotany, migrant and international health studies, public health and food studies

    Tilapia as a global commodity : a potential role for Mexico?

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    The potential for commercial tilapia aquaculture to be developed taking an economic-focused approach was investigated in Mexico. The research examined various issues related to production, marketing and the business environment of the industry. Findings revealed that farmed tilapia products in Mexico can be produced competitively and profitably in large quantities, not only due to its suitability for culture in most of the country; but also due to the availability of more profitable markets (i.e. supermarkets), increasing demand for high quality tilapia products (e.g. fresh, large sizes and more value-added products) and implementation of more efficient business strategies (e.g. economies of scale and partnerships) and newer technologies (i.e. husbandry and equipment). Public/private sector partnerships proved to be the most feasible way to promote and develop tilapia farming in Mexico, particularly in the case of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Through either economical, technological or consumables support from development bodies; and integration with other agri-business (e.g. agriculture and livestock) or within the industry (i.e. horizontally and/or vertically). In which economies of scale were promoted, efficiency was improved, dealing power was increased, and costs and risks were reduced. In which larger businesses reported production costs 50% lower (around MX 11 kg-1) than SMEs, allowing them to compete against larger sources (i.e. fisheries and imports). Additionally, a strong and fast moving domestic market influenced by the decline outputs (22% between 1990 and 2003) from the main source (i.e. catching sector) and the availability of more value-added products (e.g. fillets in various presentations) have promoted its expansion into more profitable markets (i.e. supermarkets and exports) and in sustained and/or increased prices within the past decade (compared to other seafood commodities, e.g. shrimp and salmon). However, concerns arise about the long–term sustainability of tilapia farming due to the high production costs (overall median value MX$ 19 kg-1), small and inconsistent outputs (85% of the farms interviewed produced less than 100 t year-1), lack of knowledge of proper farming techniques and marketing strategies, unlawful competition from imported products (labelling and taxes), poor law enforcement and monitoring from regulatory institutions, and poor institutional support and inadequate extension services, all of which have affected the sustainable development of tilapia farmers and associated groups. Further research is required for the development and promotion of more efficient and economically viable strategies for tilapia farming businesses to target key internal markets. Similarly, improved and more rigorous monitoring of development and support programs performance is required

    Biologisk mangfold og økosystemfunksjoner i gamle eiker

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    Veteran trees are keystone structures in landscapes, hotspots for biodiversity and have high cultural value. They are also declining globally, and this threatens the species that are dependent on them, and the ecosystem functions they promote. Ecosystem functions are the physicochemical and biological processes that occur within ecosystems that maintain life. A key link between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning is the traits of the species. This diversity of traits is also known as functional diversity, and high levels of functional diversity in a community promote multiple ecosystem processes and make these processes more resilient to change. There is a large amount of evidence to support the conclusion that biodiversity influences ecosystem functioning, but few studies address this related to invertebrate diversity in veteran trees. My research has explored the multifaceted predictors of taxonomic and functional diversity of veteran oaks invertebrate communities, and measured the contribution of these communities to ecosystem functioning. In Paper 1, I considered three possible ecosystem functions promoted by veteran oak beetle communities (decomposition, predation and pollination), and explored how the veteran oaks and their landscape contexts influence this diversity (both taxonomic and functional). In the two corresponding papers (Papers 2 and 3), I focused more closely on predation and decomposition (respectively), and examined the differences in these processes and beetle communities involved in them between veteran and young oaks. Lastly, in Paper 4 I used a mesocosm experiment to explore how community complexity influences biotic interactions and decomposition in tree hollows. All my research was conducted around veteran oaks in southern Norway. In Paper 1, I found that the features of veteran trees (e.g.: senescence, circumference and regrowth) and the landscape that they were in had different influences on species richness and functional diversity within the different groups of decomposers, predatory and flower visiting beetles. In Paper 2, I found that there were more species of predatory beetles with greater functional diversity around veteran oaks than young oaks, and this corresponded with greater invertebrate predation rates. In Paper 3, I found a similar effect on the wood decomposing beetles, with a greater number of species and higher functional diversity around veteran trees than young trees. However, I found the opposite effect on decomposition of the small diameter wood, with slower rates around the veteran trees. In Paper 4, I found that community complexity increased decomposition rates and wood mold production in tree hollows, and that macrofauna influenced the decomposition pathway and nematode community structure and maturity. The findings from my research support the concept that veteran trees are important for biodiversity, and indicate that veteran trees and their communities influence ecosystem functions, such as invertebrate predation and decomposition. They also highlight the importance of community complexity and habitat heterogeneity for promoting biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Results from my work indicate that there is the potential for synergies between the conservation of veteran trees and sustainable agriculture and forestry. Protecting and valuing veteran trees and their communities, and reintegrating them into land use practices, is an essential step towards a more sustainable system of management, and has the possibility of enhancing the wellbeing of people while promoting biodiversity.Gamle trær er nøkkelstrukturer i landskapet, de er viktige for biologisk mangfold og de har høy kulturell verdi. De minker globalt, og dette truer artene som er avhengige av dem samt de økosystemfunksjonene disse trærne fremmer. Økosystemfunksjoner er de fysisk-kjemiske og biologiske prosessene som forekommer i økosystemer og som støtter opp om liv. Artenes egenskaper utgjør en sentral kobling mellom biologisk mangfold og økosystemfunksjoner. Dette mangfoldet av egenskaper er også kjent som funksjonelt mangfold, og høye nivåer av funksjonelt mangfold i et samfunn fremmer flere økosystemprosesser og gjør disse prosessene mer motstandsdyktige mot endring. Mye forskning peker på at biologisk mangfold påvirker økosystemfunksjon, men få studier tar for seg dette i sammenheng med mangfold av insekter i gamle trær. Forskningen min har utforsket de flersidige driverne for taksonomisk og funksjonelt mangfold i insektmiljøer som forekommer i gamle eiketrær, og målt bidragene fra disse til økosystemfunksjoner. Resultatene fra forskningen min støtter oppfatningen om at gamle trær er viktige for biologisk mangfold, og peker på at gamle trær og samfunnene deres bidrar til viktige økosystemfunksjoner, eksempelvis predasjon av insekter og nedbrytning av organisk materiale. Resultatene fremhever også viktigheten av samfunnskompleksitet og habitatsmangfold for å fremme biologisk mangfold og viktige økosystemfunksjoner. Forskningen min viser dessuten at det finnes mulige synergier mellom bevaring av gamle trær og bærekraftig jordbruk. Å beskytte og verdsette gamle trær og lokalsamfunnene deres, samt integrere disse på nytt i landbrukspraksis, er et viktig skritt mot et mer bærekraftig forvaltningssystem som har mulighet for å forbedre folks velvære samtidig som det fremmer biologisk mangfold

    International project teams as innovation hubs: power and politics in the knowledge change process

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    The aim of this investigation is to understand how international project teams enable mature multinational enterprises (MNEs) to cope with knowledge diversity and political activity, two well-known disruptive organizational phenomena, in order to leverage their innovative potential and competitive capabilities. To answer this question a longitudinal multi-case study has been designed to collect in-depth qualitative data from three large-scale international projects conducted by a focal MNE and an array of its subsidiaries. In a dialectic way, data collected has been used both to enhance the dynamic knowledge change framework provided by contemporary sociology and to explain the complex mechanisms that make international project teams an increasingly used organizational tool. As a result, knowledge change (and thus innovation) has been found to hinge on a dynamic balance between power and politics which is favored by conditions that are inherent to these organizational settings. Finally, a model describing the mechanisms that enable international project teams to drive knowledge diversity and political activity towards innovation and knowledge change within MNEs has been developed.L'objectiu d'aquesta investigació és entendre com els equips de projectes internacionals permeten a les empreses multinacionals madures fer front a la diversitat de coneixements i l'activitat política, dues reconegudes fonts de problemes organitzacionals, amb la finalitat de potenciar les seves capacitats d'innovació i potencial competitiu . Per respondre a aquesta pregunta un estudi longitudinal embolicant casos múltiples s'ha desenvolupat per recollir dades qualitatives en profunditat des de tres grans projectes internacionals a càrrec d'una empresa multinacional focal i una gran varietat de les seves filials. D'una manera dialèctica, les dades recollides han estat utilitzats tant per millorar el marc del canvi dinàmic del coneixement proposat per la sociologia contemporània i explicar els complexos mecanismes que fan que els equips de projectes internacionals en una eina cada vegada més utilitzada per aquestes organitzacions. Com a resultat, es mostra que el canvi d'un determinat coneixement depèn d'un equilibri dinàmic entre poder i política afavorit per les condicions que són inherents a aquests formats organitzacionals. Finalment, es desenvolupa un model que detalla els mecanismes que permeten als equips de projectes internacionals impulsar la diversitat de coneixements i l'activitat política cap a la innovació i el canvi del coneixement dins de les empreses multinacionals madures.El objetivo de esta investigación es entender cómo los equipos de proyectos internacionales permiten a las empresas multinacionales maduras hacer frente a la diversidad de conocimientos y la actividad política, dos reconocidas fuentes de problemas organizacionales, con el fin de potenciar sus capacidades de innovación y potencial competitivo. Para responder a esta pregunta un estudio longitudinal envolviendo casos múltiplos se ha desarrollado para recoger datos cualitativos en profundidad desde tres grandes proyectos internacionales a cargo de una empresa multinacional focal y una gran variedad de sus filiales. De una manera dialéctica, los datos recogidos han sido utilizados tanto para mejorar el marco del cambio dinámico del conocimiento propuesto por la sociología contemporánea y explicar los complejos mecanismos que hacen que los equipos de proyectos internacionales en una herramienta cada vez más utilizada por estas organizaciones. Como resultado, se muestra que el cambio de un determinado conocimiento depende de un equilibrio dinámico entre poder y política favorecido por las condiciones que son inherentes a estos formatos organizacionales. Por fin, se desarrolla un modelo que detalla los mecanismos que permiten a los equipos de proyectos internacionales impulsar la diversidad de conocimientos y la actividad política hacia la innovación y el cambio del conocimiento dentro de las empresas multinacionales maduras

    Unmet goals of tracking: within-track heterogeneity of students' expectations for

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    Educational systems are often characterized by some form(s) of ability grouping, like tracking. Although substantial variation in the implementation of these practices exists, it is always the aim to improve teaching efficiency by creating homogeneous groups of students in terms of capabilities and performances as well as expected pathways. If students’ expected pathways (university, graduate school, or working) are in line with the goals of tracking, one might presume that these expectations are rather homogeneous within tracks and heterogeneous between tracks. In Flanders (the northern region of Belgium), the educational system consists of four tracks. Many students start out in the most prestigious, academic track. If they fail to gain the necessary credentials, they move to the less esteemed technical and vocational tracks. Therefore, the educational system has been called a 'cascade system'. We presume that this cascade system creates homogeneous expectations in the academic track, though heterogeneous expectations in the technical and vocational tracks. We use data from the International Study of City Youth (ISCY), gathered during the 2013-2014 school year from 2354 pupils of the tenth grade across 30 secondary schools in the city of Ghent, Flanders. Preliminary results suggest that the technical and vocational tracks show more heterogeneity in student’s expectations than the academic track. If tracking does not fulfill the desired goals in some tracks, tracking practices should be questioned as tracking occurs along social and ethnic lines, causing social inequality
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