1,909 research outputs found

    From abuse to trust and back again

    Get PDF
    oai:westminsterresearch.westminster.ac.uk:w7qv

    Why Climate Change Adaptation is Elusive: The Lived Reality of Farming Households in the Central Dry Zone of Myanmar

    Get PDF
    Farming households in the Global South are vulnerable to climate change because of their livelihoods’ direct link to the natural environment. Farm households adapt to climate through altering their farming practices and by diversifying their livelihoods through the non-farm sector and migration. However, previous research has suggested that most of these adaptations are incremental, meaning they may not address the root cause of climate change vulnerability in the long term. The aim of this thesis is to assess these claims using the experiences of farm households in Myanmar’s Central Dry Zone, a highly climate-stressed region. According to fieldwork conducted in the Central Dry Zone, farmers’ responses to climate change vary considerably. In many cases, although farmers may be aware of the effects of climate change, their livelihood adaptations are motivated by a wider array of concerns, which mitigate or even subvert their capacities to respond to climate challenges. These mixed responses, and the notable reluctance of many farmers in the Central Dry Zone to take adaptive measures to the clear and present risks of climate change, forms the central problem this research seeks to resolve. The thesis argues that these outcomes can be explained through the adoption of a broad-based livelihoods approach which acknowledges that although climate change is an important factor influencing famers’ decision making, other factors are also involved, and these are often prioritized over climate risks. This highlights the position of climate change on farmers' daily lives by emphasising the significance of geographical context and local traditions in relation to making decisions about rural livelihoods, farming, non-farm activities and migration. These findings underscore the need to recognise and comprehend how multiple stresses interact with climate effects to exacerbate the vulnerability of rural households and spotlight the importance of understanding the underlying causes of vulnerability. This perspective is crucial for understanding how farmers and agriculture-dependent communities respond to climate risks. Using the Central Dry Zone of Myanmar as a case study, the research generates an analytical framework that explains why farming households respond to climate change incrementally while being aware of it

    Sociotechnical Imaginaries, the Future and the Third Offset Strategy

    Get PDF

    Constructing a profile for proactive career self-management in public higher education institutions in Ghana

    Get PDF
    Text in English with abstracts and keywords in English, isiXhosa, and isiZuluThe principal focus of this research study was to investigate the relationship among psychosocial career pre-occupation, social connectedness, and organisational commitment, and to determine whether an overall proactive career management profile can be constructed to inform career self-management practices in public higher education institutions (HEIs) in Ghana. Again, the research study intended to provide a background for testing hypotheses and theories as well as moderating the effect of socio-demographic characteristics (age, gender, marital status and job level) on the relationship between psychosocial career pre-occupations, social connectedness and organisational commitment. A cross-sectional quantitative approach was conducted on a purposively selected sample of senior staff comprising academic and administrative staff (n = 288), from a single public higher educational institution in Ghana. The measuring instruments include a career pre-occupations inventory workplace friendship scale and an organisational commitment scale. Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, skewness and kurtosis), bi-variate correlation analysis (Pearson product moment correlation coefficient), and inferential and multivariate statistics (SEM analysis, moderated regression analysis, ANOVAs and independent sample t-test) were used for the study. Descriptive, bi-variate correlation and inferential statistics revealed that individual psychosocial career pre-occupations, social connectedness and organisational commitment can be used as elements within a proactive career self-management framework within the Ghanaian higher education institutions. The results of the moderated analysis showed that respondents’ gender and job level moderated employees’ level of psychosocial career pre-occupations in predicting organisational commitment. Furthermore, the test for significant mean differences revealed that gender, marital status and job level differed marginally in their psychosocial career pre-occupations, social connectedness and commitment to the organisation. Theoretically and empirically, the results advanced the career construction theory by empirically validating the core elements of career self-management. Practically, a recommendation was made to inform human resource (HR) managers and HR practitioners in public higher education institutions in Ghana and the consequences indicated in the study offer the opportunity to monitor and provide strategies and interventions for employees in their quest for career choices.Ugqaliselo oluphambili kolu phononongo lophando yayikukuphanda ubudlelwane phakathi komsebenzi wangaphambi kwekhondo ngokwesimo sengqondo nangokwezentlalo (psychosocial career pre-occupation), ukuziphatha, nokunxulumana kwezinto zokuziphatha nezentlalo (social connectedness), kunye nokuzibophelela kulungelelaniso /kucwangciso lombutho (organisational commitment), nokuqonda ukuba ingaba iprofayili yeendlela zokulawula ikhondo elisebenzayo elipheleleyo inokwakhelwa ukwazisa izenzo zekhondo lomsebenzi lokuzilawula kumaziko emfundo ephakamileyo karhulumente/oluntu (HEIs) eGhana. Kwakhona , uphononongo lophando lwaluzimisele ukunikezela ngomhlaba osisiseko wokuvavanya ingcinga ethathwa njengeyinyaniso engekaqinisekiswa (hypothesis) neethiyori kwakunye nokumodereyitha impembelelo yeempawu zedemografi yoluntu, i-socio-demographic characteristics (iminyaka, isini, imeko yomtshato,kunye nenqanaba lomsebenzi) kubudlelwane phakathi kwemisebenzi yangaphambi kwekhondo nemeko yezengqondo nabantu (psychosocial career pre-occupations), unxulumano lwabantu kunye nokuzibophelela kumbutho (organizational commitment). Inkqubo yophando ngokobungakanani enqamlezileyo ngokwamacandelo ahlukeneyo (cross sectional quantitative approach) yenziwe kwisampulu ekhethwe ngenjongo kujoliswe kubasebenzi abaphezulu/abadala ababandakanya izifundiswa nabasebenzi bezolawulo (n = 288), besuka kwiziko elinye loluntu lemfundo ephakamileyo eGhana. Izixhobo zokulinganisa zibandakanya uluhlu lwezinto kwisikali semisebenzi yangaphambi kwekhondo ubudlelwane kunye nokuzibophelela kumbutho kwindawo yokusebenzela. Iinkcukacha-manani ezichazayo (i-avareji, ukutenxa kumgangatho (standard deviation), ubugoso (skewness) kunye nomlinganiselo weenkcukacha-manani osetyenziselwa ukuchaza ukuhanjiswa kwedatha ephawulweyo malunga nentsingiselo (kurtosis), uhlalutyo lolungelelwaniso oluphindwe kabini kunye neenkcukacha-manani ezinokuthelelelekwa (i- Pearson product moment correlation coefficient), kunye neenkcukacha manani ezizintlobo-ntlobo ezininzi ezinokuthelekelelwa (uhlalutyo lwe-SEM, uhlalutyo oluhlehlayo olonganyelweyo/ olumodareyithiweyo, i-ANOVA kunye novavanyo oluzimeleyo lwe-t-test) zasetyenziswa kolu phando/phononongo. Inkcukacha-manani ezichazayo, ulungelelwaniso/unxulumaniso oluphindwe kabini kunye nezinokuthelekelelwa ezinentsingiselo zibonise ukuba imisebenzi yangaphambi kwekhondo,ngokwemeko yengqondo neyentlalo, unxulumano lwentlalo yoluntu kunye nokuzibophelela kumbutho kunokusetyenziswa njengezinto ezingaphakathi kwesakhelo solawulo esisebenzayo ngaphakathi kumaziko emfundo ephakamileyo yaseGhana.Iziphumo zohlalutyo olumodareyithiweyo zibonise ukuba isini sabaphenduli nenqanaba lomsebenzi samodareyitha inqanaba labasebenzi kwimisebenzi yangaphambi kwekhondo kwimeko yengqondo nezentlolontle ekuqikeleleni ukuzibophelela kumbutho. Ngaphaya koko, uvavanyo olubalulekileyo lweeyantlukwano lubonise ukuba isini, meko yomtshato kunye nenqanaba lomsebenzi lahlukile kancinci ngokwe-avareji kwimisebenzi yaphambi kwekhondo labo yengqondo nentlalontle, unxibelelwano lwentlalo kunye nokuzinikela embuthweni. Ngokwethiyori nangobungqina, iziphumo ziqhubele phambili ithiyori yolwakhiwo lwekhondo lomsebenzi ngokuqinisekisa ngobuchule izinto ezingundoqo zokuzilawula kwekhondo lomsebenzi.Ngokwenene, kwenziwa isindululo sokwazisa abaphathi bezabasebenzi neengcali ze-HR kumaziko emfundo ephakamileyo yoluntu eGhana kwaye iziphumo ezibonakaliswe kuphononongo zinika ithuba lokubeka esweni nokubonelela ngezicwangciso-qhinga nongenelelo ngoncedo kubaqeshwa kwiphulo labo lokukhetha amakhondo omsebenzi.Lesi sifundo socwaningo sasigxile kakhulu ekuphenyeni ngobudlelwano phakathi kokucabanga ngomkhakha womsebenzi komuntu, ukuxhumana nabantu, ukuzibophezela komuntu emsebenzini, kanye nokunquma ukuthi iphrofayili yokukwazi ukuzilawula ngokuzenzela ekukhetheni umkhakha womsebenzi kungahlelwa yini ngendlela yokuthi kudlale indima ekuzilawuleleni maqondana nomkhakha womsebenzi ezikhungweni zezemfundo ephakeme zomphakathi (ama-HEI) eGhana. Kanti futhi, isifundo socwaningo sihlose ukunikeza umlando maqondana nokuhlola imicabango kanye nemibono yezinjulalwazi kanjalo nokulinganisa umphumela wezici zokuhleleka kwabantu emphakathini (iminyaka yobudala, ubulili, isimo somshado kanye nezinga lomsebenzi) ebudlelwaneni phakathi kokucabanga ngomkhakha womsebenzi komuntu, ukuxhumana nabantu, kanye nokuzibophezela emsebenzini. Kwalandelwa indlela yokubheka isibalo samaqoqo abantu emphakathini ngokukhetha ngokuqaphela isampula labasebenzi abasezikhundleni eziphezulu elibandakanya abasebenza ngezemfundo kanye nezokuphatha (n = 288), esikhungweni sezemfundo ephakeme somphakathi esisodwa eGhana. Amathuluzi okukala afaka kuwo isilinganiso sobungane basemsebenzini ekukhetheni ezinhlobeni zemikhakha ecatshangwayo kanye nesilinganiso maqondana nokuzibophezela kwabantu emsebenzini. Kulolu cwaningo kwasetshenziswa izibalo ezichazayo (okujwayelekile, ukuphambuka okuvamile, ukungalingani kanye nobukhali), ukuhlaziywa kokuhlobana okukhona phakathi kwezinombolo ezimbili (isilinganiso sokuxhumana kwezinombolo ezimbili ngokukaPearson), kanye nezibalo eziveza izimbangela nezibalo ezahlukahlukene (ukuhlaziywa kwe-SEM, ukuhlaziywa kokubuyelamuva okulingene, ama-ANOVA kanye nesampula elizimele lokuhlola). Izibalo ezichazayo, eziveza ukuhlobana phakathi kwezinombolo ezimbili kanye nezibalo eziveza izimbangela ziveze ukuthi ukucabanga ngomkhakha womsebenzi komuntu ngamunye, ukuxhumana nabantu nokuzibophezela emsebenzini kungasetshenziswa njengezinto ezikhona ohlakeni lokukwazi ukuzilawula ngokuzenzela ekukhetheni umkhakha ezikhungweni zezemfundo ephakeme zaseGhana. Imiphumela yokuhlaziywa okulingene yakhombisa ukuthi ubulili bababambiqhaza kanye nezinga labo ngokwezikhundla zomsebenzi kuhambisana nezinga abasebenzi abacabanga ngalo nomkhakha womsebenzi ekuqageleni indlela abazozibophezela ngayo emsebenzini. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukuhlolwa komehluko omkhulu ojwayelekile kwaveza ukuthi ubulili, isimo somshado kanye nezinga ngokwesikhundla somsebenzi kwahluka kakhulu nendlela abacabanga ngayo ngomkhakha womsebenzi, ukuxhumana nabantu nokuzibophezela emsebenzini. Ngokombono wenjulalwazi nocwaningo olufakazelwe, imiphumela ithuthukise umbono wenjulalwazi wokuhlela umkhakha womsebenzi okuqinisekiswe ngokocwaningo olufakazelwe izinto ezinqala zokuzilawulela umkhakha womsebenzi. Ekusebenzeni, kwenziwa izincomo zokufundisa abaphathi babasebenzi (ba-HR) kanye nabasebenza ngezabasebenzi (ngezakwa-HR) ezikhungweni zezemfundo ephakeme zomphakathi eGhana, kanti nemiphumela evezwe ocwaningweni inikeza ithuba lokuqapha nokuhlinzeka amasu kanye nokungenelela kwabasebenzi ekwenzeni kwabo izinqumo zomsebenzi.Business ManagementPh. D. (Business Management

    Microcredentials to support PBL

    Get PDF

    Modernising European Legal Education (MELE) : Innovative Strategies to Address Urgent Cross-Cutting Challenges

    Get PDF
    This open access book presents innovative strategies to address cross-cutting topics and foster transversal competences. The modernization of European legal education presents a compelling challenge that calls for enhanced interdisciplinary collaboration among academic disciplines and innovative teaching methods. The volume introduces venues towards education innovation and engages with complex and emerging topics such as datafication, climate change, gender, and the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The insights presented not only emphasize the importance of preserving traditional approaches to legal disciplines and passing them on to future generations, but also underscore the need to critically reassess and revolutionize existing structures. As our societies become more diverse and our understanding of legitimacy, justice, and values undergoes transformations, it is imperative to reconsider the role of traditional values while exploring promising alternative approaches

    An empirical investigation of the relationship between integration, dynamic capabilities and performance in supply chains

    Get PDF
    This research aimed to develop an empirical understanding of the relationships between integration, dynamic capabilities and performance in the supply chain domain, based on which, two conceptual frameworks were constructed to advance the field. The core motivation for the research was that, at the stage of writing the thesis, the combined relationship between the three concepts had not yet been examined, although their interrelationships have been studied individually. To achieve this aim, deductive and inductive reasoning logics were utilised to guide the qualitative study, which was undertaken via multiple case studies to investigate lines of enquiry that would address the research questions formulated. This is consistent with the author’s philosophical adoption of the ontology of relativism and the epistemology of constructionism, which was considered appropriate to address the research questions. Empirical data and evidence were collected, and various triangulation techniques were employed to ensure their credibility. Some key features of grounded theory coding techniques were drawn upon for data coding and analysis, generating two levels of findings. These revealed that whilst integration and dynamic capabilities were crucial in improving performance, the performance also informed the former. This reflects a cyclical and iterative approach rather than one purely based on linearity. Adopting a holistic approach towards the relationship was key in producing complementary strategies that can deliver sustainable supply chain performance. The research makes theoretical, methodological and practical contributions to the field of supply chain management. The theoretical contribution includes the development of two emerging conceptual frameworks at the micro and macro levels. The former provides greater specificity, as it allows meta-analytic evaluation of the three concepts and their dimensions, providing a detailed insight into their correlations. The latter gives a holistic view of their relationships and how they are connected, reflecting a middle-range theory that bridges theory and practice. The methodological contribution lies in presenting models that address gaps associated with the inconsistent use of terminologies in philosophical assumptions, and lack of rigor in deploying case study research methods. In terms of its practical contribution, this research offers insights that practitioners could adopt to enhance their performance. They can do so without necessarily having to forgo certain desired outcomes using targeted integrative strategies and drawing on their dynamic capabilities

    Current issues of the management of socio-economic systems in terms of globalization challenges

    Get PDF
    The authors of the scientific monograph have come to the conclusion that the management of socio-economic systems in the terms of global challenges requires the use of mechanisms to ensure security, optimise the use of resource potential, increase competitiveness, and provide state support to economic entities. Basic research focuses on assessment of economic entities in the terms of global challenges, analysis of the financial system, migration flows, logistics and product exports, territorial development. The research results have been implemented in the different decision-making models in the context of global challenges, strategic planning, financial and food security, education management, information technology and innovation. The results of the study can be used in the developing of directions, programmes and strategies for sustainable development of economic entities and regions, increasing the competitiveness of products and services, decision-making at the level of ministries and agencies that regulate the processes of managing socio-economic systems. The results can also be used by students and young scientists in the educational process and conducting scientific research on the management of socio-economic systems in the terms of global challenges
    • …
    corecore