16,743 research outputs found

    An exploration of the language within Ofsted reports and their influence on primary school performance in mathematics: a mixed methods critical discourse analysis

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    This thesis contributes to the understanding of the language of Ofsted reports, their similarity to one another and associations between different terms used within ‘areas for improvement’ sections and subsequent outcomes for pupils. The research responds to concerns from serving headteachers that Ofsted reports are overly similar, do not capture the unique story of their school, and are unhelpful for improvement. In seeking to answer ‘how similar are Ofsted reports’ the study uses two tools, a plagiarism detection software (Turnitin) and a discourse analysis tool (NVivo) to identify trends within and across a large corpus of reports. The approach is based on critical discourse analysis (Van Dijk, 2009; Fairclough, 1989) but shaped in the form of practitioner enquiry seeking power in the form of impact on pupils and practitioners, rather than a more traditional, sociological application of the method. The research found that in 2017, primary school section 5 Ofsted reports had more than half of their content exactly duplicated within other primary school inspection reports published that same year. Discourse analysis showed the quality assurance process overrode variables such as inspector designation, gender, or team size, leading to three distinct patterns of duplication: block duplication, self-referencing, and template writing. The most unique part of a report was found to be the ‘area for improvement’ section, which was tracked to externally verified outcomes for pupils using terms linked to ‘mathematics’. Those required to improve mathematics in their areas for improvement improved progress and attainment in mathematics significantly more than national rates. These findings indicate that there was a positive correlation between the inspection reporting process and a beneficial impact on pupil outcomes in mathematics, and that the significant similarity of one report to another had no bearing on the usefulness of the report for school improvement purposes within this corpus

    Corporate Social Responsibility: the institutionalization of ESG

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    Understanding the impact of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) on firm performance as it relates to industries reliant on technological innovation is a complex and perpetually evolving challenge. To thoroughly investigate this topic, this dissertation will adopt an economics-based structure to address three primary hypotheses. This structure allows for each hypothesis to essentially be a standalone empirical paper, unified by an overall analysis of the nature of impact that ESG has on firm performance. The first hypothesis explores the evolution of CSR to the modern quantified iteration of ESG has led to the institutionalization and standardization of the CSR concept. The second hypothesis fills gaps in existing literature testing the relationship between firm performance and ESG by finding that the relationship is significantly positive in long-term, strategic metrics (ROA and ROIC) and that there is no correlation in short-term metrics (ROE and ROS). Finally, the third hypothesis states that if a firm has a long-term strategic ESG plan, as proxied by the publication of CSR reports, then it is more resilience to damage from controversies. This is supported by the finding that pro-ESG firms consistently fared better than their counterparts in both financial and ESG performance, even in the event of a controversy. However, firms with consistent reporting are also held to a higher standard than their nonreporting peers, suggesting a higher risk and higher reward dynamic. These findings support the theory of good management, in that long-term strategic planning is both immediately economically beneficial and serves as a means of risk management and social impact mitigation. Overall, this contributes to the literature by fillings gaps in the nature of impact that ESG has on firm performance, particularly from a management perspective

    The Great Green Wall Initiative in Mali - Country Review

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    Examining the Cyber Skills Gap: An Analysis of Cybersecurity Positions by Sub-Field

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    While demand for cybersecurity professionals is high, the field is currently facing a workforce shortage and a skills gap. Thus, an examination of current cybersecurity position hiring requirements may be advantageous for helping to close the skills gap. This work examines the education, professional experience, industry certification, security clearance, and programming skill requirements of 935 cybersecurity positions categorized by sub-field. The nine sub-fields are: architecture, auditing, education, GRC (governance, risk, and compliance), management, operations, penetration testing, software security, and threat intelligence / research. Prior work experience and higher education degrees in technical fields were found to be frequently required across all sub-fields. Over 48% of positions listed an industry cybersecurity certification, while 19% of positions required a security clearance. In addition, 25% of positions listed knowledge of a programming language as a requirement for employment. There were notable differences in certain position requirements between sub-fields. On average, management positions required three years of additional work experience than positions in the auditing, operations, and penetration testing sub-fields. Security clearance requirements were relatively similar across all other sub-fields, with the GRC sub-field having the highest percentage of positions requiring a security clearance. Programming skills were desired most prevalently in positions within the architecture, software security, and penetration testing sub-fields. Demand for industry certifications varied by sub-field, although the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification was the most frequently desired certification. Cybersecurity education programs should consider the diverse nature of the cybersecurity field and develop pathways to prepare future cybersecurity professionals for success in any sub-field

    Establishing a Data Science for Good Ecosystem: The Case of ATLytiCS

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    Data science for social good (DSSG) initiatives have been championed as worthy mechanisms for transformative change and social impact. However, researchers have not fully explored the systems by which actors coordinate, access data, determine goals and communicate opportunities for change. We contribute to the information systems ecosystems and the nonprofit volunteering literatures by exploring the ways in which data science volunteers leverage their talents to address social impact goals. We use Atlanta Analytics for Community Service (ATLytiCS), an organization that aids nonprofits and government agencies, as a case study. ATLytiCS represents a rare example of a nonprofit organization (NPO) managed and run by highly-skilled volunteer data scientists within a regionally networked system of actors and institutions. Based on findings from this case, we build a DSSG ecosystem framework to describe and distinguish DSSG ecosystems from related data and entrepreneurial ecosystems

    Exploring Potential Domains of Agroecological Transformation in the United States

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    There is now substantial evidence that agroecology constitutes a necessary pathway towards socially just and ecologically resilient agrifood systems. In the United States, however, agroecology remains relegated to the margins of research and policy spaces. This dissertation explores three potential domains of agroecological transformation in the US. Domains of transformation are sites of contestation in which agroecology interfaces with the industrial agrifood system; these material and conceptual spaces may point to important pathways for scaling agroecology. To explore this concept, I examine formal agroecology education (Chapter 1), extension services and statewide discourses around soil health (Chapter 2), and models of farmland access not based on private property (Chapter 3). While these constitute three distinct topics, I seek to demonstrate that they are linked by similar forces that enable and constrain the extent to which these domains can be sites of agroecological transformation. First, I use case study methodology to explore the evolution of an advanced undergraduate agroecology course at the University of Vermont. I examine how course content and pedagogy align with a transformative framing of agroecology as inherently transdisciplinary, participatory, action-oriented, and political. I find that student-centered pedagogies and experiential education on farms successfully promote transformative learning whereby students shift their understanding of agrifood systems and their role(s) within them. In my second chapter, I zoom out to consider soil health discourses amongst farmers and extension professionals in Vermont. Using co-created mental models and participatory analysis, I find that a singular notion of soil health based on biological, chemical, and physical properties fails to capture the diverse ways in which farmers and extension professionals understand soil health. I advocate for a principles-based approach to soil health that includes social factors and may provide a valuable heuristic for mobilizing knowledge towards agroecology transition pathways. My third chapter, conducted in collaboration with the national non-profit organization Agrarian Trust, considers equitable farmland access. Through semi-structured interviews with 13 farmers and growers across the US, I explore both farmer motivations for engaging with alternative land access models (ALAMs) and the potential role(s) these models may play within broader transformation processes. I argue that ALAMs constitute material and conceptual ‘third spaces’ within which the private property regime is challenged and new identities and language around land ownership can emerge; as such, ALAMs may facilitate a (re)imagining of land-based social-ecological relationships. I conclude the dissertation by identifying conceptual and practical linkages across the domains explored in Chapters 1-3. I pay particular attention to processes that challenge neoliberal logics, enact plural ways of knowing, and prefigure just futures. In considering these concepts, I apply an expansive notion of pedagogy to explore how processes of teaching and (un)learning can contribute to cultivating foundational capacities for transition processes

    Women in business leadership in the Midlands

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    A research report produced by the University of Wolverhampton and Midlands Engine.This report summarises a research project commissioned by the Midlands Engine on women in business leadership in the Midlands. Prior research has shown that women are under-represented at executive and board levels and less likely than men to be involved in entrepreneurship (Rose, 2019; Vinnicombe et al., 2021). These studies also advocated that more diverse leadership and greater inclusivity leads to significant business and societal benefits. This research focuses on women on boards and women-owned business leadership in the East and West Midlands to provide a much-needed regional perspective on this phenomenon. The research, undertaken by the University of Wolverhampton, aimed to understand better the current representation of women on boards and women-owned businesses in the Midlands region, identify barriers to gender diversity and inclusivity, and provide recommendations to promote gender diversity in leadership. Women hold 15.8% of directorships in the top 350 public and private companies in the Midlands, lower than the UK’s large public companies. Moreover, women account for only 7.8% of executive directorships in the Midlands’ top 350 companies compared to 13.7% and 11.3% in FTSE100 and FTSE250 companies, respectively. Among the Midlands top 350 companies, 169 have exclusively male boards (48%). In addition, women both lead and own a lower percentage of small businesses in the Midlands than in most England regions. Data collected through interviews with stakeholders show that in addition to well-documented gender biases, the presence of historically male-dominated industries and a prevalence of cultural stereotypes have impeded progress towards greater diversity and inclusivity in the Midlands. Nevertheless, many industry leaders in the Midlands are championing women’s inclusion within their organisations and leadership teams by creating platforms for representation, advocating role models and supporting flexible working. The report identifies examples where such actions resulted in a critical mass of women in the boardroom. Yet without effective interventions on a wider scale, the barriers identified can significantly inhibit the growth of women-led businesses, impede greater diversity in leadership positions in the region and, therefore, make it challenging to achieve the goal of gender diversity and inclusivity. The findings lead to proposals for interventions to promote women into leadership at a range of scales: at the individual level, such as tackling biases and allyship; at the organisational level, such as flexible working hours and targets towards gender balance, and; at the regional level, such as support networks and targeted resources.Midlands Engine
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