The impact of communities of practice on masters dissertations: a small scale case Study of MSc project management students

Communities of Practice (CoPs) are known to increase knowledge sharing and personal development. In this pilot study in a UK higher education institution, we explored using CoPs with Postgraduate (Masters and PhD) students with a view to investigating the CoPs’ impact on the Masters students’ dissertation engagement and achievement. We conducted action research, forming 4 CoPs, each including 1 PhD student and approximately 3 MSc students. We analysed the 11 MSc Project Management students’ engagement, results and feedback and the 4 Project Management PhD researchers’ feedback using mixed methods from questionnaires, feedback forums and quantitative analysis of dissertation results (marks). We found four categories of outcome: (i) MSc students’ mode of communication with their CoP; (ii) MSc students’ contribution to their CoP; (iii) benefits to MSc students; and (iv) impact on MSc dissertation results. Our outcomes show that the CoP had an impact on MSc student engagement and performance, and indicate CoPs as worthy of further investigation for enhancing students’ learning experience

The impact of Indian SMEs managers/owners on adopting green supply chain practices

Purpose: Green supply chain management (GSCM) is an increasingly important aspect in today’s supply chain practices. Meeting environmental concerns in industrial operations has evoked interest among environmentalists, government bodies, academics and business organisations in recent years. However, current research indicates that SMEs are often focusing more on making profits than on saving the environment by adopting GSC practices. The purpose of this research is to investigate the current GSC practices in Indian SMEs, the drivers for SMEs to adopt GSC practices, the barriers faced by the SMEs in implementing such practices, and the impact of Indian SME managers/owners on adopting GSC practices. Research Approach: The investigation used literature review approach to determine the current status of implementation of GSCM in Indian SMEs, and associated aspects of the same. Literature pertaining to the subject in context of Indian SMEs has been studied for the purpose of developing the paper. However, the research will be qualitative in nature using face-to-face interviews to collect the main data. Findings and Originality: The study shows the initial investigation done through secondary data, which involved extensive literature review of the topic area. Since this is a work-in-progress research, the empirical data collection is in process by semi-structured interviews. Initial findings of the study show that in general, Indian SMEs have not done much in the adoption and implementation of GSC practices. Research Impact: The main purpose of the research is to develop a conceptual framework for GSCM with a focus on the adoption of GSC practices of the Indian SME managers/owners in their firms. However this research will help increasing awareness among the Indian SME managers/owners about adopting GSCM practices in their organisations. Practical Impact: Findings from this study could help SME employers not only in India, but also in other countries have a better understanding of the benefits of GSC practices and their impact on the performance of their firms. This paper contributes to the literature by providing empirical evidence on various aspects of GSCM in India

The Exposure of Workers at a Busy Road Node to PM2.5: Occupational Risk Characterisation and Mitigation Measures

The link between air pollution and health burden in urban areas has been well researched. This has led to a plethora of effective policy-induced monitoring and interventions in the global south. However, the implication of pollutant species like PM2.5 in low middle income countries (LMIC) still remains a concern. By adopting a positivist philosophy and deductive reasoning, this research addresses the question, to what extent can we deliver effective interventions to improve air quality at a building structure located at a busy road node in a LMIC? This study assessed the temporal variability of pollutants around the university environment to provide a novel comparative evaluation of occupational shift patterns and the use of facemasks as risk control interventions. The findings indicate that the concentration of PM2.5, which can be as high as 300% compared to the WHO reference, was exacerbated by episodic events. With a notable decay period of approximately one-week, adequate protection and/or avoidance of hotspots are required for at-risk individuals within a busy road node. The use of masks with 80% efficiency provides sufficient mitigation against exposure risks to elevated PM2.5 concentrations without occupational shift, and 50% efficiency with at least ‘2 h ON, 2 h OFF’ occupational shift scenario

Impact of engaging teaching model (ETM) on students’ attendance

Non-attendance in Higher Education is not a new concept. In recent years with the exponential growth in digital learning, physical attendance has become a more complex issue. Educators are continually advocating an engaging teaching approach for students as a means of enhancing learning. This on-going study focuses on exploring the existing issues related to student non-attendance and the impact of a proposed engaging teaching model (ETM) on students’ attendance. This research questions whether an engaged learning session could make a positive impact on students’ attendance. The objectives highlighted in this study are to examine the reasons for non-attendance and generic measures for increasing attendance; and highlight the impact of an engaging teaching model on students’ attendance. The inference drawn from the qualitative method undertaken by 89 participants is the development of ETM to enhance students’ attendance. The study is beneficial to educators, researchers and policy-makers, in order for them to consider not only the content of their subjects, but also how students engage with these resources, which consequently facilitate students’ interest in attending lectures

Investigating employee attitudes towards adopting green supply chain practices in Indian SMEs

 Green supply chain management (GSCM) is an increasingly important aspect in today’s supply chain practice. Meeting environmental concerns in industrial operations has evoked interest among environmentalists, government bodies, academics and business organisations in recent years. However, current research indicates that industries are sometimes focusing more on making profits using green supply chain (GSC) practices rather than on saving the environment. To understand this aspect more clearly, this research aims to investigate the current drivers for Indian SMEs to adopt GSC practices in their businesses, the barriers they are facing in implementing these practices, and the attitudes of the SME employees’ towards adopting such practices. This is an on-going PhD research that highlights literature review and methodology that has been carried out so far. The research will be qualitative in nature, combining a multiple case study strategy with face-to-face semi-structured interviews to collect the main data. Data analysis will be conducted using thematic analysis, as this is considered the most appropriate approach to organise and analyse this class of qualitative data. The main contribution of the research will be to develop a conceptual framework of GSCM with a focus on Indian SME employee attitudes towards GSC practices. A future paper will discuss the research findings once the investigative part of this research has been completed. In addition, it is expected that this research will point out other relevant issues that were not considered in this study, but may be worthy of future investigation.

The influence of AI text generators on critical thinking skills in UK business schools

This study investigates the influence of generative artificial intelligence (GAI), specifically AI text generators (ChatGPT), on critical thinking skills in UK postgraduate business school students. Using Bloom’s taxonomy as theoretical underpinning, we adopt a mixed-method research employing a sample of 107 participants to investigate both the influence and challenges of these technologies in higher education. Our findings reveal that the most significant improvements occurred at the lower levels of Bloom’s taxonomy. We identify concerns relating to reliability, accuracy, and potential ethical implications of its application in higher education. The significance of this paper spans across, pedagogy, policy and practice, offering insights into the complex relationship between AI technologies and critical thinking skills. While highlighting the multifaceted aspects of the impact of AI in education, this article serves as a guide to educators and policymakers, stressing the importance of a comprehensive approach to fostering critical thinking and other transferable skills in the higher education landscape

The influence of AI text generators on critical thinking skills in UK business schools

This study investigates the influence of generative artificial intelligence (GAI), specifically AI text generators (ChatGPT), on critical thinking skills in UK postgraduate business school students. Using Bloom’s taxonomy as theoretical underpinning, we adopt a mixed-method research employing a sample of 107 participants to investigate both the influence and challenges of these technologies in higher education. Our findings reveal that the most significant improvements occurred at the lower levels of Bloom’s taxonomy. We identify concerns relating to reliability, accuracy, and potential ethical implications of its application in higher education. The significance of this paper spans across, pedagogy, policy and practice, offering insights into the complex relationship between AI technologies and critical thinking skills. While highlighting the multifaceted aspects of the impact of AI in education, this article serves as a guide to educators and policymakers, stressing the importance of a comprehensive approach to fostering critical thinking and other transferable skills in the higher education landscape

Standardising the route to project handover to improve delivery of major building projects

Project handover is an integral phase in the delivery of major projects and should ideally be considered as a process that kicks off at initiation. Studies have shown that when handover is considered as a date where the keys are handed over to the client or end-user in a rushed and unplanned manner, there is a high probability of heightened stakeholder dissatisfaction and the creation of a performance gap. This reflective study examined three case studies to better understand the challenges experienced during the handover of major projects. The data from the case studies were collected through semi-structured interviews and complemented with project reports, documents and industry reports. The findings highlighted a lack of effective handover procedures that facilitate the collaboration between the delivery and end-users/ facility management teams. Therefore, a project handover framework that leverages best practices to provide a consistent and replicable approach for handing over construction projects is proposed. This research is limited to major building projects. Future research could thus explore the applicability of the proposed framework to other infrastructure projects