Constructing a career: women architects at work

Using data from 37 interviews carried out with female architects in Britain, this paper examines how they have constructed their careers in a male-dominated profession. The findings indicate that there is a significant rejection of the “traditional” career within an organisation; instead there is diversity in the forms of work organisation adopted especially with regard to the desire for control over career and working life

Choice, diversity and 'false consciousness' in women's careers

The central theme of this paper is that contemporary literature concerning women’s careers is based on assumptions held by researchers and not actually on views held by women themselves. Many feminist researchers are guilty of assuming ‘false consciousness’ on the part of their subjects by explaining these women as being victims of gender or patriarchal systems instead of making a mindful decision founded on choice. The empirical work draws on in-depth interviews with 39 women architects. Of the 39 women interviewed, 20 had adopted alternative ways of working, in the sense that they had rejected the conventional career within an organisation. Their reasons for this were diverse and ranged from wanting to combine childcare or elder care with work; involvement in local politics; wanting time for further study or sporting activities; as well just not wanting to work full-time. In short, this research demonstrates that work is not always a central interest in the lives of individuals and supports Hakim’s view of heterogeneity among women

The evaluation of the national learning network

In December 1998, the Department for Education and Employment announced that £74 million would be made available, over a three‐year period, to fund improvements in information and learning technology within English further education: this initiative is known as the National Learning Network. An evaluation team has been appointed to report on whether the investment is being used nationally and locally in an efficient and effective manner. This paper outlines the process by which this task is being fulfilled and how the impact of the investment is being evaluated through the close monitoring of forty‐one representative English FE colleges. It also presents a range of free‐standing evaluation tools which have been developed by the evaluation team for use within these colleges by internal practitioner‐evaluators. These tools will enable colleges to assess the effectiveness of the investment and enable the evaluation team to monitor the impact of the national investment on a small, representative cohort of students and staff over a two‐year period The paper concludes with a brief look at the role this development is playing in designing a universally applicable model for assessing cost‐effectiveness across all educational sectors

¿Consultor sentimental, intruso, rehén o amigo? Los múltiples papeles del entrevistador durante el trabajo de campo

Purpose: This paper examines how the role of the interviewer is manipulated by the interviewees in return for them offering their experiences, opinions and information during qualitative research interviews. Design/methodology: Semi-structured interviews in the qualitative paradigm were carried out with 55 architects from the East Midlands region of the UK. The interview data is supported by research diary evidence. Findings: A typology of four interviewer personas is presented: as ‘agony aunt, hostage, intruder or friend’. Research limitations/implications: The four personas were generated by the interviewees’ responses to one researcher which is a limitation. However, the study could be replicated with other researchers/interviewers in different interview situations. Practical implications: The research has practical value in highlighting the multiple facets of the relationship between interviewer and interviewee in qualitative research. It will be of value to both experienced and new researchers. Originality/value: The development of the typology represents the originality and value of the research. Previous research has focused more on telling the stories rather than the development of new theory relating to interviewing.Objeto: Este artículo analiza la manera en la que los entrevistados manipulan el papel del entrevistador durante la realización de entrevistas cualitativas de investigación, todo ello a cambio de que los entrevistados compartan sus experiencias, opiniones e información. Diseño/metodología/enfoque: De acuerdo con el paradigma de investigación cualitativo, se hicieron entrevistas semi estructuradas a 55 arquitectos de la región de East Midlands en el Reino Unido. Además de las entrevistas la entrevistadora tomó notas acerca de la situación de entrevista con el objeto de formar el diario de investigación. Aportaciones y resultados: Se presenta una tipología de 4 personajes de entrevistador: “consultor sentimental, rehén, intruso o amigo”. Limitaciones de la investigación/implicaciones: La tipología de entrevistadores surge del análisis del papel representado por un único entrevistador. Sin embargo, los resultados pueden aplicarse a otros investigadores/entrevistadores en distintas situaciones de entrevista. Implicaciones Prácticas: Este trabajo tiene valor práctico puesto que pone de relieve las múltiples facetas de la relación entrevistador-entrevistado en la investigación cualitativa. Puede resultar útil tanto para investigadores experimentados como noveles. Originalidad/valor añadido: La originalidad y el valor de la investigación residen en la identificación y el desarrollo de la tipología de personajes. Investigaciones previas se han centrado más en contar las historias que en desarrollar nueva teoría relacionada con el proceso de entrevistar.Peer Reviewe

Strategic communication, enhanced sustainability and embedded communities: Assessing approaches by a platinum mine in Zimbabwe

The article assesses strategic communication approaches used by Unki mine to enhance sustainability with its embedded community from 2016 to date in Shurugwi, Zimbabwe. Strategic communication scholars have concluded that mining communities are impoverished societies. The dominant scholarship in strategic communication is European based and there is a dearth of scholarship from Africa to contribute to the debate, which prompted the researcher to study a mining company from a developing nation like Zimbabwe. The study uses constructivism philosophy and interpretivist research theory, which are subjected to a qualitative case study of the Unki mine and the Rietfontein community. Interviews, focus group discussions and documentaries were used, as well as strategic communication and stakeholder theory. The findings of the study indicate that Unki mine has implemented Social Performance Initiative (SPI) programmes at Rietfontein that address the global sustainability expectations contained in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), as well as the Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs). Diverse strategic communication approaches, such as bottom-up, top-down, the issues approach, the Public-Private Partnership Model and the philanthropic approach, are used to engage the community for sustainability and stakeholder relationships.

A Palynological Analysis of Seymour Island and King George Island off the Antarctic Peninsula: A Dating and Climatic Reconstruction

During the Cretaceous and early Paleocene, Antarctica was covered by lush vegetation. However, Antarctica today is covered with ice and snow leaving less than 1% of the continent inhabited by vegetation. By studying this decline in vegetation and reconstructing past environments, we can gain a better understanding of environmental changes and use this knowledge to predict future changes. In this thesis, I present my results and interpretations of palynological changes across the Antarctic Peninsula during the Late Eocene, Middle Oligocene, and Miocene. The first study discusses a paleoenvironmental reconstruction of the upper La Meseta formation (Late Eocene), Seymour Island, and Polonez Cove formation (Middle Oligocene), King George Island. My results indicate a relatively decent abundance of in situ podocarp conifers and southern beech Nothofagidites (brassii, fusca, and menziesii gp.) palynomorphs present within the lower section of the studied La Meseta Formation. This implies the area was relatively free of ice and sparsely inhabited with a temperate-like forest in the Late Eocene. Progressing up section, the presence of sea-ice indicative acritarchs called Leiosphaeridia spp. and the dominance of cool-loving Nothofagidites sp. (fusca gp.) indicate a climate cooling as the region became more glaciated. Evidence of this cooling is more apparent based on the majority of palynomorphs which appear broken and the samples being dominated with Leiosphaeridia spp. in the upper most studied section of La Meseta formation and through the entire section of the Polonez Cove formation. Lastly, my second study discusses a palynological interpretation of Miocene samples collected from the Cape Melville formation on King George Island. The samples revealed a near-shore depositional environment dominated by sea-ice as indicated from the abundance of leiospheres. These samples are also dominated by various reworked palynomorphs of Permian to Paleogene age, mixed with rare in situ Miocene specimens. This study provides new insight into the provenance of the reworked assemblage and give new information on probable glacial advances

Western Prairie Fringed Orchid Management, Ecology, and Decline at Mormon Island

The western prairie fringed orchid (Platanthera praeclara Sheviak & M. L. Bowles; WPFO) was first detected in a vegetative state on Mormon Island in 1978 and identification was confirmed following a mass flowering event in 1982. From a high count of ~60 plants the WPFO slowly declined and has not been observed since 2000 despite flowering season surveys conducted in 15 of the last 20 years. We explore the natural history of the WPFO in the contexts of Mormon Island to establish potential causes for its apparent disappearance and evaluate the possibility it persists in some capacity. Our investigation of secondary data suggests the Mormon Island vegetation community remains relatively intact, including species associated with WPFO occurrence. Examination of the ranges of known and potential WPFO pollinators suggests that Sphinx drupiferarum, Eumorpha achemon, and Hyles lineata were the most likely pollinators at Mormon Island, and recent observations of these species indicate pollinator decline may not have been a primary factor in WPFO disappearance locally. Research demonstrates individual WPFOs can occasionally live for decades, are able to survive underground as rhizomes for periods of time, and often present above ground as just 1–3 leaves during the growing season. Additionally, the seeds may persist in the soil for a substantial period of time. The WPFO appears to tolerate a reasonably wide range of habitat conditions and management regimes but may require a relatively narrow range of circumstances to flower en masse, including above average spring precipitation in subsequent years. Mass flowering events may also be stimulated by early spring burns that precede above ground vegetative growth and subsequent rest during the growing season, but research is equivocal. Though factors such as inbreeding depression and herbicide overspray could have potentially impacted the population, based on local conditions we suggest the WPFO may persist on Mormon Island in a reduced capacity. We recommend the continuation of growing season surveys and experimentation with multi-year management strategies that could stimulate growth and flowering

Occurrence of the Red-bellied Snake (Storeria occipitomaculata) on the margins of a disjunct range

The Red-bellied Snake (Storeria occipitomaculata) can be found throughout much of eastern North America, though two notable disjunct populations exist in the Black Hills of southwestern South Dakota and the Central Platte River Valley in southcentral Nebraska, west of the species’ core range. While literature continues to be added on the Red-bellied Snake and its natural history, it remains largely understudied in Nebraska. Throughout much of this species’ range, it is considered associated with woodland and wetland habitat features. On 28 September 2021, we detected one Red-bellied Snake near a treeless playa wetland in the Rainwater Basins ecoregion of southcentral Nebraska. Using a Grubbs Test to determine significant outliers, we found that this record was further from the Platte River than other previous accounts of this species in the state. This observation suggests this species may be found in other portions of the Rainwater Basins and considerably further from the Platte River than previously believed. Our observation along with other recent work indicates that Red-bellied Snakes may persist in herbaceous habitats lacking established woodland that include sufficient wetland features to support their primary food sources, including gastropods and other soft-bodied invertebrates. Due to the fragmentation of suitable habitats in the Rainwater Basins, coupled with the low dispersal of Red-bellied Snakes, populations persisting in the region are likely to be isolated