The Quest for Deeper Understanding in Interpretative Research: Hidden Meaning in Plain Sight

This paper contributes to the literature on qualitative methodology in a novel way, by being one of a handful of studies offering context and culture-bound insights of an interpretative analysis of meaning based on non-verbal communication from 49 semi-structured, face-to-face interviews. This paper is based on an interpretative phenomenological Ph.D. study, between 2017-2020, aiming to deepen our understanding of London-based Romanian migrant entrepreneurs' experiences of social inclusion through entrepreneurship. By leveraging the cultural insider positionality of the interviewer in this study, which granted direct access to this community and also valuable cultural understanding of participants’ non-verbal communication, seeking meaning within the untapped potential of around 93% non-verbal language, widely overlooked by qualitative researchers, has become an achievable research goal. By creating its own inventory of nonverbal communication codes, this paper uses interview extracts rich in nonverbal communication as illustrative examples to showcase their interpretative significance

Ethi(cs)quette of (Re)searching with E-friends: Clicking Towards a Social Media-driven Research Agenda

Social media increasingly shapes our professional and personal lives, leveraging its size, the potential for ubiquity, and real-time communication. Ranked the most popular social media platform by the number of subscribers, Facebook is increasingly gaining momentum as a research tool, mostly used to conduct surveys, adverts, and observation-driven research. However, Facebook’s potential for supporting consented qualitative research remains largely unexplored and deemed sometimes ethically questionable in the midst of ongoing debates around data protection rules and the ambiguity surrounding e-friendship meaning. This paper is based on an interpretative phenomenological Ph.D. study, between 2017-2020, aiming to deepen our understanding of London-based Romanian migrant entrepreneurs' experiences of social inclusion through entrepreneurship. This paper contributes to the literature on research methodology reflective practice of enabling ethical research, by outlining ethical implications of sampling via Facebook and when researching with e-friends as Facebook friends. It offers context-bound insights as guidance to researchers incorporating social media in their qualitative research The significance of this ethical research practice is discussed in terms of privacy, confidentiality, and informed consent as a cross point between GDPR regulatory framework, as universal research ethical framework, Facebook data privacy settings and the researcher’s reflective approach to mitigate ethical challenges experienced when recruiting Facebook e-friends

You scratch my back, and I scratch yours: Bartering for qualitative data

Recruiting research participants has been one of the significant challenges faced by qualitative researchers. Barter gained momentum during the Covid pandemic across a broad spectrum of professionals, including scholars searching to recruit research participants, despite being surrounded by ethical concerns of coercion or undue influence. This reflective paper created a barter reflective and ethical protocol showing how bartering created the entrepreneurial opportunity for 16 migrant entrepreneurs to exchange an average of 60 minutes of their time for participating in a qualitative interview with an average of 2.25 hrs (145 minutes) of business counselling and translation services delivered by the researcher. This paper contributes to the methodological practice of bartering. It argues that bartering is an ethical and efficient research practice in need of a code of ethics and protocol and should not be dismissed as ethically suspect until substantial evidence is brought forwar

The Asian business sector and the dynamics of change: a story of growth, diversity and success in the UK

Purpose – The Asian business community has been noted for its contribution to the UK economy. This vibrant sector of the small to medium-sized enterprises population serves to illustrate diversity in terms of spanning sectors including manufacturing and services, entertainment and fashion, hotels and property, food and pharmaceuticals. This paper seeks to draw out trends within this increasingly important sector of the economy. Design/methodology/approach – The study reports on a research project which comprises the latest phase in a seven-year, longitudinal study of the richest 200 Asian business people in the UK. Findings – The analysis suggests that the Asian business community has delivered significant and sustained growth which is higher than average growth in the UK. Originality/value – For policy makers and the business support community, this paper offers a greater understanding of the dynamics behind the success stories and thus offers opportunities to tailor any engagement with this community appropriately. For academics it adds to the growing literature of minority ethnic businesses in the UK

Mapping solar irradiance within Schrödinger Basin for future robotic sample return missions

The US National Research Council (NRC) identified eight scientific concepts and thirty-five prioritized investigations to be addressed with continued lunar exploration. These objectives are broadly consistent with those identified throughout the international community. the majority of these objectives require sample return from the Moon. Schrödinger basin has been highlighted as a particularly attractive location to find suitable samples

Treatment of bone fragility in patients with diabetes: antiresorptive versus anabolic?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The pathogenesis of bone fragility in diabetes has not been fully characterized. The antifracture efficacy of available therapies remains unproven in patients with diabetes. We aim to collate current evidence of the treatment of diabetic bone fragility, and to provide a rationale for considering optimal therapeutic option in patients with diabetes. RECENT FINDINGS: The antifracture efficacy of antiresorptive and anabolic therapies is well established in patients without diabetes. Studies in patients with osteoporosis have shown that anabolic therapies lead to faster and larger benefits to bone mineral density and offer greater protection against fracture than antiresorptive therapies. Available data suggest that antiresorptive and anabolic therapies have similar effect on bone density and fracture risk reduction in patients with and without diabetes. However, the evidence in diabetes is limited to observational studies and post hoc analyses of osteoporosis studies. SUMMARY: There are no specific guidelines for the treatment of bone fragility in patients with diabetes. We offer a rationale for use of anabolic therapies in diabetes which is a low bone formation state, in contrast to postmenopausal osteoporosis that is characterized by increased bone turnover. Prospective studies evaluating the effect of available therapies on bone quality and fracture outcomes in patients with diabetes are needed

The take up of business support by minority ethnic enterprises: the experience of South Asian businesses in England

This research contributes to a greater understanding of minority ethnic business (MEB) needs and practices and helps identify the support needs of minority ethnic firms in relation to existing support provision. The aims are, therefore, to examine the take-up of support by minority ethnic enterprises focusing mainly on the South Asian community with some representation from the African-Caribbean and Korean communities. Fifty minority ethnic businesses across South West London were contacted and semi-structured interviews took place with the owner/owner managers. The findings suggest that policy makers need to appreciate the diversity of MEBs and policies aimed at these businesses should reflect that diversity

G × E Interaction and Heterosis in Elite Tomato Hybrids for Growth, Earliness and Fruit Parameters in Diverse Agro-Climatic Zones of Punjab

Six promising tomato hybrids selected from a pool of 60 F1 hybrids were evaluated for seven traits, along with the check hybrid (TH-1) at two locations falling under different agro-climatic zones of Punjab, India. G × E interaction was significant for early yield, fruit weight and total fruit yield, whereas, it was non-significant for fruit number, locule number, pericarp thickness and vine length. Overall higher mean-early-yield, fruit number, fruit weight and total yield at Ludhiana, rather than at Bathinda, may be due to higher organic carbon, available phosphorus and available potash and low electrical conductivity of the experimental soil at Ludhiana. Pooled analysis showed that hybrid TH-21 had the maximum early-yield (3.73 tha-1), fruit weight (72.7 g) and locule number (2.65), whereas, TH-23 had the highest fruit number per vine (53.7) and total fruit yield (51.2 tha-1). The magnitude of pooled standard heterosis was maximum for vine length (140.7%), followed by early yield (114.8%), total yield (88.3%), fruit number (49.7%), fruit weight (27.6%), pericarp thickness (16.4%) and locule number (-21.6%). On the basis of stability and superiority for fruit weight, fruit number, early and total yield, TH-21 was found to be the most promising hybrid, followed by TH-23