The Role of the broadsheet newspaper media in corporate governance: an exploration into the market for corporate control

This study examines the impact of broadsheet newspaper reporting of takeover offers and market abuse cases on the corporate governance quality of the UK listed companies involved. The study examined 111 takeover offers and 25 market abuse cases from 2001 to 2010. Corporate governance quality is assessed from the perspective of the board of directors using an original scoring methodology devised herein. The scoring methodology is founded upon principles of best practice set out in UK regulatory guidelines; the statutory responsibilities expected of boards of UK companies; and recommendations expressed in academic commentary and specialist reports on corporate governance. The level of newspaper reporting is measured using the archives of eight prominent UK broadsheet publications. The results of statistical analysis indicate a significant association between changes in corporate governance quality and newspaper reporting on takeover offers but not for market abuse cases. This study sheds insight into the role the broadsheet media plays in corporate governance and contributes to a growing strand of research on the capacity of the media to lower agency costs. Findings imply that the broadsheet newspaper media serves a potentially important function in facilitating the operation of the market for corporate control. Specifically, by reporting on companies’ vulnerability to takeover, the newspaper media can create reputational costs for target directors thereby encouraging governance improvements in target companies. This thesis adds to an extensive body of literature on corporate governance and the market for corporate control in the UK by identifying the newspaper media as a significant intermediary in the context of the London Stock Exchange. Findings suggest a need for enhanced shareholder monitoring of boards of targets of failed takeover offers; greater clarity in guidelines on best practice in corporate governance; and increased acknowledgement of the impact of the media on corporate governance at policy level

Embedding Sustainability In The Engineering Curriculum: Meeting The Requirements Of Professional Accreditation

Professional accreditation agencies are increasing requirements on sustainability in engineering education as a response to ethical obligations, industry needs and emerging academic best practice. In 2021, Engineers Ireland increased sustainability requirements in new accreditation criteria. This paper reports on a thematic analysis carried out by Engineers Ireland on the self-assessment and achievement of these new accreditation criteria on sustainability. The analysis was conducted on the self-assessment reports from a large Irish University, referred to as University A hereafter. The results indicate that, for the purpose of meeting accreditation requirements, University A has interpreted sustainability in their programmes as either meeting the UN Sustainability Goals (SDG’s) by mapping modules to the SDG\u27s, or by aligning Programme Area (PA) 7 Sustainability of the Engineers Ireland accreditation criteria with the Engineers Ireland Programme Outcomes (PO\u27s). The paper outlines the main themes and approaches identified across 17 engineering programmes and presents 2 case studies of how sustainability is embedded in engineering curricula in Ireland

Three essays on the economics of human capital development

This thesis is concerned with the role of formal schooling in the production of human capital over the lifecycle. While many studies have documented an associated between education and cognitive outcomes, less is known about the extent this association is causal---or the nature of the underlying mechanisms driving any effect. Chapter 1 examines the causal effect of additional secondary schooling on cognitive function in later life, using new methods in causal mediation analysis to explore the role of occupation choice as a key channel. The findings reveal robust evidence that basic education leads to improved working memory, but detect little support for effects on verbal fluency or numeric abilities. Staying in school for an additional year increases the probability of entering a higher status occupation, and an analysis of mechanisms finds that up to about one-fifth of schooling's effect on cognitive outcomes can be explained by occupation choice. However, the estimates are too imprecise to yield firm conclusions. Chapters 2 and 3 are situated in the school choice literature. The promise of school choice is to allow parental preference to influence which school their child attends, weakening the link between residential location and school quality. However, choice is typically constrained---and markets for schools are no exception. Popular schools tend to be oversubscribed, and inevitably many families miss out on a place at their preferred school. Chapter 2 traces the consequences of missing out on a place at a preferred secondary school in England, focusing on long run outcomes, including high-stakes examination results. The analyses do not find evidence that failing to gain a place at a preferred school leads to poorer academic outcomes---but those who miss out are more likely to engage in risky behaviours, drop out of secondary school, and have poorer mental health in adulthood. Finally, Chapter 3 assesses the effects of missing out on a place at a preferred primary school, on cognitive and non-cognitive skill development and parental responses. Little evidence is revealed for a detrimental effect on skill development, but compared with those who get into their preferred school, parents whose child misses out on a place are more likely to invest in private tutoring and exam preparation for selective schools

Gifted techspectations: A report on information and communications technology usage and expectations Of Irish gifted and talented students for The Irish Centre For Talented Youth

Gifted Techspectations is the first of a series of reports based on research by the DCU Leadership, Innovation and Knowledge Research Centre (LInK) based in DCU Business School. With its roots in an Irish business school, it is no surprise that LInK’s mission is to strengthen the competitiveness, productivity, innovation and entrepreneurial capacity of the Irish economy. Ireland’s next generation transformation will be enabled by information and communication technologies (ICT) and digital participation by members of Irish society. As a university research centre we have an important role to play in supporting education, industry and government to accelerate this transformation. With support from DCU Business School, Enterprise Ireland’s Innovation Voucher Programme, DCU’s Learning Innovation Unit, Cambridge University Press and the Nominet Foundation amongst others, LInK has undertaken a wide variety of activities to accelerate digital participation. These include applied research projects, seminar programmes, workshops and occasional research papers. In the last twelve months, 22 seminars, 5 workshops, and two 3-week courses have been held and over 200 Irish businesses and schools have benefited from LInK-related digital participation activities. Influenced by the US ECAR and Pew Internet and American Life projects, these digital participation activities were brought together under the Techspectations initiative in June 2010. The objective of Techspectations is to create both a body of research and analysis on ICT usage and expectations by Irish society and an interface for Irish education, industry and government institutions

Breast Cancer Risk Assessment and Primary Prevention Advice in Primary Care: A Systematic Review of Provider Attitudes and Routine Behaviours

Implementing risk-stratified breast cancer screening is being considered internationally. It has been suggested that primary care will need to take a role in delivering this service, including risk assessment and provision of primary prevention advice. This systematic review aimed to assess the acceptability of these tasks to primary care providers. Five databases were searched up to July–August 2020, yielding 29 eligible studies, of which 27 were narratively synthesised. The review was pre-registered (PROSPERO: CRD42020197676). Primary care providers report frequently collecting breast cancer family history information, but rarely using quantitative tools integrating additional risk factors. Primary care providers reported high levels of discomfort and low confidence with respect to risk-reducing medications although very few reported doubts about the evidence base underpinning their use. Insufficient education/training and perceived discomfort conducting both tasks were notable barriers. Primary care providers are more likely to accept an increased role in breast cancer risk assessment than advising on risk-reducing medications. To realise the benefits of risk-based screening and prevention at a population level, primary care will need to proactively assess breast cancer risk and advise on risk-reducing medications. To facilitate this, adaptations to infrastructure such as integrated tools are necessary in addition to provision of education

Technology ownership, usage and expectations of Business School freshmen: Evidence from an Irish university

Based on survey data from 374 incoming, first-year undergraduates of an Irish university business school, this study examines student ownership, usage and expectations of information and communications technology (ICT) and how these are influenced by student characteristics, such as gender, nationality, socioeconomic background, place of residence, and prior levels of ICT experience. Results indicate significant differences in technology ownership and usage attributed to gender, nationality, socioeconomic background, and place of residence. Additional differences in expectations of ICT-enabled learning activities related to student pre-entry ICT experience are also found. The findings present business schools with challenges and opportunities in addressing the technology needs of a diverse body of netgeners by developing infrastructure and learning strategies that match these needs with their wider experience and expectations of ICT

Trialling HyFlex at TU Dublin – stakeholders’ voices and experiences

HyFlex is a multi-modal instructional approach that offers students the opportunity to engage with modules face-to-face and online in a mode that best suits their learning style and situation. Covid-19 forced many universities and lecturers to offer HyFlex opportunities. This emergency flip and required agility to deliver HyFlex provides the opportunity to learn from the experiences of using this mode of teaching and learning. This research presents the results of a survey of 44 lecturers who were part of the HyFlex Community of Practice (COP) or who were employing HyFlex in their practice, and 490 students who engaged with HyFlex at Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin), Ireland. Mini vignettes are used to provide deeper insight. Key findings are that HyFlex was viewed positively by both students and lecturers, and 92% of students would recommend this form of attendance in the future. From a lecturer\u27s perspective, key challenges related to the technology, student engagement and high cognitive load. The research showed that some students who avail of university learning supports preferred the HyFlex approach as it felt that it gave them equal opportunity and allowed them to learn in a way that suited them best. While the majority of students believe that the HyFlex approach resulted in the same level of academic rigour and quality as face-to-face delivery, several lecturers had some concerns. This research is valuable as it positions HyFlex as a feasible form of delivery at a time when a new University Educational Model (UEM) is being developed for TU Dublin. However, it is particularly valuable as it identifies key issues and gives voice to various stakeholders, which is important in terms of contributing to international and institutional debates and policies going forward regarding the changing pedagogical landscape post-Covid

Organizational Change Management (OCM): Preliminary position paper

This paper describes the initial steps in the development of Organizational Change Management (OCM), a new Critical Capability (CC) of the IT Capability Maturity Framework (IT-CMF). OCM consists of a maturity assessment and an accompanying Body of Knowledge to support an organization’s improvement efforts. An initial overview of the literature related to managing organizational change is described, based on a review of 30+ academic and practitioner publications. Core themes are identified and used to define an initial taxonomy for OCM. This initial structure was further refined and developed in collaboration with industry and academic experts to ensure it both reflects and supports contemporary organizational realities and best practices in organizational change management