Realigning the manufacturing priorities of SMEs as a result of the 2008 UK economic downturn

This study provides consideration of the impact made by the uncertain business environment experienced in recent times in the UK on manufacturing priorities within its SME sector. This uncertainty centres on the economy’s volatility during the recessionary period from 2008 onwards. A consequence of this is a realignment of manufacturing priorities, initiated by senior management within in the sector, accounting for sectoral conditions and associated market response. The study is based on a mixed methods research strategy, comprising a survey of 104 UK-based manufacturing SMEs and 17 interviewees with senior employees from these participating organisations. The study contributes to existing knowledge by building upon existing theoretical constructs of manufacturing strategy, specific to the manufacturing sector, and establishing a realignment of associated priorities around cost, flexibility, delivery performance and quality

Exploring Alternative Models of Localisation in Food Supply Chains: A Theory of Constraints Approach

Local food and the localisation of food are beset by many problems in the UK. We have still yet to agree on a consensus view of the term ‘local food’ despite the call for an enforceable definition. The continued absence of rules around products and their relative spatial determinacy has lead to the development of both fluid, and subjective interpretations around the term ‘local’, as well as a willingness by key actors to readily conflate ‘local’ with ‘regional’ as a pluralistic device in a market worth £4.6 billion in sales from farm shops and farmers’ markets alone. This research sets out to identify and diffuse the problems we have in defining what local food is, and presciently, what it may become. The research itself utilises a qualitative multiple case study approach, engaging with a final cohort of 23 producers of similar products, but at different scales of supply, and across a broad geographic spread of England. In encompassing areas which do not have a reputation for local food, the research mitigates against previous micro-analytical research and adds both construct and internal validity to its data, gathered by semi structured interviews, process mapping and questionnaires. Template analysis is used as a data extraction tool in this research, which seeks to provide disambiguation around the sector and suggest a way forward which has the potential to offer greater derived benefit to current and future stakeholders

The application of ‘just in time’ to reverse logistics: a feasibility study from the UK multiple retail sector

Purpose: The purpose of the research is to assess the operational feasibility of applying just in time (JIT) practices to a UK multiple retailers’ reverse logistics (RL) function for waste packaging materials, whilst also assessing possible benefits which may be derived from such an application. Research Approach: The research adopts an embedded case study approach, which included multiple analyses at different nodes of the retail and distribution operational units within the organisation. Interviews were undertaken which allowed for the creation of a narrative outlining the organisation’s operating environments and RL function dynamics, this was then compared to key JIT success factors. Findings: At the functional level there are a number of attributes within the case organisation which would positively influence the adoption of JIT processes, given their relationship with critical success factors outlined within the literature. It is also observed that where negative relationships do exist, they are mainly attitudinal in nature and thus through process reengineering and appropriate training could be averted. On balance the findings indicate that with minimal restructuring and investment the case organisation would be capable of supporting JIT processes. Possible implications of a successful JIT implementation are also discussed. These suggest that although duplicate movement within the network may occur, there would also be efficiency increases in both forward and reverse operations allowing for significant savings. Practical Impact: A new process model is proposed for the case organisations forward and reverse operations which incorporates JITP elements into the RL function. This creates a new just in time reverse logistics (JITRL) environment where collection activities are removed from forward operations, resulting in possible cost savings for the overall distribution network derived from increased efficiencies and capital expenditure. Originality: The research presented provides a unique and novel approach to the application of JIT systems, not only showing that it is possible in operational contexts, but also that JITRL systems may offer significant benefits beyond this organisation, to distribution networks in operations within a similar environment to that of the case organisation

Environmental turbulence and the role of business functions in the manufacturing strategy debate: the case of UK-based SMEs and the Great Recession

This study provides an empirical assessment of the United Kingdom (UK) manufacturing small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) sector, exploring the impact of environmental turbulence specific to the post–Great Recession (2008) era on changes to the way manufacturing strategy is formulated and implemented. The study identifies changes to the frequency, fluidity, formality and focus of manufacturing strategy review and how the various business functions play a changing role in contributing to this strategic process. A mixed-methods research approach is applied, incorporating a survey of 104 UK-based manufacturing SMEs supported by 17 in-depth interviews with senior managers. The research uses a parallel mixed analysis of the two data sources, thereby offering an alternative to the mono-quantitative approaches to manufacturing research that have dominated. The findings show that during, and emerging from, the post–Great Recession environment, the majority of manufacturing SMEs employ a fluid, highly frequent approach to manufacturing strategy review with increasing contributions from their marketing, sales and finance business functions driven predominantly by function-specific response to changes in the external environment, although internal drivers sill influence high-level strategy, finance and human resources. The implications of the study to theory, practice and general management suggest that the MSME sector is dominated by organizations experiencing continual impact from the external environment

New radicals: digital political engagement in post-referendum Scotland: final report on pilot project to the communities and cultrue network+.

The main aim of this study will be to analyse the transition of social media activism since the Scottish referendum, in order to establish whether the related activism is sustained over a longer timescale, particularly in relation to younger voters. The objectives of the proposed study will be: To map and disaggregate post-referendum social media activity using social network analysis techniques To investigate the discourses and emerging narratives of the groups using digital ethnographic research To investigate the breadth and depth of engagement by conducting interviews with members of the groups (including political parties and civic campaign groups) To conduct a targeted investigation of engagement of young voters (especially those aged 16-17 at the time of the referendum) to determine whether the engagement levels in relation to the referendum are translating into broader engagement with politics

Twitter response to televised political debates in Election 2015.

The advent of social media such as Twitter has revolutionised our conversations about live television events. In the days before the Internet, conversation about television programmes was limited to those sitting on the sofa with you and people you met the next morning – so-called ‘water-cooler conversation’. Now, however, it is possible to discuss events on the screen in real time with people all over the country – three out of five UK twitter users tweet while watching television (Nielsen, 2013). Thus it is not surprising to find that the General Election’s television events generated debate and discussion on twitter

Global warming and recurrent mass bleaching of corals

During 2015–2016, record temperatures triggered a pan-tropical episode of coral bleaching, the third global-scale event since mass bleaching was first documented in the 1980s. Here we examine how and why the severity of recurrent major bleaching events has varied at multiple scales, using aerial and underwater surveys of Australian reefs combined with satellite-derived sea surface temperatures. The distinctive geographic footprints of recurrent bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef in 1998, 2002 and 2016 were determined by the spatial pattern of sea temperatures in each year. Water quality and fishing pressure had minimal effect on the unprecedented bleaching in 2016, suggesting that local protection of reefs affords little or no resistance to extreme heat. Similarly, past exposure to bleaching in 1998 and 2002 did not lessen the severity of bleaching in 2016. Consequently, immediate global action to curb future warming is essential to secure a future for coral reefs

The benefits and harms of intravenous thrombolysis with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator within 6 h of acute ischaemic stroke (the third international stroke trial [IST-3]): a randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Thrombolysis is of net benefit in patients with acute ischaemic stroke, who are younger than 80 years of age and are treated within 4·5 h of onset. The third International Stroke Trial (IST-3) sought to determine whether a wider range of patients might benefit up to 6 h from stroke onset. METHODS: In this international, multicentre, randomised, open-treatment trial, patients were allocated to 0·9 mg/kg intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) or to control. The primary analysis was of the proportion of patients alive and independent, as defined by an Oxford Handicap Score (OHS) of 0-2 at 6 months. The study is registered, ISRCTN25765518. FINDINGS: 3035 patients were enrolled by 156 hospitals in 12 countries. All of these patients were included in the analyses (1515 in the rt-PA group vs 1520 in the control group), of whom 1617 (53%) were older than 80 years of age. At 6 months, 554 (37%) patients in the rt-PA group versus 534 (35%) in the control group were alive and independent (OHS 0-2; adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1·13, 95% CI 0·95-1·35, p=0·181; a non-significant absolute increase of 14/1000, 95% CI -20 to 48). An ordinal analysis showed a significant shift in OHS scores; common OR 1·27 (95% CI 1·10-1·47, p=0·001). Fatal or non-fatal symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage within 7 days occurred in 104 (7%) patients in the rt-PA group versus 16 (1%) in the control group (adjusted OR 6·94, 95% CI 4·07-11·8; absolute excess 58/1000, 95% CI 44-72). More deaths occurred within 7 days in the rt-PA group (163 [11%]) than in the control group (107 [7%], adjusted OR 1·60, 95% CI 1·22-2·08, p=0·001; absolute increase 37/1000, 95% CI 17-57), but between 7 days and 6 months there were fewer deaths in the rt-PA group than in the control group, so that by 6 months, similar numbers, in total, had died (408 [27%] in the rt-PA group vs 407 [27%] in the control group). INTERPRETATION: For the types of patient recruited in IST-3, despite the early hazards, thrombolysis within 6 h improved functional outcome. Benefit did not seem to be diminished in elderly patients. FUNDING: UK Medical Research Council, Health Foundation UK, Stroke Association UK, Research Council of Norway, Arbetsmarknadens Partners Forsakringsbolag (AFA) Insurances Sweden, Swedish Heart Lung Fund, The Foundation of Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg, Polish Ministry of Science and Education, the Australian Heart Foundation, Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), Swiss National Research Foundation, Swiss Heart Foundation, Assessorato alla Sanita, Regione dell'Umbria, Italy, and Danube University

Genetic mechanisms of critical illness in COVID-19.

Host-mediated lung inflammation is present1, and drives mortality2, in the critical illness caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Host genetic variants associated with critical illness may identify mechanistic targets for therapeutic development3. Here we report the results of the GenOMICC (Genetics Of Mortality In Critical Care) genome-wide association study in 2,244 critically ill patients with COVID-19 from 208 UK intensive care units. We have identified and replicated the following new genome-wide significant associations: on chromosome 12q24.13 (rs10735079, P = 1.65 × 10-8) in a gene cluster that encodes antiviral restriction enzyme activators (OAS1, OAS2 and OAS3); on chromosome 19p13.2 (rs74956615, P = 2.3 × 10-8) near the gene that encodes tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2); on chromosome 19p13.3 (rs2109069, P = 3.98 ×  10-12) within the gene that encodes dipeptidyl peptidase 9 (DPP9); and on chromosome 21q22.1 (rs2236757, P = 4.99 × 10-8) in the interferon receptor gene IFNAR2. We identified potential targets for repurposing of licensed medications: using Mendelian randomization, we found evidence that low expression of IFNAR2, or high expression of TYK2, are associated with life-threatening disease; and transcriptome-wide association in lung tissue revealed that high expression of the monocyte-macrophage chemotactic receptor CCR2 is associated with severe COVID-19. Our results identify robust genetic signals relating to key host antiviral defence mechanisms and mediators of inflammatory organ damage in COVID-19. Both mechanisms may be amenable to targeted treatment with existing drugs. However, large-scale randomized clinical trials will be essential before any change to clinical practice