Diversity and SMEs : Existing Evidence and Policy Tensions : ERC White Paper No.3

The purpose of this White Paper is to present an overarching review of the evidence that currently exists with regard to diversity and SMEs. It outlines longstanding concerns that entrepreneurial activities and ambitions are restricted to a narrow range of social groups, with others, in particular some ethnic minority groups and women, characterised as having both lesser interest in enterprise and lower levels of resources necessary to participate. Attempts to increase participation rates of under-represented groups have resulted in only modest changes. This White Paper introduces the key evidence relating to ethnic minority and women-led enterprises, explaining the context of each group, and summarising research evidence relating to their relative access to finance, markets and management. Research and policy within the field of diversity and SMEs is characterised by a number of tensions, relating to perceived or real discrimination; whether to promote a volume of new businesses or focus on high growth potential firms; whether specialist business support is more effective or desirable than mainstream provision; and whether there is evidence of market failure in the support provided to diverse enterprises

School Based Induction Tutors: a challenging role

Since September 1999, all Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs) in England who wish to teach in the maintained sector have to complete an induction period. In the light of the introduction of this statutory policy, this paper critically examines the key role of the school based induction tutor in managing the process. It draws upon an analysis of the government’s induction circulars (DfEE/S 1999;2000;2001) and uses empirical data from a large, national DfES-funded project which evaluated the implementation of the policy. We argue that, for the majority of schools the work of the induction tutor within the whole school context, including management by the headteacher, is the major factor in the success of the policy. Further, we argue that there remain some tensions in the policy between the professional development and the assessment agenda

The Financial Implications of Living in a Retirement Village: A Comparative Review of the Financial Terms of the Occupation Right Agreement

Retirement village living is a popular accommodation choice for retired elderly New Zealanders of financial means. Retirement villages have appeal because they offer a secure and safe community within which to live, freedom from house and garden maintenance, organised social activities and access to shared facilities. They allow the elderly to maintain as much independence as they wish while at the same time reducing some of the stresses associated with home ownership and living alone

Situative Black Girlhood Reading Motivations: Why and How Black Girls Read and Comprehend Text

This study aims to illustrate the complex relationships between reading motivation and reading comprehension for Black girl readers. There is an urgent need for research that explicitly centers on the reading motivations of Black girls through a humanizing, asset-oriented lens. Through a Situative Black Girlhood Reading Motivations lens, which integrates a situative perspective on motivation and the tenets of Black Girlhood Studies, this multi-year study focuses on a group of Black girl readers participating in a summer reading program. Qualitative data, including video observations, student work artifacts, and small-group artifact-elicited interviews, were analyzed through a generic inductive approach to answer the research question, “How are relationships between Black girls’ reading motivations and their reading comprehension evident in their reading engagement and enactments?” The findings demonstrate that the participants’ most salient reading motivations in this instructional context (meaning-oriented, collaborative, and liberatory reading motivations) (1) were a precursor to their comprehension, (2) worked in tandem with their comprehension, and (3) stemmed from their comprehension. These findings contribute to models of reading by illustrating the need for additional complexity when describing the relationship between reading motivation and comprehension

The Ideal Princess, the Perfect Woman

This paper examines current cultural expressions of the princess character contrasting idealized fictional models from mainstream films and other media to authentic royal ideals. Modern imagery in film and print deemphasize true royal princess models and characteristics versus illusory roles. Characteristics of courage, beauty, grace, purity, intelligence, gentleness, and reserved or youthful behavior are associated with the proper representation consistent with the expectations and roles within fictional Disney princesses or “fairytale” females. Contrasting non-fictional royalty such as Princess Diana Spencer and Kate Middleton against these idealized virtues connected with this categorization of females provides actual factual models, and refutes dominance of these perceptions. This paradigm shift examines personality traits like tenacity, decisiveness, maturity, wisdom, political aptitude and sometimes learned behaviors, often in response to social demands and culture. Additionally, the consistency of these roles and the ideal princess archetype and ideology, both in fictional and true life narratives, are investigated

Whole-cell 3D STORM reveals interactions between cellular structures with nanometer-scale resolution.

The ability to directly visualize nanoscopic cellular structures and their spatial relationship in all three dimensions will greatly enhance our understanding of molecular processes in cells. Here we demonstrated multicolor three-dimensional (3D) stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM) as a tool to quantitatively probe cellular structures and their interactions. To facilitate STORM imaging, we generated photoswitchable probes in several distinct colors by covalently linking a photoswitchable cyanine reporter and an activator molecule to assist bioconjugation. We performed 3D localization in conjunction with focal plane scanning and correction for refractive index mismatch to obtain whole-cell images with a spatial resolution of 20-30 nm and 60-70 nm in the lateral and axial dimensions, respectively. Using this approach, we imaged the entire mitochondrial network in fixed monkey kidney BS-C-1 cells, and studied the spatial relationship between mitochondria and microtubules. The 3D STORM images resolved mitochondrial morphologies as well as mitochondria-microtubule contacts that were obscured in conventional fluorescence images

The SHIFT study: exploring the role of a baby-led feeding approach on infant growth - implications for childhood obesity

Recently, a baby-led weaning method of complementary feeding, where infants are allowed to self-feed whole foods has grown in popularity. Proponents of the method posit that it may reduce risk of overweight because the self-feeding aspect (and the lower level of maternal control that this affords) is likely to allow infants to better regulate their appetite, and this has been supported by exploratory research (Brown & Lee, 2011b; Brown & Lee, 2012). However, the impact of the method on infant growth has been largely untested, with studies focusing on the potential effects of baby-led weaning on later overweight (Townsend & Pitchford, 2012; Brown & Lee, 2015). Furthermore, studies focus on the self-feeding aspect of the baby-led weaning method, and do not consider the impact of, and the interaction with other feeding behaviours. The SHIFT (Studying Healthy Infant Feeding and growth Trajectories) study explored associations between aspects of infant feeding; milk-feeding, the age of introduction to complementary foods, the transition from milk onto foods, the method of introduction to food (self-feeding or spoon-fed), diet and texture offered, and growth outcomes of infants aged 6-12 months. This research did not find a conclusive association between the baby-led weaning method (i.e. self-feeding) and infant growth. However, behaviours which could be considered to be more broadly ‘baby-led’ in approach; breastfeeding, later age of introduction to complementary foods and a gradual transition from milk onto a diet consisting of mainly whole foods, appeared to foster healthier weight gain trajectories. These findings support the WHO (2003b) recommendation for ‘responsive’ infant feeding. Why mothers choose a more baby-led or parent-led approach is complex; concerns around infant weight, intake and behaviour are commonly cited as driving parent-led behaviour (Redsell et al., 2010; Clayton et al., 2013; Brown & Harries, 2015), and were also reported by mothers in this study. The SHIFT study provides the impetus for effective support for parents in infant feeding, so that they feel confident adopting a baby-led, responsive approach

Me, Myself, and My Muppets

In this personal narrative, the author explores her relationship and upbringing in relation to Jim Henson’s Muppets. She illustrates her experience at puppet camps, on long Muppet-filled road trips, and the special connection her mother and her share with the Muppets. Find out how the Muppets have shaped the author’s life, morals, and aspirations, as well as how Jim Henson’s creations have influenced and brought joy to past generations and future generations to come