Psychological effects of music tempi during exercise

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of music tempi on intrinsic motivation, flow, and music tempo preference during longduration exercise (~ 26 min). Subjects (n = 29) selected the music of a single artist then walked at 70% of maximum heart rate reserve (maxHRR) on a treadmill under three experimental conditions (medium tempi, fast tempi, and mixed tempi) and a no-music control. A tempo preference item, the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory, and Flow State Scale-2 were completed after each trial. Data were analyzed using a mixed-model (Gender × Condition) ANOVA and MANOVA. The Gender × Condition interaction was nonsignificant in both analyses (p > 0.05). Contrary to expectations, higher preference scores were recorded for medium tempi than for mixed tempi (means: 7.8 ± 1.3 vs. 7.1 ± 1.1). The medium tempi music also yielded the highest levels of intrinsic motivation (p < 0.001). Pairwise comparisons showed that interest-enjoyment was higher for medium tempi when compared to mixed tempi, 95% CI = 1.80–8.48, p = 0.001, and that each of the experimental conditions yielded higher scores than the no-music control. Also, pressure-tension was lower for medium tempi compared to fast tempi, 95% CI = – 3.44–0.19, p = 0.022, and for both medium and mixed tempi compared to control (95% CI = – 5.33–2.89, p = 0.000; 95% CI = – 4.24–0.64, p = 0.004). A main effect was found for global flow (p = 0.000) with the highest mean score evident in the medium tempi condition (14.6 ± 1.5). Follow-up comparisons indicated that the medium tempi condition yielded higher flow scores than the control, 95% CI = 1.25–3.60, p = .000, as did fast tempi, 95% CI = 0.89–3.14, p = 0.000, and mixed tempi, 95% CI = 1.36–3.76, p = 0.000. It was concluded that a medium tempi music program was the most appropriate for an exercise intensity of 70%maxHRR

Strategy, culture and school development planning: a case study of staff perspectives in a secondary school

This case study is concerned with the perspectives of staff and governors in the secondary school where the researcher works as deputy head. The focus of the inquiry is school development planning and its relationship to wider strategic planning. The study further explores the School's culture and organisational structure in order to contextualise the findings and examine the School's capacity for change. The author considers the difficulties of conducting case study research in one's own place of work and utilises a range of research instruments to improve the validity of the research approach. These include questionnaires and interview schedules designed by the researcher, together with research resources designed for the Improving the Quality of Education for All (IQEA) school improvement project and the Improving School Effectiveness Project (ISEP). The study concludes that the School's development plan is generally considered to provide a sense of direction for the School but that there is little evidence of direct engagement with the plans produced. The senior team are perceived to provide purposeful leadership and the School's development structure, i.e. its capacity for improvement, is strong but there are concerns amongst many staff that decision-making is insufficiently collegiate. The author argues that this lack of involvement in key decision-making is the foundation for a model of strategy development that does not provide an authentic shared vision for the School as a whole. The School's aspirations to become a 'learning organisation' are compromised by a political structure that does not develop leadership density across the staff team. It is argued that the complexity and ambiguity of the School's culture, as reflected by the perspectives of its staff and governors, challenges the credentials of technicist models of strategic planning within this context. The result of an essentially top-down approach to strategy formation is a staff team who partially disengage themselves from strategic implementation, i.e. the school development planning process. From consideration of both the value and the constraints and limitations of this research study, the author concludes that there is a need for further case studies that explore the complexity and contradiction of the school setting and, in particular, action research studies that help the reader to understand the dynamic reality of school management from the perspectives of the practitioners themselves

An ethnographic analysis of young men's social exclusion in a hill top estate in the South Wales valleys

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:DXN061397 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Fast Drivers, Slow Progress: An Investigation of Evidence-Based Protocols in Kentucky Emergency Medical Services

Emergency medical services (EMS) is responsible for the prehospital management of medical emergencies. EMS professionals operate under the license of a practicing physician, or “medical director.” The skills and procedures which EMS providers may perform are outlined as written “protocols.” To investigate the evidence-based nature (or lack thereof) of EMS protocols, a convenience sample of ground EMS agencies within the state of Kentucky which provide ALS-level patient care was used. This sample consisted of agencies of varying run volumes that were located across all major geographic regions of the state. Twenty six agencies constituted the final sample. The full list of approved protocols for these agencies were requested through an open records request through the Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services (KBEMS), along with KBEMS’ protocols. These protocols were examined for compliance with evidence-based practices which were supported by a literature review. Ten practices were selected for review, five pertaining to the management of suspected spinal injury through spinal motion restriction and five pertaining to the management of chest pain of suspected cardiac origin. Conclusion: Over 90% of agencies were compliant with 7 of the 10 examined practices, while less than 15% were compliant with the remaining 3 practices. KBEMS protocols were compliant with the same 7 practices, and non-compliant with the remaining 3. Overall, level of adherence with state-wide protocols had a much stronger relationship to compliance with the evidence base than any other studied agency demographical information (agency run volume, urban vs. rural)

Synthesis and characterisation of novel organophosphorus polymers for specific surface interactions

The work described in this thesis was concerned with the synthesis and attempted Ring Opening Metathesis Polymerisations (ROMP) of a series of monocyclic phospholenes and organophosphorus derivatives of bicyclo[2.2.1]heptene using a variety of catalysts and conditions. This thesis comprises five chapters. The first chapter deals with the background of fire retardancy, industrial water treatment and ROMP. Chapter two describes the synthesis and characterisation of some potential organophosphorus monomers. Chapter three gives details of the attempted ROMP of the potential monomers prepared in chapter two. Investigations into the possible preparation of oligomers using a variety of chain transfer agents are described in chapter four. The conclusions and proposals for future work are outlined in the final chapter

The control of acquired companies : a study of the role of management accounting systems following acquisition

The literature of accounting contains very few references pertaining to the design of, and approach to introducing changes in, accounting-type controls following acquisition. Furthermore, these references reveal conflicts concerning both the extent and speed of desirable changes. The predominant view reflects the underlying premise of many control systems, that individuals are not to be trusted and need to be policed.This study seeks to improve understanding of the control systems adopted in practice and to assess whether these are in accordance with theoretical expectations and finally, to suggest ways of improving existing practices. The main objectives are: To consider the nature and context of management accounting systems (MAS) and the possible influences of broader management studies upon the design of post-acquisition MAS. To identify how acquiring companies, making acquisitions which were similar to, or perhaps very different from, the parent company, modified and used MAS in order to establish control.To draw implications for the design of MAS and for the introduction of changes to MAS following acquisition.The study comprises three parts, corresponding with each of the main objectives.Part 1 has three chapters and reviews relevant literature from the disciplines of accounting, organisational theory, and organisational behaviour. A highly selective approach is adopted, particularly to the latter two disciplines, because the literature is so extensive. In some instances the relationships between the theories - for example of motivation - whether empirically supported or not, and accounting control systems are tenuous or disputed; in others, such as the contingency theory of MAS, they are at a very early stage of development. This thesis endeavours, for the first time to the author's knowledge, to draw together these strands of evidence to provide theoretical expectations for' the design of post-acquisition MAS.Chapter one considers the context of MAS and how they form part of the administrative controls which, in combination with social and self-controls, provide overall organisational control.Chapter two describes the importance of MAS as devices which are capable of facilitating organisational integration, motivating individuals and groups, and assisting in decision-making and in the measurement of performance - activities which assume enhanced importance following acquisition.Chapter three seeks to identify and to briefly describe the variables, both within and outside an organisation, which may influence MAS and therefore may need to be considered when designing MAS. The contingency theory of MAS is seen as having particular relevance in this context with important implications for the design of post-acquisition MAS.Part II consists of five chapters describing the findings of an empirical study of the management control relationships established between thirty acquiring and acquired companies during the first two post-acquisition years. Ordinal measurements are introduced as a means of identifying changes in the importance of MAS, their conformity with parent company controls, and the resistance and technical difficulty experienced during the change process.Chapter four provides some background information on the circumstances of, and the depth of planning for, these acquisitions.The next chapter describes the changes in importance, following acquisition, of thirteen management accounting techniques (MATs). It shows that the importance of all techniques increased significantly and those capable of facilitating organisational integration became most important. They were also most highly exploited in terms of the potential for change and were introduced most rapidly. This resulted in fundamental changes in management style characterised by increases in both formality and the delegation of authority.Chapter six considers the conformity, with the practices of the acquiring company, introduced into MAS in acquired companies. With the exception of some operational controls conformity was of a high degree although high conformity in individual MATs was not necessarily accompanied by high importance.Chapter seven acknowledges that the manner in which changes in MAS are introduced can influence their effectiveness. It describes how changes were introduced, the attempts made to minimise resistance, the problems that were encountered, and the level of satisfaction felt by those responsible for changes. In so doing, it serves two purposes; firstly, it provides some indication of acquisition success or failure - for example, there is evidence of association between 'success' and the adoption of consultative approaches to change. Secondly, by implication, it suggests ways in which practice may be improved.Chapter eight draws together many of the theoretical ideas explored in section I and relates them to the· evidence from the empirical study. It considers evidence that changes in MAS might be explained in terms of, or be consistent with, the contingency theory view of MAS. It provides some evidence that companies responded to environmental and technological changes by placing greater emphasis upon predictive MATs and strong evidence of increased sophistication in the MATs used in acquired companies; partly explicable in terms of turbulence associated with environmental factors and acquisition itself. However, direct evidence that contingent influences were recognised in the determination of post- acquisition MAS was strong in only a small minority of cases. A rigorous statistical study provided only limited support for the hypothesis that greater divergence between organisational characteristics of acquisition partners would be accompanied by reduced conformity in MAS. However, the results of a weaker test revealed some association between style of acquisition and the level of conformity introduced.Part III comprises two chapters. Chapter nine introduces measures of the success or failure of the acquisitions studied followed by reflections upon the changes that were observed. The changes, even those which enhanced the responsibility and freedom of individuals, are seen as consistent with the process of bureaucratisation characteristic of large organisations. The importance of MAS relative to inter-personal means of control and as bases for modifying the distribution of power and authority is considered. It is suggested that power moves away from senior executives in acquired companies as group procedures and rules are introduced, and also because the initiative to introduce change is in the hands of acquirers. In contrast, the power of lower participants may be enhanced by greater delegation of authority and the scope that is created for the circumvention of higher authority which is regarded as illegitimate. Finally, this chapter considers some of the deeper meanings that may attach to changes in MAS, including the rationalisation of prior actions, retrospective goal discovery, and the conveyance of revised management philosophies to individuals in acquired companies.Chapter ten proposes the need for greater flexibility, in contrast to the rigidity observed in so many instances, and also as being more consistent with the contingency theory of MAS. It suggests that various MATs cause different behavioural sensitivity at different organisational levels and recognition of this could guide changers in the selective introduction of change. A model is presented which proposes that the organisational characteristics of acquirer and acquired companies should be compared and, dependent upon the degree of matching, so different approaches should be adopted to the modification of MAS. Finally, this procedure is applied to the companies studied to provide theoretical bases for change. This is related to the approaches actually adopted and consistencies and inconsistencies are compared with success or failure, revealing an encouraging degree of support for the model

Coordination Non-Innocence and Redox Chemistry of Antimony Ligands

The coordination chemistry of antimony-containing ligands has been historically understudied relative to phosphines and arsines due to the widely held perception that their properties varied little from their lighter congeners. Recent developments, however, have found that antimony ligands can display unique coordination and redox behavior which mimics that known for organoantimony species. Coordinated antimony centers can engage in secondary bonding interactions in which the incoming ligand can bind trans to the Sb-M bond or the Sb-R bond. This coordination non-innocent behavior bears potential utility in anion-sensing and tuning of the coordinated transition metal center. Transition metal stibine complexes also undergo two-electron redox chemistry, which can be localized at the metal or the antimony center. In the latter case, the resulting Sb(V) species can serve as a Z-type ligand to activate the coordinated transition metal center for electrophilic reactivity. With the future goal of further incorporating antimony-containing ligands into functional main group-transition metal heterobimetallic platforms for anion-sensing, catalysis, and other behaviors, the origin and consequences of their unique behavior must be further investigated. In an effort to systematically investigate the coordination non-innocent behavior of antimony ligands, their complexes were compared to the analogous phosphorous and arsenic complexes. The effect of coordination non-innocent behavior on the Sb-M bond was also systematically studied. The redox behavior of transition metal stibines was further elucidated in a series of case studies. Finally, we provide proof of concept that coordination-non innocent behavior in antimony ligands can be utilized to activate adjacent transition metal centers for electrophilic catalysis

Corporate Branding in Marketspace

Many existing companies have set up corporate websites in response to competitive pressures and/or the perceived advantages of having a presence in marketspace. However, the effect of this form of communication and/or way of doing business on the corporate brand has yet to be examined in detail. In this article we argue that the translation of corporate brand values from marketplace to marketspace is often problematic, leading to inconsistencies in the way that the brand values are interpreted. Some of issues discussed are: 1) the effect of changed organizational boundaries on the corporate brand, 2) the need to examine whether it is strategically feasible to translate the corporate brand values from marketplace to marketspace, 3) the inherent difficulty in communicating the emotional aspects of the corporate brand in marketspace, and 4) the need to manage the online brand, in terms of its consistency with the offline brand. The conclusion reached is that a necessary part of the process of embracing marketspace as part of a corporate brand strategy is a plan to manage the consistency and continuity of the corporate brand when applied to the Internet. In cases where this is not achievable, a separate corporate brand or a brand extension is a preferable alternative