Prospects for the upskilling of general workers in Britain : a case study comparison of the English and Irish dairy processing industries

While there is strong evidence that longstanding systemic weaknesses in the British economy continue to lead to negative strategic, skills and employment outcomes across much of British industry, there has in recent years been a notable lack of empirical research in the skills and employment relations fields aimed at examining the potential for upskilling or 'employment upgrading' to be achieved for general workers. It is apparent that issues of political economy and in particular the relationship between institutional contexts, competitive performance and skills/employment outcomes at sector level have been largely neglected. This thesis seeks to partly fill this gap by presenting data from a comparative case study of the English and Irish dairy processing industries, the central focus of which was an examination of the consequences for company strategies, employee skills, employment and wage levels of the overriding emphasis on the promotion of competition and efficiency and the lack of a strong industrial policy in the former, and in contrast the existence of a strategic and resource intensive industrial policy in the latter. This research provides an ideal opportunity to address two issues of current theoretical concern, namely the potential for an industrial policy to facilitate upskilling and debates regarding the advantages and disadvantages of different 'varieties of capitalism'. In general terms, the industrial policy context in England was found to inhibit investment in product development and in particular moves by processors in to higher value, advanced market niches, with negative consequences for employee skills and comparatively low wages resulting. However these outcomes were to some extent mitigated by the presence in the UK industry of a number of high-investing foreign multinationals who undertook very substantial new product development, thereby facilitating some notable upskilling for production workers. In Ireland, while significant limitations in both the nature and extent of impact were identified, the 'benign' industrial policy context was found to support processors in moving into advanced product markets, and consequently underpinned the creation of substantial opportunities for upskilling alongside a high standard of living for production operatives. However skills outcomes at workplace level were found to be heavily contingent on a number of different factors, with upskilling not found to be either an automatic or likely consequence of a move up market. In addition, the fact that vocational training in the industry continued to be of a predominantly informal, on-the-job nature was found to create significant tensions and lead to dissatisfaction on the part of production operatives. This research demonstrates the general value of the adoption of a supportive/strategic industrial policy in terms of the potentially positive consequences resulting for strategy, skills and employment outcomes. However it also highlights how the potential of such a policy to facilitate upskilling is limited, being heavily influenced/determined by the structural makeup and key characteristics and trends within particular sectors and product markets. In addition, the need to address broader systemic issues relating to work organisation, the labour process and the nature of vocational training systems is emphasised. More broadly, the findings highlight the problematic nature of the central theoretical conclusion and policy recommendation from the varieties of capitalism literature, that liberal market economies like the UK should accentuate the deregulated/fluid nature of capital, labour and product markets and focus attention on activities/sectors dominated by 'radical' as opposed to 'incremental' innovation; and in contrast arguably demonstrate the need for and potential of the development of thick institutional structures and substantial industry support measures, even in 'traditional' sectors such as dairy.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceEconomic and Social Research Council (Great Britain) (ESRC) (R42200034459)Warwick Business SchoolUniversity College, Dublin. Faculty of CommerceUniversity College, Dublin. Dept. of Industrial RelationsGBUnited Kingdo

Analyse des paramètres métaboliques, neuromusculaires et cinématiques lors d'enchaînements impliquant le cyclisme et la course à pied

Ce travail a pour objectif d'étudier l'adaptation métabolique, cinématique et neuromusculaire de la course à pied lors d'un enchaînement cyclisme course à pied réalisé dans le cadres des activités pluridisciplinaires telles que le triathlon et le duathlon. Dans cette perspective, trois études sont réalisées. La première étude compare les deux épreuves de course à pied d'un duathlon distance sprint réalisé à allure libre, en condition de contre-la-montre individuel. Le principal résultat est un coût énergétique de la course à pied identique avant et après le cyclisme. Les principales hypothèses pour expliquer ce résultat sont la faible durée de l'épreuve de cyclisme ainsi que le haut niveau d'expertise des sujets testés. La deuxième étude s'intéresse à l'influence de l'allure en cyclisme sur la performance sur 5 km de course à pied. L'épreuve de 20 km de cyclisme est réalisée soit à allure libre, soit à allure constante, soit avec des variations d'intensité. Les résultats montrent une performance en course à pied d'autant meilleure que le cyclisme a été réalisé à allure constante. En l'absence de différence sur les paramètres cardiorespiratoire, l'hypothèse avancée est une fatigue musculaire plus importante engendrée par les variations d'intensité en cyclisme. La troisième étude, réalisé avec des sujets de haut niveau, a pour objectif d'analyser les modifications cinématiques et électromyographiques lors de trois tests : un exercice de 45 min de course à pied à VT1 + 5 %, un enchaînement de type de duathlon et un enchaînement cyclisme course à pied de même durée et de même intensité. L'analyse des résultats révèle une plus grande fatigue musculaire lors de la course à pied contrôle et aucune modification cinématique de la foulée lors des deux autres tests. Ces résultats soulignent que la stratégie, le niveau d'expertise des sujets, l'intensité et la durée du cyclisme sont des facteurs influençant la performance lors de la course à pied subséquente. Des travaux ultérieurs intégrant l'épreuve de natation permettraient d'étendre toutes ces conclusions à l'épreuve de triathlon dans son ensemble.The objective of the present work is to analyse the metabolic, kinematics and neuromuscular adaptations during the running part of a cycle-to-run transition in triathlon and duathlon. Within this framework, three studies are undertaken.The first study compares the two running parts of a sprint duathlon realised at a free pace in a time trial condition. The main result is that the running cost is not different before and after cycling. The main hypotheses that could explain this result are the short duration of the cycling part and the subjects'high evel. The second study analyse the influence of the cycling pace on the subsequent 5 km running performance. The 20 km cycling part is conducted either at free pace, either at a constant power output, or with variation in the power output. The results show that the more the cycling is sustained at a constant pace the better is the running performance. Because there is no difference in the cardio-respiratory parameters, it is advanced that repeated high-work jumps during cycling cause muscular fatigue. The third study is undertaken with high level subjects to analyse the kinematics and electromyographics changes during three exercises: a 45 min run effort at VT1 + 5 %, a duathlon and a cycle-to-run transition at the same duration and intensity. The results analysis shows that muscular fatigue is more important during the 45 min running exercise and that there is no kinematics changes during the two others conditions. These results underline the influence of the cycling strategy, intensity and duration on the subsequent running performance. Further studies including a swimming bout will be necessary to expand these conclusions to a whole triathlon.TOULON-BU Centrale (830622101) / SudocSudocFranceF

Constant versus variable-intensity during cycling: effects on subsequent running performance

International audienceThe aim of this study was to investigate the metabolic responses to variable versus constant-intensity (CI) during 20-km cycling on subsequent 5-km running performance. Ten triathletes, not only completed one incremental cycling test to determine maximal oxygen uptake and maximal aerobic power (MAP), but also three various cycle-run (C–R) combinations conducted in outdoor conditions. During the C–R sessions, subjects performed first a 20-km cycletime trial with a freely chosen intensity (FCI, ~80% MAP) followed by a 5-km run performance. Subsequently, triathletes were required to perform in a random order, two C–R sessions including either a CI, corresponding to the mean power of FCI ride, or a variable-intensity (VI) during cycling with power changes ranging from 68 to 92% MAP, followed immediately by a 5-km run. Metabolic responses and performances were measured during the C–R sessions. Running performance was significantly improved after CI ride (1118 ± 72 s) compared to those after FCI ride (1134 ± 64 s) or VI ride (1168 ± 73 s) despite similar metabolic responses and performances reported during the three cycling bouts. Moreover, metabolic variables were not significantly different between the run sessions in our triathletes. Given the lack of significant differences in metabolic responses between the C–R sessions, the improvement in running time after FCI and CI rides compared to VI ride suggests that other mechanisms, such as changes in neuromuscular activity of peripheral skeletal muscle or muscle fatigue, probably contribute to the influence of power output variation on subsequent running performance

Identification des différentes stratégies de course en cyclisme : Influence sur la performance en course à pied chez les triathlètes

Notre étude présente deux objectifs principaux. Le premier objectif est d'évaluer les réponsesmétaboliques chez des triathlètes entraînés lors d'un enchaînement cyclisme – course à pied au coursduquel l'épreuve de cyclisme est réalisée, soit à puissance constante, soit à puissance variable. Ledeuxième objectif de cette expérimentation est d'analyser l'influence de ces conditions de pédalagesur la performance lors de l'épreuve de 5 km de course à pied.. Dans cette perspective, 8 triathlètesde bon niveau de pratique et habitués aux situations d’enchaînement cyclisme-Course à pied, ontparticipé à cette étude. L’épreuve de 20 km de cyclisme était réalisée soit à allure libre, soit àallure constante, soit avec des variations d’intensité. Les 5 km de course à pied qui suivaientchacune des situations de cyclisme, étaient réalisées sans consignes fixes, où le seul but était larecherche de performance sur cette distance et pour l’ensemble des conditions de terrain. Lesrésultats montrent une performance en course à pied d’autant plus performante que le cyclismea été réalisé à allure constante. En l’absence de différence significative sur les paramètrescardiorespiratoires, l’hypothèse avancée est une fatigue musculaire plus importante engendréepar les variations d’intensité en cyclisme.Ces résultats soulignent que la stratégie, le niveau d’expertise des sujets, l’intensité et ladurée du cyclisme sont des facteurs influençant la performance lors de la course à pied subséquente.Des travaux ultérieurs intégrant l’épreuve de natation permettraient d’étendre toutes ces conclusionsà l’épreuve de triathlon dans son ensemble