Observation, evaluation and coaching: the local orderliness of ‘seeing’ performance

Inspired by ethnomethodological attention to social order, the aim of this paper was to examine the visible, tangible and contextual details of how coaches’ observations, or what coaches actually see, are accomplished in practice. Drawing upon examples from a season long ethnomethodologically informed ethnographic investigation of a semi-professional football club, the paper positions coach observation, not as a visual perception, but as a locally organised achievement of the individuals involved. In doing so, attention is paid to the details of observations constructed in, through and by coaches, assistants and players. The paper concludes with some tentative recommendations for related progressive practice

Peptide nanofibers with dynamic instability through non-equilibrium biocatalytic assembly

We demonstrate supramolecular peptide nanofibers that display dynamic instability, i.e. they are formed by competing assembly and dis-assembly reactions, where assembly is favoured away from equilibrium. The systems are based on competitive catalytic transacylation and hydrolysis, producing a self-assembling aromatic peptide derivative from amino acid precursors, that temporarily exceeds the critical gelation concentration, until the competing hydrolytic reaction takes over. Analysis by atomic force microscopy shows consecutive nanofiber formation and shortening. The process results in macroscopically observable temporary hydrogelation, which may be repeated upon refuelling the system with further addition of the chemically activated amino acid pre-cursor. Non-equilibrium nanostructures open up opportunities for mimicry of the behaviour dynamic gels found in natural systems and provide components for future adaptive nanotechnologies

Creating sustainable practice in a museum context: adopting service-centricity in non-profit museums

The main purpose of this study is the identification of issues from a consumer perspective that can assist in the creation of sustainable museums. This work specifically focuses on customer research including the service encounter experience. It has been suggested museum sustainability is questionable in the long term, with a need for fundamental change in the mental modes and attitudes assumed in the management of the sector, in particular the need for more effective and appropriate marketing strategies. Adopting a qualitative research approach, twenty consultant customers kept a service encounter diary and were subsequently interviewed in-depth. These scripts were analyzed thematically until theoretical saturation was achieved. Findings indicate many issues focusing on the creation of reflective spaces, self-paced consumption, solitude versus social exchange, the need for supplementary service to be more effectively developed, improvement in non custodial servicescapes and the relationships of satisfaction to process and amenities. Implications for management and research have been highlighted