CAL and FE: A Welsh perspective

The core of this paper is the result of an investigation into the use of computer‐aided learning (CAL) in further education (FE) colleges in Wales: All institutions surveyed used CAL to some extent in teaching or learning, and academic staff were in some way involved in producing CAL materials in almost all. However, student numbers were found not to be a good indicator of the degree to which CAL is used Furthermore, only two‐thirds of colleges approached claimed to have received any external funding for CAL and distance learning involved only a small proportion of FE students. Nevertheless, the general conclusion drawn is that all FE colleges in Wales use ICTs (information and communication technologies) extensively, although there are significant differences in the equipment/student ratios, and there appears to be little strategic college‐wide planning concerning such developments

Soil organic matter dynamics in the Siberian Kulunda steppe

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Analysing trade-offs in container loading: Combining load plan construction heuristics with agent-based simulation

This is the accepted version of the following article: Analysing Trade-offs in Container Loading: Combining Load Plan Construction Heuristics with Agent-based Simulation. International Transactions in Operational Research, 20(4): 471-491which has been published in final form at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/itor.12017/abstractIn this paper we describe two operations research techniques, cutting and packing optimisation (CPO) and simulation, and present a multi-methodology approach for analysing the trade-offs between loading efficiency and various important practical considerations in relation to the cargo, such as its stability, fragility or possible cross-contamination between different types of items over time. The feasibility of this approach is demonstrated by considering a situation where the items to be loaded have differing degrees of perishability and where badly deteriorated items can affect those in their immediate vicinity (e.g. through the spread of mould). Our approach uses the output of the CPO algorithms to create agents that simulate the spread of mould through proximity-based interactions between the agents. The results show the trade-offs involved in container utilisation and the propagation of mould, without evidence of any correlation between them. The contribution of this research is the methodology and the feasibility study

Tourism demand patterns in turbulent times: analysing Welsh accommodation occupancy data for 1998–2001

Different events in 2001, most notably an outbreak of foot and mouth disease and the 11 September terrorist attacks in the USA, caused many tourist businesses in the UK to experience significant changes in demand volumes. This paper examines the occupancy performance of serviced accommodation establishments in Wales from 1998 to 2001 and focuses especially on the changes in demand patterns in 2001. The approach is based on a combination of principal components and cluster analysis. The results are used to group establishments with similar performance profiles. Detailed conclusions are drawn about the temporal and spatial shifts in demand in 2001. ‘Winners’ and ‘losers’ are identified and several concrete implications for marketing and development policies are discussed

Analyzing Seasonality in Welsh Room Occupancy Data

This paper analyzes the seasonal variations in occupancy rates for the accommodation sector in Wales over the period 1998 to 2000. The approach is based on a combination of principal components and cluster analysis. The results are used to group establishments with similar performance profiles. Some general relationships between occupancy performance and the characteristics of the accommodation businesses in Wales are identified. The analysis extends to the hotel and other parts of the serviced accommodation sector allowing comparisons to be drawn. Several concrete pointers for tailoring marketing strategies to the requirements of different accommodation segments are discussed

VFR tourism: the importance of university students as hosts

The role of university students in attracting friends and relatives as visitors to their place of study is examined. A questionnaire survey conducted at a UK university is presented in the context of general UK tourism and the visits to friends and relatives (VFR) sector in particular. It is demonstrated that universities represent large, frequently underestimated, generators of VFR tourism and that significant differences exist between the friends and the relatives' components. The paper draws concrete conclusions about the marketing opportunities and argues that the students themselves represent the most effective target for promotion efforts. It also points out possibilities for turning day visits into overnight stays, particularly in the relatives' segment