Showing papers by "University of Westminster published in 2007"

The determinants of Chinese outward foreign direct investment

Abstract: This study investigates the determinants of Chinese outward direct investment (ODI) and the extent to which three special explanations (capital market imperfections, special ownership advantages and institutional factors) need to be nested within the general theory of the multinational firm. We test our hypotheses using official Chinese ODI data collected between 1984 and 2001. We find Chinese ODI to be associated with high levels of political risk in, and cultural proximity to, host countries throughout, and with host market size and geographic proximity (1984 to 1991) and host natural resources endowments (1992 to 2001). We find strong support for the argument that aspects of the special theory help to explain the behaviour of Chinese MNEs.

A best evidence systematic review of interprofessional education: BEME Guide no. 9

Abstract: Background and review context: Evidence to support the proposition that learning together will help practitioners and agencies work better together remains limited and thinly spread. This review id...

Polyhydroxyalkanoates: biodegradable polymers with a range of applications

Abstract: Increased and accelerated global economic activities over the past century have led to interlinked problems that require urgent attention. The current patterns of production and consumption have raised serious concerns. In this context, greater emphasis has been put on the concept of sustainable economic systems that rely on technologies based on and supporting renewable sources of energy and materials. Average UK households produce around 3.2 million tonnes of packaging waste annually whereas 150 million tonnes of packaging waste is generated annually by industries in the UK. Hence, the development of biologically derived biodegradable polymers is one important element of the new economic development. Key among the biodegradable biopolymers is a class known as polyhydroxyalkanoates. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are a family of polyhydroxyesters of 3-, 4-, 5- and 6-hydroxyalkanoic acids, produced by a variety of bacterial species under nutrient-limiting conditions with excess carbon. These water-insoluble storage polymers are biodegradable, exhibit thermoplastic properties and can be produced from renewable carbon sources. Thus, there has been considerable interest in the commercial exploitation of these biodegradable polyesters. In this review various applications of polyhydroxyalkanoates are discussed, covering areas such as medicine, agriculture, tissue engineering, nanocomposites, polymer blends and chiral synthesis. Overall this review shows that polyhydroxyalkanoates are a promising class of new emerging biopolymers.

Development of measures of online privacy concern and protection for use on the Internet

Abstract: As the Internet grows in importance, concerns about online privacy have arisen. The authors describe the development and validation of three short Internet-administered scales measuring privacy-related attitudes (Privacy Concern) and behaviors (General Caution and Technical Protection). In Study 1, 515 people completed an 82-item questionnaire from which the three scales were derived. In Study 2, scale validity was examined by comparing scores of individuals drawn from groups considered likely to differ in privacy-protective behaviors. In Study 3, correlations between the scores on the current scales and two established measures of privacy concern were examined. The authors conclude that these scales are reliable and valid instruments suitable for administration via the Internet, and present them for use in online privacy research. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Hopping, skipping or jumping to conclusions? Clarifying the role of the JTC bias in delusions

Abstract: Introduction: There is substantial evidence that patients with delusions exhibit a reasoning bias - known as the "jumping to conclusions" (JTC) bias - which leads them to accept hypotheses as correct on the basis of less evidence than controls. We address three questions concerning the JTC bias that require clarification. Firstly, what is the best measure of the JTC bias? Second, is the JTC bias correlated specifically with delusions, or only with the symptomatology of schizophrenia? And third, is the bias enhanced by emotionally salient material? Methods To address these questions, we conducted a series of meta-analyses of studies that used the Beads task to compare the probabilistic reasoning styles of individuals with and without delusions. Results We found that only one of four measures of the JTC bias - "draws to decision" -reached significance. The JTC bias exhibited by delusional subjects - as measured by draws to decision - did not appear to be solely an epiphenomenal effect of schizophrenic symptomatology, and was not amplified by emotionally salient material. Conclusions A tendency to gather less evidence in the Beads task is reliably associated with the presence of delusional symptomatology. In contrast, certainty on the task, and responses to contradictory evidence, do not discriminate well between those with and without delusions. The implications for the underlying basis of the JTC bias, and its role in the formation and maintenance of delusions, are discussed.

Internet users' perceptions of 'privacy concerns' and 'privacy actions'

Abstract: A consistent finding reported in online privacy research is that an overwhelming majority of people are 'concerned' about their privacy when they use the Internet. Therefore, it is important to understand the discourse of Internet users' privacy concerns, and any actions they take to guard against these concerns. A Dynamic Interviewing Programme (DIP) was employed in order to survey users of an instant messaging ICQ ('I seek you') client using both closed and open question formats. Analysis of 530 respondents' data illustrates the importance of establishing users' privacy concerns and the reasoning behind these concerns. Results indicate that Internet users are concerned about a wider range of privacy issues than surveys have typically covered. The results do not provide final definitions for the areas of online privacy, but provide information that is useful to gain a better understanding of privacy concerns and actions.

Acupuncture for anxiety and anxiety disorders - a systematic literature review

Abstract: Introduction The aim of this study was to evaluate the evidence for the efficacy of acupuncture in the treatment of anxiety and anxiety disorders by systematic review of the relevant research. Methods Searches of the major biomedical databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, ClNAHL, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library) were conducted between February and July 2004. Specialist complementary medicine databases were also searched and efforts made to identify unpublished research. No language restrictions were imposed and translations were obtained where necessary. Study methodology was appraised and clinical commentaries obtained for studies reporting clinical outcomes. Results Twelve controlled trials were located, of which 10 were randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Four RCTs focused on acupuncture in generalised anxiety disorder or anxiety neurosis, while six focused on anxiety in the perioperative period. No studies were located on the use of acupuncture specifically for panic disorder, phobias or obsessive-compulsive disorder. In generalised anxiety disorder or anxiety neurosis, it is difficult to interpret the findings of the studies of acupuncture because of the range of interventions against which acupuncture was compared. All trials reported positive findings but the reports lacked many basic methodological details. Reporting of the studies of perioperative anxiety was generally better and the initial indications are that acupuncture, specifically auricular acupuncture, is more effective than acupuncture at sham points and may be as effective as drug therapy in this situation. The results were, however, based on subjective measures and blinding could not be guaranteed. Conclusions Positive findings are reported for acupuncture in the treatment of generalised anxiety disorder or anxiety neurosis but there is currently insufficient research evidence for firm conclusions to be drawn. No trials of acupuncture for other anxiety disorders were located. There is some limited evidence in favour of auricular acupuncture in perioperative anxiety. Overall, the promising findings indicate that further research is warranted in the form of well designed, adequately powered studies.

Oceanic changes in the Sargasso Sea and declines in recruitment of the European eel

Abstract: Friedland, K. D., Miller, M. J., and Knights, B. 2007. Oceanic changes in the Sargasso Sea and declines in recruitment of the European eel. - ICES Journal of Marine Science, 64: 519-530.Anguillid eel recruitment in the North Atlantic has declined in recent decades, raising concerns that climatic changes in the Sargasso Sea may be influencing oceanic reproduction and larval survival. There is a significant negative correlation between the North Atlantic Oscillation and long-term variations in catches of glass eel stages of the European eel Anguilla anguilla recorded by the fishery independent Den Oever recruitment index (DOI) in the Netherlands, lagged by one year. Ocean-atmospheric changes in the Sargasso Sea may affect the location of spawning areas by silver eels and the survival of leptocephali during the key period when they are transported towards the Gulf Stream. A northward shift in a key isotherm (22.5°C), defining the northern boundary of the spawning area, a declining trend in winds and transport conditions in larval transport areas, and a shallowing of the mixed layer depth could affect primary productivity in areas where leptocephali feed. The relationships between these ocean parameters and the DOI suggest that these changing ocean conditions could be contributing to declining recruitment of the European eel and probably also of the American eel (A. rostrata), but anthropogenic factors during their continental life stage must also be considered.

The security–development nexus and the rise of ‘anti-foreign policy’

Abstract: Current debates and discussions of the emerging security-development nexus tend to portray this as signifying the increased importance of the problems of non-Western states to Western policy-makers. This article seeks to challenge this perspective and analyses how the policy 'nexus' reflects a retreat from strategic policy-making and a more inward-looking approach to foreign policy, more concerned with self-image than the policy consequences in the areas concerned. Rather than demonstrating a new seriousness of approach to tackling the security and development problems of the non-Western world, the discussions around this framework betray the separation between policy rhetoric and policy planning. This reflects the rise of anti-foreign policy: attempts to use the international sphere as an arena for self-referential statements of political mission and purpose, decoupled from their subject matter, resulting in ad hoc and arbitrary foreign policy-making.

From 'Event-led' to 'Event-themed' Regeneration: The 2002 Commonwealth Games Legacy Programme:

Abstract: Hosting large events has long been associated with the physical regeneration of cities. To supplement these ‘hard’ impacts, cities are now attempting to use events to stimulate ‘softer’ social and economic regeneration. This paper evaluates the impacts of a regeneration Programme adopted in conjunction with the 2002 Commonwealth Games held in Manchester, UK. Alongside its emphasis on social and economic regeneration, this Programme was unusual in that the projects were Games-themed, rather than being directly linked to the event. Despite some concerns about the organisational structures employed and the sustainability of impacts, target beneficiaries have received valuable assistance from the Programme. As such there appears to be valuable lessons that other cities can learn from this example of event regeneration.

FAK Is Required for TGFβ-induced JNK Phosphorylation in Fibroblasts: Implications for Acquisition of a Matrix-remodeling Phenotype

Abstract: Transforming growth factor beta (TGFbeta) plays a critical role in connective tissue remodeling by fibroblasts during development, tissue repair, and fibrosis. We investigated the molecular pathways in the transmission of TGFbeta signals that lead to features of connective tissue remodeling, namely formation of an alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) cytoskeleton, matrix contraction, and expression of profibrotic genes. TGFbeta causes the activation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK), leading to JNK phosphorylation. TGFbeta induces JNK-dependent actin stress fiber formation, matrix contraction, and expression of profibrotic genes in fak+/+, but not fak-/-, fibroblasts. Overexpression of MEKK1, a kinase acting upstream of JNK, rescues TGFbeta responsiveness of JNK-dependent transcripts and actin stress fiber formation in FAK-deficient fibroblasts. Thus we propose a FAK-MEKK1-JNK pathway in the transmission of TGFbeta signals leading to the control of alpha-SMA cytoskeleton reorganization, matrix contraction, and profibrotic gene expression and hence to the physiological and pathological effects of TGFbeta on connective tissue remodeling by fibroblasts.

Developing communities of innovation by identifying innovation champions

Abstract: Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to propose that a form of communities of practice (CoP), a community of innovation (CoInv), is the best support for sustainable innovation. It aims to outline a method for identifying champions of innovation in organisation. Design/methodology/approach - The paper draws on extant research to argue that innovation is facilitated and supported by innovation champions, who have most influence outside traditional organisational structures when they are members of a close-knit community - a CoInv. A potential method for identification of champions of innovation is highlighted. Findings - Innovation champions are special people, with particular personality types and psychological profiles. In order to succeed in championing innovations in organisations they need both procedural and resource support, and social and cognitive support. The influence of innovation champions comes through social contacts, multiplied through the communities in which they participate, through the genuine esteem in which they are held. Developing CoInv around such champions makes practical sense for organisations. Originality/value - Identifying champions of innovation will permit a CoInv to form that links social networks and transcends organisational internal boundaries and forming such a community will potentially trigger more successfully supported innovations.

The second leg home advantage: evidence from European football cup competitions.

Abstract: The home advantage is a widely acknowledged sporting phenomenon, especially in association football. Here, we examine the second leg home advantage, an effect that is discussed in the public domain but which has received very little scientific attention. The second leg home advantage effect occurs when on average teams are more likely to win a two-stage knock-out competition when they play at home in the second leg. That is, both teams have a home advantage but this advantage is significantly greater for the team that plays at home second. Examining data from three different European Cup football competitions spanning 51 years, we show that the second leg home advantage is a real phenomenon. The second leg home team has more than a 50% probability to qualify for the next round in the competition even after controlling for extra time and team ability as possible alternative explanations. The second leg home advantage appears, however, to have decreased significantly over the past decade. Possible reasons for its existence and subsequent decline are presented.

Recent network evolution increases the potential for large epidemics in the British cattle population

Abstract: Following the foot and mouth disease epidemic in Great Britain (GB) in 2001, livestock movement bans were replaced with mandatory periods of standstill for livestock moving between premises. It was anticipated that these movement restrictions would limit each individual's contact networks, the extent of livestock movements and thus the spread of future disease outbreaks. However, the effect of behaviour changes on the global network in adapting to these restrictions is currently unknown. Here, we take a novel approach using GB cattle movement data to construct week-by-week contact networks between animal holdings (AH) to explore the evolution of the network since this policy was introduced, the first time network theory has been used for this purpose. We show that the number of AH moving cattle as part of the giant strong component (GSC), representing the region of maximal connectivity, has been increasing linearly over time. This is of epidemiological significance as the size of the GSC indicates the number of holdings potentially exposed to disease, thus giving a lower bound of maximum epidemic size. Therefore, despite restriction of cattle movements, emergent behaviour in this self-organizing system has potentially increased the size of infectious disease epidemics within the cattle industry.

Ethical consumers in search of markets

Abstract: Research in ethical consumerism has concentrated on attempts to either categorize ethical consumers or to uncover their decision-making processes, but to-date there have been few investigations into the key ethical drivers behind the decision-making process. This study attempts to identify these ethical drivers within their particular product groups by means of a survey of self-proclaimed ethical consumers distributed via a questionnaire placed in the Ethical Consumer Magazine. The findings indicate that environmental issues are ranked above human rights and animal rights/welfare issues and that the ethical consumer considers the product groups to have differential importance ranging from the food products goods group, being the most strongly associated with ethical issues, to the ‘brown goods’ group (electric goods such as stereos and TVs), which proved to be least associated with these issues. An examination of the ethical drivers within each group suggests that ethical consumers consider each product group on the basis of its bundle of ethical attributes, with differing levels of importance placed on each ethical issue within the purchase decision. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.

Neighbourhood variation in the incidence of psychotic disorders in Southeast London

Abstract: Background Urbanicity is a risk factor for schizophrenia, but it is unclear whether this risk is homogenous across urban areas.

Exploring men's and women's experiences of depression and engagement with health professionals: more similarities than differences? A qualitative interview study

Abstract: It is argued that the ways in which women express emotional distress mean that they are more likely to be diagnosed with depression, while men's relative lack of articulacy means their depression is hidden. This may have consequences for communicating with health professionals. The purpose of this analysis was to explore how men and women with depression articulate their emotional distress, and examine whether there are gender differences or similarities in the strategies that respondents found useful when engaging with health professionals. In-depth qualitative interviews with 22 women and 16 men in the UK who identified themselves as having had depression, recruited through general practitioners, psychiatrists and support groups. We found gender similarities and gender differences in our sample. Both men and women found it difficult to recognise and articulate mental health problems and this had consequences for their ability to communicate with health professionals. Key gender differences noted were that men tended to value skills which helped them to talk while women valued listening skills in health professionals, and that men emphasised the importance of getting practical results from talking therapies in their narratives, as opposed to other forms of therapy which they conceptualised as 'just talking'. We also found diversity among women and among men; some respondents valued a close personal relationship with health professionals, while others felt that this personal relationship was a barrier to communication and preferred 'talking to a stranger'. Our findings suggest that there is not a straightforward relationship between gender and engagement with health professionals for people with depression. Health professionals need to be sensitive to patients who have difficulties in expressing emotional distress and critical of gender stereotypes which suggest that women invariably find it easy to express emotional distress and men invariably find it difficult. In addition it is important to recognise that, for a minority of patients, a personal relationship with health professionals can act as a barrier to the disclosure of emotional distress.

The 'Murdochization' of news? The case of star TV in India

Abstract: Global media magnate Rupert Murdoch has been a key player in the exponential growth of the Indian television market, attracted by the large and increasingly affluent urban middle classes. The succe...

The role of trust in financial services business relationships

Abstract: Purpose - The purpose of this article is to investigate trust in financial services business markets. Design/methodology/approach - The article provides qualitative research, based on 147 in-depth interviews with corporate bankers and their clients. Findings - The article finds that perceptions of trust and the operationalisation of trust were asymmetrical across the dyads and segments. Small companies were more trusting than large corporates. Bankers used calculative and operational trust and were cynical about their counterparts' trustworthiness. Bankers were quick to eliminate clients from their portfolio who did not, in their view, provide full disclosure of pertinent facts. Research limitations/implications - There may be different findings for other cultural contexts and financial service industries. The article encourages research in other contexts and industries and provides a platform to encourage this. Practical implications -- The article provides guidelines for bankers and their clients to understand the importance of trust in their relationships, and to understand how it is operationalised differently by the counterparts. Originality/value - There are few studies of trust in either services business markets, or financial services business markets. Therefore, this article makes a valuable contribution. It also provides a critical review and integrates the literature on trust as applied to financial services business markets.

Making interactive TV easier to use: interface design for a second screen approach

Abstract: Interactive television (iTV) has the potential to revolutionize the way we consume broadcast media, but users still find both the notion of iTV and the services currently available problematic. This paper describes a project that investigates a representative group of users' aspirations, and barriers to iTV service engagement in the UK. This primary research informed the development of new User Interface (UI) and service solutions that addressed these barriers. Specifically, a second screen solution was developed to remove the need for iTV services to use on-screen graphics, dramatically improving the possibilities for effective interaction and navigation for iTV interfaces and services. The effectiveness of these solutions was evaluated through the testing of these new iTV services in a representative group of family homes.

Knowledge sharing: developing from within

Abstract: Purpose – If collaboration and knowledge sharing lie at the core of providing added‐value to either services or products can we improve this process? The purpose of this paper is to suggest that it can be improved and this lies in how we develop the systems that support collaboration and knowledge sharing. This can be achieved within the development process, focusing on the knowledge sharers and developing from within.Design/methodology/approach – The underpinning has been the examination of traditional system development methodologies, the emergence of social computing and its underlying approaches and ethos. The approach draws upon knowledge management concepts, overlaid onto the purpose and motivation for knowledge sharing.Findings – The paper continues the premise that better systems are derived from fully engaging with the systems users. Although existing methodologies have this at their heart, the systems produced still fall short. The argument presents how developing systems from within can improve...

Effects of intermittent hypoxic training on cycling performance in well-trained athletes.

Abstract: This study aimed to investigate the effects of a short-term period of intermittent hypoxic training (IHT) on cycling performance in athletes. Nineteen participants were randomly assigned to two groups: normoxic (NT, n = 9) and intermittent hypoxic training group (IHT, n = 10). A 3-week training program (5 × 1 h–1 h 30 min per week) was completed. Training sessions were performed in normoxia (∼30 m) or hypoxia (simulated altitude of 3,000 m) for NT and IHT group, respectively. Each subject performed before (W0) and after (W4) the training program, three cycling tests including an incremental test to exhaustion in normoxia and hypoxia for determination of maximal aerobic power $$ (\ifmmode\expandafter\dot\else\expandafter\.\fi{V}{\text{O}}_{{2\max }} ) $$ and peak power output (PPO) as well as a 10-min cycle time trial in normoxia (TT) to measure the average power output (P aver). No significant difference in $$ \ifmmode\expandafter\dot\else\expandafter\.\fi{V}{\text{O}}_{{2\max }} $$ was observed between the two training groups before or after the training period. When measured in normoxia, the PPO significantly increased (P < 0.05) by 7.2 and 6.6% in NT and IHT groups, respectively. However, only the IHT group significantly improved (11.3%; P < 0.05) PPO when measured in hypoxia. The NT group improved (P < 0.05) P aver in TT by 8.1%, whereas IHT group did not show any significant difference. Intermittent training performed in hypoxia was less efficient for improving endurance performance at sea level than similar training performed in normoxia. However, IHT has the potential to assist athletes in preparation for competition at altitude.

Encouraging behaviour change through marketing and management: what can be achieved?

Abstract: Marketing and management measures – often colloquially know as ‘soft’ measures – can encourage a shift from car travel to more sustainable transport modes, and may also increase public support for direct actions to limit car use. These measures are often effective because many people lack information about alternatives to the car, even for journeys where good alternatives already exist. Other people may have a general negative image of non-car modes. Better information and persuasive marketing can help shift both attitudes and behaviour. Use of such measures is comparatively new, and transport models to predict their impacts in different circumstances are not well developed. However, empirical evidence suggests that these measures may have significant impact. The potential impacts of workplace and school travel plans, persona lised travel planning, bus information and marketing, and car clubs, if applied intensively and together, are such that 24 hour car travel demand in an urban conurbation could be cut by 9% – 22% under different scenarios. Synergistic effects could increase the impact. However, induced traffic could erode some of the benefit, if soft measures were implemented without complementary traffic restraint or road capacity re-allocation. Marketing and management measures should be attractive to policy makers and transport planners, because: they are politically less contentious than some other measures; offer high benefit-cost ratios; and increase the benefit of investment in new sustainable transport infrastructure.