Digital Commons Network^™

How Do Followers Experience Shared Leadership As A Lived Experience?Understanding The Relationality, Processes And Practices Informing Such Collaboration., Sybille Erika Schiffmann

Plymouth Business School Theses

How do followers experience shared leadership as a lived experience? Understanding the relationality, processes and practices informing such collaboration. Within shared leadership research culture, the aspiration is to explore “leadership as a dynamic interactive influence process”’ at the group level, supporting goal achievement (Pearce and Conger, 2003, P.1). However, the motivation of much research has focused on performance improvement, whereby discrete leadership variables are examined, using reductionist methods, to determine relevant linkages to team effectiveness (Denis et al., 2012. See also Fairhurst et.al, 2020). In expanding understanding of shared leadership from a follower perspective, enabling a fuller appreciation of how …

Luxury Value Perceptions In An Emerging Economy: A Comparative Analysis Of Luxury Products And Services In Thailand, Thanwarat Jaroenpanich

Plymouth Business School Theses

This research aims to clarify what values constitute the meaning of luxury and set luxury products and services apart from non-luxury ones based on the perceptions of consumers in Thailand. Underpinned by the theory of psychological ownership, it proposes that consumers’ sense of possession and emotional bond with target luxuries can take the place of material ownership in luxury consumption. This is the first study to integrate immaterial luxury services as a standalone business sector when examining luxury value perceptions. Rich qualitative data was gathered through in-depth semi-structured interviews conducted with 40 individuals who are regular consumers of luxury products …

The Development And Validation Of A Novel Patient-Derived 3d Meningioma Cell Culture Model, Laurien Lisette Van De Weijer

Peninsula Medical School Theses

Meningiomas are the most frequent intracranial brain tumours. Current treatment options of surgery and radiotherapy are sometimes insufficient and effective systemic therapies remain unestablished. The development of accurate in vitro systems to model the complexity of meningioma pathology is essential for predicting drug response and developing novel therapeutics. Therefore, in this study, I established an easy-to-use in vitro patient-derived meningioma spheroid model that maintained the morphological and molecular features of the parental tumours, including tissue histology, the tumour microenvironment, and the mutational profile. Comprehensive characterisation of the global transcriptomes of the novel patient-derived spheroids with traditional meningioma monolayer cultures and …

Pre-Clinical Targets For Ischemic Brain Injury, Daniel Morgan

Peninsula Medical School Theses

Stroke is the second most common cause of disability worldwide, and 87% of strokes result from a blockage in the cerebral blood flow which results in ischemia. Injury to the myelinated axons located in white matter is observed in ischemic injuries but is generally underappreciated. Research has shown that there is extensive vesicular glutamate release during ischemia, causing excitotoxic injury to oligodendrocytes, resulting in demyelination. Glutamate receptor antagonists have been trialled in stroke patients but fall short due to adverse side effects from high dose preparations. Stroke is largely a disease of ageing, and may occur in the presence of …

Employee Engagement: Understanding The ‘Personal’ Dimension Of Engagement, Hannah Newbury

Plymouth Business School Theses

Kahn’s ‘personal engagement’ (PE) concept centres on the ways which ‘people employ and express themselves physically, cognitively, and emotionally during role performances’ (1990, p.694). However, engagement has been viewed through a predominantly positivistic, unitarist framework (Sambrook, 2021; Shuck, Kim & Fletcher, 2021) that has ‘bent’ engagement through its appropriation to managerialist agendas, and ‘stretched’ in its meaning away from being an individual state of mind (Truss et al., 2013). This study explores Kahn's (1990) original framing of engagement as a deeply personal experience, considering what PE is and how it is understood and experienced by individual employees. This considers engagement …

Container Port Selection In The Asean Region: Korean Shipping Companies’ Perspective, Inhyeok Yeo

Plymouth Business School Theses

Ports are crucial platforms that connect the sea and inland transportation to foster logistics and transfer of goods and information. Thus, selection of the most optimal ports is ever crucial for decision makers. However, the increasing globalisation and international trade add to the already competitive and saturated market for marine container cargo shipping. Consequently, it may be of best interest to shift focus and find niche market, such as trading to the Southeast Asia, to increase profitability. In near proximity to Southeast Asia, South Korean multinational corporations’ investment and interest in the Southeast Asian countries are significant. South Korea maintains …

Investigating A Motivation Model For Gamified E-Learning: A Mixed Methods Approach, Ali Sen

Plymouth Business School Theses

Investigating A Motivation Model for Gamified E-learning: A Mixed Methods Approach Ali Sen Abstract There has been a recent increase in educational interest in gamification over the past five years (Behl et al., 2022; Ertan & Kocadere, 2022). A central tenet of the increase in its popularity may stem from its motivational power in educational settings (Sailer et al., 2017; Sailer & Homner, 2020). However, prior research on gamification has not sufficiently investigated the mechanisms by which the phenomenon induces its motivational effects. A crucial question to consider is how the motivational theories that underpin gamification work. Consequently, the current …

Tourist Perceived Destination Innovativeness (Tpdi) And Its Impacts On Tourist Experience And Tourist Satisfaction -The Case Study Of Hunan (China), Xiaoshan Yang

Plymouth Business School Theses

The primary purpose of this study is to develop a comprehensive understanding of tourist perceived destination innovativeness (TPDI) and to assess its impacts on tourist experience and satisfaction, and the thesis accordingly develops a multidimensional scale for measuring the concept of destination innovativeness. TPDI in this study refers to the willingness and capability of a destination to provide and deliver unique, interesting service and product. The development and validation of the multidimensional scale for the concept followed a rigorous procedure with three different stages of study, the data for which was collected from tourists in Hunan. The first stage analysed …

New Business Models For Technology Innovation In Healthcare: A Value Network Perspective, Aira Patrice Ong

Plymouth Business School Theses

Business models (BMs) play an important role in facilitating the delivery and integration of technological innovations within the healthcare sector, catering the needs of healthtech entrepreneurs, managers, healthcare providers, researchers and policy makers. However, despite the BM’s significance, existing conceptualisations of BM do not adequately guide in designing them taking into account the complexities of the healthcare environment. This demands a dynamic approach in designing BM, considering the healthcare value chain stakeholders’ thoughts, values, prejudices, views, feelings and perspectives. With the exploratory nature and lack of research in this area, the overall aim of the study is to design an …

Corporate Social Responsibility Practices In The Nigerian Public Sector, Abbas Mohammed

Plymouth Business School Theses

This study examines Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices in Nigerian public sector organisations using a comprehensive mixed-methods approach. The data collection process involved analysing 185 organisation-year observations from annual reports spanning 2011–2020, as well as questionnaires distributed to key stakeholders and interviews with senior executives from various organisations.The analysis utilised a multi-pronged strategy, including quantitative techniques such as regression analysis to explore the relationship between CSR practices and corporate governance mechanisms and qualitative methods such as narrative analysis and thematic coding to gain insights from survey responses and interviews.The findings indicate that CSR practices in the Nigerian public sector are …

Benchmarking Best-In-Class Corporate Governance Practices In Uk Sme (Small And Medium-Sized Enterprises) Charities: Accountability And Transparency., Rita Davies Ukachi-Lois

Plymouth Business School Theses

The study explores the implementation of corporate governance, accountability, and transparency (the Core Constructs) within UK SME charities to provide the most sort after answers to address the endless criticisms, demands for scrutiny, and requests for accountability and transparency to enhance their performance and credibility. This area of study is sparse on Small and Medium-sized charities, very little has been written on corporate governance, on occasions coupled with accountability or transparency but never with both. Nothing similar to this study has been done. The study seeks to investigate whether UK Small and Medium-sized charities implement effective corporate governance within their …

Exploring The Use Of Digital Technologies And Stakeholder Perspectives Of Online Harms And Harassment In The Higher Education Sector, Julie Swain

Plymouth Business School Theses

Julie Swain - Exploring the use of digital technologies and stakeholder perspectives of online harms and harassment in the Higher Education sectorThis research investigates the significant changes in the Higher Education (HE) sector over the past decade, driven by government policies, neo-liberal influences, and technological advancements. These changes have impacted accessibility, tuition fees, and living costs, shaping the HE landscape (Brown, 2011; Evitts, 2023). The study highlights the significant role of digital technologies in transforming communication and daily interactions, with the immediacy and pervasiveness of technology altering societal behaviours and expectations.Despite the widespread adoption of digital technologies, there remains a …

The Influence Of Marketing On Students' Choice Of Private Higher Education Institutes, Evangelos Vantzos

Plymouth Business School Theses

This thesis investigates the influence of marketing on students' choice of private higher education institutes (PHEIs). It critically examines the factors influencing students' decision to study at UK Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), which offer overseas tourism and hospitality (T&H) programmes and assesses the implications of these factors for the design of marketing strategies of UK HEIs. A survey strategy was selected to support this thesis. 401 valid questionnaires were collected and analysed using the Social Science Statistics Package (SPSS) from international students enrolled in transnational T&H undergraduate programmes at five PHEIs in Switzerland and Singapore. The study results reveal that …

A Sequential Explanatory Mixed-Methods Study Of Fundraisers’ Self-Disclosure In Major Gift Fundraising Relationships, Deanna Nelson

Plymouth Business School Theses

Name: Deanna Nelson Title: A Sequential Explanatory Mixed-Methods Study of Fundraisers’ Self-Disclosure in U.S. Major Gift Fundraising Relationships This study explores the role of fundraisers’ self-disclosure in major gift fundraising relationships. Building relationships with major donors to secure major gifts is a primary concern for leaders of non-profit organisations (Buteau et al., 2019) because major gifts can have a transformational impact on an organisation’s work. However, the existing literature demonstrates that interpersonal aspects of relationship development, such as utilising self-disclosure to establish and strengthen relationships, have not been sufficiently researched in the literature. Social penetration theory (Altman & Taylor, 1973), …

Shape Discrimination In Central And Peripheral Vision And Its Potential For Vision Screening, Anna Zolubak

School of Health Professions Theses

Background and aims: Radial frequency (RF) shape discrimination with small central and achromatic stimuli has been successfully used in vision monitoring tests for age related macular degeneration (AMD). This thesis aims to provide basic vision research in the peripheral visual field (VF) that can expand the versatility and sensitivity of the current tests. Methods: The research described herein used visual psychophysics to explore RF shape discrimination under different conditions in normal vision. Aspects explored included chromatic and luminance mechanisms, retinal location, size and scaling, binocular interactions and effects of simulated scotoma, concentric and eccentric presentation, and interval and spatial methods. …

The Effectiveness Of Motor-Motor And Motor-Cognitive Dual-Task Training Interventions On Balance In People With Parkinson’S Disease: Rct Design, Feasibility, And Acceptability Testing, Nesibe Cakmak

School of Health Professions Theses

Background: Dual-task training (DTT), utilized in motor-motor (M-DTT) and/or cognitive-motor (C-DTT) forms, has been identified as an effective and safe approach to improve balance in people with Parkinson’s disease (pwPD). Studies which investigate the superiority of the effectiveness of M-DTT and CDTT interventions, however, are lacking. To determine superiority there is a need to design a randomized control trial (RCT). This PhD study, therefore, had two aims. Firstly, to design home-based M-DTT and C-DTT interventions for improving upright balance in people with mild to moderate PD. Secondly to test the feasibility and acceptability of the interventions, outcome measures, and the …

On Design Load Prediction And Extreme Response Modelling Of Floating Offshore Renewable Energy Structures, Tom Tosdevin

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics Theses

FLOATING offshore renewable energy (FORE) is a marginal industry and as such cost reductions are essential in order for it to become competitive with other forms of electricity generation. Design practices for evaluating the extreme responses of FORE devices are still under consideration by standards authorities, thus methods that enable potential speeding up of the design and development phases, particularly physical model testing are needed. Probabilistic design approaches have proved effective in bringing down costs in the aerospace and automobile industries and so provide a potential route to viability by allowing partial safety factors to be reduced. However, the scarcity …

Investigation And Modelling Of A Cortical Learning Algorithm In The Neocortex, Damir Dobric

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics Theses

Many algorithms today provide a good machine learning solution in the specific problem domain, like pattern recognition, clustering, classification, sequence learning, image recognition, etc. They are all suitable for solving some particular problem but are limited regarding flexibility. For example, the algorithm that plays Go cannot do image classification, anomaly detection, or learn sequences. Inspired by the functioning of the neocortex, this work investigates if it is possible to design and implement a universal algorithm that can solve more complex tasks more intelligently in the way the neocortex does. Motivated by the remarkable replication degree of the same and similar …

Safer Keyham Community Survey: Phase Two Final Report 2024, Caroline Watson, Rebekah Southern, Zoe James, Katie Mcbride

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences

This report sets out the findings of the autumn 2023 community survey that was conducted in Keyham and the surrounding neighbourhoods of Ford, North Prospect, and Morice Town in Plymouth, Devon. The survey served as a comparison to the survey completed 12 months earlier for the Safer Keyham evaluation (Watson et al., 2023), which was an independent evaluation of the Home Office funded community policing and community safety activities and the Ministry of Justice funded victim support activities in Keyham and the surrounding areas following the shooting incident of 12 August 2021.The aims of the autumn 2023 survey were:• To …

Climate Change And Sustainability Literacy: A Mixed-Methods Study Of Attitudes To Climate Education In Secondary Schools, Alison Anderson

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences

Climate change and sustainability are inherently socio-political issues and education plays a key role in mobilising action on climate change and environment. This study builds on interdisciplinary work on youth and climate change education including science communication, environmental education, environmental psychology, and sociology. It reports on novel mixed-methods research on attitudes to climate change and sustainability education in secondary schools in the UK. The study was undertaken in conjunction with the British Science Association (BSA) Future Forums. Drawing on the findings of a national cross-sectional survey of young people aged 14-18 (n= 1000) and two follow up in-depth workshops (n= …

Aesthetic Experience Of Metabolic Processes: By Desiree Förster, Hannah Drayson

School of Art, Design and Architecture

No abstract provided.

Graphene Oxide Biopolymer Aerogels: A Novel Solution To Toxic Metal Pollution In Water, Jonathan Bloor

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics Theses

Clean drinking water is a fundamental human right, but still in the 21st century millions of people are forced to drink water contaminated with toxic metals above recommended safe limits. This work proposes to remediate toxic lead (Pb) from potable water using a robust low-cost aerogel fabricated from graphene oxide (GO) and seaweed (calcium alginate) by batch adsorption using simple agitation. Firstly, GO was synthesised using the improved Hummers’ method (IHM) and characterised with TEM, Raman and FTIR. The GO alginate aerogel composites were made by a sol-gel method, freeze dried and crosslinked in CaCl2 and further characterised using SEM …

Improving The Performance Of Hirep Lattice Simulations Software By Exploiting The Cpu Hardware Architecture Details And Algorithm Characteristics, Md Rahman

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics Theses

In the scientific exploration of Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD)—the theory governing the strong interaction among quarks and gluons—large-scale numerical simulations are per formed using the framework of lattice gauge theories. Lattice Gauge Theory (LGT) simulations involve the formulation of gauge field theories on a space-time lattice. HiRep is a simulation suite designed for running lattice simulations, leveraging high-performance computing platforms. HiRep is designed to be flexible enough to study a wide range of strongly interacting systems, particularly those pertinent to novel physics investigations at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC). However, improving the execution time of HiRep is a challenging and non-trivial …

Explainable Deep Learning For Medical Imaging Classification, Megan Courtman

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics Theses

Machine learning is increasingly being applied to medical imaging tasks. However, the "black box'' nature of techniques such as deep learning has inhibited the interpretability and trustworthiness of these methods, and therefore their clinical utility. In recent years, explainability methods have been developed to allow better interrogation of these approaches.This thesis presents the novel application of explainable deep learning to several medical imaging tasks, to investigate its potential in patient safety and research. It presents the novel application of explainable deep learning to the detection of aneurysm clips in CT brains for MRI safety. It also presents the novel application …

Explainability And Understandability Of Artificial Neural Networks, Jan Stodt

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics Theses

Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) have achieved significant success in fields likehealthcare, but their "black box" nature challenges transparency and user trust.Existing Explainable AI (XAI) methods aim to interpret ANN decisions, yet manyare not understandable to non-AI-experts, emphasizing the need for approachesthat prioritize both accuracy and usability, especially in high-stakes environments.This thesis investigates the reliability and usability of selected existing XAI meth-ods, evaluating how effectively they convey meaningful explanations to users withAI varying expertise. Assessments of methods like LIME, GradCAM, and Fast-CAM identify key limitations, such as inconsistent visual saliency maps and a lackof user-centred design. These findings underpin the need …

The Effect Of Mindfulness-Based Interventions On Anxiety Disorders Through Intolerance Of Uncertainty And Resilience, Aysun Parlar Yazici

School of Psychology Theses

Anxiety is one of the most complicated and widespread mental health conditions, and effective treatment of anxiety disorders is vital to public health. Investigating the mechanisms that are linked to and contribute to anxiety disorders, such as intolerance of uncertainty (IU), a transdiagnostic factor of all anxiety disorders, may be an appropriate approach for a better understanding of anxiety disorders. Furthermore, examining the role of resilience, which has a protective function in mental health conditions, could contribute to improving our understanding of anxiety and treatment. This thesis investigates the impact of mindfulness-based interventions (MBI), on anxiety, IU, and resilience. The …

A Performative Framework For Exploring Traditional Whirling Dervish Movement And Flamenco Dance Through Augmented Digital Media And Wearable Technology, Hedy Hurban

School of Art, Design and Architecture Theses

The thesis establishes a comprehensive framework that facilitates an in-depth exploration of the intricate traditional movements of the Whirling Dervishes of Turkey and the passionate expressions of Spanish Flamenco dance. This exploration is facilitated by leveraging augmented digital media and wearable technology. By integrating these modern tools into the realms of these historically rich art forms, the thesis endeavors to uncover new dimensions and possibilities within the dance practices. This convergence transcends the boundaries of conventional performance, offering a heightened sensory experience for both performers and audiences alike. At its core, the performative framework involves a harmonious synergy between the …

Film Here Now: Daily Filmmaking And The Path To Well-Being, Raul Alvarez

School of Art, Design and Architecture Theses

Film Here Now investigates the relationship between filmmaking and well-being with two specific aims: to illuminate how and why the process of making films inflicts stress on the filmmaker, and to determine what can be done within this process to prioritize the filmmaker’s well-being. My empirical framework of inquiry combines a particular filmmaking practice with a reflexive analysis of my experiences and observations. The practice component of my research consists of the daily production of films that adopt the aesthetic of Actualities, the minute long, single non-moving shot films by the Lumière Brothers, Thomas Edison and W. K. L. Dickson …

A Novel Measure Of Habits And Goal-Directed Control, Katie Wood

School of Psychology Theses

Repetitive habitual behaviour is thought to occur even when this directly conflicts with goals. This is termed an action slip. The current research aimed to present a simple procedure that captures action slips and is easy to implement and interpret. Chapter 1 reviews the current literature. Chapters 2-4 then report nine experiments that aimed to test our novel procedure. A congruency effect, where participants’ performance was good on congruent trials but comparatively poor on incongruent trials, was consistently found in our experiments (with one exception), providing evidence of action slips. Chapter 2 details three experiments that used an Outcome (O)-Stimulus …

Double Testing With Lateral Flow Antigen Test Devices For Covid-19: Does A Second Test In Quick Succession Add Value?, Matthias E Futschik, Sarah A Tunkel, Elena Turek, David Chapman, Zareen Thorlu-Bangura, Raghavendran Kulasegaran-Shylini, Edward Blandford, Andrew Dodgson, Paul E Klapper, Malur Sudhanva, Derrick Crook, John Bell, Susan Hopkins, Tim Peto, Tom Fowler

School of Biomedical Sciences

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: We investigated if performing two lateral flow device (LFD) tests, LFD2 immediately after LFD1, could improve diagnostic sensitivity or specificity for detecting severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antigen.

STUDY DESIGN: Individuals aged ≥16 years attending UK community testing sites (February-May 2021) performed two successive LFD tests and provided a nose-and-throat sample for a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. Using the PCR result as the reference diagnosis, we assessed whether improvements could be achieved in sensitivity (by counting a positive result in either LFD as a positive overall test result) or specificity (by using LFD2 as confirmatory test). …