Digital Commons Network^™

Entrepreneurship Intentions: The Case Of Saudi University Students. , Yasser Aldwish

Plymouth Business School Theses

Research in the area of entrepreneurship and its potential contributions to economic growth and employment has grown a significant momentum and has now become a matter of utmost concern for a large number of academicians and policy-makers. Despite the recent emergence of an immense quantity of research outputs in entrepreneurship in developing economies, there are still several areas which need to be explored and evaluated. In particular, due to financial constraints and general resource limitations, entrepreneurial spirit has not yet fully developed and nurtured in most developing economies. In the case of Saudi Arabia, financing potential entrepreneurs has not necessarily …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Poldarking The Past: Contested Heritage, Tourism And Identity In Post-Mining Cornwall, Alexander Rowe

Plymouth Business School Theses

This thesis aimed to examine representations of Cornish identity and Poldark at heritage sites in Cornwall and how the local communities responded to these fictionalised representations. This thesis adopted an interpretivist qualitative approach. In total, 37 semi-structured interviews were conducted with local residents, heritage professionals and other associated tourism stakeholders. A further 21 online interviews were conducted with tourists. These interviews were triangulated with a range of documentary sources. Data collected from the interviews and documentary sources were analysed using a thematic analysis framework.An original contribution of the thesis was the conceptualisation of ‘imaginative heritage dissonance’ which combines the notions …

The Dynamic Linkages Among Sector Indices: The Case Of The Amman Stock Exchange In The Period Of 2000-2020, Zaid Tahat

Plymouth Business School Theses

This thesis investigates the dynamic linkages among financial, industrial, service, and generalindices of the Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) in Jordan from 2000 to 2020 using a vectorautoregression (VAR) model and by using daily data. The main aim is to provide acomprehensive understanding of the interrelationships among these key sectors over the 21-yearperiod. The objectives are to examine both short-term and long-term dynamic linkages, assessthe model's explanatory power for variations in sector indices, and derive insights for investorsand policymakers.The study employs a VAR methodology to capture the dynamic interactions among the sectorindices. Daily data on sector indices is analyzed using Granger …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Which Components Of Behavioral Weight Management Programs Are Essential For Weight Loss In People Living With Obesity? A Rapid Review Of Systematic Reviews, The Progroup Programme Team, Lily K. Hawkins, Lorna Burns, Dawn Swancutt, Shokraneh Moghadam, Jonathan Pinkney, Mark Tarrant

Peninsula Medical School

The optimal treatment and organization of care for people with obesity is one of the greatest challenges facing today's health services. While surgery and pharmacotherapy offer effective treatment options for some people with obesity, behavioral interventions are important to support long-term behavioral change. However, little is known about the most effective components of behavioral interventions, and this is especially the case for people with complex or severe obesity (i.e. body mass index [BMI] > 35 kg/m²). Accordingly, the current rapid review aimed to identify which behavior change techniques (BCTs) are effective for weight loss in adults with (severe) obesity. …

What Is The Volume, Quality And Characteristics Of Evidence Relating To The Effectiveness And Cost-Effectiveness Of Multi-Disciplinary Occupational Health Interventions Aiming To Improve Work-Related Outcomes For Employed Adults? An Evidence And Gap Map Of Systematic Reviews, Elizabeth Shaw, Michael Nunns, Stuart G. Spicer, Hassanat Lawal, Simon Briscoe, G. J. Melendez-Torres, Ruth Garside, Kristin Liabo, Jo Thompson Coon

Peninsula Medical School

Background: In the UK, tens of millions of working days are lost due to work-related ill health every year, costing billions of pounds. The role of Occupational Health (OH) services is vital in helping workers to maintain employment when they encounter injury or illness. OH providers traditionally rely on a clinical workforce to deliver these services, particularly doctors and nurses with OH qualifications. However, the increasing demand for OH services is unlikely to be met in the future using this traditional model, due to the declining number of OH-trained doctors and nurses in the UK. Multi-disciplinary models of OH delivery, …

A Study Of Referral Bias In Nmosd And Mogad Cohorts, Miguel Leal Rato, Bo Chen, Anna Francis, Silvia Messina, Madalina Miron, Yvonne Sharawakanda, Eoin O'Sullivan, Sarah Cooper, Leonora Fisniku, Christopher Halfpenny, Roswell Martin, Jeremy Hobart, Waqar Rashid, Cheryl Hemingway, Victoria Williams, Yael Hacohen, Ruth Dobson, Sithara Ramdas, Maria Isabel Leite, Jacqueline Palace, Ruth Geraldes

Peninsula Medical School

Background: Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody–associated disease (MOGAD) are rare disorders often seen in highly specialized services or tertiary centres. We aimed to assess if cohort characteristics depend on the origin of the referral catchment areas serviced by our centre (i.e. local, regional or national). Methods: Retrospective cohort study using a national referral service database including local (Oxfordshire), regional (Oxfordshire and neighbouring counties), and national patients. We included patients with the diagnosis of NMOSD, seronegative NMOSD or MOGAD, followed at the Oxford Neuromyelitis Optica Service. Results: We included 720 patients (331 with MOGAD, 333 with …

Protecting The Mental Health Of People Seeking Sanctuary In The Uk's Evolving Legislative Landscape, Rohit Shankar

Peninsula Medical School

No abstract provided.

Multi-Ancestry Genome-Wide Association Meta-Analysis Of Parkinson’S Disease, Jonggeol Jeffrey Kim, Dan Vitale, Diego Véliz Otani, Michelle Mulan Lian, Karl Heilbron, Stella Aslibekyan, Adam Auton, Elizabeth Babalola, Robert K. Bell, Jessica Bielenberg, Katarzyna Bryc, Emily Bullis, Paul Cannon, Daniella Coker, Gabriel Cuellar Partida, Devika Dhamija, Sayantan Das, Sarah L. Elson, Nicholas Eriksson, Teresa Filshtein, Alison Fitch, Kipper Fletez-Brant, Pierre Fontanillas, Will Freyman, Julie M. Granka, Alejandro Hernandez, Barry Hicks, David A. Hinds, Ethan M. Jewett, Yunxuan Jiang

Peninsula Medical School

Although over 90 independent risk variants have been identified for Parkinson’s disease using genome-wide association studies, most studies have been performed in just one population at a time. Here we performed a large-scale multi-ancestry meta-analysis of Parkinson’s disease with 49,049 cases, 18,785 proxy cases and 2,458,063 controls including individuals of European, East Asian, Latin American and African ancestry. In a meta-analysis, we identified 78 independent genome-wide significant loci, including 12 potentially novel loci (MTF2, PIK3CA, ADD1, SYBU, IRS2, USP8, PIGL, FASN, MYLK2, USP25, EP300 and PPP6R2) and fine-mapped 6 putative causal variants at 6 known PD loci. By combining our …

The Impact Of Course Format On Performance In Intermediate Algebra: Exploring Potential Moderating Effects Of Student Background Characteristics, Andrew Pitcher

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Students have often struggled in developmental math courses. Educators and policymakers have engaged in efforts to improve student learning and pass rates in these courses. One instructional model that has shown promise in improving student outcomes is the Emporium Model. The traditional lecture model of teaching is still the predominant model in practice. Research has found that student background characteristics are important factors in predicting success in developmental math. Some studies have been done investigating the comparative effectiveness of the Traditional and Emporium models, but little research has been performed in whether the effect of course format on student outcomes …

Examining Differences In Self-Concept And Language Between Monolingual And Bilingual Undergraduate Students, Marilyn Vega-Wagner

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The literature is lacking in studies that examine self-concept and language status among individuals older than adolescence. The purpose of this study is to conduct a quantitative nonexperimental comparative design to examine differences in self-concept and language status (monolingual or bilingual) between male and female undergraduate students in California. A total of 97 participants were examined in the study. The researcher conducted descriptive statistics on the demographics as well as a MANOVA and an ANOVA to answer the proposed research question. Based on the findings presented, the researcher failed to reject the null hypothesis of research question 1: There is …

Transforming Land And Home Ownership: Emergent Strategy And Community Cultural Wealth In Developing Community Land Trusts, Ahmed Naguib

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the transformative potential of Community Land Trusts (CLTs) in reimagining land and homeownership within the context of capitalist real estate markets. Utilizing a qualitative research framework that combines narrative inquiry with Emergent Strategy and Community Cultural Wealth theories, this study explores the intricacies of developing CLTs as a counter-narrative to traditional models of property ownership. Through extensive narrative analysis of four distinct CLTs in California, this research highlights the complex challenges and innovative strategies employed to scale CLTs in competitive urban markets. The findings reveal how CLTs leverage emergent strategy and community cultural wealth to navigate and …

The Decline Of Science In The Early Years: A Diagnosis And A Plan Of Action, Jennifer Bentley

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Science instruction in the early years of a student’s education career is essential to a student successfully continuing science in their secondary and postsecondary careers. However, the amount of high-quality science instruction students receive at the elementary level has been steadily declining for two decades, resulting in an inequitable imbalance in those who pursue STEM careers, a lack of critical science literacy in the U.S. populace, and a shortage of qualified employees entering the U.S. economy. Much of the lack of science instruction can be traced to decreased training of teachers to teach science during elementary credentialing programs or the …

Nutrition Counseling Practices Among Psychologists, Wibecke Stromsnes

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

There is a lack of treatment guidelines for how to address the impact of nutrition on clients’ mental health. Prior research is limited regarding psychologists’ practices of nutrition counseling and has mostly focused on practices of dieticians and medical doctors. The purpose of this study was to examine psychologists’ beliefs and attitudes about nutrition counseling, amount of training and use of nutrition counseling, self-rated knowledge in the use of nutrition counseling and perceived benefits and barriers to using nutrition counseling. Data was collected using an online survey of 76 licensed psychologists’ training in nutrition and use of nutrition counseling. Findings …

Choral Students’ Perception Of Kinesthetic Pedagogy In The High School Choral Classroom, Molly Bolewski

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the incorporation of kinesthetic pedagogy in secondary choral rehearsals and its impact on student engagement and learning. Three experienced high school choral teachers and their students from Northern California participated in the study. Each teacher conducted four consecutive rehearsal sessions, recording themselves instructing on two pieces of music using teacher-modeled and student-imitated kinesthetic gestures. Students completed daily surveys assessing their enjoyment and engagement levels, and teachers provided a final reflection on their usual kinesthetic practices. Video footage of twelve rehearsals and teachers’ final reflections were analyzed to identify patterns in kinesthetic usage, revealing that these teachers’ kinesthetic …

Analyzing Sex Differences In Human Performance Through 3d Isotonic Resistance, Jacob M. Cunha

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Appraisal of scientific literature and understanding continues to grow in the domain of human performance. The effects of sex on concentric resistance training and power output are not well understood. Recent advancements in technology permit more precise measurements of force output and the kinematic changes elicited by training stress. A unique device in capturing kinematic performance output is Proteus Motion. The machine produces an external magnetic load through a protruding apparatus connected to a gyrosphere, which in turn captures concentric movement through all three planes of movement (sagittal, coronal, transversal). The aim of this study is to investigate power output …

Exploring The Relative Contribution Of Humans On Genetic Differentiation Among Speyeria Callippe Populations In The California Coast Ranges, Laura K. Heller

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The distinction between populations due to environmental factors like climate and geography are well-known and expected, therefore it is not illogical to believe more disjunct habitats would also impact genetic structure. Through Restriction Site Associated DNA Sequencing (RADseq) and Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis the genetic structure and differentiation (fixation index, Fst) of Speyeria callippe across four regions in California: the North Coast Ranges, Bay Area, Diablo Range, and South Coast Ranges were analyzed. The influence of geographic distance, human population density, and forest cover were explored as factors influencing the genetics of these populations. The combination of mtDNA and RADseq …

Synthesis Of Hydroxycinnamate Derivatives And Characterization Of Bioactivity As Radical Scavengers And Α-Glucosidase Inhibitors, Cate Simmermaker

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Hydroxycinnamic acids (HCAs), a class of polyphenols commonly found in regularly consumed fruits and vegetables, have been investigated for efficacy as radical scavengers and glycosidase inhibitors. These compounds could mitigate the negative health effects of free radicals in oxidative stress diseases including neurodegeneration, cancer and diabetes. The HCAs investigated were caffeic acid (1), p-coumaric acid (2), ferulic acid (3), and sinapic acid (4). The compounds were derivatized with synthetically prepared amino acid esters through a four-step synthesis including protective acetylation, chlorination of the carboxylic acid, amidation, and subsequent deprotection of all applied protecting groups. The inclusion of diverse derivative groups …

Supporting At-Risk Students Through The Interconnected Systems Framework: Perspectives Of Specialized Instructional Support Personnel, Luis Angel Sandoval

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The number of students with mental health challenges has increased significantly in public schools during the past 10 years. Despite school and community efforts many students remain underserved, specifically at-risk populations. At-risk youth are more likely to experience adverse life outcomes such as performing poorly in school, dropping out of school, acting violently, and facing higher instances of mental health challenges when compared to peers with fewer risk factors. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine specialized instructional support personnel’s attitudes and willingness to implement a change model, ISF, to support at-risk youth in the public school system. …

From Elementary School To Doctoral Education: An Autoethnographic Journey, Gwendolyn D. Dailey

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Every child has a right to education, and their skin color should not determine their education quality. However, since the landmark case of Brown v. Board of Education (1954), it has been proven that race continues to matter in the success and failure of education (Delgado & Stefancic, 2001). The persistent achievement gaps between students of different racial and ethnic backgrounds, as well as the disparities in access to high-quality educational opportunities, demonstrate how race and ethnicity shape the educational experiences of students of color (Stanford Center for Education Policy Analysis, 2012). Unfortunately, stories such as Ruby Bridges of New …

The Impact Of Competency-Based Education And Learning Implementation On Technical Colleges Outcomes: Kuwait College For Technological Studies (Cts) Case Study, Mohammad Abdulmohsen Alshaiji

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Many colleges and training institutions have shifted to Competency-Based Education/Learning (CBE/L) after using the traditional time-credits approach. Students’ achievements and progress are accumulated, not only by credit hours for theoretical knowledge but also, through demonstrating their practical competences.

In CBE/L, students are assessed based on their ability to perform specific tasks using the knowledge and skills (competencies) required for each task in their academic course, regardless of how long such progression might take. The traditional method of learning was time-based on course credits, which last for a specific period of time, and through which students are learning more theoretical knowledge …

The Role Of The Unfolded Protein Response In Fatty Liver Disease, Anusha L. Murshed

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The unfolded protein response (UPR) is composed of three highly conserved pathways (ATF6, IRE1, PERK). Cellular stressors induce protein misfolding and aggregation in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). This signaling pathway maintains protein homeostasis when there is stress in the ER. When the UPR is activated, the eukaryotic initiation factor 2 alpha (eIF2α) becomes phosphorylated, which inhibits global mRNA translation. If ER stress remains chronically unmitigated, the UPR induces apoptosis. GADD34 and CReP shift in expression when the UPR is activated and work as phosphatases and dephosphorylate eIF2α in a feedback loop, allowing protein synthesis to resume. Several human diseases, including …

Close To The Pain: Alternative Education And The Unheard Voices Of Young Adults’ Transformative Learning Experiences, Vicki Lynn Lock

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on amplifying the voices of marginalized students in alternative education, with an emphasis on the positive impact of resilience on their outcomes. The study addresses the challenges these students face, particularly those from BIPOC communities, in navigating educational systems that have historically marginalized them. The purpose of this qualitative research was to explore the experiences of BIPOC students in a Central Valley alternative education program, highlighting how nurturing relationships, resilience, and the fulfillment of basic needs contribute to their academic success and personal growth. Utilizing a framework that incorporates theories of resilience, educational equity, and transformative leadership, …