External knowledge sourcing in different national settings: a comparison of electronics establishments in Britain and France

In a detailed comparison of matched samples of electronics establishments in Britain and France, this paper finds that the two samples of establishments were operating in distinctively different national labour markets for engineers and scientists, reflecting structural differences in national higher education systems and a far higher level of individual mobility between enterprises in Britain than is found in France. These differences were found to have very little effect on quantitative measures of establishments’ external research interactions which tended to reflect other national-institutional differences such as continued government support for public laboratories in France of a kind which have now been largely privatised in Britain. However, qualitative evidence pointed to a faster rate of development of new external knowledge sourcing and relationship building in Britain which was partly stimulated by the greater mobility of individual engineers and scientists between enterprises and other organisations bringing new personal networks of external contacts with them. These tendencies contrasted with a marked stability in external research linkages in France. The paper suggests that the greater openness of British R&D networks to new ideas and knowledge may be particularly advantageous in fast-changing high-tech industries such as electronics.     

Coworker knowledge sharing and peer learning among elite footballers: Insights from German Bundesliga players

This research focuses on coworker learning and knowledge sharing amongst elite footballers. The authors provide an in-depth understanding on how elite footballers learn from their peers and which channels are used to share their knowledge. The authors also analyze how peer learning impacts an elite footballer’s development and performance and to what extent elite football clubs actively support peer learning. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 12 elite footballers from first and second division German Bundesliga clubs. The findings demonstrate that peers are very important sources of knowledge for elite footballers. There are four main knowledge sharing channels: observing/imitating, peer exchange/peer communication, labor mobility and knowledge brokers. The findings highlight the positive impact of knowledge sharing on elite players’ development and performance and call for future (knowledge) management tactics to specifically use this untapped potential.     

Uncovering the link between governance as an innovation process and socio-economic regime transition in cities

A major proportion of the world’s population will be located in cities by 2030. With cities globally facing challenges due to the social exclusion of significant proportions of their populace, new thinking is needed on ways to correlate the competing socio-economic goals of various actors. This study sought to uncover the link between governance in cities as an innovation process and socio-economic regime transition towards a more equitable urban society. To do so, we draw on transition management thinking to consider urban regime transitions evolving in a temporal and incremental manner and in a multi-level context. We sought expansion from a delimited focus on socio-technical regimes in transition management literature to incorporate the notion of urban socio-economic regimes. This involved integrating aspects of reflexive governance and politics in a city context with a basic ontology of complex social systems and their evolutionary dynamics that underlies transition management approaches. Our focus is on learning by doing and experimentation as well as participation of citizens with other key city actors in a radically new process of mutual learning that creates social inclusion. The juxtaposition of national, city and community level interactions and their impact on socio-economic regime transition brings into sharp relief the issue of spatial scale and a lack of consideration in transition approaches generally. The study findings reveal a spatial orientation for creating new urban forms of reflexive governance as an innovation process taking place in transition arenas that can trigger new pathways to socio-economic change.     

Making a Difference: Dyslexia and Social Identity in Educational Contexts

Dyslexia is known as a Learning Disability (LD), a reading disability and a neurological disability; yet there is confusion about dyslexia and the associated support required in learning. Challenges are experienced by adult students with dyslexia in both social and organisational contexts. This study explored the life experiences of adult students with dyslexia, in Technical and Further Education (TAFE) Colleges in Australia. The shift from a prior negative self‐perception to a current positive social identity in adult students with dyslexia can be developed through key supporting relationships and interactions in educational institutions.     

An Organizational Life Cycle Approach to Exploring the Elite Sport Legacy of Summer Olympic Host Nations: The Cases of China (Beijing 2008) and Australia (Sydney 2000)

Abstract

This paper investigates the elite sport legacies of hosting the Summer Olympics for China (Beijing 2008) and Australia (Sydney 2000). The classic organizational life cycle approach provides the conceptual framework for this retroductive study. The data for both cases are sourced from official publications, academic research, and documents from various government departments and organizations. Additional data are drawn from three semi-structured interviews with key Chinese stakeholders. The analysis provides clear evidence that governments and their stakeholders use the opportunities afforded by a home Olympics to boost Olympic performance. China and Australia experienced a similar four-phase pattern of elite sport legacy life cycle: start-up, growth, maintenance, and decline. Both countries also shared many similar policy and management factors throughout each stage. An increased awareness of the sequential nature of elite sport legacy can help Olympic host countries make a more informed decision about their long-term strategies for elite sport success.     

‘Let Them Eat Caviar’: Alternative pathways for university students attending to ‘unfinished business’

This paper reports on a study into the educational experiences of a group of students who are accessing tertiary education through alternative entry programmes. There were three purposes for the study. The first was to identify why the students either did not finish school or go to university after school. The second was to explore the students' stated reasons for returning to university later in their lives. The third was to share the students' secondchance experiences in their first semester as university students. The study drew on theoretical ideas surrounding how students who reject school, or who have been rejected by school, may come to view education as unfinished business in their lives. Reconnection with education coincides with wider processes of individuals defining and redefining educational identities.     

A GLOBE Collaboration to Develop Land Cover Data Collection and Analysis Protocols

Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) is an international environmental education and science partnership which coordinates the work of students (aged 5 to 18), teachers and scientists from 48 countries on five continents to study and better understand the global environment. Accurate ground reference data is fundamental to the use of remotely sensed data for land cover classification and mapping. Because very little ground reference data has been collected, the accuracy of many land cover maps may be questioned, thus accurate land cover ground reference data is an important need that could be addressed through GLOBE scientist-student collaboration. If earth systems scientists are to use student data, it is important that those data be as accurate as possible to ensure reliability of research results. Thus a key question for this research is whether student collected data are accurate enough to support rigorous scientific investigations. This paper describes results of the GLOBE Science-Education Team on Data Validation and Accuracy Assessment's collaboration with teachers and students to: (1) design and test the pre-protocol learning activities; (2) test the protocols intended to guide the collection and analysis of data; and (3) implement the learning activities and protocols to determine the relative accuracy of student collected versus professionally collected land cover data. To ensure the most accurate classification of land cover possible, a new international hierarchical land cover classification system, the Modified Unesco Classification (MUC) system was developed. GLOBE Data Collection Protocols and methods were designed and implemented to test the accuracy of student collected reference data were designed and implemented. Students who collected land cover reference data using GLOBE protocols, obtained data which are at least as accurate as that collected by professionals.     

林火碳排放的影响与减缓对策

2002—2020年,全球野火每年约排放73.2亿吨二氧化碳（CO₂）,为化石燃料排放CO₂的18.5%;其中,林火碳排放约占野火碳排放20%左右（15亿吨CO₂）。近年来,随着气候变化和人类活动加剧,林火释放的CO₂呈增加趋势。例如,2023年5月以来的加拿大林火,截至8月29日已累计排放12.68亿吨CO₂。我国在实现森林面积和蓄积量“双增长”的背景下,自2010年以来林火发生次数和面积显著减小,为减少林火碳排放、应对全球气候变化作出了重要贡献。鉴于林火已成为不可忽视的温室气体排放源,需要建立全面、客观、公正的碳排放监测与计量系统,兼顾人类活动（如化石燃料排放、工业排放）和自然林火碳排放;特别是通过采取减少林火发生频率、降低火灾强度等有效手段,降低林火碳排放。针对极端林火预测和防控的世界性难题,急需构建林火风险识别、预警-预测和防控技术体系,并加强林火过程碳排放研究,建立更加科学、全面、自主可控的碳核算体系。