Bradford Scholars
Bradford Scholars is the University of Bradford online research archive. Access is free to anyone interested in research being conducted at Bradford. In the repository you will find a range of materials from journal articles and conference papers to research reports and theses.
Contact the repository team via openaccess@bradford.ac.uk with any queries about Open Access or how to deposit your research papers.
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Publication Bradford politics 1880-1906. A detailed study of the fortunes of the political parties in Bradford as shown in parliamentary elections and by the movement of public opinionThis thesis is principally an analysis of Bradford politics in the period 1880-1906 as manifested in parliamentary elections. It is concerned with the changes in relative strength of the political parties as well as their attitude to the issues of the day and the nature of their political support. Its main themes are the development of Conservatism and the political emergence of an independent Labour movement at the expense of an hitherto omnipotent Liberal party. The background to this political transformation was the "Great Depression" which hit Bradford severely and hardened class attitudes. This basically explains the Liberals' reluctance to concede to Labour demands, particularly Labour representation which ultimately resulted in the formation of the Bradford I.L.P. in 1891. When the Liberals did begin to make concessions in the 1890's it was always at the risk of alienating right-wing support which first became a serious problem with the secession of the Liberal Unionists over Home Rule in 1886. Moreover, Liberal difficulties were intensified by the creation of single member constituencies in 1885 which precluded the running of a Moderate and a Radical and also by the issues of the day which generally benefited the Conservatives. Imperialism, Home Rule, education and Local Veto were skilfully exploited by the Conservatives to win both middle and working-class support. As a result the Conservatives gained control of the School Board, 1894-97; Town Council, 1899-1901 and each of the three parliamentary divisions, 1895-1906. At the Liberal landslide of 1906 the Bradford Liberals won only two seats, the third going to the I.L.P. which by then was firmly established. Although Bradford itself was still a Liberal Nonconformist town the Bradford Liberal party was reduced to its Nonconformist core and Bradford politics were fast developing on class lines.. ... With the exception of the work on the Labour movement, however, the period immediately after 1880 has hitherto been unexamined. Yet late nineteenth-century Bradford besides being the birth place of the I .L.P. was one of the main centres of the Fair-Trade movement and an outstanding example of the growth of urban Conservatism. Research into the origins of the Labour party has sometimes disguised the fact that the immediate result of the I.L.P. was not Labour representation but the Conservative control of an hitherto Liberal stronghold. This thesis is a continuation for the period 1880-1906 of Dr Wright’s work. [D G Wright’s, ’’Politics and Opinion in Bradford with special reference to Parliamentary Elections 1832-1880”]. By looking at the entire political spectrum it seeks to establish the story of Bradford politics during those crucial years and relate political change to contemporary social and economic change. It is concerned with the relative strength of the political parties as well as their attitude to the issues of the day and the nature of their political support. Like Dr Wright’s thesis the story is in chronological order and concentrates on parliamentary elections when they occur. It consists broadly of three main themes. The first theme looks at how Liberalism came under increasing challenge after 1880. The second theme examines how the liberal failure to meet that challenge resulted in the formation of the I.L.P. Finally, the third theme reveals how the very attempts that were made to meet the Liberal challenge paradoxically contributed to the growth of Conservatism rather than the consolidation of Liberalism.Publication The Moderating Role of Board Structure and Market Competition on CEO Power, Risk, and Investment EfficiencyThis thesis comprises three empirical chapters. The first two empirical chapters investigate the moderating role of strong board structure and market competition on association between CEO power and risk by analysing the UK-listed financial and non-financial firms. The third empirical chapter provides evidence on the role of market competition in the nexus between powerful CEO and investment efficiency. Panel data estimation techniques (pooled regression and fixed effects) are used to analyse the sample over the period 2010-2018. This research finds that CEOs are risk averse, but they engage in more risk-taking in the presence of strong board structure and high market competition. However, the moderating influence of these governance forces on powerful CEOs’ approach towards risk-taking varies across financial and non-financial firms. Moreover, the study finds that firm investment efficiency is lower when CEO is powerful. However, market competition negatively moderates the relationship between CEO power and investment inefficiency. This study contributes to existing knowledge by analysing the UK sample which is contextually different than previous research undertaken in the US setting. Furthermore, this research provides comprehensive and comparative evidence in the area by analysing UK-listed financial and non-financial firms. The current research includes CEO social capital in multidimensional index as an additional aspect for measuring CEO power. This study provides further evidence on association between powerful CEO and investment efficiency by using a comprehensive measure that captures both under- and over-investment. Lastly, the results convey that market competition reduces the powerful CEO’s opportunistic approach to structure investment decisions inefficiently.Publication The Impact Of leadership Styles On Employee Engagement In The UAE GHQ Civil DefenceThis work attempts to explore the relationship between leadership style and employee engagement and determine how engagement (measured through the dimensions of vigour, absorption, and dedication) can influence strategic policy. The research collects data through a survey with 287 employees and semi-structured interviews with 10 leaders from different departments within the GHQ Civil Defence Council in the UAE. The survey findings indicate a higher prevalence of the authoritarian leadership style, compared to the democratic, transformational, and transactional styles, as well as a relatively high level of employee engagement. Nevertheless, the interview findings suggest that leaders perceive employee engagement differently from the employees. The leaders report practicing a rather diverse range of leadership approaches and styles compared to the survey results, including autocratic, transactional, transformational, and situational styles. The interviews further reveal a lack of support for employee voice and autonomy among the leaders, indicating a tendency towards sole decision-making. The study emphasizes the importance of hierarchy and tradition in shaping leadership style within the organization, while highlighting the challenges posed by COVID-19 and remote working. The findings are used to develop a leadership and engagement model. Recommendations for improving employee engagement through leadership in the GHQ Civil Defence included increasing consistency in leadership styles, supporting employee voice, and strengthening team relations. The research contributes to understanding the relationship between leadership style and employee engagement, emphasising the role of local culture and organizational traditions. It also underscores the negative impact of autocratic and transactional leadership styles on engagement.Publication Entrepreneurial Resilience, Innovative Behavior and Firm-level Innovation in an Emerging MarketPurpose – Despite the growing research on the influence of entrepreneurial resilience on firm-level outcomes, there needs to be more understanding of the specific passion and environmental uncertainty under which entrepreneurs' innovative behavior can effectively drive the success of firm innovation. This paper aims to fill a novel gap by examining the mediating effects of innovative behavior on the relationship between entrepreneurs' resilience, and firm-level innovation has on the relationship between entrepreneurial resilience and innovative behavior. The Broaden and Build Theory were used to explain the study's aims and objectives. Design/methodology/approach – In this study, a convenience sampling technique was used, and 620 copies of structured questionnaires were administered to Nigerian entrepreneurs in business for over 5 years, of which 535 copies were retrieved. A structural equation model was used analytically to investigate the data, and the path coefficient was determined using AMOS. The results reveal a significant positive mediating effect of innovative behavior on the relationship between entrepreneurs' resilience and firm-level innovation. In addition, the findings show that the effectiveness of entrepreneurial resilience in driving innovative behavior depends on the level of environmental uncertainty and the entrepreneur's passion. Originality/value– This paper incorporates insights on entrepreneurial resilience, entrepreneurship, and innovation across academic disciplines to showcase the novelty gap and its contributions to the research fields.