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 The feasibility of psychometric measures for body image and lymphedema for routine practice(Wiley, 2020)Research Question: To assess the feasibility of the MGSIS-5and G3L-20 in a community sample of cisgender men aged 40 years and older Research problem: Psychometric measures can aid urologic practice by prompting patients to talk about aspects of their body that are either too sensitive or a natural part of aging. Importantly, reliable and valid measures can also contribute to a an evidenced-based-practice-based-evidence cycle where they can establish the impact of changes recommended by research while using the results in turn to inform research. In this study, we examine two psychometric measures on the opposite ends of a psychological-physical continuum; the Male Genital Self-Image Scale (MGSIS-5) and the Groin and Lower Limb Lymphedema questionnaire (G3L-20) Methodology: Non-experimental psychometric design administering the questionnaires online to a community sample of cisgender men aged 40 years old and above. Validity and reliability analyses were conducted. Results: 30 men completed the study; 14 aged 40-49, 14 aged 50-59 and 2 aged 60-69. The MGSIS-5 and G3L-20 show acceptable reliability and validity with one- and three-component structures respectively. Conclusions: The MGSIS-5 and G3L-20 show sufficient feasibility to justify the resources for studies with larger community samples and for pilot studies with clinical populations.Publication Sociagogy. Uniting the social, spatial and learning experiences of university studentsHigher Education is focused on how students learn individually and the development of campus spaces to support teaching and learning, which has directed the attention of prior research. However, there are knowledge gaps which result in a partial understanding of how students learn at university: lack of connection between social groups and learning, emphasis on studying, single space research, snapshot studies, absence of student voice and lack of integrated findings on learning, campus, and student experience. The aim of this thesis is to build a student-centred understanding of social learning and use of campus over time. It reports on a student-centred, qualitative and longitudinal place-based study, that captured the COVID-19 era. New method protocols combined walking interviews, participant photography and researcher mapping with synchronic and diachronic analysis. This innovative approach resulted in new insights on how students use campus, why they prefer specific spaces and how the institution itself affects usage of space, student networks and the wider university experience. Novel findings on changes over time within social groups and students’ routines are also discussed. This thesis challenges staff assumptions and provides a unique student-centred perspective of university. This work concludes with presentation of sociagogy. This is the student-centred understanding that reveals the central role of campus and the importance of the social experience, as students do not learn in isolation from socialising.Publication Understanding The Lived Experiences of Being a Woman Leader in a Technology Organization(2020)Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of female senior managers in technology organizations and understand how they feel about themselves, their roles and their technology organizations. The study highlights the issues faced by women working in a gendered role, a masculine industry and a non-western, strong patriarchal society. Methodology/Design: A qualitative research methodology was adopted for this study. Eleven semi-structured interviews were used to collect empirical data from women senior managers in Nigerian technology organizations, which was thematically analyzed. Findings: The findings from this study indicate that women in technology are no longer reluctant to progress in this gendered career. Women technology leaders are ambitious and driven to scale the semantic barriers to top management roles. They experience workplace discrimination, insecurities and work-family conflicts, but do not punish themselves for sometimes dropping the ball. Rather, they show up to take on daunting assignments that prove their competence and choose to lead assertively in order to align their core values with the expectations of their role. Research Implications: This thesis makes a contribution to the wider literature on women leaders in technology by providing new insights on the role of patriarchal institutions in technology leadership, from a developing country in Africa. Practical Implications: Practical contributions are to support aspiring women in technology to fine-tune their leadership strategies in order to succeed in this gendered career and become beneficiaries of the vast opportunities in this dynamic industry. For technology organizations, to understand the issues faced by women leaders so that they can support women’s career aspirations by implementing and managing policies that support skilled and high-potential women employees to fulfill their career aspirations, and become change agents at the top management level. These efforts will disrupt stereotypes, change the narrative of inequalities in this industry and improve firm performance. Originality: This study is the first of its kind to focus on the role of patriarchal structures on women leaders’ careers in the technology industry within the context of an African society, which is rare in the literature on women leaders in technology.Publication A critical inquiry into the nature and promise of peace education in Cambodia. Using transpection to examine the theory and praxis, context, transformative potential, and possible model of peace education in Cambodia(2017)This thesis is a comparative case study which investigates both formal and nonformal peace education initiatives and situates them within the socio-political, cultural, and economic landscape of Cambodia. The research employs a participatory methodology with reflection and learning as key process components. Cambodian youth [ages 11 to 15] are the primary research subjects, and Cambodian youth [ages 18-25] are the co-researchers in this inquiry. Joint cooperation with local non-governmental organisations as the key stakeholders in this research ensure that the outcomes and findings are useful for praxis as well. Based in the ontology and epistemology of critical realism, the research investigates the practice of peace education in Cambodia. It posits the need for transpection as an analytical framework and a pedagogy which comprises retrospection [looking into the past], introspection [looking inward], extrospection [looking outward] and prospection [looking to the future]. The research describes the contextual factors that (dis)enable the practice of peace education and analyses the ways in which peace education contributes to conflict transformation at the personal, relational, structural, and cultural levels. The thesis argues that peace education in Cambodia makes a deeper impression on personal and relational conflict, but that via transformative agency and through the lens of both feminist discourse, can also make a contribution to cultural and structural conflict transformation as well. Peace education is effective insofar as it operates within an enabling environment where contexts align with mechanisms to catalyse positive change. The thesis proposes that critical peace education in Cambodia should be given greater attention and enfolded symbiotically into ongoing peacebuilding initiatives. Lastly, the model of peace education for Cambodia should be locally owned, focussed on modelling, hybrid (i.e. formal and non-formal), and transpective. That is, peace education should include study of the past, deep self-understanding, critical awareness and perspective taking, and futures thinking.Publication Recommendations for the incorporation of electronic bill of lading into Pakistani law using lessons from the experiences of UK and other jurisdictionsThe paper bill of lading is serving the maritime trade for centuries however with the advancement in technology and on the demand of the market, the debate is going onward to replace paper B/L with electronic bill of lading. Use of Paper B/L has become challenging as paper B/L arrives late and goods arrive at port of discharge way before the arrival of traditional B/L. The e-B/L can easily replace receipt and contract of carriage functions of paper B/L through Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), but the problem arises with the document of title function as it is difficult to replace negotiability function in electronic form. The document of title function is achieved through writing an endorsement note on the back of paper B/L however there is no harmonised system for document of title function in e-B/L. It brings market issues. The United Nations Rotterdam Rules (2008) and UNCITRAL Model Laws MLEC and MLETR provided a legal framework for e-B/L; however, only a few countries have ratified it, so the legal issue has not been resolved yet. Pakistan is also using traditional B/L through pre partition laws which are outdated. The thesis made a comparison between the UK, Pakistan and various jurisdiction (such as USA, Korea and Singapore) laws regarding e-B/L. The comparison was drawn to find a way to replace paper B/L with e-B/L in Pakistan. In the absence of harmonised approach by international community, the private sector worked to develop and promote e-B/L, such as SEADOCS and CMI Rules models (these are private sector led initiatives) were introduced, but all of them have some drawbacks. Some of e-B/L models use central registries and some use token system which is not required in traditional B/L. Moreover, no harmonised approach was adopted towards any of the following models, which creates problems. Private sector introduced these electronic bills of lading models to meet the industry demand. All these private sectors led e-B/L models have their own rulebooks, terms and conditions and parties should become their members to use these e-B/L models therefore use of these e-B/L models also brings complications. This thesis focused on the legal features of adopting the e-B/L. The doctrinal research method is applied in this thesis with comparative research. The main objectives of the thesis were to identify the legal issues in implementing an electronic bill of lading, evaluate the most prevalent models of the e-B/L in terms of legal issues raised, and recommend strategies for fully adopting the e-B/L legally in Pakistan. The thesis finds that Pakistan needs to work on two levels firstly Pakistan should investigate best available laws and practices adopted by different countries such as UK, USA and Korea as these jurisdictions have adopted e-B/L and secondly should examine adoption of principles approved in international convention such as Rotterdam Rules and UN model law MLETR.