Search results

1 – 10 of over 1000
Article
Publication date: 7 August 2019

Cormac Flood and Lloyd Scott

The residential sector in Ireland accounted for 25 per cent of energy related CO2 emissions in 2016 through burning fossil fuels, a major contributor to climate change. In support…

Abstract

Purpose

The residential sector in Ireland accounted for 25 per cent of energy related CO2 emissions in 2016 through burning fossil fuels, a major contributor to climate change. In support of Ireland’s CO2 reduction targets, the existing housing stock could contribute greatly to the reduction of space-heating energy demand through retrofit. Approximately 50 per cent of Ireland’s 2m dwellings pre-date building regulations and are predominantly of cavity and solid wall construction, the performance of which has not been extensively investigated at present. Although commitment to thermal upgrade/retrofit of existing buildings may increase under future government policies, the poor characterisation of actual thermal performance of external walls may hinder the realisation of these targets. Thermal transmittance (U-values) of exterior walls represents a source of uncertainty when estimating the energy performance of dwellings. It has been noted in research that the standard calculation methodology for thermal transmittance should be improved. Implementing current U-value calculation methods may result in misguided retrofit strategies due to the considerable discrepancies between in situ measurements and calculated wall U-values as documented in the case studies carried out in this research. If the method of hygrothermal analysis were to be employed as a replacement for the current standard calculation, it could have significant implications for policy and retrofit decision making. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

This research project analysed a case study situated in Dublin, Ireland. The case studies offer an account of the in situ thermal transmittance of exterior walls and link these to hygrothermally simulated comparisons along with more traditional design U-values.

Findings

The findings of this research identify discrepancies between in situ and design U-values, using measurement, hygrothermal simulation and standard method U-value calculations. The outcomes of the research serve as an introduction to issues emanating from a larger research project in order to encourage researchers to understand and further explore the topic.

Originality/value

It has previously been highlighted that moisture content is linked to the increase in thermal conductivity of building materials, thus reducing the thermal effectiveness and increasing the elemental U-value. Therefore, it is vital to implement reliable prediction tools to assess potential thermal performance values. This paper presents the findings of a critical instance case study in Dublin, Ireland in which an existing west facing external wall in a semi-detached dwelling was analysed, simulated and measured to verify the elemental wall assembly and quantify thermal transmittance (U-value) incorporating the major criteria required for building performance simulation.

Details

International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation, vol. 38 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2398-4708

Keywords

Abstract

Details

International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation, vol. 41 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2398-4708

Article
Publication date: 1 January 1992

Nancy Melin Nelson

Chadwyck‐Healey Announces the Patrologla Latina Database. The Patrologia Latina Database is a major text conversion and electronic publishing project. It is a complete…

Abstract

Chadwyck‐Healey Announces the Patrologla Latina Database. The Patrologia Latina Database is a major text conversion and electronic publishing project. It is a complete machine‐readable edition of the classic nineteenth‐century collection of texts edited by the ecclesiastical publisher Jacques‐Paul Migne.

Details

Academic and Library Computing, vol. 9 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1055-4769

Article
Publication date: 4 November 2014

Marco Bardus, Holly Blake, Scott Lloyd and L. Suzanne Suggs

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the reasons for participating and not participating in an e-health workplace physical activity (PA) intervention.

1365

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the reasons for participating and not participating in an e-health workplace physical activity (PA) intervention.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured interviews and two focus groups were conducted with a purposive sample of employees who enrolled and participated in the intervention and with those who did not complete enrolment, hence did not participate in it. Data were examined using thematic analysis according to the clusters of “reasons for participation” and for “non-participation”.

Findings

Reported reasons for participation included a need to be more active, to increase motivation to engage in PA, and to better manage weight. Employees were attracted by the perceived ease of use of the programme and by the promise of receiving reminders. Many felt encouraged to enrol by managers or peers. Reported reasons for non-participation included lack of time, loss of interest towards the programme, or a lack of reminders to complete enrolment.

Practical implications

Future e-health workplace behavioural interventions should consider focusing on employees’ needs and motivators to behaviour change, provide regular reminders for participants to complete enrolment and ensure that procedures are completed successfully. Barriers to participation could be identified through formative research with the target population and feasibility studies.

Originality/value

This study combines a qualitative analysis of the reasons why some employees decided to enrol in a workplace PA intervention and why some others did not. This study highlights factors to consider when designing, implementing and promoting similar interventions and that could inform strategies to enhance participation in workplace PA interventions.

Details

International Journal of Workplace Health Management, vol. 7 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8351

Keywords

Content available
Article
Publication date: 25 November 2014

Heidi Hanson and Zoe Stewart-Marshall

424

Abstract

Details

Library Hi Tech News, vol. 31 no. 10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0741-9058

Article
Publication date: 20 September 2013

Simon C. Duff and Adrian J. Scott

Perception research has demonstrated that people view stranger stalkers to be more persistent and dangerous than ex‐partner stalkers. Although these findings are consistent with…

Abstract

Purpose

Perception research has demonstrated that people view stranger stalkers to be more persistent and dangerous than ex‐partner stalkers. Although these findings are consistent with the outcome of legal processes where stranger stalkers are more likely to be convicted, they contrast with the findings of national surveys and applied research where ex‐partner stalkers represent the most persistent and dangerous relational subtype. The aim of the current study is to further examine the influence of prior relationship on perceptions of stalking by considering the impact of additional contextual information regarding the breakdown of ex‐partners’ relationships for the first time.

Design/methodology/approach

In this vignette study 180 women were randomly assigned to one of seven conditions and asked to complete five 11‐point Likert scale items relating to another person's behaviour. The relationship between that person and themselves was manipulated across the seven conditions so that the person was described as either a stranger, an acquaintance, an ex‐partner or an ex‐partner with additional contextual information regarding the breakdown of the relationship.

Findings

Participants were less likely to perceive behaviour as stalking or as requiring police intervention, and were more likely to perceive themselves as responsible, when the other person was portrayed as an ex‐partner rather than a stranger. However, perceptions of ex‐partners differed considerably when contextual information regarding the breakdown of the relationship was provided.

Practical implications

The findings have important implications for victims of stalking and the legal system. Examining the influence of prior relationship on perceptions of stalking when additional contextual information is provided can be used to better inform potential victims so as to reduce the risk of serious harm. Additionally, the influence this information has on perceptions of ex‐partner stalkers may have implications for how the legal system understands and deals with ex‐partner stalking cases.

Social implications

The findings have important implications for victims of stalking and the legal system. Examining the influence of prior relationship on perceptions of stalking when additional contextual information is provided can be used to better inform potential victims so as to reduce the risk of serious harm. Additionally, the influence this information has on perceptions of ex‐partner stalkers may have implications for how the legal system understands and deals with ex‐partner stalking cases.

Originality/value

Previous research has demonstrated that perceptions of stalking are influenced by the prior relationship between the stalker and the victim. This has implications for the conviction of stalkers and intervention for stalkers and victims. This research demonstrates that with limited contextual information outlining the reason for relationship breakdown the perceptions of stalking change. This finding may be of value to individuals who do not recognise they are at risk and to the legal system.

Details

Journal of Criminal Psychology, vol. 3 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2009-3829

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 November 2022

Lydia Caroline Cook and Simon C. Duff

The purpose of this study is to compare perceptions of male cisgender and male transgender stalking perpetrators. There present study compared participants’ perceptions of whether…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to compare perceptions of male cisgender and male transgender stalking perpetrators. There present study compared participants’ perceptions of whether behaviour constituted stalking, posed a threat, had a risk of violence and required police intervention when the perpetrator was transgender or cisgender. The present study also sought to replicate the prior-relationship misconception in stalking literature and to investigate whether perceptions of transgender perpetrators changed based on the age and gender of the perceiver.

Design/methodology/approach

Participants read vignettes outlining the relationship between victim and perpetrator as well as a description of the stalking behaviours. Participants then reported their perceptions of the four dependent variables on Likert-type scales.

Findings

The prior-relationship misconception was replicated. There were no significant differences in perceptions of transgender and cisgender perpetrators across the four dependent variables. There were also no significant differences in perceptions based on the gender of the perceiver. Contrary to expectations, older participants perceived transgender perpetrators as less threatening than younger participants.

Research limitations/implications

The prior-relationship misconception is robust to gender identity of the perpetrator. The participants in the present study seemed to make judgements based on stalking behaviour and not the gender identity of the perpetrator. Future research should replicate this study with more severe stalking behaviours and with greater variation in gender identity.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to compare perceptions of cisgender and transgender males in the context of stalking perpetration. There is also consideration of how the demographics of the perceiver could impact these perceptions. This study also contributes to research on the prior-relationship misconception by demonstrating that the misconception is robust to gender identification of the perpetrator.

Details

Journal of Criminal Psychology, vol. 13 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2009-3829

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 April 1991

Michael Schuyler

Looks at the use of programming editors, especially ′Sidekick′– discusses the relative merits and problems with this particularsoftware, as well as discussing the new version…

Abstract

Looks at the use of programming editors, especially ′Sidekick′ – discusses the relative merits and problems with this particular software, as well as discussing the new version which is now available. Suggests that businesses which are currently upgrading their hardware in order to run Windows could donate their old equipment to local libraries, where they could be put to good use. Shows how the use of a short program can make browsing through READ.ME files much easier.

Details

Academic and Library Computing, vol. 8 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1055-4769

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 April 1991

Mark Hinnebusch

Monitoring System Performance. This is the final installment of a multipart article on resource usage issues in library automation systems. The first three parts dealt with…

Abstract

Monitoring System Performance. This is the final installment of a multipart article on resource usage issues in library automation systems. The first three parts dealt with specifying resource usage and performance goals. This article will deal with monitoring system performance. Most system monitoring in the current library automation world is anecdotal. The person responsible for the system receives a telephone call, or many calls, indicating that the system is not performing properly. Usually, that is the sum total statement of performance. By the time an individual actually becomes frustrated enough to call about the system's degraded performance, their perception of the problem has generally grown far worse that the problem actually is. Yet, in many cases, the perception is what really matters and it is often quite impossible to budge people from that perception once it is formed.

Details

Academic and Library Computing, vol. 8 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1055-4769

Article
Publication date: 17 August 2017

Sarah Bothamley and Ruth J. Tully

The disclosure of private images with the intent of causing distress is often described as “revenge pornography”. In the UK, this newly legislated crime has received a high level…

3545

Abstract

Purpose

The disclosure of private images with the intent of causing distress is often described as “revenge pornography”. In the UK, this newly legislated crime has received a high level of media attention following several high profile cases, however, there is a paucity of research in this area. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 168 adults (UK general public) completed an online survey using a vignette approach. Views of the influence of perpetrator-victim relationship length and reason for termination were considered alongside perception of an offence, the necessity of police intervention, what extent revenge pornography creates psychological harm in victims, and victim blaming.

Findings

Perpetrator-victim relationship length and reason for relationship breakdown did not influence perceptions of victim blame. Participants believed that the situation described in the vignettes was likely to be an offence, and that police intervention is somewhat necessary. Participants believed that the scenario was “very likely” to create fear, and “moderately likely” to create psychological/mental harm in victims. In line with the literature relating to stalking and sexual assault, men blamed the victim significantly more than women. Furthermore, women rated police intervention as significantly more necessary than men.

Research limitations/implications

The public are recognising that revenge pornography is an offence, with consequences being fear and psychological harm, showing an awareness of the impact on victims. However, there are sex differences in the perceptions of revenge pornography and victim blaming, and this could be addressed by raising awareness of this crime. This research, which highlights that the public are aware of some of the harm caused, may encourage victims in coming forward to report such a crime.

Originality/value

There is a paucity of research into revenge pornography, and this study is one of the first in this area.

Details

Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research, vol. 10 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1759-6599

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 1000