June 2015 3(2) by LSC Research Center

Vol. 3, Issue 2 | June 2015

Researchers Quarterly

Research Centre

The LSC Researchers Quarterly is a publication of the LSC Group of Colleges. It aims to publish the LSC research and promote research training through reflective practice.

Editor, Dr Nandish Patel Research Degrees Programmes Leader, LSC Research Felllow, Director of Studies

Professor Don Harper, Director Research Degrees Programmes

Supervision is key to successful completion of students‟ research projects, and an indicator of such success is research publications. In this issue of the LSC Researchers Quarterly the success is amply evidenced by the numerous publications and other research achievements of research students, directors of studies and supervisors.

PhD Researchers have been remarkably successful in having their research published. Saloomeh Tabari and Dadang Prasetyo Jatmiko are prominent among them. In this issue we make special mention of Azizul Hassan. He is the new exceptional epitome. He has published his work in numerous journals, books and conferences. Congratulations Azizul!!

Mr Sheku Fofanah Research Degrees Administration

LSC Research Centre Pocock House Campus 235 Southwark Bridge Road London SE1 6NP

We now accept that research should have an economic or social impact. Iyamu Enorenegbe Ighodaro‟s piece is on the impact of research in improving care services for the elderly. He focuses on understanding how effective communication can improve giving care.

Dr Nandish V Patel

Research students need to be aware of their responsibility to complete all the required University forms. It is vital for your continued PhD registration that the AMR is completed. The University RDC will not permit PhD students to remain on the programme when they have not completed the AMR.

Similarly, the RDP needs to be completed and approved by the University RDC. It should be done within the first four months of your registration on the programme.

LSC is a division of St. Piran’s School (GB) Ltd.

Congratulations! Higher Education Authority, UK Dr Uma Mohan, PhD Superviosr & Masters Degree Programme Leder, has been admitted to fellowship of the Higher Education Authority. Congratulations! Dr Uma.

The Higher Education Academy (HEA) is the national body in the United Kingdom for enhancing learning and teaching in higher education. HEA Fellowship is an internationallyrecognized badge of teaching excellence. Recently, I was awarded the Senior Fellowship of the HEA, in recognition of my contribution to the teaching at the London School of Commerce, UK.

As a result of this, I was able to craft an innovative teaching method, making learning Mathematics both effective and enjoyable.

b) I assumed module leadership for the MSc IT dissertation module in 2011. As module leader, I systematically introduced research processes, established realistic research goals, and monitored students progress regularly. This process helped the students to reap the benefits of regular formative feedback resulting in improved dissertations as well as minimizing unfair practices in the work submitted for My journey as a teacher began in India assessment. 32 years ago, and has since then been filled with rich experiences of teaching Programme Leadership students of diverse cultures around the As Programme Leader for IT and world. The mantra that has facilitated Computing programmes at LSC, I have this drive from a national to an had the opportunity to contribute to the international platform has been to cut design and planning of learning activities across barriers by understanding at institutional, programme and module cultural differences and communicating levels. effectively in the student world. Module leadership and teaching At the London School of Commerce, groups of students are not only diverse culturally, but also have a diverse range of abilities, both cognitive and analytic, which makes it a challenge to teach Mathematics. a) Crafting a Creative Teaching methodology for Mathematics in Computing. I hear and I forget. I see and I believe. I do and I understand. - Confucius

Peer Observation LSC is principally a teaching institution and therefore the success of the teaching and the lecturers is key to achieving its primary organizational objective. My primary role involves sitting in on an agreed class to evaluate the teaching under a set of criteria and to ensure that lecturers focus their teaching delivery to achieve the intended learning outcomes and engage the class effectively.

This HEA recognition has indeed been rewarding and will encourage me to continue contributing to the field of Guided by the above truth, I decided to teaching, with a particular focus on Researchers Quarterly 4 (1) experiment on a creativeLSC teaching tailoring the teaching methods to suit April 2015 method which would promote active cognitively and culturally diverse classroom learning in Mathematics. audience.

Congratulations! Dr Arvind Upadhyay, LSC Research Fellow and Director of Studiesâ&#x20AC;&#x; has also been admitted to the fellowship of The Higher Education Authority. Congratulations Dr Arivnd!

Finance Textbook Assistant Professor Dr Angelo Corelli is an LSC Research Fellow and Director of Students. He has book published by Routledge: Understanding Financial Risk Management, 1st Ed., Routledge, which can be used on masters programmes. It deals with knowledge of financial risk methods and procedures, and handling and it has 14 chapters, with clear and well defined learning outcomes and exercises to practice. The book can be found at the link http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415746182/ Inspection copies can be required at the following link http://www.routledge.com/resources/review_copy_request/

LSC Researchers Quarterly 4 (1) April 2015

SUPERVISION PREPARATION Preparation for supervision is critical for PhD researchers to succeed. This requires the supervisor and director of studies to keep proper track of the student‟s research project. To enable this, the Phd Progression Record details the milestones in the research project and can be used by supervisors to track progress. I am certain that colleagues will have their own ideas on how they prepare to supervise their research students. I welcome articles on your opinions on how to supervise, as well as articles on formal supervision pedagogy. Particularly, articles that address the problematical articulation of „quality‟ aspect of research supervision. Of course, supervision preparation also requires students to produce written work as evidence of progress and to enable supervisors and directors of studies to enable them to provide appropriate guidance. Such work includes ongoing drafting of the thesis chapters and the research instruments for data collection and analysis. It also includes the RDP, AMR and Ethical Approval form. Lack of progress on these matters will be recorded by the supervisor on the Record of Progress form at the monthly supervision meeting. Supervisors and Directors of Studies‟ comments on their research students‟ potential for knowledge contribution stemming from the research topic and rigor of the research methodology are essential contributions to the development of the thesis. This feedback needs to be constructive and the quality needs to be high in order to enable research students to make the necessary adjustments to their thesis. Quality here translates into detailed comments on (a) what to continue doing that is good, (b) what to stop doing and (c) what new activities to start doing. Supervisors may submit an article on this interesting pedagogy and any other aspects of research supervision, including how your research students themselves should prepare for their supervisory meeting. Editor.

LSC Alumni Dr David Acquaye, Dr Qaun Tran, Dr Emre Kurtulmus Dr Adeniyi Adetunji, Dr Arielle Dora Nganya Sandjong Dr Ahmad Al-Nuseirat, Dr Mohammad Kasem Mohammad Alrousan LSCyou Researchers Quarterly 3 (1) April 2015 (ed.) 5 Let us know what ambition are currently fulfilling.

WRITING-UP YOUR THESIS When will I finish my thesis? You will need to deal with the psychology of the major doctoral research project you have undertaken. Almost probably, you will also need to deal with your emotions too.

to theoretical understanding in your discipline. All three – being rational, objective and factual – have to be learnt. This is a major aspect of completing the PhD that often goes unsaid.

Completing the thesis write-up and your field The most effective way to deal with the research should be simultaneous. You psychology is to set up a plan of work. This will already have written the draft thesis needs to be very detailed and task-specific. chapters for your PhD Confirmation This plan can then be treated like going to the Interview, and should have been office – it has to be done. Coping with the continuously developing them since then. This emotions of completing, especially if you have development will have been guided by your other familial or work commitments to fulfil too, supervisor and director of studies‟ comments, is of course more personal. However, there is which they would have provided on the work great truth in the aphorism – a burden shared you submitted to them. is a burden halved. Writing continuously is the key to finishing You can join the various Peer Support on time or preferably early. You should Networks that researchers have setup and, by develop the habit of writing some part beginning to trust peers, begin to share your of your thesis every week, and ideally feelings or concerns about your research have set goals for how many words or project. You are not alone. Many of your peers pages you will complete during the week. will be experiencing similar emotions about their thesis too. The Thesis Completion Workshops (TCW) during the monthly Research Seminars week A PhD thesis is a major piece of writing; the are a good place to air your concerns, even magnum opus of your neophyte academic your feelings about the state of your thesis. career. If you are not developing your Researchers have found the TCW useful, academic writing style as your write, then often learning new ideas and techniques you are probably not doing it right. Writing not covered in their supervision. the thesis will necessarily be a process of learning to write as an academic – as a Come along ! researcher. Dr Nandish V. Patel Writing about the research you have done is a specialist style of writing. It is rational, objective and factual, resulting in your claiming that you have made a contribution How to write a paragraph in your thesis https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=he_rpSNhVZA LSC Researchers Quarterly 4 (1) April Do you actually know how to write a paragraph of 2015 your thesis?

The viva voce examination Professor Eleri Jones, Link Tutor Cardiff Metropolitan University

how your thesis evidences these characteristics. Make yourself thoroughly familiar with the contents of your thesis and prepare yourself to answer the three fundamental questions which you are likely to be asked in some shape or form:

The final hurdle for a PhD candidate is the viva voce (live voice) examination in which •What is the unique contribution(s) of your the candidate discusses and defends their research? thesis. It generally takes place about 4-6 •What would you do differently if you were weeks after submission of your thesis to to do it again? Registry. The prospect of the viva is •Where do you see this kind of research something that fills most candidates with moving in the future? What are the dread but in talking to my students after opportunities? their vivas many (if not most or even all) say that it was not nearly as bad as they These are the points being examined thought it would be and they actually (according to Alex Gray from the University enjoyed it. Certainly your viva voce of Cardiff): examination is a one-off opportunity to discuss your thesis with people who have •Understanding: that you're ready to read it thoroughly and understand what you become an independent researcher. did. Preparing for your viva is probably •Relationship to other work: that you worse than the experience itself and some have a command of your subject-area. students get so nervous about it that they Similarity to the work of others doesn't do not do themselves justice on the day. At detract from novelty! Cardiff Metropolitan University we offer viva •Novelty - is your work publishable? If you training and I would strongly recommend have already published a couple of papers, that you attend the training session – I have that should be proof of sufficient originality. heard lots of reports of how much it helped and no bad reports. The viva training is Don't panic about recent publications that usually run in Skills Week which is during are very similar to your work - the important the Easter break each year – Jeff Alder thing is to be aware of them, and to know (jalder@cardiffmet.ac.uk) will be able to the differences between your work and provide information on the exact timings. theirs. •What you have achieved, and that you are Understanding what the process is all about aware of its implications. What will it make helps in the preparation - there are three a difference to? reasons why PhD candidates have to be •Demonstration of what you set out to vivaed - it is so the examiners (two achieve – the problem and the research externals for a member of staff or one questions. It's vitally important that your external and one internal for a student who results address your research questions, is not a member of staff) can see: and that you have a convincing argument •whether it is your own work; for this. •whether you understand what you did; •Why did you do it the way you did? Not •whether it is worth a PhD (i.e. does it make just your practical work, but everything. For a unique contribution). In Google type in: example, your literature review should be QAA learning outcomes level 8, to read Researchersfocused. Quarterly 4 (1) about the characteristics of a LSC doctoral 7 April 2015 candidate are identified and think about

Know your argument Your examiners will ask you some general In preparation for the viva, say about ten questions about the significance of your days before, make sure you can answer the thesis (see point 4) but they may also want following questions: to challenge or clarify some specific •What is unique about your thesis? sections, so take a copy of your thesis with •What is its central argument/finding? you It looks much more professional if you •How does it differ from other key players in can work from a bound copy, rather than your field? piles of loose papers. You are allowed to •Where could you go from here with this take in loose notes and can write on your topic? thesis and mark it up with post it notes – Have a short, medium and long answer to whatever helps!!!! Refer to your thesis to each of those questions. In other words, if show you know what is in it – ‘Can I take you are encouraged to sum up your answer you to page ??’ in a few sentences be able to do so, and equally be able to speak for several minutes Relax and enjoy it! if need be. The viva can last anything from 45 minutes to two hours so it will be an intense Realise what you could have done experience, but hopefully the chair and your differently examiners will do everything they can to To PhD candidates the qualification is make you feel relaxed. Many examiners everything; it is the culmination of so much now tell the candidate whether they have hard work. However, academics who have passed at the outset, so they can then enjoy got their doctorates realise that the PhD is the ensuing discussion. Whether this the start and not the end of the research happens to you or not, try to take full process. Be prepared to discuss the flaws in advantage of the fact that two experts in your work. Don't worry, your examiners your field are dedicating themselves to your won't fail you if you say you wish you had work entirely. This doesn't happen very taken a different approach. often, so make the most of it! Relax the night before As with any exam, oral or written, don't try to revise too heavily the night before. Have a quiet evening, perhaps a light meal with friends or at the cinema and an early night. Remember you know more about your thesis than anyone else. Dress to impress Many people dress casually for their viva, and there are certainly no conventions which say you must dress up but dressing appropriately can help focus the mind for the task ahead. If you are neat and tidy in appearance, perhaps your thoughts will be well ordered too.

Take on board any comments and criticisms Even if you pass with flying colours, your examiners will probably have some hints on how to improve your argument or presentation and where to take your research from here. Make sure you remember their advice as it will be useful in the future. If you can show that you have engaged with their comments, your examiners will make very useful referees for employment and to advise publishers when you are trying to turn your thesis into a monograph.

Take a copy of your thesis to the viva (one that is identical to the one submitted to your examiners) 8

Special Interest Research Groups For some time now Nandish and I have been discussing the possibility of establishing a number of specialist research groups. The aim of these groups would be to stimulate discussion, research and publications through the collaboration of supervisors, DoSs and students working in related academic areas. Each Research Group would need a Chair who would exercise leadership and co-ordinate a programme of meetings and other activities. We would like to see Research Groups in the major business areas - for example, Human Resource Management, Finance and Accounting, Banking, Management Information Systems, Marketing, Management and Business Strategy, International Business. It would be up to the Research Groups themselves to formulate specific titles that would reflect the collective interests of the group. For example Dr Eugene Kozlovski has proposed a group entitled “Global Business Strategy” that he has volunteered to co-ordinate. Dr Lu‟ayy Al-Rimawi has volunteered to lead a group in the area of Banking and Finance. Dr Ricardo Gouveia, support by Dr Nandish Patel, has shown an interest in leading a group in the area of Entrepreneurship. We would like others of you to propose groups that would be likely to attract a significant number of participants. If you would like to become involved in one of the groups either as a member or as a Chairman please contact Nandish or myself. Prof Don Harper Director, Research Degrees Programme London School of Commerce prof.d.g.harper@lsclondon.co.uk

LSC Researchers Quarterly 4 (1) April 2015

THE STRATEGIC ROLE OF INTEGRATED COMMUNICATION IN DELIVERING CARE SERVICES Iyamu Enorenegbe Ighodaro PhD Research Student Cardiff Metropolitan University st09006428@cardiffmet.ac.uk

Iyamu has over seven years work experience and at various levels, that includes direct care giving, supervisory and management. He is passionate about quality healthcare delivery, especially by private care organisations in England. He has variously engaged with practitioners and users of care services, hence, able to discuss briefly an area taken for granted by practitioners but key to quality care delivery. Introduction In our everyday activities, we strive to reach out to others as much as they want to reach out to us one way or another. We communicate. Simple as it seems, the process of conveying our thoughts meaningfully to others can be daunting. No wonder while defining communication, intellectuals appear to give it new meanings in attempt to convey their deepest thoughts to their audience. In the light of this, my academic research and practice has taught me that communicating thoughts to others require skilful approach and a set of tools to achieve this. This contribution aim to highlight the need for everyone to understand the variation in theoretical communication process and communication in practice. Toemphasise the importance of including communication, customer care training and development program content vital to frontline caregivers everyday functioning. It is the opinion of the author that most caregiving organisations do not see the importance of this added training, hence not included in their training curriculum. Communication Intellectuals have variously defined and discussed what â&#x20AC;&#x17E;idealâ&#x20AC;&#x; communication is, as theprocess of completing the communication circle where all parties involved understands the message conveyed unequivocally. While I will not be emphasising on the definitions because it has been documented well in other literature by respectable academics, the reality appears to be much more involved in the art of communicating messages, thoughts, ideas, and instructions from one person to another.

LSC Researchers Quarterly 4 (1) April 2015

In our day-to-day activities, we evidence the effortlessness in communicating our thoughts, perception, preferences, and sometimes dislikes to others whose ability to understand promptly our thoughts, perception, preferences and sometimes dislikes appears quite effortless. When compared to individuals with low cognitive ability resulting from age, illness and other circumstances being unable to swiftly decode what they hear, see, or feel the questions arise: •Are there tools available that could provide the ease of effortless communication between caregivers and care receivers? •Are there ways of translating theoretical postulations into reality in communicating effortlessly with these groups of individuals so as not to create additional problems for them? We begin to understand this when prompted to repeat ourselves while conveying thoughts, ideas and so on to others. Ideas that appear simple and straightforward from our point of view, yet our audience would sometime require much more effort from the „sender to receiver‟ to understand our „perceived‟ simple thoughts.By extension, communication hasvariously been described in a three-step model1 (Involving Sender, Message and Reciever. Academicians attempt various methods of communicating with their audience using a range of tools such as images, graphs, audio, gesticulations, facial expressions to name a few. Their intention is to find the most suitable methods perceived by them to be most appropriate in the circumstance, in conveying their thoughts, ideas and so on to their audience. Are these methods described necessary and applicable in care environment? Care-giving practitioners in the care sector understand communications from a slightly different perspective than the norm in association with the difficulties experienced daily while carrying out assigned duties. For example, asking Adrian2, recently diagnosed with early stage dementia what he would like to eat for breakfast may not get you responses like, a toast, cereal or any response close to that. To meet the needs for Adrian, a caregiver is assumed to be skilled in many ways to ensure Adrian is supported. In a recent report titled: A Place to Call Home, Rochira, (2014)3 carried out by the Older People‟s Commissioner for Wales, a number of difficulties surrounding the delivery of person-centred care approach resulted from communications or lack of it. While documenting her findings regarding social participation in care homes (p.5), three key issues were highlighted: •There is a lack of social stimulation within care homes that can lead to olderpeople withdrawing, both physically and emotionally, which has a significantimpact on their health, wellbeing, and quality of life. •Residents often do not have choice and control over the activities that they areable to participate in and are not supported to do the things that they want to dowhen they want to do them. •There is a lack of awareness amongst care staff about the specificcommunication needs of people living with dementia and/or sensory loss, aswell as the needs of Welsh language speakers, which can significantly reduceopportunities for social participation.Rochira, (2014)3 - A Place to Call Home (p.5) From the above, the key issue involved in lack of social participation is the lack of communication between the caregivers and the care receivers, the caregivers and their organisation and between care receivers and their relatives or representatives. LSC Researchers Quarterly 4 (1) April 2015

Could anyone give what he or she does not have in his or her possession? The authors personal experience in delivering care services in England taught him that variations in communication tools is an absolute necessity if customer needs satisfaction are put first and above all else. There is existential evidence to suggest that the key factor to poor care service delivery in the care sector amongst other factors, is poor communication. Care service organisations in England more often than not fail to communicate vital operational information as changes occur in governance and operational policies. For example, the regulatory authority stipulates mandatory training for frontline staff, indeed, all employees in the care sector.Regardless of the relevant policy updates, care giving organisations still limit the training given to frontline employees to same old training â&#x20AC;&#x201C; manual handling, first aid, basic life support, fire safety among others, without considering customer care training, communications and public relations training programs to help employees communicate effectively with their customers.The later training element that is missing consistently but widely applied in other sectors of the economy to achieve goal congruence. The author is of the opinion that most care organisations fail to recognise the importance of communication and its strategic position in ensuring customer care satisfaction. Providing direct care for people requires dynamic attitude and process. In care practice, there is no action or activity that is fixed, all care service elements ought to be flexible and adaptable to the needs of care users at all times. This requires high level flexibility of care delivery by all involved and For example, a customer support plan specifies that s/he should be provided shower twice weekly (Mondays and Fridays), but daily body wash. To communicate effectively with Adrian, a caregiver will require additional communication tools like pictures, diagrams and other tools that will prompt and remind Adrian about the next action and to prepare him. While there are no guarantees Adrian will agree to the process after all the effort, the action taken by the caregiver will demonstrate skill in use of multiple tools aimed at supporting Adrian to participate in the showering or washing process. The difficulty identified is recognition of customer relationship management training elements and making it mandatory along with other training program given frontline staff. Substantial evidence abounds to demonstrate non-inclusion of these training elements given to frontline employees is responsible for some poor care service rating identified and reported by the Care Quality Commission (CQC. The authorâ&#x20AC;&#x;s work experience and observation of caregivers communication and engagement with their customers appear to be lacking specialised communication skills in meeting the needs of customers. This is especially so when the most important training and development programs are basic life support trainings, moving and handling, first aid, infection control among others are deemed important. Conclusion How care giver sstrategically integrate communication tools in delivering care to Adrian such that he understands what is going on and yet not overwhelm Adrian over the whole process could better be managed with the right training program and support system put in place in each and every care giving organisations. 2Adrian,

name changed to protect the individual used in this piece. Reference Ighodaro, I. E. (2015). How can Integrated Communications Contribute to the Attainment of Long-term Relationship Marketing in the Domiciliary/Residential Care Home Industry? A study of UK Private Care Industry. Unpublished PhD Thesis.(p.44). Rochira, S. (2014). A Place to Call Home. Older People Commissioner Wales, (p.5). www.olderpeoplewales.com Westcott, R. (2007).Re-examining theLSC Traditional Communication Researchers QuarterlyModel. 4 (1) Journal for Quality & Participation 30, 12 no. 2: 22-28. Business Source Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed April 2015 April 16, 2013).

The Use of Social Media in Public Relations Practice: The Case of Non-profit Organizations in Jordan Hanaa Albanna, Thomas Reeves, Ezendu Ariwa Abstract Social media become one of the biggest industries, and influencers of opinions, of our time with a reach and breadth far greater than any other more traditional media source, and public relations practitioners have long understood the importance of the Internet as a vital tool in their communications arsenal. This paper aims to explore the current status of social media use among nonprofit organizations in Jordan and to further understand why and how NPOâ&#x20AC;&#x;s use this new media. This study contributes toward further knowledge in the understanding of public relations practice in NPOs and provides an overview of the adoption of social media, as a whole, in this industry. It was found that the Jordanian NPOs adopted social media to engage with the community and promote their programs and services and this have been accomplished primarily through Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Key words â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Social media, communication, nonprofit organizations, Facebook, Twitter.

LSC Researchers Quarterly 4 (1) April 2015

Professor Ezendu Ariwaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s support to LSC researchers Professor Ezendu Ariwa, through his association with IEE have provided conference support for research students for the past THREE years. More than five students were awarded students fellowship which covers the Conference fee of ÂŁ650 each and they attended the following conferences as well as won various best awards: August 2013 FGCT (International Conference on Future Generation Communication Technologies) Technically co-sponsored by IEEE Sponsored : Koodichimma Ibe and Uzma Sabir Best Students Paper Award 2013: Best Students Paper award Certificate at FGCT 2013 (Koodichimma Ibe) December 2014 - IEEE Symposium on Consumer Electronics for Employability Sponsored : Oluwatosin Joshua Ajayi May 2015 - CTI 2015 (International Conference on Computing and Technology Innovation) - Technically co-sponsored by IEEE Sponsored : Hanaa Albanna, Oluwatosin Joshua Ajayi and Keis Husein Best Students Prize Award 2015: Best Students Prize award Certificate at CTI 2015 (Oluwatosin Joshua Ajayi) Best Students Prize award Certificate at CTI 2015 (Hanaa Albanna)

Thank you Professor Ariwa! (editor)

LSC Researchers Quarterly 4 (1) April 2015

Getting Published: Intricacies and Prospects for a Young Researcher Azizul Hassan (Cohort 20) PhD Candidate The London School of Commerce

I am a PhD candidate at the London School of Commerce Associate College of the Cardiff Metropolitan University, UK (cohort-20). Prior to my enrolment at the LSC, my research interests were eclectic and ranging over indigenous tourism, eco-tourism, heritage tourism interpretation, and alternative marketing concepts for the tourism industry. Now, I narrowed down my research interest solely to innovative technology supported marketing in tourism in relation to consumer decision making. Evidently and in reality, research on technology application in diverse academic domains are quite common including psychology, education, information technology those also have established a number of theories, models and concepts. Among many others, the Diffusion of Innovations (Rogers, 1983), the Technology Acceptance Model (Davis, 1989), the Theory of Reasoned Action (Ajzen & Fishbein, 1980), the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1985, 1987) and the Regret Theory (Bell, 1982) are examples. However in tourism literature, other than proposing a new theory or model, these theories or models are mostly replicated or applied in different contexts leaving a significant knowledge gap. Through a considerable number of publications, my basic intention is to outline the potentials and usability of innovative technology application for tourism product or service consumption. This is because, a purchase decision making relies on and subject to influence by certain factors, process and the efffective use of a selected technology that is expected to be innovative, novel and usable. Augmented reality (AR) has been seen as an impending and innovative technology becoming able to meet both consumer and marketing demands. This technology as an experiential marketing type attaches digital information in a real user enviroenment. Through my publications so far, I am confident that these will contribute to fill a knowledge gap that persists in tourism, in terms of technology application and consumer decision making. LSC Researchers Quarterly 4 (1) April 2015

Also, the publications can be readliy available to be used as references for further research in this academic research domain. Apart from this, prospective reseachers can be benefitted to set outlooks and directions realizing that research scope in technological innovations and consumer decision in tourism is enormous. In general, publication is the presentation of research finding that you intend to let others know as benefitting for knowledge generation and social wellbeing. My sincere advice is to try to get your paper published in a peer reviewed journal or book project that should necessarily maintain a set international standard. I will particularly recommend the Chartered Association of Business Schools (http://charteredabs.org/) journal ranking list. You will need to create free membership to login to get access to the latest journal ranking list. At present, I am a regular reviewer of the International Journal of Human Resource Management, the International Journal of Ecotourism and eReview of Tourism Research (eRTR). Research and publication is not a short success but a journey. No one can expect to have a publication just in the twinkling of an eye (if the journal or book is not predatory open access publication and non-peer reviewed). Publications rather require full commitment, dedication and intense concentration. The most essential part of getting your research published is to have patience because; the entire process can be laborious and stressful, might take a year and can be very monotonous to address critical reviews for several times. As implications of this short write up, I would suggest the PhD researchers to concentrate on having their own publications. Having your publications means to benefit in two defined ways; first, by creating a network of likeminded researchers, experts and academics and second, to make you familiar in the global academia in which you have already stepped in. In relation to these, you are representing the London School of Commerce and the Cardiff Metropolitan University through your affiliation. A publication is a milestone achievement that remains for life time and fellow generations tend to follow your work. All these can simply be a big WOW!!! (For further contact: M.Hassan15@outlook.cardiffmet.ac.uk; azizulhassan00@gmail.com) Acknowledgement: This succinct write up is particularly indebted to Dr. Nandish V. Patel, particularly for his guidance and encouragement. I am thankful to the PhD research team of the London School of Commerce along with my PhD supervisory team Dr. Haktan Erdogan Ekiz and Dr. Sumesh S. Dadwal. These two academics are my inspiration. In addition, I would like to express gratitude to all of my coauthors. Without their support and guidance, none of the publications would reach to a successful completion.

Azizul Hassan’s Selected Journal Article Projects In ABS 2* Journals •Hassan, A. (2014). Revising the „Five - Fold Framework‟ in Human Resource Management Practices – Insights from a Small Scale Travel Agent. Tourism Analysis: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 19(6), pp. 799-805. •Hassan, A. & Burns, P. (2014). Tourism Policies of Bangladesh – A Contextual Analysis. Tourism Planning & Development, DOI: 10.1080/21568316.2013.874366. ISSN 2156-8316X •Hassan, A. & Iankova, K. (2012). Strategies and Challenges of Tourist Facilities Management in the World Heritage Site: Case of the Maritime Greenwich, London. Tourism Analysis: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 17(6), pp. 791 -803. ISSN 1083-5423X

In Other Peer Reviewed Journals •Hassan, A. & Rahman, M. (in press). World Heritage Site as a Label in Branding a Place, Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development. ISSN: 2044-1266 •Hassan, A. (2013). Perspective Analysis and Implications of Visitor Management Experiences from the Whitechapel Gallery, London. Anatolia: An International Journal of Tourism and Hospitality Research. ISSN 1303-2917X. DOI: 10.1080/13032917.2013.797916 (a Taylor and Francis Publication). •Rahman, M., Rasheed, S., Chowdhury, D. & Hassan, A. (2013). Sense of a Place: Tourist‟s Account of the Political History and Society of South Korea, Review of Enterprise and Management Science (REAMS), 1(1), pp. 51 -59. ISSN 1083-5423X

•Hassan, A. & Forhad, A. (2013). The Role of NGOs in the Sustainable Development of Bangladesh, Present Environment & Sustainable Development, 7(2), pp. 59-72. ISSN 2284 7820X •Hassan, A. (2012). Package Eco-tour‟ as Special Interest Tourism Product-Bangladesh Perspective, Developing Country Studies, 2(1), pp. 1-8. ISSN 2224-607X •Hassan, A. (2012). Key Components for an Effective Marketing Planning: A Conceptual Analysis. International Journal of Management & Development Studies, 2(1), pp. 68-70. ISSN: 2320-0685X •Hassan, A. (2012). Rationalization of Business Planning Through the Current Dynamics of Tourism. International Journal of Management & Development Studies, 2(1), pp. 61-63. ISSN: 2320-0685X

LSC Researchers Quarterly 4 (1) April 2015

Azizul Hassan’s Selected Book Chapter Projects: 1.Dadwal, S. & Hassan, A. (in press). The Augmented Reality Marketing: A Merger of Marketing and Technology in Tourism. In N. Ray (ed.), Emerging Innovative Marketing Strategies in the Tourism Industry. Hershey, USA: IGI Global. 2.Hassan, A. & Dadwal, S. (in press). Search Engine Marketing – An Outlining of Conceptualization and Strategic Application. In W. Ozuem and G. Bowen (eds.), Competitive Social Media Marketing Strategies. Hershey, USA: IGI Global. 3.Hassan, A. & Ramkissoon, H. (accepted). Augmented Reality and Visitor Experiences: Replicating the Impacts in Emerging Tourism Market. In J. N. Albrecht (ed.), Visitor Management. London, UK: Routledge. 4.Hassan, A. & Rahimi, R. (accepted). Technology Use for Sustainable Coastal Tourism in St. Martin‟s Island of Bangladesh. In A. Jones and M. Phillips (eds.), Climate change and coastal tourism. Bristol, UK: Channelview Publications. 5.Hassan, A. & Rahimi, R. (accepted). Consuming „Innovation‟: Feature Analysis of Augmented Reality in Digital Tourism Marketing. In P. Nikolous and I. Bregoli (eds.), Global Dynamics in Travel, Tourism, and Hospitality. Hershey, USA: IGI Global. 6.Hassan, A. & Sharma, A. (accepted). Technology Application in Wildlife Tourism: Demands for Marketing and Safeguarding. In M. A. Khan and J. K. Fatima (eds.), Wilderness of Wildlife Tourism. Waretown, USA: Apple Academic Press, Inc. 7.Hassan, A. & Donatella, P. S. (accepted). Google AdSense as a Mobile Technology in Education. In J. L. Holland (ed.), Handbook of Research on Wearable and Mobile Technologies in Education. Hershey, USA: IGI Global. 8. Hassan, A. & Jung, T. (in press). Augmented Reality as an Emerging Application in Tourism Education. In D. H. Choi, A. Dailey-Hebert and J. S. Estes (eds.), Emerging Tools and Applications of Virtual Reality in Education. Hershey, USA: IGI Global. 9. Hassan, A. & Dey, B. (accepted). Augmented Reality Application with Market Demand Forecasting for Tourism: Approaches and Applications. In J. Rodrigues, P. Cardoso, J. Monteiro and M. Figueiredo (eds), Handbook of Research on Human-Computer Interfaces, Developments, and Applications. Hershey, USA: IGI Global. 10. Hassan, A. (accepted). Social Media Marketing and Family Tourism: Concepts and Interrelationships. In H. Schänzel, I. Yeoman, G. Musa and A. Postma (eds.), The Future of Family Tourism: Trends, Scenarios and Critical Issues. Bristol, UK: Channelview Publications. 11. Hassan, A., Ahmed, M. U. & Rahman, S. (in press). The Development, Nature, and Impact of Medical Tourism in Bangladesh. In M. Cooper and K. Vafadai (eds.), Current Issues and Emerging Trends in Medical Tourism. Hershey, USA: IGI Global.2 12 Hassan, A. (in press). Precarious Youth Employment and the Adoption of Technology as a Possible Tool of Development. In A. Ghai (ed.), Wine and Food Tourism. Chandigarh: Chandigarh University Press. 13. Hassan, A. (in press). The Customization of Electronic Word of Mouth: An Industry Tailored Application for Tourism Promotion. In S. Rathore and A. Panwar (eds.), Capturing, Analyzing and Managing Word-of-Mouth in the Digital Marketplace. Hershey, USA: IGI Global. 14. Hassan, A. (accepted). A Composition of Variable Economic Activities: Cases of Three Groups of Indigenous of Peoples of South Asia. In K. Iankova, A. Hassan and L. A. Rachel (eds.), Indigenous Peoples and Economic Development: An International Perspective. Farnham, UK: Gower Publishing Limited. 15. Hassan, A. (2014). Tour on an Imagined Heritage Trail Set in the Mosque City of Bagerhat, Bangladesh: Cogitation for Market Potentials. In S. P. Bansal, S.Walia and S. A. Rizwan (eds.), TOURISM: Present and Future Perspectives, New Delhi, India: Kanishka Publishers, pp. 30-44. 16 Hassan, A. (2013). What is Dowry in a Modern Wedding Plan?. In M. Daniels and C. Loveless (eds.), Wedding Planning and Management: Consultancy for Diverse Clients (2nd Edition). London, UK: Routledge, pp. 390-391.

LSC Researchers Quarterly 4 (1) April 2015

Azizul Hassan’s Selected Conference Paper Projects 1.Hassan, A. & Shabani, N. (2015). eMarketing Adoption in Tourism and Hospitality Industry in London: Industry Analysis and Some Narratives. 4th International Interdisciplinary BusinessEconomics Advancement Conference (IIBA 2015), the 26nd-29th May, 2015. Las Vegas, NevadaU.S.A. [Online] Available at: http://bit.ly/1BQqGnI 2.Hassan, A., Rahman, M. & Haque, S. M. (2012). Understanding Tourism where the Place has Religious Importance: The Case of Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur. The 4th International Conference on Destination Branding and Marketing (DBM-IV), the 06th of December, 2012. Cardiff, UK: Cardiff Metropolitan University. [Online] Available at: http://bit.ly/103O66Z •Rahman, M., Hassan, A. & Haque, S. M. (2012). Sustainable Tourism Practices and Development: The Case of the Sundarbans. The 4th International Conference on Destination Branding and Marketing (DBM-IV), the 05th of December, 2012. Cardiff, UK: Cardiff Metropolitan University. [Online] Available at: http://bit.ly/103O66Z •Rahman, M. & Hassan, A. (2011). Role of the „World Heritage Site‟ Status as a Label in Branding a Place. The 3rd International Colloquium on Place Management, Marketing and Nation Branding, the 08th of September, 2011. Lincoln, UK: University of Lincoln. [Online] Available at: http://bit.ly/XoYibf •Azim, R. & Hassan, A. (2013). Understanding recent wireless and mobile technological changes for business management practises. 6th International Conference on Business Market Management (BMM 2013), the 20th to 22th of June, 2013. Bamberg, Germany: University of Bamberg. [Online] Available at: http://bit.ly/Ns5u1C 1.Azim, R. & Hassan, A. (2013). Analysing the impact of mobile and wireless technology on Business Management Strategies. 6th International Conference on Business Market Management (BMM 2013), the 20th to 22th of June, 2013. Bamberg, Germany: University of Bamberg. [Online] Available at: http://bit.ly/Ns5u1C •Hassan, A. & Sharma, I. (2012). Spectators‟ perceptions of Migrant Cricketers. Cricket, Migration & Diasporic Communities around the World Conference, the 04th of July, 2012, Leeds, UK: Leeds Metropolitan University. [Online] Available at: http://bit.ly/103QKJT •Sharma, I. & Hassan, A. (2012). Visualising Caste and Social Hierarchy through Sports: Case of the Lagaan Film. Cricket, Migration & Diasporic Communities around the World Conference, the 04th of July, 2012, Leeds, UK: Leeds Metropolitan University. [Online] Available at: http://bit.ly/103QKJT •Shrama, I. & Hassan, A. (2012). Movement of People: Conversion of Cultural Shock into Cultural Adaption. East Meets West: Chinese and Indian Businesses Working in Europe, the 9th of May, 2012. London, UK: University of Greenwich. [Online] Available at: http://bit.ly/103P2sa •Hassan, A. & Shrama, I. (2012). Ethnic Business Organizations‟ in London - Practising „Ethnic Business Strategies‟?. East Meets West: Chinese and Indian Businesses Working in Europe, the 9th of May, 2012. London, UK: University of Greenwich. (Full presentation on electronic format available at: http://vimeo.com/49457164). [Online] Available at: http://bit.ly/103P2sa

LSC Researchers Quarterly 4 (1) April 2015

Dr Uma Mohan Use of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software in Hospitality Industry in United Kingdom. Kos Tourism Conference and Spring School 1-8 May 2015 http://www.kostourismconferences.com/

Quality issues: Beyond the Nigerian institution, International Journal of Research Studies in Management 2015 October, Volume 4 Number 2, 3-12 Adetunji, Adeniyi Temitope Cardiff Metropolitan University, United Kingdom (niyi.adetunji1@yahoo.com)

Abstract The article aims to take a step back to look at the issue of quality in Nigerian universities and identify those factors that have adverse effects on the process of establishing quality in universities but that cannot be controlled by the institutionsâ&#x20AC;&#x; principal officers. This paper reviewed the relevant literature using a standard literature review and found the opinions of 36 principal officers in six Nigerian universities regarding issues that affect quality but that are beyond the institutionsâ&#x20AC;&#x; control. The findings suggest that finance is not the only issue of this type. It was observed that external issues play vital roles in the administration and delivery of university services. The study concluded by discussing issues that would not be considered in other countries as matters for concern but that have an impact beyond what principal officers can control in the Nigerian context. Keywords: quality; principal officers; university; Nigeria Received: 10 January 2015 Revised: 1 March 2015 Accepted: 15 March 2015 Available Online: 4 May 2015 DOI: 10.5861/ijrsm.2015.1075 ISSN: 2243-7770 Online ISSN: 2243-7789 OPEN ACCESS

LSC Researchers Quarterly 4 (1) April 2015

Since graduating Niyi has been prolific. Here is a list of his outputs: 1. Adetunji, ‘Niyi (2014). Government policies in relation to quality management implementation: A Review of Nigerian Universities Principal Officers. Journal of Organisational Studies and Innovation, 1(1), 22-34. Full pdf: http://www.mbacademy.org.uk/index.php/past-issues/volume-1-issue-1 2. Adetunji, A. T. (2015). Understanding Nigerian universities management system. Researchjournali’s Journal of Education, 3(2), 1-10. Full pdf: http://www.researchjournali.com/view.php?id=1378 3. Adetunji, A. T. (2015). University management perspective of quality: A review of Nigerian universities. Net Journal of Social Sciences, 3(1), 1-8. Full pdf: http://netjournals.org/pdf/NJSS/2015/1/15-011.pdf 4. Adetunji, A. T. (2015). Implementing government policies in university education: Challenges Faced by Nigerian Universities’ principal officers. Net Journal of Social Sciences, 3(1): 9-16. Full pdf: http://netjournals.org/pdf/NJSS/2015/1/15-012.pdf 5. Adetunji, A. T. (2015). Impact of principal officers on Nigerian university education. Journal of Organisational Studies and Innovation, 2(1), 28-40. Full pdf: http://www.mbacademy.org.uk/index.php/current-issue/vol-2-issue-1 6. Adetunji, A. T. (2015). Understanding Government Policies In University Education: A Study Of Nigeria University Management. Researchjournali’s Journal of Education, 3(3), 1-17. Full pdf: http://www.researchjournali.com/view.php?id=1480 7. Adetunji, A. T. (2015). Quality Issues: Beyond The Nigerian Institution. International Journal of Research Studies in Management, 4(2), 3-13. Full pdf: http://www.consortiacademia.org/index.php/ijrsm/article/view/1075/491 8. Adetunji, A. T. (2015). University Quality Management Process: A Review Of Nigerian University Principal Officers. Researchjournali’s Journal of Education, 3(4), 1-11. Full pdf: http://www.researchjournali.com/view.php?id=1536 9. Adetunji, A. T., Ogunleye, K. A. & Adeleru, G. S. (2015). Quality Management Mechanisms: A Review Of Nigerian University Principal Officers. Ge-international journal of management research, 3(5), 135-149. Full pdf: http://aarf.asia/geer.php 10. Adetunji, A. T., & Ogunleye, K. A. (2015). Effect Of Government Policies On University Administrators: A Nigeria Review, Ge-international journal of management research, 3(5), 56-69. Full pdf: http://aarf.asia/geer.php I am looking forward to take this into the next level. Please if you have any advice for me at anytime, do not hesitate to drop me an email. 'Niyi Adetunji.

PhD, IPMA, FHEA, PGCert in HE., MSc., BSc. (Hons.) Researcher, Education Consultant, Business Consulting Manager, Critical Realist and Quality Management Expert.

LSC Researchers Quarterly 4 (1) April 2015

Social Marketing Technique: A tool for poverty reduction in Bayelsa State Niger Delta Research Digest. Ebikinei Stanley Eguruze (1) Abstract Social marketing gained significant research attention over the past four decades through its application to wide variety of social change needs. The ultimate benefit of social marketing is that it adds value to life and saving lives only results in win-win for all stakeholders. This paper examines literature relating to social marketing which offers effective approach to ending extreme poverty. The paper highlights the contributions and challenges of social marketing techniques and noted that the application of social marketing has been overlooked in poverty reduction discipline. The paper argues that social marketing is an appropriate persuasive tool that can significantly enhance chances of absolute poverty, and thus recommends its application in Bayelsa.

Keywords: Social marketing, Absolute poverty, Young people, Community organisations, Bayelsa State, Nigeria, Single dimensional, Multidimensional. _________________________________ Ebikinei Stanley Eguruze is a lecturer a the the Depaertment of Business Administration, Faculty of Management Sciences, Niger Delta University, Bayelsa State, Nigeria (on study leave/fellowship). Currently , a PhD research student at Cardiff Metropolitan University (LSC London), UK. His email contact is: segguruze@yahoo.co.uk

LSC Researchers Quarterly 4 (1) April 2015

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF APPLICATION LRIC (LONG RUN INCREMENTAL COST) IN THE JORDANIAN TELECOMMUNICATION COMPANIES (Case Study: Zain, Orange & Umniah) Abdullah Mahmoud Yousef Jwaifel, Dr. Robert Greenwood, 3Prof. Robin Matthews Cardiff Metropolitan University (London School of Commerce)

Abstract This Study aims to investigate in the effectiveness of application LRIC (Long Run Incremental Cost) in the Jordanian Telecommunication Companies, to achieve the main goals of this study, the researcher decides to distribute Questionnaire to the financial decision makers in these companies which are represented by: Financial Managers, Cost Accountants, Accounts managers (Chief Accountants) and Quality Assurance Managers. The researcher used several axes to the questionnaire which presented to the target audience in the three companies (Orange, Zain & Umniah), and these axes were formulated in: Financial Performance, Operational Performance & Competitive Performance, through these axes the researcher put some questions he think it would be able to disclosure of the fact the application of the LRIC model in the companies above. The result of this study came under the researcher expectations, where indicates the existence of a correlation between the applying LRIC models on the Jordanian Telecommunications Companies and (Financial Performance, Operational Performance & Competitive Performance) But in varying degrees. Keywordsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;: (LRIC) Long Run Incremental Cost, Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC), Jordanian Telecommunication Industry (JTI), Jordan Mobile Telephone Services Company (Zain), Jordan Telecom Company (Orange).

Dadang Prasetyo Jatmiko

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RETURN, PER, PBV, SIZE AND BETA IN DIFFERENT DATA PERIOD Investment Management and Financial Innovations. (ISSN 1810-4967 (print), ISSN 1812-9358 (online)) in the Volume 12, Issue 1, 2015.

LSC Researchers Quarterly 4 (1) April 2015

RESEARCH: REINVENTIGN THE WHEEL? Dear Dr. Patel, I read something interesting and you are the only person came to my mind, so I share it with you; "Indeed, one of my major complaints about the computer field is that whereas Newton could say, "If I have seen a little farther than others, it is because I have stood on the shoulders of giants," I am forced to say, "Today we stand on each other's feet." Perhaps the central problem we face in all of computer science is how we are to get to the situation where we build on top of the work of others rather than redoing so much of it in a trivially different way. Science is supposed to be cumulative, not almost endless duplication of the same kind of things". Richard Hamming 1968 Turning Award Lecture Although Hamming talked about the IT researchers but I think this is the case with us the social group researchers too. Have a great day Regards Ghulam Azaz ------Dear Ghulam, Thank you very much for sharing this. It is indeed true, knowledge should accumulate to be of worth to society on the whole. Duplications mean we are inefficient in the way we record knowledge, but more pertinently in the way we make it accessible â&#x20AC;&#x201C; or in this case inaccessible. It is because knowledge is not easily accessible that people have to re-do it countless times. In the social sciences and management studies, the problem is the same, but mainly because there are no dominant theories that can be used to build knowledge. Regards, Nandish

LSC Researchers Quarterly 4 (1) April 2015

Dr Arvind Upadhyay, LSC Research Fellow and Director of Studies, delivers a research seminar on doing publishable research.

Why you should consider publishing on your research journey towards your doctorate? Professor Eleri Jones, Link Tutor and Chair of PhD Confirmation Panel, Cardiff Metropolitan University

A doctoral degree is at level eight in the Quality Assurance Agencyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ) (QAA, 2011), which among other things describes a doctoral qualification as: the creation and interpretation of new knowledge, through original research or other advanced scholarship, of a quality to satisfy peer review, extend the forefront of the discipline, and merit publication. (QAA, 2011; 14) In your viva voce examination the examiners will be looking for evidence that your work is authentic, original and of an appropriate standard. Publishing your work is helpful in this context although, in terms of getting your PhD, actual publications are not essential. Your first priority during your candidature must be to complete your thesis and submit it for viva voce examination. However there are a number of benefits that accrue from publishing your work, particularly in peer-reviewed journals, although presenting a conference paper and writing a book chapter are also valuable exercises. Publishing a conference paper A useful first step into the world of publishing can be presentation of your work at an appropriate conference. Conferences are often announced on the Internet and your supervisor may make suggestions about particularly suitable conferences for you to consider presenting at. Conferences are great opportunities for networking, to meet other researchers with similar interests and to hear the great and good in your discipline area. Keynote speakers are likely to be the leading lights in your discipline area. The comments you get after your presentation will help you to improve the quality and focus of your work. Some conferences specifically have a doctoral workshop led by more experienced academics and can provide excellent advice for the evolution of your research project. 26

Publishing in peer-reviewed journals Please do not underany illusions about how difficult it isto be accepted by a top journal in any field or how protractedthe process can be â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it can take months or even years although (some) journal editors are trying to speed up the response times. However, the benefit you will undoubtedly gain from the experience is well worth the effort you will invest. A list of the top business and management journals is included in the Association of Business Schools Journal list,which can be accessed online and your supervisors should be able to advise you. They may be aware of a special issue of a journal into which your contribution would fit. Please remember that publishing in top journals is extremely competitive and only a small proportion of papers submitted actually get published. A requirement that you make (sometimes considerable) changes to your paper or even outright rejection of your manuscript is much more likely in reality than an acceptance but you should not let this put you off trying as although you will be disappointed if (more likely when) it happens the feedback from an editor or peer reviewers (normally two who may react quite differently to your work!) in requiring amendments or rejecting your contribution can be invaluable in terms of the development of your thesis. There is (unfortunately) no gain without pain! Good luck in your endeavours â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it does not have to be a solo effort and you may choose to co-author with your DoS, your supervisor or indeed other researchers beyond your supervisory team. Co-authors have to earn their place on the publication but anyone who has made an input should be recognized. There are conventions for author order but if the paper is primarily or exclusively based on your work then you should be the lead author.

Preparing a Research Degree Proposal (RDP) - Ethical Approval and Risk Assessment Professor Scott Fleming University Director of Research and Graduate Studies Chair, Research Degrees Committee Cardiff Metropolitan University The Research Degree Proposal (RDP) sets out an intended direction of travel for a programme of research. There are two relatively brief sections of around 200 words each that require some thought to be given to 'ethical approval' and to 'risk assessment' - see Research Degree Proposal Guidance Notes for the Completion of the Form. The section on ethical approval is concerned primarily with an identification of the key themes and issues that will arise or are foreseeable possibilities. Full consideration of them occurs in a separate process and requires the completion of the Application for Ethics Approval form. For the RDP, though, it is sufficient merely to indicate that good practice in research ethics has been formed part of the planning of the research. An important point of departure for this task is voluntary informed consent (VIC) - a cornerstone of research ethics governance. Most projects will address VIC very transparently, but for those that do not, a rationale will be expected (see Fleming, 2013). In dealing with VIC some thought should be given to harm, anonymity, data protection, and so on. There may also be particular concerns about research that is sensitive, and may lead to 'guilty knowledge' or even 'dirty hands', as well as other matters linked to vulnerable populations, the law of the land, and the codes of conduct of subject associations and/or professional bodies. Crucially, though, this part of the RDP requires more than just confirmation of compliance with Cardiff Metropolitan University's principles and procedures for research ethics. As an aside, if you’re looking for somewhere to start on this aspect of the RDP, Roger Homan’s (1991) book, The Ethics of Social Research, remains as relevant now as it was when it was published

“…researchers should treat research participants as though they were their close friends…” first. It is also engagingly written and conceptually sophisticated. Consideration of risk assessment is linked to research ethics. Simply, it is based on anticipation of the things that might go wrong, how likely those eventualities are, and what can be put in place to limit the damage caused by them. Generally, researchers are very good at recognizing the risks to participants in empirical studies, and the principle of 'McFee's Friends' guides research conduct. That is to say, researchers should treat research participants as though they were their close friends (McFee 2010). In contrast, researchers are generally less skilled at anticipating the risks to themselves, to other persons who are not participants, and in particular to the risks to a project as a whole. For instance, what if access to an expected research context or environment becomes impossible? What are the implications of being unable to recruit sufficient participants? How would the proposed research be affected by the resignation of the main 'gatekeeper' who has granted permission for an organisation to be the focus of the research when it has started? This section of the RDP should make clear the contingency planning should these risks become realities. (Incidentally, including this bracketed sentence, the present paragraph about risk assessment has 213 words - slightly more than the approximate amount expected in the RDP.) The consideration of research ethics and the risks associated with a project are all part of the planning of a well-managed project. These sections of the RDP just enable the applicant to make the careful thinking explicit. References Fleming, S. (2013) Social research in sport (and beyond) – Notes on exceptions to informed consent. Research Ethics 9 (1): 32-43. Homan, R. (1991) The Ethics of Social Research. London: Longman. McFee, G. (2010) Ethics, knowledge and truth in sports research: An epistemology of sport. London: Routledge. 28

CARDIFF METROPOLITAN UNVERSITY ACCESS TO THESES You can access theses from schools pf Cardiff Metropolitan University. The PhD theses are held in the institutional repository, DSpace. These are available for anyone to access without needing to sign in. If you select Communities & Collections from the left hand menu and scroll down, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see the PhD theses collection. Alternatively, each school has a Research Degrees collection which holds their own theses. Bethan Library and Information Services Cardiff Metropolitan University E: dspace@cardiffmet.ac.uk W: http://repository.cardiffmet.ac.uk

Leading Social Science Research Delivered Daily Social Science Research Network (SSRN) is devoted to the rapid worldwide dissemination of social science research and is composed of a number of specialized research networks in each of the social sciences. We have received several excellence awardsfor our web site.

http://www.ssrn.com/en/ 29

PHD Support and Networking Web Sites

Vitae is dedicated to realising the potential of researchers through transforming their professional and career development.

The Researcher Development Initiative supports the training and development of researchers in the social sciences at all stages of their career.

Jorum is a Jisc funded Service for UK Further and Higher Education, to collect and share Open Educational Resources (OER), allowing their reuse and repurposing. Research Councils UK (RCUK) are responsible for investing public money in research in the UK to advance knowledge and generate new ideas which lead to a productive economy, healthy society and contribute to a sustainable world.

The Research Information Network is a policy unit funded by the UK higher education funding councils, the seven research councils and the three national libraries.

For more information please visit the information desk, email library@lsclondon.co.uk or call 0207 763

Ethical approval You can apply for ethical approval to collect your research data whenever you are ready. You do not need to have your RDP approved. Complete and submit the ethical approval form.

Vol. 3, Issue 2 | June 2015

Researchers Quarterly

Research Centre

LSC Research Centre Pocock House Campus 235 Southwark Bridge Road LSC Researchers Quarterly 4 (1) London SE1 32 6NP April 2015