For a practice that has influenced the development of most of the musical techniques and compositional forms of Western music (Ferand, 1965, p.5), 'improvisation' is challenging to define. Recently, the graded music examinations offered by the two largest UK-based music examination boards, the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) and Trinity College London (TCL), have added options to assess improvisation within their instrumental curricula without clearly defining what they mean by 'improvisation' or how they assess it. This thesis argues that the lack of consistent definitions by the two leading examination boards results in a lack validity and meaning since it is unclear to examination stakeholders (music teachers, students, examiners and syllabus authors) exactly what is being assessed and how. This thesis investigates how 'improvisation' is defined, practiced, assessed and perceived within instrumental graded musical examinations. Evidence addressing the perspectives of the teaching-and-learning stakeholders is drawn from case-study observations and interviews of instrumental music lessons while candidates prepared for and completed an examination requiring improvisation. The perspectives of the examination board stakeholders are investigated through document analysis of the syllabuses, curricula and institutional websites of the examination boards in addition to interviews with examination board executives. The findings provide an initial investigation into an unexplored intersection of music education, improvisation and the business of graded examination boards. A clearer understanding emerges of the cultural and social practices of improvisation both inside and outside of the hegemony of graded examinations and the teaching-and- learning communities that support them. The findings of this thesis challenge the examination boards and bring more clarity to their assessment practices. and can help guide music teachers and students through the currently unclear landscape of improvisation in the ABRSM and TCL examinations.

A major challenge for supply chain managers is how to manage sourcing relationships to ensure reliable and predictable actions of existing suppliers. The extant research into sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) has suggested the transactional (e.g. monitoring and auditing) and collaboration (e.g. supplier development) as the main two approaches by which buyers can sustain an acceptable level of suppliers' internal social performance. A successful implementation of such approaches, and hence improving suppliers' social performance, often requires a level of cooperation that can be difficult to establish, particularly on the part of suppliers. Despite the recent proliferation of SSCM research, little efforts have been devoted to exploring the factors that increase the effectiveness of the two approaches. This research aims to examine the individual and combined effect of socially sustainable transactional practices (SSTPs) and socially sustainable collaboration practices (SSCPs) on supplier's internal social performance and buyer's operational performance. The study also sets out to examine the moderating effects of social capital dimensions (i.e. relational, cognitive and structural) on the relationships among SSTPs, SSCPs and supplier's internal social performance. A mail survey was administered to 1,250 stratified randomly selected large manufacturing companies operating in the UK. An analysis of 119 responses using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation modelling (PLS-SEM) revealed that SSTPs are ineffective in driving supplier's internal social performance, whilst SSCPs are more effective. Moreover, although the interaction effect of SSTPs and SSCPs is non-significant, the data suggested that the simultaneous implementation can be detrimental to supplier's internal social performance. Furthermore, social capital dimensions were found to play different roles on the implementation of SSTPs and SSCPs. Relational capital plays a unique role by increasing the effectiveness of both SSTPs and SSCPs, while cognitive capital is critical for SSCPs, and structural capital is vital for SSTPs. This study contributes to SSCM literature by exclusively focusing on the social dimension of sustainability, examining the joint implementation of SSTPs and SSCPs and featuring the centrality of social capital in the implementation of SSCM practices. The study sets a foundation for new research avenues in the SSCM context and provides a set of managerial implications that support informed decision-making by supply chain managers.

Many onshore windfarms in Scotland are being built on peatlands. As a consequence, the impacts of development activities on the peatland and downstream environments are an important emerging issue. For example, a reduction of the quantity of carbon (C) stored in the peatland and increased phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) concentrations in streams may cause changes in the peatland carbon sink strength and aquatic carbon emissions, and exceedance of EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) P threshold values, respectively. To further assess the impacts from peatland-based windfarm development, the following four research questions were posed: 1. Which specific development activities have the greatest impact on concentrations of C, N and P in streams? How long does it take for C, N and P concentrations to return to baseline conditions? 2. Which specific windfarm development activities caused the greatest aquatic export of carbon and nutrients? 3. What are the controls on concentration and export of aquatic C, N and P in streams draining peatland developments? 4. How effective are site-derived adsorbent materials and an iron ochre at preventing phosphorus from entering upland streams on peatland? Presented in this thesis, are the results from 3-weekly spatial streamwater sampling of 18 sub-catchments (ranging 0.03 - 12 km2) – from October 2011 to March 2013 – which covers the majority of the peatland-based development and one year beyond, of the Whitelee windfarm Phase 2 extension 16 km south of Glasgow, Scotland. Dissolved and particulate organic carbon (DOC/POC), soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) and total oxidised nitrogen (TON) concentrations were measured and exports were calculated from stream gauging. The spatial catchment controls on stream water chemistry were investigated through a multiple linear regression analysis. Fraction of sub-catchment area that was subject to forest felling was found to be significantly positively correlated with concentrations and exports of DOC, POC, SRP and TON; with TON specifically by felling that had occurred more than one year previously. Density of tracks / cable trenches / turbines, and fraction non-forested area in general exerted a negative control on exports. Evidence of SRP attenuation processes in addition to dilution were found in some streams. While neither river sediment nor track or cable trench gravels were very effective at removing SRP, from the results of batch adsorption experiments, a sample of mineral subsoil was. SRP was attenuated in areas where there was a greater proportion of peaty gleys, in the riparian zone along the main stream, and the outcome of the batch adsorption experiments points to attenuation of SRP onto mineral subsoils, where present. Comparing long-term (seven year) time series of the original Whitelee windfarm directly north of the site, with the extension site (this study) it was possible to estimate the time required for recovery to pre-development concentrations. Mean annual [DOC] increased to 31.4 mg l-1 during development of the extension site. While it took five years for the DOC to recover at the original site, in the year following development at the extension site, mean annual [DOC] was still above the baseline. Mean annual [POC] increased to a maximum of 2.6 mg l-1 during development of the extension site, and as with the original site it returned to the baseline the year following development. The mean annual [SRP] increased to a maximum of 50.5 μg l-1 during development, leading to a reduction in water quality from ‘good’ to ‘moderate’ based on comparison with Environmental Quality Standards (EQS). It took four years for the SRP to recover at the original site, and mean annual [SRP] was still above baseline at the extension site in the year following development. The streamwater C, N and P has not been measured as close to, and for such a range of, windfarm development activities. This research has demonstrated links between windfarm development, forest felling in particular, and increased concentrations and exports of DOC, POC, SRP and TON in streams. While the increases were localised within the site itself, investigation of attenuation processes point to peaty gley soils along the main stream, and tracks, cable trenches and turbines – and their associated settling lagoons and silt fences – as potentially mitigating the increased dissolved carbon and nutrients. Outcomes of this research are suggested improvements to the guidance for developing peatlands, especially with regards to monitoring streamwater carbon for a sufficient period post-development, and for the removal of brash on peat soils. Further research could investigate the use of adsorption materials to mitigate phosphorus mobilisation from brash sources to streams, over a time scale of at least two years at the field scale. Laboratory-based environmental fate studies of the increased streamwater carbon could investigate the rates of CO2 efflux with time and with varying concentrations of nutrients, which would help to improve the Scottish Government's carbon calculator estimates of carbon loss from peatland-based windfarm development.

As international education continues to expand, countries providing such opportunities not only benefit but also face challenges. For traditional destinations, including the United States and the United Kingdom, the number of international students has been falling. At the same time emerging economies, such as China, are witnessing a rapid increase in the number of international students enrolled in their universities. China is, therefore, beginning to play an important role in the competitive global market for higher education. This thesis analyses and compares the experiences of international students in the UK and China using Transformative Learning theory. While there is an extensive literature on both international higher education and also Transformative Learning theory there are three important contributions that this thesis makes. First, this research applies the theory to two international student groups: UK students in Chinese universities and Chinese students in UK universities. Second, this study includes a focus on the intercultural learning of Chinese doctoral students in the UK filling a gap in current research. Finally, this investigation has extended the very limited number of current research projects on UK students in China. It is generally acknowledged that international students will experience various challenges when they are in a culturally different context. Little research has focused on how and why learners are transformed through exposure to their new environment and, also, why sometimes they are not. This study applies Transformative Learning theory to address two research questions: first, do UK international students in Chinese universities and Chinese international students in UK universities experience transformational learning in/during their overseas studies? Second, what factors foster or impede international students' experience of transformative learning? To answer the above questions semi-structured interviews were used to investigate international students' academic and social experiences. Based on the insights provided by Mezirow, Taylor, and previous studies on international students, I argue that international students' intercultural experience is a complex process. Transformation can occur in various ways and social and personal perspectives underpin the transformative learning of the students. Contributing factors include culture shock, educational conventions, the student's motivation, expectations, personality, gender and previous work experience. The results reflect the significance of differences in teaching styles in the UK and China and the impact this can have on the student teaching and learning process when they move to a new university.

在 1979 年保守黨執政前的四十年可說是凱因斯理論盛行的時代，當時世界經濟陷入蕭條，失業人口遽增，故凱因斯提出以財政政策來調節「市場失靈」的現象。不過自 1970 年代後期，由於二次石油危機之衝擊，各地皆有物價持續上漲、失業率居高不下的經濟難題，此種停滯性膨脹之經濟情況已非凱因斯理論所能解釋，故經濟學家只好另謀解決之道。 1970 年代以 Friedman 為首的貨幣學派乘勢興起，其理論哲學認為一切總體問題之根源皆起於貨幣管理不當，因此欲解決通貨膨脹問題，其第一要務即為控制貨幣供給。自保守黨上台以來，即謹守著貨幣學派的理念，不僅強調貨幣數量之控制，亦注重供給面之成長以恢復經濟之生產力。 在柴契爾執政期間所推出的重要具體措施--中期財金策略( Medium-term Financial Strategy ，MTFS)即是以貨幣學派之理念為基礎的政府計畫。主要內容即是藉由 ￡M3 之執行成效外，本文就構成 PSBR 的兩面，支出面與收入面另有專章討論。 對於構成 PSBR 的支出面，吾人將要探討政府支出結構之變化、總支出占 GDP 之規模，以及是否達成保守黨欲縮減支出規模的目標。另外，對於移轉性支付中的社會安全制度，特別探討其造成「貧窮陷阱」及「失業陷阱」對經濟活動有何不良的影響，以及有何改進之道。 接著探討構成 PSBR 的收入面，吾人針對民營化收入及租稅收入進行討論。民營化之收益豐富，但終有出售殆盡的一天，故應注重其在預算中的列示方式及其用途。租稅方面則談到保守黨著名的重課消費、輕課所得理論，認為直接稅負擔有礙私人經濟誘因，故應大幅減輕。但實際的統計資料卻顯示間接稅負擔的確有所增加，但直接稅之負擔卻不見得減少。 最後，基於市場經濟力量萬能的理念，凡是私人能夠做好的事，政府皆不應干預，故政府在財政方面應力求預算平衡，如此才能將資源導入最有效率之途徑，公私部門間之報酬率相等，唯有當混合經濟體系取得平衡才能達到消除通貨膨脹、促進經濟成長之目的。

<p>This thesis aims at explaining why the UK residential electricity (retail) market enjoys high gross margins in comparison to Vattenfall’s markets in for example Sweden. Gross margin is the difference between selling price and purchase costs, in this case the wholesale electricity price. The wholesale market essentially affects all retailers in the same way and can be analysed separately, therefore it is of great interest to analyse how there can be such a wide gap between the end-user electricity price and the wholesale price. Since the UK electricity market is seen as a forerunner to other markets, being an early adopter of liberalisation of a previously state-controlled industry and seen as the most competitive market in the world, it seems a bit odd that retail electricity prices are not pushed down to a margin cost level as is expected on a perfectly competitive market.</p><p>The report concludes that there are substantially higher gross margins on the UK market and then goes on to determine which the underlying drivers to this situation are. There are two underlying socio-cultural factors that have driven the development of the market. First it is the history of deregulation that brought lower end-user prices but also bad service experiences. Secondly, the UK public has a market-friendly mentality and acceptance to how the industry works. The result is that focus has moved away from price and there is little public worry about the market being too concentrated. Two more underlying drivers are related to the properties of the market: the linkage between gas and electricity that has lessened the impact of the electricity price and the UK trading system that makes it hard for new retailers to enter the market and put a pressure downwards on prices and gross margins.</p><p>These four underlying drivers have created a market situation where price has not been perceived as the only value component of electricity and where the focus on price and gross margins has been overshadowed by other issues in the public debate. The troublesome history have produced a ‘demand for brand’ that signals safety, which has helped building substantial barriers of entry and survival for non-incumbents retailers. Together with a highly consolidated market structure, a handful of large retailers are enabled to dominate the market and push up prices with little fear of retribution from competitors or society.</p> / The attachment F is data corrections of figures 1.7 and 1.8.

Using 2005 data from Gallup public opinion surveys on attitudes toward immigration policy in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom this study explores the factors that impact attitudes. Additional analysis is conducted on the United States exploring how economic, political and associative measures impact attitudes.

The research is aimed at investigating how the common EU social and economic strategies, namely the 'Lisbon strategy' and the 'EU 2020', have been influential as a 'EU incentive' in European social partners having drawn the matter of employment of migrant workers both at Member state level and at European level by looking into their respective changes in responses towards the matter in the course of the two strategies. The research has found that there have been changes made in the European social partners' responses regarding the problematic matter of migrant workers' employment, namely precarious working conditions and lower employment rates than native workers, at all levels. To be specific, the trade unions have begun to emphasize more proactive protection of migrants at workplace than before. However, there is little evidence that it was the result of either the Lisbon or the EU2020. It was rather much more because of the evolving European economic market circumstance that has been getting liberalized more actively as the single market goes on, featured by the problematic side of the increase of posted workers and agency workers. Especially, the research is also aimed at shedding a light on how the Lisbon and the EU2020 have been articulated in the two different economic, social and employment models, namely the Nordic model and the Western model by investigating the Swedish case and the UK case in the study of Member state level social partners.

This thesis aims at explaining why the UK residential electricity (retail) market enjoys high gross margins in comparison to Vattenfall’s markets in for example Sweden. Gross margin is the difference between selling price and purchase costs, in this case the wholesale electricity price. The wholesale market essentially affects all retailers in the same way and can be analysed separately, therefore it is of great interest to analyse how there can be such a wide gap between the end-user electricity price and the wholesale price. Since the UK electricity market is seen as a forerunner to other markets, being an early adopter of liberalisation of a previously state-controlled industry and seen as the most competitive market in the world, it seems a bit odd that retail electricity prices are not pushed down to a margin cost level as is expected on a perfectly competitive market. The report concludes that there are substantially higher gross margins on the UK market and then goes on to determine which the underlying drivers to this situation are. There are two underlying socio-cultural factors that have driven the development of the market. First it is the history of deregulation that brought lower end-user prices but also bad service experiences. Secondly, the UK public has a market-friendly mentality and acceptance to how the industry works. The result is that focus has moved away from price and there is little public worry about the market being too concentrated. Two more underlying drivers are related to the properties of the market: the linkage between gas and electricity that has lessened the impact of the electricity price and the UK trading system that makes it hard for new retailers to enter the market and put a pressure downwards on prices and gross margins. These four underlying drivers have created a market situation where price has not been perceived as the only value component of electricity and where the focus on price and gross margins has been overshadowed by other issues in the public debate. The troublesome history have produced a ‘demand for brand’ that signals safety, which has helped building substantial barriers of entry and survival for non-incumbents retailers. Together with a highly consolidated market structure, a handful of large retailers are enabled to dominate the market and push up prices with little fear of retribution from competitors or society. / The attachment F is data corrections of figures 1.7 and 1.8.

This study is a discourse analysis of media representations of young people’s participation in the summer riots that spread across the UK in August 2011. Drawing on articles published in three UK newspapers The Guardian, The Daily Mail and The Sun this paper critically assesses the ways in which the media identified the behaviour of young people as symptomatic of a general moral decline in British society. Along with the media portrayal of children and young people during these events, the study also highlights the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child as a further way of questioning the reporting practices of mainstream media. Articles 2, 12 and 13 will have specific focus in the study, in order to evaluate the media’s recurrent misrepresentation of young people’s participation in decision making on matters concerning their own wellbeing.