Category / BU Challenges

Daily Echo report on BU research into wellbeing of older people

BU Challenges, BU research

The economic downturn is having a marked impact on the wellbeing of ‘asset rich, cash poor’ older people in Dorset, Bournemouth University (BU) researchers have found.

The study looked at the financial challenges facing retired older people, who are often considered to be asset rich but cash poor, owning property but not receiving a large monthly income.

As well as the economic downturn affecting their social, mental and physical wellbeing, researchers found that the income many older people expected when planning for retirement had not come to fruition, and they felt poor in relation to their previous lifestyle and expectations.

Read more at…..

http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/10438614.Dorset_s__asset_rich__cash_poor__elderly_suffering_in_recession/

OR

http://icas.org.uk/hean/

 

New PhD at HSC!

BU Challenges

Colleen Deane has recently joined the School of Health and Social Care to commence a BU matched funded PhD studentship investigating novel mechanisms regulating muscle mass in the elderly. Colleen has just successfully completed her Masters (with distinction) in Physical Activity, Nutrition and Health Promotion, where she investigated the effects of specific hormones (Testosterone) and polyphenols (Resveratrol) on artificially aged skeletal muscle cells, extracted from rodent mice. This PhD aims to enhance current understanding of the mechanisms regulating age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass (termed ‘sarcopenia’) and the associated reductions in mobility, general health and quality of life. Whilst exercise and nutritional interventions improve muscle size and function in young individuals, this response is attenuated in elderly muscle. Thus, using a combination of physiological and metabolic/molecular techniques these studies will investigate novel mechanisms underlying the blunted response of ageing muscle to exercise and nutritional growth stimuli. For further information contact Colleen on cdeane@bournemouth.ac.uk.

PGR students – sign up to the BU Research Themes!

BU Challenges, PG research

The BU Research Themes were launched in December at the first of the BU-wide Fusion events. The Themes are societally-led, encourage cross-School working and collaboration, and will be the main vehicle through which BU research is presented externally in future.

We’re now encouraging postgraduate research students to sign up to one or more of the Themes! This is a great way to get involved in the BU research environment and to meet other academics and students from across the University.

There are eight BU Research Themes:

  • Creative & Digital Economies
  • Culture & Society
  • Entrepreneurship & Economic Growth
  • Environmental Change & Biodiversity
  • Green Economy & Sustainability
  • Health, Wellbeing & Aging
  • Leisure & Recreation
  • Technology & Design

If you would like to join one or more of the Themes, then complete the form below and I will add you to the list.

    Your Name (required)

    Your Email (required)

    Your School / Professional Service (required)

    Staff or PGR student? (required)

    StaffPGR

    Please select the themes that you are interested in (required)

    The BU Challenges: the way forward

    BU Challenges, Fusion

    The BU Challenges (previously the Research Themes) were launched in December at the first of the BU-wide Fusion events. The Challenges are societally-led, encourage cross-School working and collaboration, and will be the main vehicle through which our research is presented externally in future.

    To discuss how to take the Challenges forward and foster collaborative working, Matthew Bennett would like to talk to all staff interested in the Challenges. Matthew will spend an hour per Challenge either in the Costa in the Atrium or in the Costa in Studland House and invites you to join him to talk about the way forward for each theme.

    The session times are listed below:

    Research Theme

    Date and Venue
    Creative and Digital Economy 11 January – 2.00 pm to 3.00 pmCosta Coffee Shop, Poole House

     
    Culture and Society 12 January – 2.30 pm to 3.30 pmCosta Coffee Shop, Poole House

     
    Environmental Change and Biodiversity 16 January – 2.00 pm to 3.00 pmCosta Coffee Shop, Poole House

     
    Entrepreneurship and Economic Growth 18 January – 11.00 am to 12.00 pmCosta Coffee Shop, Studland House

     
    Green Economy and Sustainability 18 January – 4.00 pm to 5.00 pmCosta Coffee Shop, Poole House

     
    Recreation and Leisure 19 January – 10.00 am to 11.00 amCosta Coffee Shop, Poole House

     
    Health, Wellbeing and Aging 25 January – 1.30 pm to 2.30 pmCosta Coffee Shop, Studland House

     
    Technology and Design 23 January – 4.00 pm to 5.00 pmCosta Coffee Shop, Poole House

     

    Digital Hub event on 19th July

    BU Challenges

    The launch event for the Digital Hub is drawing near and we have over 70 registrations and growing interest and publicity. This event is primarily aimed at external organisations and is designed to showcase BU research related to the creative and digital economy. We’ve got a great program lined up and a fantastic keynote speaker who is also an ex-BU graduate. More information is available at : http://digital-day-bournemouth-university.eventbrite.com/ and it would be great if you know of any businesses and organisations who would benefit from attending the event if you could push this link and information out to your networks. As there are already a lot of staff participating in the event from 5 different schools we are not opening it up to general staff registration, however if you would like to find out more about the Hub please email : thedigitalhub@bournemouth.ac.uk

     

    Digital Hub publicity

    Cultural and Social Change (Barry Richards and Rosie Read)

    BU Challenges

    A number of colleagues from four Schools (AS, HSC, MS, ST) met on Monday 27th June to consider whether a meaningful theme, complementary to those already in development, could be defined within the broad territory of the social sciences and humanities. We had a useful discussion around the following points:

    1. The themes are being defined as a way of presenting BU’s research externally, but may have internal effects, in promoting collaborations, inflecting research identities, etc.
    2. There will inevitably be major areas of overlap between several themes, given that all are broadly defined.
    3. Dialogue between themes in the development phase would help to clarify boundaries.
    4. The themes of ‘Creative & digital economies’ and ‘Leisure and tourism’, and also ‘Health and well-being’, were ones where overlaps and interfaces with a ‘culture&society’ one would be most obvious.
    5. Contributions to the debate about how to define a ‘culture&society’ theme had suggested that ‘history’ and ‘welfare’ were two important parameters, amongst others.
    6. In the discussion we were very aware of the need to introduce some limits to the theme, and of the possibility therefore that some ‘potential ‘members’ might not fit into the final definition of it.
    7. There was also a view that we should try to include both social scientific and more humanities-based researchers.

    The proposal that the phrase ‘Cultural and social change’ might be an appropriate theme title was favourably received. While still very broad (no doubt in some contexts unhelpfully so), it puts implicit emphasis on the historical context (‘change’ being a process in time), which is important for those studying contemporary life as well as for those actually doing historical research. It would encompass researchers of different philosophical orientation, and is hospitable to agendas of social engagement (such as the social welfare vision from HSC, the commentaries on democratic culture from MS, contributions to media and cultural policy/production from MS and ST, and the perspectives on various social issues from AS). Whether the theme title can be modified to reflect explicitly this principle of engagement for social betterment remains to be seen.

    The meeting decided that in order to produce a full prospectus for this theme we would invite any interested colleagues to contribute further inputs to it – building on or otherwise responding to the above – via the Research blog. These could be thoughts about the overall theme, or suggestions for specific elements to be within it. If you’d like to do so, please indicate which heading of the theme template you are addressing (summary, scope in/out, ‘big societal questions’ which the theme addresses, link to RC priorities, interlinks with other BU themes). Given the need to finalise a statement about the theme within the next month, we agreed that blog-based conversations and inputs could run until 15 July, at which point a smaller group would hopefully collate them into a generally acceptable statement which would establish the theme across at least the four Schools so far involved. Myself and Rosie Read are happy to play a part in that group; if anyone else is interested please let us know.

    You can access the latest version of the scoping document for the Cultural & Society theme here:  Cultural and Social Change – July 2011

    In the meantime, to help consolidate the responses so far around this theme, please note that the previous two discussion threads entitled ‘Culture and Society (Rosie Read)‘ and ‘Culture and Society (Barry Richards)‘ are now closed and all future responses related to this theme should be made to this post using the link below. Thank you.

    Barry Richards

    Culture and Societal Change: Methodologies

    BU Challenges

    I would concur with the idea raised at our recent meeting that a defining feature of this theme could encompass some specific forms of methodology underpinning epistemology  relevant to the social sciences and humanities. I would suggest that ethnography and its variants are a key form of methodology commonly used by a number of interested members of our emerging group; in addition to case studies, narrative and oral history methodologies. I’m sure there would be a number of other methodologies that colleagues might wish to suggest as well, including quantitative methods commonly used in the social sciences, for example. Although precisely how to define these as distinctive to this theme, as opposed to others, may be more of a challenge. Perhaps here the ‘naturalistic’ social context of any epistemological undertaking, as opposed to the more ‘controlled’ positivistic context might be one way forward.

    Sara Crabtree

    Culture and Society

    BU Challenges

    There are dangers with trying to develop too focused a title for this research theme as this is likely to lead to exclusion of potentially interesting and important areas of research and research collaboration. For instance, adding ‘change’ or ‘cohesion’ introduces a particular idea that socially transformative research would be privileged above, say, methodological endeavour. Whilst there are problems with the use of the singular forms in ‘culture and society’, it perhaps allows for the emergence of greater productive diversity in developing what is likely to be a wide and changing brief.

    The ways in which societies and cultures are understood, analysed and approached, and the meanings created by these for individuals and groups within them, again offers fertile ground for exploration and cross-school collaborative work, and this too is an area which would be useful to include within the theme’s overarching brief.

    Inclusivity and broad coverage is important. It is within this context that exciting pockets of research can develop across the university. Let’s not be too prescriptive at this stage of the game.

    Professor Jonathan Parker

    ‘Society and Social Welfare’,  HSC

    Creative and Digital Economy

    BU Challenges

    Authors: John Oliver and Darren Lilleker

    Alternative name suggestion: Creative and Digital Society

    Brief theme summary:

    This theme aims to explore the way digital  technologies are developed, and how they are used and applied within organisational and  social contexts. One important aspect of this is to understand technological developments, we argue that the key to understand the impacts of technologies is to adopt a social constructionist approach. This allows us to understand how users shape technologies to facilitate the accomplishment of their own objectives. We will explore this by looking at usage by corporate, media, political or governmental organisations, highlighting innovations in usage in order to develop best practice guidelines. However, this will be supplemented by focusing on end user perspectives. In particular we want to connect understandings of organisational usage to the way in which the broader consumers and citizens engage with technologies. The extent to which these facilitate participation in the development of consumer goods and services or public or social policy, and how technologies afford users the opportunity to be content creators, shaping the experiences of other users within a collaborate ecosystem. Of equal interest is how usage feeds back into technological development to explore the circularity between developers, professional users and the broader online participants, audiences and users.

    Scope of theme: what is included?

    We would cover any area of academic research where digital technology has relevance and meaning. However, specific areas could include; creative arts, creative industries, film, special effects, computer animation, computer games, marketing communications, digital marketing, media communication, journalism, social media, branding, media production, story-telling, cloud computing, geographic information systems,  consumer psychology and behaviour, digital citizenship, and audiences.

    Scope of theme: what is excluded?

    We would cover any area of academic research where digital technology has relevance and meaning to the economy or society. Research conducted under the umbrella of this theme would include the development and application of technology in a wide variety of contexts and would exclude areas of study that would not have a digital technology component.

    Which big societal questions are addressed by this theme?

    • What are the sources of knowledge and creativity?
    • How will digital technologies change the way we work and communicate?
    • What is the role of social innovation and exchange?
    • How do people engage with digital technologies?
    • How will stories be created and conveyed through digital media in the future?
    • How will audiences be reached and engaged in the future?
    • What roles do trust, data protection and privacy play in a digital society?
    • What is intellectual property and who owns it?

    How do this link to the priorities of the major funding bodies?

    NESTA – interested in innovation and the role it has to play in enhancing eeconomic growth in the creative economy and public services.

    AHRC – provide numerous opportunities through in their knowledge economy and innovation agenda. Particularly, emphasis is placed on funding research into improvements in social and intellectual capital, community identity, learning skills, technological evolution and the quality of life of the nation.

    ESRC – have strategic priorities relating to; Understanding and influencing behaviour, Technology and innovation, Economic Performance and Sustainable Growth.

    TSB – Innovation is a key enabler of growth. They place an emphasis on the Creative Industries, and in particular, how to exploiting digital technologies and commercialise digital content.

    British Academy – a wide range of opportunities in the humanities and social sciences, opportunities.

    EPSRC – have strategic priorities that relate to; information and communications technology, digital economy, user-led knowledge.

    European Union – opportunities under FP7 for research into commercialisation, competitiveness and knowledge-based economy.

    Leverhulme – broad range of opportunities. 

    How does this theme interlink with the other BU themes currently under consideration?

    Since the digital world is increasingly embedded in all areas of life, we would see this theme linking with all other BU research themes.

     

    Health and Wellbeing (Wei-Jun Liang, Kevin McGhee and David Osselton)

    BU Challenges

    Author: Kevin McGhee, Wei-Jun Liang, M. David Osselton (ApSci)

    Alternative name suggestion:

    Living with environmental change – Health and Wellbeing in the Fast-changing Environments

    Functional Genomics and Integrated Systems Biology

    Brief theme summary: 

    In the dynamic and fast-changing natural or social environments, we are exposed to a variety of pollutants, drugs, viruses and deadly pathogens. As the ages of our population are rising, so are degenerative diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular and Alzheimer’s diseases. Therefore, understanding those environmental impacts on human health and aging is paramount and becomes one of the top priorities in the vision of RCUK.

    Differences in genetic make-up between individuals and different populations make us respond differently to harmful agents including prescribed medicinal drugs, beneficial to some or detrimental to others.  The desire to understand detailed mechanisms in order to provide better healthcare had been monumentally dispirited before we were able to reveal the detailed differences in our genomes. Ever since the completion of human genome sequencing in 2004, the advancement in genome sciences in conjunction with that of environmental sciences provides opportunities for substantiating the improvement of human health and wellbeing as well as management of  healthcare of aging populations. Since the genomic sequences of many other important organisms have also been determined, comparative genomic studies between humans and amongst other organisms is currently the most powerful way to unravel the intricate interrelationships of human health and environment. In the post-genome era, this newer vision of biological sciences driven by the concept of systems biology is currently pursued internationally.

    With our expertise in molecular biology, human genetics, toxicology and analytical chemistry as well as some of the essential equipment, we can take advantage of functional genomics in order to drive the research theme in human health and wellbeing, and aging, in relation to environmental, social and cultural factors.

    Scope of theme: what is included?

     Our current on-going research embraces the following areas:

     Pharmacogenomics

    • Molecular networks of integrin-linked mechanical signalling in relation to human heart disease – Bioimaging (in collaboration with Professor Jiang Jun Zhang of Media School and Professor Adrian Podoleanu of Kent University).
    • Impacts of SNP (genetic variations) on the toxicities of methadone amongst populations (in collaboration with Professor David Paunder of Dundee University).
    • Impacts of SNP (genetic variations) on the efficacy of morphine in patient pain management (collaboration with Tamas Hikish of Royal Bournemouth Hospital and Dr Joy Ross of Royal Marsden Hospital in London).

    Biodiversities and conservation

    • Evaluation and protection of local red squirrel populations in Dorset (in collaboration with Dr Kathy Hodder).
    • Evaluation and protection of local Padina species to exploit their economic potential (in collaboration with Dr Roger Herbert).
    • Molecular mechanisms of pheromone-communications of diverse species (in collaboration with Professor Rudy Gozlan).
    • DNA profiling for human and animal identifications in the fields of anthropology and archaeology.

    Our topics of interests in the immediate future:

    • Human vitamin C transport and its impact on human degenerative diseases, such as cardiovascular and Alzheimer’s diseases.
    • Human detoxification pathways in relation to the glucuronidation and transport, and personalised medicine (in collaboration with Prof Stephen Wong of Wake Forest University, USA)
    • Molecular mechanisms of infectious diesease (in collaboration with Professor Rudy Gozlan).

    Scope of theme: what is excluded? Not sure.

    Which big societal questions are addressed by this theme?

    Humans are exposed to a variety of pollutants, drugs, viruses and deadly pathogens in the modern fast-changing environments. Degenerative diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular and Alzheimer’s diseases are often associated with aging. To effectively maintain human health and wellbeing, understanding those environmental impacts on human health and aging using the approaches of functional genomics and systems biology is paramount and becomes one of the top priorities in the vision of RCUK.

    How do these link to the priorities of the major funding bodies?

    Health and well being is one of the most important research areas funded by some of the CRUK, namely, the BBSRC, the Wellcome Trust, the MRC, the Royal Society, from which we could sort future funding.

    Our proposed research theme fits very well to the underlined strategic research priorities of the Two Current Research Priority Themes of the MRC:

    • Resilience, repair and replacement (Natural protection, Tissue disease and degeneration, Mental health and wellbeing, and Repair and replacement).
    • Living a long and healthy life (Genetics and disease, Life course perspective, Lifestyles affecting health, Environment and health).

    As highlighted by the BBSRC, systems biology is the pivotal approach for addressing issues in human health, aging and diseases. It is an effective way forward to study human health in the aspects of epidemiology, such as parasites, virus, and infectious disease. Our research theme also fits well to strategic research priorities of the BBSRC, in exploiting new ways of working were outline as:

    • Data driven biology
    • Synthetic biology
    • Systems approaches to the biosciences
    • Technology development for the biosciences 

    Our research theme also fits well to The Cross–Council Priorities outlined by the BBSRC:

    The Wellcome Trust also focuses on health and wellbeing associated with functional genomics. The Royal Society promotes international collaborations, and is encouraging collaborative studies on human health, wellbeing and aging impacted by population single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) coincided with human life style and different ethnicities in the diverse living environments.

    To follow the strategies outlined by RCUK in promoting 3Rs (Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research), we propose to use the cost-effective and well characterised model organisms, fruit-fly and zebra fish to study the molecular mechanisms in conjunction with survey data from human subjects.  The genome information of those model organisms is known and the organisms are amendable to genetic defects and molecular manipulations.  Moreover, at least 75% of human disease genes have their counterparts in their genomes. 

    How does this theme interlink with the other BU themes currently under consideration?

    Our research theme is complementary to the existing research in HSC and will be of interest to local hospitals and communities. Although a small team, we have the expertise in molecular biology, toxicology, and analytical chemistry with some of the essential equipment. Our current research orientations already fit well with the remit of our university research and enterprise strategies. We certainly would like to contribute to the existing theme of research orientations, particularly, health and well being, aging, environmental sciences, and social and cultural sciences within the university. Our expertise will enable us to form close link with the existing research groups that have already formed critical mass, particularly in the ApSci and HSC.

    Through our research, we have already formed strong links with the Media School of BU and Physics Department in the University of Kent for bioimaging and biomodelling. We have already submitted a strong interdisciplinary research proposal to the MRC, addressing the impacts of genome on heart diseases. We will maintain this collaborative consortium and continuously formulate research proposals to address issues involved in human health and wellbeing.  We have also established strong links with Dr Helen Machitia of Glasgow University, Joy Gill of Imperial College School of Medicine for collaborative research in science and society.

    Since we already have the expertise and facilities in fish studies in the School of Applied Sciences, it is logial and efficient to use the well characterised model organism, zebra fish to address questions in human health, fish conservation and environment issues.

    Ageing (Kevin McGhee, Wei-Jun Liang, M. David Osselton)

    BU Challenges

    Author: Kevin McGhee, Wei-Jun Liang, M. David Osselton (ApSci)

    Alternative name suggestion: Genomics and Ageing (as a variant or sub-theme perhaps?)

    Brief theme summary:  Demographically, the town of Bournemouth is enriched with an older, predominantly Caucasian population. Studies already proposed within this blog forum suggest that data of a phenotypic nature is available within the BU community. By introducing genomics as a tool to enhance the understanding of several themes: Ageing, Health and Wellbeing, Culture and Society and Environmental Change and Biodiversity we believe that expertise within the Forensic and Biological Sciences group (ApSci) can create new opportunities for research.

    We propose to collect DNA from the Bournemouth geographical area and match this with existing phenotypic data to create a rich knowledge databank that we can share with existing and future genomic collaborative initiatives, leading to high impact papers.

    Scope of theme: what is included? Gene x environment interaction; population genetics; psychological genetics; cognitive genetics; cancer genetics; cardiovascular genetics; genetics of ageing; biological ageing; toxicogenomics, functional genomics; cellular ageing; Alzheimer’s; dementia.

    Scope of theme: what is excluded? Not entirely sure – open for discussion.

    Which big societal questions are addressed by this theme?

    Societal question: What is my risk of developing an illness e.g. Cardiovascular disease*?  It is known that fatty streaks can appear on the major arteries of children as young as one year old. Through environmental influences such as diet, nutrition, exercise and co-morbidity, the risk of an individual child developing atherosclerosis in later adult life can change in response to a number of lifestyle factors. However, at a cellular level individual variation in genes involved in atherosclerosis pathogenesis influence how one’s lifestyle factors modify that risk (and vice versa). By combining data from health science, social science and psychology with biological data such as DNA, a greater understanding of the profound interaction between genes and environment can be achieved (*This can be substituted for any disease of your choice).

    Can you pose these questions?  If the phenotypic data is already available (i.e. social, health status, psychological study) then yes we can. In collaboration with HSC, DEC and others we would have to obtain DNA from individuals from the Bournemouth area and then link the genomic data with the phenotypic data. This will require enormous computing power and experts in e.g. the statistical package ‘R’ as well as genomics expertise from ApSci

    How do these link to the priorities of the major funding bodies?

    Of the seven research councils forming RCUK, two have current themes on genomics and ageing (BBSRC and MRC) and one further council’s (ESRC) theme investigating social science and culture and science.  The MRC has recently closed the Phase III call with Phase I seeing the creation of three fully funded centres: Edinburgh, Newcastle and UCL.  The Edinburgh centre already has a paper in press (Molecular Psychaitry) combing a Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS) with a vast array of phenotypic data, of which McGhee is a co-author (Davis et al, 2011).   By combining data on the local population already available within eg HSC, with the proposed collection of DNA from Bournemouth and surrounding areas, it allows BU to enter  collaborations on an international scale addressing the ‘big questions’ posed by the thress councils above.

    Furthermore the Wellcome Trust’s strategic plan 2010-2020 has five main themes:

    • Maximising the health benefits of genetics and genomics
    • Understanding the brain
    • Combating infectious disease
    • Investigating development, ageing and chronic disease
    • Connecting environment, nutrition and health

    Under the proposed BU theme of ageing, at least four out of the five Wellcome themes above can contribute to some aspect of ageing whilst facilitating multi-disciplinary research between schools and indeed, other institutions. By creating a repository of genomic and phenotypic information, it allows BU to enter collaborations with research intensive universities, increasing our prospects for high impact papers.

    Reference:  Gail Davies, Albert Tenesa, Antony Payton, Jian Yang, Sarah E. Harris, David Liewald, Xiayi Ke, Stephanie Le Hellard , Andrea Christoforou, Michelle Luciano, Kevin McGhee, Lorna Lopez, Alan J. Gow, Janie Corley, Paul Redmond, Helen C. Fox, Paul Haggarty, Lawrence J. Whalley, Geraldine McNeill, Michael E. Goddard, Thomas Espeseth, Astri J. Lundervold, Ivar Reinvang, Andrew Pickles, Vidar M. Steen, William Ollier , David J. Porteous, Michael Horan, John M. Starr, Neil Pendleton, Peter M. Visscher, Ian J. Deary. 2011. Genome-wide association studies establish that human intelligence is highly heritable and polygenic. Molecular Psychiatry (in press)

    How does this theme interlink with the other BU themes currently under consideration?

    Ageing links with the BU themes: Health and Wellbeing, Culture and Society and even Environmental Change and Biodiversity, opening up further avenues for funding. It takes little imagination to identify ageing with health and wellbeing but with culture and society this may require some more imagination. For example, by comparing different populations e.g. China and UK and looking at both their environmental and social structure we can then infer how these variables combined with genomics have an impact on health and wellbeing as well as healthy ageing.

    By stretching our imagination even further, it is possible to link Environmental Change and Biodiversity with Ageing. For example, one could take the view that as an individual grows older the environment, in which they live both locally and globally, is constantly under change. Sustainable fish stocks as a topical example has an effect both environmentally within the world’s oceans but also affects humans as a source of food and nutrients. It would be interesting to research how the ageing process and cognitive outcome of a five year old child now will be in 60 years’ time when compared to a 65 year old individual now and the foodstuffs available to them as a five year old child in 1951. Environmental, Biochemical, Genetic and Toxicological studies can all contribute to this theme.

    This is obviously only one example of how several research themes can join together and we welcome discussion from colleagues on the suggestions we have raised.

    Trying to define digital economy

    BU Challenges, Research themes

    At a recent meeting which John Oliver arranged we tried to define some key terms for the creative and digital theme and the inital viewpoint was that the ‘digital economy’ was a narrower definition focusing mainly on enterprise and ‘doing’, however this definition of the digital economy from the The Research Council UK is broader:  “the novel design or use of information and communication technologies to help transform the lives of individuals, society or business (RCUK website accessed February 2011).”

    Leisure and Recreation (Sean Beer and Scott Cohen)

    BU Challenges, Research themes

    Author: Sean Beer and Scott Cohen (Tourism)

    Alternative name suggestion: Recreation and leisure

    Brief theme summary: We view leisure and recreation as an interdisciplinary theme that closely engages associated subjects of tourism, sport, health, events, retail and hospitality, as well as the arts, outdoor pursuits, play and entertainment, amongst others. Central to understandings of leisure is its association with non-work time and work/life balances, although admittedly the boundaries between leisure and work often blur. 

    Experience is central to leisure and recreation, in which people may seek to enhance the quality of their lives through leisure’s potential to transform, refresh, recreate, relax and/or escape. Leisure and recreation link to the renewal and development of social bonds, social capital, forms of cultural consumption, creativity and self-development, through both formal and informal modes and at home and away from home. 

    Leisure and recreation is also concerned with issues of social inclusion, equity and diversity through policy and practice, as well as socio-cultural and environmental research in relation to its impacts.

    Also drawing together notions of hospitable space and the formation of some types of temporary events, leisure and recreation can thus be seen as encompassing a full range of practices associated with the meanings, processes and activities that may enrich non-work time and space.

    Scope of theme: what is included? Leisure, recreation, leisure/work balance, tourism, hospitality, events, retail, sport, health and healthy living, physical activity, exercise, play, gaming, experience, entertainment, casual/serious leisure, art, culture, creativity, learning, consumption, pro-sumption, lifestyle, volunteering, adventure, local/global, physical/virtual, transport, movement/mobility, social/cultural/environmental/economic aspects of leisure, fusion.

    Scope of theme: what is excluded? For discussion of this please see section on Links with other BU themes under consideration.

    Which big societal questions are addressed by this theme?

    • Quality of life: mental, physical, spiritual
    • The Big Society: the relationship between the public, private and third sectors and society, responsibility and individual behaviour within society with regard to many of the big issues of the day such as climate change, health, sustainability
    • Work life balance: the blurring of the edges between work and leisure
    • Equality and access (Gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, wealth, family units)
    • Aging population (A particular issue for the UK and the SW of England.)
    • Multiculturalism
    • Localism and globalisation
    • The growth of the virtual world

    How do these link to the priorities of the major funding bodies?

    • Arts and Humanities Research Council, numerous opportunities
    • Economic and Social Research Council, all areas of their strategic priorities; Influencing Behaviour and Informing Interventions, A Vibrant and Fair Society, Economic Performance and Sustainable Growth.
    • Leverhulme, broad, but for example, particularly focussing on surmounting traditional disciplinary academic boundaries
    • British Academy, a wide range of opportunities
    • Nuffield Foundation, many opportunities
    • Esmée Fairbairn Foundation,  opportunities for funded research which helps them in their aim to improve the quality of life for people and communities in the UK both now and in the future
    • Natural Environment Research Council, links between leisure, the natural environment and sustainability
    • Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, areas such as technology and behaviour interventions.
    • Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, areas such as food and sustainability.
    • Medical Research Council, collaborative work through programme grant scheme
    • European Union, potential under FP7 and in other areas

    Research Excellence Framework Unit of Assessment 26 & 19 (and also others though the emphasis would be more towards the theme of the other Unit.)

    How does this theme interlink with the other BU themes currently under consideration? There are a multitude of connections to the other themes.  This is not seen as a disadvantage, we deliberately set out to be inclusive and holistic in our approach rather than exclusive and reductionist.  The approach is underpinned by an intention to look for fruitful areas of collaboration and to be able to showcase the work of colleagues in a variety of ways. 

    Thus within Health and wellbeing there are overlaps in terms of quality of life, social inclusion and involvement in volunteering, for instance, but not necessarily in relation to management of health care and health care professionals.  In terms of Environmental change and biodiversity and the Green economy and sustainability the natural environment and human wellbeing are intrinsically linked, as are concepts of sustainability and the action of the individual through volunteering for an environmental charity for example.  The science of biodiversity is not an area that comes within the theme. 

    There are synergies with regard to work looking at Aging, relating to access and quality of life, but not directly with specific therapies.  For many people learning is leisure, though work based learning is not.  There are connections with Learning and public engagement, as there are with Entrepreneurship and economic growth, given the role of individuals outside work in things like social entrepreneurship and also entrepreneurship within specific leisure and recreation industries.

    For many individuals leisure and recreation is bound up with Technology and design as well as the Creative and digital economies, and whilst this theme is not connected to the intricacies of web design (unless it is your hobby) increasingly people are conducting their leisure lives in virtual worlds, where social connections and connecting is a virtual experience of life, love and even sex, but who is to say that it is any better or worse for that.  All this seems to be underpinned by change and any consideration of Culture and society or Society & Social Change must be a close bed fellow to this and all the other themes.

    Culture and Society (Rosie Read)

    BU Challenges, Research themes

    Author: Rosie Read (Health and Social Care)

    Alternative name suggestion: Socio-Cultural Change, Conflict and Cohesion

    Brief theme summary: A rapidly globalising world generates profound economic and social instabilities, opportunities and inequalities. The truly global nature of corporate capital and investment, alongside the large scale migration of populations across the world in search of better opportunities, raises key problems and/or debates in the contemporary world. These developments have been linked to the rise of class and ethnicity-based conflicts and political and religious extremism, as well as the seemingly contradictory role of governments in seeking to encourage growth (via deregulation and privatisation) whilst also needing to guarantee some level of social and economic equality and protection for vulnerable sections of the population (however these may be defined). These problems raise important questions for how to create social cohesion, and specifically the responsibilities of governments, corporations, non-profit organisations and individuals in achieving this.

    Scope of theme: what is included? Socio-cultural change, globalisation, conflict, equality and diversity, governance, cohesion, security.

    Scope of theme: what is excluded? This theme embraces all strands of social science as well as humanities and the arts. Natural sciences, engineering and technology-based sciences may be outside of this theme in the first instance, but opportunities to collaborate with these disciplines will be taken up where advantageous. This may be potentially fruitful when considering digital technologies, green technologies and the theoretical crucible enabled by complex systems theories.

    Which big societal questions are addressed by this theme?

    • How can equality, opportunity and social cohesion within and between different societies be understood and defined, ensured and promoted in the context of globalisation? What role, if any, should governments, multinational corporations, non-governmental organisations, faith organisations and individuals play in achieving this?
    • How are identities and notions of citizenship formed in societies characterised by cultural diversity, inequality and insecurity? What are the consequences for social cohesion, political organisation, solidarity, collective forms of responsibility and protection against insecurity?
    • How can contemporary conflicts in the world be better understood, and thereby addressed or prevented? How can the vast critical scholarship and expertise from the social sciences, arts and humanities be used to analyse and address contemporary conflicts in the world?

    How do these link to the priorities of the major funding bodies?

    • ESRC: Strategic Plan 2009-2014. This theme overlaps with four (of seven) of key priority areas for this research council’s funding during this period. These are:  Global Economic Performance, Policy and Management, Health and Wellbeing, Security, Conflict and Justice and Social Diversity and Populations Dynamics
    • RCUK: (1) The AHRC is leading a cross-council research programme entitled ‘Connected Communities’, aimed at creating better understanding of the key societal and economic challenges facing communities, as well as effective forms of intervention. (2) ‘Global Uncertainties’ programme, supported by a range of research councils, including AHRC and ESRC.
    • EU: (1) Key theme of Framework 7 is ‘Social and Economic Concerns’, incorporating a number of foci relevant to this theme, such as regional development, employment issues, safety, security and social and economic issues. (2) Youth in Action Programme, European Commission, aimed at promoting sense of European citizenship and solidarity amongst young people in EU.

    How does this theme interlink with the other BU themes currently under consideration? This theme has obvious links with several others under consideration, notably Health and Wellbeing, Entrepreneurship and Economic Growth, Learning and Public Engagement and Green Economy and Sustainability.

    Technology and Design (Mark Hadfield)

    BU Challenges, Research themes

    Author: Mark Hadfield (Design, Engineering and Computing)

    Alternative name suggestion: Engineering and Design

    Brief theme summary: This covers most of the activity from UOA 15 General Engineering and hence the alternative title suggestion. In view of the national STEM agenda it is important that research within this area is also aligned with current and future education strategies and also with industrial engagement. Academics associated with this theme will be mostly from the School of DEC currently located within the Design simulation, Sustainable Design research and Smart Technology (Biomedical engineering). Alternative theme encompasses our portfolio of engineering in mechanical, material, bio-medical and sustainable design research activities.

    Structure is terms of linkages – see mission statements recently posted on the I drive from the relevant research centres within DEC. (I:\DEC\Private\Research\Business Plans\Centre Vision Statements)

    Scope of theme: what is included?

    Please see vision statements from the I Drive for DSRC, SDRC and STRC

    Areas include:

    • Simulated Design Analysis
    • Creative Design
    • Virtual Manufacturing Processes  
    • Design modelling using finite elements, Boundary elements, Computational stress analysis methodology.
    • Vibration and Noise experimentation and theoretical analysis
    • Theories and experimentation of tribology
    • Sustainable Design
    • STEM, General Engineering, Design Education
    • Advanced materials
    • Materials evaluation and characterisation  
    • Biomedical engineering (FES)
    • Applied AI
    • Tribology across general engineering sectors
    • Corrosion and Fretting
    • Surface engineering

    New future opportunities such as the Space technology and economy should be embraced given the new EU Space Centre is based in Oxford.

    Scope of theme: what is excluded?

    Large engineering laboratory studies due to space/equipment limitations i.e.

    • Engine lab for thermodynamic and energy studies
    • Fluid mechanics
    • Controlled noise measurements
    • Large/heavy manufacturing studies

    Materials fabrication and development

    Which big societal questions are addressed by this theme?

    • Hydrogen economy
    • Low carbon energy
    • Quality of life issues such as environment and high value services
    • Strategic advancements for SME’s
    • Governmental vision and strategy of industrial support
    • Energy efficiency

    How do these link to the priorities of the major funding bodies? The nature of funding linked to this research theme depends on industrial collaboration for most income streams. Generally enhancing academic relationships with industry such as business breakfast events, short courses etc provides the foundation of opportunities listed below.

    Direct industrial collaboration.

    EU grants: people exchange (Madam Curie). Project grants including, technology (robotics), energy – energy savings, sustainable development, industry and industrial – manufacture, materials, research in practice – measurement methods, nano-technology, transport and construction – aerospace and space technology.

    EPSRC including CASE studentship, areas include: Materials, mechanical and medical engineering,Process, environment & sustainability programme funding plan, platform grants and networks
    Royal Academy of Engineering: staff mobility grants include the areas of robotics, sustainable design, complex systems
    AHRC including Science and Heritage linkages

    Medical Engineering:
    MRC
    NHS
    DSRC
    Welcome Trust

    Leverhulme Trust – high profile, impact general research

    TSB – industry joint funding for design prototype etc
    KTP  – Advanced materials, nanotechnology, electronics, high value manufacturing, energy generation, healthcare, transport, Space.

    How does this theme interlink with the other BU themes currently under consideration? Health and Wellbeing: through biomedical engineering research such a muscle stimulation, prosthesis design and modelling, environmental design, design of products/services at the health sector.

    Recreation and leisure: links to sports design analysis such as swimmers acceleration monitoring (PhD student), Olympic ethics on Paralympics runners.

    Society and social Change: human interaction use of technology.

    Environmental change and biodiversity: environmental impact study of products and services.

    Green economy and sustainability: Product innovation, green technology such as micro CHP, efficiency use of product and services such as RNLI. 

    Aging: Innovation of products to improve the quality of life of the elderly.

    Learning and public engagement: sustainable design and education.

    Entrepreneurship and economic growth: Commercialisation of products and as the pop-up tent, flood barrier. Patents from research projects e.g. Robotics and biomedical engineering.

    Ageing (Sarah Hean)

    BU Challenges, Research themes

    Authors: Sarah Hean (School of Health and Social Care) on behalf of the Older Person, Children and Diverse Groups Programme (OPCD) of the Centre of Wellbeing and Quality of Life (CeWQoL)

    Alternative name suggestion: Wellbeing and Quality of Life of Older People OR Wellbeing and Quality of Life across the Life Span

    Brief theme summary: The theme focuses on intergroup communication as a means of enhancing older people’s quality of life.  Two dimensions are highlighted specifically: social and mental wellbeing.

    Social wellbeing:  The theme focuses on reducing social isolation by enhancing older people’s communication with peers, community, health/social care professionals and other service providers (we view service providers as all professionals that may enhance the QOL of Older People and do not confine this to health and social care professionals alone), in order that their voice is heard in social policy. Professionals, working in multiprofessional, interagency environments, and who offer client-centred services, need to effectively communicate with each other and the client to ensure the quality of life of the older person. This theme explores how these processes can be better streamlined, understood and developed.

    Mental well being: The mental/cognitive well being of older people is also a theme focus, considering particularly the experiences of older people living with dementia and the associated concepts of vulnerability.

    We promote a humanistic approach that puts an emphasis on the lived experience of the older person, embodying their life goals and values.  Hereby, older people, form part of interprofessional, interdisciplinary or interagency teams rather than the passive recipient of their actions.  The theme therefore also focuses on developing these interprofessional teams through exploring and developing Interprofessional training that promotes an understanding of the value maps of both other professionals/agencies and the older person themselves.

    Scope of theme: what is included? Research is often related to applied social science type research and service evaluations.

    Developing rigorous theoretical models to guide research and practice in the theme is central.

    Quantitative research: secondary data analysis of service records and cross sectional and longitudinal surveys. 

    Qualitative research:  a range of perspectives (phenomenology, grounded theory etc) through focus groups, interviews and practice observations.  Practice development/service enhancement methodologies are also relevant.

    Members of our OPCD programme apply their expertise in user involvement, social capital, social isolation, social networks, working with vulnerable groups, mental health, Dementia, Complementary Therapies, Interprofessional working and Education to this theme.  We focussing these skills on improving:

    • the outcome of Wellbeing and Quality of life
    • the population group of Older People.

    To give a flavour of the types of project that fit under this theme, see below:

    Previously funded Projects in Programme

    • Evaluation of the Mid Essex Memory Assessment and Support Service Care (Programme themes: Dementia, Older people) (Funder: NHS)
    • Evaluation of a Women worker in Criminal Justice System ((Programme themes: mental health, intergroup communication) (CoFunders: NHS/Criminal Justice System)
    • Evaluation of the South West Mental Health Assessment, Advice and Reports in Court Proceedings Pilot ((Programme themes: mental health/ intergroup communication)(CoFunders: NHS/CJS) 
    • Evolving theory in interprofessional education seminar series CROSS INSTITUTIONAL (Programme themes: Intergroup communication; Funder: ESRC)   

    Current Funded Projects in Programme

    • Exploring the impact of friendship clubs on social isolation for the older age group”  – commissioned by. 2008-2011;  (Programme themes: Older People, social wellbeing) (Funder: Brendon care)
    • Knowledge Transfer Partnership: Building a business/social enterprise model to support older people self funding their own care (CROSS SCHOOL: HSC-BS))(Programme themes: Older people, intergroup communication) (Funder: ESRC/ HTB)
    • Exploring older people’s experiences of wellbeing and financial literacy during an Economic Down Turn (CROSS SCHOOL: HSC-BS) (Programme theme: Older people, quality of life, intergroup communication) (Joint Funders Institute of chartered accountants Scotland, Bournemouth Foundation)

    Bids submitted

    • Interagency working London: evaluation of Focus teams liaising between Medium Secure Unit and CMHTs: (Short listed tender interview completed, Awaiting outcome: Programme theme: (Mental health, intergroup communication) (Funder: NHS)
    • Economic impact of social organisations: SW form: shortlisted for interview: Sarah Hean, John Fletcher, Charlie Monkcom (CAB) Presentation July 2011 CROSS SCHOOL (HSC-Tourism)(Programme theme: Older people, quality of life, Mental health, intergroup communication)(Funder: Big Lotttery. SW Forum)(Awaiting outcome)

    Bids planned for term ahead:

    • Dementia bid: mapping the care pathway from the perspective of the patient: CROSS INSTITUIONAL (Programme theme: Older people, dementia) (Funder ESRC)

    Scope of theme: what is excluded? Drug control trials or laboratory trials are out of our remit.

    Which big societal questions are addressed by this theme? The Big Society promotes a move away from state support for social action to an increased reliance on community involvement and support of these activities.  This places particular pressure on third/voluntary sector organisations to fill the gap left by the with drawl of state funding and services.  These organisations are finding it increasingly important to be accountable for the social and financial impact of any state funding they do still receive and they need to develop their organisations financially to be increasingly independent of state funding.  In an increasingly ageing population, those third sector organisations supporting older people are particularly vulnerable.

    This theme explores both the social impact (specifically on the quality of life of older people) and financial implications of these services.  We anticipate that novel interagency partnerships between the private, public and third sector will be key to the way the Big Society is managed and that the theme will contribute to this by developing an understanding of these opportunities and how they work.

    How do these link to the priorities of the major funding bodies? The theme is congruent with the RCUK, cross council theme of Ageing: Lifelong Health and Wellbeing: realising economic, social and health gains of healthy ageing while reducing dependency, costs and inequities later in life.

    By way of example, the funded project exploring the quality of life during and economic downturn and financial literacy in older people highlights the economic gains of health and wellbeing in older populations.

    The currently funded KTP is developing a business model for older people self funding their own care.  This is particularly relevant to reducing dependency and costs in the older population

    The evaluations/tenders that fall under this theme are increasingly being asked to address the links between cost effectiveness and social impact.  Our tenders on the a) economic impact of social organisations b) interagency working: London respond to this trend through a focus on cost effectiveness of wellbeing interventions, the financial impact of social interventions and the social impact of financial investment.

    The research councils, the ESRC, specifically emphasises the importance of interdisciplinary working.  Thematically and operationally our bids to date are interdisciplinary: crossing school, professional, academic discipline, academic institution and public/private/third sector boundaries.

    How does this theme interlink with the other BU themes currently under consideration? Links with the Health and Wellbeing theme.

    Health and Wellbeing (Heather Hartwell and Ann Hemingway)

    BU Challenges, Research themes

    Authors: Heather Hartwell and Ann Hemingway (School of Tourism and School of Health and Social Care)

    Alternative name suggestion: Wellbeing and Quality of Life

    Brief theme summary: Wellbeing as described by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in its constitution (2006) denotes ‘health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity’. However, the concept is not new for example Aristotle described wellbeing in terms of ‘ataraxia’ (inner peace) and ‘eudaimonia’ (a feeling of wellbeing, happiness, contentment, pleasure, satisfaction and living the best life possible).Within the field of happiness economics, where the concept of subjective wellbeing is defined as life satisfaction, it can be both uni- or multi-dimensional. In other words from an economic standpoint, subjective wellbeing can be defined and measured as both satisfaction with life in general (uni-dimensional) and satisfaction with different aspects, or domains, of life (multi-dimensional). Happiness, although challenging to assess, as people will derive differing amounts of pleasure from the same experience, resonates with the ‘set-point’ theory of wellbeing where each individual is thought to have a set-point of happiness given by genetics and personality. Life events may deflect above and below but in time hedonic adaptation will return an individual to this initial point. The theoretical framework for interpretation is the theory of ‘Subjective Wellbeing Homeostasis’ (Australian Unity, 2010), which proposes that everyone has a genetically determined ‘set-point’ for well-being that is internally maintained and defended, similarly to how body temperature is managed. Currently, the wellbeing debate anchors on two general perspectives: the hedonic approach, which defines wellbeing in terms of pleasure attainment; and the eudaimonic approach, which focuses on meaning and self-realization. The latter resonates with an emerging conceptualisation of public health which is to reject the model of ourselves as mechanics that diagnose and fix what is wrong to organic metaphors where we understand ourselves as ‘gardeners’, enabling the growth of what nourishes human life and spirit.

    Scope of theme: what is included?

    The cross university wellbeing theme currently with 113 staff registered has identified the following foci of activity:

    • Quality of life, wellness, wellbeing
    • Public Health
    • Health behaviours, physical activity, nutrition
    • Economic wellbeing
    • Health systems
    • Assistive and enabling technologies
    • Wellbeing in the workplace, learning environment, caring environment
    • Social inclusion and cohesion
    • Use of Media to influence Public Wellbeing
    • Emotions
    • Human right and ethics

     

    Scope of theme: what is excluded? Infectious diseases.

    Which big societal questions are addressed by this theme? Behavioural and lifestyle factors are major contributors to ill health and death some are well known such as unhealthy diet and lack of exercise however some are less obvious such as social isolation which is associated with increasing the risk of mental illness and coronary heart disease. A strong evidence base is required that will change the focus of our ‘National Sickness Service’ to one of prevention. In the Public Health White Paper, 2010, the emphasis is on research that can demonstrate new and cost effective ways of encouraging healthy behaviour.

    The current fifth wave of public health identifies three main challenges:

    • How can the social and commercial changes which have conspired to make overweight/obesity more ‘normal’ be reversed?
    • How can the social inequality gap be reduced?
    • How can the rise in the levels of depression and anxiety with the associated loss of mental and emotional wellbeing be addressed?

    How do these link to the priorities of the major funding bodies?

    AHRC – Lifelong Health and Wellbeing (LLHW) is a major cross-council initiative supporting multi-disciplinary research addressing factors across the life course that influence healthy ageing and wellbeing in later life. 

    ESRC STRATEGIC PRIORITIES 2011-2015 – There are three refined primary strategic research objectives, which will guide future funding from the ESRC, in light of the comprehensive spending review – health and wellbeing would be incorporated within:

    • Influencing Behaviour and Informing Interventions – Create a better understanding of how and why people and organisations make decisions, and how these can be managed or influenced.

    EU – FP7 Activity 2.2 Fork to farm: Food (including seafood), health and well being – Understanding consumer behaviour and consumer preferences as a major factor in the competitiveness of the food industry and the impact of food on the health, and well-being of the European citizen.

    National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Funding stream on applied research focusing on dementia prevention, diagnosis and care and specifically on promoting the wellbeing of sufferers.

    How does this theme interlink with the other BU themes currently under consideration? This theme will link with recreation and leisure (serious leisure and physical activity), society and social change, green economy (slow travel), and aging.

    Currently, there is much interest from local and national colleagues, for example locally, Dr Adrian Dawson (Director of Public Health) and social enterprises such as BH Live and Active Dorset. Nationally, the Department of Health and the Royal Society for Public Health are engaged with the HEIF Wellbeing in the Workforce project. A horizontal wellbeing theme links the relationship between research and policy and hence provides an opportunity to demonstrate impact.

    Key dates are:

    • May 27th (cross university meeting with the Director of Public Health)
    • July 6th (Innovation in Wellbeing Conference, HEIF Wellbeing in the Workplace project)
    • July 13th (cross university meeting with BH Live)

    In addition, this theme will build on the work of CeWQoL, with its many local, national and international partners, and is a vertical stream within HSC, as it is within the School of Tourism through the Centre for Events and Sport Research.

    Just to note: 

    • BU has a Memorandum of Understanding with the Royal Society for Public Health, a powerful and strategic leader within this discipline.
    • BU is part of the Healthy University network.

    Entrepreneurship and Economic Growth (Dean Patton)

    BU Challenges, Research themes

    Author: Dean Patton (Business School)

    Alternative name suggestion: None

    Brief theme summary: The theme provides a multi-disciplinary forum for researchers and practitioners in the field of entrepreneurship and small firm development and for those studying their impact upon local, regional and national contexts in which entrepreneurs emerge, innovate and establish the new economic activities which drive economic growth and create new economic wealth and employment.

    Scope of theme: what is included?

    • New Venture Creation
    • Entrepreneurial Strategy and Organization
    • Entrepreneurial Marketing
    • Internationalization and International Entrepreneurship
    • Regional, National and International Growth Studies
    • Leadership and Entrepreneurial Behaviour
    • Entrepreneurial Finance and Accounting
    • Government Policy related to Entrepreneurship and economic Growth
    • Technology and Innovation
    • Business Incubation
    • Corporate Venturing
    • Family-Owned Businesses
    • Minority Issues in Small Business and Entrepreneurship
    • Social Entrepreneurship
    • Small Business Operations and E-Commerce
    • Entrepreneurial skills and management Development

    Scope of theme: what is excluded? It does not include enterprise when the term is used to indicate income generation activity from consultancy and other third stream activity that takes place within the public sector and, particularly, HEIs.

    Which big societal questions are addressed by this theme? Entrepreneurship is all about the practices of exploration, experimentation and trial and error that lead to the development of new, novel and innovative practices, processes and products.  As such the subject can lend itself to many of the big themes within society informing technological development and contributing to novel solutions that improve environmental performance, reduce energy usage, increase the quality of life for an aging population and make UK PLC more competitive.  Therefore entrepreneurship is an overarching subject that lends itself to multi-disciplinary research that underpins growth and development in other disciplines.

    How do these link to the priorities of the major funding bodies? Taking the RCUK themes there are some obvious parallels in the theme Living with Environmental Change the focus is on ‘understanding how people respond to environmental change, including economic responses via, among other things, new business models’.  The theme on Digital Economy seeks to ‘understand how new technologies impact upon business and their processes’.

    Within the ESRC there are obvious links between Entrepreneurship and Economic Growth with their identified themes relating to Technology and Innovation and the Global Economy and indirect links to Environment and Energy, Health and Well Being and Social Diversity

    The EPSRC is more difficult to address but there are opportunities under ‘Better Exploitation’ and more indirect work might be undertaken within the themes ‘Digital Economy’ and Healthcare’.

    How does this theme interlink with the other BU themes currently under consideration? There are various opportunities to link this theme with others identified as entrepreneurship can be applied across industrial sectors, can be undertaken on behalf, or by, individuals at various life-cycle stages and has the potential to impact upon the context and culture of communities.  My own preference would be to focus the agenda upon the start-up and growth of firms that make a contribution to the economic development and societal welfare.  As such I would view the research theme as having a focus upon business and economics and, therefore, relating to other business sectors, for example, ‘creative and digital economies’ and the ‘green economy and sustainability’.