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"Matthews, Rupert"
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Prehistoric life
Provides 100 facts about prehistoric life, including fossils, extinction, and the appearance of human ancestors.
Book
Untangling the Processes of Bitcoin: An Organizational Learning Perspective
Bitcoin is a complex phenomenon, whether in terms of the macro factors affecting its price or its role in the global energy infrastructure. However, extant literature pays too little attention to exploring the internal mechanisms of the protocol to be able to link them to how they affect the visible characteristics of Bitcoin. This paper uses secondary data from highly reputable Bitcoin-focused sources to systematically map the processes that enable Bitcoin to function as a peer-to-peer cash system. Novelty is achieved by applying the established and versatile “4I” organisational learning framework to provide a new lens through which to understand how the processes within Bitcoin enable and facilitate different types of changes to the protocol. Further insights are provided to organisational learning from Bitcoin, in relation to managing mission-critical changes to organisational systems. In addition, it presents an option for dealing with irreconcilable internal differences to “hard-fork” part of the organisation. While the scope of this paper is limited to secondary data, opportunities for further research, including primary data collection, are outlined to explore how Bitcoin knowledge disseminates within communities or companies.
Journal Article
Battle in the air
Zak and Zoe are fascinated to discover that their grandfather flew a Spitfire fighter plane during the Battle of Britain in World War II. Through the vivid memories of the twins' grandparents and their WWII friends, find out about the experiences of fighter pilots, women's anti-aircraft gun crews, and schoolchildren of the time.
Book
Theory of Constraints and Bitcoin: Introducing a New Fulcrum
Much of the attention on bitcoin relates to its ability to store value over time or whether you will one day by able to buy a cup of coffee with it. Much less attention is given to bitcoin’s potential role as a unit of account. This opinion piece proposes that bitcoin has potential to provide a consistent unit of account for organisations to adopt, but also to assist them in making and measuring meaningful business developments. The paper draws from the business improvement philosophy of Theory of Constraints to propose that unit of account, particularly within high inflation environments, is critical to consider. An illustrative case of a well-known publicly traded company, Microstrategy, provides an example and logic for a company choosing to integrate bitcoin into a business. The paper also gives attention to how the adoption of bitcoin can promote the development of renewable energy infrastructure and provide staff with opportunities for personal development to support their well-being. Opportunities for further research are identified to explore the integration of bitcoin within a business as well as with Theory of Constraints.
Journal Article
Knights and castles
Investigate the defenses and life in the greatest medieval castles and the chivalrous and heroic actions of best-known knights.
Book
Unlocking supply chain disruption risk within the Thai beverage industry
Purpose
– A growing need for global sourcing of business has subjected firms to higher levels of uncertainty and increased risk of supply disruption. Differences in industry and infrastructure make it more difficult for firms to manage supply disruption risks effectively. The purpose of this paper is to extend developing research in this area by addressing gaps within existing literature related to environmental turbulence and uncertainties.
Design/methodology/approach
– The authors test the model using data collected from 253 senior managers and directors in the Thai beverage industry using advanced statistical techniques to explore the relationship between representations of supply disruption risk and uncertainty.
Findings
– The results show that both magnitude and probability of risk impact on the disruption risk, but the probability of loss is a dominant determinant. The authors also find that demand uncertainty and quality uncertainty affect the risk perception of purchasing managers, and are related to the magnitude of disruption risk, rather than the frequency of occurrence. Interestingly, the results show that quality uncertainty negatively impacts on the severity of disruption risk.
Research limitations/implications
– The construct validity of demand uncertainty was under the required threshold, intimating the need for further construct development.
Practical implications
– The framework provides managers with direction on how to formulate and target their disruption risk management strategies. The work also allows practitioners to critical reflect on implicit risk management strategies they may already employ and their effectiveness.
Originality/value
– The paper identifies key antecedents of supply disruption risk and tests them within a novel industrial context of the beverage industry and a novel national context of Thailand.
Journal Article
Art and culture of the Renaissance world
Introduces the reader to the Renaissance through its art and culture.
Book
Organisational ambidexterity within process improvement
Purpose - Organisational ambidexterity has emerged as a new research paradigm that is relevant for promoting long-term firm performance however, research within practice-oriented domains has been limited. The purpose of this paper is to explore process improvement through the theoretical lens of organisational ambidexterity to understanding the conflicting aims of variation increasing and decreasing forms of operational process improvement. Design/methodology/approach - Drawing on reviews of both operations and strategic management literature, the paper employs a case study methodology to unpack critical aspects of ambidextrous process improvement across a range of organisational environments. Findings - The research shows that while the companies engaged in qualitatively different forms of improvement, by interpreting practices from an ambidextrous perspective, the complimentary nature of the two forms of improvement could be appreciated. The diversity of firms involved in the research also allowed findings to be considered in relation to a range of operational contexts. Research limitations/implications - The research highlights the relevance of an organisational ambidexterity perspective on operational process improvement, although the selection of companies the research draws from, limits it relevance to non-project-oriented organisations. Practical implications - Provides practitioners with a framework to inform their views and aims when engaging in process improvement activities. Originality/value - This is one of the first articles exploring process improvement from an ambidextrous perspective. This will help re-conceptualise process improvement away from wholly focusing upon quality improvement and variation reducing activities to help account for a more dynamic operating environment.
Journal Article
Explorer
Looks at the worlds of Amelia Earhart, Jacques Cousteau, Marco Polo and other famous explorers, sharing real-life photographs of their equipment and personal possessions as well as objects they found.
Book
Wales: a very peculiar history : with no added laverbread
From the Roman invasion, through tall tales of Merlin and King Arthur, and right up to and beyond the incredible power of the mining industry, 'Wales, A Very Peculiar History' takes a quirky, sideways look at some of the slightly bizarre aspects of the home of welsh rarebit, Maelgwn the Dragon, and Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch. Featuring the full gamut of Welsh providence from the coal-mining years to its rebirth in the 1970s, this book tells a tale of ups and downs, of hills and valleys, and of hope and triumph against the odds, with a few leeks thrown in for good measure.
eBook