Internal migration,sport and the Scottish diaspora in England

Sport has been argued to play an important role for members of diasporic groups of various origins and in various locations. However, little attention has been paid to the role sport plays for ‘internal migrants’ who migrate to contrasting locations within a nation-state, despite the potential for significant contrasts in the prevailing sporting cultures found in different regions of the same nation-state. This article therefore aims to make a contribution towards understanding this relationship by reflecting upon the role sport plays for members of the Scottish diaspora living in England, drawing upon interviews and personal reflections from a number of Scottish ‘internal migrants’ located within the United Kingdom. In particular, discussion attempts to draw attention to the central role sport plays for these individuals in order to maintain a cultural attachment with their Scottish birthplace, given the relative lack of other cultural practices or associations which could be used to achieve this goal. Comparisons are also drawn with studies of the Scottish diaspora in more distant geographic contexts, as well as similar diasporic groups in the English context such as the Irish diaspora. These comparisons allow for a consideration of the impact of geographic proximity and cultural proximity on the relative importance of sport and other cultural practices for Scots living in England, identifying a number of important issues for those studying the role played by sport in the maintenance of a cultural attachment with ‘home’ for various diasporic groups.     

Measuring the Problem-Solving Abilities of Accounting and Other Business Students: A Comparison and Evaluation of Three Methods

Abstract

The accounting profession requires accounting graduates to operate in a complex and often rapidly changing environment. Consequently, they must develop problem-solving skills to enable them to function in situations that are unfamiliar or ambiguous. We describe a test of three measures of problem-solving ability, including two measures of linguistic performance (Idea Density and Grammatical Complexity) and one of cognitive complexity (Paragraph Completion Test, PCT), used previously in several accounting studies. Subjects were senior undergraduate accounting and business students at a large AACSB-accredited Canadian university. Examination questions taken from different business courses were categorized as either structured or unstructured using the method developed by Shute (1979 Accounting Students and Abstract Reasoning: An Exploratory Study, Sarasota, Florida: American Accounting Association). We confirm that students with a high level of cognitive complexity, as measured by the PCT, performed at a superior level on unstructured questions, as found in previous studies. We find also that Idea Density makes the same differentiation, but Grammatical Complexity does not.     

Reducing the risk of choking hazards: Mouthing behaviour of children aged 1 month to 5 years

Young children have a natural tendency to mouth items to explore their environment. Mouthing carries mechanical and chemical hazard potential for injury to the child, for example if they swallow an item they may choke, they may cut themselves on sharp items, and certain chemicals are present in plastic items which may pose a risk to children. Few data are available on the time that young children mouth items, how they mouth, and what they mouth. This study gathered data on 236 children aged between 1 month and 5 years to supplement and extend existing data. Findings are presented of estimated average and maximum daily mouthing times for children, how they mouth, what they mouth, and whether the items mouthed were intended to be. A validation study was carried out to determine the accuracy of the parental observation method used to gather the data. The implications of the findings of this study are discussed with respect to reducing the potential for mechanical accidents in the home.     

The Commodification of Self‐Esteem: Branding and British Teenagers

This study explores the role of consumption in the lives of British adolescents, with a particular focus on its role in forming and maintaining self‐esteem. Through a large qualitative study, over 100 adolescents revealed their attitudes and feelings toward consumption—particularly fashion. It was found that as a result of peer pressure and the importance of conformity among adolescents, consuming the correct possessions at the right time, is essential for social acceptance, gaining and maintaining friendships and thus self‐esteem. This paper argues that self‐esteem has been commodified. The consequences of failing to “keep up” with consumption trends were revealed; these include social exclusion, negative peer evaluation, and reduced self‐esteem. Moreover, these negative consequences were particularly pronounced among adolescents from low‐income families who, in contrast to their financial status, were eager to purchase the more expensive brands. Adolescents appear to have a striking awareness of the role of branding, advertising, and peer pressure in forming their consumption attitudes, yet they are unable to resist them. The findings from this study highlight the need for a rethinking of the more traditional components of adolescent self‐esteem.