Ethnocentricism and Country of Origin Effects: Literature Review by Doreen Soutar

The literature review is divided into three main sections: the first section looks at the background into models of purchasing behaviour developed out of psychological research, such as the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) proposed by Fishbein and Azjen (1975) and the Theory of Planned Behaviour (Azjen, 1991).

These psychological models began to adapted for use in business research in the late nineties and early 2000s with models developed by Kotler (2000) and Hawkins et al (2001). From simple early models, theories of purchasing behaviour have become more complex over the years, and have attempted to account for both rational and non-rational aspects of behaviour, as well as social and cognitive aspects of purchasing trends. Read more…

Podcast: Basic Computer Programming With No Code by Dr Tim Willis

This is a podcast of when Dr Tim Willis gave a talk on the Basics of Computer Programming Without The code.

He taught himself Sinclair Basic as a 13-year-old, as the only way to play games back then was to laboriously type them into a computer from magazines. He used to have to start all over again as soon as he switched the computer off, until many years later he got a tape recorder. He learned how the code worked by experimenting with changing things. Read more…

Podcast: Peter Shukie Shares His Philosophy of Community Open Online Courses

This is a podcast of Peter Shukie sharing his philosophy of what lies behind the Community Open Online Courses vision. Community Open Online Courses is a vision which takes the MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) and flips the model making the community the creator of the content.  This innovation in education and learning is important in that it values the inherent knowledge of individuals wherever they are situated.

Read more…

Facilitating Rather Than Prescribing: The Outcome Of Measuring

Nobody is talking about the problems associated with funding – in particular the effects of the outcomes of measuring. In trying to get support and resources for the activities which the Ragged project is about, and in trying to find a formal structure so the organisation itself can apply for traditional means of funding, there have been a number of problems encountered.  This blog post is touches on some of the themes which recur.  Along the road, there have been crossroads where the questions get raised – “What Now ?” – Do we change the direction or way we do things to fit the prevailing culture, or do we stick to the principles we designed the initiative around ?
Read more…

Music: Houndog Fraser & Rock Hunter

 We are a blues harp and guitar duo who play a mix of our originals and good old standards , all good time , foot stomping , whisky drinking blues.

Houndog and Rock met back stage between sets when they were playing at the 2007 Burnley Blues Festival for the Groovecats and the Blues Devils respectively. 6 years passed before they met again at a gig in 2013. Read more…

Ethnocentrism and Country of Origin Effects: Introduction by Doreen Soutar

Ethnocentrism and Country of Origin Effects: Introduction and Literature Review by Doreen Soutar

Overview

Being able to predict the future purchasing intentions of consumers is a very important capability to any business, and attempts to understand the processes involved in purchasing decisions in consumers has developed and diversified over the last forty years. With the increase of globalisation, the country-of-origin (COO) effect is a line of enquiry which is highly relevant to businesses wishing to expand their range of operations. Read more…

The Plebs League in the NE of England 1908/1926 By Robert Turnbull B.A

The stated aim of the Ruskin rebels who included Noah Ablett of the South Wales Miners Federation and Ebby Edwards of the Northumberland Miners Association was to “Bring about a more satisfactory relationship between Ruskin and the wider Labour movement. Their motto was “Educate, agitate and organise”.

Their philosophy that of IWCE or Independent Working Class Education, or to put it another way an education that was perceived to be free from the pernicious influence of the bourgeoisie, and the leading educational institutions of the time. Read more…

12th Aug 2014: The Plebs League in the North East of England 1908/1926 by Robert Clive Turnbull

Plebs League

Come along to The Central Library  (George Washington Browne Conference Room which is one floor down from the front entrance) for 5pm to listen to Robert’s talk. There will be some food provided and an opportunity to talk…

Title of talk:

Left for the Rising Sun. Right for Swan Hunter. The Plebs League in the North East of England 1908/1926

Robert Clive Turnbull

Bullet points of what you would like to talk about:

  • The background to Swords Shall Not Rust, my initial interest in the Plebs League via Ruskin
  • A brief history of the autodidact tradition in the NE the Mechanics Institutes, Joe Cowan etc. and an overview of Tyneside at the beginning of the 20c, its industrial base and political allegiances
  • The beginnings of the North East Labour College Movement, and their struggle for recognition 1908/1916, main personalities etc. Ebby Edwards, Will Lawther, George Harvey, Outreach classes in the Northumberland and Durham coalfield, educational philosophy of IWCE.
  • The High Water Mark of the IWCE Movement in the NE 1918/1926. Growth of classes, main tutors, and a revolutionary moment passed. Tommy Jackson Starr etc., Black Friday 1921 and the beginnings of decline,  The General Strike and the winding up of the Plebs League

Read more…