Open Polytechnic

Solder-impregnated high-temperature superconducting (HTS) coils inherit challenges in predicting the coil characteristics due to their complex radial resistive pathways. Unlike insulated magnets, which require active quench protection and management schemes, non-insulated (NI) coils benefit from inherent quench tolerance through radial current bypass, but require advanced thermal-electrical models to predict charging time-constants and quench-tolerant performance under designed operating regimes. This research advances the electrical resistivity characterization of solder alloys at cryogenic temperatures, improving modelling predictions of coil properties. This paper will showcase the methodology utilized for characterizing low-temperature solder alloys, such as InBi, InSn, BiSnAg, and InAg, which enable solder-impregnation at lower reflow temperatures, therefore minimizing tape degradation. Experimental characterization data are validated against existing studies of SnPb solder. Solder characterization data are incorporated into finite element method (FEM) models to accurately describe temperature-dependent electrical resistivity characteristics between tape turns; thus, by ignoring the HTS layer to be insulating, together with temperature-dependent parameters, the radial resistance of coil 1A is evaluated from the model and compared against the experimental results. This work enhanced the understanding of solder-impregnated HTS coils, determining the design process of our future magnet systems.

Purpose This study aims to identify, systematically analyse and synthesise existing literature to explore the benefits, challenges and strategies of flexible work policies for the frontline workforce. Although flexible work arrangements (FWAs) have been extensively researched for knowledge workers, job-specific limitations make it difficult to apply them to frontline positions like manufacturing, retail, healthcare and education. Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review in accordance with PRISMA principles, was conducted. ProQuest and EBSCO were used to find pertinent peer-reviewed papers published within the year range of 2014–2024. Based on predetermined inclusion criteria, selected papers underwent qualitative content analysis. A total of 71 empirical and nonempirical studies published across 35 journals were synthesised. Findings Increased employee retention and loyalty, improved productivity and engagement, cost efficiency, positive organisational culture and improved well-being due to better work–life balance are some of the main benefits. Significant obstacles still exist, including scheduling problems, operational difficulties, resource constraints, service quality issues, increased supervision and challenges in crisis management. Effective FWA strategies like flexible work scheduling, use of digital and remote work tools, training of managers and staff and providing autonomy in work scheduling were identified. Practical implications The results emphasise the necessity of customised strategies that strike a balance between worker welfare and operational effectiveness that offers a sustainable path to improved workforce stability and organisational resilience. Originality/value Amidst the evolving workplace landscape and the growing prevalence of flexible work options, this article aims to deepen the understanding of how FWAs can be effectively implemented for the frontline workforce.

The rise of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in higher education has prompted urgent debates surrounding academic integrity and ethical use. This study examines cross-cultural differences in student perceptions of GenAI use, comparing responses from students at Canadian and South Korean universities. Using a scenario-based survey administered in Fall 2024, we analyzed how students judged the ethicality and rule compliance of AI-assisted coding practices. Results reveal that Canadian students were consistently more likely to perceive the use of GenAI as both unethical and against institutional policies compared to Korean students, despite functionally identical institutional policies. Statistical analysis, including Mann-Whitney U tests and correlation coefficients, demonstrated significant differences across nearly all scenarios. Analysis of the factors used in generating scenarios indicated that the amount of AI-generated code incorporated into assignments most strongly influenced ethical judgments. Findings were interpreted through Hofstede’s cultural dimensions framework, suggesting that cultural factors such as power distance, individualism, and uncertainty avoidance significantly shape students’ ethical reasoning regarding GenAI. Our results contribute to the growing body of evidence emphasizing that equitable AI integration in education must be culturally responsive, taking into account diverse conceptions of academic integrity. We advocate for the development of nuanced AI-use guidelines that are sensitive to local cultural contexts while upholding fundamental principles of academic honesty. This study highlights the need for ongoing cross-cultural research to inform ethical AI policies and support responsible GenAI use in global higher education settings.

Fathers’ positive involvement in their children’s lives is linked to their greater academic, social, and emotional prowess, as well as fathers’ own well-being. In our study set in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), we report a mixed-methods study in which children aged between five and eight years (n = 41) were asked to draw a picture showing how they spent time with their father when he came home from work, triangulated with fathers’ (n = 49) own accounts of how they spent time with their children. We present data which suggests a picture of high levels of paternal involvement, particularly with recreational or ‘fun’ activities and less so with more banal, care-related aspects of childcare. The drawings showed strong evidence of positive attachments between father and child, and a high frequency of outdoor and leisure activities depicted. The fathers’ interview data corroborated this, but also frequently mentioned key roles in supervising educational activities which were not represented in the drawings. Several drawings contained symbols of their fathers’ working lives (such as laptops, briefcases, work attire) suggesting that the delineation between work and home was not always clear. The positive attachments and pleasure indicated underline that fathers, as well as mothers, act as nurturers and care-givers, and serve to remind employers to be mindful of fathers’ work-life balance.

Microfinance aims to promote financial inclusion among underprivileged individuals, particularly through progressive microcredit, which enables borrowers to access increasing loan amounts over time. This study examines the conditions under which progressive microcredit positively impacts both small business performance and household well-being, considering borrower characteristics and business activity conditions. Using a dataset of 278 households across 110 administrative sectors in Tunisia from 2012 to 2020, this study employs two-stage least squares (2SLS) and three-stage least squares (3SLS) econometric techniques to estimate simultaneous equation models. The findings reveal that the cumulative amount of progressive microcredit received is mainly determined by project capital, suggesting that businesses with higher capital requirements tend to secure larger loans over successive cycles. Household well-being is significantly influenced by progressive microcredit, household income, net business benefit, rate of development index, and homeownership. Meanwhile, business profitability is driven by project capital and total fixed assets, highlighting the long-term impact of microcredit. The results highlight the critical role of microfinance in enabling small-scale entrepreneurs to expand their businesses while simultaneously improving household financial security. By promoting sustainable income generation, progressive microcredit serves as a key instrument in poverty alleviation and economic stability. This study underscores the necessity for microfinance institutions (MFIs) to tailor their lending strategies, ensuring optimal loan progression that balances business expansion with financial sustainability. Additionally, policymakers should refine microcredit frameworks to enhance accessibility and long-term economic benefits for low-income borrowers. Overall, these insights contribute to the broader discourse on financial inclusion and sustainable development, emphasizing that progressive microcredit not only facilitates entrepreneurship, but also serves as a driver of socioeconomic mobility.

This paper evaluates the place of residential real estate in the stability of the French financial system. By employing three-stage least-squares (3SLS), we analysed the dynamic interaction between the real estate credit market and the evolution of real estate prices. This interaction creates a destabilising spiral that expounds the housing bubble's formation. In France, as in most developed countries, the increase in real estate credits was accompanied by an increase in property prices. Our estimate shows that an increase in home credit increases home prices and vice versa. Therefore, we conclude that there is a relationship of interaction between the two markets leading to a destabilising spiral. The study has important implications for policymakers and investors. The use of macroprudential policy is justified by the ineffectiveness of micro-prudential policy and monetary policy alone in ensuring the stability of the financial system. Monetary policy, via the interest rate, could not prevent the development and subsequent outbreak of the 2007 financial crisis. Existing studies are limited in exploring the interaction between the growth rate of real estate prices and the number of loans to housing in the French context. This study adds value to existing literature and confirms this interaction.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability are important to corporations for several reasons. This study applied a novel institutional framework to answer the question of why firms in developing and emerging economies undertake CSR issues. We explored the role of the state, financial markets, human capital, social capital, corporate governance and financial performance in shaping CSR based on a sample of 108 firms from 26 countries representing Asian, African, Latin American, East European and Middle Eastern regions for the period 2016 to 2020. By employing a dynamic linear model (GMM), we found support for propositions that underdeveloped financial markets can facilitate firms' relationships with external stakeholders while weak labour rights and CSR are inversely related. We also found a statistically significant positive coefficient of CSR with corporate governance. The results showed an insignificant relationship for other propositions on the roles of financial performance, social capital and government ownership in shaping CSR. We found significant positive relationship of CSR with size while insignificant with leverage.

Student engagement is linked to student success and shaped by the availability of student support through their academic journeys. Improving engagement with adequate support strategies is a continuous challenge for open and distance learning (ODL) institutions. However, there is limited understanding of how student engagement experience can be influenced by a support team outside the instructional context of faculty presence. In 2020, the Open Polytechnic (OP) Te P?kenga, a specialist provider of open distance education in New Zealand, implemented a three-tiered framework for student support. This system includes technology-supported mentoring interventions that are aligned to, and separate from, academic faculty support; the mentoring system gives students access to consistent engagement opportunities during their course journeys. The current project examines how students perceived these mentoring interventions, and this paper specifically examines the perceptions of newly enrolled online students on their experiences of the mentoring interventions during onboarding. Students in two introductory level block courses participated in an online, qualitative survey and their responses were thematically analysed following a deductive approach. Key themes in the data were related to the concepts of transactional presence and emotional engagement. These findings demonstrate the value of complementary non-academic support during student onboarding.

Growing evidence reports that social work students experience financial hardship and negative impacts on their health and wellbeing as they juggle study, paid work, and family commitments. Social work qualifying programmes require extended compulsory field placements, which increase students’ financial stress and potentially exacerbate mental health vulnerabilities. A national survey of social work students and recent graduates in Aotearoa New Zealand, was conducted in 2019, gaining 353 responses, augmented by 31 semi-structured interviews. We report the analysis of both open-question survey and interview data related to students’ experience of mental distress. The survey revealed that 58.4% of respondents had sought medical advice on mental health while a social work student. At the same time, 60% of participants who experienced significant anxiety, stress, or depression chose not to seek medical advice for their mental health. Cost and access were among the main reasons for not seeking help. However, more than one in four (28%) identified stigma and fear of career consequences as reasons for not seeking help. This finding has implications for social work education and needs further research and policy development.