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Archaeological data provide a potential to investigate the diffusion of technological and cultural traits. However, much of this research agenda currently needs more formal quantitative methods to address small sample sizes and chronological uncertainty. This paper introduces a novel Bayesian framework for inferring the shape of diffusion curves using radiocarbon data associated with the presence/absence of a particular innovation. We developed two distinct approaches: 1) a hierarchical model that enables the fitting of an s-shaped diffusion curve whilst accounting for inter-site variations in the probability of sampling the innovation itself, and 2) a non-parametric model that can estimate the changing proportion of the innovation across user-defined time-blocks. The robustness of the two approaches was first tested against simulated datasets and then applied to investigate three case studies, the first pair on the diffusion of farming in prehistoric Japan and Britain and the third on cycles of changes in the burial practices of later prehistoric Britain. • Bayesian methods for modelling diffusion curves with radiocarbon dates are introduced. • Sample interdependence and non-sigmoid diffusion curves can be handled. • Robustness is tested on simulated datasets and archaeological case studies. • Code and data are available on a GitHub repository and archived on Zenodo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With climate change, many cultural landscapes will be lost or permanently altered. One approach to managing this is through international designation, through UNESCO, and the focus that it provides. National designations such as National Park status also offer a set of strategies for managing and adapting. This paper explores landscape designations in Japan and the UK focusing on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is suggested that the UK's dualistic governmental structures for landscapes prioritise some attributes over others. This is examined through the recent inscription of the Lake District as a World Heritage Property and counterpointed through looking at the recent Landscape Review also known as the Glover Report. A case study on a Japanese approach to landscape designation is explored to suggest alternative approaches. Both country's relationship with international designation is discussed. Methodologies and theoretical approaches are examined with the conclusion that landscape change and loss are dealt with in Japan differently and arguably more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore how active learning may help address the legitimacy and practicability issues inherent in introducing education for sustainability into business-related degree programs. Design/methodology/approach – The focus of this study is the experience of the authors in the development and implementation of education for sustainability within their business-related higher education programs. To address the inherent challenges of the task, they apply the principles of active learning, with substantial use of problem-based learning, in the classroom and engage in a process of staff development in their personal time. The method used is a simplified version of action research where the authors worked together over two years and then reflected on the experience through interviews and extensive discussions with each other, with their respective teaching teams, and with sustainability educators from outside of their programs. Findings – The findings suggest that active learning approaches move learners away from dependence on (possibly illegitimate and unprepared) educators and towards a personal responsibility approach. This also means accepting that learners are free to understand sustainability in a "global" sense or instead choose only its "business as usual" applications. Originality/value – The paper provides a useful insight into the practical value of active learning for educators grappling with the dilemma of delivering globally responsible business and/or management-related education programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper scrutinises organisational change in Japanese and UK universities which are engaged in entrepreneurial activities. The study focuses on recent changes in governance, management, leadership, and funding in these universities. The paper argues there are convergent trends between Japanese and UK universities in terms of increasing entrepreneurial activities, a review of institutional strategies, a review of the organisation, the application of market-oriented institutional policy, links with the industrial sector, the notion of a public financial crisis and changing external environment, strong leadership of the university President or Vice-Chancellor, and the notion of the accountability of the university to society as a whole. However, the application of particular institutional strategies, entrepreneurial culture, and the way in which an institution relates itself to the private sector significantly differs among institutions. The paper suggests that those differences are related to different institutional history and characteristics – including those between national and private universities in Japan, and old and new universities in the UK – as well as different government policies between Japan and the UK. The paper first proposes a theoretical model for the five types of entrepreneurial culture of the institutions. It then examines the model by using case studies: Nottingham Trent University (UK), University of Surrey (UK), University of Tokyo (Japan), and Waseda University (Japan). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper attempts to bring new insights to a long-standing historical debate over medical specialization by analyzing the formation of medical mycology, a somewhat marginal biomedical discipline that emerged in the mid-twentieth century around studies of fungal disease in humans. The study of fungi predates that of bacteria and viruses, but from the 1880s it became eclipsed by bacteriology. However, in the postwar period, there were moves to establish medical mycology as an independent speciality. I trace the processes that led to the launch of professional societies in the United States, Britain and Japan, three major players in medical mycology, and more broadly in biomedicine. The analysis of the three different national contexts illustrates how geographical, medico-technological, epidemiological, political and social conditions gave the specialty a distinctive character in each country; this was further complicated by the different and changing medical fields in which fungal diseases were studied and treated. The three case studies show medical specialization as a process that is not simply cumulative but responds to specific historical events and developments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study compares the short-term behaviour of finance directors the UK and in Japan, in the context of their corporate governance systems, using the funding, structure and evaluation of Research and Development (R&D) projects as indicators. The empirical part of the study consists of two questionnaire studies carried out in the UK and Japan. A number of personal interviews were also carried out with UK and Japanese senior finance managers. The results of the study indicate different management behaviour with respect to short-termism in the UK and Japan. There is a statistically significant difference in perceptions between the finance directors of two countries. Managers in both countries appreciate and would like to use long term performance criteria to assess and manage R&D projects. In practice however, Japanese finance directors are much better protected from short-term pressures than their UK counterparts in dealing with most aspects of their management R&D. These differences in behaviour are identified and possible reasons for them are offered in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we examine the ecological relations between household income distribution and age-grouped mortality in Britain and Japan. Comparable datasets were prepared in terms of age intervals of mortality, household income intervals and geographical units for years around 1990. Then we conducted a series of regression analyses to associate absolute and relative income indices with age and sex-specific standardized mortality ratios (SMRs). The results are as follows: (1) In Britain mortality is lower where inequalities in income are lower, while in Japan there is no obvious relationship. It is, however, apparent that -- just as in the case of the USA and Canada -- Britain and Japan appear to merge and appear part of a greater pattern when considered as a series of city regions. Thus an overall global relationship between income inequality and mortality may exist. To assess such global relationship, further studies using cross-national regional datasets covering a wide rage of rich nations are desirable. (2) Income-mortality relations are consistent among different age-sex groups in Britain, but there are substantial differences in the relationships as revealed between different demographic groups in Japan. In particular, while absolute income levels are correlated negatively with mortality of working-age men in both countries, mortality of elderly people in Japan is higher where absolute income is higher. This indicates the different historical contexts to the health divides these two different geographical contexts, but further consideration of a more historically nuanced understanding of income-mortality relations is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As research in family medicine covers varied topics, multiple methodologies such as qualitative research (QR) and mixed methods research (MMR) are crucial. However, we do not know about the difference in the proportion of QR or MMR between Japan, the UK and the US. This knowledge is needed to shape future research within countries with developing primary care such as Japan and other Asian countries. This study aims to describe the use of QR and MMR in Japanese primary care and compare this to the UK and US; then to make informed recommendations for primary care research. Methods: A repeated cross-sectional study (2012–2016) based on the abstracts submitted to the annual conferences of the Japanese Primary Care Association in Japan, the Royal College of General Practitioners in the UK, and the North American Primary Care Research Group in the US and other North American countries. The proportions of QR/MMR among all the posters and paper presentations for each of these three conferences were assessed. Also examined were trends and types of qualitative techniques for all three countries and participants/settings for Japan. Results: There were 1080 abstracts for Japan, 575 for UK and 3614 for US conferences. QR/MMR proportions were 7.5%, 15.1% and 28.1%, respectively. Japan's proportion was lower than that of UK and US (p < 0.001). The proportion was increasing over time for the UK (p = 0.02). Steps for coding and analyses was most popular for Japan, thematic analysis for the UK and grounded theory for the US. Primary care doctors and hospitals were the commonest contexts for Japan. Conclusions: QR and MMR were not as popular in primary care in Japan compared to the UK and the US, whereas their use was increasing in the UK. Approaches, participants and settings may differ among these countries. Education and promotion of QR/MMR and multi-disciplinary collaborations need to be recommended in Japan with developing primary care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]