The construction industry (CI) across the EU has a depressing record of fatal and non-fatal accidents. Researchers have reported that reductions of 42-60% in construction accidents are achievable through better design decisions and coordination at pre-construction phase. EU Directive 1992/57/EEC is aimed at improving the management of occupational safety and health (OSH) risks in the CI. It therefore prioritises coordination during the pre-construction phase by requiring national laws to mandate the appointment of a Pre-Construction Phase Coordinator (PCPC). Statistics on UK accidents have sparked debate as to the efficacy of the transposition of the Directive into national law, particularly the provisions on the PCPC, referred to in the current legislation as the Principal Designer. This challenge has resonance across the entire EU. The proposed action is aimed at developing knowledge and understanding of roles and practices in the management of OSH risks at the pre-construction phase towards the ultimate research output in the form of an advanced pre-construction OSH risk management simulator. These outputs will deliver improvements in OSH which, even at 1%, could mean 3706 fewer accidents, equivalent to €43M annual savings. The research will adopt a mixed methodology involving document analysis, focus groups and case studies to determine practice and industry opinion on identified issues. Research informants will comprise experienced construction professionals and expert OSH practitioners. The action will provide knowledge-exchange opportunities between industry and academia, and stimulate practitioner debate on current OSH policy, leading to changes in professional practice and better training of professionals. The Fellow will be the nexus of these exchanges and will thus receive excellent research training that will equip him with knowledge and expertise to become an advocate for better OSH risk management in the CI.

Air pollution (AP) remains prevalent globally. Its impact on dementia risk is unclear. We propose to investigate the association of dementia with AP and explore mediation effects on the association from other factors. We will examine data of 2776 participants aged >=60 years who were randomly recruited from urban and rural of China. Their baseline risk factors (including environmental tobacco smoke-ETS and fish consumption) were recorded and dementia was diagnosed in a standard interview package. They were followed up for 4 years to identify mortality and incident dementia. We will calculate the residential distance proximity to major roadways (REDPMR) for each cohort member (an approximate AP exposure), and also collect regional AP monitoring data to evaluate individual exposure to AP. We will employ multivariate adjusted Cox regression models to examine the association of AP with dementia and interaction and mediation effects from ETS and fish consumption on the association. In the UK we will recruit 200 elders aged>=75 years with newly diagnosed dementia and 200 without dementia from the Royal Wolverhampton hospital. We will document their disease risk factors, REDPMR and local residential AP. Using multivariate logistic regression models we will examine the associations of REDPMR with dementia. We will run 2 focus groups each in the UK and China to explore the effects of AP on dementia and preventive measures of AP and dementia. Our unique data, including participants with special characteristics from China will offer internationally applicable insights into the impact of AP on dementia. Throughout the research project, use of varied study and research methodologies and rigorous training courses, our Fellow will develop his leadership skills and further his career in public health research. The project will strengthen a long-term collaboration between EU and China partners, and will provide Europe with new data to prevent dementia and to reduce AP.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) form the backbone of the European economies in terms of employment, job creation, innovation and ability to add economic value. Because of that, SMEs have received much attention from scholars seeking to understand determinants of their competitiveness as well as from policy-makers at national and European levels aiming to provide support measures to facilitate their growth. It is well understood that SMEs command fewer resources and are more volatile than their large counterparts, and therefore need to pursue different trajectories to compete. What is less well known is whether and how SMEs harness the potential of their boards of directors to improve value-creation thus strengthening their competitiveness. This fellowship aims to advance knowledge by investigating how boards in SMEs contribute to value-creation within a service-dominant logic, taking into account the heterogeneity of SMEs as well as country-specific factors. By bringing together perspectives from multiple disciplines such as strategic management, marketing, organisational behaviour and psychology, and adopting a mixed methods research design that is close to and captures the complexity of the phenomenon, the results from the project will generate novel yet rigorous insights into the strategic dimensions of SME governance. A set of carefully designed user engagement and outreach activities will ensure that this new knowledge is transmitted into practice and available to a wider public audience. With the help of subject-related, methodological, and professional training and secondments, this fellowship provides a unique opportunity for Dr Yar Hamidi to advance his knowledge in a subject area he is passionate about as well as creating a sound platform from which to develop his scholarly career.