Research regarding life in rural coastal communities in England has been limited, while the experience of families further marginalised by disability has been unresearched. To address this topic, a qualitative study was undertaken to explore the lives of families living with autism in rural coastal England. Twenty-two families from Cornwall and West Norfolk were interviewed in early 2019, including young people on the autism spectrum, their siblings, parents (some of whom were themselves also on the spectrum) and grandparents. Perceived benefits of living in a rural coastal space were identified. These included the location, the sense of community and the sense of 'going back in time' as a positive experience. However, families also spoke of barriers and challenges associated with negative aspects of the location, the experience of stigma and intersectionality in relation to autism and rural coastal spaces. Difficulties concerning education, health and social care support were worsened by poor local infrastructure and the impact of a decade of austerity. The qualitative methodology involving collaboration with families with autism in developing the research tools, participant recruitment and stakeholder validation is considered. This research explored the intersecting impacts of rurality, coastality and disability to provide a novel and more nuanced understanding of such families' experiences. As such, it contributes to our understanding of those living 'on the edge' - regarding physical location, societal and educational marginalisation.

This paper explores the emergence of micro-level creative tensions and their interplay within collaborative innovation projects. Our findings demonstrate how, at the microlevel, an evolving set of actors, activities and artifacts support collaborative innovation in science-based SMEs. Our analysis highlights how activities and artifacts are linked through creative tensions emerging from situations of close interaction between diverse actors. We demonstrate how a mutually constitutive duality captures the paradoxical nature of creative tensions. Furthermore, our findings show how actors employ ambidexterity in navigating and harnessing creative tensions and develop artifacts that create value. We propose a framework that captures micro-level value creation in collaborative innovation. We suggest three research propositions that explore interconnectedness between actors from diverse backgrounds, diversity of knowledge and skills in contributing to innovation activities, and ambidexterity in navigating creative tensions in developing artifacts in the form of innovative products, services and processes.

PurposeThis paper identifies exigent factors that enable and constrain trust building in a science-based innovation ecosystem.Design/methodology/approachSet in the Northeast England, this study adopts a processual sensemaking approach to thematically analyse interviews with a diverse range of participants in six science-based SMEs.FindingsThe findings provide a unique exposition of trust building in an innovation ecosystem across geographic and platform relationships. In doing so, the findings highlight factors outside of contractual agreements that enable or constrain trust building in an innovation ecosystem.Research limitations/implicationsLimitations centred on subjectivity in the use of thematic analysis, sample bias and size. Sampling limitations were mitigated through the research design and analysis.Practical implicationsThe findings provide unique insights into understanding the exigent factors that enable or constrain trust building in a science-based innovation ecosystem.Originality/valueThe study identifies five exigent factors that constrain or enable trust building in science-based SMEs' innovation ecosystem at a micro-level – building network relationships, degree of novelty, protection of innovations, propensity for adding value, propensity for risk.

Education in Croatia is based upon principles of inclusion and individualisation. However, the effective inclusion of learners with special educational needs, including those with autism, has been identified as limited. To better understand the situation within primary education in the country, a survey of specialist teachers from mainstream and special primary schools was undertaken ( n = 99), to investigate such teachers' knowledge and attitudes regarding autism, and their experience of ‘good autism practice’ methods and approaches. Knowledge was inconsistent, and inaccurate understandings were common. Attitudes regarding the inclusion of learners with autism were ambivalent. Training in ‘good practice’ approaches was extremely limited; however, despite low confidence, the use of these approaches was common. Teachers' education needs in autism were identified, and implications for future teacher education in autism, practice and policy initiatives are discussed.

Legislation and policy within Croatia, the Republic of North Macedonia and Poland supports the educational inclusion of children with autism; however, such inclusion is nascent in these countries. A survey of experienced teachers working directly with children with autism in both inclusive and special schools was undertaken in winter 2018-19. Five hundred and sixty questionnaires were distributed and 340 returned (61% response); after cleansing, 242 responses were analysed. Over a quarter of respondents had received no instruction regarding autism during initial teacher education; almost half had undertaken no continuing professional development on the topic. Special school teachers reported higher overall confidence, but levels remained low within a number of key domains. Teachers identified a need for appropriate teacher education regarding theory, relevant practical strategies and mentorship/supervision. Implications regarding inclusive practice and teacher education in these countries are identified.

This case focuses on ideas generation in GasTec, a science-based small business specializing in the design and manufacture of gas sensors and analyzers. The case examines how employees' interaction with a shared boundary object (The "Imagineering Wall") contributed to the generation of innovative new ideas. The case shows how the Wall generated discussion and participation among employees, leading to enhanced absorption of internal and external knowledge. Interacting with the Wall exemplifies how both bottom-up processes through which employees shared knowledge internally, and top-down processes that supported formalized, managerial-led, external collaborations contribute to ideas generation and innovation. The case also highlights the current dilemma of GasTec's Managing Director in deciding whether to continue to support the development of the Wall as part of its innovation strategy.

Autism affects over 2% of the school population in England. Education has proven to be an effective intervention strategy that improves the quality of life of children with autism and their families. However, governmental austerity policies have increased disadvantage in coastal areas of England with a detrimental impact on people with disabilities. This qualitative study explored the lives of families living with autism in rural coastal England. Mothers, fathers, grandparents and young people from 21 families living with autism in West Norfolk and Cornwall shared their experience through semi-structured interviews that were conducted in early 2019. Families identified positive and negative aspects of living in these areas, including barriers preventing access to and inclusion in education. Barriers were related to poor infrastructure, sparse specialised services (resulting in diagnostic delay and difficulties), limited autism awareness, lack of trained professionals, and the impact of austerity across health, social care and education. Families' struggles are amplified by the intersectionality of (a) autism-specific needs, (b) physical distance and small-community life related to rurality and (c) the seasonal and peripheral nature of coastal life. Access to education for children with autism in rural coastal areas of England could be improved by acknowledging and addressing the intersecting factors intensifying their marginalisation.

Due to the shortage of autism-specific professional development, the international ASD-EAST project was implemented. This article presents the findings of a quantitative survey undertaken among Polish teachers (in two school settings: special, N=60; mainstream/inclusive, N=30) who attended ASD-EAST workshops. The aim was to identify the post-autism-specific professional development increase of teachers' knowledge concerning the characteristics of students with ASD and teachers' subjective confidence regarding their professional competencies. The results showed that the training opportunity was considered by teachers to be important and effective. The results provide grounds for concluding that the programme may be recommended for practical use in order to train teachers who will work with students with ASD.

Data were collected from heads of households across Bhutan to gain insights regarding children with disabilities up to 18 years in Bhutan. Fieldwork was conducted by local enumerators, trained by researchers from the UK who analysed and interpreted the data. Results indicate that whilst there are largely positive attitudes towards children with disabilities in Bhutan, the majority of respondents conceptualized disability narrowly and were pessimistic about such children's ability to lead full lives. Households including children with disabilities were less positive than others concerning the ways in which children are regarded and supported in their communities. Fatalistic views related to beliefs in karma were noted and influenced expectations regarding what children with disabilities might achieve. More positive attitudes are held by younger people and those more highly educated. Attitudes and expectations have had a negative effect in restricting access to educational and social inclusion for many children with disabilities.

This document reports the key findings of the Erasmus+ KA2 Strategic Partnership Autism Spectrum Disorder – Empowering and Supporting Teachers (ASD-EAST) (Grant 2018-1-UK01-KA201-047872). ASD-EAST was established to begin to address an identified shortfall in teacher knowledge and training regarding Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and focused on developing appropriate training to support teachers to effectively include learners with ASD in education within Central/Eastern Europe and the Balkans. The project was carried out between September 2018 and August 2020. Its specific focus was on the development of training for specialist primary age range teachers (in both special school and mainstream/inclusive settings). The materials were developed and tested in three counties: Croatia, the Republic of North Macedonia (hereafter referred to as North Macedonia) and Poland.

First published in 1995, Organizations and Technical Change examines the key changes that have taken place in the external and internal contexts of organizations which have experienced technical change. It reviews and assesses major elements of new technology, including: the development of strategy; the setting of objectives; employee involvement; and the management of the adoption process. Through four case studies, the book considers in detail a variety of approaches and shows how the adoption of technology and the issues involved have changed since the 1980s.

Information and support for families of children on the autism spectrum is limited in south‐east Europe. A three‐year project, Equity and Social Inclusion Through Positive Parenting (ESIPP), was established to develop and provide parent education (PE) in autism for families in Croatia, Cyprus and North Macedonia. This paper presents findings from Croatia regarding family life and the impact of PE. Data were collected via pre‐ and post‐PE questionnaires and semi‐structured interviews. Participants discussed the impact of autism on family life, the difficulty of obtaining a diagnosis, the importance of family support (and varying experience of formal support), common experiences of stigma and social exclusion and concerns for the future. The value and benefit of PE is identified, and recognition of its impact within Croatia has ensured its ongoing provision.

The authors use the analogy of the Argentine Tango to illuminate entrepreneurial effectuation as a process of becoming. Drawing on the metaphor of dance, the authors highlight seven areas for theory development that could further a performative theory of effectuation. These include the study of the micro-level movement and flow in the dance as "intimate steps," and understanding the interplay between entrepreneur and ecosystem as "contextual rhythms." They further propose that the study of changing leadership in the dance could illuminate how causal processes "become" effectual and suggest a concept of "attunement" to consider how inexperienced entrepreneurs learn contextual rhythms and, therefore, benefit for effectuation processes. Finally, they posit that the intimate steps leading to creativity in the dance relative to different levels of proximity and distance between the dancers should be understood alongside the movements and flows through which dancers maintain their individuality during such intimate movements and flows.

Резимe ВоведАутистичниот спектар на нарушувања (АСН) се смета дека има големо влијание врз семејниот живот.Едуцирањето на родителите кои имаат деца со АСН за нивната состојба е од корист и за родителите и за децата.Како и да е, таквите програми се недостапни во југоисточна Европа. ЦелиЗа да обрне внимание на ова, ESIPP проектот беше воспоставен за да се развие и да се овозможи едукација на родителите за хрватските, кипарските и македонските семејства, на начин што беа истренирани 335 членови на семејства.Беа развиени обуки за едукација на родителите и создавање на материјали кои се различни во однос на локалниот контекст, како и препораки за европските креатори на политиката.Овој труд ги презентира резултатите од истражувањето кое се однесува на 70 членови на македонски семејства.

Niniejszy artykuł stanowi przegląd literatury dotyczącej doskonalącego kształcenia nauczycieli w zakresie zaburzeń ze spektrum autyzmu (ASD). Przeprowadzono krytyczną analizę treści artykułów na powyższy temat opublikowanych w języku angielskim w ciągu ostatnich 20 lat. Analiza została przygotowana w ramach wstępnego etapu działań podjętych w celu opracowania programu szkoleniowego dla nauczycieli w Chorwacji, Polsce i Macedonii Północnej. W rezultacie przeprowadzonej analizy stwierdzono, że dostępne materiały można podzielić na trzy grupy: literaturę opartą na prawach przysługujących beneficjentom z zaburzeniami ze spektrum autyzmu (ASD), literaturę opartą na zdiagnozowanych u nich potrzebach oraz literaturę dotyczącą konkretnych podejść terapeutyczno-edukacyjnych. W artykule omówione zostały kluczowe tematy dotyczące autyzmu prezentowane w cytowanej literaturze. Na podstawie przeprowadzonej analizy można wysnuć wniosek, że chociaż na poziomie legislacyjnym promowane jest włączenie uczniów z ASD do szkół rejonowych, nauczyciele uważają się za nieprzygotowanych i niemających wystarczających kompetencji do nauczania uczniów z ASD. W związku z powyższym istnieje pilna potrzeba przygotowania nauczycieli do pracy z uczniem z ASD oraz wyposażenia ich w strategie i umiejętności w celu zaspokojenia potrzeb uczniów w szkole inkluzywnej.

Due to the fact that inclusive education is the equal right of all children, children with ASD can face the problems due to the diverse nature of the autism spectrum as well as to the teachers’ qualification and knowledge. Educators need a range of skills and knowledge to be able to respond to the variety of needs of pupils with ASD. However, providing such education is challenging across Europe, particularly within Central/Eastern Europe and the Balkans. Autism Spectrum Disorder – Empowering and Supporting Teachers (ASD-EAST) project was established to develop training to support effective teaching to ensure the educational inclusion of learners with autism.