Past data releases - 2004

ESDS Qualidata made available the following datasets in 2004.

• Changing Organisational Forms and the Re-shaping of Work : Case Study Interviews, 1999-2002
• Building Institutions in a Vacuum : Devolution and England's South East, 2002
• Critical Incidents and the Health-related Behaviour of Schoolchildren, 1997
• Retail Competition and Consumer Choice, 2002-2004
• Indirect Harm and Positive Consequences Associated with Cannabis Use, 2001-2003
• Changing Employment Relationships, Employment Contracts and the Future of Work, 1999-2002
• Quality of Home Experience for Homeworkers, 2002
• Family Life of Old People, 1865-1955
• Family Life and Work Experience Before 1918, 1870-1973
• Chief Probation Officers : A Criminal Justice Elite, 2000-2002
• Mothers and Daughters : Accounts of Health in the Grandmother Generation, 1945-1978
• Counselling and Society: A Case Study of Voluntary Sector Counselling Provision in Scotland, 1960-2002
• Employment and Working Life Beyond the Year 2000 : Employee Attitudes to Work in Call Centres and Software Development, 1999-2001
• Disputes in the Charitable Sector in England and Wales, 1979-2002
• Technology and Natural Death: A Study of Older People, 2001-2002
• Ethnic Relations on West Midland Housing Estates, 1983-1984
• Neighbourhood Boundaries, Social Disorganisation and Social Exclusion, 2001-2002
• Generational Contract Between Care and Inheritance in Britain and Japan, 2002-2003
• Liberal Democrats: Structure, Strategy and Contemporary Party Politics in Britain, 1999-2001
• Accountability and the Governance of Expertise : Anticipating Genetic Bioweapons, 2002-2003
• Devolution and Decentralisation in Wales and Brittany, 2001-2002

• Changing Organisational Forms and the Re-shaping of Work : Case Study Interviews, 1999-2002
  Marchington, M., University of Manchester. Institute of Science and Technology. Manchester School of Management.

  Date of Release: 22 December 2004

  Abstract: This research into changing organizational forms and the re-shaping of work was prompted by the recognition that, despite an apparent increase in the number and importance of 'new' organizational forms, their implications for the future of work had yet to be fully explored. Current accepted frameworks for analysing organizations, work and employment tend to be founded upon one of two premises. The first, prevalent in human resources management (HRM), industrial relations, occupational psychology and employment law literature, takes work and employment to be organized and shaped by a single employing organization, having well-defined boundaries and considerable control over its internal policies. This approach largely ignores the growth of inter-organizational relationships and the permeability of organizational boundaries, even in situations where work is sub-contracted. The second, associated with much organizational analysis, strategic management and industrial economics literature, attends to inter-organizational relationships, but also treats each organization as an essentially coherent and unitarist entity, capable of displaying entity-wide attitudes and values such as organizational trust. Analysis of the employment relationship and its well-known contested nature is widely disregarded.

  In a context of increasing fragmentation and permeability of organizations, and evidence that human resources (HR) policies are unable to resolve the potential conflicts and contradictions inherent in the employment relationship, a fresh approach is needed. This departs from methodological traditions focused on the single organization as the unit of analysis, with data often gathered through the lens of a single respondent, and with a lack of attention to inter-organizational relations. This research built on work in the ESRC Contracts and Competition Programme that has analysed trust between firms (for example, the work of Deakin and Michie), to include a more specific analysis of the role of employment relations. It also extended work that has focused on the employment aspects of specific types of 'new organizational form' - franchising, employment agencies, public sector subcontracting, for example - by developing a broader and more comprehensive analysis. The project was designed to collect data, via in-depth qualitative case studies of inter-organizational networks, on how these new organizational forms operate in practice, and to subject existing literature - particularly that based on speculative and normative theorizing - to more critical analysis.

  The project adopted a case study approach using documentary analysis, in-depth interviews with a range of individuals at different levels of the hierarchy and a limited amount of participant observation. A key feature of the approach was its focus on inter-organizational relations.

  Main Topics: The researchers adopted a case study approach using documentary analysis, in-depth interviews with a range of individuals at different levels of the hierarchy and a limited amount of participant observation. A key feature of the approach was its focus on inter-organisational relations.

  This data collection is comprised of interview material from eight case studies. The characteristics of the data for each case are given below:

  • Airport Case: ten key airport organisations and airport-owned departments/subsidiaries at Airport S were selected for the study, including airport security, engineering, fire services, baggage handling services, full handling services, four airlines and a ground cleaning contracting firm. Eighty-eight interviews (88 interviewees) were held with senior and middle managers, employees and union representatives across the range of organisations.
  • Ceramics Case: five ceramics manufacturers were selected for the study. Thirty-eight interviews (36 interviewees) were held with senior and middle managers, employees and union representatives across the five organisations, the employers' organisation and the trade union for the industry.
  • Chemicals Case: this case study focused upon links between a pigment manufacturing plant (Scotchem), one of several UK based chemical production facilities owned by Multichem, a large European multinational that specialises in developing and producing industrial chemicals, and a network of its suppliers. It also draws upon data from customers and suppliers including chemical companies, road haulage firms and a security firm. Forty-seven interviews (42 interviewees) were held with senior and middle managers, employees and union representatives across the range of organisations and with the trade association for the industry.
  • Information Technology Case: this case study involved a large government department which outsourced the development and maintenance of its computer facilities to 'FutureTech', a global software and IT systems development company. Forty-five interviews (49 interviewees) were held with senior and middle managers, employees and union representatives across both organisations.
  • Post Office Counters Ltd Case (POC): this case study focuses upon POC, one of the three main businesses of Consignia, formerly the Post Office Group, which is a publicly owned company (it has since changed its name again to Royal Mail). Of the three, POC is the only subsidiary, the other two being run as operating divisions. The case study focuses upon Crown Post Offices, which are run and staffed as a public sector organisation as well as branches that are privately owned, either through sub-post office contracts or franchises. Thirty-four interviews (37 interviewees) were held with senior and middle managers, employees and union representatives across the range of organisations.
  • PFI Case: this case study involves a large NHS Trust and a consortium of three private sector organisations which won a PFI (Private Finance Initiative) contract to construct new buildings and deliver estates maintenance, cleaning and catering services. Sixty-seven interviews (57 interviewees) were held with senior and middle managers, employees and union representatives in both the public and private sector organisations.
  • Teacher Supply Case: this case study focuses upon a temporary employment agency that specialises in providing supply teachers for schools. Sixty-three interviews (66 interviewees) were held, drawing upon interviews with managers and employees from two branches of the agency along with supply teachers and representatives from schools in the North West area.
  • Customer Services Case (TCS): this case study focuses upon TCS, which provides business processing outsourcing services to utilities, private enterprise and the public sector, with a primary focus on customer management outsourcing. Four TCS sites have been explored; TCS Training Service, a subsidiary company specialising in training; a North West call centre and billing centre for National Suppliers companies; a North West call centre offering services for 5 different contracts; and the administration of the housing benefits service for a London Council. The case study has focused particularly on the latter two sites. Sixty interviews (60 interviewees) were held with senior and middle managers, employees and union representatives in both the public and private sector outsourcing sites.

  Interview transcriptions are verbatim, but some passages were inaudible, and interview summaries are partial. Each data file contains a mixture of both.

  The full catalogue record for Changing Organisational Forms and the Re-shaping of Work : Case Study Interviews, 1999-2002 (SN 5041) is available from the UKDA.

• Building Institutions in a Vacuum : Devolution and England's South East, 2002
  Tickell, A., University of Bristol. School of Geographical Sciences.

  Date of Release: 10 December 2004

  Abstract: The South East region has long been seen as peripheral to the process of devolution in England. Claims that the region lacks a clear identity of its own, that it is in fact a series of economic sub-regions and that London, although governed separately, is the cultural and economic core of the South East, are easy to make and to substantiate. This research project moved beyond these preliminary analyses of the 'problem region' of English Devolution. It focused on the process through which the region is constructed as a network of institutions. It considered the emergent relationship between the three institutions of regional government, the Regional Development Association (RDA), the Government Office and the Regional Assembly, to be critical in the formation and operation of the region. This triad of regional institutions has had an immediate and significant impact on local and county government in the South East. However, the effectiveness of their promotion of the South East's interests on the inter-regional and national scale is more questionable.

  The research found that institutions of regional government in all parts of England are concerned primarily with physical regeneration and economic development initiatives. However, the policy imperatives for South East England are to address the problems of economic success such as transport congestion, labour shortages and a lack of affordable housing. As such, the regional government of the UK's core economic area is failing to address the fundamental requirements of the regional economy. Institutional links between the South East region and London remain under-developed and as such inter-regional policy on important common issues such as housing and transport are fragmented. There is much scope for London government to develop common strategies with their counterparts in the South East and the East of England, although as yet they have achieved relatively little in this respect.

  This qualitative data collection comprises six transcriptions from interviews with key informants from county councils and regional government organisations in South East England. The interviews were carried out by the project team between May and August 2002. Each of the six interviews was carried out face-to-face by one or more interviewers. The interviews each lasted between 45 minutes and one hour. A common series of issues was raised in each interview and a prompt list is included in the background documentation. However, a relatively unstructured approach was adopted and scope allowed in each interview for new themes and issues to emerge. The data collection has been anonymised prior to deposit at the UK Data Archive; the anonymisation process has involved the removal of names and locations that could allow interviewees to be identified. A common system of replacement has been adopted and as such 'District X' in Interview 1 refers to the same location as 'District X' in Interview 6.

  Main Topics: The interviews covered the following topics:

  • identification of the region;
  • working with and within the region;
  • partnership building and network development;
  • relationship between the local and the regional scales;
  • inter-regional relations;
  • England;
  • Europe.

  The full catalogue record for Building Institutions in a Vacuum : Devolution and England's South East, 2002(SN 5037) is available from the UKDA.

• Critical Incidents and the Health-related Behaviour of Schoolchildren, 1997
  Denscombe, M., De Montfort University. Department of Public Policy and Managerial Studies.

  Date of Release: 10 December 2004

  Abstract: The research focused on the role of critical incidents in the life of young people and the extent to which such critical incidents acted as crucial flashpoints in the generation of attitudes towards health-related behaviour. Specifically, the research investigated schoolchildren's attitudes towards risk-taking and health. Consumption of alcohol and tobacco by young people was studied as a pertinent instance of health-related behaviour. Attention was focused on the 15-16 age range as a group who are of particular interest in terms of their stage of development in relation to the consumption of alcohol and tobacco.

  The aims and objectives of the research were to:

  • analyse young people's perceptions of self and personal health in the context of two recent developments in sociological theory concerned with 'self identities' and with the meaning of risk in contemporary western society;
  • investigate the role of 'critical incidents' in the formation of schoolchildren's attitudes to health-related behaviour;
  • provide a methodological development of the critical incident technique for social research based on group interviews with schoolchildren;
  • engage with a variety of agencies concerned with young people and foster an interdisciplinary approach to the study of health-related behaviour;
  • enhance the value of health education strategies through a contribution to the existing knowledge base on the willingness of young people to take risks with their health.

  The project used a mixture of quantitative and qualitative methodology, and the study therefore includes one quantitative data file comprising coded responses from the questionnaire, eleven transcripts of focus group interviews conducted with groups of 15-16 year olds who responded to the questionnaire, and eight transcripts of interviews, each conducted with two students together, at five of the schools that took part in the survey.

  Main Topics: In order to explore the role of critical incidents on their willingness to engage in health-risking behaviour, the young people taking part in the survey were asked about any:

  • first-hand experience of a serious accident or injury, or
  • personal experience of a serious illness or a medical condition affecting their well-being.

  They were also asked about any experience they had involving:

  • the death of a close friend or someone in the close family, or
  • a serious accident or illness affecting someone close to them.

  In addition to items specifically concerned with critical incidents, the questionnaire included items on young people's alcohol and tobacco consumption, attitudes to their own bodies, and perceptions of risks related to health. This information was correlated with the demographic data on sex, ethnic origin and social class that was also collected as part of the survey. The survey data acted as a prelude to the qualitative research by supplying information which a) addressed specific issues pertinent to the research and b) provided a foundation for the subsequent discussions in focus groups and interviews.

  Focus groups:

  For the focus group interviews, the young people were initially invited to discuss issues arising from the survey. This allowed some validation of the findings from the questionnaires. The focus groups also provided more insights to the attitudes and perceptions of this age group and were specifically geared towards revealing cases of critical incidents in the young people's lives.

  Interviews:

  The interviews covered more in-depth probing of young people's experiences of critical incidents in relation to their attitudes towards risk-taking with health.

  The full catalogue record for Critical Incidents and the Health-related Behaviour of Schoolchildren, 1997 (SN 5057) is available from the UKDA.

• Retail Competition and Consumer Choice, 2002-2004
  Clarke, I., Lancaster University. Management School. Department of Marketing.

  Date of Release: 7 December 2004

  Abstract: This project addressed the implication of the growth in concentration in food retailing in the UK - resulting from the consolidation and small store decline over the long term - with reference to its impact on consumer choice. The reference point of the study was the UK Competition Commission (2000) conclusion that the degree to which consumers will have adequate choice will depend on local circumstances. The project addressed this specific issue by exploring changing retail provision between 1980 and 2002 in an 'average' situation (Portsmouth), where extensive, large scale quantitative surveys of shopping behaviour were combined with qualitative studies to provide a richer understanding of different households' use and experiences of local retail provision.

  The baseline for the core of the study was the replication of a survey conducted in Portsmouth by Hallsworth and reported in: Hallsworth, A.G. (1988) The human impact of hypermarkets and superstores, Aldershot: Avebury. In addition, the approach and conceptual framework of the research were informed by two particular prior publications from members of the research team:

  • Clarke, I (2000) 'Retail power, competition and local consumer choice in the UK grocery sector' European Journal of Marketing, 34(8), pp.975-1002;
  • Miller, D. et al (1998) Shopping, place and identity, London, Routledge.

  Main Topics: This data collection comprises the qualitative and quantitative data from the project 'Retail Competition and Consumer Choice'. The data were gathered between 2002 and 2004 in the Portsmouth area. The quantitative data comprises two files which include the variables and coding from two surveys: the first survey was carried out at supermarkets' sites and the second survey took the form of a postal questionnaire distributed by hand to residents' homes in the study area (Portsmouth).

  The qualitative data collection comprises:

  • eight transcriptions of accompanied shopping trips;
  • eight transcriptions of kitchen visits to 10 participants in eight households located in Paulsgrove and Purbrook, two contrasting neighbourhoods in the Portsmouth area.

  For both sets of transcriptions, the original observation and interview guides are included. Guides for the accompanied shopping trips were customised to each participant. Each guide includes also a summary of the first accompanied shopping trip and the diary that participants completed during 10 days. The guide for the kitchen visit was the same for all participants.

  The full catalogue record for Retail Competition and Consumer Choice, 2002-2004 (SN 5049) is available from the UKDA.

• Indirect Harm and Positive Consequences Associated with Cannabis Use, 2001-2003
  Terry, P., University of Birmingham. Department of Psychology.

  Date of Release: 17 November 2004

  Abstract: The aim of the project was to characterise patterns and consequences of cannabis use specifically in relation to work activities, academic performance, driving habits and sexual behaviour - situations in which the cannabis user may be at risk of indirect harm from their drug use. More broadly, the project also aimed to evaluate the impacts of cannabis use (positive or negative) on quality of life, and to examine whether developments in detection/law enforcement (e.g. workplace drug testing) would influence patterns of use. To this end, 100 regular users of cannabis (two to seven days/week) and 90 infrequent users (at most, four days per month) returned detailed questionnaires covering demographic characteristics, patterns of use, and the effects of cannabis use on general well-being, work/academic performance, driving and sexual behaviour. Respondents were from cities, towns and villages throughout England. Sixty respondents (30 from each user group) were later interviewed in depth on related topics, with a particular focus on the impact of cannabis use on their relationships with parents/partners. Eight respondents who had given up using cannabis were also interviewed to gain insight into reasons for quitting.

  This study uses a mixture of quantitative and qualitative methodology, and includes three quantitative data files (data from questionnaires and qualitative interviews) and one document comprising quotes from the interviews, available in Adobe PDF format.

  Main Topics: Topics covered in the questionnaire included: gender, ethnic group, educational background, qualifications, current and previous cannabis use, effects of cannabis use, motor vehicle ownership, alcohol use, other illegal drug use, general health and emotional state, economic activity, employment history, cannabis and work performance, cannabis and academic performance, cannabis and sexual behaviour.

  Themes covered in the interviews included: context of first use and patterns of cannabis use from onset to present day, smoking behaviour, dependence, positive and negative effects of cannabis, effects of cannabis on personal relationships, effects of cannabis on work performance, effects of cannabis on academic performance and attitudes towards the legalisation of cannabis and whether or not respondents considered cannabis to be a 'gateway drug' (i.e. leading to use of other drugs).

  Responses in the quantitative data files 'interviewdataforusers' and 'interviewdataforex-users' and the interview quotes document may be linked using the variable code in the data files and the code number by each quote in the interview quotes file.

  The full catalogue record for Indirect Harm and Positive Consequences Associated with Cannabis Use, 2001-2003 (SN 5029) is available from the UKDA.

• Changing Employment Relationships, Employment Contracts and the Future of Work, 1999-2002
  White, M., Policy Studies Institute.
  Gregory, N., London School of Economics and Political Science.

  Date of Release: 9 November 2004

  Abstract: The project was designed to identify changes in the employment relationship and contractual basis of employment over the 1980's and 1990's, and to examine their consequences for the future of work. The growth and distribution of numerical and functional flexibility, and their impact on employees and the self-employed, were examined. The project also explored changes in work expectations, organisational commitment and work pressure. Human resource practices and control regimes were examined alongside their impact upon work/family balance, work effort and levels of work strain. Contemporary accounts and explanations of the changing nature of work were assessed, in order to understand both continuity and discontinuity in employment relations.

  The project used a mixture of quantitative and qualitative methodology. The quantitative survey and related documentation formed the original deposit, and sixteen qualitative interviews and related schedules were added for the second edition of the study.

  Main Topics: The quantitative dataset records the responses of workers aged 20-60 covering issues of work expectations and employment commitment; previous work history; second jobs; current main job details; organisation of work; information and communications; training, employability and career; benefits and working time; job satisfaction and organisational commitment; job security; personal and family details; prosperity, earnings and hours; employer details; discretion, responsibility and supervision; representation, pay fixing and rewards; type of business, clients, employees and motives; competition, risk assessment and start-up capital; work intensity; job security, perceived alternatives.

  The interview material is taken from the preliminary qualitative phase of the project, which was subsequently used to help devise new questions for the survey questionnaire. The interviews highlight a number of issues such as:

  • The difficulty of recruiting and retaining employees in a buoyant labour market. Employers spoke of the difficulty of finding skilled (an not-so-skilled) workers in the context of tight labour market conditions. The growing internationalisation of recruitment, manifest in US-based companies opening branches in South East England, was another force for driving up salaries for skilled individuals. In this context, the possibility of relocating 'back office' operations to low wage developing countries was being pursued.
  • The 'long hours' culture and the consequences for work-family balance. Employees spoke of the pressure to show 'face time' in their workplaces, a practice that was considered essential to display motivation within competitive, professional work environments. Young professionals spoke of the frustrations of working long hours on tedious tasks to meet deadlines and impress their superiors. Another notable factor was the advent of ICT (e.g. email, intranet, etc.). While one of the benefits included being able to work from home, an acknowledged cost was email overload and the pressure to deal with this outside of 'normal working hours'. Though the feminisation of the labour force was recognised, employers were making relatively little progress in providing family-friendly policies.
  • The spread of team-based forms of work. Both employers and employees highlighted the spread of team-based work, especially for project-based tasks. These frequently meant that employees were members of more than one project team and moved between teams as new projects (and teams) emerged. This posed a challenge for managers, who still had to monitor their subordinate's performance, and to reward systems that focused on individuals rather than teams.
  • Finally, legislative changes were seen to have contributed to the burden of change on managers and had constrained employers' policies.

  The full catalogue record for Changing Employment Relationships, Employment Contracts and the Future of Work, 1999-2002 (SN 4641) is available from the UKDA.

• Quality of Home Experience for Homeworkers, 2002
  Moore, J., University of Teesside. School of Social Sciences and Law. Psychology.

  Date of Release: 5 November 2004

  Abstract: This study examined the ways in which home is conceptualised, experienced and evaluated by homeworkers, a hard-to-reach group. It explored the impact of homeworking on the experience of home and family life and sought to identify ways in which working from home may challenge the traditional stereotypical view of home. A pilot study suggested that the homeworking experience may be differentiated by economic, spatial and gender factors revealing potential tensions and inequalities among the broad range of people who work from home.

  The research sought to:

  • explore the existence of supports, inequalities and tensions in the homeworking experience; and
  • establish the particular qualities of home that are enhanced with working from home, as well as those that are limited by this activity.

  The study used mixed methods, including face-to-face qualitative interviews with individuals and focus groups, and a semi-structured questionnaire, from which a quantitative data file was complied. The qualitative sample consisted of 60 men and women who worked from home (45 individual interviewees, and fifteen other respondents comprising three focus groups), in varied types of work including professional, semi-skilled and unskilled. Four population areas in Northern England and Wales were targeted for this study. The quantitative data set included 62 questionnaires from a separate sample of national homeworkers.

  Key findings suggest that homeworking is differentiated by gender role, type of work and expectations. Furthermore there are both positive and negative aspects to the homeworking experience for all homeworkers. For example, flexibility is desired and enjoyed but this brings longer working hours. Finally, home is enhanced for some and invaded for others, but most make a conscious effort to make working from home viable

  Main Topics: The qualitative interviews cover paid work done at home, how the interviewee began homeworking, location in the home used for work, how family/partner copes with interviewee's home work, enjoyment of homeworking, choice of other jobs outside the home, positive and negative aspects of homeworking, perception of how treated in comparison to other workers, structure of typical working day, separation of work and home life, leisure time activities, breaks from work, local neighbourhood, perceptions of home and changes brought on by working from home.

  Variables in the quantitative data file include interviewee number (the 45 interviews may be linked by number to the respondent information in the data file), age, gender, rural/urban location, type of work, employment status, employment details and sector, hours of work, employment and homeworking history, living arrangements and household, children and childcare, computer use, community access, ways of working from home, comparison with other ways of working and work locus of control.

  The full catalogue record for Quality of Home Experience for Homeworkers, 2002 (SN 5028) is available from the UKDA.

• Family Life of Old People, 1865-1955
  Townsend, P., Institute of Community Studies.

  Date of Release: 2 September 2004

  Abstract: This material formed the basis for Professor Townsend's classic 1954-55 study which examined the growing perception that a breakdown in extended family networks was leaving old people isolated, and creating an increasing demand for residential care. Based primarily on interviews with a random sample of 203 people of pensionable age living in Bethnal Green, East London, the project demonstrated the important role that kinship networks, and relations within the extended family, played in the maintenance of community membership. This collection comprises PDF copies of Townsend's original papers, which are well-written, journalistic summaries of his face-to-face interviews, including his own observations and descriptions. 178 of the interview summaries are included in this collection (including kinship diagrams), several diaries, and 11 summaries of pilot interviews (made in 1954) with elderly people in Hampstead and Westminster.

  Main Topics: Old age; elderly people; family life; housing for the elderly; care of dependants; welfare services; community life; retirement; poverty; social isolation; loneliness.

  The full catalogue record for Family Life of Old People, 1865-1955 (SN 4723) is available from the UKDA.

• Family Life and Work Experience Before 1918, 1870-1973
  Thompson, P., University of Essex. Department of Sociology.

  Date of Release: 2 September 2004

  Abstract: This is a mixed methods study comprising 206 qualitative interview transcripts, in partially searchable PDF format, and a quantitative data file developed during a follow up project to code some of the data.

  The major part of the collection comprises life story interviews originally collected as part of the study The Edwardians: Family Life and Work Experience before 1918. The interviews were undertaken in the early 1970s and formed the basis of the first national oral history project in the United Kingdom. A total of 444 interviews were recorded on reel-to-reel audio tape and later transcribed as typed, paper documents. The interviews were open-ended (guided by a schedule) and of between one and six hours duration.

  A total of 206 transcripts of the 444 interviews are available from the UK Data Archive in the form of PDF documents. These are simply the transcripts of a quality suited to digitisation. There are plans to make more of the transcripts available in the future.

  A related project, Systematic Analysis of Life Histories, is also included. The aim of this was to prepare interviews collected for the 'Family Life and Work Experience before 1918' study for numerical coding shortly after completion. Not all of the data have been coded in the resulting data file.

  The original study materials were initially archived, catalogued and disseminated by Qualidata. Full paper/microfiche transcripts are held at the National Social Policy and Social Change Archive at the University of Essex and the original sound recordings deposited at the British Library National Sound Archive.

  Further information on the project is available through ESDS Qualidata Online.

  Main Topics: The interview schedule covered domestic routine, including the roles of husbands and children; meals; the upbringing of children; emotional relationships and values in the family; leisure; religion; politics; school; courtship and marriage; the wider family; relationships with neighbours and perception of the community structure; experience of work and occupational history of the whole family.

  The full catalogue record for Family Life and Work Experience Before 1918, 1870-1973 (SN 2000) is available from the UKDA.

• Chief Probation Officers : A Criminal Justice Elite, 2000-2002
  Mair, G., Liverpool John Moores University. School of Law.

  Date of Release: 20 July 2004

  Abstract: The project aimed to carry out the first detailed empirical study of Chief Probation Officers (CPOs) in England and Wales. The objectives of the study were:

  • to investigate the social and educational backgrounds and career histories of CPOs;
  • to explore their perceptions of community penalties, developments in these over the course of their careers and potential changes in the future;
  • to examine the role of CPOs as managers and their relationships with central government, local agencies and their probation committees.

  The study consisted of 47 qualitative interviews with CPOs, lasting on average around two hours each.

  Main Topics: Topics covered in the interview included: employment history both within the Probation Service and outside, career development and senior positions held before appointment to Chief, perceptions of the effects of changes in criminal justice policy and practice with regard to the Probation Service, important issues facing the Service, organisational change and management, and education and family background.

  The full catalogue record for Chief Probation Officers : A Criminal Justice Elite, 2000-2002 (SN 4953) is available from the UKDA.

• Mothers and Daughters : Accounts of Health in the Grandmother Generation, 1945-1978
  Blaxter, M., University of Aberdeen. MRC Medical Sociology Unit.

  Date of Release: 14 July 2004

  Abstract: The research looked at beliefs and attitudes to health and medical care, inter-generational relationships, and social history of members of a grandmother generation. The original study included interviews with daughters as well; this collection contains only the grandmother interviews.

  Grandmothers are asked extensive questions about their own health and the health of other family members. Details are provided on episodes of illness and remedies used, both home and health services. Specific topics of accidents, nutrition, dental care, and immunisation are covered.

  More generally, grandmothers are asked about their views of their personal doctors and institutional health services. They give opinions on the quality of health care before and after the introduction of the National Health Service.

  Grandmother-daughter relationships are explored, especially around the subject of offering and taking of medical advice concerning care for the grandchildren.

  The collection has been enhanced by: conversion from paper to searchable Word and .rtf format by OCR, extensive editing and formatting of all interview transcripts, production of a brief Scots dialect glossary, and extracts from an interview with the author about conducting this research. This collection will also be made available through ESDS Qualidata Online.

  Main Topics: The interviews cover health and social history, beliefs and attitudes to medical care, and intergenerational relationships.

  There are discussions of the grandmother's background, including jobs they held and where they lived.

  Many aspects of health are addressed: their own health, childhood diseases, the women's attitudes toward doctors and the National Health Service, including how medical care changed after the start of the NHS. The grandmothers are asked about causes of diseases, remedies and treatments used, and their thoughts on staying healthy.

  Relationships with daughters are covered, focusing on if the grandmothers offer medical advice, and if they do, is it accepted by their daughters.

  The full catalogue record for Mothers and Daughters : Accounts of Health in the Grandmother Generation, 1945-1978 (SN 4943) is available from the UKDA.

• Counselling and Society: A Case Study of Voluntary Sector Counselling Provision in Scotland, 1960-2002
  Bondi, L., University of Edinburgh. Institute of Geography.

  Date of Release: 29 June 2004

  Abstract: This research project examined the changing place of voluntary sector counselling in Scottish society by investigating the extent and character of voluntary sector counselling services, and by exploring the meaning and nature of counselling work to those involved in its provision. Over 100 in-depth qualitative interviews were carried out, 55 of which are archived in this collection.

  Main Topics: People work as volunteer counsellors for several different reasons, ranging from training for a new career, through engaging in meaningful work, to altruistic commitment to help others. From these interviews, voluntary sector counselling emerges as a practice that is animated by tensions between professional recognition/a sense of vocation, and between individual well-being/social action.

  The full catalogue record for Counselling and Society: A Case Study of Voluntary Sector Counselling Provision in Scotland, 1960-2002 (SN 4948) is available from the UKDA.

• Employment and Working Life Beyond the Year 2000 : Employee Attitudes to Work in Call Centres and Software Development, 1999-2001
  Bain, P., University of Strathclyde. Department of Human Resource Management
  Baldry, C., University of Stirling. Department of Management and Organisation
  Hyman, J., University of Aberdeen. Department of Management Studies
  Scholarios, D., University of Strathclyde. Department of Human Resource Management
  Taylor, P., University of Stirling. Department of Management and Organisation.

  Date of Release: 2 June 2004

  Abstract: The premise of the project was that an examination of the future of work should focus not only on the workplace but also on the significance of work in peoples' wider lives. Studies investigating the inter-relationships between work, household and community had been conducted before, in the 1960s, but in a markedly different context. Then, stereotypically, large, centralised, male, manual and highly unionised workforces predominated. Today, by contrast, many believe we live in a 'knowledge economy', characterised by smaller, dispersed workplaces, more feminised workforces, and new flexible forms of contract and work organisation. White-collar employees in sales and services are viewed as 'knowledge workers', more individualistic in their attitudes and more organisationally committed than their manual counterparts of earlier decades

  This project aimed to identify important changes and continuities in the experience of - and values attached to - work, through an investigation of two important sectors of the new economy in Scotland and the UK, i.e. call centres and software development. It sought to answer key questions relating to: work organisation, contractual status, organisational commitment, and the relationship between work and non-work life. Having identified, from earlier research, significant differences between call centres and software, the project also focused on the following questions about the sectors: what differences exist in methods of managerial control? do employees express differences in work-related attitudes? to what extent do they see themselves in collective or individualistic terms?

  Main Topics: The dataset represent data drawn from four call centres and five software firms between September 1999 and August 2001.

  The first quantitative data file contains responses to a self-report questionnaire distributed to call centre and software employees, the second represents a different sample of software employees and their self-report responses to a one-week work diary and teamwork questionnaire.

  The remaining qualitative data files represent employee answers, researcher notes and transcriptions from various methods of data collection: (a) responses from open-ended questions in the employee attitude questionnaire; (b) work observation; (c) exploratory interviews with key informants (managers, supervisors, trade union representatives, call centre operators, software developers); (d) observation of management meetings; (e) semi-structured in-depth workplace interviews and (f) semi-structured in-depth home or community-based interviews. Information collected from the four call centres, are represented by the letters E, H, M and T. Information collected from the five software development companies are represented by the letters Beta, Gamma, Lamda, Omega and Pi. A header identifies each type of qualitative data contained in the data files. The header includes a descriptive name, identifying the case study, date and researcher, the type of data, and the location from which it was collected.

  The full catalogue record for Employment and Working Life Beyond the Year 2000 : Employee Attitudes to Work in Call Centres and Software Development, 1999-2001 (SN 4815) is available from the UKDA.

• Disputes in the Charitable Sector in England and Wales, 1979-2002
  Morris, D.J, University of Liverpool. Liverpool Law School. Charity Law Unit.

  Date of Release: 18 May 2004

  Abstract: Disputes can be very costly to charities. They may lose staff, income and their reputation. Further, any cases that end up in court can undermine the legitimacy of the sector as a whole, especially in the light of public concerns over charities administration costs. This research investigates disputes in the charitable sector in England and Wales. In particular, it seeks to identify the commonest types of dispute, their scale and character and the ways with which they are dealt.

  Based on the analysis of the experiences of interviewees, all of whom had first hand experience of dealing with charitable disputes, this work seeks to shed light upon the frequency of disputes occurring in the charitable sector, and the nature of third party involvement.

  One element in the recent reforms to civil justice is the rise of alternative dispute resolution (ADR). Included under this heading, are professional mediators who broker and negotiate between disputing parties in order to come to a mutually acceptable resolution and those who provide adjudication services, whether on points of law or questions of fact. These may or may not be legally qualified personnel. The aim of ADR techniques is to avoid what are seen as the disadvantages of litigation. Disputes settled by means of ADR are often much less costly to resolve than those that result in litigation. This research helps to identify which specific forms of ADR are used and to raise the profile of ADR services for charities.

  Main Topics: The data consist of transcripts of semi-structured interviews conducted with organisations or individuals who had first hand experience of dealing with charitable disputes. Given the sensitive nature of the information, and charities' concerns for the reputation of the sector generally, charity workers were not approached as interviewees.

  The full catalogue record for Disputes in the Charitable Sector in England and Wales, 1979-2002 (SN 4843) is available from the UKDA.

• Technology and Natural Death: A Study of Older People, 2001-2002
  Seymour, J., University of Sheffield. School of Nursing and Midwifery.

  Date of Release: 27 April 2004

  Abstract: In its focus on older peoples' understandings of technologies used in end of life care, this study has developed new methodologies for social science in a demanding and ethically sensitive field. Pictures, story boards and media extracts were used during interviews and focus groups and the research team was assisted by an advisory group which included participants. Over seventy older people from three age cohorts (65-74, 75-84, 85 years and over) and from three contrasting areas of Sheffield, took part. Key messages are for the need to ensure that life prolonging and basic care technologies are provided in ways that respect a variety of understandings about love, comfort, obligation and burden during dying.

  The study highlights: the role that older people have in caring for the dying and their needs for support and training; information needs about issues of ethics, clinical practice and advance care planning; and the willingness of older research participants to discuss these matters and to enjoy the process of so doing. Developing a programme of public education and information was identified as an issue which should be addressed urgently if older people and their family carers are to be better equipped to make informed choices about these aspects of care. The study draws together issues previously considered under the largely separate remits of palliative care and gerontology. It is being used to provide advice on palliative and end of life care, especially to nursing and medical practitioners and to voluntary sector organisations as they begin to assess the need for action in this field.

  Main Topics: The study contains: qualitative interviews; focus group transcripts; associated fieldnotes; additional material, consent and information sheets; vignettes used in the interviews; slides used during focus groups.

  The data cover: different ways of administering drugs and medical technology, such as syringe drivers, Fentanyl patches, tablets, sedation; medical treatment such as defibrillation, cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, artificial ventilation/feeding; and topics covering clinical death; quality of life, natural death. The vignettes used cover Alzheimer's disease and lung cancer.

  The full catalogue record for Technology and Natural Death: A Study of Older People, 2001-2002 (SN 4840) is available from the UKDA.

• Ethnic Relations on West Midland Housing Estates, 1983 - 1984
  Bagley, C., Aston University. Department of Sociology and Social History.
  Cashmore, E., Aston University. Department of Sociology and Social History.

  Date of Release: 7 April 2004

  Abstract: This collection comprises of 155 unstructured and open-ended interviews. Interviews were conducted with residents on four housing estates (n=107), with head or senior teachers in schools on each estate (n=29), and with professional and voluntary workers involved in education, housing, probation service and community work (n=19). Most of the interviews were with individuals or couples, but five were conducted as focus groups (with school children and community groups). The interviews were conducted in four housing estates in the West Midlands area. Two were located in inner city Birmingham (one working class, one middle class); two were located outside Birmingham (one working class, one middle class- Edgbaston). Some of the interviews were transcribed (n=70), some were typed, others handwritten, some were summarised as handwritten interview notes (n=85). Full details are available in the data list.

  Main Topics: The interviews attempted to discover what race relations meant to the residents of these estates and professionals working in the community in terms of attitudes and experiences. The approach takes account of ethnic relations, not by studying particular ethnic groups per se, but by studying the processes by which different groups on the estates - black and white, young and elderly, male and female, etc - construct and destroy relationships; and the influences on the processes exerted by the respective communities.

  The full catalogue record for Ethnic Relations on West Midland Housing Estates, 1983 - 1984 (SN 4846) is available from the UKDA.

• Neighbourhood Boundaries, Social Disorganisation and Social Exclusion, 2001-2002
  Atkinson, R., University of Glasgow. Department of Urban Studies.

  Date of Release: 5 April 2004

  Abstract: The central aim of the research was to investigate the underlying premises of UK neighbourhood crime policies through a comparative study of the responses to crime and disorder within both affluent and deprived neighbourhoods, the extent and nature of informal means of social control utilised by their residents and how collective efficacy is related to social capital and social cohesion. A further aim of the research was to examine the nature of social interaction relating to crime and disorder between the neighbourhoods in order to identify the extent to which such defensive or exclusive strategies may contribute to the social and spatial exclusion of deprived neighbourhoods.

  The key research objectives were:

  • to examine the relationship between the organisational characteristics of the neighbourhoods and levels of informal social control, including the relationship between mechanisms of formal and informal social control, and;
  • to study the construction of territories of control and the importance of boundaries in the neighbourhood governance of crime and disorder.

  Two Scottish cities, Edinburgh and Glasgow, were included in the project. One affluent area and one deprived area were chosen from each city, and the research objectives were addressed utilising a mixed methodology combining quantitative and qualitative data:

  • individual interviews were conducted in all the four locations with officers from community, council and housing organisations, community police officers and councillors;
  • focus group interviews were conducted with residents from each of the areas studied;
  • a postal survey was undertaken with residents from each of the areas (1,207 in total), and the results coded into a quantitative data file for analysis.

  Main Topics: Topics covered in the individual and focus group interviews include crime, fear of crime, perceptions of neighbourhood and attitudes towards residents of neighbouring areas and others from 'outside' the immediate community, social deprivation, social and community cohesion, establishment of Neighbourhood Watch groups and other crime prevention and community organisations, and attitudes towards community policing.

  Topics covered in the quantitative data file include respondent's trust of neighbours and others, perceived 'community spirit' in the area, local crime and social disorder problems, perceptions of whether crime is committed by people living inside or outside the area, experience of victimisation, attitudes to 'strangers' in the area, attitudes to crime prevention organisations, the police and other groups, and demographic information such as age, gender, occupation, household type and tenure.

  The full catalogue record for Neighbourhood Boundaries, Social Disorganisation and Social Exclusion, 2001-2002 (SN 4841) is available from the UKDA.

• Generational Contract Between Care and Inheritance in Britain and Japan, 2002-2003
  Izuhara, M., University of Bristol. School for Policy Studies.

  Date of Release: 31 March 2004

  Abstract: Under a traditional intergenerational contract, Japanese adult children provided care to their parents within co-residency and in return, inherited family wealth. In Britain, with its long-established welfare state and people's preference for independent living, the provision of such care and inheritance do not necessarily go together. This research examined the changing trends of exchanging care and inheritance between older parents and their adult children in the two ageing societies - Britain and Japan. Through a series of in-depth interviews, the distinct ways in which specific cultures, institutions, laws and housing markets combine to influence different 'generational contracts' were explored.

  Main Topics:

  • Each file represents the transcript of an in-depth qualitative interview with an older individual (or occasionally a couple).
  • Each interview took an hour and a half, on average.
  • Informant's personal details such as age, sex, marital status, family composition.
  • Brief housing history; meaning of the home; housing choice in later life in relation to long-term care needs.
  • Expectations and experiences of receiving general support as well as more specific support such as long-term care from both family members and the state, or other agencies.
  • Their experiences of care-giving to their parents and parents-in-law.
  • Views towards and experiences of receiving formal services under Long-Term Care Insurance (Japanese informants only).
  • Perspectives on inheritance: importance of their asset accumulation; how to dispose of their assets; how to finance long term care.
  • A full guide to topics is included in the User Guide.

  The full catalogue record for Generational Contract Between Care and Inheritance in Britain and Japan, 2002-2003 (SN 4825) is available from the UKDA.

• Liberal Democrats: Structure, Strategy and Contemporary Party Politics in Britain, 1999-2001
  Russell, A., University of Manchester. Department of Government.
  Fieldhouse, E., University of Manchester. Cathie Marsh Centre for Census and Survey Research

  Date of Release: 18 March 2004

  Abstract: This research project improves the knowledge and understanding of the Liberal Democrat party, their changing role in party politics, strategic decision making-processes and the nature and distinctiveness of their support. It focuses on the relationship between party elites and party supporters. The project assesses the changing political and electoral agenda in post-Thatcherite Britain and its impact on the party. A major research theme is how party elites respond to changes in the political and electoral environment. This research explores the extent to which strategic development is a 'top-down' or 'bottom-up' process, investigating the duality of the local and the national. There are three interconnected areas the project explores, the party's political distinctiveness, electoral strategy and organisational structure.

  Main Topics: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with party personnel from across the UK. The interviews covered the following aspects: issues and ideology, relationship with other parties, electoral support and strategy (local and national), party organisation and control. As well as national interviews, the research was designed to analyse particular aspects of local Liberal Democrat behaviour. Thus interviews were conducted in eight parliamentary case studies in a variety of political and geographic contexts. The case studies were conducted in the parliamentary constituencies of Aberdeen South, Bridgewater, Cheadle, Colchester, Devon North, Montgomeryshire, Oldham East and Saddleworth, and Sheffield Hallam.

  The full catalogue record for Liberal Democrats: Structure, Strategy and Contemporary Party Politics in Britain, 1999-2001 (SN 4824) is available from the UKDA.

• Accountability and the Governance of Expertise : Anticipating Genetic Bioweapons, 2002-2003
  Rappert, B., University of Nottingham. School of Sociology and Social Policy.

  Date of Release: 16 February 2004

  Abstract: This collection is made up of 25 semi-structured and open-ended interviews with either commercial and academic research scientists or science policy officials in the UK and US. The interviews discussed a 'case study' into the possible malign applications of research into acetylcholine and muscarcinic receptors. The case study is outlined in the user guide. The interviews also took in other research into biological systems and responses to threats associated with biological weapons. Eleven interviews were transcribed, with the remaining 14 summarised in single-page interview notes.

  Main Topics: This project sought to contribute to both social and biological sciences understanding of the relation between science and wider society by examining how scientists, professional associations, funding bodies, and commercial organisations attempt to control and communicate the implications of their research. It considers the potential for current genetics research to facilitate the development of new forms of biological weaponry. The project also sought to understand how notions of expertise, responsibility, and accountability entered into the research agendas of scientists in public, private and policy domains. A key concern was not only how researchers and organisations respond to existing threats about the implications of their work, but how such actors operated in relation to anticipated future risks. Current attempts to establish standards of conduct were scrutinised in terms of their implications for notions of professionalism and the communication practices of researchers.

  The full catalogue record for Accountability and the Governance of Expertise : Anticipating Genetic Bioweapons, 2002-2003 (SN 4771) is available from the UKDA.

• Devolution and Decentralisation in Wales and Brittany, 2001-2002
  Cole, A., Cardiff University. School of European Studies.

  Date of Release: 9 February 2004

  Abstract: This is a mixed methods study.

  The data are an output from an ESRC-funded comparative project on Devolution and Decentralisation in Wales and Brittany, part of the ESRC's Devolution and Constitutional Change programme. The project set out with several objectives: to compare public opinion about political institutions and public policy in Wales and the French region of Brittany; to compare and contrast mass and elite opinions on institutions and policy within and across Wales and Brittany; to inform policy practice in Wales by drawing lessons from experience in the French region of Brittany (especially in the fields of regional languages and education and training) and to contribute to our scientific knowledge about European regional governance by adopting a comparative perspective and elaborating new theoretical frameworks. Around 200 face-to-face interviews were conducted in Wales and Brittany, convened a Welsh language focus group, carried out a comparative opinion survey and developed and distributed an elite questionnaire in four languages (English, Welsh, French and Breton).

  The data for Political Institutions, Public Policy and Public Opinion in Brittany, France, 2001 and Political Institutions, Public Policy and Public Opinion in Wales, 2001 provides information from the opinion poll carried out in Brittany and Wales in June 2001. The market research companies interviewed a representative sample of individuals, selected by quotas of age, gender, socio-economic group and locality. Interviews were conducted by telephone, using CATI.

  The data for Political Institutions, Public Policy and the Policy Community in Brittany, France, 2001-2002 (elite survey) and Political Institutions, Public Policy and the Policy Community in Wales, 2001-2002 (elite survey) provides information from the elite survey conducted in Brittany and Wales in 2001 and 2002. The questionnaire was distributed to members of the policy community.

  The data for Regional Governance and the Policy Community in Brittany, France, 2001-2002 and Devolution and the Policy Community in Wales, 2001-2002 provides transcripts and summaries of interviews conducted in Brittany and Wales during 2001 and 2002. The interview sample for the 'policy community' data were determined by snowball sampling and the preliminary advice of members of their advisory group.

  Main Topics: Public Opinion and Policy Community data for Wales and Brittany

  The socio-demographic variables are those of region; locality; gender; occupation of chief income earner; level of education; country of birth; intended vote in a general election; intended vote in an Assembly election (Wales)/ Regional Council election (Brittany); working status; time spent in Wales/Brittany; age; marital status; children in full time education and level of interest in politics.

  Most of the survey material is in the form of detailed analysis of attitudinal and opinion variables on matters relating to devolution/decentralisation; Welsh/Breton identity and attitudes (preferences) towards issues of the Welsh/Breton language; education and training. The principal attitudinal questions investigate views on devolution/decentralisation for Wales/Brittany; the 'Moreno' identity scale; the Loire-Atlantique and administrative region of Brittany; opinions and views on the performance of the National Assembly/Brittany Regional Council; beliefs about the main challenges facing Wales; future expenditure priorities; preferences for regional political institutions; relations between the Assembly/Regional Council and similar bodies elsewhere in Europe; importance of organisations and levels of government for the governance of Wales/Brittany; understanding of, and views of the Welsh/Breton language; public policy and decision-making arenas and the Welsh/Breton language; lessons from linguistic experiences elsewhere; Breton language in schools; attendance at a training course in the past 24 months; priorities for spending money on training in Wales/Brittany; decision-making arenas and training in Wales/Brittany; priorities for improving the training of young people and attitudes towards adopting more interventionist policies (the importance of qualifications against employment, the desirability of training levies and whether there should be a legal requirement to undertake training); lessons from experiences elsewhere.

  Regional Governance and the Policy Community in Brittany Interviews

  The data consists of a rich archive of 67 interviews. Prolonged face-to-face interviews took place during two separate periods of six months each in France, from April to September 2001 and 2002. Interviews were taped and transcribed. They lasted an average of one hour. The basic interview schedule aimed at elucidating complex processes of governance within the regional policy community, as well as identifying lessons and specifying contacts from cross-national comparisons. Interviewees also completed a questionnaire (see policy community data for Brittany) that allowed for structured comparisons between Wales and Brittany.

  Three types of actor were identified: regional political; language; education and training policy actors. The interviews are remarkable for revealing a mass of detailed information about the workings of political and policy processes at the meso-level in France. The interviews throw as much light on the broader issues of governance and decentralisation, as on the detailed operation of policy communities in the distinctive (and contrasting) worlds of training and regional languages.

  Devolution and the Policy Community in Wales Interviews

  The data consists of 54 interviews, mainly in the form of detailed summaries. The individuals taking part in the survey represented a wide range of organisations concerned by devolution, especially in the area of education and training. The richness of the data rests in particular upon the detailed questioning of Assembly members from all parties at the mid-term of the first Welsh Assembly, as well as investigation with the Welsh policy community more generally.

  Many more interviews were carried out than those presented (just over one-half of the total), but the data presents an excellent overview of the research carried out. Resources ran out before the transcription for all interviews could be completed; a consequential number requested complete secrecy and transcription of the Welsh language interviews was beyond the sphere of competency of the principal researcher. The Welsh interviews have restricted access.

  The interview schedule followed the following lines of enquiry, taking care to elucidate answers to a broad range of questions, variable according to interlocutor: general attitudes to devolution: does devolution make a difference?- if so, how and why?; assessment of the performance of the National Assembly for Wales; precise examples of policy difference and convergence especially (but not only) in the field of education and training; likely institutional evolution; relations between the Assembly and similar bodies elsewhere; policy lessons; contacts; networks; attitudes to Welsh identity and preferences towards issues of the Welsh language, education and training. Interviewees also completed a questionnaire (see policy community data for Wales). These interviews allow appreciation of the full range of free-flowing, in-depth narratives on devolution, to complement the more structured opinion poll and elite questionnaires that were carried out.

  Standard Measures

  A mixture of measurement techniques were used, mainly nominal and ordinal (four point Likert scale)

  The full catalogue record for Devolution and Decentralisation in Wales and Brittany, 2001-2002 (SN 4802) is available from the UKDA.