bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Triggering Track-Ways Theory
Authors:   , Shaw-Williams Kim
Published: November 2021

In this thesis I present a new paradigm in human evolutionary theory: the relevance of track-ways reading (TWR) to the evolution of human cognition, culture and communication. Evidence is presented that strongly indicates hominins were exploiting conspecific track-ways 4 million years ago. For a non-olfactory ape that was a specialized forager in open, featureless wetland environments, they were the only viable natural signs to exploit for safety, orienteering, and recognizable social markers. Due to the unique cognitive demands of reading track-ways, as compared to scent-trails all other animals use to find each other and preferred prey species, social TWR triggered the evolution of a unique faculty for narrative elsewhere-and-when cognition in the hominin mind. Two million years later, this narrative faculty was entrenched enough to enable the rather sudden "explosion" of co-operative Oldowan Lithic Culture that began at 2.6mya. This cultural adaptation was a highly successful response to catastrophic environmental change. Thereafter selection for encephalization to increase neural capacity to store and co-operatively exploit socio-ecological knowledge gained from the hominin narrative faculty (via co-evolving, increasingly efficient modes of intentional communication) drove all further biological and cultural developments in the hominin trajectory towards H.sapiens and behavioural modernity.
Unlocking the Potential of School Libraries: What Actions are New Zealand Primary School Principals Taking to Integrate the School Library in Information Literacy Initiatives? Final Report
Authors:   , Ngan Elisabeth Mei-Xing
Published: November 2021

Information literacy is implicit in the national education curriculum’s key competencies for students, yet primary schools lack an explicit path to develop students’ information skills. The literature shows that school library programs can foster information literacy and improve student achievement, with the principal’s support identified as a significant factor. This study investigates the actions of New Zealand primary school principals to integrate the school library in information literacy initiatives. An online survey collected quantitative and qualitative data from a random sample of primary school principals, stratified by decile rating to reflect the school population in microcosm. Sixty-nine responses were collected and the low response rate meant it was not possible to generalise the results of the survey. Key findings of the research were that a majority of principals supported information literacy initiatives through advocacy; professional development; use of external support; student assessment; separate library budgets; and reasonable library opening hours. A minority maintained a separate information literacy policy; adequately resourced the library with trained staff; or promoted collaborative planning between teaching and library staff through flexible scheduling of class library time. Actions were not affected by decile rating but differences by school size and locale were identified, particularly for small and rural schools. Principals’ perceptions of information literacy did not appear to affect their actions. Suggestions for further research are made to expand upon the findings.
The Dramaturgy of Female Gender in Early Modern English Theatre: An Investigation of the Theatrical Expression of Gender in Selected Jacobean Plays, Their Restoration/Early Eighteenth-Century Adaptations, and Their Original and Contemporary Staging
Authors:   , Leigh Lori Beth
Published: November 2021

The adaptations of Shakespeare‘s plays that were written and staged during the English Restoration and eighteenth century form an important part of the performance history of Shakespeare; yet they have never been employed in research on the female characters in the original plays. This thesis analyzes four late Shakespeare plays and their adaptations: The Two Noble Kinsmen (with Fletcher) and Davenant's The Rivals; The Tempest and Davenant and Dryden's The Enchanted Island; The Winter's Tale and Garrick's Florizel and Perdita; and the lost Cardenio (also with Fletcher) and Theobald's Double Falsehood. Investigating the dramaturgy of the female characters from a theatrical point-of-view that includes both a close-reading and imagining of the text with a "directorial eye" and practical staging work, this study examines not only language but the construction and representation of character through emotional and physical states of being, gestures and movement, sound (music and the sound of speech), props, costumes, spectacle, stage directions, use of space and architecture, and the audience. The adaptations have been used as a lens to encounter afresh the female characters in the original plays. Through this approach, I have discovered evidence to challenge some traditional interpretations of Shakespeare's female characters and have also offered new readings of the characters. In addition, I have demonstrated the danger of accepting the widely held critical view that the introduction of actresses on the Restoration stage prompted adaptors to sexualize the female roles in a demeaning, trivial, and meretricious manner. In fact, female roles in the Restoration had some power to subvert gender boundaries just as they did in the Renaissance when played by boy actors. This work explores the treatment of themes and motifs that recur around the staging of women in the early modern period such as madness, cross-gender disguise and cross-gender casting, rape and sexual violence, and the use of silence by female characters. Each chapter draws individual conclusions about the female characters in the plays, often drawing parallels between two central women in particular play. Overall, the thesis demonstrates the complexity and multiplicity of the ways the women in Shakespeare's plays express their agency and desire.
'Different from Any Other': the Experience of a Lebanese Migrant in Wellington in the Mid-Twentieth Century
Authors:   , Fontein Marina Joseph
Published: November 2021

Aiming to cast insight on the Lebanese community in Wellington in the mid-twentieth century, a series of in-depth narrative history interviews explore aspects of the reflections of Lebanese migrant, Elias Arraj, who arrived in Wellington in 1953. A secondary data source comprising archived oral histories undertaken with members of the Dunedin Lebanese community in 1988 provides a background context, and additional insights on ‘being Lebanese’ in New Zealand. The research design comprises a constructionist epistemology, a critical theoretical orientation and a narrative inquiry methodology. The interpretation of both primary and secondary data sources employs a thematic analysis. The roles of the researcher and the participants in the construction of the data and the impact of underlying social and cultural factors on the narrators’ experiences are also explored. Considering the cultural inheritance and religious affiliations which were important to Elias the thesis focuses on: his experience of immigration and re-settlement; the way he interpreted and responded to the difficulties he faced as a new migrant; and available avenues of support. The narratives reveal how Elias drew on his distinct and enduring sense of cultural heritage to overcome the challenge of being an immigrant in New Zealand.
Mental Health Outcomes of Immigrant and Non-Immigrant Youth in New Zealand: Exploring the Immigrant Paradox
Authors:   , Spijkers Floor Elisabeth
Published: November 2021

The Immigrant Paradox can be defined as the counterintuitive finding that immigrants show better adaptation outcomes than their non-immigrant peers despite their often poorer socio-economic conditions (Sam, Vedder, Ward, & Horenczyk, 2006). However, the advantage observed in first-generation immigrants is often diminished, if not lost, by the second generation. The current study explored the Immigrant Paradox by looking at well-being and depressive symptoms in a total of 7053 European, Asian, Pacific, and ‘Other’ secondary school youth in New Zealand. The mental health outcomes of first-generation, second-generation and non-immigrant youth were compared with a set of one-way ANOVAs. In addition, hierarchical regressions were performed to identify the role of acculturation, perceived discrimination and ethnicity in the relation between immigrant generation and the mental health outcomes. The findings indicated support for the Immigrant Paradox in only one instance, specifically in the well-being of first- and second-generation Pacific youth in comparison to their non-immigrant peers. Although results varied across ethnic groups, overall results indicated that non-immigrant youth had better mental health outcomes than immigrant youth and that second-generation adolescents had better outcomes than their first-generation peers. In addition, although acculturation and perceived discrimination were both significant predictors of mental health, these factors did not eliminate generational differences in either depressive symptoms or well-being. In the end, the Immigrant Paradox seems to exist only in some countries, among some groups, and in terms of some outcome variables. Furthermore, ethnicity was shown to be a critical factor in understanding immigrants’ mental health.
50 Years of Construction Camps and Single Purpose Towns in the South
Authors:   , Kinsella Fleur
Published: November 2021

This thesis aims to ascertain lessons which can be learnt from the provision of accommodation at a progression of hydro projects in the south of New Zealand. Seven case studies have been distilled from a wide range (and number) of existing documents and literature and collated in a manner unavailable in current literature in order to allow the researcher to compare and contrast them with a historical-interpretive methodology. The analyses culminate in conclusions regarding site conditions, accommodation and layout designs and sense of community and the effect that these have had on past hydro project accommodations. This is done in order to provide a platform for further research into the development of guidelines for future large construction camps and single purpose towns within New Zealand, now that the designer and provider of the camps and towns which form the case studies in this thesis (the MoWD) has been abolished.
Creative Spaces in Suburban Places: Creative Place Making within the Suburban Context
Authors:   , Eshow Iliea
Published: November 2021

In the 1970s, urban regeneration processes that took place in many industrialised inner-city cores  initiated a new economic and cultural vitality that made a departure from an industrial past, on  towards a post-industrial future. Today, these postindus- trial cities are home to the 'creative  industries', in which through their development, economic and social benefits have become  increasingly visible. Hence, urban planners and policy makers worldwide are working to create  strategies to ensure certain places become or remain 'creative places.' Richard Florida’s work has  become particularly influential within the creative development discourse, as has Charles Landry’s.  But as the first wave of creative development planning and policy implementation wanes, important  questions are emerging. It is by now clear that most creative development approaches in the attempt  to create an 'ideal creative place', have only yet focused on the inner-city core. In this research, the focus is shifted away from the inner-city to where most people of the  developed world live: the suburbs. The thesis therefore, asks how a suburb can better provide for  its suburban creative class, support creative processes and regenerate into a creative place. This  is explored by the formulation of a creative development strategy for Johnsonville; a suburb within  Wellington City of New Zealand. The research’s findings suggest that within any suburban creative  development agenda, there should be: - An underlying urban development plan that sets out measures in strengthening the suburb’s  Diversity, Connectivity and Authenticity; - An explicit attempt in supporting creative enterprises and their functioning, such as proposing ‘Creative Cluster’ formations and associated ‘Incubation’ facilities; - An overall consciousness for the suburban community’s social cohesion and wellbeing. The usefulness of this research and its findings lies within the practise of urban planning,  design, and policy implementation, offering a theoretical basis and template for the evaluation and  development of suburb’s urban creativity.
Exploring Comparative Advantage in the Context of Climate Change with Māori Organizations
Authors:   , Beall Elizabeth Ashley
Published: November 2021

Purpose –The purpose of this research is to investigate perceptions of comparative advantage in the context of climate change with Māori organizations in New Zealand. This study seeks insights, from an alternate paradigm into how concepts within strategy, such as values and identity, can help to achieve comparative advantage in an increasingly carbon constrained world. Design/methodology/approach – Peter Checkland’s Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) has been employed as a framework for exploring Māori perceptions of achieving comparative advantage in the context of climate change in order to identify areas of transformation and define actions. A total of 10 organizations active in land-based sectors in New Zealand participated in this research study. Findings – The key area of action, or transformation, identified through the research process was for Māori organizations, and New Zealand more broadly, to be aware of the potential comparative advantage that Māori organizations have in the context of climate change. Research limitations/implications – While Soft Systems Methodology and Kaupapa Māori principles were applied to this research, a full participatory action research approach was not possible due to time and resource constraints. The participatory nature of the research could be expanded by narrowing the scope to one organization in order to see the methodology through to implementing actions. Originality/value – This research highlights the importance of perceptions in achieving action on climate change, by understanding where organizations may have a particular comparative advantage given their unique values and identity. It has value within the New Zealand economy, and potentially for businesses struggling with how to incorporate climate change into their business strategy globally.
Autonomy, Choice and Treatment: Using Bourdieu's Theory of Practice to Explore Breast Cancer Patients' Preconceptions and Experiences of Public and Private Health Systems in New Zealand
Authors:   , Dobson Kimberly Lyle
Published: November 2021

This thesis analyses 11 breast cancer patients’ preconceptions and experiences of public and private health sectors in New Zealand. Previous studies exploring breast cancer have analysed a range of issues including race, socio-economic and age inequalities, issues occuring between the public and private sectors, and the communication strategies patients preferred with health providers. In contrast, this thesis uses concepts from Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of practice to explore breast cancer patients’ accounts of the public and private sectors and how these accounts are shaped. For many of the women interviewed, cultural and social capital played an important role in the negotiation of the health system, whether public or private. This is because both sectors, at times, provided little information about the disease, treatment, side effects, and entitlements. In these circumstances, social and cultural capital were valuable resources providing alternative health assistance. Participants’ preconceptions when relating their choice of public or private health systems showed clear positive associations with the private health sector. When discussing their experiences, the women that used the public sector showed a positive turnaround in their opinions related to the public sector. In comparison, the women that used the private sector maintained their views regardless of some negative issues being experienced. Despite their personal experiences, both public and private participants maintained positive associations with the private sector. The reliance many of the participants had on social and cultural capital in both the public and private health sectors raises questions regarding processes related to patient information, access to services, and about whether case management of cancer services might be appropriate. The contrasts between participants’ preconceptions of the public sector in comparison to experiences highlights the need for a public campaign celebrating the successes of public cancer services.
Living Beside the Rising Tide: Adapting to Sea Level Rise in Auckland, New Zealand
Authors:   , Hart Georgina
Published: November 2021

The Earth's climate system is entering a period of dynamic change after millennia of relatively stable climate. Coastal communities will need to adapt to dynamically shifting coastal environments as the climate system changes and sea levels rise. This study adds to a growing literature that investigates coastal vulnerability, adaptation, and resilience to climate change. It investigates regional scale social and institutional barriers to adaptation to sea level rise; examines the exposure, sensitivity and adaptation options at two coastal settlements in the Auckland region – Mission Bay/Kohimarama and Kawakawa Bay; and it analyses coastal adaptation response options from a resilience perspective. Mission Bay/Kohimarama and Kawakawa Bay, Auckland will experience increasing coastal hazard risk as the numbers of people and property potentially affected by storm events increases as sea level rises. Findings from the present study suggest that existing settlements in the Auckland region may already be 'locked in' to a coastal adaptation approach focused on maintaining the current coastline through coastal stabilisation, an approach that will decrease community resilience and increase vulnerability in the long term, even if this is found to be a successful response in the short term. Retreat offers an alternative approach that is strongly aligned with reducing community vulnerability and increasing resilience; however, strong opposition from communities to any retreat approach is expected. Developing trusted climate science information, education around coastal hazard risk, and participatory community led decision-making are identified as central enablers for a retreat approach to be included as a viable coastal adaptation option for communities in the Auckland region.
The Cloak of Before, the Wrench / of Beyond: Spirituality, Identity and Landscape in Pakeha Literary Fiction, 1975-2009
Authors:   , Eyre Lisa
Published: November 2021

This thesis takes a novel approach to Pakeha spiritual identities. Drawing on representations of landscape and spirituality in eighty-seven works of Pakeha literary fiction published between 1975 and 2009, it identifies complex and contested spiritualities of landscape as manifestations of the problems of Pakeha belonging. Key themes of belonging and desecration give voice to identity concerns that are submerged in popular avowals of a shared “love of the land”. This thesis identifies Pakeha writers as an important voice for the articulation and construction of Pakeha spiritual identities. It illuminates the spiritual possibilities that are obscured by narrow conceptions of religion, spirituality and secularity, which allows a new exploration of the dynamic and developing nature of our landscapes, spiritualities and identities.
Ramana Maharshi and the Colonial Encounter
Authors:   , Edwards Alan
Published: November 2021

Recent scholarship on Ramana Maharshi (1879-1950) follows the romanticism of hagiographical literature, presenting him as a purely spiritual and timeless figure, thus ignoring the political contours of colonial India. Scholarly literature, then, has effectively deracinated this internationally acclaimed figure from one of the most fascinating and transformative historical periods of the modern era. The current study seeks to correct ahistorical representations of Ramana Maharshi by considering the historical processes that determined his status as a Maharshi (Great Vedic Seer) and Advaitin. I aim to show that Ramana Maharshi's image as a timeless and purely spiritual figure actually locates him in his historical situation, and further, that his status as a Maharshi (Maharṣi) and Advaitin reflects the ways in which "the political‟ and "the spiritual‟ interacted during colonial India. This thesis will delineate the process by which Ramana's status as a Maharshi allowed his religious identity to shift from an unorthodox, localised, and ethnic-sectarian form to one in which he symbolised a religious authority in an orthodox and pan-Hindu way. In a broader context, then, this thesis seeks to address the following question: how, and to what extent, did colonial dynamics affect the ways that Hindus interpreted and represented their religious figures during the nationalist period? Here I will demonstrate that Ramana Maharshi represents a compelling case study in the ways in which Orientalist stereotypes about a "mystical East‟ affected the intersection of politics and religion in colonial India.
Problem Decomposition and Adaptation in Cooperative Neuro-Evolution
Authors:   , Chandra Rohitash
Published: November 2021

One way to train neural networks is to use evolutionary algorithms such as cooperative coevolution - a method that decomposes the network's learnable parameters into subsets, called subcomponents. Cooperative coevolution gains advantage over other methods by evolving particular subcomponents independently from the rest of the network. Its success depends strongly on how the problem decomposition is carried out. This thesis suggests new forms of problem decomposition, based on a novel and intuitive choice of modularity, and examines in detail at what stage and to what extent the different decomposition methods should be used. The new methods are evaluated by training feedforward networks to solve pattern classification tasks, and by training recurrent networks to solve grammatical inference problems. Efficient problem decomposition methods group interacting variables into the same subcomponents. We examine the methods from the literature and provide an analysis of the nature of the neural network optimization problem in terms of interacting variables. We then present a novel problem decomposition method that groups interacting variables and that can be generalized to neural networks with more than a single hidden layer. We then incorporate local search into cooperative neuro-evolution. We present a memetic cooperative coevolution method that takes into account the cost of employing local search across several sub-populations. The optimisation process changes during evolution in terms of diversity and interacting variables. To address this, we examine the adaptation of the problem decomposition method during the evolutionary process. The results in this thesis show that the proposed methods improve performance in terms of optimization time, scalability and robustness. As a further test, we apply the problem decomposition and adaptive cooperative coevolution methods for training recurrent neural networks on chaotic time series problems. The proposed methods show better performance in terms of accuracy and robustness.
Music Therapy in an Early Intervention Centre for Children Who Have Cochlear Implants
Authors:   , Buxton Sophie
Published: November 2021

This research paper presents qualitative study using exploratory research as the framework. The aim of this research was to describe the music therapy interaction between children with cochlear implants and a music therapy student working in an early intervention program, and to open avenues for future research. The families/parents of three secondary participants gave informed consent for the use of their children's clinical data, including video footage of sessions, for research purposes. The findings highlight the complexities and the potential strengths and difficulties associated with the use of group music therapy to promote audition and language development in young children who have cochlear implants, in an early intervention program. However, the findings suggest that music therapy in this context can be used to support family relationships, participation, vocalisation, singing and self-confidence.
The Craft of Conversion: Enhancing New Zealand's Industrial Heritage through Adaptive Reuse
Authors:   , Krejcisz Claire Alana
Published: November 2021

The aim of this research is to explore an adaptive reuse approach as a way to enhance industrial buildings in New Zealand. As in other parts of the world, New Zealand has accumulated industrial buildings which are now in disrepair. Many of these buildings appear to be undervalued by their local communities and are often demolished with little consideration given to other options. There are missed opportunities here to create composite architectures which make use of these somewhat curious buildings. This thesis initially investigates the significance that these buildings may hold for society and suggests reasons why they ought to be reused. The research then questions how an adaptive reuse approach could be used to enhance industrial structures. By combining the research into the importance of older buildings, particularly industrial buildings, with international case study analysis, a set of design approaches are developed. These approaches offer concepts and techniques for the conversion of industrial buildings which pertain to physical factors such as proportion and form. The design process is informed by these approaches, where they are expanded and tested for their relevance in a New Zealand context. The site for this design exploration is the Lower Hutt Railway Workshops which were selected to reveal the challenges involved in a large-scale project and because they embody the typical issues of industrial disregard. The intended function is a film complex which has specific requirements necessary to probe change in the buildings. However, this design example does not suggest that one-approach-fits-all. Rather, these approaches are developed to provoke thought in designers embarking on industrial conversions. Due to a widespread lack of appreciation of industrial buildings, there is typically more creative freedom in the way they are adapted, compared with non-industrial buildings. This suggests that more innovative conversion methods can be used. The approaches developed in this thesis advocate for an amalgamated adaptation which has a well considered relationship to the existing building and site. Overall this research reveals that there are a number of significant factors to consider when converting industrial architectures. When these factors are included in the design process, the experience of aged materials and the heritage-value encompassed in these buildings can be further enhanced.
Strengthening Local Centres: Addressing Residential Proximity, Retail Convenience and Urban Amenity within Neighbourhood Centres
Authors:   , Brouard Erica
Published: November 2021

This research develops a set of design criteria to direct the enhancement of residential proximity, retail convenience and urban amenity within neighbourhood centres. Neighbourhood centres are an important part of a city's infrastructure. They can provide service amenities for local residents, foster social interaction, create economic platforms for smaller businesses, provide nearby places of work and contribute to the local identity of their surrounding neighbourhoods. Neighbourhood centres create layers of intensity within our suburban fabric. Traditionally, neighbourhood centres served their local market catchment. Today, by contrast, there are many retail alternatives easily accessible to our mobile society. In New Zealand, these centres are often located in low density suburbs; if they are to maintain a level of patronage, they must compete to hold their local customers. In this study, three aspects of the retail experience – proximity, convenience and urban amenity – were identified as fundamental considerations in the selection of a retail environment. A literature survey was carried out to create an initial set of design criteria which outline the key priorities for these three research themes. Comparative analysis of three neighbourhood centres in Christchurch, and detailed analysis of one of these centres, informed a number of subsequent refinements to these criteria, making them more specific to the residential, retail convenience and urban characteristics of these centres. The Christchurch centre of Woolston was chosen as the site for a design case study, where the amended set of criteria directed the design of both a master plan and an individual building. Finally, the design outcomes were used to formulate a number of strategies which can be used to retrofit other centres, responding to their existing built fabric and suburban structure. These strategies include parking lanes, central orientation spaces, anchor structures, secondary streets and retail zones. These strategies ensure that neighbourhood centres can provide both residential proximity and retail convenience in such a way that enhances their urban amenity. Ultimately, this research provides strategies to develop neighbourhood centres as distinct, convenient and enjoyable places to work, live and visit.
Quality of Life among Dialysis Patients in United Arab Emirates
Authors:   , Ayoub Abdelbasit Mohamad Abdelhadi
Published: November 2021

Background: Quality of Life (QOL) has emerged as an important parameter for evaluating the quality of health care for patients with renal failure. The QOL of dialysis patients in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has not previously been studied. This research examined the cultural relevancy of two QOL tools and compared the QOL between dialysis patients and a sample from the community in UAE. Method: A descriptive comparative survey design was used to study the QOL of 161 dialysis patients and 350 participants from the community. Dialysis patients completed the SF-36 and the QOL Index dialysis version tool. Participants from the community completed the SF-36 and QOL Index generic version tool. Both samples also completed three open-ended questions about the cultural relevancy of the tools. Analysis using descriptive and inferential statistics was done within and between groups to establish similarities and differences in QOL scores. Open-ended questions were analysed thematically. Results: The overall QOL for dialysis patients was rated lower when self-assessed using the SF-36 compared with the community sample (58.92 vs. 75.02, p = <0.0001). Furthermore, the overall QOL for dialysis patients was rated almost the same when self-assessed using the QOL Index compared with the community sample (77.2 vs. 78.6, p = 0.421). Moreover, the total scores of both tools were higher in the community sample (75.02 vs. 78.6). The comparison between the statistically significant variables for both samples revealed contradictory results with the two tools. The majority of participants considered both tools culturally relevant in general. There were more questions that were not answered by participants in the QOL Index by both samples compared with the SF-36. Conclusion: In the UAE the SF 36 and the QOL Index capture different aspects of quality of life. Clinicians and researchers need to be aware of these differences when using these tools. An effective way of establishing the cultural relevancy of QOL tools involves comparing the QOL of a group with a health condition with a sample from the community, asking the participants about their views of the cultural relevancy of the tools, examining missing data, and asking participants open-ended questions about what they value in life.
The Bass-less Trio
Authors:   , Hopkins Timothy John
Published: November 2021

Miles Davis asserts in his autobiography, that "a great artist needs to be able to stretch" [Davis, Troup, 1990]. While I may not a great artist, I aspire to make art with my music, and in my own musical journey I have been interested in trying out new ideas. Jazz musicians, because of their various skills (and in particular, in the art of improvisation) find themselves straddling musical boundaries and genres, just to pay the rent. In my own projects however, this musical adroitness was born just as much out of artistic curiosity as it was necessity, leading me to compose and perform in a variety of contexts and styles for a broad range of instrumentation. These contexts and styles include: duos for saxophone and piano accordion; Bach sonatas with string ensembles; improvising live dance music with DJs; organ trios; in electronica contexts; art and poetry collaborations. The need for creativity has expressed itself in all of my work, to varying degrees. On reflection, it's the need to create something new and fresh out of work and ideas that are already explored to some extent. This desire is consistent with the jazz legacy I have inherited. In much the way Louis Armstrong began transforming popular songs into jazz vehicles, Charles Mingus took ideas from older African American musical traditions and transformed them to offer a fresh perspective on those traditions, and Miles Davis borrowed ideas from rock and soul music to pioneer new directions in jazz during the 1960s and 1970s, I too am looking for new avenues of expression for jazz musicians.
Communicating Environmental, Safety and Health Law to Small Businesses in New Zealand: The Fundamental Missing Link
Authors:   , Louisson Michael
Published: November 2021

The majority of small New Zealand businesses do not understand their environmental, safety and health protection responsibilities. This is the finding of recent research, including that of the New Zealand Occupational Safety and Health Service (Bateman, 1999:19). The same problem was identified some 30 years ago by Lord Robens in the United Kingdom (Robens, 1972). Without a sound understanding, businesses can not properly meet their obligations to comply with environmental, safety and health statutes, such as the Dangerous Goods Regulations 1958, Resource Management Act 1991, Building Act 1991 and the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992. There are 63 environmental and safety statutes, which have a total of 3,993 pages. It is estimated that this total is growing at about 300 pages per year. The same level of understanding is required irrespective of organisation size. Larger companies are normally able to establish policies, sections, committees, club memberships, training programmes and effective systems to meet their needs. Somehow small businesses must understand the same law, but without the majority of the tools and resources available to larger companies. Small businesses therefore need a particularly effective communications process, which appears to be beyond their scope to develop; and therefore provides a worthy research topic. The research identifies the fundamental missing link in the compliance chain, as hypothesised by Mayhew (Mayhew, 1997:44), to be communication of law, and develops a customised compliance handbook to ease understanding of the law. The handbook concept was tested with seven small businesses involving land survey, hardware retail, car repair, petrol dispensing, electroplating, fast food supply and shipping. These case studies show the handbook is an effective way to inform small New Zealand businesses of their responsibilities under environmental and safety law. The research also identifies the need for industry based 'champions' to coach small businesses to achieve the required standard.
Association Control Based Load Balancing in Wireless Cellular Networks Using Preamble Sequences
Authors:   , Chopra Ankit
Published: November 2021

The efficient allocation and use of radio resources is crucial for achieving the maximum possible throughput and capacity in wireless networks. The conventional strongest signal-based user association in cellular networks generally considers only the strength of the signal while selecting a BS, and ignores the level of congestion or load at it. As a consequence, some BSs tend to suffer from heavy load, while their adjacent BSs may carry only light load. This load imbalance severely hampers the network from fully utilizing the network capacity and providing fair services to users. In this thesis, we investigate the applicability of the preamble code sequence, which is mainly used for cell identification, as an implicit information indicator for load balancing in cellular networks. By exploiting the high auto-correlation and low cross-correlation property among preamble sequences, we propose distributed load balancing schemes that implicitly obtain information about the load status of BSs, for intelligent association control. This enables the new users to be attached to BSs with relatively low load in the long term, alleviating the problem of non-uniform user distribution and load imbalance across the network. Extensive simulations are performed with various user densities considering throughput fair and resource fair, as the resource allocation policies in each cell. It is observed that significant improvement in minimum throughput and fair user distribution is achieved by employing our proposed schemes, and preamble sequences can be effectively used as a leverage for better cell-site selection from the viewpoint of fairness provisioning. The load of the entire system is also observed to be balanced, which consequently enhances the capacity of the network, as evidenced by the simulation results.
Towards a New Theory of VET Policy Evaluation and Engagement: A Multiple Stakeholder Approach
Authors:   , Parkes Lois Elaine
Published: November 2021

Much current policy analysis assumes that in order to build theory on vocational education and training (VET) policy evaluation, it is useful to explore evaluation from the perspectives of its stakeholders. However in practice this does not always happen. This thesis addresses the limitations that arise in policy analysis on VET when stakeholders’ perspectives are ignored or assumed. Industry Training in New Zealand is used as an example of a VET policy that has experienced increasing participation by stakeholders, but limited evaluation that largely ignores stakeholders’ views. Taking an inclusive, qualitative approach, this research seeks to unearth how different stakeholders in the state and tourism sectors evaluate the impact of Industry Training and how value is created for each from Industry Training engagement. Fifty semi-structured interviews were completed with a cross-section of stakeholders representing policy makers, various industry interest groups, as well as employers/managers and trainees from four state and tourism sector organisations. Secondary data, where available, were also analysed, in order to improve the level of data triangulation. An analytical framework was developed from the VET, human capital, human resource development, critical human resource development and policy evaluation literatures. This framework consists of two broad paradigms of evaluation: (1) The Strategic HRD/VET policy logic of skills investment equals increased socio-economic prosperity. This views the outcomes of VET policy as largely value-free, quantifiable facts that are mutually beneficial to all stakeholders, and which exist separately from these stakeholders; and, (2) The Critical HRD/Stakeholder logic that views the outcomes of VET policy as value-laden, not necessarily mutually beneficial to all stakeholders, nor existing separately from its stakeholders. Responses from interviewees were compared against these paradigms and among different stakeholder groups to answer the main research question: How do stakeholders evaluate the impact of a VET policy? The main research outcome is the development of a new framework and theory of VET policy evaluation, based on a comparative understanding of value creation from multiple stakeholders’ perspectives.
Na Suklit: Benicio Sokkong and the Bamboo Musical Instruments of the Kalinga
Authors:   , Prior Aaron
Published: November 2021

This ethnomusicology study explores the contexts of the bamboo musical instruments of the Kalinga people of the Philippines in two distinct contemporary locations: the urban setting of Lucnab, Baguio City, and the rural setting of Sukiap, Kalinga. Through the study of the instruments, the music, and the individuals who participate in the music, I will examine the fluid and reflexive contextualisation of the music of the bamboo instruments, and how traditional musics undergo redefinition, reformation and a re-investing with new cultural significance. At the centre of this thesis lies an individual, Benicio Sokkong, a teacher, researcher, instrument maker and performer, who is key to the revival of the bamboo musical instruments not only in Kalinga but also internationally. The two communities focused on in this thesis have direct connections to Beni: the community of Lucnab, Baguio City, is his current home, and Sukiap village in Kalinga which is the birth place of his parents and his ancestral home. This study investigates the contexts of the bamboo instruments in these locations, and the effect of an individual reviving, recreating, and maintaining musical traditions. I have employed a contemporary and eclectic approach in presenting the research in this dissertation, drawing on concepts of ethnic and self- identity (Rice 2007, Stokes 1994, Giddens 1991), revival (Livingston 1999), and the individual (Rice 1994, Stock 1996, Vander 1988). I argue that although the contexts of music shift from ritual and ceremony to secular gatherings, and also move geographically throughout local and national locations, the music remains an expression of community and communal identity. I also posit that the shape and form of the contexts are created by individuals who participate in the process of revival and maintenance.
Leading Ladies: Portraits of Principals: The Leadership Styles and Practices of Women Secondary School Principals Reflected within a Principal Professional Learning Community
Authors:   , Snedden Erika Helen
Published: November 2021

Recent New Zealand Ministry of Education documents highlight the challenge to provide professional learning opportunities for principals and the current initiative to support and strengthen school leadership through the Professional Leadership Strategy. There is a need for professional development strategies and opportunities that help principals more effectively understand their school contexts, responsibilities and their own competencies, leadership styles and practice. To transfer and be sustainable, effective leadership practice requires the building of principal leadership learning communities within individual New Zealand school contexts. This thesis builds on previous studies of New Zealand women principals' experiences of leadership, contributing to a greater insight into the identities, role and practice of women principals while modelling a framework for reflective practice as a tool for professional and educational leadership development. As an iconographic study of three New Zealand women secondary school principals this thesis exhibits the life stories and experiences which have impacted upon their personal theories about leadership styles and practice. Composed through a métissage (merging) of image and dialogue to create portraits of the principal's leadership identities it is set in situ within a principal professional learning community. A qualitative, multiple-case studies methodology was employed. The design was informed by a reflective practitioner approach and action learning orientation underpinned by arts-based inquiry, a methodological and theoretical genre that proposes a reinterpretation of the methods and ethics of human social research. The findings indicate that the personal development, self-awareness and growth of a leader are a catalyst to stimulate collective development and accomplishment.
Creating and Sharing Knowledge through a Corporate Social Networking Site: The Impact of Employees' Perceptions on Effectiveness
Authors:   , Figueroa Barraza Julio David
Published: November 2021

This research investigates the perceptions of employees at South Winds (the pseudonym), a software engineering company, about using a corporate social networking site for sharing and generating knowledge. It focuses on understanding and explaining how the perceptions of employees from different organisational levels impacted on the usage of the social networking site. Methods of data collection included interviews and focus groups with C-level managers, middle managers and software engineers. Qualitative methods were used for analysing the collected data. Analysis drew on an extended Orlikowski and Gash's technological frames theory (1994) to identify five categories of perceptions relating to technology implementation and use. Applying the concept of framing in this study helped to surface specific areas within which divergence of perceptions occurred. Results showed significant divergences in perceptions about the corporate social networking site in 4 out of the 5 categories across the different levels of the organization. These divergences were found to have arisen largely as a result of information deficiencies. Furthermore, little understanding about the nature of the technology led top management to decide to use an adoption approach that discouraged knowledge sharing and creation through this tool. As a consequence, this study found that there appeared to be little likelihood of creating or sharing knowledge through the corporate social networking site under the observed implementation, although the corporate social networking site was widely perceived as a useful technology for sharing and creating knowledge. Recommendations for realizing potential benefits from using a corporate social networking site include developing plans for aligning organizational perceptions about the corporate social networking site and developing a suitable reward plan based on group performance in order to encourage the employees to create/share knowledge. The findings of this research suggest an extension of the Orlikowski and Gash's (1994) technological frames theory for knowledge management systems. This research also suggests that perceptions about different aspects of a technology may be arranged in a hierarchical chain. This would bring significant implications in designing and implementing technologies.
The Role of Misrule in the Practice of Performance
Authors:   , Cameron Gregor
Published: November 2021

In the theatre we are familiar with how rehearsal and collaboration can lead to a number of unintended discoveries that can cause a production to change tack. At the heart of this thesis is discovery- of oneself as an artist, as part of community collaboration and as part of a story told on stage. Using carnival as a frame for the space we work in, accepting that the ʻtricksterʼ cultural figure can be a manifestation of the carnival, it should be possible for the role of trickster to be taken on by someone in the rehearsal process. This is often but not always the director. These ʻhappy accidentsʼ can in fact arise through the directorʼs deliberate disruption of the community. At times, problems that raise their heads are solved through this creative process. Misrule is my definition of this and I offer my experience of this within the process of bringing Saint Punch, a carnivalesque/ Grand Guignol show, to the stage. I compare this with some other practitionersʼ experience of this process of disruptive imagination as defense of my position. By recognizing it in both theory and practice through a critical analysis my aim is to seek a synthesis intended to enrich the theatrical experience of the audience.