bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Imagining 9/11: Blockbuster Hollywood Cinema as Cultural Violence from 1996-2003
Authors:   , Hammond Brady
Published: November 2021

This thesis explores the relationship between blockbuster cinematic violence and its historical context in the period surrounding the events of September 11, 2001. It charts the trajectory of violence by showing that screen violence in successful blockbuster cinema responds to historical developments. Violence in this thesis is defined according to the tripartite definition of violence articulated by peace studies theorist Johan Galtung. In order to analyse the historical positioning of the violence in the blockbusters being analysed, tripartite violence has been fused with the diagnostic critique of cultural theorist Douglas Kellner, which “uses history to read texts and texts to read history” (Media 116). By synthesising the two theoretical frameworks in this way, the diagnostic critique becomes violence-calibrated, and can be readily deployed to discern the ways in which blockbuster screen violence engages with the historical context of the text. The texts analysed represent the top grossing film from each year from 1996 to 2003, a period selected for its political relationship to 9/11. The eight films analysed are: Independence Day, Titanic, Saving Private Ryan, Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Spider-Man, and The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. This thesis shows that the films from the pre-9/11 period articulate a clear “dream” of a world that is defined in binary terms with a good Self in opposition to an evil Other that is always external. The trends found in the violent dreams begin to shift with The Grinch as the relationship between the Self and Other changes, but the transformation does not fully manifest itself until the post-9/11 period when the films are marked by paranoia stemming from the repeated appearance of an Other than can pass as the Self, and ultimately a Self that behaves like the Other. While the violence that is found in the pre-9/11 films “dreams” of the Bush response to 9/11, the post-9/11 films ultimate envision a future that the War on Terror could not deliver. In the end, this thesis will develop a methodology that can be used to explore blockbuster cinematic violence in terms of the nuances that exist between the three types of violence Galtung articulates: direct, structural, and cultural.
Margaret Mahy and the Golden Age of Children's Literature
Authors:   , Proffitt Catherine
Published: November 2021

Margaret Mahy’s novels contain numerous allusions to the classics of Victorian fiction for children. Some of these take the form of passing references; in 24 Hours, for example, protagonist Ellis thinks of himself as “Ellis in Wonderland.” But Mahy also draws on Victorian precedents for some of her settings, taking imaginary islands from Peter and Wendy and Treasure Island, and the secret garden from Frances Hodgson Burnett’s novel of the same name. She also invokes the forest of the fairy tales that (although they were not invented by the Victorians) featured so prominently in the reading of Victorian children. To date, little attention has been paid to what might be described as the “Victorian dimension” of Mahy’s work. In what follows, I examine its function in five novels. It emerges that Mahy’s response to the values embodied by her Victorian texts is critical on at least three counts. Mahy’s heroines (or, rather, female heroes) reject the passivity and silence exhibited by fairytale characters such as Jorinda in the Grimms’ ‘Jorinda and Joringel’, and the lack of emotional growth displayed by Lewis Carroll’s Alice. They are also shown in the process of leaving childhood (nostalgically idealized by Carroll, J.M. Barrie and other Victorian authors) behind. Moreover, this thesis exposes the tension between Mahy’s insistent allusion to quintessential fantasy spaces such as Wonderland on one hand, and the distinct anxiety present in her work about the dangerously isolating nature of fantasy on the other. While for Mahy’s teenage protagonists the domestic “real” wins out more often than not over the fantastic but dangerous “true”, the transformative journey of maturation that each undergoes is figuratively sparked by their belief in the Red Queen’s “six impossible things before breakfast”. Perhaps by the same token, they learn that fantasy worlds (like Barrie’s “Neverland”) can be dangerously isolating.
Have we Dropped a Stitch? Collecting Born Digital Documentary Heritage in New Zealand Cultural Heritage Institutions
Authors:   , Thompson Julia Mary
Published: November 2021

This study explored the factors affecting the nature and extent of the collection of born digital materials for long-term retention by collecting repositories in New Zealand cultural heritage institutions, below the national level. This included exploration of selection factors, limiting and enabling factors affecting activities, preservation and acquisition policies for born digital materials, preservation procedures, and perceptions of roles and responsibilities. This two phase, mixed methods study consisted of a broad web survey followed by semi-structured interviews. The collecting repositories studied hold a range of born digital materials, but in small quantities. The collection of born digital heritage seems to be a new activity that requires additional resourcing and skills that are lacking in many of these collecting repositories. Levels of policy development are low and there is generally a lack of procedures for preserving born digital materials. However respondents generally perceived that collecting and preserving born digital materials was part of their role. The study concludes that the traditionally passive approach to acquisition of many of the collecting archives studied, combined with a lack of resourcing and expertise, pose a threat to the long term accessibility of local and regional born digital heritage. Some recommendations for action are provided.
Fan Identity and Identification Drivers: Stoking the Flames of the Phoenix
Authors:   , Ruehl Markus
Published: November 2021

Fans are of highest importance for the financial success of sports clubs (van Leeuwen, Quick, & Daniel, 2002). However, the nature of fandom and the meaning that fans place upon their relationship with a sports club varies and different degrees of fandom exist (Wann & Branscombe, 1990). Whilst much research has been done on the assessment of fan identification, little work has contributed to its practical application. For example, for sport marketers to actively strengthen their fan base, more than a mere assessment of the identification level of their fans is necessary. It is suggested that knowledge about the underlying identification drivers of fans with different identification levels is needed to inform any managerial action. This research aims to enhance understanding about the relationship between the level of fan identification and the drivers of identification, and it does so, via a study of New Zealand's only professional football club Wellington Phoenix FC. A cross-sectional convenience sample of 517 Wellington Phoenix fans was surveyed using both online and researcher administered/respondent completed questionnaires. The Sports Spectator Identification Scale (Wann & Branscombe, 1993) was used to measure fan identification, and participants were categorized into five identification levels. Findings show that ten of 16 identification drivers are correlated with the identification level. Of particular interest are findings that indicate a mediating impact of the identification level on specific relationships. For instance, lowly identified fans place a higher relevance on the success of the team, whilst for highly identified fans, success is of lesser relevance. In contrast to that, the sense of belonging created by fellow fans is more important to those who are highly identified. Other drivers such as the general interest in football possess a nearly constant relevance throughout different identification levels. A multivariate factor analysis revealed patterns among identification drivers that suggest fans can be categorized according functional, symbolic and interpersonal constructs that can be described as a live experience factor, an admiration factor and a social network factor. Based on these results, fan profiling was undertaken and various marketing implications were discussed. The insights attained allow researchers and marketing practitioners to better understand the relevance of different drivers on the development of fan identification, and to better understand how marketing strategies may promote such higher levels of identification.
Un/Folding Form: A Unified Strategy for Making and Visualising in 3D
Authors:   , Henning Kris
Published: November 2021

This thesis project “Un/Folding Form” is a design investigation that explores the transition between the virtual representation and physical fabrication of folded forms. Un/Folding Form refers to a unified strategy for making and visualising in 3D. Un/folding was a method used to explore the notions of form, space and structure and to develop an adaptable approach to mediate between the virtual and physical world. Designers who make and visualise in 3D need methods that allow for the prototyping of virtual designs in order to experience them physically. The development of a unified strategy that assists in closing the gaps between virtual representation and digital fabrication improves the designer’s understanding of the process of making, leading to more creative and resolved outcomes. This research suggests that there are methods that can transition seamlessly between the virtual representation and physical reality of folded forms. The final composition presented in this thesis is a demonstration of this notion of working towards a seamless digital process of making. The 3D Portal can be used to assess the ‘seams’ between the virtual and the physical and validate a methodology for making and visualising in 3D. In order to arrive at a unified strategy, the folding and unfolding of surface geometries was first explored through a series of physical experiments. These geometries were then 3D modelled and the surfaces manipulated digitally in order to create patterns for digital fabrication and physical reconstruction. The virtual representation of these folded designs was then investigated within a 3D stereoscopic projected environment. This involved the use of software to explore design interfaces to create immersive visual representations of physical forms. These series of experiments involved a process of moving back and forth between the virtual environment and physical form with the aim of moving closer towards a seamless transition between the two. This methodology was tested with the making of a final composition 3D Portal: a gateway to the virtual world and a play on the inter-relationship of 3D visualisation and its corresponding physical form. Thus, the focus of this thesis is twofold: to create an understanding of the process and evolution of design using folding as a technique; and to develop a methodology for designing a work using the folding technique.
A Semi-Analytical Model for Gravitational Microlensing
Authors:   , Chote Paul Robin Brian
Published: November 2021

This thesis describes the theory and implementation of a semi-analytical model for gravitational microlensing. Gravitational microlensing is observed when a distant background `source' star comes into close alignment with an intermediate `lens' star. The gravitational eld of the lens de ects the paths of light emitted from the source, which causes an increase in its observed brightness. As the alignment of the two stars changes with time, the apparent magni cation of the source follows a well de ned `lightcurve'. A companion body (such as a planet) orbiting the lens star can introduce large deviations from the standard lightcurve, which can be modelled to determine a mass ratio and separation for the companion(s). This provides a means to detect extrasolar planets orbiting the lens star. We show, from basic principles, the development of the standard model of a mi- crolensing event, including the e ect of multiple lens masses and orbital motion. We discuss the two, distinctly di erent, numerical approaches that are used to calculate theoretical lightcurves using this model. The `ray shooting' approaches are discussed with reference to the previously developed modelling code (MLENS), which implemented them. This is followed by a comprehensive description of the `semi-analytical' approaches used in the new software (mlens2) developed during this thesis programme; a key feature of these techniques is the determination of the source magni cation from the roots of a high order polynomial. We also discuss the process of nding the best- t model for an observed microlensing event, with respect to the mlens2 software package. Finally, we demonstrate the capabilities of our semi-analytical model by generating theoretical lightcurves for the microlensing events OGLE-2005-BLG-390 and OGLE-2006-BLG-109 and comparing them to the observational data and published models.
The Coordination Chemistry of Some Sulphur-Nitrogen Ligands
Authors:   , Galyer Allen Lee
Published: November 2021

Some nickel(II) and copper(II) complexes of 2-(benzylthio)ethylamine have been isolated and characterised with respect to infrared and electronic spectra. With nickel(II) only the bis salts were obtained and they were all paramagnetic. An investigation of the nickel(II) and copper(II) complexes of three tetradentate ligands, each containing two sulphur and two nitrogen donor atoms, has been made. One of these, 1,9-diamino 3,7-dithianonane has been compared to the nitrogen analogue, 1,9-diamino 3,7-diazanonane. Attempts to bridge and cyclise complexes using reactions of acetone with coordinated amino groups and halides with coordinated thiol groups are also reported. Finally a novel S-detritylation reaction is discussed.
The “Ugly Sister of Welfare”: The Idea of Health Care ‘Rationing’ in New Zealand 1968-c.1980
Authors:   , Salter Deborah
Published: November 2021

This thesis explores the influence of healthcare ‘rationing’ in New Zealand from 1968 to c.1980. Rationing is a term and concept drawn from health economics and the history of the idea will be traced as well as its influence. The influence of rationing will primarily be explored through case studies: the supply of specialist staff to New Zealand’s public hospitals, the building of hospitals (and specialist units in particular) and the supply of medical technology. This era has been selected for historical examination because of the limited attention paid to it in studies of the health service, and more generally, welfare histories of New Zealand. Often in these studies the 1970s is overshadowed by the period health of reform in the 1980s and 1990s.
Who Do You Think You Are?: Constructing and Representing Central Otago identity
Authors:   , Bell Jamie
Published: November 2021

As museums are increasingly looking to the local community for support and validation, so too are communities looking to the museum for affirmation of their identity. Theories of meaning making and work in the field of social inclusion have led the way in restructuring the museum into an institution that embraces its surrounding community for the mutual benefit of both sides. In attempting to represent community, museums are taking up these new theories as they build towards becoming ever more relevant institutions. This thesis explores the current literature and investigates its relevance to the museum/community relationship through a case study of the Central Otago community and its new Museum, Central Stories. The study explores the construction of identity within the community and the representation of that identity within the Museum. In order to investigate the construction of community identity in Central Otago, three discussion groups were conducted in September 2006, with each group made up of members of local community and business groups. The discussions within these groups were divided into two phases, the first of which centred on the construction of Central Otago identity and the second on the Museum's representation of Central Otago identity. In the analysis of these focus groups, common themes were identified surrounding the region's landscape, events, history, museums, and community. In the first phase, participants were particularly reliant on their 'frames of reference' (Perin, 1992) in constructing identity. In particular, the role of personal experience emerged as an important factor in constructing community identity. Comparing the first and second phases of the discussions reveals the complex interweaving of elements in the construction and representation of the community's identity. The findings of this study highlight the significance of the museum/community relationship in contemporary museology. The developing museological theories on meaning making, particularly those that address the importance of visitor frames of reference, are identified as playing a critical role in developing this relationship. While this study is focused on the Central Otago example, the findings have broader relevance to the field of museum studies through their insights into the dynamics involved in constructing and representing community identity, and the complex relationship between the museum and its community.
Loss of Genetic Diversity with Captive Breeding and Re-Introduction: A Case Study on Pateke/Brown Teal (Anas chlorotis)
Authors:   , Bowker-Wright Gemma
Published: November 2021

Pateke/brown teal (Anas chlorotis) have experienced a severe population crash leaving only two remnant wild populations (at Great Barrier Island and Mimiwhangata, Northland). Recovery attempts over the last 35 years have focused on an intensive captive breeding programme which breeds pateke, sourced almost exclusively from Great Barrier Island, for release to establish re-introduced populations in areas occupied in the past. While this important conservation measure may have increased pateke numbers, it was unclear how much of their genetic diversity was being retained. The goal of this study was to determine current levels of genetic variation in the remnant, captive and re-introduced pateke populations using two types of molecular marker, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and microsatellite DNA. Feathers were collected from pateke at Great Barrier Island, Mimiwhangata, the captive breeding population and four re-introduced populations (at Moehau, Karori Wildlife Sanctuary, Tiritiri Matangi Island and Mana Island). DNA was extracted from the base of the feathers, the mitochondrial DNA control region was sequenced, and DNA microsatellite markers were used to genotype individuals. The Great Barrier Island population was found to have only two haplotypes, one in very high abundance which may indicate that historically this population was very small. The captive breeding population and all four re-introduced populations were found to contain only the abundant Great Barrier Island haplotype as the vast majority of captive founders were sourced from this location. In contrast, the Mimiwhangata population contained genetic diversity and 11 haplotypes were found, including the Great Barrier Island haplotype which may have been introduced by captive-bred releases which occurred until the early 1990s. From the microsatellite results, a loss of genetic diversity (measured as average alleles per locus, heterozygosity and allelic richness) was found from Great Barrier Island to captivity and from captivity to re-introduction. Overall genetic diversity within the re-introduced populations (particularly the smaller re-introduced populations at Karori Wildlife Sanctuary, Tiritiri Matangi Island and Mana Island) was much reduced compared with the remnant populations, most probably as a result of small release numbers and small population size. Such loss of genetic diversity could render the re-introduced populations more susceptible to inbreeding depression in the future. Suggested future genetic management options are included which aim for a broader representation of genetic diversity in the pateke captive breeding and release programme.
Women's Perception of their Forest Resources in Espiritu Santo (Vanuatu)
Authors:   , Brikke Sarah
Published: November 2021

Women's perceptions of their environment in two remote communities (Monxhill and Butmas, in Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu) were explored, as their perception is though to guide their involvement in environmental education. Qualitative insights from participatory fieldwork, using ranking exercise, community resource mapping and perception activities, showed that women of Monxhill see the forest as a place to live, to know and to learn about, to plan for and to take care of. In turn, women of Butmas see it as a resource, which has to be managed in order to provide the communities with food, materials and medicines; however, they also see it as a problem, which has to be solved. Furthermore, this research showed that these women are a key actors in community environmental education.
Loose Credit and Low Wages: A Re-examination of US Postwar Economic History in Light of the Recent Recession
Authors:   , Jones Richard Henry
Published: November 2021

The protracted nature of the current global economic downturn, beginning in late 2007 with the crash of the US credit markets and continuing on into today, suggests that a wider range of policy responses are now required by the international community to get the global economy back on an upwards trajectory of growth. Orthodox economics, with its disproportionate bias towards the supply-side of the economic equation, has proved extremely ineffectual in addressing the multitude of problems associated with the current global recession. In particular, the apathetic approach encapsulated by the neo-classical position, which asserts that the "free market" should be left alone to generate a solution to any economic downturn, has proved a highly costly ideological position for the global economy to follow. Fortunately however, in policy-making circles, a slight move away from the debilitating neo-classical supply-side position is now under way, giving rise to proactive policies that do not wait for the market to "inevitably" fix itself.
Sustainable Urban Form Through Cluster Development: A Brisbane Case Study of Biodiversity and Water Life Cycles Responding to Socio-Economic Needs
Authors:   , Po Daniel
Published: November 2021

Brisbane is increasingly experiencing problems relating to ecological and water sustainability within the urban fabric. This is caused by developments that are overly focused on keeping itself sustainable but neglecting the overall scheme of the urban layout. As individual developments make up the larger part of the cities, an investigation on the benefits of having them clustered together is explored in this research. Through analyses of current urban practices in Brisbane, it was found that the city aspires to attain better standards in ecological sustainability, and has progressively supported sustainable practices in government and local groups alike. However, little has been done in terms of the larger urban fabric working cohesively in achieving sustainable goals. Investigation into the sustainable realms of ecology reveals other themes that must also be addressed, primarily subjects relating to social liveability, and the viability of increasing biodiversity in an already dense city. The results indicate that current practices and policies need a broader scope in application to the urban fabric, and are followed with proposals utilising clustered development in addressing the shortcomings of these on-going practices. The feasibilities of the proposals are addressed in regards to sustainability, liveability, and viability. The urban renewal proposal of Newstead Park also accepts the current urban form without making drastic changes to Brisbane’s character and culture. Overall, the findings of this research encourages a broader framework of thinking to address ecological concerns only solvable at a larger cluster scale, and ties together the many facets of ecological preservation and its relationship with socio-economic demands to solve Brisbane’s growing sustainable problems in their urban environment.
Elements of Surprise : Industrial Designers’ Strategies for Eliciting Surprise Through Interaction
Authors:   , Rodríguez Ramírez Edgar Raymundo
Published: November 2021

Fascinating designs can break our expectations and elicit a sense of surprise that first invokes our interest, increases the emotional intensity of an experience and may affect how we interact with our surroundings. Design researchers have identified the importance of surprise. Valuable studies have been carried out on the role of surprise as a design strategy (Ludden, Schifferstein, & Hekkert, 2008), on how appearance elicits emotions including surprise (Desmet, 2002; Desmet, Porcelijn, & van Dijk, 2005) and on the role of sensory incongruity in eliciting surprise (Ludden, 2008). Some characteristics of eliciting surprise can be beneficial to a product’s success. However, little research has been done into the strategies designers can use when attempting to elicit surprise through interaction, or how the experience of surprise affects how people interact with products. My research addresses two main questions. The first question is: how can designers attempt to elicit surprise through interaction? Through a set of 30 interviews worldwide, participatory research through design at design studios and collaboration with design students, I have developed a set of strategies that address this question. The strategies are the result of an analysis following a Postmodern Grounded Theory methodology, namely Situational Analysis (Clarke, 2003, 2005). My research suggests that design organisations address surprise in interaction according to their main concerns. While large design organisations reported little interest in eliciting surprise, design studios with specific characteristics constantly attempted to elicit surprise through their products. I suggest 22 strategies that designers can use when attempting to elicit surprise. The strategies are presented as cards for easy access by practicing designers and design students alike. The second question is, once surprise is elicited through interaction, how does the experience of surprise affect the way people interact with an object? I addressed this question through designing a number of products, testing them with people and assessing what different interactions resulted. My research suggests that through eliciting surprise, designers can support what people do, indicate unambiguously what ought to be done, subtly suggest what to do or attempt to persuade. The role of surprise varies for each of these intentions. Finally, my research suggests that surprise can be seen as a threat-detecting mechanism when trying to discourage people to engage in an activity; surprise can also be addressed as a sense-making process when attempting to persuade.
The Development Impact of Rural Tourism in Peru's Colca Valley: Linking Grassroots and Structuralist Perspectives
Authors:   , Bidwell Simon
Published: November 2021

Theories of Latin American underdevelopment have converged on neostructuralist approaches, which aim to promote more inclusive development through diversified economic activities with links to international markets. These include alternative forms of tourism, which are claimed to provide economic benefits to historically marginalised areas while supporting and enhancing traditional livelihoods. This study aimed to assess these claims by taking a broad political economy approach to evaluating the impact of rural tourism in the Colca Valley of southern Peru. Detailed case studies of two contrasting localities were linked with analysis of the wider economic, political and social context.  Field research in one case study area found that tourism had created opportunities for local families with existing skills and resources and had provided useful additional income for others but had involved only a minority of residents. Loss of control of tourism to the regional metropolis and destructive competition had resulted in diminishing returns and general dissatisfaction with the “disorderly” nature of tourism development. In another case study locality, a more cohesive social context and intensive support from external institutions had allowed the planned development of a rural tourism project that emphasised broad community participation, but the low tourist volumes to date were a constraint on progress. Nevertheless, throughout the Colca Valley tourism had contributed to the revalorization of local culture and identity and provided a platform for local selfassertion. The thesis argues that an appreciation of the wider economic and political context in Peru is crucial to understanding the way tourism has evolved in the case study areas. It suggests that more work to link local, grassroots perspectives with broad structuralist analysis would represent a fruitful research agenda in development studies.
Adjusting Sails: A Narrative Inquiry into the Transfer Experience of Three Secondary Teachers in the Maldives
Authors:   , Nihan Aminath
Published: November 2021

'Adjusting Sails' is a narrative inquiry which presents the stories of three secondary teachers who underwent transfer from one school to the other in the Maldives. This metaphoric journey also describes my journey as a narrative researcher, how I sailed into unknown waters with my participants, what I discovered, and the interpretations I drew from their experiences. Semi-structured interviews of teachers and transfer managers and the analysis of official correspondence of the transfer contributed to the richness of the data. The stories of the teachers were analyzed for common themes, partially corroborated by contrasting the data gathered from interviews with two transfer managers, and written in collaboration with the participant storytellers. Trustworthiness of findings was further enforced through member-checking and adhering to reflexive procedures. The findings of this study suggest that the three teachers found the transfer quite stressful and as having impacted negatively on their emotions and professional lives. Communication issues before and after the transfer, personal perceptions associated with the transfer as well as leadership practices in their new environments appeared to have given rise to de-motivation, stress and frustrations. Apart from contributing to existing literature on teacher transfer, this study highlighted factors that made the transfer a negative experience for teachers and provided evidence which may usefully inform school managements and future transfer policies on the impact a transfer can have on the emotional and professional well-being of teachers.
Gender and Workaholism: A Study of New Zealand Academics
Authors:   , Smith Amanda Lea
Published: November 2021

The aim of this study was to examine gender's impact on Workaholism and, in particular, the correlates of 'Workaholism' characteristics (Work Involvement, Drive and Work Enjoyment). The Literature review draws attention to the various definitions developed, providing the source and foundation of the definition used in this study. This thesis defines Workaholism as the tendency towards heavy work investment and involvement (the behavioural dimension) with considerable allocation of time to work-related activities and work-related thoughts and the combination of high-drive with low-enjoyment (the cognitive dimension), which manifests itself in working compulsively and being obsessed with work for reasons that are not derived from external necessity. A sample of 331 New Zealand academic employees from the eight different universities completed a web-based survey measuring 'Workaholism', Workaholism perceptions, hours worked and gender perceptions. Results show that there are differences in the degree of Workaholism and Workaholism-related variables between genders in academics in New Zealand. Furthermore, it was found that there was a statistically significant difference between genders in Work Involvement and Drive – females were found to exhibit more of both characteristics. No significant difference between genders in Work Enjoyment was found. Again, there is no significant difference between genders in Workaholism perceptions. There was, however, a significant difference between genders in the proportion of overworkers. These findings provide insight into possible directions for future research as well as potentially influencing treatment for work addiction. In order for this knowledge to directly contribute towards benefiting practitioners further study is needed, leading to the ability to allow actions taken to reduce/prevent Workaholism to be tailored to the specific needs of employees. By understanding gender differences and the individual's perception of their own Workaholism, treatment could be tailored specifically for the individual. The current study suggests that blanket policies designed to promote work-life balance are unlikely to benefit all employees.
Moving Beyond Love and Luck: Building Right Relationships and Respecting Lived Experience in New Zealand Autism Policy
Authors:   , Stace Hilary
Published: November 2021

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnoses have been rising rapidly in recent years and New Zealand is just one country grappling with the policy challenges this presents. Currently, love, such as a supportive family, and luck, that appropriate services are available, are required by people with autism and their families for good outcomes, a situation that is neither equitable nor sustainable. Autism was first named as a separate condition in 1943. The concept of autism has developed significantly since then in many ways, including as the cultural identity that many autistic adults now claim. Influenced by the international disability rights movement and local activism, New Zealand policy is now based on the social model of disability, whereby society as a whole has responsibility for removing disabling barriers. In 1997, a New Zealand mother, unable to find appropriate support at a time of crisis, killed her autistic daughter. A decade of policy work followed, leading to the 2008 publication of the New Zealand Autism Spectrum Disorder Guideline (Ministries of Health and Education, 2008) which is the first whole-of-spectrum, whole-of-life, whole-of-government, best practice approach in the world to address the extensive issues surrounding ASD. Prioritisation and initial attempts at implementation revealed new problems. The complexity, lack of simple solutions and fragmentation of autism policy indicates that this is a 'wicked' policy problem. To move beyond this situation requires innovative and collaborative approaches. The 'transformative paradigm' is a research methodology which builds on recent developments in participatory and emancipatory research, and disciplines such as disability studies. It advocates approaches based on mixed methods, social justice, ethics and partnership, so is particularly suited to examining a problem such as autism, and indicating ways forward. There is untapped expertise among those with lived experience of autism and their families to tackle the 'wicked' aspects of autism, but to harness this expertise requires relationship building which addresses power imbalances and past injustices. This thesis analyses New Zealand autism policy and suggests ways this lived experience could be better respected and incorporated into policy processes, in an attempt to move past the currently required variables of love and luck.
Moving Forwards, Looking Backwards: Re-Contextualising Maori Concepts and Understandings of the Living Environment.
Authors:   , Scott Hana
Published: November 2021

Māori have a unique relationship with the built as a living environment; it is a being—an ancestor, to be respected. Michael Linzey in his essay; ‘Speaking to and talking about Māori Architecture’, distinguishes Maori understandings of architecture and their relationship with the environment from westernised understandings. This reading by Linzey highlights Māori treatment of architecture as a respected ancestor with whom Māori engage in a dialogue. This dialogue enables Māori to participate with their built and natural environment in a personal and intimate way. A study of the unique relationship Māori have with their built and living environment provides us with an opportunity to learn to engage with our surroundings in a more sensitive and respectful manner, that would contribute to our current and urgent search and need for not just a sustainable architecture, but one that facilitates and sustains our relationships with each other, and the built and natural environment. This study embraces this window of opportunity suggested by Linzey’s essay and looks backwards to explore Māori concepts and values within the built environment. Could this unique relationship Māori have with their living environment be useful to architecture, and if our approach to design took on these understandings could it lend itself to helping to establish a more people, place and environmentally sensitive architecture?
Representing Qualitative Action Models for Learning in Complex Virtual Worlds
Authors:   , Clarke Adam
Published: November 2021

This thesis addresses the problem of representing and learning qualitative models of behaviour in complex virtual worlds. It presents a novel representation, ‘Q-Systems’, that integrates two existing representation frameworks: qualitative process models and action description languages. QSystems combines the expressive power of both frameworks to allow actions and world dynamics to be modelled in a common way using a representation based on non-deterministic and probabilistic finite state machines. The representation supports learning and planning by using a modular approach that partitions world behaviour into ‘systems’ of objects with specific contexts and a related behaviour. Q-Systems was developed and tested using an agent in a rich simulated world that was created as part of the thesis. The simulation uses a rigid body physics engine to produce complex realistic interactions between objects. An action system and a qualitative vision system were also developed to allow the agent to observe and act in the simulated world. The thesis includes a proposed two stage learning process comprising an initial stage in which ‘histories’ (contextually and temporally restricted sequences of observations) are extracted from interactions with the simulation, and a second stage in which the histories are generalised to create a knowledge base of system models. An algorithm for generating histories is presented and a number of heuristics are implemented and compared. A system for learning generalised models is presented and it is used to assess the suitability of Q-Systems with respect to learning in complex environments. Planning with Q-Systems is demonstrated in an agent which reasons with generalised models to work out how to achieve goals in the simulated world. A simple planning algorithm is described and a variety of issues are explored. Planning with a single system is shown to be relatively straightforward due to the modular nature of Q-Systems. This thesis demonstrates that Q-Systems successfully integrate two different representation frameworks and that they can be used in learning and planning in complex environments. The initial results are promising, but further investigation is required to fully understand the advantages and disadvantages of the Q-System approach compared with existing learning systems. This would involve the development of benchmark problems (currently there are none for this particular domain).
Temporal Variation in Toxic Bait, Carbohydrate and Protein Preference and Toxic Bait Efficacy in Argentine (Linepithema Humile) and Darwin’s Ants (Doleromyrma Darwiniana)
Authors:   , Mathieson Melissa Rubina
Published: November 2021

By determining if there is any temporal variation in toxic bait, carbohydrate and protein preference in Argentine and Darwin’s ants, we can provide better control options because we can identify with more accuracy when ants will be foraging for one food type over another. Improving our understanding is also fundamental as we can improve future bait formulations, bait application and timing, and increase levels of bait uptake. I have two aims in this thesis. First, I investigated toxic bait, carbohydrate and protein preferences for Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) and Darwin's ant (Doleromyrma darwiniana). The second aim in my thesis was to examine the efficacy of toxic baits in laboratory colonies of Argentine ants. Food preferences varied between species and within species considerably throughout the year, although Darwin's ant consistently favoured foods higher in carbohydrates. Argentine ants showed a significant preference for protein over carbohydrates during December and January. Despite differences in carbohydrate and protein preferences the preference for individual toxic baits showed little temporal variation. The toxic bait efficacy experiment revealed that Xstinguish™ and Exterm-an-Ant® baits produced the highest mortality rate. Other commercially available toxic baits had little effect on workers or queens. The efficacy of the toxic baits was influenced by the starvation level of the ant colonies, and only the colonies that were starved for 48 hours experienced a 100% mortality rate. Due to these results, I recommend that bait application with Xstinguish™ and Exterm-an-Ant® in late winter-spring would be optimal as this time frame is when ants are likely to be starved, and when foraging activity is increasing, thus maximising the chances of bait uptake. A second round of baiting treatment with both baits (Xstinguish™ and Exterm-an-Ant®) in summer when Argentine ants have been shown to undergo a second wave of reproduction could also be beneficial.
NZ Inc: New Zealand’s Whole-of-Government Approach to Peace Support Operations
Authors:   , Martin Callum
Published: November 2021

Into the late 1990s the international community began to develop new methods for assisting fragile states. It was recognised that development principles and practice were often insufficient to resolve the ‘complex operations’ they were entering. This was especially true when engaging states that lacked either the political commitment or the practical capacity to deliver basic social and public services. The defining feature of these operations is that assistance is required across all pillars of civil society – economic, law and justice, governance and public administration. Without effectively addressing each of these pillars there is a significant risk of systemic failure. A key challenge of engagement across these pillars is coordinating the growing number of contributions – both civilian and military. The whole-of-government approach has been promoted as a method to ameliorate this challenge. It is argued that the approach reduces departmental silos, promotes policy coherence, and provides efficiency while better addressing the complexity of the operating environment. While this may be true, the rhetoric is ill-defined and generates confusion as to what it means at a practical level. In short, it remains unclear how to achieve an efficient and effective whole-of-government approach or what that would actually look like. This thesis examines this dilemma and identifies the factors for successful implementation of New Zealand’s whole-of-government approach to peace support operations. Rather than concentrating on the formerly popular ‘machinery of government’ changes, this thesis argues that there are three overarching factors when implementing a whole-of-government approach. The first requirement is strategic direction from Government. This should come in the form of a national security statement and subsidiary individual country strategies. The second is culture change across the public sector. This focuses on the ‘soft issues’ such as organisational cultures, values and routines, professional beliefs, as well as institutional values and preferences. Significantly for peace support operations, this must be extended to promote a culture of education and awareness of host nation history and society. The third factor is accurate and flexible performance indicators and measurement to ensure that success can be identified and achieved. Effective execution of these factors will add value and promote excellence in New Zealand’s peace support operations.
Baa, Baa, Black Sheep Have You Any Wool? Developing the RBV Through a Study of the New Zealand Merino Clothing Industry
Authors:   , Jackson Andrew
Published: November 2021

This thesis explores how the traditional approaches to researching the Resource-Based View (RBV) do not fully address the heterogeneity within the participants of the research. Traditional approaches assume similar levels of knowledge, prioritisation, and value (awareness) are held across the participants. This thesis proposes that this similarity may not exist for every industry. Focused on the New Zealand merino clothing industry, this research employed two studies to determine the key characteristics and perceptions of the main players in the industry. Initially an industry profile is formed from secondary data sources, which covers the 30 years since the inception of the New Zealand merino clothing industry. This profile forms the basis for the interview sample and provides comparison for interview findings. Through the use of open-ended questions and a semi-structured interview process this thesis carried out interviews with the CEOs of thirteen New Zealand based merino clothing firms from throughout New Zealand. These interviews offered the participants the opportunity to express their perspectives on the resources they deem to be most important. The outcomes of these interviews are surprising; with the results questioning more assumptions of RBV research than just the similarity of awareness. Drawing together the analysis of the industry profile and the findings of the interviews, these two studies highlight a number of key findings. Most significantly, it is apparent that the majority of the interviewees do not perceive themselves as competing, though the industry profile indicates that the industry has a high level of competitive rivalry. Additionally, the firms do not appear to be differentiating themselves from one another, with few unique approaches utilised by the interviewees in regards to product, design, and business practice. Lastly, this thesis illustrates that these differences in perception between the industry profile analysis and the interview findings could be due to the ambition and future perspectives of the CEOs.
Expediente
Authors: Moraes Jorge Luiz Amaral de
Published: November 2021

Expediente
Responsabilidade socioambiental de uma organização sem fins econômicos para o desenvolvimento regional
Authors: Cordazzo Evanilde Gollo , Comonelli Edaiane Fátima , Mazzioni Sady , Mores Giana de Vargas
Published: November 2021

O estudo objetivou analisar as práticas de responsabilidade socioambiental adotadas pelo Instituto Goio-En para o desenvolvimento regional no seu âmbito de atuação. A pesquisa descritiva, com abordagem qualitativa, foi realizada por meio de entrevistas com gestores e pela análise de conteúdo documental, avaliando as práticas de responsabilidade socioambiental. Os principais achados indicam que o Instituto Goio-En atua de forma social e ambientalmente responsável, com foco na produção de alevinos para o repovoamento do rio Uruguai e o lago da barragem Foz do Chapecó. As atividades do Instituto norteiam-se por princípios éticos de governança e com observância à legislação, assegurando uma gestão transparente e participativa. Sua atuação visa ao desenvolvimento regional com foco na sustentabilidade, estimulando práticas de preservação e conservação do ecossistema e dos recursos naturais. A fim de garantir a própria sustentabilidade, o Instituto busca estratégias para a captação de recursos, por meio de parcerias e convênios, ou da comercialização de alevinos.