bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Blended Action Learning: Supporting Leadership Learning in the New Zealand ECE Sector
Authors:   , Thornton Kathryn Ruth
Published: November 2021

The purpose of this research study was to explore the use of information communication technology (ICT) to support leadership development in the New Zealand early childhood education (ECE) sector. There is currently a lack of policy and provision supporting leadership development in this sector. Previous research has identified the value of leadership development programmes that encourage reflective practice, peer collaboration, and a focus on problemsolving in reallife situations. ICT has the potential to support leadership learning using action learning, a process that involves groups of learners working on issues or problems that they face in their professional contexts with the support of a facilitator. Although action learning groups most often meet facetoface, ICT is increasingly being used to support or in some cases replace traditional meetings. This research study, which took the form of interpretive case research, involved the establishment of two blended action learning groups facilitated by the researcher. The participants in this study both met facetoface in facilitated workshops and interacted online while back at their respective workplaces for ongoing reflection, discussion and the sharing of knowledge and resources. The open source software Moodle was the enabling technology used in this study and the ICTs employed included email, online reflective journals, forum discussions and chat sessions. A model of leadership learning using ICT was developed through the analysis of data from this study. This model illustrates the leadership journeys taken by participants who increased their awareness of leadership through a process of recognising, reflecting, realising and responding. This led to increased confidence in their leadership practice and in some cases resulted in a greater distribution of leadership. Four key factors contributing to the leadership learning process were identified to be the blended action learning process, the blended action learning groups, the ICT tools used and the role of the blended action learning facilitator who acted as both an enabler of learning and a trusted inquisitor. This study contributes to our understanding of the process of leadership development using ICT, in particular the role of the blended action learning facilitator and the process of leadership learning.
How Can a Music Therapy Student Facilitate Contributions by Adolescent Clients Who Have Psychiatric Disorders in Group Music Therapy?
Authors:   , Wong Chit Yu
Published: November 2021

This study explored ways in which a music therapy student could modify and improve her own clinical practice in order to facilitate client contribution in group music therapy in an acute adolescent inpatient unit. Through cycles of observation, evaluation, planning, and action, the music therapy student was able to examine her facilitation techniques in detail and modified them accordingly. There were six fortnightly cycles and in each cycle, the research journal, research notes, and video-recording were systematically reviewed by the music therapy student herself, and themes were drawn out to contribute to the planning of the next cycle. The results suggested that while direct questions predominated at the start of study, the music therapy student was able to adopt a variety of other techniques by the end of the research period, including self-disclosure, appropriate eye contact, and the shifting of responsibility. The music therapy student also found that her own anxiety level, which was often caused by periods of silence in music groups, also had an important impact on her ability to facilitate. The discussion addressed other factors that are believed to have contributed to the student's ability to facilitate in group music therapy.
Human Evolution in Polynesia: a Molecular Biological Study
Authors:   , Whyte Adele Lorene Hineao
Published: November 2021

Human evolution is an extremely interesting and contentious topic that incorporates data from a wide variety of disciplines. Molecular studies are becoming increasingly important for reconstructing human history, as new techniques allow faster recovery of results, and genetic tests provide an independent test for colonisation theories that are usually based on archaeological and linguistic evidence. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is an extremely useful genetic marker that is widely used in molecular biology for establishing phylogenetic links between individuals and populations. In the current study the 3' Hypervariable Region (3' HVI) of mtDNA from human populations living in New Zealand (Aotearoa) was analysed. The HVI mtDNA diversity in the New Zealand Maori population was significantly reduced compared with Polynesian and Melanesian populations, with an extremely high frequency (~87%) of the 'Polynesian CGT motif' haplotype. Additionally, the 9-bp deletion, common in Polynesian populations, has reached fixation (100%) in the Maori samples. These results support a settlement scenario with repeated population bottlenecks. The mtDNA HVI haplotype frequencies in this study, combined with those from previous studies, were used in computer simulations to estimate the number of females required to found the current Maori population. Approximately 56 women, and an equal or greater number of men, were estimated to have been present in the founding waka. This estimate is too large to support any settlement models with a small number of founders and effectively rules out the possibility of 'accidental discovery', instead supporting a planned settlement of Aotearoa in agreement with traditional knowledge. Analysis of interdisciplinary data has allowed current theories for the origins of the Polynesians and proto-Austronesians to be consolidated by introducing a 'Synthetic Total Evidence Theory'. It is likely that once published this theory will stimulate intense discussion and debate and will continue to grow as further evidence is obtained and incorporated into this model.
Local Visual Processing in High Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Scorers.
Authors:   , McLean Lisa Mae
Published: November 2021

Reaction times for big and small letters (global and local levels) were compared and examined to see whether differences would occur between a low scoring and high scoring Obsessive-  Compulsive Disorder (OCD) group. OCD patients have been shown to notice and pay more attention to small details (local bias) compared to most other populations (Shapiro, 1965; Yovel et al. 2006; Caberea et al., 2001). Although there is research supporting a local bias in OCD patients, it is unclear whether the bias occurs in the early stages of visual processing or in a later memory stage (Moritz & Wendt, 2006; Hermans et al, 2008). The study specifically examined a potential local bias for high OCD scorers in the early visual stage by manipulating perceptual and attentional mechanisms in two hierarchical letter tasks (Navon, 1977; Miller, 1981a, Plaisted et al. 1999). In Experiment 1, participants were told which level (the big or small letter) to respond to, results showed that high OCD scorers responded faster to local letters, showing support for a local processing advantage. Conversely, the low OCD group responded quicker to the global level. The finding of a local advantage in Experiment 1 suggests that the local advantage may be due to perceptual mechanisms as attention was already directed to the relevant level. However, in Experiment 2 where attention was not directed and the image quality was manipulated, local and global advantage effects were not replicated for the high and low OCD groups respectively. This showed that attentional and perceptual mechanisms did not make one level easier to process over the other. Therefore, it is possible that any local bias for OCD patients occurs in a later processing stage.
Extensions of Markov Modulated Poisson Processes and Their Applications to Deep Earthquakes
Authors:   , Lu Shaochuan
Published: November 2021

The focus of this thesis is on the Markov modulated Poisson process (MMPP) and its extensions, aiming to propose appropriate statistical models for the occurrence patterns of main New Zealand deep earthquakes. Such an attempt might be beyond the scope of the MMPP and its extensions, however we hope its main patterns can be characterized by current models proposed in three parts of the thesis. The first part of the thesis is concerned with introductions and preliminaries of discrete time hidden Markov models (HMMs) and MMPP. The  exibility in model formulation and openness in model framework of HMMs are reviewed in this part, suggesting also possible extensions of MMPP. The second part of the thesis is mainly about several extensions of MMPP. One extension of MMPP is by associating each occurrence of MMPP with a mark. Such an extension is potentially useful for spatial-temporal modelling or other point  processes with marks. A special case of this type of extension is by allowing the multiple observations of MMPP synchronized together under the same Markov chain. This extension opens the possibility of modelling multiple point process observations with weak dependence. The third extension is motivated by the attempt to describe small scale temporal clustering existing in the deep earthquakes via treating the recognized aftershocks as marks which itself forms a finite point process. The rest of the second part focuses on some information theoretical aspects of MMPPs such as the entropy rate of the underlying Markov chain and observed point process respectively and their mutual information rate. A conjecture on the possible links between mutual information rate of MMPP and the Fisher information of the estimated parameters is suggested. The second part on extensions of MMPP is featured by the derivation of the likelihood and complete likelihood, parameter estimation via EM algorithm, state smoothing estimation and model evaluation through systematic applications of rescaling theory of multivariate point processes and marked point processes. The third part of the thesis includes the applications of these methods to the deep earthquakes in New Zealand. We first evaluate the data coverage, catalogue completeness and explore its descriptive characteristics and empirical properties such as epicentral distributions, depth distributions and magnitude distributions.  Clustering behavior is studied via the second order moment analysis of point processes in the chapter 8. We also apply, the stress release models and the ETAS models which are usually used for shallow earthquakes, to the New Zealand deep earthquakes and provide tentative explanations of why they are not satisfactory for the deep earth-quakes. The chapter 9 is on the applications of MMPP and its extensions to the New Zealand deep earthquakes. Conclusions and future studies are presented in chapter 10.
Practice Nurses Educational Needs in Mental Health: a Descriptive Exploratory Survey
Authors:   , Prince Anne Patricia
Published: November 2021

Background-Large numbers of patients see practice nurses (PNs) daily for their health care. Many of these patients will have a mental illness or a mental health (MH) need. International research suggests that the practice nurses are undertaking mental health assessment and interventions without the requisite skills and knowledge. This thesis reports on a study designed to quantify PNs work in mental health, to determine their education requirements and establish their confidence in the field of mental health. Methods-A postal survey was used to examine the nature of MH problems encountered by PNs, describe the MH interventions currently being used by them and identify the perceived learning needs of PNs in MH. Practice nurses in Hawkes Bay and Tairawhiti regions were surveyed. The questionnaire consisted of 33 open, closed and likert questions. Analysis was by descriptive, correlation and inferential statistics plus content analysis for open questions. Findings-52 respondents completed the questionnaire and the results demonstrate that these PNs are caring for patients with an extensive range of mental health concerns daily. Most common are people with depression and anxiety. The nurses perform a wide range of MH interventions such as counselling and advice on medication and have minimal confidence in their skill level. The nurses expressed learning needs included recognition and management of a wide range of mental health conditions such as suicidal ideation and all types of depression, reflecting the range of conditions met. Other learning requirements included understanding of co-morbidity and how to screen for mental health. The preferred provider of education was community mental health services by means of a short course specifically designed to meet their needs. Discussion-Practice nurses require education and support specifically designed to meet their identified needs in mental health to help then improve the care to patients. This will require collaboration between secondary mental health services, primary mental health nurses and tertiary institutions. With targeted education these nurses should become more confident and competent in their dealings with people who present to their practice with a mental health concern.
Rungs on a Ladder to Empowerment: Transforming End-user Computing Training in Port Vila, Vanuatu
Authors:   , Vetter Gayna
Published: November 2021

End-user training in ICT is a question that currently lurks on the outskirts of development activity. The focus of ICT in development is on implementation of the 'machinery' but lacks specific attention in the building of human capacity to drive and maintain this 'machinery'. The question of training end-users in computing in Port Vila, Vanuatu, was a driving force of this research. In pursuing the question, however, the participatory process, using focus groups to research local industry needs for training, led to the discovery of links between the participation used in researching this question to its use as pedagogy for end-user training. Using participatory action, we are more likely to encourage initiative in pursuing questions and achieving a more localised approach to endeavours such as training, research and development. This participatory approach is also seen as a method more widely applicable in education as well as development. The process lead to empowerment of the individuals involved in the research through raising critical consciousness and providing a form of agency. It raises the question of how to sustain this empowerment in order to lead to transformation. Actual transformation is seen as a quality that takes more than one attempt at empowerment and a temporary taste of agency. The thesis draws on the analogy of a group of people building a ladder together. They have rough building materials to work with but an abundance of their own ideas and their own ability. The ladder construction is participation, its frame exists but the rungs have yet to be attached. It is the process of interaction, exploration and communication in building the ladder together that becomes important. Transformation is in the process of building of the ladder as well as the finished product. It takes a continual construction effort, building on rungs put in place previously.
Teacher-Student Relationships in Diverse New Zealand Year 10 Mathematics Classrooms: Teacher Care
Authors:   , Averill Robin
Published: November 2021

Teacher-student relationships are considered influential for academic achievement and motivation, particularly for students of minority and low socio-economic groups. Teacher care is an essential component of effective teacher-student relationships. This study examined factors that contribute to developing and maintaining caring teacher-student relationships in low socio-economic multicultural classrooms (Maori, Pasifika, New Zealand European). Three areas of teacher care were explored: care for students as individuals, their mathematical progress, and for students as culturally located individuals. The sample comprised three urban schools, one class and one teacher in each school for each of two years (six Year 10 mathematics teachers and their classes in total). Three data collection periods were used: the initial four weeks of the school year, and two weeks late in each of school terms 2 and 3. Each data collection period included classroom observations, teacher and student interviews, and teacher and student questionnaires. Within a holistic context of classroom well being, characteristics of caring teacherstudent relationships were found to fit within four dispositional aspects (liking, respecting, and being tolerant of each other, and being able to reflect one's personal identity), and four themes (knowing each other as people, knowing each other as learners, knowing each other's cultures, and enhancing feelings of cultural identity). Specific classroom practices found to be supportive of respectful caring teacher-student relationships included using humour, one-to-one teacher-student interactions, making opportunities for sharing personal identities, and expecting mathematical progress. Mixed results were obtained regarding how deeply students value their heritage cultures, whether or not they believe these are well reflected in their schools and classrooms, and the extent to which they would like them to be reflected in these places. There is evidence that for many Maori, Pasifika, and low socio-economic students, mathematics teachers can enhance students' motivation and mathematical achievement by using explicitly caring practices. Teachers must acknowledge and attend to caring teaching approaches to maximise their students' progress in, and enjoyment of, mathematics.
An Investigation of the Effects of Ethnic Identity on Well-Being of Monoethnic and Multiethnic Children and Adolescents in Malaysia
Authors:   , Lum Ruth Mei Yin
Published: November 2021

Adolescence is the transition period from childhood into adulthood. During this period, self identity and ethnic identity become more salient. In recent years, intermarriage between different ethnicities has increased and is becoming increasingly common in Malaysia. This current study aims to investigate the relationships of ethnic identity to well-being of children and adolescents in Malaysia who are from monoethnic and multiethnic backgrounds. This study will also look at the implications ethnic identity and ethnic status (monoethnic or multiethnic) have on self-esteem, perceived discrimination, life satisfaction, bullying and antisocial behaviour. There were 261 participants from Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya, Malaysia; 106 males, 152 females and 4 did not state their gender. Age ranged from 10 to 16 years old. 178 participants were monoethnic and 83 participants were multiethnic. Children and adolescents showed no differences on ethnic identity when compared by ethnic group and by ethnic state. This study also found positive correlations between ethnic identity and self esteem, self esteem and life satisfaction and perceived discrimination and antisocial behaviour. There were significant negative correlations between perceived discrimination and self esteem, antisocial behaviour and self esteem, and antisocial behaviour and life satisfaction. Those who were bullies were also more likely to engage in antisocial behaviour as compared to nonbullies/nonvictims and victims. The findings gave insight to the ethnic identity of Malaysian children and adolescents who are monoethnic and multiethnic. This research also lends support to past research regarding relationships between self esteem, life satisfaction, bullying, perceived discrimination and antisocial behaviour. All factors that were found to be good correlates of psychological well being were discussed.
Under Construction: National Identity and the Display of Colonial History at the National Museum of Singapore and the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
Authors:   , Waite Julia
Published: November 2021

In New Zealand and Singapore, national identity is inextricably linked to the processes of colonisation, decolonisation and the gaining of political independence. Unlike highlytheorized accounts of national identity, this study provides a deeper understanding of the ways in which it is actually developed, materialised and negotiated in 'real world' examples through history exhibitions at Te Papa and the National Museum of Singapore. The research provides a fresh perspective on recent displays of colonial history and how they shape and are shaped by the concerns of present-day nation-building particularly in former British colonies including Asia. It seeks to move beyond the existing literature which has been concerned with deconstructing national identity as a cultural construct to consider the ongoing process of updating, remaking and maintaining identity through museum display. Using a qualitative approach, this dissertation incorporates archival research, interviews, theoretical and historical literature, and visual analysis of exhibitions to contextualise and analyse the similarities and differences in the history exhibitions mounted at these two recently redeveloped museums. The Day 1 history exhibitions at Te Papa, opened in 1998, form the core of this study, while the chapter on Singapore provides an added layer of comparative depth, helping to broaden the picture of national museums and nationalism more generally. This research explores how national museums negotiate, on the one hand, the material and intellectual legacy of previous inherited definitions of 'the nation', while on the other responding to the contemporary expectations which arise from present-day conceptualizations of nations and national identity. My findings suggest that the construction of national identity is not independent from socio-political contexts, and that the political ideals of multiculturalism and biculturalism helped to foster inclusive and politically harmonious visions of national identity in the National Museum of Singapore and Te Papa. The conclusion argues that national museums' participation in the public articulation and definition of a collective idea of 'the nation' is unstable, contradictory and contested but nonetheless worthy of serious academic research.
Gifted Individuals with Asperger's: A Discourse Exploration of 'Being an Aspie'
Authors:   , Wong Camellia
Published: November 2021

People labelled as both 'gifted' and as having Asperger's Syndrome are a social paradox. Asperger's is often associated with impairment and disability, and a dualistic 'opposite' of giftedness on a learning ability spectrum. This study explored life experiences of adults who self-identified as 'aspies' (a casual term used by people who are proud to have Asperger's as an identity) and who were also identified as being gifted in the widest sense. A literature review discovered few studies on the topic, and, of those found, most employed traditional medical explanations of the condition or 'syndrome'. This study adopted qualitative participatory methodology using interviews. Three men and one woman who identified as aspies participated in semi-structured interviews that were video recorded in order to better understand their communication strategies. A type of discourse analysis based on Foucault's use of discourse (Parker, 1992) was used to analyse their worldviews about Asperger's, giftedness and abilities. The analysis revealed an interplay of medical and other related discourses surrounding Asperger's as impairment, with a lesser emphasis on discourses of giftedness. Participants often felt marginalised due to stereotypes about 'incompetence' regarding people with Asperger's; a view seen as denigrating their talents. The main finding was that aspie identities were not always strong due to a conflicting need to 'fit in' and accommodate to 'normal' society. Their talents sometimes benefited their attempts at 'pretending to be normal'; however this depended on whether the skill was regarded by society as worthy. Decisions to be proud aspies and resist social norms, sometimes had consequences of isolation, confusion, being misunderstood or judged as disabled. Whilst participants preferred to be accepted as aspies with talented skills, they found this social positioning often contradictory. The thesis ends with a suggestion that future research could adopt more participatory focuses, to enable more insight into ways that people labelled as having Asperger's and with giftedness discursively describe their worlds and concepts of ability.
Female Reproductive Strategies and the Ovarian Cycle in Hamadryas Baboons
Authors:   , Tobler R. E.
Published: November 2021

This thesis examines the relationship between sexual behaviour and the ovarian cycle in a group-living primate, Papio h. hamadryas. Of particular interest is whether females modify their ovarian cycle in a manner that is expected increase their reproductive success. The study was conducted on a captive colony where the resident males (RM) had been vasectomised prior to start of the study resulting in all mature females undergoing repeated ovarian cycling throughout the study period. This made the  analysis of sexual behaviour relative to fine scale changes in the ovarian cycle possible. One year of ovarian cycle data and 280 hours of behavioural data was collected via observational sampling during the study. RM vasectomisation did not alter the archetypal one male unit social structure nor the typical socio-spatial organisation of wild hamadryas populations. Females were found to be more promiscuous than in wild populations, however, presumably because of the confounding effect that the high number of simultaneously cycling females had on RM herding (Chapter 1). RMs  dominated copulations over the optimal conceptive period of the ovarian cycle, while the majority of extra-OMU copulations occurred outside this period and were rarely solicited by females. This pattern supports a dual paternity concentration/paternity confusion strategy, and not female choice or fertility insurance strategies (Chapter 2). Females were not found to synchronise or asynchronise their cycles over the 1 year study period,  although a review of the literature on hamadryas breeding patterns suggests that they may be able to do so over shorter periods (Chapter 3). Females did, however, appear to regulate the length of the turgescent phase of their ovarian cycle in a manner that would facilitate a paternity confusion strategy and maximise their expected fitness payoff (Chapter 4). Consequently, this study provides empirical evidence that female hamadryas baboons manipulate their ovarian cycle in a manner that is expected to increase their reproductive success.
Using a Local Network to Support Internationalisation: a Case Study from New Zealand
Authors:   , Kambaran Vickesh
Published: November 2021

This thesis explores how collaboration amongst a network of companies can lead to successful internationalisation. Positioned between the network and internationalisation literature, this research used a successful case study where a New Zealand company supported by a network local of companies won a $21 million export contract to supply retail payment terminals to a Malaysian oil company. The research focused on the network formation, structure and evolution over time. In addition, the roles and performance of the network were also examined. The research method focused on a successful case and involved in-depth interviews with senior management of four companies. This was coupled with network analysis based on data extracted from the interview transcripts. Capturing chronological data was made possible by using a historical approach. There are several insights worth noting that surfaced from the results. First, relationally embedded ties appear to have reinforcing network effects. For example, the case shows how relationally embedded ties influence resource acquisition. Second, in examining the evolution of the network over time, the data captured shows how a closed network formed bridges across structural holes, leading to 'structural autonomy.' The third contribution of this research is the identification and integration of internationalisation theories within the case. As such, this thesis has made a series of contributions to the area of network dynamics that supports successful internationalisation.
Regression Results of the Union Impact on Pay Levels in New Zealand Public Service
Authors:   , Feinberg-Danieli Goldie
Published: November 2021

International studies almost uniformly conclude that union members receive higher wages than their non-union counterparts. This study investigates differences between collective and individual salaries using the New Zealand State Services Commission's Human Resources Capability Survey 2005. It explores the impact of collective bargaining on pay by controlling for a large number of employee and employer characteristics. As very little research has been carried out on the subject in New Zealand, I focused on the international literature in order to identify the major factors that explain the magnitude of union/non-union wage differential. Major industrial changes, which have shaped the NZ public service bargaining structure and its outcomes are identified. A range of statistical tests are used to examine the pay differences between collective and individual agreements in New Zealand public service. I, first, carry out basic comparisons of the average collective and individual wages across gender, employment type, occupations, ethnicity, age, employer size and tenure, followed by numerous multivariate regressions to work out the true contributing factors to the union/non-union wage differential. Finally, I analyze the results in the unique NZ context to allow new ideas and theory to emerge and compare it to international trends. Looking at the basic comparisons, I found that, in the New Zealand public service, employees on individual agreements earn significantly higher wages then those who are covered by collective agreements. However, multivariate analyses have revealed a different picture. The study found that occupational composition is the largest contributor to the variability in collective/individual pay in NZPS. With the exception of the senior, high skilled and specialised employees, no pay differential was found between collective or individual agreements in the New Zealand public service.
The Primacy of Ownership and the Problem of Plunder in Archaic Greece
Authors:   , Brunsting Nelson
Published: November 2021

The goal of this thesis is to extract from the Homeric and Hesiodic poems Archaic Greek thought on the concept of personal ownership and its interrelation with plunder. As is often the case when working with the Iliad and Odyssey, the discussion is broader in focus than is currently the norm for academic theses. In this instance a wide-ranging scope is necessary, since the purpose is to identify patterns concerning ownership and plunder in the epics. The process of extrapolating the depictions of life in the Homeric epics to the conditions and realities of Archaic Greece is achieved most effectively by ascertaining unified portrayals of concepts as opposed to minutely analyzing singular occurrences in the works...
Bacterial Communities Associated with Human Decomposition
Authors:   , Parkinson Rachel
Published: November 2021

Human decomposition is a little-understood process with even less currently known about the microbiology involved. The aim of this research was to investigate the bacterial community associated with exposed decomposing mammalian carcasses on soil and to determine whether changes in this community could potentially be used to determine time since death in forensic investigations. A variety of soil chemistry and molecular biology methods, including molecular profiling tools T-RFLP and DGGE were used to explore how and when bacterial communities change during the course of a decomposition event. General bacterial populations and more specific bacterial groups were examined. Decomposition was shown to cause significant and sequential changes in the bacterial communities within the soil, and changes in the bacterial community often correlated with visual changes in the stage of decomposition. Organisms derived from the cadavers and carcasses were able to be detected, using molecular methods, in the underlying soil throughout the decomposition period studied. There was little correlation found between decomposition stage and the presence and diversity within the specific bacterial groups investigated. Organisms contributing to the changes seen in the bacterial communities using molecular profiling methods were identified using a cloning and sequencing based technique and included soil and environment-derived bacteria, as well as carcass or cadaver-derived organisms. This research demonstrated that pig (Sus scrofa) carcass and human cadaver decomposition result in similar bacterial community changes in soil, confirming that pig carcasses are a good model for studying the microbiology of human decomposition. The inability to control for differences between donated human cadavers made understanding the human cadaver results difficult, whereas pig carcass study allowed many variables to be held constant while others were investigated. The information gained from this study about the bacteria associated with a cadaver and how the community alters over the course of decomposition may, in the future, enable the development of a forensic post mortem interval estimation tool based on these changes in the bacterial community over time. The findings in this thesis suggest that high variability between human bodies and their microflora is likely to present a challenge to the development of such a tool, but further study with emerging high-throughput molecular tools may enable identification of microbial biomarkers for this purpose.
'...So Yeah, You Do What You Can ...': Exploring the Barriers to Women's Opportunities for Physical Activity
Authors:   , Northcott Marilyn Colleen
Published: November 2021

This research was prompted by the Sport and Recreation New Zealand (SPARC) survey study Obstacles to Action: A study of New Zealanders Physical Activity and Nutrition 2006. The study found a segment of respondents who were too busy and too stressed to take part in physical activity with any regularity, 67% were women. This finding invites closer examination of the kinds of barriers that keep women from having opportunities for physical activity: Why is it difficult for women in the 'Busy and Stressed' segment to be able to participate in physical activity? Many studies of physical activity are conducted from a health perspective examined as a population measure assessed in terms of frequency, intensity and duration, and fail to consider the multiple influences that shape women's physical activity decisions. Missing from the literature so far has been a comprehensive look at the factors affecting women's participation in physical activity from the context of their daily lives. This thesis draws on key literature from feminism, leisure studies and psychology and looks specifically at the social and personal context that lies behind women's decision-making about participating in physical activity. My methodology was based in Feminism and guided by Ecological Theory. Data collected from three focus group discussions centered on personal, social and environmental themes engaged the participants in sharing experiences that influence their opportunities for physical activity. Nineteen women between the ages of 25 and 49 participated in the focus groups. Most of them were in situations where they were juggling partners, work, study, and children and therefore were similar to SPARC's busy and stressed segment, and were not getting the recommended amount of physical activity. Results show that while the women's attitudes and experiences of physical activity were very positive, and they mainly had good levels of support, there was little time or opportunity to be able to participate in physical activity with any regularity. Women continue to be over represented as inactive in physical activity research, however there is less research at present that includes the voices of women about the trade-offs, uncertainties and negotiations involved in their opportunities to be physically active. This study addresses what I see as a significant gap in the research.
The Power of Penal Populism: Public Influences on Penal and Sentencing Policy from 1999 to 2008
Authors:   , Bartlett Tess
Published: November 2021

This thesis explains the rise and power of penal populism in contemporary New Zealand society. It argues that the rise of penal populism can be attributed to social, economic and political changes that have taken place in New Zealand since the postwar years. These changes undermined the prevailing penalwelfare logic that had dominated policymaking in this area since 1945. It examines the way in which 'the public' became more involved in the administration of penal policy from 1999 to 2008. The credibility given to a law and order referendum in 1999, which drew attention to crime victims and 'tough on crime' discourse, exemplified their new role. In its aftermath, greater influence was given to the public and groups speaking on its behalf. The referendum also influenced political discourse in New Zealand, with politicians increasingly using 'tough on crime' policies in election campaigns as it was believed that this was what 'the public' wanted when it came to criminal justice issues. As part of these developments, the thesis examines the rise of the Sensible Sentencing Trust, a unique law and order pressure group that advocates for victims' rights and the harsh treatment of offenders. The Trust became an increasingly authoritative voice in both the public and political arena, as public sentiments came to overrule expert knowledge in the administration of penal policy. Ultimately, it argues that the power of penal populism is so strong in New Zealand that attempts to resist it are likely to come to little, unless these forces that brought it to prominence can be addressed and negated. To date, this has not happened.
Transnational Corporations in Mexico: the Creation of Competitive Advantage through Corporate Social Responsibility
Authors:   , Lelo de Larrea Gaudiano Alejandro
Published: November 2021

In addition to contributing to the small, but fast growing, literature on CSR in emerging and developing economies around the world, this thesis draws on prior research and goes further to investigate the competitive advantage of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for transnational corporations (TNCs) in Mexico. It seeks to build a conceptual framework to understand the benefits that CSR has brought to society and corporations, investigates what is driving CSR globally and locally, analyses how global conditions unfold over local CSR, and assess how CSR is shaped by local culture, the economic and political history in Mexico.
Family Violence Risk Assessment: An Early Study of Police Officers' Experiences at the Frontline
Authors:   , Grant Stephanie Christine
Published: November 2021

The key notion of a police organisational culture unique to frontline police officers explains why police services are resilient to reform, as past attempts by police management to change the traditions of the street-cop culture have proved difficult to achieve. The key tenets of the organisational culture of frontline policing see street-level police negotiate and resist aspects of the NZ Police family violence risk assessment model to which they do not subscribe. Frontline officers' resistance is an expression of their attitudes and beliefs about 'real' police work. These beliefs are informed by the occupational subculture of which they are a part. Officers in this study also resist the increasing bureaucratisation of their role and oppose attempts by management to change the informal rules by which they operate. The established autonomy and isolation of frontline policing allows officers discretion in their implementation of the risk assessment model. This thesis examines the experiences of frontline police officers responsible for implementing family violence risk assessment, in selected areas of the Waikato District. The study employed face to face semi-structured interviews with frontline police officers and sought accounts of their experiences of responding to family violence and their use of the risk assessment tools. The research found that officers recognise and support the improvement of the police response to victims of family violence. Despite this, the introduction of family violence risk assessment in the Waikato District has achieved limited change. This study found considerable evidence of a discrepancy between management policy and operational practice, as the risk assessment model is neither implemented as intended by police management or for which it was designed. This is the result of issues with training and tensions between management directives and established practice at the frontline. These challenges faced by NZ Police are typical of the problems encountered by police organisations implementing similar reforms in other Western jurisdictions.
An Exploratory Case Study of Citizenship Education in the Social Studies Curriculum of the Solomon Islands
Authors:   , Fito'o Billy
Published: November 2021

This exploratory case study stems from the belief that teaching appropriate values to develop good and active citizens will improve the chaotic situation of the Solomon Islands. However, while this intention seems commendable, little thought has been given to the nature of Citizenship Education needed in a Solomon Islands context. A concern therefore, is that the curriculum reform agenda will ignore or marginalise the conceptualisation and contextual understanding of Citizenship Education to the extent that the Social Studies curriculum might not end up reflecting a contextually balanced approach to citizenship. In substantiating the concern, this case study research explores the perspectives of education stakeholders in the Solomon Islands on Citizenship Education in the Social Studies curriculum. The study examines the knowledge, values, and skills of Citizenship Education that are relevant and contextual to Solomon Islands. It investigates more fully the linkages between the Social Studies curriculum and Citizenship Education. The study scrutinises the conceptualisations of Citizenship Education in a Solomon Islands context and their implications on the curriculum. The research also explores the extent to which the Social Studies curriculum educates students about themselves, their diverse neighbours, and how to live as good and active citizens in a complex and dynamic national social environment. Using a case study involving 21 Solomon Islands participants (education officials, teachers and students), the study recommends the inclusion of contextually relevant values of rights and responsibilities, moral and social values, national identity and social cohesion in the Social Studies curriculum. Recommendations for further research are also offered.
Talkin' bout a revolution: Cultural Effects on the Transition from Oral to Written Literature
Authors:   , Poelina-Hunter Emily
Published: November 2021

Using language and writing to distinguish cultures from each other is commonplace. They are defining characteristics of culture that enable members to identify themselves within their group - by having communication they are tied together. Oral communication is the key identifier for Nyikina people of northern-Western Australia. However, Nyikina language is severely endangered, and risks being lost altogether. If the language were to die, Nyikina people would lose a huge part of their cultural identity. Working with the Nyikina community as part of a language revitalisation project sparked my interest in the transition from oral to written literature within the Mediterranean. Why did Nyikina not develop their own script, but Minoans and Etruscans did? It would be beneficial to have Etruscan literature or sound recordings describing how the Etruscan language was influenced by Phoenician and Greek cultures, and to know why they created their own alphabet using elements from both colonising influences. Hence, the experience and situation regarding the Nyikina language may provide a general paradigm for understanding and extrapolating the contextual situations of Minoans and Etruscans with respect to their languages, and vice-versa. This was the spring-board to a Masters thesis exploring such changes.
Electricity Conservation in Context: A Mixed Methods Study of Residential Conservation Behaviour During an Electricity Shortage in New Zealand
Authors:   , Blackwell Sally
Published: November 2021

Household energy behaviour has been studied across a range of disciplines including economics, social psychology, diffusion of innovation and sociological models. Recognising that energy decisions are not economically 'rational' this study draws on approaches from social psychology and sociology. These recognise that whilst individual behaviour can be influenced to be proenvironmental it is often heavily constrained by contextual factors. This study explored whether a relationship existed between electricity conservation in households and the socio-political environment in New Zealand during a hydroelectricity shortage in 2008. This was done so that constraints on demand-reduction initiatives might be better understood. A mixed methods approach was used. Study 1 used a thematic analysis of media reports to examine the sociopolitical context of the shortage period. It found that the issue was deeply political and debate was dominated by a focus on supply whilst conservation was predominantly portrayed as detrimental to households and the economy. Study 2 entailed a nationwide longitudinal survey that examined electricity conservation attitudes and behaviour. It found that householders increased conservation actions during the shortage by a small degree compared to everyday behaviour. Study 3 examined residential electricity consumption data from the period and estimated savings were lower than during previous similar shortages. The research suggests that a relationship did exist between the socio-political context and individual behaviour during the shortage. The research makes a case for a truly interdisciplinary approach to managing residential energy demand which takes into account the personal and social context within which energy consumption occurs and the multi-faceted social drivers of demand.