title: An exploration of cloud-based technology for enhancing emergency management: Cases from New Zealand

authors: Lu, Ying

subjects: Cloud-based Technology

abstract: Despite widespread acknowledgement of the disruptive effect cloud-based technologies have in business, little is known about the role they might play in emergency management, in particular in natural emergencies. This research addresses this gap by exploring emergency management professionals’ perceptions of cloud usage in key emergency management lifecycle stages of preparedness and response. The Diffusion of Innovation theory is used as a theoretical lens to understand the factors that might influence emergency management professionals to utilise cloud-based technologies. It was employed as it focuses on understanding the adoption rate of an innovative technology.
A multiple case study approach was employed involving six key New Zealand emergency services organisations. Twenty-nine semi-structured interviews were conducted with emergency professionals at both managerial and operational levels combined with three focus groups and five exercise observations. Data were analysed through grounded theory analysis. 
A comprehensive framework of multi-dimensional elements that influence the emergency professionals’ perceptions of cloud-based technology deployment was derived from the data. Six key elements were found to have significant influences on the emergency professionals’ perceptions against actual cloud-based technology usage in natural emergencies: organisational readiness, coordination, cloud-based technology characteristics, individual perceptions, individual readiness and non- cloud-based technology redundancy. Organisational readiness is shaped by four critical aspects: usage frequency, usage preparedness, organisational capacity, and training, which is a prerequisite for realising the success of cloud-based technology deployment when managing emergencies. Better inter-agency coordination enhances the emergency professionals’ confidence in using cloud-based technologies during the response stage. The cloud-based technology characteristics also significantly influence cloud-based technology deployment, including perceived advantages, perceived disadvantages, usefulness, and the deployment model type. The individual perception of enhancement expectation reflects the emergency professionals’ real needs in using cloud-based technologies when dealing with emergencies. The individual readiness includes human factors and knowledge, showing that personal attitudes towards cloud-based technology usage and cloud-based technology knowledge sufficiency influence cloud-based technology deployment for managing emergencies. Non- cloud-based technology redundancy eases the emergency professionals’ concerns of using cloud-based technologies when unexpected situations occur during natural emergencies. The framework highlights the need for examining diverse elements in an integrated manner to understand the emergency professionals’ utilisation patterns of cloud-based technologies for managing natural emergencies.  
The thesis concludes that awareness of the emergency professionals’ cloud-based technology utilisation patterns can help inform the use of cloud-based technologies to improve and integrate emergency preparations and responses. The research contributes to the body of knowledge in the field of both cloud computing and emergency management by providing a comprehensive framework to reveal an in-depth understanding of multi-dimensional elements that influence the emergency professionals’ perceptions of cloud-based technology deployment in natural emergencies. The framework can be used as practical guidelines for similar emergency services organisations to enhance organisational and individual readiness in cloud-based technology utilisation to carry out more effective emergency management performance.

text: An exploration of cloud-based technology for enhancing emergency management: Cases from New Zealand Despite widespread acknowledgement of the disruptive effect cloud-based technologies have in business, little is known about the role they might play in emergency management, in particular in natural emergencies. This research addresses this gap by exploring emergency management professionals’ perceptions of cloud usage in key emergency management lifecycle stages of preparedness and response. The Diffusion of Innovation theory is used as a theoretical lens to understand the factors that might influence emergency management professionals to utilise cloud-based technologies. It was employed as it focuses on understanding the adoption rate of an innovative technology.
A multiple case study approach was employed involving six key New Zealand emergency services organisations. Twenty-nine semi-structured interviews were conducted with emergency professionals at both managerial and operational levels combined with three focus groups and five exercise observations. Data were analysed through grounded theory analysis. 
A comprehensive framework of multi-dimensional elements that influence the emergency professionals’ perceptions of cloud-based technology deployment was derived from the data. Six key elements were found to have significant influences on the emergency professionals’ perceptions against actual cloud-based technology usage in natural emergencies: organisational readiness, coordination, cloud-based technology characteristics, individual perceptions, individual readiness and non- cloud-based technology redundancy. Organisational readiness is shaped by four critical aspects: usage frequency, usage preparedness, organisational capacity, and training, which is a prerequisite for realising the success of cloud-based technology deployment when managing emergencies. Better inter-agency coordination enhances the emergency professionals’ confidence in using cloud-based technologies during the response stage. The cloud-based technology characteristics also significantly influence cloud-based technology deployment, including perceived advantages, perceived disadvantages, usefulness, and the deployment model type. The individual perception of enhancement expectation reflects the emergency professionals’ real needs in using cloud-based technologies when dealing with emergencies. The individual readiness includes human factors and knowledge, showing that personal attitudes towards cloud-based technology usage and cloud-based technology knowledge sufficiency influence cloud-based technology deployment for managing emergencies. Non- cloud-based technology redundancy eases the emergency professionals’ concerns of using cloud-based technologies when unexpected situations occur during natural emergencies. The framework highlights the need for examining diverse elements in an integrated manner to understand the emergency professionals’ utilisation patterns of cloud-based technologies for managing natural emergencies.  
The thesis concludes that awareness of the emergency professionals’ cloud-based technology utilisation patterns can help inform the use of cloud-based technologies to improve and integrate emergency preparations and responses. The research contributes to the body of knowledge in the field of both cloud computing and emergency management by providing a comprehensive framework to reveal an in-depth understanding of multi-dimensional elements that influence the emergency professionals’ perceptions of cloud-based technology deployment in natural emergencies. The framework can be used as practical guidelines for similar emergency services organisations to enhance organisational and individual readiness in cloud-based technology utilisation to carry out more effective emergency management performance.

year: 2019

title: U-Pb Dating of Silicic Volcanic Rocks of the Eastern Coromandel Peninsula

authors: Vincent, Kirsty Anne

subjects: Coromandel Volcanic Zone

abstract: The eastern Coromandel Volcanic Zone (CVZ) is an area of predominantly andesite-dacite-rhyolite volcanism which was erupted and subsequently hydrothermally altered in parts during the Late Miocene to Early Pleistocene. Many of the andesitic host rocks and products of hydrothermal alteration have been dated, but there are few ages on the rhyolites. This study was undertaken to help better constrain the age of selected rhyolite lavas and ignimbrites of the onshore eastern CVZ. 21 units were sampled for U-Pb dating of zircon using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). This method was chosen because most CVZ rhyolites are known to contain zircon. In this study, 18 of the 21 samples contained sufficient zircons for dating, and 18 new zircon U-Pb ages are presented. These ages are the age of crystallisation and therefore represent the maximum eruption age. This method has not previously been used in the CVZ, so was also chosen to assess if it is an appropriate method for dating CVZ rhyolites. This was determined by comparing the new ages generated in this study with any previous ages. They mostly agree, which supports the validity of the method, and also provides new age data of several units which had not previously been dated.

In order to set the new ages into a geological context, it was necessary to describe the units sampled. The petrography, mineralogy and petrochemistry were assessed by petrographic microscope, electron microprobe and whole rock X-ray diffraction and fluorescence. 21 new whole rock major and trace element XRF analyses are presented.

text: U-Pb Dating of Silicic Volcanic Rocks of the Eastern Coromandel Peninsula The eastern Coromandel Volcanic Zone (CVZ) is an area of predominantly andesite-dacite-rhyolite volcanism which was erupted and subsequently hydrothermally altered in parts during the Late Miocene to Early Pleistocene. Many of the andesitic host rocks and products of hydrothermal alteration have been dated, but there are few ages on the rhyolites. This study was undertaken to help better constrain the age of selected rhyolite lavas and ignimbrites of the onshore eastern CVZ. 21 units were sampled for U-Pb dating of zircon using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). This method was chosen because most CVZ rhyolites are known to contain zircon. In this study, 18 of the 21 samples contained sufficient zircons for dating, and 18 new zircon U-Pb ages are presented. These ages are the age of crystallisation and therefore represent the maximum eruption age. This method has not previously been used in the CVZ, so was also chosen to assess if it is an appropriate method for dating CVZ rhyolites. This was determined by comparing the new ages generated in this study with any previous ages. They mostly agree, which supports the validity of the method, and also provides new age data of several units which had not previously been dated.

In order to set the new ages into a geological context, it was necessary to describe the units sampled. The petrography, mineralogy and petrochemistry were assessed by petrographic microscope, electron microprobe and whole rock X-ray diffraction and fluorescence. 21 new whole rock major and trace element XRF analyses are presented.

year: 2012

title: Tatari, tautoko, tauawhi - Hei awhina tamariki ki te panui pukapuka: Some preliminary findings

authors: Glynn, Ted

subjects: Maori

abstract: The Tatari, Tautoko, Tauawhi reading tutoring procedures have been adapted from the procedures known as Pause, Prompt, Praise, first developed in Mangere in 1977. The first author offered the procedures as a koha at a Special Education Service hui at Poho o Rawiri in 1991. The second author took up the koha and obtained the support of kaumatua and kuia at Hairini marae Tauranga Moana, and the support of senior Maori staff of the Special Education Service National Office to produce a Maori language video and training booklet. This began an important bicultural journey through the processes of producing instructional materials and trailing and evaluating them in ways that are biculturally appropriate. This paper reports on that journey and presents some preliminary data on the implementation of Tatari, Tautoko, Tauawhi by seven tuakana - teina pairs in a bi-lingual classroom.

text: Tatari, tautoko, tauawhi - Hei awhina tamariki ki te panui pukapuka: Some preliminary findings The Tatari, Tautoko, Tauawhi reading tutoring procedures have been adapted from the procedures known as Pause, Prompt, Praise, first developed in Mangere in 1977. The first author offered the procedures as a koha at a Special Education Service hui at Poho o Rawiri in 1991. The second author took up the koha and obtained the support of kaumatua and kuia at Hairini marae Tauranga Moana, and the support of senior Maori staff of the Special Education Service National Office to produce a Maori language video and training booklet. This began an important bicultural journey through the processes of producing instructional materials and trailing and evaluating them in ways that are biculturally appropriate. This paper reports on that journey and presents some preliminary data on the implementation of Tatari, Tautoko, Tauawhi by seven tuakana - teina pairs in a bi-lingual classroom.

year: 1993