title: The entrepreneurial spirit of the Pacific Peoples: A study of Pacific immigrant entrepreneurship in New Zealand

authors: de Vries, Huibert P

subjects: New Zealand

abstract: The difficulty associated with determining what constitutes immigrant entrepreneurial behaviour lies in the road being travelled differently by immigrants from dissimilar backgrounds, value systems, and cultural heritages. Migration and settlement issues present themselves in a multitude of different forms, depending on a complex and dynamic combination of the ethnic characteristics of the specific ethnic immigrant group and the receiving country's socio-economic infrastructure. This paper presents the findings of a case study-based approach to a description of the entrepreneurial spirit within Pacific People in New Zealand, an approach involving triangulation (semi-structured interviews with Pacific immigrant entrepreneurs; selected immigration literature, and interviews with Pacific community leaders). The case study is based on four constructs (migration profile, settlement profile, cultural profile and business profile) which were identified as impacting on immigrant entrepreneurship patterns. Conclusions relating to each of the following are presented: business drivers (e.g. generational differences and social obligation); business strengths (e.g. uniqueness, family, and community networks); and weaknesses that inhibit the entrepreneurial spirit (e.g. lack of confidence and social obligations).

text: The entrepreneurial spirit of the Pacific Peoples: A study of Pacific immigrant entrepreneurship in New Zealand The difficulty associated with determining what constitutes immigrant entrepreneurial behaviour lies in the road being travelled differently by immigrants from dissimilar backgrounds, value systems, and cultural heritages. Migration and settlement issues present themselves in a multitude of different forms, depending on a complex and dynamic combination of the ethnic characteristics of the specific ethnic immigrant group and the receiving country's socio-economic infrastructure. This paper presents the findings of a case study-based approach to a description of the entrepreneurial spirit within Pacific People in New Zealand, an approach involving triangulation (semi-structured interviews with Pacific immigrant entrepreneurs; selected immigration literature, and interviews with Pacific community leaders). The case study is based on four constructs (migration profile, settlement profile, cultural profile and business profile) which were identified as impacting on immigrant entrepreneurship patterns. Conclusions relating to each of the following are presented: business drivers (e.g. generational differences and social obligation); business strengths (e.g. uniqueness, family, and community networks); and weaknesses that inhibit the entrepreneurial spirit (e.g. lack of confidence and social obligations).

year: 2009-02

title: Exploring the process of educational change in English medium senior secondary school Assessment in Vanuatu

authors: Tarosa, Gayleen Harrison

abstract: Educational change is ongoing. It is generally aimed at improving teaching and learning, but usually comes with challenges. Scholars have devoted a great deal of research to minimise the challenges faced by implementers of change, but there is no one method that fits all situations. A method that works in a particular country may not suit other countries.
Vanuatu has experienced numerous educational changes since attaining political independence in 1980. However, official reports show that educational standards in Vanuatu are declining, which suggests that some recent educational changes may not have contributed to the enhancement of teaching and learning. This is therefore a concern that needs to be addressed.
This study sets out to explore this issue by investigating the process of educational change management in Vanuatu through the experiences, perceptions and expectations of Ministry of Education (MoE) officials, head of schools, and teachers, with specific reference to the change in the English medium senior secondary school assessment process. While a small amount of research has been done on some aspects of educational change in Vanuatu, none had been carried out specifically on the implementation of the recent change to senior school assessment. As well as contextualising the process of educational change within the Vanuatu education system, this study also examined educational change management from a global perspective in order to identify ways to improve such processes for the Vanuatu education system.
The research data for this study were gathered by means of a qualitative case study approach which used individual semi-structured interviews and document analysis. Participants included two Ministry of Education officials, two heads of senior secondary schools and four senior secondary teachers. The heads of schools and teachers included in this study were from urban centre senior secondary schools in Port Vila, Vanuatu. The data were collected within the month of November, 2012 and were analysed using thematic analysis.
The key findings reveal that the participants welcomed the change to the English medium senior secondary school assessment process, as it enables Vanuatu to have its own national certificate at this level. However, the study also identified several factors that appeared to have hindered the implementation process. Hence, participants’ experiences, perceptions, and expectations were used to develop a proposed change management process framework for the Vanuatu education system, and to develop recommendations for improving the implementation of future educational changes in Vanuatu.

text: Exploring the process of educational change in English medium senior secondary school Assessment in Vanuatu Educational change is ongoing. It is generally aimed at improving teaching and learning, but usually comes with challenges. Scholars have devoted a great deal of research to minimise the challenges faced by implementers of change, but there is no one method that fits all situations. A method that works in a particular country may not suit other countries.
Vanuatu has experienced numerous educational changes since attaining political independence in 1980. However, official reports show that educational standards in Vanuatu are declining, which suggests that some recent educational changes may not have contributed to the enhancement of teaching and learning. This is therefore a concern that needs to be addressed.
This study sets out to explore this issue by investigating the process of educational change management in Vanuatu through the experiences, perceptions and expectations of Ministry of Education (MoE) officials, head of schools, and teachers, with specific reference to the change in the English medium senior secondary school assessment process. While a small amount of research has been done on some aspects of educational change in Vanuatu, none had been carried out specifically on the implementation of the recent change to senior school assessment. As well as contextualising the process of educational change within the Vanuatu education system, this study also examined educational change management from a global perspective in order to identify ways to improve such processes for the Vanuatu education system.
The research data for this study were gathered by means of a qualitative case study approach which used individual semi-structured interviews and document analysis. Participants included two Ministry of Education officials, two heads of senior secondary schools and four senior secondary teachers. The heads of schools and teachers included in this study were from urban centre senior secondary schools in Port Vila, Vanuatu. The data were collected within the month of November, 2012 and were analysed using thematic analysis.
The key findings reveal that the participants welcomed the change to the English medium senior secondary school assessment process, as it enables Vanuatu to have its own national certificate at this level. However, the study also identified several factors that appeared to have hindered the implementation process. Hence, participants’ experiences, perceptions, and expectations were used to develop a proposed change management process framework for the Vanuatu education system, and to develop recommendations for improving the implementation of future educational changes in Vanuatu.

year: 2013

title: PIWeCS: enhancing human/machine agency in an interactive composition system

authors: Whalley, Ian

abstract: This paper focuses on the infrastructure and aesthetic approach used in PIWeCS: a Public Space Interactive Web-based Composition System. The concern was to increase the sense of dialogue between human and machine agency in an interactive work by adapting Paine's (2002) notion of a conversational model of interaction as a ‘complex system’. The machine implementation of PIWeCS is achieved through integrating intelligent agent programming with MAX/MSP. Human input is through a web infrastructure. The conversation is initiated and continued by participants through arrangements and composition based on short performed samples of traditional New Zealand Maori instruments. The system allows the extension of a composition through the electroacoustic manipulation of the source material.

text: PIWeCS: enhancing human/machine agency in an interactive composition system This paper focuses on the infrastructure and aesthetic approach used in PIWeCS: a Public Space Interactive Web-based Composition System. The concern was to increase the sense of dialogue between human and machine agency in an interactive work by adapting Paine's (2002) notion of a conversational model of interaction as a ‘complex system’. The machine implementation of PIWeCS is achieved through integrating intelligent agent programming with MAX/MSP. Human input is through a web infrastructure. The conversation is initiated and continued by participants through arrangements and composition based on short performed samples of traditional New Zealand Maori instruments. The system allows the extension of a composition through the electroacoustic manipulation of the source material.

year: 2004