title: Workplace bullying in New Zealand: A survey of employee perceptions and attitudes

authors: O’Driscoll, Michael P.

subjects: coping

abstract: Bullying at work, a severe form of anti-social behaviour, has become an issue of major concern to workers, organisations, unions and governments. It has also received considerable attention in organisational behaviour and human resource management research over the past 20+ years. Research has been conducted on the prevalence of bullying at work and factors which contribute to bullying, but less attention has been accorded to personal coping with bullying and organisational-level responses to counteract bullying. The present paper reports findings from a survey of over 1700 employees of 36 organisations in New Zealand. We describe the reported incidence of bullying at work, along with relevant work attitudes and experiences, including psychological strain, ratings of subjective well-being, and levels of commitment to the organisation. Personal experience of bullying was reported by 17.8% of respondents, and was significantly correlated with higher levels of strain, reduced well-being, reduced commitment to their organisation, and lower self-rated performance. Personal coping strategies were generally unrelated to these outcomes. On the other hand, the perceived effectiveness of organisational efforts to deal with bullying was considered an important contributor to both the occurrence of bullying and reduced negative effects of bullying. Overall, our findings illustrate the importance of developing organisational-level strategies to reduce the incidence of bullying and to counteract its negative impact, rather than expecting individuals to develop personal strategies to cope with this problem.

text: Workplace bullying in New Zealand: A survey of employee perceptions and attitudes Bullying at work, a severe form of anti-social behaviour, has become an issue of major concern to workers, organisations, unions and governments. It has also received considerable attention in organisational behaviour and human resource management research over the past 20+ years. Research has been conducted on the prevalence of bullying at work and factors which contribute to bullying, but less attention has been accorded to personal coping with bullying and organisational-level responses to counteract bullying. The present paper reports findings from a survey of over 1700 employees of 36 organisations in New Zealand. We describe the reported incidence of bullying at work, along with relevant work attitudes and experiences, including psychological strain, ratings of subjective well-being, and levels of commitment to the organisation. Personal experience of bullying was reported by 17.8% of respondents, and was significantly correlated with higher levels of strain, reduced well-being, reduced commitment to their organisation, and lower self-rated performance. Personal coping strategies were generally unrelated to these outcomes. On the other hand, the perceived effectiveness of organisational efforts to deal with bullying was considered an important contributor to both the occurrence of bullying and reduced negative effects of bullying. Overall, our findings illustrate the importance of developing organisational-level strategies to reduce the incidence of bullying and to counteract its negative impact, rather than expecting individuals to develop personal strategies to cope with this problem.

year: 2011-11

title: Wireless power and network synchronisation for agricultural and industrial remote sensors using low voltage CMOS Harvesting and Data Demodulator IC

authors: Lee, T.

abstract: This paper presents a wide area medium frequency loosely coupled magnetic energy harvesting system with power delivery and network synchronisation for remote sensors, intended for agricultural and industrial environments. Intended for situations with poor service access, power is supplied from a source via a large area loop. Receiver nodes may use ferrite cored coils for good efficiency with modest volume. Transmission of low bandwidth network synchronisation data permits very low operational duty cycle with the need for real time clocks or wake up receivers and their associated power drain. As a key enabler for the system, a full custom energy harvester and QPSK data demodulator IC has been designed and fabricated in a commercial 180nm CMOS technology. The IC occupies 0.54mm2 and can deliver 10.3µW at 3V to an external battery or capacitor. With standard MOS device thresholds the rectifier can start from cold with only 250mV peak from the antenna loop, and the battery charge output is delivered with 330mV peak input. Results are presented from laboratory evaluation and from preliminary measurements in the field with a 10m x 10m loop driven at 800kHz.

text: Wireless power and network synchronisation for agricultural and industrial remote sensors using low voltage CMOS Harvesting and Data Demodulator IC This paper presents a wide area medium frequency loosely coupled magnetic energy harvesting system with power delivery and network synchronisation for remote sensors, intended for agricultural and industrial environments. Intended for situations with poor service access, power is supplied from a source via a large area loop. Receiver nodes may use ferrite cored coils for good efficiency with modest volume. Transmission of low bandwidth network synchronisation data permits very low operational duty cycle with the need for real time clocks or wake up receivers and their associated power drain. As a key enabler for the system, a full custom energy harvester and QPSK data demodulator IC has been designed and fabricated in a commercial 180nm CMOS technology. The IC occupies 0.54mm2 and can deliver 10.3µW at 3V to an external battery or capacitor. With standard MOS device thresholds the rectifier can start from cold with only 250mV peak from the antenna loop, and the battery charge output is delivered with 330mV peak input. Results are presented from laboratory evaluation and from preliminary measurements in the field with a 10m x 10m loop driven at 800kHz.

year: 2016

title: Rewi Mokena: youngest son of Mokena Hou

authors: Hart, Philip

abstract: The youngest child of Mokena Hou, Rewi Mokena moved from place to place when young, finally settling permanently at Te Aroha. Having received some education, he was fluent in English. Like the typical rangatira of the time, he acquired interests in several blocks of land, obtained income from these in the short term, but because of financial difficulties was brought before the court several times. 
His involvement in gold mining started in a small way in 1875. Five years later, he would assist Hone Werahiko to prospect Te Aroha – and to fend off inquisitive Pakeha. He invested in claims in all of the three areas where gold was found.
By the twentieth century, Rewi was the most important rangatira at Te Aroha, and had wider influence, assisting the King Movement to seek redress for lost land. From a young age he participated in Pakeha society, notably as a rugby player, and became a prominent Mormon. His complicated private life, including bigamy and a wife’s attempted suicide because of his adultery, did not lower his high standing in Maori society nor damage his popularity with Pakeha.

text: Rewi Mokena: youngest son of Mokena Hou The youngest child of Mokena Hou, Rewi Mokena moved from place to place when young, finally settling permanently at Te Aroha. Having received some education, he was fluent in English. Like the typical rangatira of the time, he acquired interests in several blocks of land, obtained income from these in the short term, but because of financial difficulties was brought before the court several times. 
His involvement in gold mining started in a small way in 1875. Five years later, he would assist Hone Werahiko to prospect Te Aroha – and to fend off inquisitive Pakeha. He invested in claims in all of the three areas where gold was found.
By the twentieth century, Rewi was the most important rangatira at Te Aroha, and had wider influence, assisting the King Movement to seek redress for lost land. From a young age he participated in Pakeha society, notably as a rugby player, and became a prominent Mormon. His complicated private life, including bigamy and a wife’s attempted suicide because of his adultery, did not lower his high standing in Maori society nor damage his popularity with Pakeha.

year: 2016