title: The seesaw of the governance: getting the balance right

authors: Mueller, Jens

subjects: Australasia

abstract: The increased demand by institutional investors and regulators that corporate directors focus on compliance and internal auditing appears to be driven by a motivation to right the wrongs of the past rather than to create rights in the future. Managing by looking in the rear view mirror is a poor use of corporate strategy and is not supported by our research which shows that shareholders wish their directors to spend time on forward-looking strategy tasks more than on auditing. We believe the focus on compliance management may come at the expense of providing long term vision, sound strategic planning and competent leadership from the boardroom. An over-emphasis on compliance issues introduces the risk that directors spend more time and effort investigating the actions of senior executives and becoming absorbed in operational matters. This means that boards become caught up in micro-management rather than debating and formulating long term strategic plans and providing appropriate stewardship to the organization and support to the CEO and senior executives. Requirements for short term reporting exacerbate the problem by driving board executives to rely more on financial results rather than securing the viability of the organization over the long term. Whilst the increased attention to governance issues is aimed at protecting shareholders, we argue it is likely that shareholders are being exposed to even greater future risks given the limited time being spent on long term planning and strategic change. This paper explores the concept of a balance point where directors effort needs to be appropriately focused on both governance issues and providing leadership from the boardroom. It also discusses some of the leadership attributes and roles of executives in long term high performing organizations in Australasia and explores how these attributes impact positively on organizational excellence and sustainability.

text: The seesaw of the governance: getting the balance right The increased demand by institutional investors and regulators that corporate directors focus on compliance and internal auditing appears to be driven by a motivation to right the wrongs of the past rather than to create rights in the future. Managing by looking in the rear view mirror is a poor use of corporate strategy and is not supported by our research which shows that shareholders wish their directors to spend time on forward-looking strategy tasks more than on auditing. We believe the focus on compliance management may come at the expense of providing long term vision, sound strategic planning and competent leadership from the boardroom. An over-emphasis on compliance issues introduces the risk that directors spend more time and effort investigating the actions of senior executives and becoming absorbed in operational matters. This means that boards become caught up in micro-management rather than debating and formulating long term strategic plans and providing appropriate stewardship to the organization and support to the CEO and senior executives. Requirements for short term reporting exacerbate the problem by driving board executives to rely more on financial results rather than securing the viability of the organization over the long term. Whilst the increased attention to governance issues is aimed at protecting shareholders, we argue it is likely that shareholders are being exposed to even greater future risks given the limited time being spent on long term planning and strategic change. This paper explores the concept of a balance point where directors effort needs to be appropriately focused on both governance issues and providing leadership from the boardroom. It also discusses some of the leadership attributes and roles of executives in long term high performing organizations in Australasia and explores how these attributes impact positively on organizational excellence and sustainability.

year: 2009-01

title: Contemporary pressures on school-based research: A cautionary tale for school leaders

authors: Smith, Megan

subjects: School-based research

abstract: School-based research has historically played an important role within the education system contributing to our understanding of the organisation and practice of formal education. Supported by relevant literature, this article reports on current challenges in conducting school-based research in Aotearoa New Zealand as experienced by one researcher. It suggests that conducting school-based research is becoming increasingly difficult, with possible explanations for this being the divergent workflows of researcher and school-based participant(s), the volume of demands on teachers and schools, and restricted roles for teachers and parents, which increase the risk of research fatigue. The article argues that although school-based research is rarely an immediate priority for school leaders, it is imperative that they support it if they want to be informed by its insights for policy and practice.

text: Contemporary pressures on school-based research: A cautionary tale for school leaders School-based research has historically played an important role within the education system contributing to our understanding of the organisation and practice of formal education. Supported by relevant literature, this article reports on current challenges in conducting school-based research in Aotearoa New Zealand as experienced by one researcher. It suggests that conducting school-based research is becoming increasingly difficult, with possible explanations for this being the divergent workflows of researcher and school-based participant(s), the volume of demands on teachers and schools, and restricted roles for teachers and parents, which increase the risk of research fatigue. The article argues that although school-based research is rarely an immediate priority for school leaders, it is imperative that they support it if they want to be informed by its insights for policy and practice.

year: 2020

title: The “standard story” of anti-Māori talk in Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Bill submissions

authors: Black, Rose

abstract: AIM: To review some common patterns of race talk in a sample of submissions made to the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Bill. This bill proposed a structural reform of the health system in Aotearoa New Zealand to address long-standing health inequities experienced by Māori, the Indigenous peoples, and other priority populations. METHOD: In a sample of 3,000 individual submissions made in late 2021, we found 2,536 explicit references to race. Utilising the “stan-dard story” frame of Pākehā/non-Maori race talk, five longer submissions that inferred that the Pae Ora bill was “racist” were analysed in detail. RESULTS: Many “standard story” race discourses were identified in the Pae Ora submissions. Three derived discourses included in this paper are: Pākehā as norm (monoculturalism or not seeing Pākehā as a culture), equality and the “Treaty” (equality for all to access healthcare), and one people (we are all New Zealanders). Sources such as the Waitangi Tribunal Wai 2575 Hauora report were drawn on to provide alternative discourses. CONCLUSION: Identifying Pākehā standard story discourses enables learning about language patterns systems draw on, and the development of tools and procedures to improve equity for Māori and eliminate institutional racism.

text: The “standard story” of anti-Māori talk in Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Bill submissions AIM: To review some common patterns of race talk in a sample of submissions made to the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Bill. This bill proposed a structural reform of the health system in Aotearoa New Zealand to address long-standing health inequities experienced by Māori, the Indigenous peoples, and other priority populations. METHOD: In a sample of 3,000 individual submissions made in late 2021, we found 2,536 explicit references to race. Utilising the “stan-dard story” frame of Pākehā/non-Maori race talk, five longer submissions that inferred that the Pae Ora bill was “racist” were analysed in detail. RESULTS: Many “standard story” race discourses were identified in the Pae Ora submissions. Three derived discourses included in this paper are: Pākehā as norm (monoculturalism or not seeing Pākehā as a culture), equality and the “Treaty” (equality for all to access healthcare), and one people (we are all New Zealanders). Sources such as the Waitangi Tribunal Wai 2575 Hauora report were drawn on to provide alternative discourses. CONCLUSION: Identifying Pākehā standard story discourses enables learning about language patterns systems draw on, and the development of tools and procedures to improve equity for Māori and eliminate institutional racism.

year: 2023-07-21