title: Waikato Region and Districts: Demographic Profile 1986 - 2031

authors: Jackson, Natalie

subjects: Waikato Region and Districts

abstract: This report outlines the demographic changes that have occurred in Waikato Region, as well as what trends are expected in the future.

text: Waikato Region and Districts: Demographic Profile 1986 - 2031 This report outlines the demographic changes that have occurred in Waikato Region, as well as what trends are expected in the future.

year: 2013-07

title: Usefulness of Integrated Reporting Concepts to Investment Decision-making: Empirical Evidence from Taiwan

authors: Hsiao, Pei-Chi

subjects: Integrated reporting

abstract: The purpose of this thesis is to extend the knowledge and understanding of integrated reporting and investment decision-making processes, particularly from a non-Western perspective. A review of extant literature identified a dearth of research on integrated reporting and the investment processes of investors in Taiwan. This study contributes to knowledge by providing a greater insight into the usefulness of integrated reporting concepts to Taiwanese investors. 

This empirical study is exploratory in nature and adopts an interpretivist methodology approach. Pilot tests were conducted prior to the semi-structured interviews with 16 Taiwanese investors. The research sample reflects a wide range of investment specialities and focuses. The data collected were transcribed, open coded and explored in NVivo, and analysed manually for a deeper understanding of the data and to identify themes. Although the sample is small and diverse, participants are often found to have similar perspectives on investment decision-making and integrated reporting. 

The research findings suggest disclosures prepared in accordance with integrated reporting concepts are unlikely to become an essential source of information for Taiwanese investors at present and the near future. None of the participants were aware of integrated reporting or any of its associated developments. The values of Taiwanese investors appear to differ from the values of Western societies, resulting in less demand for non-financial disclosures in Taiwan. Taiwanese investors are primarily focused on financial information and financial value creation. Participants expressed concerns about the practicability and reliability of integrated reporting, but remain welcoming of the idea as it may enhance corporate transparency and provide new information to use in the evaluation of investment targets. However, Taiwanese investors often seek information that is already known, but undisclosed, by corporations. Integrated reporting may generate information that is not directly relevant to investment decision-making. Furthermore, many factors that influence Taiwanese investors are unable to be conveyed through corporate disclosures. Participants also prefer to obtain information from third party sources and direct communication with corporate management over corporate non-financial disclosures.

text: Usefulness of Integrated Reporting Concepts to Investment Decision-making: Empirical Evidence from Taiwan The purpose of this thesis is to extend the knowledge and understanding of integrated reporting and investment decision-making processes, particularly from a non-Western perspective. A review of extant literature identified a dearth of research on integrated reporting and the investment processes of investors in Taiwan. This study contributes to knowledge by providing a greater insight into the usefulness of integrated reporting concepts to Taiwanese investors. 

This empirical study is exploratory in nature and adopts an interpretivist methodology approach. Pilot tests were conducted prior to the semi-structured interviews with 16 Taiwanese investors. The research sample reflects a wide range of investment specialities and focuses. The data collected were transcribed, open coded and explored in NVivo, and analysed manually for a deeper understanding of the data and to identify themes. Although the sample is small and diverse, participants are often found to have similar perspectives on investment decision-making and integrated reporting. 

The research findings suggest disclosures prepared in accordance with integrated reporting concepts are unlikely to become an essential source of information for Taiwanese investors at present and the near future. None of the participants were aware of integrated reporting or any of its associated developments. The values of Taiwanese investors appear to differ from the values of Western societies, resulting in less demand for non-financial disclosures in Taiwan. Taiwanese investors are primarily focused on financial information and financial value creation. Participants expressed concerns about the practicability and reliability of integrated reporting, but remain welcoming of the idea as it may enhance corporate transparency and provide new information to use in the evaluation of investment targets. However, Taiwanese investors often seek information that is already known, but undisclosed, by corporations. Integrated reporting may generate information that is not directly relevant to investment decision-making. Furthermore, many factors that influence Taiwanese investors are unable to be conveyed through corporate disclosures. Participants also prefer to obtain information from third party sources and direct communication with corporate management over corporate non-financial disclosures.

year: 2015

title: Using inclusive research with participants with learning (intellectual) disability to better inform adult literacy policies in Aotearoa New Zealand

authors: Newcombe, Nicolina

abstract: Western ideas about disability and literacy were developed in tandem during the Industrial Revolution and subsequently brought to Aotearoa New Zealand via colonisation. These ideas inform and reinforce educator attitudes, which are the leading factor impeding adults with learning [intellectual] disability from their educational pathways of choice. People without learning disability need to hear the voices of people with learning disability to counteract these attitudes and move towards transformational equality.

There is a paucity of information about the access to and accessibility of adult literacy education for people with learning disability in Aotearoa New Zealand. However, anecdotal evidence reports their exclusion, even from foundational adult learning. There was a gap in knowledge where collaborative research that conveys the experiences of adults with learning disability was needed to gain greater insight to these issues in our bicultural context. My original contribution to knowledge is to present the voices of adults with learning disability as they discuss and demonstrate their literacy practices, and to use their perspectives to make recommendations for adult literacy policies in Aotearoa New Zealand.

I undertook a thematic analysis of current adult literacy policies in Aotearoa New Zealand and found that they target “most” adult learners, while positioning disabled people as needing specialised, and by inference optional to provide, education and resources. These policies also prescribe a linear and progressive andragogy that may not meet the needs of all adults with learning disability, while measuring literacy skills in a way that does not foreground their strengths or value their purposes for engagement.

Then, I conducted Inclusive Participatory Action Research with five adults with learning disability to gather information about their literacy practices and perspectives. Participants in this research decided to call themselves the Passioners. We met for 10 research meetings, preceded by at least two home visits, and interspersed by reflective meetings with individual participants. All research information was presented in easy read and key information was distributed audiovisually.

The Passioners added value to this research by providing unique opportunities that are only available through doing inclusive research with them, prompting research improvements, innovation, and my efforts towards acculturation in their worlds. I evaluated my inclusive approach in this research to learn more about how people with learning disability do research as people with learning disability, and what dispositions, resources, and skills people without learning disability need to do research with them.

Using reflexive thematic analysis, I constructed six themes from our research meetings data: learning disability cultural literacies, Māori (Indigenous peoples of Aotearoa New Zealand) cultural literacies, Pākehā (New Zealanders of European descent) cultural literacies, encoding, decoding, and social media, which extends the narrow definition of literacy in our adult literacy policies. These findings, and those from my policy analysis, were used to inform policy recommendations. Policy recommendations in this research may support implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, particularly access to lifelong learning on an equal basis with others.

text: Using inclusive research with participants with learning (intellectual) disability to better inform adult literacy policies in Aotearoa New Zealand Western ideas about disability and literacy were developed in tandem during the Industrial Revolution and subsequently brought to Aotearoa New Zealand via colonisation. These ideas inform and reinforce educator attitudes, which are the leading factor impeding adults with learning [intellectual] disability from their educational pathways of choice. People without learning disability need to hear the voices of people with learning disability to counteract these attitudes and move towards transformational equality.

There is a paucity of information about the access to and accessibility of adult literacy education for people with learning disability in Aotearoa New Zealand. However, anecdotal evidence reports their exclusion, even from foundational adult learning. There was a gap in knowledge where collaborative research that conveys the experiences of adults with learning disability was needed to gain greater insight to these issues in our bicultural context. My original contribution to knowledge is to present the voices of adults with learning disability as they discuss and demonstrate their literacy practices, and to use their perspectives to make recommendations for adult literacy policies in Aotearoa New Zealand.

I undertook a thematic analysis of current adult literacy policies in Aotearoa New Zealand and found that they target “most” adult learners, while positioning disabled people as needing specialised, and by inference optional to provide, education and resources. These policies also prescribe a linear and progressive andragogy that may not meet the needs of all adults with learning disability, while measuring literacy skills in a way that does not foreground their strengths or value their purposes for engagement.

Then, I conducted Inclusive Participatory Action Research with five adults with learning disability to gather information about their literacy practices and perspectives. Participants in this research decided to call themselves the Passioners. We met for 10 research meetings, preceded by at least two home visits, and interspersed by reflective meetings with individual participants. All research information was presented in easy read and key information was distributed audiovisually.

The Passioners added value to this research by providing unique opportunities that are only available through doing inclusive research with them, prompting research improvements, innovation, and my efforts towards acculturation in their worlds. I evaluated my inclusive approach in this research to learn more about how people with learning disability do research as people with learning disability, and what dispositions, resources, and skills people without learning disability need to do research with them.

Using reflexive thematic analysis, I constructed six themes from our research meetings data: learning disability cultural literacies, Māori (Indigenous peoples of Aotearoa New Zealand) cultural literacies, Pākehā (New Zealanders of European descent) cultural literacies, encoding, decoding, and social media, which extends the narrow definition of literacy in our adult literacy policies. These findings, and those from my policy analysis, were used to inform policy recommendations. Policy recommendations in this research may support implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, particularly access to lifelong learning on an equal basis with others.

year: 2024-09