title: Communicating identities: New Zealand fashion designers and creative exports

authors: Beattie, Olivia Lucy Elizabeth

subjects: Creative industries

abstract: This thesis investigates how New Zealand fashion designers construct and communicate a unique and fluid identity. There are two main focuses of the research. The first is how New Zealand fashion designers build and maintain a unique brand identity in the New Zealand market. This includes an in-depth analysis of the public relations and communication strategies both emerging and established fashion designers use. The second focus is how New Zealand designers communicate their brand identity to export markets. This includes an examination of how the New Zealand national identity has an effect on the communication of their identity in international markets.

This research is important as there is little scholarly research on the creative industries in New Zealand, and none on the New Zealand designer fashion industry. Therefore, this research study has been developed to advance literature in this area and provide a basis for further research. While this research study will focus on the New Zealand designer fashion industry, it is hoped that the research will be applicable to other creative industries in New Zealand.

A key element of this research is to use the in-depth analysis of the designer fashion industry to provide recommendations on identity management for the New Zealand designer fashion industry and creative industries. Ultimately, this research provides these industries with a practical guide to create and communicate a unique identity in both domestic and export markets.

A collective case study method is used to collate the data and is analysed through an interpretive framework. The New Zealand fashion designers that comprise the case studies are Annah Stretton, Robyn Brooks, Jo Robertson, and Cyb le Wiren.

Key conclusions are that organisations in the creative industries need to put together an in-depth communications plan as early as possible in their business. This should focus on the creation and communication of a unique and fluid identity in order to differentiate themselves from their competitors and allow them to actively respond to their environment. Industry bodies and New Zealand Trade  Enterprise play a key role in the development and export of creative organisations. These organisations need to develop better resources and support systems for the creative industries in order for them to reach their maximum potential.

text: Communicating identities: New Zealand fashion designers and creative exports This thesis investigates how New Zealand fashion designers construct and communicate a unique and fluid identity. There are two main focuses of the research. The first is how New Zealand fashion designers build and maintain a unique brand identity in the New Zealand market. This includes an in-depth analysis of the public relations and communication strategies both emerging and established fashion designers use. The second focus is how New Zealand designers communicate their brand identity to export markets. This includes an examination of how the New Zealand national identity has an effect on the communication of their identity in international markets.

This research is important as there is little scholarly research on the creative industries in New Zealand, and none on the New Zealand designer fashion industry. Therefore, this research study has been developed to advance literature in this area and provide a basis for further research. While this research study will focus on the New Zealand designer fashion industry, it is hoped that the research will be applicable to other creative industries in New Zealand.

A key element of this research is to use the in-depth analysis of the designer fashion industry to provide recommendations on identity management for the New Zealand designer fashion industry and creative industries. Ultimately, this research provides these industries with a practical guide to create and communicate a unique identity in both domestic and export markets.

A collective case study method is used to collate the data and is analysed through an interpretive framework. The New Zealand fashion designers that comprise the case studies are Annah Stretton, Robyn Brooks, Jo Robertson, and Cyb le Wiren.

Key conclusions are that organisations in the creative industries need to put together an in-depth communications plan as early as possible in their business. This should focus on the creation and communication of a unique and fluid identity in order to differentiate themselves from their competitors and allow them to actively respond to their environment. Industry bodies and New Zealand Trade  Enterprise play a key role in the development and export of creative organisations. These organisations need to develop better resources and support systems for the creative industries in order for them to reach their maximum potential.

year: 2009

title: Evaluation approaches for a national ICT initiative: the example of laptops for New Zealand teachers

authors: Jones, Alister

subjects: policy evaluation

abstract: This paper will highlight the successful evaluation approaches deployed for long-term exploration of the impact of a national policy initiative as well as some of the results and outcomes. An interactive feedback process informed decision-making at the national and local level thereby enhancing both the initiative and its implementation in schools. The integration of information and communication technologies (ICT) into schools has been a focus of a plethora of policy initiatives by governments worldwide for over 20 years. The provision of laptops to teachers is one component of the New Zealand compulsory school sector ICT strategy. The evaluation research design was to use a mixed-methods approach incorporating three yearly cycles of annual nationwide surveys, regional focus groups, and school-based longitudinal case studies. Randomized sampling was used to identify 20% of the available laptop schools as potential participants in the survey. The same schools participated in each of the 3 years. A distinctive feature of this evaluation has been the regular feedback loops between the evaluators and the stakeholders. The stakeholders included the Ministry of Education and laptop suppliers as well as schools, school leaders, and teacher unions. In the current accountability, environment schools are increasingly being asked to participate in evaluation studies. In long-term studies, it is important to establish effective relationships with the schools and the policy-makers and to deploy robust evaluation methodologies. This is essential for both validity and reliability of the findings and the useability and utilization of the findings.

text: Evaluation approaches for a national ICT initiative: the example of laptops for New Zealand teachers This paper will highlight the successful evaluation approaches deployed for long-term exploration of the impact of a national policy initiative as well as some of the results and outcomes. An interactive feedback process informed decision-making at the national and local level thereby enhancing both the initiative and its implementation in schools. The integration of information and communication technologies (ICT) into schools has been a focus of a plethora of policy initiatives by governments worldwide for over 20 years. The provision of laptops to teachers is one component of the New Zealand compulsory school sector ICT strategy. The evaluation research design was to use a mixed-methods approach incorporating three yearly cycles of annual nationwide surveys, regional focus groups, and school-based longitudinal case studies. Randomized sampling was used to identify 20% of the available laptop schools as potential participants in the survey. The same schools participated in each of the 3 years. A distinctive feature of this evaluation has been the regular feedback loops between the evaluators and the stakeholders. The stakeholders included the Ministry of Education and laptop suppliers as well as schools, school leaders, and teacher unions. In the current accountability, environment schools are increasingly being asked to participate in evaluation studies. In long-term studies, it is important to establish effective relationships with the schools and the policy-makers and to deploy robust evaluation methodologies. This is essential for both validity and reliability of the findings and the useability and utilization of the findings.

year: 2010

title: Translated application interfaces - issues of engagement

authors: Mato, Paora James

abstract: In New Zealand, English is the language that dominates contemporary technologies. Usability testing was completed on a range of applications, available with a Māori-language interface, to gauge levels of awareness, engagement and perception. Nearly all of the respondents were unaware of the availability of these interfaces but most indicated they would prefer to use the Māori-language versions. In terms of engagement and usability, users initially engaged using Māori but switched to English when they wanted to quickly complete the task at hand. Few remained fully engaged with the Māori-language interfaces. High levels of language switching were reported and some frustration as the participants encountered new and unfamiliar uses of words. At face value the feedback suggests the translated interfaces contained unnecessary complications and that better design and content might have enhanced the user experience. However, there is evidence that extended use would enable users to become more familiar with the interfaces alluding to initial barriers created by a previous competence in another language -- in this case English. With this previous competence in mind it might be more useful to employ design concepts that would alleviate initial difficulties and serve to keep the user engaged in the target language for longer periods of time.

text: Translated application interfaces - issues of engagement In New Zealand, English is the language that dominates contemporary technologies. Usability testing was completed on a range of applications, available with a Māori-language interface, to gauge levels of awareness, engagement and perception. Nearly all of the respondents were unaware of the availability of these interfaces but most indicated they would prefer to use the Māori-language versions. In terms of engagement and usability, users initially engaged using Māori but switched to English when they wanted to quickly complete the task at hand. Few remained fully engaged with the Māori-language interfaces. High levels of language switching were reported and some frustration as the participants encountered new and unfamiliar uses of words. At face value the feedback suggests the translated interfaces contained unnecessary complications and that better design and content might have enhanced the user experience. However, there is evidence that extended use would enable users to become more familiar with the interfaces alluding to initial barriers created by a previous competence in another language -- in this case English. With this previous competence in mind it might be more useful to employ design concepts that would alleviate initial difficulties and serve to keep the user engaged in the target language for longer periods of time.

year: 2015