title: The Symbiotic Existence of Interorganizational and Interpersonal Networks in Collaboration

authors: Ekanayake, Kankanamalage Chamila Samanthi

subjects: Social network perspective

abstract: Most traditional theories adopted to explain collaboration in interorganizational relationships (IOR) have failed to adequately address the micro and macro dynamics of the phenomenon. Collaboration theory developed within the mainstream of public administration research views leveraging structure, processes, and people as the key to successful collaboration. Yet, the applicability of the theory’s principles and abstractions in the private sector remains unexplored. Social network theory also presumes that IOR arise out of ongoing interaction at both micro and macro levels. However, the field is fragmented, with the interpersonal and interorganizational networks being studied separately. Thus, an opportunity exists to combine collaboration theory with social network perspective and to view interorganizational collaboration from a multilevel lens.
An exploratory case study methodology informed by an interpretivist epistemological stance was used to address this gap. An egocentric network of a third party logistics company that covers six relationships provided a rich context for the study. 
The study finding expands our understanding of the distinction between the two types of networks: the interorganizational and the interpersonal and their corresponding elements - which are the structural and processual ties and the workflow and commercial friendship ties rspectively. By proposing a new conceptualization ─ ‘a symbiotic existence’ to explain the interdependent nature of these four elements, the study goes beyond the traditional micro and macro divide to consider the multiplexity of networks in IOR.The major practical implication of this study is that the decision makers should pay attention to the changes in both micro and macro elements and their knock-on effects to ensure a symbiosis of the four elements for collaborative synergies. Practitioners’ attention should also centre significantly on the effects of interpersonal networks on collaboration and how mechanisms at macro level could be set effectively to benefit from the emerging community of practices within the collaboration.

text: The Symbiotic Existence of Interorganizational and Interpersonal Networks in Collaboration Most traditional theories adopted to explain collaboration in interorganizational relationships (IOR) have failed to adequately address the micro and macro dynamics of the phenomenon. Collaboration theory developed within the mainstream of public administration research views leveraging structure, processes, and people as the key to successful collaboration. Yet, the applicability of the theory’s principles and abstractions in the private sector remains unexplored. Social network theory also presumes that IOR arise out of ongoing interaction at both micro and macro levels. However, the field is fragmented, with the interpersonal and interorganizational networks being studied separately. Thus, an opportunity exists to combine collaboration theory with social network perspective and to view interorganizational collaboration from a multilevel lens.
An exploratory case study methodology informed by an interpretivist epistemological stance was used to address this gap. An egocentric network of a third party logistics company that covers six relationships provided a rich context for the study. 
The study finding expands our understanding of the distinction between the two types of networks: the interorganizational and the interpersonal and their corresponding elements - which are the structural and processual ties and the workflow and commercial friendship ties rspectively. By proposing a new conceptualization ─ ‘a symbiotic existence’ to explain the interdependent nature of these four elements, the study goes beyond the traditional micro and macro divide to consider the multiplexity of networks in IOR.The major practical implication of this study is that the decision makers should pay attention to the changes in both micro and macro elements and their knock-on effects to ensure a symbiosis of the four elements for collaborative synergies. Practitioners’ attention should also centre significantly on the effects of interpersonal networks on collaboration and how mechanisms at macro level could be set effectively to benefit from the emerging community of practices within the collaboration.

year: 2015

title: Year 7 and 8 Teachers' Understandings, Beliefs and Practices around the Teaching of Grammar in Relation to the Teaching of Writing

authors: Neumann, Melanie Jane

subjects: grammar

abstract: In recent times, and in fact over the past five decades, the importance of teachers’ knowledge of grammar and the teaching of grammar has encountered a resurgence of interest on the world stage as it has done within the research and educational communities of New Zealand (Hudson, 2004; Andrews, Torgerson, Beverton, Locke, Low, Robinson & Zhu 2004; Gordon, 2005; Locke, 2010; Myhill, Jones, Lines & Watson, 2012). 

Various contemporary studies into teachers’ understandings of grammar and the ways it is taught have utilised the knowledge and experiences of ESL (English as a Second Language) and pre-service teachers (Borg, 1999, 2001; Farrell, 1999; Burgess, Turvey & Quarshie, 2000; Nicholson, 2007; Harper & Rennie, 2008; Basturkmen, 2010). Some studies have emphasised linguistic elements related to the teaching of reading and spelling (Nicholson, 2007; Stainthorp, 2010; Cheesman, McGuire, Shankweiler & Coyne, 2009). However, there appears to be little research involving practising teacher participants, with a specific focus on grammar and its relationship to the teaching of writing. 

This study explores the broad grammatical knowledge and teaching practices within writing of in-service, generalist teachers of intermediate-aged (year 7 and 8) children. It addresses issues of importance regarding the grammatical understandings, beliefs and teaching practices of teachers within a specific New Zealand educational context. A mixed methods approach to gathering data was utilised in this study. A survey involving 26 year 7 and 8 intermediate school teachers was implemented, followed by a series of semi-structured interviews with a sub-group of six of these participants.

The findings of this case study strongly suggest that, although many of the participants were uncertain of how to define grammar and lacked confidence in teaching grammar, their understandings and teaching pedagogies were stronger than they had perceived them to be. A clear majority of participants considered grammatical instruction to be important in improving student writing outcomes, and most revealed that this was an element included within their teaching practices. Findings also indicate that teachers experience distinct limitations in developing their understandings around grammar and grammatical instruction and that their perception of these limitations affects their confidence in teaching grammar. 

This study also points to a lack of conformity or standard of learning around teacher professional development in grammar. Moving forward, it would be interesting to determine whether there is, in fact, any form of standardised training around the teaching of grammar within and/or across other New Zealand schools, and what this might look like.

Evidence from this study suggests that we need to understand more about what New Zealand teachers know about grammar and the teaching of grammar, specifically within school and classroom writing programmes. Future studies in this vein would benefit from including an element of observation as a methodological tool to help validate reported findings, particularly when investigating teachers’ approaches to teaching grammar.

text: Year 7 and 8 Teachers' Understandings, Beliefs and Practices around the Teaching of Grammar in Relation to the Teaching of Writing In recent times, and in fact over the past five decades, the importance of teachers’ knowledge of grammar and the teaching of grammar has encountered a resurgence of interest on the world stage as it has done within the research and educational communities of New Zealand (Hudson, 2004; Andrews, Torgerson, Beverton, Locke, Low, Robinson & Zhu 2004; Gordon, 2005; Locke, 2010; Myhill, Jones, Lines & Watson, 2012). 

Various contemporary studies into teachers’ understandings of grammar and the ways it is taught have utilised the knowledge and experiences of ESL (English as a Second Language) and pre-service teachers (Borg, 1999, 2001; Farrell, 1999; Burgess, Turvey & Quarshie, 2000; Nicholson, 2007; Harper & Rennie, 2008; Basturkmen, 2010). Some studies have emphasised linguistic elements related to the teaching of reading and spelling (Nicholson, 2007; Stainthorp, 2010; Cheesman, McGuire, Shankweiler & Coyne, 2009). However, there appears to be little research involving practising teacher participants, with a specific focus on grammar and its relationship to the teaching of writing. 

This study explores the broad grammatical knowledge and teaching practices within writing of in-service, generalist teachers of intermediate-aged (year 7 and 8) children. It addresses issues of importance regarding the grammatical understandings, beliefs and teaching practices of teachers within a specific New Zealand educational context. A mixed methods approach to gathering data was utilised in this study. A survey involving 26 year 7 and 8 intermediate school teachers was implemented, followed by a series of semi-structured interviews with a sub-group of six of these participants.

The findings of this case study strongly suggest that, although many of the participants were uncertain of how to define grammar and lacked confidence in teaching grammar, their understandings and teaching pedagogies were stronger than they had perceived them to be. A clear majority of participants considered grammatical instruction to be important in improving student writing outcomes, and most revealed that this was an element included within their teaching practices. Findings also indicate that teachers experience distinct limitations in developing their understandings around grammar and grammatical instruction and that their perception of these limitations affects their confidence in teaching grammar. 

This study also points to a lack of conformity or standard of learning around teacher professional development in grammar. Moving forward, it would be interesting to determine whether there is, in fact, any form of standardised training around the teaching of grammar within and/or across other New Zealand schools, and what this might look like.

Evidence from this study suggests that we need to understand more about what New Zealand teachers know about grammar and the teaching of grammar, specifically within school and classroom writing programmes. Future studies in this vein would benefit from including an element of observation as a methodological tool to help validate reported findings, particularly when investigating teachers’ approaches to teaching grammar.

year: 2016

title: Demystifying a relationship between voluntary work and Māori

authors: Te Momo, Oliver Helena Fiona

abstract: The purpose of this thesis is to provide evidence that critically reviews the relationship between Māori and voluntary work in social service organisations. Since colonisation very little research has been initiated that investigated the involvement of Māori in voluntary activity yet recent statistics show that Māori are the highest participants in this type of work. This thesis provides an analysis of the relationship of Māori to voluntary work and its evolution in a Colonial State, Liberal State, Welfare State, and Neo-Liberal State in New Zealand. Three perspectives of Māori voluntary work provide the foundation for the analysis of this relationship. The first perspective describes voluntary work from a personal experience as an insider. The second perspective explores literature that records Māori involvement in voluntary activity. The third perspective documents life experiences from Māori voluntary workers in New Zealand communities. The three perspectives provide an empirical foundation for the type of relationship that has developed between Māori and voluntary work; Māori and the State; Māori and their place in New Zealand society. My interest in Te Ao Māori (the Māori world) as a valid and thriving ontological position and my academic interest in critical theory provide the theoretical lens for my analysis. 

Personal experience as a Māori volunteer opened doors to the communities I entered and added strength to the research, the first perspective. Western research in Māori communities often by non-Māori researchers, was conducted to gather knowledge for Western policy makers. Māori knowledge was not recognised as valid and the people were treated as objects. Knowing this, I searched for an approach that valued Māori participants, valued Māori people, and contained cultural aspects that separated the procedure from Western research. A review of literature, the second perspective, introduced a cultural approach to research termed kaupapa Māori research, generated out of and for Te Ao Māori detailed further in Chapter Three.

Participants’ life experiences coupled with literature provide a wealth of knowledge and a testimony to the type of relationship that exists between Māori and voluntary work. Criticism from Māori communities as to the exploitation of Māori volunteers has swelled in recent years so that the environment volunteers work in is no longer attractive to Māori people. Therefore, documenting the life experiences of Māori who participate in voluntary work as the primary source of information was imperative and produced evidence to describe the relationship between Māori and voluntary work in the thesis. A triangular study: case study, community study, and cross-section study (Chapters Six, Seven, and Eight), provide the ‘grass roots voices’ and represent the third perspective. 

My observation of Māori organisations’ involvement in voluntary work generated in me a deep concern in what appeared to be an involvement in activity that improved neither the lives of the volunteers nor the wider problems to which they attributed their aroha. This involvement activity is a product of historical developments whereby the Western ideology of voluntary work became confused with a Māori ideology of collective participation. This confusion has created an environment where Māori voluntary organisations are working unpaid with insufficient resources in oppressive conditions in the attempt to provide social solutions. I argue that the Māori ideology of collective participation has been co-opted in the emerging conflict of neo-liberalism to provide social services in communities which government agencies exploit. In conclusion, the thesis is a journey through the world of voluntary work for Māori in communal organisations.

text: Demystifying a relationship between voluntary work and Māori The purpose of this thesis is to provide evidence that critically reviews the relationship between Māori and voluntary work in social service organisations. Since colonisation very little research has been initiated that investigated the involvement of Māori in voluntary activity yet recent statistics show that Māori are the highest participants in this type of work. This thesis provides an analysis of the relationship of Māori to voluntary work and its evolution in a Colonial State, Liberal State, Welfare State, and Neo-Liberal State in New Zealand. Three perspectives of Māori voluntary work provide the foundation for the analysis of this relationship. The first perspective describes voluntary work from a personal experience as an insider. The second perspective explores literature that records Māori involvement in voluntary activity. The third perspective documents life experiences from Māori voluntary workers in New Zealand communities. The three perspectives provide an empirical foundation for the type of relationship that has developed between Māori and voluntary work; Māori and the State; Māori and their place in New Zealand society. My interest in Te Ao Māori (the Māori world) as a valid and thriving ontological position and my academic interest in critical theory provide the theoretical lens for my analysis. 

Personal experience as a Māori volunteer opened doors to the communities I entered and added strength to the research, the first perspective. Western research in Māori communities often by non-Māori researchers, was conducted to gather knowledge for Western policy makers. Māori knowledge was not recognised as valid and the people were treated as objects. Knowing this, I searched for an approach that valued Māori participants, valued Māori people, and contained cultural aspects that separated the procedure from Western research. A review of literature, the second perspective, introduced a cultural approach to research termed kaupapa Māori research, generated out of and for Te Ao Māori detailed further in Chapter Three.

Participants’ life experiences coupled with literature provide a wealth of knowledge and a testimony to the type of relationship that exists between Māori and voluntary work. Criticism from Māori communities as to the exploitation of Māori volunteers has swelled in recent years so that the environment volunteers work in is no longer attractive to Māori people. Therefore, documenting the life experiences of Māori who participate in voluntary work as the primary source of information was imperative and produced evidence to describe the relationship between Māori and voluntary work in the thesis. A triangular study: case study, community study, and cross-section study (Chapters Six, Seven, and Eight), provide the ‘grass roots voices’ and represent the third perspective. 

My observation of Māori organisations’ involvement in voluntary work generated in me a deep concern in what appeared to be an involvement in activity that improved neither the lives of the volunteers nor the wider problems to which they attributed their aroha. This involvement activity is a product of historical developments whereby the Western ideology of voluntary work became confused with a Māori ideology of collective participation. This confusion has created an environment where Māori voluntary organisations are working unpaid with insufficient resources in oppressive conditions in the attempt to provide social solutions. I argue that the Māori ideology of collective participation has been co-opted in the emerging conflict of neo-liberalism to provide social services in communities which government agencies exploit. In conclusion, the thesis is a journey through the world of voluntary work for Māori in communal organisations.

year: 2003