title: High performance workplaces and skill development: Updating the map of the territory

authors: Cochrane, William

subjects: High Performance Workplace Systems

abstract: The impact of High Performance Workplace Systems (HPWS) on workers and unions is a contentious area for debate in the fields of industrial relations and social science in general. Proponents of HPWS claim that one of the benefits for workers is that they enable workers to develop and raise their skill levels. This paper offers a preliminary evaluation of that claim by sketching an updated map of the territory. It concludes that the HPWS literature contains significant weaknesses concerning the definition of skill in explaining what skill development means for workers, individually and collectively.

text: High performance workplaces and skill development: Updating the map of the territory The impact of High Performance Workplace Systems (HPWS) on workers and unions is a contentious area for debate in the fields of industrial relations and social science in general. Proponents of HPWS claim that one of the benefits for workers is that they enable workers to develop and raise their skill levels. This paper offers a preliminary evaluation of that claim by sketching an updated map of the territory. It concludes that the HPWS literature contains significant weaknesses concerning the definition of skill in explaining what skill development means for workers, individually and collectively.

year: 2006

title: Photodegradation leads to increased carbon dioxide losses from terrestrial organic matter

authors: Rutledge, Susanna

subjects: abiotic decomposition

abstract: CO₂ production in terrestrial ecosystems is generally assumed to be solely biologically driven while the role of abiotic processes has been largely overlooked. In addition to microbial decomposition, photodegradation – the direct breakdown of organic matter (OM) by solar irradiance – has been found to contribute to litter mass loss in dry ecosystems. Previous small-scale studies have shown that litter degradation by irradiance is accompanied by emissions of CO₂. However, the contribution of photodegradation to total CO₂ losses at ecosystems scales is unknown. This study determined the proportion of the total CO₂ losses caused by photodegradation in two ecosystems: a bare peatland in New Zealand and a seasonally dry grassland in California. The direct effect of solar irradiance on CO₂  production was examined by comparing daytime CO₂  fluxes measured using eddy covariance (EC) systems with simultaneous measurements made using an opaque chamber and the soil CO₂ gradient technique, and with night-time EC measurements under the same soil temperature and moisture conditions. In addition, a transparent chamber was used to directly measure CO₂ fluxes from OM caused by solar irradiance. Photodegradation contributed 19% of the annual CO₂ flux from the peatland and almost 60% of the dry season CO₂ flux from the grassland, and up to 62% and 92% of the summer mid-day CO₂ fluxes, respectively. Our results suggest that photodegradation may be important in a wide range of ecosystems with exposed OM. Furthermore, the practice of partitioning daytime ecosystem CO₂ exchange into its gross components by assuming that total daytime CO₂ losses can be approximated using estimates of biological respiration alone may be in error. To obtain robust estimates of global ecosystem–atmosphere carbon transfers, the contribution of photodegradation to OM decomposition must be quantified for other ecosystems and the results incorporated into coupled carbon–climate models.

text: Photodegradation leads to increased carbon dioxide losses from terrestrial organic matter CO₂ production in terrestrial ecosystems is generally assumed to be solely biologically driven while the role of abiotic processes has been largely overlooked. In addition to microbial decomposition, photodegradation – the direct breakdown of organic matter (OM) by solar irradiance – has been found to contribute to litter mass loss in dry ecosystems. Previous small-scale studies have shown that litter degradation by irradiance is accompanied by emissions of CO₂. However, the contribution of photodegradation to total CO₂ losses at ecosystems scales is unknown. This study determined the proportion of the total CO₂ losses caused by photodegradation in two ecosystems: a bare peatland in New Zealand and a seasonally dry grassland in California. The direct effect of solar irradiance on CO₂  production was examined by comparing daytime CO₂  fluxes measured using eddy covariance (EC) systems with simultaneous measurements made using an opaque chamber and the soil CO₂ gradient technique, and with night-time EC measurements under the same soil temperature and moisture conditions. In addition, a transparent chamber was used to directly measure CO₂ fluxes from OM caused by solar irradiance. Photodegradation contributed 19% of the annual CO₂ flux from the peatland and almost 60% of the dry season CO₂ flux from the grassland, and up to 62% and 92% of the summer mid-day CO₂ fluxes, respectively. Our results suggest that photodegradation may be important in a wide range of ecosystems with exposed OM. Furthermore, the practice of partitioning daytime ecosystem CO₂ exchange into its gross components by assuming that total daytime CO₂ losses can be approximated using estimates of biological respiration alone may be in error. To obtain robust estimates of global ecosystem–atmosphere carbon transfers, the contribution of photodegradation to OM decomposition must be quantified for other ecosystems and the results incorporated into coupled carbon–climate models.

year: 2009

title: An evaluation of the effectiveness of social equity strategies for Maori students in the School of Science and Technology

authors: Rua, Mohi

subjects: Maori students

abstract: In 1991 the School of Science and Technology (SOSAT) at the University of Waikato
had a very low participation rate of Maori and students from other non-dominant
ethnic groups. This situation was serious enough to concerned the then Dean of the
School and strategies were developed to change this situation. Four major strategies
are used to encourage, support and retain Maori students to successfully pursue and
complete a degree in Science. They are: the Te Putahi o te Manawa programme - a
mentoring programme; a scholarship and grant writing strategy (in particular
assistance with Tuapapa Putaiao Maori Fellowships(TPMFs) administered by FRST);
school visits; and field trips with secondary schools in the Waikato region that have a
high proportion of Maori students. The Maori & Psychology Research Unit (MPRU) was contracted by Gary Bramley of
the Equity Office of the SOSAT to conduct this evaluation. Evaluative information was gathered through administering questionnaires,
completing key informant interviews, and completing focus group interviews. In this evaluation we sought to determine the effectiveness of the social equity
strategies for Maori students in the SOSAT at the University of Waikato.

text: An evaluation of the effectiveness of social equity strategies for Maori students in the School of Science and Technology In 1991 the School of Science and Technology (SOSAT) at the University of Waikato
had a very low participation rate of Maori and students from other non-dominant
ethnic groups. This situation was serious enough to concerned the then Dean of the
School and strategies were developed to change this situation. Four major strategies
are used to encourage, support and retain Maori students to successfully pursue and
complete a degree in Science. They are: the Te Putahi o te Manawa programme - a
mentoring programme; a scholarship and grant writing strategy (in particular
assistance with Tuapapa Putaiao Maori Fellowships(TPMFs) administered by FRST);
school visits; and field trips with secondary schools in the Waikato region that have a
high proportion of Maori students. The Maori & Psychology Research Unit (MPRU) was contracted by Gary Bramley of
the Equity Office of the SOSAT to conduct this evaluation. Evaluative information was gathered through administering questionnaires,
completing key informant interviews, and completing focus group interviews. In this evaluation we sought to determine the effectiveness of the social equity
strategies for Maori students in the SOSAT at the University of Waikato.

year: 1999-11-11