title: Book review: A Statistical Guide for the Ethically Perplexed

authors: Jorgensen, Murray A.

subjects: book review

abstract: This article reviews the book: “A Statistical Guide for the Ethically Perplexed”, by L. Hubert and H. Wainer.

text: Book review: A Statistical Guide for the Ethically Perplexed This article reviews the book: “A Statistical Guide for the Ethically Perplexed”, by L. Hubert and H. Wainer.

year: 2013

title: Sustainable development: what it means to CFOs of New Zealand

authors: Dimitrov, Dara

subjects: corporate social responsibility

abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this research is to evaluate and better understand the Chief Financial Officers' (CFOs) role in sustainability reporting of New Zealand's (NZ) publicly listed companies. 
Design/methodology/approach – The research uses a questionnaire sent to the CFOs of 88 of New Zealand's largest listed companies; the CFOs were telephoned beforehand and introduced to the nature of the research and asked if they would participate. A total of 33 fully completed responses were returned. 
Findings – CFOs expressed their agreement with the adoption of sustainable development as they believed there were benefits to be made for their firms; the survey identified reputation enhancement and good corporate governance as the two main benefits. However they were reluctant to have their firms' information scrutinised by stakeholders. They believed that stakeholders are largely unaware of the difficulties of adopting sustainable development practices, and furthermore, stakeholders have unrealistic expectations of what their firms could achieve by adopting sustainable development. CFOs did not believe that sustainable development would cut costs and improve their profits – rather they believed that sustainable development adoption was very inconvenient as it is costly. Thus the influence for firms to adopt sustainable development practices is driven largely by non-financial factors rather than any economic gains. This corroborates earlier findings. 
Research limitations/implications – The research utilises primary data collected in 2008. A useable response rate of 38 per cent was achieved. The research is restricted to New Zealand listed companies. 
Practical implications – In gaining a deeper appreciation of where CFOs gain their understanding of sustainable development issues, and how they participate in the discourse around sustainable development, we are potentially better able to provide information to this key group of people. 
Originality/value – Very little research has been undertaken into how CFOs gain their knowledge about sustainability reporting nor about their views on the subject. This research attempts to fill this gap and opens the way for similar work to be undertaken overseas.

text: Sustainable development: what it means to CFOs of New Zealand Purpose – The purpose of this research is to evaluate and better understand the Chief Financial Officers' (CFOs) role in sustainability reporting of New Zealand's (NZ) publicly listed companies. 
Design/methodology/approach – The research uses a questionnaire sent to the CFOs of 88 of New Zealand's largest listed companies; the CFOs were telephoned beforehand and introduced to the nature of the research and asked if they would participate. A total of 33 fully completed responses were returned. 
Findings – CFOs expressed their agreement with the adoption of sustainable development as they believed there were benefits to be made for their firms; the survey identified reputation enhancement and good corporate governance as the two main benefits. However they were reluctant to have their firms' information scrutinised by stakeholders. They believed that stakeholders are largely unaware of the difficulties of adopting sustainable development practices, and furthermore, stakeholders have unrealistic expectations of what their firms could achieve by adopting sustainable development. CFOs did not believe that sustainable development would cut costs and improve their profits – rather they believed that sustainable development adoption was very inconvenient as it is costly. Thus the influence for firms to adopt sustainable development practices is driven largely by non-financial factors rather than any economic gains. This corroborates earlier findings. 
Research limitations/implications – The research utilises primary data collected in 2008. A useable response rate of 38 per cent was achieved. The research is restricted to New Zealand listed companies. 
Practical implications – In gaining a deeper appreciation of where CFOs gain their understanding of sustainable development issues, and how they participate in the discourse around sustainable development, we are potentially better able to provide information to this key group of people. 
Originality/value – Very little research has been undertaken into how CFOs gain their knowledge about sustainability reporting nor about their views on the subject. This research attempts to fill this gap and opens the way for similar work to be undertaken overseas.

year: 2011

title: Indigenous epistemology in a national curriculum framework?

authors: Macfarlane, Angus

subjects: curriculum competencies

abstract: In this article, a group of four indigenous Māori educators and one non-Māori educator comment on a proposed amendment to the New Zealand National Curriculum Framework to replace the current separate sets of skills, values and attitudes with five generic performance-based key competencies. The paper discusses important parallels between western/European sociocultural theorizing on human development and learning (on which the key competencies seemed to be based), and the values, beliefs and preferred practices that are embodied within an indigenous Māori cultural worldview (Te Ao Māori). A Māori worldview is characterized by an abiding concern for the quality of human relationships that need to be established and maintained if learning contexts are to be effective for Māori students, and for these relationships to balance individual learning and achievement against responsibilities for the well-being and achievement of the group. Within such a worldview, education is understood as holistic, collective, experiential and dependent upon a free exchanging of teaching and learning roles. The article describes five specific cultural constructs within this worldview that highlight Māori traditional understandings of human development and learning and teaching, and aligns and compares these constructs with the five key competencies proposed. The article argues that the worldviews of Māori people in New Zealand provide an extensive and coherent framework for theorizing about human development and education, and are able to contribute strongly and positively to the development of a national school curriculum for the benefit all students. Implications for other contexts can also be drawn.

text: Indigenous epistemology in a national curriculum framework? In this article, a group of four indigenous Māori educators and one non-Māori educator comment on a proposed amendment to the New Zealand National Curriculum Framework to replace the current separate sets of skills, values and attitudes with five generic performance-based key competencies. The paper discusses important parallels between western/European sociocultural theorizing on human development and learning (on which the key competencies seemed to be based), and the values, beliefs and preferred practices that are embodied within an indigenous Māori cultural worldview (Te Ao Māori). A Māori worldview is characterized by an abiding concern for the quality of human relationships that need to be established and maintained if learning contexts are to be effective for Māori students, and for these relationships to balance individual learning and achievement against responsibilities for the well-being and achievement of the group. Within such a worldview, education is understood as holistic, collective, experiential and dependent upon a free exchanging of teaching and learning roles. The article describes five specific cultural constructs within this worldview that highlight Māori traditional understandings of human development and learning and teaching, and aligns and compares these constructs with the five key competencies proposed. The article argues that the worldviews of Māori people in New Zealand provide an extensive and coherent framework for theorizing about human development and education, and are able to contribute strongly and positively to the development of a national school curriculum for the benefit all students. Implications for other contexts can also be drawn.

year: 2008