title: Change Agents: The Promise of Social Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Development

authors: Houppermans, Daniel Peter

subjects: social

abstract: This thesis explores the role of private sector social entrepreneurship in sustainable development in New Zealand. A review of literature reveals sustainable development to be a diverse, complex, and challenging concept, encompassing issues from rhetorical ambiguity to the accelerating deterioration and uncertainty in natural and social systems. While business is commonly seen to exacerbate many of the challenges associated with sustainable development, this research suggests that business, as it is utilised by social entrepreneurs to spur positive change, may be a powerful tool for achieving sustainability. Three cases of private sector social entrepreneurship in New Zealand are documented by this research, drawn from the coffee roasting, still bottled water, and film and media industries. The cases are used to elucidate the relationships that exist between the two phenomena within the thematic areas of conceptualisations of sustainable development, motivations and business, and change. The entrepreneurs in this research each demonstrate qualities consistent with assertions in the literature in that they desire to affect change, they are innovative, and that their pursuits are characterised by the creation of new value. These entrepreneurs expectedly contrast with many of their industry counterparts in their recognition of opportunities amidst threat or tragedy, their desires to benefit society in some way, and in their use of business to affect positive change. However, this research also offers new knowledge regarding the role of social entrepreneurship in sustainable development through explicating the ways in which the entrepreneurs each conceptualise sustainable development. Furthermore the entrepreneurs unanimously observe that achieving sustainable development necessitates both incremental and fundamental approaches to change. Also of emergent significance are the roles adopted by the entrepreneurs in education and in raising awareness towards catalysing changes in the ways we live, think and behave. Taken together, as agents of change, social entrepreneurs present much hope and promise in realising a more sustainable world.

text: Change Agents: The Promise of Social Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Development This thesis explores the role of private sector social entrepreneurship in sustainable development in New Zealand. A review of literature reveals sustainable development to be a diverse, complex, and challenging concept, encompassing issues from rhetorical ambiguity to the accelerating deterioration and uncertainty in natural and social systems. While business is commonly seen to exacerbate many of the challenges associated with sustainable development, this research suggests that business, as it is utilised by social entrepreneurs to spur positive change, may be a powerful tool for achieving sustainability. Three cases of private sector social entrepreneurship in New Zealand are documented by this research, drawn from the coffee roasting, still bottled water, and film and media industries. The cases are used to elucidate the relationships that exist between the two phenomena within the thematic areas of conceptualisations of sustainable development, motivations and business, and change. The entrepreneurs in this research each demonstrate qualities consistent with assertions in the literature in that they desire to affect change, they are innovative, and that their pursuits are characterised by the creation of new value. These entrepreneurs expectedly contrast with many of their industry counterparts in their recognition of opportunities amidst threat or tragedy, their desires to benefit society in some way, and in their use of business to affect positive change. However, this research also offers new knowledge regarding the role of social entrepreneurship in sustainable development through explicating the ways in which the entrepreneurs each conceptualise sustainable development. Furthermore the entrepreneurs unanimously observe that achieving sustainable development necessitates both incremental and fundamental approaches to change. Also of emergent significance are the roles adopted by the entrepreneurs in education and in raising awareness towards catalysing changes in the ways we live, think and behave. Taken together, as agents of change, social entrepreneurs present much hope and promise in realising a more sustainable world.

year: 2010

title: Evolution of the genera Vitex (Lamiaceae) and Zygogynum (Winteraceae) on New Caledonia

authors: Pratt, Steven John

abstract: The New Caledonia archipelago is home to a richly diverse flora including a disproportionate number of lineages whose heritage can be traced to ancient Gondwana. Much of this species richness is owed to the complex geologic history, including an extensive period of submersion, of the region which actively shaped the flora over millennia. Given such complexity there is always unknowns both with regards to the circumscription of such a diverse flora and to understanding aspects of the archipelagos geologic past, which in many cases prove extremely difficult to resolve. This thesis investigates two aspects of this notion using modern day molecular techniques. 
The first aspect that we investigate is the question of species circumscription with regards to Vitex (Lamiaceae). Here we scrutinize the monophyly of the morphologically variable species Vitex collina, as described by Mabberley (1990), previously suggested by Mabberley to comprise a minimum of three distinct morphotypes. Additionally we consider the genetic uniqueness of a recently discovered species, tentatively named Vitex sp. “unifolia”, from currently accepted New Caledonian Vitex collina s.l. Maximum likelihood (ML) analyses using the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) genetic loci revealed that New Caledonian Vitex collina is paraphyletic with New Zealand V. lucens and Australian V. lignum-vitae nested within a well-supported V. collina s.l. clade. Our results suggest a minimum of two genetically distinct entities within V. collina, though the new species Vitex sp. “unifolia” was not distinguished genetically from Vitex cf. “collina”. The additional morphological analysis in light of our molecular analyses revealed further distinction of taxa within our sample group. This revealed a potential for three separate morphological entities within Vitex collina s.l. specimens, with Vitex sp. “unifolia” representing a fourth. Further research will result in the formal recognition of Vitex sp. “unifolia” upon publication, as well as further delimitation of the distinct entities within V. collina s.l. These revisions will have implications for the conservation status of these revised species, especially with regards to the rare Vitex sp. “unifolia”.
The second aspect investigated New Caledonian Winteraceae focussing on two research aims. The first aim scrutinised the New Caledonian Zygogynum s.l. in light of revisions made in Vink (1988; 1993; 2003), where four previously recognised genera (Belliolum, Bubbia, Exospermum, and Zygogynum) were dismantled into a single broadly circumscribed genus. The second aim was to assess any major morphological trends within Zygogynum s.l. and biogeographic patterns within the Winteraceae. Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian analyses using the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and psbA-trnH genetic loci confirmed the monophyly and position of Takhtajania, Tasmannia, Drimys, and Pseudowintera within the Winteraceae. New Caledonian Zygogynum s.l. was shown to be paraphyletic with Z. schlechteri nested within a distinct Australian Bubbia clade separate from remaining Zygogynum. Our analyses showed no support for the distinction of species previously belonging to Belliolum and Exospermum with all remaining Zygogynum forming a monophyletic clade.  The monophyly of species within the Zygogynum were for the most part resolved, with only few species left unresolved or paraphyletic relationships. Further investigation of biogeography within the Winteraceae revealed that Zealandic Winteraceae share their common ancestor with South American taxa, reflecting the Gondwanic roots of this family, with Australian Bubbia having originated from New Caledonian Zygogynum. From this we suggest, upon further investigation, that the retention of Bubbia within Zygogynum s.l. was supported and should be maintained. Alternately, if Bubbia is maintained as distinct from Zygogynum s.l., Z. schlechteri will be revised to Bubbia schlechteri. Further research including specimens of all described taxa will improve the resolution of our analyses, likely identifying further inconsistences that require revision or attention. Our investigation into morphological trends within the Zygogynum uncovered a trend of carpel evolution, in which a single well supported clade of Zygogynum exhibit fused carpels with all others within the family exhibiting unfused gynoecia. The significance of this is that it is a derived trait recognised as a reoccurring trend within the Angiosperm lineage, though this is the first instance where it has been identified occurring within a single genus.

text: Evolution of the genera Vitex (Lamiaceae) and Zygogynum (Winteraceae) on New Caledonia The New Caledonia archipelago is home to a richly diverse flora including a disproportionate number of lineages whose heritage can be traced to ancient Gondwana. Much of this species richness is owed to the complex geologic history, including an extensive period of submersion, of the region which actively shaped the flora over millennia. Given such complexity there is always unknowns both with regards to the circumscription of such a diverse flora and to understanding aspects of the archipelagos geologic past, which in many cases prove extremely difficult to resolve. This thesis investigates two aspects of this notion using modern day molecular techniques. 
The first aspect that we investigate is the question of species circumscription with regards to Vitex (Lamiaceae). Here we scrutinize the monophyly of the morphologically variable species Vitex collina, as described by Mabberley (1990), previously suggested by Mabberley to comprise a minimum of three distinct morphotypes. Additionally we consider the genetic uniqueness of a recently discovered species, tentatively named Vitex sp. “unifolia”, from currently accepted New Caledonian Vitex collina s.l. Maximum likelihood (ML) analyses using the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) genetic loci revealed that New Caledonian Vitex collina is paraphyletic with New Zealand V. lucens and Australian V. lignum-vitae nested within a well-supported V. collina s.l. clade. Our results suggest a minimum of two genetically distinct entities within V. collina, though the new species Vitex sp. “unifolia” was not distinguished genetically from Vitex cf. “collina”. The additional morphological analysis in light of our molecular analyses revealed further distinction of taxa within our sample group. This revealed a potential for three separate morphological entities within Vitex collina s.l. specimens, with Vitex sp. “unifolia” representing a fourth. Further research will result in the formal recognition of Vitex sp. “unifolia” upon publication, as well as further delimitation of the distinct entities within V. collina s.l. These revisions will have implications for the conservation status of these revised species, especially with regards to the rare Vitex sp. “unifolia”.
The second aspect investigated New Caledonian Winteraceae focussing on two research aims. The first aim scrutinised the New Caledonian Zygogynum s.l. in light of revisions made in Vink (1988; 1993; 2003), where four previously recognised genera (Belliolum, Bubbia, Exospermum, and Zygogynum) were dismantled into a single broadly circumscribed genus. The second aim was to assess any major morphological trends within Zygogynum s.l. and biogeographic patterns within the Winteraceae. Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian analyses using the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and psbA-trnH genetic loci confirmed the monophyly and position of Takhtajania, Tasmannia, Drimys, and Pseudowintera within the Winteraceae. New Caledonian Zygogynum s.l. was shown to be paraphyletic with Z. schlechteri nested within a distinct Australian Bubbia clade separate from remaining Zygogynum. Our analyses showed no support for the distinction of species previously belonging to Belliolum and Exospermum with all remaining Zygogynum forming a monophyletic clade.  The monophyly of species within the Zygogynum were for the most part resolved, with only few species left unresolved or paraphyletic relationships. Further investigation of biogeography within the Winteraceae revealed that Zealandic Winteraceae share their common ancestor with South American taxa, reflecting the Gondwanic roots of this family, with Australian Bubbia having originated from New Caledonian Zygogynum. From this we suggest, upon further investigation, that the retention of Bubbia within Zygogynum s.l. was supported and should be maintained. Alternately, if Bubbia is maintained as distinct from Zygogynum s.l., Z. schlechteri will be revised to Bubbia schlechteri. Further research including specimens of all described taxa will improve the resolution of our analyses, likely identifying further inconsistences that require revision or attention. Our investigation into morphological trends within the Zygogynum uncovered a trend of carpel evolution, in which a single well supported clade of Zygogynum exhibit fused carpels with all others within the family exhibiting unfused gynoecia. The significance of this is that it is a derived trait recognised as a reoccurring trend within the Angiosperm lineage, though this is the first instance where it has been identified occurring within a single genus.

year: 2013

title: Ngā mahi: Kaupapa Māori outcomes and indicators kete

authors: Jefferies, Richard

subjects: New Zealand

abstract: As part of the Planning Under Cooperative Mandates research (PUCM) we developed a kaupapa Māori outcomes and indicators framework. This framework reflects tikanga Māori and Māori values. It also considers issues (including environmental issues) according to those tikanga that particular issues invoke. For example, tikanga brought into play in relation to council treatment and disposal of sewerage include tapu (sacred), and might also impact on the mauri (life-force) of water if treated effluent were to enter waterways.

The intention of our research has been to clarify and define key Māori environmental concepts so that stakeholders (including council staff) will have a terms of reference against which they can compare desired environmental outcomes from different perspectives and be better placed to integrate Māori environmental outcomes into planning processes. The end-point is this Nga Mahi kete report containing tikanga-based worksheets and the guidelines for using them.

text: Ngā mahi: Kaupapa Māori outcomes and indicators kete As part of the Planning Under Cooperative Mandates research (PUCM) we developed a kaupapa Māori outcomes and indicators framework. This framework reflects tikanga Māori and Māori values. It also considers issues (including environmental issues) according to those tikanga that particular issues invoke. For example, tikanga brought into play in relation to council treatment and disposal of sewerage include tapu (sacred), and might also impact on the mauri (life-force) of water if treated effluent were to enter waterways.

The intention of our research has been to clarify and define key Māori environmental concepts so that stakeholders (including council staff) will have a terms of reference against which they can compare desired environmental outcomes from different perspectives and be better placed to integrate Māori environmental outcomes into planning processes. The end-point is this Nga Mahi kete report containing tikanga-based worksheets and the guidelines for using them.

year: 2009-06-30