title: Psychological Climate, Work Engagement, Intention to Leave and Organisational Citizenship Behaviour in Small Hospitality Businesses.

authors: Strydom, Ance

subjects: work engagement

abstract: The aim of the current study was to examine the interrelations of important work related variables within small New Zealand based hospitality organisations in order to enhance the understanding of factors that contribute to success within these organisations. Of particular interest was the role of employee work environment perceptions (psychological climate) in relation to employee work engagement, intention to leave and organisational citizenship behaviour directed at the organisation (OCBO). Two theoretical models were tested to investigate the expected role of psychological climate. Model 1 was a mediation model wherein work engagement was expected to mediate between psychological climate, and intention to leave and OCBO. Model 2 took an alternative approach in which psychological climate was posed as a moderator of predicted work engagement-intention to leave and intention to leave-OCBO relationships. 
In total, 177 surveys were included in the data analyses. The results provided full support for Model 1, showing significant relationships between all psychological climate dimensions and work engagement. Work engagement in turn was negatively related to intention to leave and positively related to OCBO. Work engagement mediated the relationships between the psychological climate dimensions and intention to leave and OCBO. Little support was found, however, for Model 2. Although, as predicted, there were negative relationships between work engagement and intention to leave, and intention to leave and OCBO, intention to leave was not found to mediate between work engagement and OCBO. More importantly, no moderation effects were observed for the psychological climate dimensions. 
No causal inferences may be drawn from the results of this study. Nevertheless, the findings do suggest that psychological climate has an important role to play in determining levels of work engagement, which in turn impacts on employee intentions to leave their jobs and to voluntarily demonstrate behaviours that can enhance organisational effectiveness. Additionally, the negative correlations between intention to leave and OCBO indicate that employees who are seriously entertaining the idea of exiting the organisation may reduce their levels of OCBO.
 
It is suggested that owner/managers of small hospitality organisations actively focus on modifying aspects of the work environment that are likely to promote favourable work environment perceptions and positively shape employees work-related affective-cognitive state.

text: Psychological Climate, Work Engagement, Intention to Leave and Organisational Citizenship Behaviour in Small Hospitality Businesses. The aim of the current study was to examine the interrelations of important work related variables within small New Zealand based hospitality organisations in order to enhance the understanding of factors that contribute to success within these organisations. Of particular interest was the role of employee work environment perceptions (psychological climate) in relation to employee work engagement, intention to leave and organisational citizenship behaviour directed at the organisation (OCBO). Two theoretical models were tested to investigate the expected role of psychological climate. Model 1 was a mediation model wherein work engagement was expected to mediate between psychological climate, and intention to leave and OCBO. Model 2 took an alternative approach in which psychological climate was posed as a moderator of predicted work engagement-intention to leave and intention to leave-OCBO relationships. 
In total, 177 surveys were included in the data analyses. The results provided full support for Model 1, showing significant relationships between all psychological climate dimensions and work engagement. Work engagement in turn was negatively related to intention to leave and positively related to OCBO. Work engagement mediated the relationships between the psychological climate dimensions and intention to leave and OCBO. Little support was found, however, for Model 2. Although, as predicted, there were negative relationships between work engagement and intention to leave, and intention to leave and OCBO, intention to leave was not found to mediate between work engagement and OCBO. More importantly, no moderation effects were observed for the psychological climate dimensions. 
No causal inferences may be drawn from the results of this study. Nevertheless, the findings do suggest that psychological climate has an important role to play in determining levels of work engagement, which in turn impacts on employee intentions to leave their jobs and to voluntarily demonstrate behaviours that can enhance organisational effectiveness. Additionally, the negative correlations between intention to leave and OCBO indicate that employees who are seriously entertaining the idea of exiting the organisation may reduce their levels of OCBO.
 
It is suggested that owner/managers of small hospitality organisations actively focus on modifying aspects of the work environment that are likely to promote favourable work environment perceptions and positively shape employees work-related affective-cognitive state.

year: 2014

title: A microbial community description of a heavy metal contaminated soil site

authors: Tan, Lin

subjects: heavy metal

abstract: Tui mine area, with extremely low pH (2.9-3.3) values and high-metal concentrations, is one of the most contaminated sites in NZ. The structure of the microbial community in different soil layers (Top, Middle and Bottom) of the Tui mine tailing was investigated using culture-based and molecular approaches. The zinc resistance of an Acidocella strain, isolated previously, was determined by culturing methods. Growth curves of Acidocella indicated that it could grow at up to 250mM ZnSO₄, and in the presence of 250mM MgSO₄, both growth and Zn²⁺ resistance were greatly enhanced with tolerance up to 750mM Zn²⁺. Acidophilic bacteria were isolated and enumerated on solid media, and were found to be related to Actinobacteridae and Gammaproteobacteria. By contrast, cloning and pyrosequencing analysis of the 16S rRNA genes revealed that Leptospirillum ferrooxidans and Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans were the most common strains that occurred in the soil environment in all layers. From a clone library of the Top layer DNA, 69 out of 118 clone sequences were phylogenetically affiliated with the iron-oxidizing Leptospirillum ferrooxidans within the Nitrospira and 16 with Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans within the Proteobacteria. A broadly similar result was obtained from pyrosequencing analysis. The most abundant OTU (21.9%) was affiliated with Leptospirillum ferrooxidans and the second most abundant (8.4%) affiliated with Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans. With the Bottom layer soil, 61.5% of the amplicons sequences in the pyrosequencing run had the closest match with Leptospirillum ferrooxidans and the second most abundant OTU (27.2% of sequences) were affiliated with Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans SS3. Both molecular approaches indicate that a diverse population of bacterial species (128 different species from pyrosequencing) exist in the Top layer soil with the Bottom layer soil having a lower in diversity (49 different species from pyrosequencing).

text: A microbial community description of a heavy metal contaminated soil site Tui mine area, with extremely low pH (2.9-3.3) values and high-metal concentrations, is one of the most contaminated sites in NZ. The structure of the microbial community in different soil layers (Top, Middle and Bottom) of the Tui mine tailing was investigated using culture-based and molecular approaches. The zinc resistance of an Acidocella strain, isolated previously, was determined by culturing methods. Growth curves of Acidocella indicated that it could grow at up to 250mM ZnSO₄, and in the presence of 250mM MgSO₄, both growth and Zn²⁺ resistance were greatly enhanced with tolerance up to 750mM Zn²⁺. Acidophilic bacteria were isolated and enumerated on solid media, and were found to be related to Actinobacteridae and Gammaproteobacteria. By contrast, cloning and pyrosequencing analysis of the 16S rRNA genes revealed that Leptospirillum ferrooxidans and Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans were the most common strains that occurred in the soil environment in all layers. From a clone library of the Top layer DNA, 69 out of 118 clone sequences were phylogenetically affiliated with the iron-oxidizing Leptospirillum ferrooxidans within the Nitrospira and 16 with Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans within the Proteobacteria. A broadly similar result was obtained from pyrosequencing analysis. The most abundant OTU (21.9%) was affiliated with Leptospirillum ferrooxidans and the second most abundant (8.4%) affiliated with Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans. With the Bottom layer soil, 61.5% of the amplicons sequences in the pyrosequencing run had the closest match with Leptospirillum ferrooxidans and the second most abundant OTU (27.2% of sequences) were affiliated with Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans SS3. Both molecular approaches indicate that a diverse population of bacterial species (128 different species from pyrosequencing) exist in the Top layer soil with the Bottom layer soil having a lower in diversity (49 different species from pyrosequencing).

year: 2012

title: Kia Maanu, Kia Ora: Stay Afloat, Stay Alive – Acknowledging the significance of tikanga Māori in formulating and communicating water safety policies and practices

authors: Haimona, Mark

subjects: New Zealand

abstract: The traditional beliefs and practices of Māori demonstrate great respect for water, for its dangers as well as its life-giving properties, and Māori have, along with other Polynesian peoples, been known for their skill in swimming, fishing and canoeing. However, Māori now outnumber others in New Zealand in terms of the proportion involved in drowning and water-related injury. In seeking to promote water safety among Māori, Water Safety New Zealand has enlisted the help of Māori communities. Its message - Kia Maanu, Kia Ora (Stay Afloat, Stay Alive) - is underpinned by an acknowledgment of the need to reinforce the traditional respect for water that permeates the Māori worldview.

text: Kia Maanu, Kia Ora: Stay Afloat, Stay Alive – Acknowledging the significance of tikanga Māori in formulating and communicating water safety policies and practices The traditional beliefs and practices of Māori demonstrate great respect for water, for its dangers as well as its life-giving properties, and Māori have, along with other Polynesian peoples, been known for their skill in swimming, fishing and canoeing. However, Māori now outnumber others in New Zealand in terms of the proportion involved in drowning and water-related injury. In seeking to promote water safety among Māori, Water Safety New Zealand has enlisted the help of Māori communities. Its message - Kia Maanu, Kia Ora (Stay Afloat, Stay Alive) - is underpinned by an acknowledgment of the need to reinforce the traditional respect for water that permeates the Māori worldview.

year: 2007