title: Women as industrial labour: an enquiry into economic and social consequences of growth of garments manufacturing in Bangladesh

authors: Zaman, Begum Meherunnessa

abstract: Over the last quarter century, the readymade garments industry has emerged as the main export-earning manufacturing industry in Bangladesh. The industry is the first to employ women in large numbers in the formal manufacturing sector. Using information collected by the author from readymade garments firms, women workers and a group of non-working women, this thesis investigates the factors behind women’s labour market entry, their earnings and subsequent impact on the lives of women and their households. The analytical framework has largely drawn upon economic models of utility maximisation. Various econometric methods have been used in empirical investigation of the issues.
The results show that labour market entry by women is mediated by several factors including poverty and education. Their earnings depend upon both education and work experience. Most working women have had several rises in wages over their working lives.
Independent earning by women has resulted in several second round effects, mostly in the positive direction, on the women themselves and their households. Women who keep their earnings to themselves spend the money on items such as food and health care. They have accumulated substantially more assets and savings than their non-working counterparts. They have also enjoyed a physical quality of life better than that of the non-working women and also their (workers’) own initial situation.
A very important effect of women’s employment, and the rise in their explicit opportunity cost of time, is that they have far lower fertility compared to non-working women. The lower fertility has been associated with greater demand for education for children.
The health of workers may have been impaired due to a combination of long hours of market work and home production. Other social impacts such, as changes in decision-making roles and independence of action have been limited. 
Employment and education are the most important determinants of the positive impacts on the women themselves and their households. Future policy directions may therefore widen employment and education opportunities for women.

text: Women as industrial labour: an enquiry into economic and social consequences of growth of garments manufacturing in Bangladesh Over the last quarter century, the readymade garments industry has emerged as the main export-earning manufacturing industry in Bangladesh. The industry is the first to employ women in large numbers in the formal manufacturing sector. Using information collected by the author from readymade garments firms, women workers and a group of non-working women, this thesis investigates the factors behind women’s labour market entry, their earnings and subsequent impact on the lives of women and their households. The analytical framework has largely drawn upon economic models of utility maximisation. Various econometric methods have been used in empirical investigation of the issues.
The results show that labour market entry by women is mediated by several factors including poverty and education. Their earnings depend upon both education and work experience. Most working women have had several rises in wages over their working lives.
Independent earning by women has resulted in several second round effects, mostly in the positive direction, on the women themselves and their households. Women who keep their earnings to themselves spend the money on items such as food and health care. They have accumulated substantially more assets and savings than their non-working counterparts. They have also enjoyed a physical quality of life better than that of the non-working women and also their (workers’) own initial situation.
A very important effect of women’s employment, and the rise in their explicit opportunity cost of time, is that they have far lower fertility compared to non-working women. The lower fertility has been associated with greater demand for education for children.
The health of workers may have been impaired due to a combination of long hours of market work and home production. Other social impacts such, as changes in decision-making roles and independence of action have been limited. 
Employment and education are the most important determinants of the positive impacts on the women themselves and their households. Future policy directions may therefore widen employment and education opportunities for women.

year: 2002

title: University accounting and business curricula on sustainability: Perceptions of undergraduate students

authors: Sharma, Umesh Prasad

subjects: accounting

abstract: The challenge to embed sustainability in the formal curriculum has been troublesome for accounting academics. This study investigates sustainability in the accounting curriculum at a regional university in New Zealand. Sustainability practices are becoming an important issue given that many business activity problems have arisen over the years, unsustainable practices have resulted in societal and environmental damages. There has been an increasing recognition of the need for sustainability teaching in tertiary education.

Education plays an important role in equipping graduates with the relevant sustainability skills to make informed decisions towards a more sustainable world. There is a need to examine how students respond to the teaching of sustainability in their courses. This will allow education providers to find out how student perceive sustainability education, and make changes to improve the teaching of sustainability.  Literatures have claimed that students have positive attitudes towards sustainability; however, this does not mean that students are familiar with the concept of sustainability. There are business students who seem to perceive the study of sustainability to be less important when compared to other subjects. There still seems to be a shortage of research done on how students perceive sustainability.  This paper contributes to the discussion needed to understand what sustainability skills are required by managers and how tertiary education programs in accounting may need to incorporate sustainability. The role of accounting schools in leading and managing change towards sustainability must be further informed.

text: University accounting and business curricula on sustainability: Perceptions of undergraduate students The challenge to embed sustainability in the formal curriculum has been troublesome for accounting academics. This study investigates sustainability in the accounting curriculum at a regional university in New Zealand. Sustainability practices are becoming an important issue given that many business activity problems have arisen over the years, unsustainable practices have resulted in societal and environmental damages. There has been an increasing recognition of the need for sustainability teaching in tertiary education.

Education plays an important role in equipping graduates with the relevant sustainability skills to make informed decisions towards a more sustainable world. There is a need to examine how students respond to the teaching of sustainability in their courses. This will allow education providers to find out how student perceive sustainability education, and make changes to improve the teaching of sustainability.  Literatures have claimed that students have positive attitudes towards sustainability; however, this does not mean that students are familiar with the concept of sustainability. There are business students who seem to perceive the study of sustainability to be less important when compared to other subjects. There still seems to be a shortage of research done on how students perceive sustainability.  This paper contributes to the discussion needed to understand what sustainability skills are required by managers and how tertiary education programs in accounting may need to incorporate sustainability. The role of accounting schools in leading and managing change towards sustainability must be further informed.

year: 2012

title: Taku Kuru Pounamu

authors: Pihama, Leonie

abstract: ‘Taku kuru pounamu’ (My precious adornment) is a whakataukī that speaks of a child who is loved and cherished by their whānau. It represents for us the essence of this publication, an expression of the collective wisdom and values of our ancestors, and the adoration that we have for our tamariki. A selection of whakataukī, or ancestral sayings, form the basis of this publication. Each whakataukī reflects the centrality and importance of children in the Māori world. They also give insights into practices that uplift our tamariki, mokopuna and wider whānau.
‘Taku kuru pounamu’ was born out of the research project ‘Tiakina Te Pā Harakeke’ which explores the mana of te pā harakeke, the collective values that nourish all whanau members. ‘Tiakina Te Pā Harakeke’ provided an opportunity to investigate and understand more fully our knowledge, beliefs and practices relating to whānau, and more specifically childrearing, in the Māori world. What we found was confirmation that our own tikanga, our cultural practices, are about enhancing the well-being of tamariki as taonga within our whānau, hapū and iwi.
This is a small selection of whakataukī. Many of them remind us that we need to be mindful of our actions. We must always treat each other with care and respect, especially our children. Our actions should ensure the safety and well-being of our tamariki, mokopuna, and whānau, and should never be harmful. These are critical messages passed to us by our tūpuna. These ancestral messages provide us with examples of traditional childrearing philosophies and practices.
Many valuable lessons are encoded in the language of whakataukī and in this publication we touch on but a few. In deciding which whakataukī should feature, it was important for us to acknowledge the voices of those who contributed to ‘Tiakina Te Pā Harakeke’ and to include, where possible, whakataukī shared with us by kaumātua during our interviews. A number of other whakataukī pertinent to the whānau context, have also been included as examples of how we can draw upon ancestral knowledge to support the care and nurturing of our tamariki and mokopuna today. While there is a wealth of whakataukī worthy of inclusion in this publication, many were unable to be included, due to the timeframe of the publication.
We hope that we have done justice to those whakataukī that have been included in this publication. We set out with a goal to share positive, culturally enriched and effective approaches to childrearing as defined and practiced by our tūpuna. It is our sincere hope that we have done this and that applying the cultural knowledge embodied in these whakataukī will enrich and enhance the experiences of our tamariki, mokopuna and whānau.
These are gifts of mana left to us by our tūpuna to share with present and future generations.

text: Taku Kuru Pounamu ‘Taku kuru pounamu’ (My precious adornment) is a whakataukī that speaks of a child who is loved and cherished by their whānau. It represents for us the essence of this publication, an expression of the collective wisdom and values of our ancestors, and the adoration that we have for our tamariki. A selection of whakataukī, or ancestral sayings, form the basis of this publication. Each whakataukī reflects the centrality and importance of children in the Māori world. They also give insights into practices that uplift our tamariki, mokopuna and wider whānau.
‘Taku kuru pounamu’ was born out of the research project ‘Tiakina Te Pā Harakeke’ which explores the mana of te pā harakeke, the collective values that nourish all whanau members. ‘Tiakina Te Pā Harakeke’ provided an opportunity to investigate and understand more fully our knowledge, beliefs and practices relating to whānau, and more specifically childrearing, in the Māori world. What we found was confirmation that our own tikanga, our cultural practices, are about enhancing the well-being of tamariki as taonga within our whānau, hapū and iwi.
This is a small selection of whakataukī. Many of them remind us that we need to be mindful of our actions. We must always treat each other with care and respect, especially our children. Our actions should ensure the safety and well-being of our tamariki, mokopuna, and whānau, and should never be harmful. These are critical messages passed to us by our tūpuna. These ancestral messages provide us with examples of traditional childrearing philosophies and practices.
Many valuable lessons are encoded in the language of whakataukī and in this publication we touch on but a few. In deciding which whakataukī should feature, it was important for us to acknowledge the voices of those who contributed to ‘Tiakina Te Pā Harakeke’ and to include, where possible, whakataukī shared with us by kaumātua during our interviews. A number of other whakataukī pertinent to the whānau context, have also been included as examples of how we can draw upon ancestral knowledge to support the care and nurturing of our tamariki and mokopuna today. While there is a wealth of whakataukī worthy of inclusion in this publication, many were unable to be included, due to the timeframe of the publication.
We hope that we have done justice to those whakataukī that have been included in this publication. We set out with a goal to share positive, culturally enriched and effective approaches to childrearing as defined and practiced by our tūpuna. It is our sincere hope that we have done this and that applying the cultural knowledge embodied in these whakataukī will enrich and enhance the experiences of our tamariki, mokopuna and whānau.
These are gifts of mana left to us by our tūpuna to share with present and future generations.

year: 2015