title: Flexibility on whose terms?

authors: Twiname, Linda J.

subjects: flexibility

abstract: Purpose – As part of an ongoing project on worker well-being, this paper aims to examine the application of flexible work arrangements through the experiences of core workers in a small, European-owned, New Zealand manufacturing firm. 
Design/methodology/approach – A participatory action research approach is taken. 
Findings – The research reveals that flexible employment arrangements utilised in this firm did not afford protection to core workers as theory suggests. Both core and peripheral workers were exposed to pressure primarily to extend their hours of work and to reduce their expectations regarding remuneration. Production level increases were not reflected in increases in numbers of core workers; in fact perceived job security was low. Core workers felt pressure to work extended hours out of their commitment to the firm, each other, and to maintain their own employment. 
Practical implications – The use of more democratic processes inherent in action research oriented at workplace well-being are shown to have had some value toward enhancing worker well-being. 
Originality/value – The paper demonstrates that the participative project placed pressure upon management and that it had the potential to redress a power imbalance within the employment relationship.

text: Flexibility on whose terms? Purpose – As part of an ongoing project on worker well-being, this paper aims to examine the application of flexible work arrangements through the experiences of core workers in a small, European-owned, New Zealand manufacturing firm. 
Design/methodology/approach – A participatory action research approach is taken. 
Findings – The research reveals that flexible employment arrangements utilised in this firm did not afford protection to core workers as theory suggests. Both core and peripheral workers were exposed to pressure primarily to extend their hours of work and to reduce their expectations regarding remuneration. Production level increases were not reflected in increases in numbers of core workers; in fact perceived job security was low. Core workers felt pressure to work extended hours out of their commitment to the firm, each other, and to maintain their own employment. 
Practical implications – The use of more democratic processes inherent in action research oriented at workplace well-being are shown to have had some value toward enhancing worker well-being. 
Originality/value – The paper demonstrates that the participative project placed pressure upon management and that it had the potential to redress a power imbalance within the employment relationship.

year: 2006

title: On not knowing one’s place

authors: Goldsmith, Michael

subjects: Association for Social Anthropology in Oceania

abstract: Ethnographers have described many cultural worlds of the Pacific with subtlety and energy, but those worlds were and are always more complex than most standard forms of ethnography have recognized. The ASAO model for the presentation of expertise, while an impressive vehicle for demonstrating ethnographic skills and thoroughness, has yet to reform the accepted boundaries of the discipline or the tradition of Pacific societies seen as "social wholes." It has depended on a division of labor that allocates theory and field-work to different roles, it has recognized ethnographic authority as accruing to those with a concretely territorial claim to represent others, and it has encour-aged a static, monocultural sense of its audiences. I hasten to add that ASAO is not unique in this regard; these strictures apply to academic anthropology in general. Moreover, change is always possible as ethnographers strive to reinvent their discipline beyond the boundaries of the possible. But the historically closed and compartmentalized nature of academic knowledge means that challenges to its perceptual boundaries tend to result from the serendipitous recognition of moments where one does not "know one's place."

text: On not knowing one’s place Ethnographers have described many cultural worlds of the Pacific with subtlety and energy, but those worlds were and are always more complex than most standard forms of ethnography have recognized. The ASAO model for the presentation of expertise, while an impressive vehicle for demonstrating ethnographic skills and thoroughness, has yet to reform the accepted boundaries of the discipline or the tradition of Pacific societies seen as "social wholes." It has depended on a division of labor that allocates theory and field-work to different roles, it has recognized ethnographic authority as accruing to those with a concretely territorial claim to represent others, and it has encour-aged a static, monocultural sense of its audiences. I hasten to add that ASAO is not unique in this regard; these strictures apply to academic anthropology in general. Moreover, change is always possible as ethnographers strive to reinvent their discipline beyond the boundaries of the possible. But the historically closed and compartmentalized nature of academic knowledge means that challenges to its perceptual boundaries tend to result from the serendipitous recognition of moments where one does not "know one's place."

year: 2000

title: Translated application interfaces - issues of engagement

authors: Mato, Paora James

abstract: In New Zealand, English is the language that dominates contemporary technologies. Usability testing was completed on a range of applications, available with a Māori-language interface, to gauge levels of awareness, engagement and perception. Nearly all of the respondents were unaware of the availability of these interfaces but most indicated they would prefer to use the Māori-language versions. In terms of engagement and usability, users initially engaged using Māori but switched to English when they wanted to quickly complete the task at hand. Few remained fully engaged with the Māori-language interfaces. High levels of language switching were reported and some frustration as the participants encountered new and unfamiliar uses of words. At face value the feedback suggests the translated interfaces contained unnecessary complications and that better design and content might have enhanced the user experience. However, there is evidence that extended use would enable users to become more familiar with the interfaces alluding to initial barriers created by a previous competence in another language -- in this case English. With this previous competence in mind it might be more useful to employ design concepts that would alleviate initial difficulties and serve to keep the user engaged in the target language for longer periods of time.

text: Translated application interfaces - issues of engagement In New Zealand, English is the language that dominates contemporary technologies. Usability testing was completed on a range of applications, available with a Māori-language interface, to gauge levels of awareness, engagement and perception. Nearly all of the respondents were unaware of the availability of these interfaces but most indicated they would prefer to use the Māori-language versions. In terms of engagement and usability, users initially engaged using Māori but switched to English when they wanted to quickly complete the task at hand. Few remained fully engaged with the Māori-language interfaces. High levels of language switching were reported and some frustration as the participants encountered new and unfamiliar uses of words. At face value the feedback suggests the translated interfaces contained unnecessary complications and that better design and content might have enhanced the user experience. However, there is evidence that extended use would enable users to become more familiar with the interfaces alluding to initial barriers created by a previous competence in another language -- in this case English. With this previous competence in mind it might be more useful to employ design concepts that would alleviate initial difficulties and serve to keep the user engaged in the target language for longer periods of time.

year: 2015