title: The impact of social networking mediums on the decision making process of tourists: A case study of Stray Ltd and Spaceships New Zealand Ltd

authors: Jenkin, Hamish John

subjects: Social Networking Mediums

abstract: This thesis examines tourist decision making in relation to the use of blogs and social networking sites. Specifically, the research examines the tourist behaviour involving these mediums in the pre-experience decision making phase of the travel experience through case studies of two New Zealand tourism businesses which involve backpacker and fully independent tourists as their customers (Stray Ltd and Spaceships New Zealand Ltd). The thesis research used both quantitative and qualitative research methods in order to examine the influence of blogs and social networking sites on tourists‘ decision making. The quantitative data comprised of 206 semi-structured surveys completed by customers of the two companies. Qualitative data consisted of the collection of 330 photographs posted on the companies‘ websites which had been taken by customers, 19 customer videos, customer comments from both companies‘ websites, the content of the companies‘ Facebook and Twitter social networking sites, and a semi-structured interview with a representative from both companies. Analysis of the data revealed that Facebook is the most commonly used social networking site, with the usage of social networking sites being higher than that of blogs. However, neither Facebook nor blogs featured strongly when used by customers to make decisions, with travel ratings websites and official destination websites being more commonly used. Analysis of the qualitative data showed a difference in language, structure and time between the social networking site content and customer comment data. Customer comment data features more descriptions of a customers‘ trips and why they would recommend the company, rather than when the customers are going on the trip and what they are looking forward to, which was a characteristic of social networking site content. Analysis of the photographic and video data revealed differences between the two customer types, suggesting there is a clear difference between backpackers and fully independent travellers and their motivations for travel. This thesis contributes to the previous attention given to the role of technology in tourist decision making and trip bookings through focusing on the use of social networking sites and blogs and how this applies to tourism businesses.

text: The impact of social networking mediums on the decision making process of tourists: A case study of Stray Ltd and Spaceships New Zealand Ltd This thesis examines tourist decision making in relation to the use of blogs and social networking sites. Specifically, the research examines the tourist behaviour involving these mediums in the pre-experience decision making phase of the travel experience through case studies of two New Zealand tourism businesses which involve backpacker and fully independent tourists as their customers (Stray Ltd and Spaceships New Zealand Ltd). The thesis research used both quantitative and qualitative research methods in order to examine the influence of blogs and social networking sites on tourists‘ decision making. The quantitative data comprised of 206 semi-structured surveys completed by customers of the two companies. Qualitative data consisted of the collection of 330 photographs posted on the companies‘ websites which had been taken by customers, 19 customer videos, customer comments from both companies‘ websites, the content of the companies‘ Facebook and Twitter social networking sites, and a semi-structured interview with a representative from both companies. Analysis of the data revealed that Facebook is the most commonly used social networking site, with the usage of social networking sites being higher than that of blogs. However, neither Facebook nor blogs featured strongly when used by customers to make decisions, with travel ratings websites and official destination websites being more commonly used. Analysis of the qualitative data showed a difference in language, structure and time between the social networking site content and customer comment data. Customer comment data features more descriptions of a customers‘ trips and why they would recommend the company, rather than when the customers are going on the trip and what they are looking forward to, which was a characteristic of social networking site content. Analysis of the photographic and video data revealed differences between the two customer types, suggesting there is a clear difference between backpackers and fully independent travellers and their motivations for travel. This thesis contributes to the previous attention given to the role of technology in tourist decision making and trip bookings through focusing on the use of social networking sites and blogs and how this applies to tourism businesses.

year: 2010

title: Detecting replay attacks in audiovisual identity verification

authors: Bredin, Herve

subjects: computer science

abstract: We describe an algorithm that detects a lack of correspondence between speech and lip motion by detecting and monitoring the degree of synchrony between live audio and visual signals. It is simple, effective, and computationally inexpensive; providing a useful degree of robustness against basic replay attacks and against speech or image forgeries. The method is based on a cross-correlation analysis between two streams of features, one from the audio signal and the other from the image sequence. We argue that such an algorithm forms an effective first barrier against several kinds of replay attack that would defeat existing verification systems based on standard multimodal fusion techniques. In order to provide an evaluation mechanism for the new technique we have augmented the protocols that accompany the BANCA multimedia corpus by defining new scenarios. We obtain 0% equal-error rate (EER) on the simplest scenario and 35% on a more challenging one.

text: Detecting replay attacks in audiovisual identity verification We describe an algorithm that detects a lack of correspondence between speech and lip motion by detecting and monitoring the degree of synchrony between live audio and visual signals. It is simple, effective, and computationally inexpensive; providing a useful degree of robustness against basic replay attacks and against speech or image forgeries. The method is based on a cross-correlation analysis between two streams of features, one from the audio signal and the other from the image sequence. We argue that such an algorithm forms an effective first barrier against several kinds of replay attack that would defeat existing verification systems based on standard multimodal fusion techniques. In order to provide an evaluation mechanism for the new technique we have augmented the protocols that accompany the BANCA multimedia corpus by defining new scenarios. We obtain 0% equal-error rate (EER) on the simplest scenario and 35% on a more challenging one.

year: 2006

title: Māori women’s perspectives of leadership and wellbeing

authors: Ruru, Stacey Mariu

subjects: Māori women leadership

abstract: This research sought to understand how Māori women leaders maintain their wellbeing within their leadership roles. Semi-structured interviews acknowledging kaupapa Māori theory (Māori philosophy, framework) principles were used to gather the leadership journeys of five Māori women leaders from academic and business backgrounds across the North Island, New Zealand. Kaupapa Māori principles such as kānohi kitea (greeting, meeting face to face), ako Māori (learning, teaching, reciprocity, cultural pedagogy) and manāki ki te tangata (caring, hosting people) provided a methodological framework to follow during interviews with Māori women leaders. From the interviews, thematic analysis was undertaken and patterns, similarities and differences were uncovered that led to the identification of eight main themes: Humility, collective work, the influence of others, overcoming boundaries, balance between te taha hinengaro (mental or psychological wellbeing) and te taha tinana (physical wellbeing), fostering pathways, quieting the mind, and whānau (family) connections. Secondary analysis further developed and explored the themes using indigenous whakataukī Māori (Māori proverbs), which became the overarching theme and connected the eight themes to the five whakataukī. The study found that balance between te taha hinengaro (the psychological, mental wellbeing dimension) and te taha tinana (the physical dimension) from Te Whare Tapa Whā (the four corners of a house) and Te Wheke (the octopus) Māori wellbeing models supported Māori women leaders’ waiora (health, wellbeing). Central to the success of these Māori women leaders was being connected to whānau and friends, and being influenced by tāmariki (children), tauira (students) and employees. These social connections made Māori women leaders strong and resilient to change and challenges. Māori leadership practices and values such as hūmarie (humility), mana wahine (Māori women’s leadership style), manākitanga (caring) and aroha (compassion, love) contributed to leadership drivers that enhanced Māori women within their leadership roles. Finally, recommendations include enhancing practices such as those that encourage mana (influence, power, and identity), mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) and ako Māori for future generations to follow.

text: Māori women’s perspectives of leadership and wellbeing This research sought to understand how Māori women leaders maintain their wellbeing within their leadership roles. Semi-structured interviews acknowledging kaupapa Māori theory (Māori philosophy, framework) principles were used to gather the leadership journeys of five Māori women leaders from academic and business backgrounds across the North Island, New Zealand. Kaupapa Māori principles such as kānohi kitea (greeting, meeting face to face), ako Māori (learning, teaching, reciprocity, cultural pedagogy) and manāki ki te tangata (caring, hosting people) provided a methodological framework to follow during interviews with Māori women leaders. From the interviews, thematic analysis was undertaken and patterns, similarities and differences were uncovered that led to the identification of eight main themes: Humility, collective work, the influence of others, overcoming boundaries, balance between te taha hinengaro (mental or psychological wellbeing) and te taha tinana (physical wellbeing), fostering pathways, quieting the mind, and whānau (family) connections. Secondary analysis further developed and explored the themes using indigenous whakataukī Māori (Māori proverbs), which became the overarching theme and connected the eight themes to the five whakataukī. The study found that balance between te taha hinengaro (the psychological, mental wellbeing dimension) and te taha tinana (the physical dimension) from Te Whare Tapa Whā (the four corners of a house) and Te Wheke (the octopus) Māori wellbeing models supported Māori women leaders’ waiora (health, wellbeing). Central to the success of these Māori women leaders was being connected to whānau and friends, and being influenced by tāmariki (children), tauira (students) and employees. These social connections made Māori women leaders strong and resilient to change and challenges. Māori leadership practices and values such as hūmarie (humility), mana wahine (Māori women’s leadership style), manākitanga (caring) and aroha (compassion, love) contributed to leadership drivers that enhanced Māori women within their leadership roles. Finally, recommendations include enhancing practices such as those that encourage mana (influence, power, and identity), mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) and ako Māori for future generations to follow.

year: 2016