title: Melanesia burning: Religious revolution in the Western Pacific

authors: Macdonald, Fraser

subjects: Science & Technology

abstract: In the history of Pacific Christianity, the explosion of revival activity within Melanesia during the 1970s remains an untold story. Within this regional spiritual upheaval, ecstatic Pentecostalist phenomena spread with unprecedented rapidity, intensity and geographical scope. As a result of these movements, Christianity assumed an importance in Melanesia in a way it never had before, as local congregations redefined their church life and spirituality over and against mission Christianity. This article documents a major branch of this regional revivalism. A detailed description of this series of interconnected movements transitions to an explanation of their success in terms of four factors: the mutual ramification of the revivals with political independence movements; the fact that despite being built on theologies of world breaking, the revivals dovetailed with traditional Melanesian religious experiences; the existence of interdenominational organisations that expedited the movement of people, practices and ideas across local, regional and national frontiers; and, finally, the personal dimensions of Melanesian revivalism, whereby the genesis, uptake and diffusion of revival movements often depended crucially upon the persuasive capabilities of influential Christian leaders in each society.

text: Melanesia burning: Religious revolution in the Western Pacific In the history of Pacific Christianity, the explosion of revival activity within Melanesia during the 1970s remains an untold story. Within this regional spiritual upheaval, ecstatic Pentecostalist phenomena spread with unprecedented rapidity, intensity and geographical scope. As a result of these movements, Christianity assumed an importance in Melanesia in a way it never had before, as local congregations redefined their church life and spirituality over and against mission Christianity. This article documents a major branch of this regional revivalism. A detailed description of this series of interconnected movements transitions to an explanation of their success in terms of four factors: the mutual ramification of the revivals with political independence movements; the fact that despite being built on theologies of world breaking, the revivals dovetailed with traditional Melanesian religious experiences; the existence of interdenominational organisations that expedited the movement of people, practices and ideas across local, regional and national frontiers; and, finally, the personal dimensions of Melanesian revivalism, whereby the genesis, uptake and diffusion of revival movements often depended crucially upon the persuasive capabilities of influential Christian leaders in each society.

year: 2019-12-01

title: The application of job analysis, the O*NET and competency modelling in New Zealand organisations

authors: Berry, Jacqueline

subjects: Job Analysis

abstract: The present study aimed to gain an understanding of the extent to which human resource professionals are using and applying job analysis, the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) and competency modelling in New Zealand organisations. This study also explored the research-practice gap in job analysis, as examined through the O*NET and the influence of Taylor and Cable's (2004) article on the O*NET database. An online questionnaire was completed by 107 participants, who were members of the Human Resource Institute of New Zealand research stream. Findings suggest there is high awareness of job analysis, however the application of job analysis in the organisation is commonly hindered by the limited understanding and knowledge amongst human resource professionals. Findings on competency modelling suggest, there has been a possible increase in the application of competency modelling in organisations since Markus, Cooper-Thomas and Allpress (2005) study. The article by Taylor and Cable (2004) has had little influence on the application of the O*NET, suggesting a potential research-practice gap is present in the job analysis area. Specifically, the O*NET database could benefit Human Resource Management (HRM), through supporting the development of job descriptions and person specifications. Human resource professionals could benefit further from extending their awareness of job analysis and competency modelling to the application of these processes in HRM. The need for future research and practical implications for HRM and organisational psychology are discussed.

text: The application of job analysis, the O*NET and competency modelling in New Zealand organisations The present study aimed to gain an understanding of the extent to which human resource professionals are using and applying job analysis, the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) and competency modelling in New Zealand organisations. This study also explored the research-practice gap in job analysis, as examined through the O*NET and the influence of Taylor and Cable's (2004) article on the O*NET database. An online questionnaire was completed by 107 participants, who were members of the Human Resource Institute of New Zealand research stream. Findings suggest there is high awareness of job analysis, however the application of job analysis in the organisation is commonly hindered by the limited understanding and knowledge amongst human resource professionals. Findings on competency modelling suggest, there has been a possible increase in the application of competency modelling in organisations since Markus, Cooper-Thomas and Allpress (2005) study. The article by Taylor and Cable (2004) has had little influence on the application of the O*NET, suggesting a potential research-practice gap is present in the job analysis area. Specifically, the O*NET database could benefit Human Resource Management (HRM), through supporting the development of job descriptions and person specifications. Human resource professionals could benefit further from extending their awareness of job analysis and competency modelling to the application of these processes in HRM. The need for future research and practical implications for HRM and organisational psychology are discussed.

year: 2009

title: Two-step human−environmental impact history for northern New Zealand linked to late-Holocene climate change

authors: Newnham, Rewi M.

subjects: New Zealand

abstract: Following resolution of a long-standing debate over the timing of the initial settlement of New Zealand from Polynesia (late 13th century), a prevailing paradigm has developed that invokes rapid transformation of the landscape, principally by fire, within a few decades of the first arrivals. This model has been constructed from evidence mostly from southern and eastern regions of New Zealand, but a more complicated pattern may apply in the more humid western and northern regions where forests are more resilient to burning. We present a new pollen record from Lake Pupuke, Auckland, northern New Zealand, that charts the changing vegetation cover over the last 1000 years, before and after the arrival of people. Previous results from this site concurred with the rapid transformation model, although sampling resolution, chronology and sediment disturbance make that interpretation equivocal. Our new record is dated principally by tephrochronology together with radiocarbon dating, and includes a cryptotephra deposit identified as Kaharoa tephra, a key marker for first settlement in northern New Zealand. Its discovery and stratigraphic position below two Rangitoto-derived tephras enables a clearer picture of environmental change to be drawn. The new pollen record shows an early phase (step 1) of minor, localised forest clearance around the time of Kaharoa tephra (c. 1314 AD) followed by a later, more extensive deforestation phase (step 2) commencing at around the time of deposition of the Rangitoto tephras (c. 1400‒1450 AD). This pattern, which needs to be corroborated from other well-resolved records from northern New Zealand, concurs with an emerging hypothesis that the ‘Little Ice Age’ had a significant impact on pre-European Māori with the onset of harsher conditions causing a consolidation of populations and later environmental impact in northern New Zealand.

text: Two-step human−environmental impact history for northern New Zealand linked to late-Holocene climate change Following resolution of a long-standing debate over the timing of the initial settlement of New Zealand from Polynesia (late 13th century), a prevailing paradigm has developed that invokes rapid transformation of the landscape, principally by fire, within a few decades of the first arrivals. This model has been constructed from evidence mostly from southern and eastern regions of New Zealand, but a more complicated pattern may apply in the more humid western and northern regions where forests are more resilient to burning. We present a new pollen record from Lake Pupuke, Auckland, northern New Zealand, that charts the changing vegetation cover over the last 1000 years, before and after the arrival of people. Previous results from this site concurred with the rapid transformation model, although sampling resolution, chronology and sediment disturbance make that interpretation equivocal. Our new record is dated principally by tephrochronology together with radiocarbon dating, and includes a cryptotephra deposit identified as Kaharoa tephra, a key marker for first settlement in northern New Zealand. Its discovery and stratigraphic position below two Rangitoto-derived tephras enables a clearer picture of environmental change to be drawn. The new pollen record shows an early phase (step 1) of minor, localised forest clearance around the time of Kaharoa tephra (c. 1314 AD) followed by a later, more extensive deforestation phase (step 2) commencing at around the time of deposition of the Rangitoto tephras (c. 1400‒1450 AD). This pattern, which needs to be corroborated from other well-resolved records from northern New Zealand, concurs with an emerging hypothesis that the ‘Little Ice Age’ had a significant impact on pre-European Māori with the onset of harsher conditions causing a consolidation of populations and later environmental impact in northern New Zealand.

year: 2018