title: The marketing of ideas

authors: Major, Suzette

abstract: This thesis explores ideas as a type of product. Specifically, it investigates the thesis that the marketing of ideas is a demonstrably unique sub-field of the marketing discipline. Ideas marketing literature provides limited theoretical grounding from which to answer this question. Therefore, an understanding of ideas was sought by studying those who work with idea offerings on a daily basis. Three organisations involved in marketing ideas were investigated: The Health Funding Authority, marketing the idea of non-discrimination against people with mental illness; the Peace Foundation, marketing the idea of peace; and a Buddhist Meditation Centre in relation to marketing Buddhism. A fourteen-month study, drawing on a range of ethnographic techniques from participant observation to one-on-one interviews, was conducted with these three case organisations. The findings reveal eleven themes regarding idea offerings. These themes are analysed in order to establish the conceptual domain of ideas. This conceptual domain can be summarised through five descriptors: immateriality, interminability, omnipresence, transferability and Weltanschauung. Each of these characteristics is considered relative to goods, services and social products. In so doing, the distinctiveness of ideas is demonstrated. The five characteristics of ideas form the basis for establishing the marketing of ideas as a unique sub-field of the marketing discipline. The contribution of this thesis for the marketing discipline is both conceptual and theoretical. This research highlights the need to distinguish idea offerings semantically from ideas that are connected to other aspects of marketing activities. The research findings also raise questions about the applicability of some marketing theory to ideas, in particular the exchange paradigm. The mix of incongruity and applicability of marketing theory in the context of ideas imply ideas are situated on the edge of marketing’s domain.

text: The marketing of ideas This thesis explores ideas as a type of product. Specifically, it investigates the thesis that the marketing of ideas is a demonstrably unique sub-field of the marketing discipline. Ideas marketing literature provides limited theoretical grounding from which to answer this question. Therefore, an understanding of ideas was sought by studying those who work with idea offerings on a daily basis. Three organisations involved in marketing ideas were investigated: The Health Funding Authority, marketing the idea of non-discrimination against people with mental illness; the Peace Foundation, marketing the idea of peace; and a Buddhist Meditation Centre in relation to marketing Buddhism. A fourteen-month study, drawing on a range of ethnographic techniques from participant observation to one-on-one interviews, was conducted with these three case organisations. The findings reveal eleven themes regarding idea offerings. These themes are analysed in order to establish the conceptual domain of ideas. This conceptual domain can be summarised through five descriptors: immateriality, interminability, omnipresence, transferability and Weltanschauung. Each of these characteristics is considered relative to goods, services and social products. In so doing, the distinctiveness of ideas is demonstrated. The five characteristics of ideas form the basis for establishing the marketing of ideas as a unique sub-field of the marketing discipline. The contribution of this thesis for the marketing discipline is both conceptual and theoretical. This research highlights the need to distinguish idea offerings semantically from ideas that are connected to other aspects of marketing activities. The research findings also raise questions about the applicability of some marketing theory to ideas, in particular the exchange paradigm. The mix of incongruity and applicability of marketing theory in the context of ideas imply ideas are situated on the edge of marketing’s domain.

year: 2003

title: Coping Strategies that New Zealand Dairy Farmers use to combat stress

authors: Kuriger, Chloe Rose

subjects: Coping

abstract: New Zealand dairy farmers work in an industry which is associated with high levels of stress and increasing rates of suicide. Occupational issues such as economic factors, changes in the industry, time pressures and poor weather have been found to cause strain in farmers (Botha, 2012), however research examining coping strategies for farmers in New Zealand is lacking. This was an exploratory study which aimed to identify coping strategies that New Zealand dairy farmers engage in to eliminate or reduce the effects of stress due to their job.

Eleven dairy farmers based in the Waikato region of New Zealand, participated in this study by completing an interview and two questionnaires, the Perceived Stress Scale and the Brief COPE. It was found that the participants reported using a wide range of coping strategies. Thematic analysis identified major themes including work related coping, social related coping, maladaptive coping and personal health. The work related theme included both active coping and constructive thinking as means of coping. The social related coping included leisure activities and social support as coping behaviours. 

Analysis of the questionnaires found that the participants in this study reported high use of planning, active coping, acceptance, positive reframing, selfdistraction, humour and instrumental support as strategies to cope with stress. The similar results from the questionnaires add support for the themes found in this study.

The knowledge of the adaptive coping strategies reportedly used by participants in this study, could help to minimise the negative effects of stress and reduce the high suicide rate in dairy farmers. This study also increases the knowledge of coping strategies used by individuals in high stress occupations such as farming. Further implications of this study, and directions for future research are discussed in the final chapter.

text: Coping Strategies that New Zealand Dairy Farmers use to combat stress New Zealand dairy farmers work in an industry which is associated with high levels of stress and increasing rates of suicide. Occupational issues such as economic factors, changes in the industry, time pressures and poor weather have been found to cause strain in farmers (Botha, 2012), however research examining coping strategies for farmers in New Zealand is lacking. This was an exploratory study which aimed to identify coping strategies that New Zealand dairy farmers engage in to eliminate or reduce the effects of stress due to their job.

Eleven dairy farmers based in the Waikato region of New Zealand, participated in this study by completing an interview and two questionnaires, the Perceived Stress Scale and the Brief COPE. It was found that the participants reported using a wide range of coping strategies. Thematic analysis identified major themes including work related coping, social related coping, maladaptive coping and personal health. The work related theme included both active coping and constructive thinking as means of coping. The social related coping included leisure activities and social support as coping behaviours. 

Analysis of the questionnaires found that the participants in this study reported high use of planning, active coping, acceptance, positive reframing, selfdistraction, humour and instrumental support as strategies to cope with stress. The similar results from the questionnaires add support for the themes found in this study.

The knowledge of the adaptive coping strategies reportedly used by participants in this study, could help to minimise the negative effects of stress and reduce the high suicide rate in dairy farmers. This study also increases the knowledge of coping strategies used by individuals in high stress occupations such as farming. Further implications of this study, and directions for future research are discussed in the final chapter.

year: 2016

title: Toitū Te Whānau, Toitū Te Iwi: A Community Approach to English Transition

authors: Berryman, Mere

subjects: Maori

abstract: The research project presented in this thesis documents and describes the outcomes of effective whānau (immediate and extended family), kura (school), student, and researcher collaboration. The researcher became part of a whānau-of-interest (Bishop, 1996b) in 1998 and 1999 when she was invited by this community to help develop a suitable programme to assist highly competent Māori immersion students in their transition to a bi-lingual secondary school (the only option available in their community). The whānau wanted students to begin their secondary schooling with an improved competence in reading and writing in English but without compromising their competency in Maori language. Prior to this programme few of the students had received any formal instruction in the English language.
After a ten-week intervention implemented mainly outside the classroom, the researcher found that whānau tutors had effectively implemented the programmes and that all Year 8 students were able to read stories (in English) and talk about them (in English) at age appropriate reading levels. They also displayed improved rates of writing in English while maintaining their high fluency in reading and writing in Māori. The 10-week programme and results were replicated over a further three terms with the Year 7 and again with the Year 6 students. The study employed a multiple baseline across groups, design. A collaborative story gathered from participants at the end of the programme, together with these process and outcome data, strongly support the successful outcomes of this "participant driven" (Bishop, 1996b) programme.

text: Toitū Te Whānau, Toitū Te Iwi: A Community Approach to English Transition The research project presented in this thesis documents and describes the outcomes of effective whānau (immediate and extended family), kura (school), student, and researcher collaboration. The researcher became part of a whānau-of-interest (Bishop, 1996b) in 1998 and 1999 when she was invited by this community to help develop a suitable programme to assist highly competent Māori immersion students in their transition to a bi-lingual secondary school (the only option available in their community). The whānau wanted students to begin their secondary schooling with an improved competence in reading and writing in English but without compromising their competency in Maori language. Prior to this programme few of the students had received any formal instruction in the English language.
After a ten-week intervention implemented mainly outside the classroom, the researcher found that whānau tutors had effectively implemented the programmes and that all Year 8 students were able to read stories (in English) and talk about them (in English) at age appropriate reading levels. They also displayed improved rates of writing in English while maintaining their high fluency in reading and writing in Māori. The 10-week programme and results were replicated over a further three terms with the Year 7 and again with the Year 6 students. The study employed a multiple baseline across groups, design. A collaborative story gathered from participants at the end of the programme, together with these process and outcome data, strongly support the successful outcomes of this "participant driven" (Bishop, 1996b) programme.

year: 2001