title: High Performance Leadership: The Influence of Mindfulness and Reinvestment

authors: Herring, Jacinda Ada-Marie

subjects: High performance leadership

abstract: In the forever changing national and global markets, the need for high performing leaders is critical, particularly for organisational success. High performance leadership, established in the current study by one’s self-reported recall of performance under pressure, as well as actual level of leadership, matters when functioning within highly complex, dynamic, and pressurised environments. These environments, however, can cause leaders to perform poorly, despite having high motivation and incentives for success; a phenomenon sometimes referred to as choking. 
	Drawing on 119 corporate and 63 athletic individuals, the current research set out to (1) assess the role of mindfulness in performance and to examine the role of mindfulness in pressure situations and (2) introduce the notion of reinvestment, a psychological concept associated with performance failure under pressure, into Industrial/ Organisational Psychology literature.
	Results of the study supported past research examining mindfulness, and reiterated the positive role that mindfulness plays in performance, particularly at high levels of employment; suggesting that individuals who hold high levels of dispositional mindfulness are more likely to reach higher levels of leadership or seniority within employment than those low in mindfulness. Additionally, the results supported past research examining reinvestment, and highlights the negative role that reinvestment plays in performance, with those individuals who have a high predisposition to reinvest when under pressure recalling lower levels of performance, and achieving lower levels of leadership within employment. Only partial support for these relationships were found for the athletic population.
	Moderation analyses indicated that mindfulness and reinvestment appear to function together, for the corporate population only. Participants reporting high levels of mindfulness and high levels of decision reinvestment (specifically decision rumination) appeared to achieve performance levels that were significantly higher than participants reporting low levels of mindfulness and high levels of decision rumination. This suggests that in the organisational setting, and particularly for leaders, some level of rumination in decision making is beneficial, provided mindfulness is also present. This new finding has been termed mindful rumination, and it is argued that, in the corporate setting, engaging in mindful rumination is beneficial to making informed decisions, particularly when under pressure. This suggests that encouraging mindful rumination may be beneficial to organisational performance, and support performance at high levels of leadership. Alternatively, mindful rumination may be used to encourage career advancement.
	Overall, this study explores notions of high performance leadership, which goes above-and-beyond traditional understandings. The current study has successfully introduced notions of reinvestment into organisational life, providing a foundation for future research to explore the mechanisms that underpin performance failure in the corporate setting. Additionally, this study has demonstrated that for high performing leaders, engaging in mindful rumination is beneficial to performance.

text: High Performance Leadership: The Influence of Mindfulness and Reinvestment In the forever changing national and global markets, the need for high performing leaders is critical, particularly for organisational success. High performance leadership, established in the current study by one’s self-reported recall of performance under pressure, as well as actual level of leadership, matters when functioning within highly complex, dynamic, and pressurised environments. These environments, however, can cause leaders to perform poorly, despite having high motivation and incentives for success; a phenomenon sometimes referred to as choking. 
	Drawing on 119 corporate and 63 athletic individuals, the current research set out to (1) assess the role of mindfulness in performance and to examine the role of mindfulness in pressure situations and (2) introduce the notion of reinvestment, a psychological concept associated with performance failure under pressure, into Industrial/ Organisational Psychology literature.
	Results of the study supported past research examining mindfulness, and reiterated the positive role that mindfulness plays in performance, particularly at high levels of employment; suggesting that individuals who hold high levels of dispositional mindfulness are more likely to reach higher levels of leadership or seniority within employment than those low in mindfulness. Additionally, the results supported past research examining reinvestment, and highlights the negative role that reinvestment plays in performance, with those individuals who have a high predisposition to reinvest when under pressure recalling lower levels of performance, and achieving lower levels of leadership within employment. Only partial support for these relationships were found for the athletic population.
	Moderation analyses indicated that mindfulness and reinvestment appear to function together, for the corporate population only. Participants reporting high levels of mindfulness and high levels of decision reinvestment (specifically decision rumination) appeared to achieve performance levels that were significantly higher than participants reporting low levels of mindfulness and high levels of decision rumination. This suggests that in the organisational setting, and particularly for leaders, some level of rumination in decision making is beneficial, provided mindfulness is also present. This new finding has been termed mindful rumination, and it is argued that, in the corporate setting, engaging in mindful rumination is beneficial to making informed decisions, particularly when under pressure. This suggests that encouraging mindful rumination may be beneficial to organisational performance, and support performance at high levels of leadership. Alternatively, mindful rumination may be used to encourage career advancement.
	Overall, this study explores notions of high performance leadership, which goes above-and-beyond traditional understandings. The current study has successfully introduced notions of reinvestment into organisational life, providing a foundation for future research to explore the mechanisms that underpin performance failure in the corporate setting. Additionally, this study has demonstrated that for high performing leaders, engaging in mindful rumination is beneficial to performance.

year: 2016

title: Energy Investment and Emissions Planning for Electricity Generation in Myanmar

authors: Win, Phyu Phyu

subjects: Energy planning

abstract: Hydropower plays a critical role in supplying electricity generation in the developing nation of Myanmar. Over the next 15 years (2015 – 2030) with anticipated rapid social and economic development in Myanmar, the demand for electricity is expected to increase from 23718 GWh in 2015 to 136605 GWh in 2030, which is nearly a six-fold increase. The aim of this thesis is to investigate the critical role of hydropower in the Myanmar electricity sector in meeting projected demand in 2030. As a result this thesis presents a detailed analysis of electricity generation in Myanmar using chiefly two methods: Energy Return on Investment (EROI) and Carbon Emissions Pinch Analysis (CEPA).
The contributions of this thesis to literature and Myanmar include: (1) the development of a low energy investment, low emissions roadmap towards achieving electricity demand in 2030 for Myanmar; (2) the identification of 20 storage-type hydropower stations that with excellent EROI values and low energy payback times, which help form the foundation of the future development roadmap; and (3), the determination of dam-type-specific empirical correlations for EROI by inputting the estimated electricity output (based on head, water flow, overall efficiency and capacity factor) and dam volume. 
By implementing the recommendation of a further 20 hydropower plants, beyond the currently installed and under-construction plants, Myanmar can achieve its ambitious 2030 electricity supply target, 136605 GWh, in which a major of generation comes from hydropower (69%). The remaining generation comes from natural gas (24%), coal 3340 GWh (2.5%) and other renewables such as solar, wind and biomass (4.5%). Compared to the Myanmar’s current National Electricity Master Plan (2014-2030) adopted by Ministry of Electric Power, the recommendations in this thesis can lead to 41% mitigation of carbon emissions with 7% less energy investment.

text: Energy Investment and Emissions Planning for Electricity Generation in Myanmar Hydropower plays a critical role in supplying electricity generation in the developing nation of Myanmar. Over the next 15 years (2015 – 2030) with anticipated rapid social and economic development in Myanmar, the demand for electricity is expected to increase from 23718 GWh in 2015 to 136605 GWh in 2030, which is nearly a six-fold increase. The aim of this thesis is to investigate the critical role of hydropower in the Myanmar electricity sector in meeting projected demand in 2030. As a result this thesis presents a detailed analysis of electricity generation in Myanmar using chiefly two methods: Energy Return on Investment (EROI) and Carbon Emissions Pinch Analysis (CEPA).
The contributions of this thesis to literature and Myanmar include: (1) the development of a low energy investment, low emissions roadmap towards achieving electricity demand in 2030 for Myanmar; (2) the identification of 20 storage-type hydropower stations that with excellent EROI values and low energy payback times, which help form the foundation of the future development roadmap; and (3), the determination of dam-type-specific empirical correlations for EROI by inputting the estimated electricity output (based on head, water flow, overall efficiency and capacity factor) and dam volume. 
By implementing the recommendation of a further 20 hydropower plants, beyond the currently installed and under-construction plants, Myanmar can achieve its ambitious 2030 electricity supply target, 136605 GWh, in which a major of generation comes from hydropower (69%). The remaining generation comes from natural gas (24%), coal 3340 GWh (2.5%) and other renewables such as solar, wind and biomass (4.5%). Compared to the Myanmar’s current National Electricity Master Plan (2014-2030) adopted by Ministry of Electric Power, the recommendations in this thesis can lead to 41% mitigation of carbon emissions with 7% less energy investment.

year: 2016

title: Are You Listening? The Voice of Waitaha, A Forgotten People.

authors: Reese, Alistair William

subjects: maori

abstract: This thesis is a study of Waitaha, a Bay of Plenty iwi that has been marginalized through
the loss of most of its land, much of its language, tikanga, and mana. The purpose of the
work is to communicate, through the 'voice' and the history of the people, a chronicle, of
their alienation to a Pākehā audience that remains in large part ignorant and distant from
their plight.
The thesis is motivated by an academic responsibility to the Treaty of Waitangi and the
lack of understanding to the present needs of Māori as evidenced for example, by the
support for the January 2004 Orewa speech, by the leader of the National Party, Don
Brash. It is predicated upon the understanding that this response, which minimalises the
impact of colonization upon Māori, is constructed by many, through a convenience of
distance. It is motivated also on the understanding that most Pākehā who now inhabit the rohe of Waitaha, are completely ignorant of the identity of tangata whenua. It is hoped
that the presentation of the Waitaha story, will provoke a greater empathy from Pākehā,
and thereby facilitate an environment, whereby grievances can be addressed in an
environment of greater understanding.
The thesis is a qualitative based research exercise, carried out in consultation with
kaumātua and other Waitaha members, and attempts to acknowledge and integrate current kaupapa Māori epistemologies with traditional Western academic methodology.
The study uses interviews, Waitangi Tribunal evidence, and other historical references to
construct a narrative that conveys something of the 'voice' of Waitaha. Specifically, it
outlines a chronology of Waitaha settlement, followed by a description of their encounter
with Pākehā, the consequent alienation of the majority of their lands by the Crown, and
concludes, with a glimpse into the current circumstance of Manoeka, the papakainga of
Waitaha.

text: Are You Listening? The Voice of Waitaha, A Forgotten People. This thesis is a study of Waitaha, a Bay of Plenty iwi that has been marginalized through
the loss of most of its land, much of its language, tikanga, and mana. The purpose of the
work is to communicate, through the 'voice' and the history of the people, a chronicle, of
their alienation to a Pākehā audience that remains in large part ignorant and distant from
their plight.
The thesis is motivated by an academic responsibility to the Treaty of Waitangi and the
lack of understanding to the present needs of Māori as evidenced for example, by the
support for the January 2004 Orewa speech, by the leader of the National Party, Don
Brash. It is predicated upon the understanding that this response, which minimalises the
impact of colonization upon Māori, is constructed by many, through a convenience of
distance. It is motivated also on the understanding that most Pākehā who now inhabit the rohe of Waitaha, are completely ignorant of the identity of tangata whenua. It is hoped
that the presentation of the Waitaha story, will provoke a greater empathy from Pākehā,
and thereby facilitate an environment, whereby grievances can be addressed in an
environment of greater understanding.
The thesis is a qualitative based research exercise, carried out in consultation with
kaumātua and other Waitaha members, and attempts to acknowledge and integrate current kaupapa Māori epistemologies with traditional Western academic methodology.
The study uses interviews, Waitangi Tribunal evidence, and other historical references to
construct a narrative that conveys something of the 'voice' of Waitaha. Specifically, it
outlines a chronology of Waitaha settlement, followed by a description of their encounter
with Pākehā, the consequent alienation of the majority of their lands by the Crown, and
concludes, with a glimpse into the current circumstance of Manoeka, the papakainga of
Waitaha.

year: 2006