title: Theories of governance and pacific microstates: The cautionary tale of Tuvalu.

authors: Goldsmith, Michael

subjects: governance

abstract: This paper questions the popularity of governance frameworks in explaining development failures and proposing new models of development for Pacific states. Such popularity is attributed to how problems are selected and framed (the doomsday scenario of demographic and environmental collapse, weakening of the state, and an upsurge in corruption) but also, and most importantly, to the recent hegemony of neo-liberal theory in political economy. Taking the MIRAB microstate of Tuvalu as a counterexample, each of those pillars of governance theory is seen to be lacking or to require a more nuanced form of understanding. A brief analysis of how the dominant Protestant church fits into traditional and modern systems of administration illustrates the complexity of local issues. The essay concludes with a discussion of how the neo-liberal governance orthodoxy lacks the critical insight into power and agency afforded by Foucault's concept of governmentality.

text: Theories of governance and pacific microstates: The cautionary tale of Tuvalu. This paper questions the popularity of governance frameworks in explaining development failures and proposing new models of development for Pacific states. Such popularity is attributed to how problems are selected and framed (the doomsday scenario of demographic and environmental collapse, weakening of the state, and an upsurge in corruption) but also, and most importantly, to the recent hegemony of neo-liberal theory in political economy. Taking the MIRAB microstate of Tuvalu as a counterexample, each of those pillars of governance theory is seen to be lacking or to require a more nuanced form of understanding. A brief analysis of how the dominant Protestant church fits into traditional and modern systems of administration illustrates the complexity of local issues. The essay concludes with a discussion of how the neo-liberal governance orthodoxy lacks the critical insight into power and agency afforded by Foucault's concept of governmentality.

year: 2005

title: Nowcasting and predicting data revisions using panel survey data

authors: Matheson, Troy D.

subjects: nowcasting

abstract: The qualitative responses that firms give to business survey questions regarding changes in their own output provide a real-time signal of official output changes. The most commonly used method to produce an aggregate quantitative indicator from business survey responses - the net balance or diffusion index - has changed little in 40 years. This paper investigates whether an improved real-time signal of official output data changes can be derived from a recently advanced method on the aggregation of survey data from panel responses. We find, in a New Zealand application, that exploiting the panel dimension to qualitative survey data gives a better in-sample signal about official data than traditional methods. Out-of-sample, it is less clear that it matters how survey data are quantified, with simpler and more parsimonious methods hard to improve. It is clear, nevertheless, that survey data, exploited in some form, help to explain revisions to official data.

text: Nowcasting and predicting data revisions using panel survey data The qualitative responses that firms give to business survey questions regarding changes in their own output provide a real-time signal of official output changes. The most commonly used method to produce an aggregate quantitative indicator from business survey responses - the net balance or diffusion index - has changed little in 40 years. This paper investigates whether an improved real-time signal of official output data changes can be derived from a recently advanced method on the aggregation of survey data from panel responses. We find, in a New Zealand application, that exploiting the panel dimension to qualitative survey data gives a better in-sample signal about official data than traditional methods. Out-of-sample, it is less clear that it matters how survey data are quantified, with simpler and more parsimonious methods hard to improve. It is clear, nevertheless, that survey data, exploited in some form, help to explain revisions to official data.

year: 2009

title: Māori men and the indirect procurement and sharing of prescription medications

authors: Hodgetts, Darrin

subjects: Māori men

abstract: Māori men have higher rates of many diseases and lower life expectancy than other population groups in New Zealand. The general consensus is that these health inequalities are due to the inequitable distribution of the social determinants of health; for example, education, employment, income and housing, and were largely driven by colonization and the social and economic marginalization of Māori. Health care factors, including reluctance to consult doctors or late presentation, are part of this equation, but do not fully explain the disparities in health between Māori men and other population groups. As part of our ongoing work in this area, we draw on a focus group discussion with seven Māori community health workers to provide a preliminary analysis of how some Māori people access and use medications. Particular attention is given to the emergent practice of Māori women presenting to general practitioners (GPs) with proxy symptoms to obtain medications for their male partners. This practice exemplifies a range of strategies that some whānau (family) have developed to navigate the health system and overcome the reluctance of some men to engage with the medical profession. The practice raises issues relating to the nature of “primary” and “whānau” care, accessibility of medical services and medications, adherence to medication regimes and the dynamics of doctor–patient relations.

text: Māori men and the indirect procurement and sharing of prescription medications Māori men have higher rates of many diseases and lower life expectancy than other population groups in New Zealand. The general consensus is that these health inequalities are due to the inequitable distribution of the social determinants of health; for example, education, employment, income and housing, and were largely driven by colonization and the social and economic marginalization of Māori. Health care factors, including reluctance to consult doctors or late presentation, are part of this equation, but do not fully explain the disparities in health between Māori men and other population groups. As part of our ongoing work in this area, we draw on a focus group discussion with seven Māori community health workers to provide a preliminary analysis of how some Māori people access and use medications. Particular attention is given to the emergent practice of Māori women presenting to general practitioners (GPs) with proxy symptoms to obtain medications for their male partners. This practice exemplifies a range of strategies that some whānau (family) have developed to navigate the health system and overcome the reluctance of some men to engage with the medical profession. The practice raises issues relating to the nature of “primary” and “whānau” care, accessibility of medical services and medications, adherence to medication regimes and the dynamics of doctor–patient relations.

year: 2011