title: Aspects of organisational decline and crisis: the multi-dimensional crisis in the United Kibbutz Movement

authors: Sheaffer, Zachary

abstract: The thesis refers to the occurrence, evolution and analysis of a multi-dimensional crisis in the kibbutzim affiliated with Israel’s largest Kibbutz Federation, the United Kibbutz Movement. Concurrent with and preceding the all-encompassing crisis, a latent if persistent organisational decline is known to have affected most of the kibbutzim. The thesis, therefore, simultaneously addresses aspects of organisational decline and organisational crisis. None of the aforementioned phenomenon have as yet been appropriately researched within the framework of the kibbutz.

It is generally argued that the kibbutz developed a large measure of organisational inertia, was shielded by a favouring task-environment, hence numbed its boundary spanning capacity. Adverse environmental jolts triggered a major crisis which exposed a wide variety of structural-organisational dysfunctions. This study encompasses a relatively large number of aspects consanguine with theories of both organisational decline and crisis.

A number of reasons highlight the scholarly requisite in attending to these topics. On the one hand, the literature on organisational decline and crisis from different disciplines, posits often contradictory directions for both the synthesis of a coherent body of knowledge and prescriptions for crisis management. On the other hand, negative organisational trends within the kibbutz system have been very passably addressed. Since both decline and crisis digress from normative organisational conduct that underscores growth, they present somewhat more challenging research topics.

Growing awareness as to the accelerated pace of organisational retrenchments and business failures alike have invoked academic as well as managerial interest. The rarity of either cross-sectional and specifically longitudinal data reflecting the dynamics of crisis and decline have resulted in proliferous theoretical treatises that, almost invariably lacked a comprehensive empirical substantiation.

This thesis encompasses a population of crisis-ridden organisations based upon a longitudinal data-base. The study investigates antecedents, causes and responses to the crisis, employing statistical methodologies (Multiple Correspondence Analysis, Multiple Discriminant Analysis and Pooled Regression Analysis), hitherto not applied in the emerging discipline of organisational decline, crisis and demise. The findings support important theoretical propositions relevant to the roots of organisational response and organisational mobilisation towards a turnaround or organisational change.

Essentially, many of the theoretical presumptions are akin with the normative dichotomy between not-for-profit and business organisations. To a large extent, these theories have been found to adequately mirror the situation in the kibbutz despite the structural co-existence of business and public domains under one organisational framework. The study points to three major types of crises; an economic, demographic and a crisis of meaninglessness. These may not be viewed singularly but should be conceptualised as a multi-dimensional or multi-facetted crisis. Indications abound as to the existence of vicious circles entailing the organisational, economic and demographic facets of the kibbutz. Empirical findings lend support mainly to theories ranging from brain-drain, prediction of organisational crisis, organisational goals and resistance to change. The thesis systematises a modest basis for further research as well as advances robust methodologies to facilitate future analyses of declining and demising organisations.

text: Aspects of organisational decline and crisis: the multi-dimensional crisis in the United Kibbutz Movement The thesis refers to the occurrence, evolution and analysis of a multi-dimensional crisis in the kibbutzim affiliated with Israel’s largest Kibbutz Federation, the United Kibbutz Movement. Concurrent with and preceding the all-encompassing crisis, a latent if persistent organisational decline is known to have affected most of the kibbutzim. The thesis, therefore, simultaneously addresses aspects of organisational decline and organisational crisis. None of the aforementioned phenomenon have as yet been appropriately researched within the framework of the kibbutz.

It is generally argued that the kibbutz developed a large measure of organisational inertia, was shielded by a favouring task-environment, hence numbed its boundary spanning capacity. Adverse environmental jolts triggered a major crisis which exposed a wide variety of structural-organisational dysfunctions. This study encompasses a relatively large number of aspects consanguine with theories of both organisational decline and crisis.

A number of reasons highlight the scholarly requisite in attending to these topics. On the one hand, the literature on organisational decline and crisis from different disciplines, posits often contradictory directions for both the synthesis of a coherent body of knowledge and prescriptions for crisis management. On the other hand, negative organisational trends within the kibbutz system have been very passably addressed. Since both decline and crisis digress from normative organisational conduct that underscores growth, they present somewhat more challenging research topics.

Growing awareness as to the accelerated pace of organisational retrenchments and business failures alike have invoked academic as well as managerial interest. The rarity of either cross-sectional and specifically longitudinal data reflecting the dynamics of crisis and decline have resulted in proliferous theoretical treatises that, almost invariably lacked a comprehensive empirical substantiation.

This thesis encompasses a population of crisis-ridden organisations based upon a longitudinal data-base. The study investigates antecedents, causes and responses to the crisis, employing statistical methodologies (Multiple Correspondence Analysis, Multiple Discriminant Analysis and Pooled Regression Analysis), hitherto not applied in the emerging discipline of organisational decline, crisis and demise. The findings support important theoretical propositions relevant to the roots of organisational response and organisational mobilisation towards a turnaround or organisational change.

Essentially, many of the theoretical presumptions are akin with the normative dichotomy between not-for-profit and business organisations. To a large extent, these theories have been found to adequately mirror the situation in the kibbutz despite the structural co-existence of business and public domains under one organisational framework. The study points to three major types of crises; an economic, demographic and a crisis of meaninglessness. These may not be viewed singularly but should be conceptualised as a multi-dimensional or multi-facetted crisis. Indications abound as to the existence of vicious circles entailing the organisational, economic and demographic facets of the kibbutz. Empirical findings lend support mainly to theories ranging from brain-drain, prediction of organisational crisis, organisational goals and resistance to change. The thesis systematises a modest basis for further research as well as advances robust methodologies to facilitate future analyses of declining and demising organisations.

year: 1992

title: Design and demonstration of a mouse-specific Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation coil in-vitro

authors: Khokhar, Farah Adeebah

abstract: In Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, rapid electromagnetic fields (EM) are applied to the brain. The fundamental effects of TMS are poorly understood so we need smaller coils to perform invasive measurements on mice. Based on established physics principles, I have designed, built and modelled four mouse-specific TMS coils. A capacitor is discharged through these coils at 50 V power supply. The magnetic flux densities of these coils were measured with a Hall probe at the base of the coils and 2 mm above the Hall sensor. The induced electric field strengths of these coils were measured with a wire loop at 50 V power supply. The heating in coils were measured at 50 V supply with thermocouple probe.
I aimed to design and demonstrate a mouse-specific TMS coil that can generate high and focused induced electric field. I have designed, measured and modelled 50-turn tapered powdered iron core-coil that generated magnetic field strengths of around 700 mT at 0 mm above the coil and 340 mT at 2 mm above the coil. This shows that the coil is close to the B-field value of human TMS coils. These B-fields are larger than the previously designed coils by other researchers. However, while the induced E-field was focused at 10 V/m, it was still significantly lower in strength than for human TMS coils.
Finally, I have applied 1200 pulses of continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) and intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) to mouse brain slices and analysed the change in spontaneous electrical activity and evoked potential response in mouse brain with the 50-turn tapered powdered iron-core coil. For SLE experiments, we see a significant change in SLE frequencies. For cTBS, the frequency decreases over 0–20 minutes after stimulation and for iTBS the frequency increases over 0–20 minutes after stimulation. For evoked potential experiments, we see no significant change in either peak-to-peak amplitudes or gradient responses.
In this four-year thesis project, a tapered mouse-specific TMS coil has been designed and demonstrated in vitro. The electromagnetic field strengths measured for this coil are sufficient to change the spontaneous behaviour of mouse brain slice with theta burst stimulation.

text: Design and demonstration of a mouse-specific Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation coil in-vitro In Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, rapid electromagnetic fields (EM) are applied to the brain. The fundamental effects of TMS are poorly understood so we need smaller coils to perform invasive measurements on mice. Based on established physics principles, I have designed, built and modelled four mouse-specific TMS coils. A capacitor is discharged through these coils at 50 V power supply. The magnetic flux densities of these coils were measured with a Hall probe at the base of the coils and 2 mm above the Hall sensor. The induced electric field strengths of these coils were measured with a wire loop at 50 V power supply. The heating in coils were measured at 50 V supply with thermocouple probe.
I aimed to design and demonstrate a mouse-specific TMS coil that can generate high and focused induced electric field. I have designed, measured and modelled 50-turn tapered powdered iron core-coil that generated magnetic field strengths of around 700 mT at 0 mm above the coil and 340 mT at 2 mm above the coil. This shows that the coil is close to the B-field value of human TMS coils. These B-fields are larger than the previously designed coils by other researchers. However, while the induced E-field was focused at 10 V/m, it was still significantly lower in strength than for human TMS coils.
Finally, I have applied 1200 pulses of continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) and intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) to mouse brain slices and analysed the change in spontaneous electrical activity and evoked potential response in mouse brain with the 50-turn tapered powdered iron-core coil. For SLE experiments, we see a significant change in SLE frequencies. For cTBS, the frequency decreases over 0–20 minutes after stimulation and for iTBS the frequency increases over 0–20 minutes after stimulation. For evoked potential experiments, we see no significant change in either peak-to-peak amplitudes or gradient responses.
In this four-year thesis project, a tapered mouse-specific TMS coil has been designed and demonstrated in vitro. The electromagnetic field strengths measured for this coil are sufficient to change the spontaneous behaviour of mouse brain slice with theta burst stimulation.

year: 2021

title: Māori Waiata: Discourse structuring, sub-genres and aesthetics

authors: Roa, Raukura

subjects: Te reo Māori

abstract: With particular reference to a discourse-based analysis of five waiata tangi from Ngāti Hauā, it is argued here that different types of Māori waiata (songs and chants) may be characterised by different types of overall discourse structuring. It is also suggested that discourse structuring may be a significant aspect of the aesthetics of Māori waiata.

text: Māori Waiata: Discourse structuring, sub-genres and aesthetics With particular reference to a discourse-based analysis of five waiata tangi from Ngāti Hauā, it is argued here that different types of Māori waiata (songs and chants) may be characterised by different types of overall discourse structuring. It is also suggested that discourse structuring may be a significant aspect of the aesthetics of Māori waiata.

year: 2004-02