title: Testing the synchroneity of pollen signals using tephrostratigraphy

authors: Newnham, Rewi M.

subjects: pollen signals

abstract: Since the advent of radiocarbon dating, the concept of synchronous pollen-vegetation events extending across broad regions such as the British Isles, which had emerged from earlier pollen-stratigraphic studies, has been largely refuted. Nevertheless the assumption that pollen profiles within a geographically coherent area should exhibit broadly comparable and synchronous pollen signals still holds currency among some palynologists. This assumption is tested here by comparing pollen spectra between lateglacial and postglacial sites in northern New Zealand, until recently unaffected by human activity, where independent correlations are obtained by tephrochronology. At sites of similar size, morphology, and depositional environment within the same phytogeomorphic region, it is possible to achieve accurate palynological correlations, provided local taxa and those representing ecologically disparate source species are omitted from the pollen datasets. However, anomalous correlations may still occur and are more likely when sites with different depositional environments or at greater distances are compared. These results suggest that the concept of synchronous pollen signals, even between nearby sites with similar depositional setting, is not universally applicable and it is possible that erroneous palynostratigraphic correlations have been made in the past.

text: Testing the synchroneity of pollen signals using tephrostratigraphy Since the advent of radiocarbon dating, the concept of synchronous pollen-vegetation events extending across broad regions such as the British Isles, which had emerged from earlier pollen-stratigraphic studies, has been largely refuted. Nevertheless the assumption that pollen profiles within a geographically coherent area should exhibit broadly comparable and synchronous pollen signals still holds currency among some palynologists. This assumption is tested here by comparing pollen spectra between lateglacial and postglacial sites in northern New Zealand, until recently unaffected by human activity, where independent correlations are obtained by tephrochronology. At sites of similar size, morphology, and depositional environment within the same phytogeomorphic region, it is possible to achieve accurate palynological correlations, provided local taxa and those representing ecologically disparate source species are omitted from the pollen datasets. However, anomalous correlations may still occur and are more likely when sites with different depositional environments or at greater distances are compared. These results suggest that the concept of synchronous pollen signals, even between nearby sites with similar depositional setting, is not universally applicable and it is possible that erroneous palynostratigraphic correlations have been made in the past.

year: 1999

title: The happy story of small business financing

authors: Vos, Ed

subjects: small-to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)

abstract: We examine two data sets, one from the UK (n = 15,750) and one from the US (n = 3239), to show that SME financial behaviour demonstrates substantial financial contentment, or ‘happiness’. We find fewer than 10% of the UK firms seek significant growth and only 1.32% of US firms list a shortage of capital other than working capital as a problem. Financial performance indicators (growth, return on assets, profit margin) were not found to be determinants of SME financing activities, as might be expected in a ‘rational’ risk–return environment. Younger and less educated SME owners more actively use external financing – even though more education reduces the fear of loan denial – while older and more educated (‘wiser’) SME owners are found to be being less likely to seek or use external financing. The contentment hypothesis for SME financing also extends to high-growth firms in that we show that they participate more in the loan markets than low-growth firms. By way of contrast to the finance gap hypothesis, the contentment hypothesis observes the importance of social networks (connections) [for finance] and confirms the ‘connections – happiness’ linkage in the literature on happiness while doubting the theoretical suitability of Jensen and Meckling [Jensen, M., Meckling, W., 1976. Theory of the firm: Managerial behavior, agency costs, and ownership structure. Journal of Financial Economics 3, 305–360.] base-case analysis for SMEs.

text: The happy story of small business financing We examine two data sets, one from the UK (n = 15,750) and one from the US (n = 3239), to show that SME financial behaviour demonstrates substantial financial contentment, or ‘happiness’. We find fewer than 10% of the UK firms seek significant growth and only 1.32% of US firms list a shortage of capital other than working capital as a problem. Financial performance indicators (growth, return on assets, profit margin) were not found to be determinants of SME financing activities, as might be expected in a ‘rational’ risk–return environment. Younger and less educated SME owners more actively use external financing – even though more education reduces the fear of loan denial – while older and more educated (‘wiser’) SME owners are found to be being less likely to seek or use external financing. The contentment hypothesis for SME financing also extends to high-growth firms in that we show that they participate more in the loan markets than low-growth firms. By way of contrast to the finance gap hypothesis, the contentment hypothesis observes the importance of social networks (connections) [for finance] and confirms the ‘connections – happiness’ linkage in the literature on happiness while doubting the theoretical suitability of Jensen and Meckling [Jensen, M., Meckling, W., 1976. Theory of the firm: Managerial behavior, agency costs, and ownership structure. Journal of Financial Economics 3, 305–360.] base-case analysis for SMEs.

year: 2007

title: Mā Te Wai - Ka Piki Ake Te Hauora

authors: Rollo, Te Manaaroha Pirihira

abstract: This paper researched traditional Māori forms of music therapy focusing on waiata¹ and taonga pūoro² . Linking cultures: collaborative partnerships in music therapy and related disciplines is the main objective of this research. In support, this paper examined past and current Māori practices that aim to heal and promote ‘well-being’ amongst people, thus resulting in linking the Māori culture and therapeutic values and practices in contemporary New Zealand

text: Mā Te Wai - Ka Piki Ake Te Hauora This paper researched traditional Māori forms of music therapy focusing on waiata¹ and taonga pūoro² . Linking cultures: collaborative partnerships in music therapy and related disciplines is the main objective of this research. In support, this paper examined past and current Māori practices that aim to heal and promote ‘well-being’ amongst people, thus resulting in linking the Māori culture and therapeutic values and practices in contemporary New Zealand

year: 2013-11-23