title: Ein wahleignungstest für minderjährige?

authors: Munn, Nicholas

subjects: Political Science

abstract: In der modernen demokratischen Praxis gelten Alphabetisierungstests und andere Mechanismen, um Bürgerinnen und Bürger vom aktiven Wahlrecht auszuschließen, weithin und zurecht als verpönt. Dennoch scheinen zumindest einige Testformen ein probates Mittel darzustellen, um die Urteilsfähigkeit von Menschen mit bestimmten Defiziten zu erfassen. Der Beitrag diskutiert einen Vorschlag für ein Eignungstestregime, welches nur auf gegenwärtig von politischer Beteiligung ausgeschlossene junge Menschen angewendet wird, und setzt sich mit einer Reihe von Einwänden gegen einen solchen Vorschlag auseinander. Zuletzt macht er geltend, dass ein Eignungstestregime sowohl für die solcherart einbezogenen Individuen als auch für die demokratischen Staaten, die es implementieren würden, von Vorteil wäre.

text: Ein wahleignungstest für minderjährige? In der modernen demokratischen Praxis gelten Alphabetisierungstests und andere Mechanismen, um Bürgerinnen und Bürger vom aktiven Wahlrecht auszuschließen, weithin und zurecht als verpönt. Dennoch scheinen zumindest einige Testformen ein probates Mittel darzustellen, um die Urteilsfähigkeit von Menschen mit bestimmten Defiziten zu erfassen. Der Beitrag diskutiert einen Vorschlag für ein Eignungstestregime, welches nur auf gegenwärtig von politischer Beteiligung ausgeschlossene junge Menschen angewendet wird, und setzt sich mit einer Reihe von Einwänden gegen einen solchen Vorschlag auseinander. Zuletzt macht er geltend, dass ein Eignungstestregime sowohl für die solcherart einbezogenen Individuen als auch für die demokratischen Staaten, die es implementieren würden, von Vorteil wäre.

year: 2015

title: The impact of foreign direct investment on New Zealand industry

authors: Scott-Kennel, Joanna

abstract: This thesis examines the impact of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) on industry in New Zealand. The research question addressed by the thesis is “What is the impact of FDI on New Zealand industry?”. The scope of the research incorporates the immediate, or first round impact of FDI on the foreign-owned affiliates operating in New Zealand, and the long-term, or second round impact on other local firms via inter-firm linkages. The thesis operationalises the Investment Development Path (IDP) concept which links economic development to inward and outward FDI. The IDP posits that given appropriate receptor conditions, the unique Ownership-Location-Internalisation (OLI) configuration of the Multinational Enterprise (MNE), via the inward FDI vehicle, might provide the impetus for upgrading of local industry and eventually, outward FDI by indigenous firms. This thesis assesses how this might occur at the firm-level. 

A survey of all foreign-owned firms operating in New Zealand as at November 1999, resulted in 516 useable responses from an estimated population of 1554 firms. Descriptive statistics, multiple and logistic regression, and cluster analysis were employed to analyse these responses. This is the only major survey of FDI in New Zealand undertaken since the late 1960s, and thus fills a considerable gap in the existing literature.

The results reveal that the affiliates are reliant on their foreign parent companies for resources such as finance, technology, knowledge and innovation, that offer them competitive advantage in New Zealand. The affiliates form a variety of linkages with local firms. The most significant of these are indirect competitive linkages, forward linkages with agents and customers, backward linkages to source specialised services, and collaborative linkages. The research model relates the Degree Of Linkage (DOL) of the affiliate within the local economy to its impact on local industry upgrading. The results suggest that as DOL increases, the opportunities for upgrading also increase via quasi-internalisation of ownership-specific advantages by the affiliate.

The thesis concludes that FDI has a significant impact on local industry upgrading at the first round level by adding to the competencies of the affiliate, and at the second round level through competitive pressure, creating demand and supply, providing assistance, and transferring firm-specific resources to local firms. The contributions of this thesis to existing knowledge relating to the impact of FDI are as follows. One, examination of a broad range of linkages allows a more comprehensive assessment of the extent and pattern of second round impact. Two, incorporating assistance and collaborative linkages confirms that quasi-internalisation of ownership-specific advantages may occur through intermediate organisational routes as a complement to the hierarchical routes associated with FDI. Three, focus on the second round impact at the micro-level demonstrates the crucial link between inward FDI, upgrading of local industry, outward FDI, and the eventual economic development of a host country. Four, classification of affiliates by DOL enables the identification of distinct types of FDI and thus, different outcomes for industry upgrading. Five, analysis of the key determinants of linkage formation and DOL, provides policymakers with a foundation from which to evaluate the potential of FDI for upgrading in the future.

text: The impact of foreign direct investment on New Zealand industry This thesis examines the impact of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) on industry in New Zealand. The research question addressed by the thesis is “What is the impact of FDI on New Zealand industry?”. The scope of the research incorporates the immediate, or first round impact of FDI on the foreign-owned affiliates operating in New Zealand, and the long-term, or second round impact on other local firms via inter-firm linkages. The thesis operationalises the Investment Development Path (IDP) concept which links economic development to inward and outward FDI. The IDP posits that given appropriate receptor conditions, the unique Ownership-Location-Internalisation (OLI) configuration of the Multinational Enterprise (MNE), via the inward FDI vehicle, might provide the impetus for upgrading of local industry and eventually, outward FDI by indigenous firms. This thesis assesses how this might occur at the firm-level. 

A survey of all foreign-owned firms operating in New Zealand as at November 1999, resulted in 516 useable responses from an estimated population of 1554 firms. Descriptive statistics, multiple and logistic regression, and cluster analysis were employed to analyse these responses. This is the only major survey of FDI in New Zealand undertaken since the late 1960s, and thus fills a considerable gap in the existing literature.

The results reveal that the affiliates are reliant on their foreign parent companies for resources such as finance, technology, knowledge and innovation, that offer them competitive advantage in New Zealand. The affiliates form a variety of linkages with local firms. The most significant of these are indirect competitive linkages, forward linkages with agents and customers, backward linkages to source specialised services, and collaborative linkages. The research model relates the Degree Of Linkage (DOL) of the affiliate within the local economy to its impact on local industry upgrading. The results suggest that as DOL increases, the opportunities for upgrading also increase via quasi-internalisation of ownership-specific advantages by the affiliate.

The thesis concludes that FDI has a significant impact on local industry upgrading at the first round level by adding to the competencies of the affiliate, and at the second round level through competitive pressure, creating demand and supply, providing assistance, and transferring firm-specific resources to local firms. The contributions of this thesis to existing knowledge relating to the impact of FDI are as follows. One, examination of a broad range of linkages allows a more comprehensive assessment of the extent and pattern of second round impact. Two, incorporating assistance and collaborative linkages confirms that quasi-internalisation of ownership-specific advantages may occur through intermediate organisational routes as a complement to the hierarchical routes associated with FDI. Three, focus on the second round impact at the micro-level demonstrates the crucial link between inward FDI, upgrading of local industry, outward FDI, and the eventual economic development of a host country. Four, classification of affiliates by DOL enables the identification of distinct types of FDI and thus, different outcomes for industry upgrading. Five, analysis of the key determinants of linkage formation and DOL, provides policymakers with a foundation from which to evaluate the potential of FDI for upgrading in the future.

year: 2001

title: The spatial equity and sustainability of general practitioner services: A mixed methods analysis of the Waikato DHB region

authors: Whitehead, Jesse

subjects: spatial equity

abstract: The New Zealand Primary Health Care Strategy states that quality primary health care is the first level of contact with the health system and should be universally accessible. Effective primary health care is an essential component of health systems, and is associated with more equitable distributions of health outcomes. However, not all New Zealanders have ready access to primary health care. For instance, adult residents of the Waikato region, and in particular Māori, have higher levels of unmet need for primay care than others. Improving the spatial equity of health services is a key step in achieving health equity. Health systems should contribute to achieving health equity and maintaining sustainable and equitable services into the future. 

This thesis research examines the spatial equity and sustainability of general practitioner (GP) services in the Waikato DHB region, using a mixed-methods approach to identify not only where inequities exist, but why they occur. A conceptual framework establishes a foundation for examining spatial equity and sustainability in New Zealand. Next, a systematic literature review identifies common definitions and measures of spatial equity. Primary Health Organisation (PHO) enrolment data is used to examine patterns of patient enrolment at GP services, and a range of health needs indicators were assessed for their suitability in the New Zealand primary care context. These findings inform the development of a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) model of spatial accessibility that is tailored to the Waikato District Health Board (DHB) context. The GIS model is then used, in combination with in-depth qualitative interviews, to examine the spatial equity and sustainability of GP services in the Waikato DHB region. 

Key findings include that spatial equity is commonly defined as a ‘need-based distribution of resources’, which can be quantified using a range of statistical and geospatial measures and techniques. PHO enrolment analysis revealed that most patients do not enrol with their closest service, and that the size of the ‘catchment area’ served by GP clinics varies with rurality. Analysis of indicators of health need suggest that ‘Ambulatory Sensitive Hospitalisations’ are a robust indicator; however, area-level socioeconomic deprivation is also strongly associated with other indicators of need and data is more widely available to researchers. Mixed-methods analysis suggests that GP services are not distributed equitably within the Waikato DHB region and that key barriers to access include the affordability, appropriateness, and availability of services. New Zealand’s history of colonisation and discrimination are identified as fundamental drivers of health inequity. Furthermore, population growth and ageing suggest that current levels of access to GP services are unlikely to be maintained in the future, while participants identify key economic, professional, organisation, and social dimensions that influence service sustainability in New Zealand.

text: The spatial equity and sustainability of general practitioner services: A mixed methods analysis of the Waikato DHB region The New Zealand Primary Health Care Strategy states that quality primary health care is the first level of contact with the health system and should be universally accessible. Effective primary health care is an essential component of health systems, and is associated with more equitable distributions of health outcomes. However, not all New Zealanders have ready access to primary health care. For instance, adult residents of the Waikato region, and in particular Māori, have higher levels of unmet need for primay care than others. Improving the spatial equity of health services is a key step in achieving health equity. Health systems should contribute to achieving health equity and maintaining sustainable and equitable services into the future. 

This thesis research examines the spatial equity and sustainability of general practitioner (GP) services in the Waikato DHB region, using a mixed-methods approach to identify not only where inequities exist, but why they occur. A conceptual framework establishes a foundation for examining spatial equity and sustainability in New Zealand. Next, a systematic literature review identifies common definitions and measures of spatial equity. Primary Health Organisation (PHO) enrolment data is used to examine patterns of patient enrolment at GP services, and a range of health needs indicators were assessed for their suitability in the New Zealand primary care context. These findings inform the development of a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) model of spatial accessibility that is tailored to the Waikato District Health Board (DHB) context. The GIS model is then used, in combination with in-depth qualitative interviews, to examine the spatial equity and sustainability of GP services in the Waikato DHB region. 

Key findings include that spatial equity is commonly defined as a ‘need-based distribution of resources’, which can be quantified using a range of statistical and geospatial measures and techniques. PHO enrolment analysis revealed that most patients do not enrol with their closest service, and that the size of the ‘catchment area’ served by GP clinics varies with rurality. Analysis of indicators of health need suggest that ‘Ambulatory Sensitive Hospitalisations’ are a robust indicator; however, area-level socioeconomic deprivation is also strongly associated with other indicators of need and data is more widely available to researchers. Mixed-methods analysis suggests that GP services are not distributed equitably within the Waikato DHB region and that key barriers to access include the affordability, appropriateness, and availability of services. New Zealand’s history of colonisation and discrimination are identified as fundamental drivers of health inequity. Furthermore, population growth and ageing suggest that current levels of access to GP services are unlikely to be maintained in the future, while participants identify key economic, professional, organisation, and social dimensions that influence service sustainability in New Zealand.

year: 2020