Global ETD Search

1	Rural tourism development in the eastern Hokianga area Eruera, Alice January 2008 (has links) Rural Tourism is increasingly being used as a development strategy to improve the social and economic well being of rural areas. Rural Tourism encompasses a huge range of activities, natural or manmade attractions, amenities and facilities, transportation, marketing and information systems (Sharpley & Sharpley, 1997). Rural tourism is very diverse and fragmented in terms of operational structures, activities, markets and operating environments (Roberts & Hall, 2001, citing Pearce, 1989). Benefits of rural tourism have been expressed as employment growth and broadening a region’s economic base, repopulation, social improvement, and revitalization of local craft (Sharpley, 2000). Governments can play active roles in tourism. In short the literature suggests rural tourism development policy approaches require: regeneration/revitalization, horizontal and vertical integration, interdependence, stewardship/sustainability, mediation, cataclysm, service and welfare provisions, spatiality – awareness, intra and inter regional complementariness, opportunism, realism and quality (Roberts & Hall, 2001). Murphy (1985) proposed a community approach to tourism development which included formation of businesses networks, and the sharing of resources and information. For rural tourism to be successful, collaboration needs to exist amongst entrepreneurs (Wilson et al., 2001). Useful integrated approaches to rural studies include acknowledging the importance of locally controlled agendas to reach centralization, awareness of the benefits for shared ideas and funding developments, and creating appropriate tourism plans for rural areas (MacDonald & Jolliffe, 2003). There are numerous challenges when attempting rural tourism development: the total product package must be sufficient; significant investment may be required; there is the adaption to a service role; the quality of products and services and the availability of skills and resources for effective marketing (Sharpley, 2000). Tourism development requires attractions, promotion, infrastructure and services and hospitality (Wilson et al., 2001, citing Gunn, 1988). The remote Eastern Hokianga area is situated in the Far North (Northland) region of New Zealand. The area has a low population and is sparsely populated presenting an ideal place to relax with an unhurried atmosphere, flourishing fauna and flora, rich in New Zealand history and culture. This is an economically depressed area that is situated in the centre of Northland’s three key tourism icons - The Bay of Islands, the Waipoua Forest, and the top of the North Island. The location of the Eastern Hokianga presents an opportunity to create a tourism destination that will attract travellers frequenting the key tourism icons. To date there has been no research on rural tourism development conducted in the Eastern Hokianga. Although comprehensive research was conducted previously in the Hokianga by the James Henare Maori Research Centre (1999) it was concentrated specifically to the “Maori culture”. This research aims to examine and identify the key challenges of rural tourism development for the Eastern Hokianga through an analysis of rural tourism development approaches, and identifying the social and economic impacts of tourism. Key findings show that the Eastern Hokianga is an undeveloped area and does not fit with the majority of the rural tourism definitions as described in the literature. The area is displaying positive impacts of rural tourism development. The negative impacts are minimal as the Eastern Hokianga is still in the initial development stage of rural tourism. There are many integrated approaches to rural tourism development currently. A strategic approach is occurring with a tourism policy and community involvement in decision making. There is an integration approach with one RTO actively involved in the communities’ tourism association with the local businesses. Two key clustering approaches are being utilized – the Twin Coast Discovery Route and total product packaging. Regeneration is not occurring but was not an issue raised by the community, whereas a financing approach was an identified challenge by Eastern Hokianga businesses. The need to improve accessibility through infrastructure was the second key challenge to rural tourism development. The area was not restricted by the other challenges of government’s role, education / experience and marketing. Rural tourism Tourism development Governmental role in tourism Interpretivist approach In-depth interview
2	Teaching Buddhism in New Zealand universities Huang, Li Ting January 2009 (has links) This thesis is an investigation into the university-level teaching of Buddhism in New Zealand, which has developed as part of the international spread of education about Buddhism for both Buddhists and non-Buddhists. The study was based on Interpretivism and accordingly sought to understand and interpret university teachers’ perceptions and experiences about their teaching of Buddhism; as they engage with the students' learning in this field. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were employed as the primary research method. All seven university teachers who teach Buddhism in New Zealand were invited to be the participants. Six university teachers participated in this research-study. Five of them were academic teachers, respectively teaching at Religious Studies of Massey, Victoria and Otago. Another one was a New Zealand-born Zen teacher who had been teaching a Zen meditation workshop at Auckland University of Technology for several years, and taught two Buddhism-related courses at the University of Auckland. These participants were chosen according to the information provided on official websites of New Zealand universities. The findings from the study showed that the university-level teaching of Buddhism in New Zealand, though growing, had been limited by the number of teachers and students. As fewer students were primarily interested in Buddhism, outward funding support appeared to be a very important factor for its future development. In terms of teachers’ role, objective-outsider remained the main position for scholars and scholar-practitioners in teaching Buddhism in university classroom. In addition to the pursuit of knowledge, there were also alternative educational opportunities, such as Zen workshop, for university staffs and students to learn Buddhism, outside university classroom. This thesis is significant in that it provided a bibliography and a set of data for the university-level teaching of Buddhism in the West, particularly New Zealand It established a space for future educational research into for the university-level teaching of Buddhism in the West, as part of the field of’ Buddhism and Education.’ In future studies, the limited approaches to teaching Buddhism in universities could be investigated on the basis of the literatures and findings of this study. Buddhist studies University Interpretivist approach Semi-structured interview New Zealand Teaching religion
3	Rural tourism development in the eastern Hokianga area Eruera, Alice January 2008 (has links) Rural Tourism is increasingly being used as a development strategy to improve the social and economic well being of rural areas. Rural Tourism encompasses a huge range of activities, natural or manmade attractions, amenities and facilities, transportation, marketing and information systems (Sharpley & Sharpley, 1997). Rural tourism is very diverse and fragmented in terms of operational structures, activities, markets and operating environments (Roberts & Hall, 2001, citing Pearce, 1989). Benefits of rural tourism have been expressed as employment growth and broadening a region’s economic base, repopulation, social improvement, and revitalization of local craft (Sharpley, 2000). Governments can play active roles in tourism. In short the literature suggests rural tourism development policy approaches require: regeneration/revitalization, horizontal and vertical integration, interdependence, stewardship/sustainability, mediation, cataclysm, service and welfare provisions, spatiality – awareness, intra and inter regional complementariness, opportunism, realism and quality (Roberts & Hall, 2001). Murphy (1985) proposed a community approach to tourism development which included formation of businesses networks, and the sharing of resources and information. For rural tourism to be successful, collaboration needs to exist amongst entrepreneurs (Wilson et al., 2001). Useful integrated approaches to rural studies include acknowledging the importance of locally controlled agendas to reach centralization, awareness of the benefits for shared ideas and funding developments, and creating appropriate tourism plans for rural areas (MacDonald & Jolliffe, 2003). There are numerous challenges when attempting rural tourism development: the total product package must be sufficient; significant investment may be required; there is the adaption to a service role; the quality of products and services and the availability of skills and resources for effective marketing (Sharpley, 2000). Tourism development requires attractions, promotion, infrastructure and services and hospitality (Wilson et al., 2001, citing Gunn, 1988). The remote Eastern Hokianga area is situated in the Far North (Northland) region of New Zealand. The area has a low population and is sparsely populated presenting an ideal place to relax with an unhurried atmosphere, flourishing fauna and flora, rich in New Zealand history and culture. This is an economically depressed area that is situated in the centre of Northland’s three key tourism icons - The Bay of Islands, the Waipoua Forest, and the top of the North Island. The location of the Eastern Hokianga presents an opportunity to create a tourism destination that will attract travellers frequenting the key tourism icons. To date there has been no research on rural tourism development conducted in the Eastern Hokianga. Although comprehensive research was conducted previously in the Hokianga by the James Henare Maori Research Centre (1999) it was concentrated specifically to the “Maori culture”. This research aims to examine and identify the key challenges of rural tourism development for the Eastern Hokianga through an analysis of rural tourism development approaches, and identifying the social and economic impacts of tourism. Key findings show that the Eastern Hokianga is an undeveloped area and does not fit with the majority of the rural tourism definitions as described in the literature. The area is displaying positive impacts of rural tourism development. The negative impacts are minimal as the Eastern Hokianga is still in the initial development stage of rural tourism. There are many integrated approaches to rural tourism development currently. A strategic approach is occurring with a tourism policy and community involvement in decision making. There is an integration approach with one RTO actively involved in the communities’ tourism association with the local businesses. Two key clustering approaches are being utilized – the Twin Coast Discovery Route and total product packaging. Regeneration is not occurring but was not an issue raised by the community, whereas a financing approach was an identified challenge by Eastern Hokianga businesses. The need to improve accessibility through infrastructure was the second key challenge to rural tourism development. The area was not restricted by the other challenges of government’s role, education / experience and marketing. Rural tourism Tourism development Governmental role in tourism Interpretivist approach In-depth interview
4	Teaching Buddhism in New Zealand universities Huang, Li Ting January 2009 (has links) This thesis is an investigation into the university-level teaching of Buddhism in New Zealand, which has developed as part of the international spread of education about Buddhism for both Buddhists and non-Buddhists. The study was based on Interpretivism and accordingly sought to understand and interpret university teachers’ perceptions and experiences about their teaching of Buddhism; as they engage with the students' learning in this field. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were employed as the primary research method. All seven university teachers who teach Buddhism in New Zealand were invited to be the participants. Six university teachers participated in this research-study. Five of them were academic teachers, respectively teaching at Religious Studies of Massey, Victoria and Otago. Another one was a New Zealand-born Zen teacher who had been teaching a Zen meditation workshop at Auckland University of Technology for several years, and taught two Buddhism-related courses at the University of Auckland. These participants were chosen according to the information provided on official websites of New Zealand universities. The findings from the study showed that the university-level teaching of Buddhism in New Zealand, though growing, had been limited by the number of teachers and students. As fewer students were primarily interested in Buddhism, outward funding support appeared to be a very important factor for its future development. In terms of teachers’ role, objective-outsider remained the main position for scholars and scholar-practitioners in teaching Buddhism in university classroom. In addition to the pursuit of knowledge, there were also alternative educational opportunities, such as Zen workshop, for university staffs and students to learn Buddhism, outside university classroom. This thesis is significant in that it provided a bibliography and a set of data for the university-level teaching of Buddhism in the West, particularly New Zealand It established a space for future educational research into for the university-level teaching of Buddhism in the West, as part of the field of’ Buddhism and Education.’ In future studies, the limited approaches to teaching Buddhism in universities could be investigated on the basis of the literatures and findings of this study. Buddhist studies University Interpretivist approach Semi-structured interview New Zealand Teaching religion
5	Accounting for identity : becoming a chartered accountant Hamilton, Susan Elizabeth January 2007 (has links) This is a qualitative study which draws on the interpretivist tradition to research the processes by which Chartered Accountant (CA) students begin to develop their sense of professional identity. The thesis draws upon recent research on identity in early professional learning, in particular the aspects of becoming and belonging through which people enter into a community of practice. The purpose of the research is to understand the developing professional identity of students of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (CA Students). In order to develop this understanding, data gathered at a number of focus groups at which CA Students were the participants, have been analysed. The transcripts from these focus groups are the primary source of data. This was analysed thematically and metaphorically in order to explore the senses that CA Students were making of their own entry into the accountancy profession. The analysis was used inductively to produce a resulting theory which has developed as a Professional Identity Map of the CA Student (PIMCAS). It elaborates the processes that impact on the developing professional identity of the CA Student. The findings of the research illuminate the processes by which CA Students become and belong, in particular marking the influence of the Training Firm and the Individual Values of the CA Student. The notions of becoming and belonging underpin the stories the CA Students tell of how they understand their developing professional identity. The practical implication of the results of this research for the future training of CAs is finally explored. 657.0711
6	The "Equalizer" Administration: Managerial Strategies in the Public Sector Cavalcanti, Bianor Scelza 08 April 2005 (has links) The purpose of this dissertation is to understand the managerial "action" of public administrators in the management of their organizations within the Brazilian context. The research seeks to understand the relationships between managers and formal management mechanisms by exploring the complementary nature of the effective managerial action in the face of structural deficiencies and flaws, considering the possibility of overcoming the structuralism-subjectivism dichotomy present in the construction of the Theory of Organizations. Initially, the study provides a review of the literature on organizational design. It highlights the "goodness of fit" proposition on strategic choice issues concerning the main organizational variables design and organizational goal attainment. It also calls special attention to the emerging interest of designing theorists on interpretivist approaches to the matter, such that of Karl Weick. A review of the the administrative reforms in Brazil is made from the perspective of the main stream organizational design conceptual framework. It highlights the complex dynamics of a constant search for differentiation and flexibilization subject to patterns of advances and reversals, due to the centrality, strength and pervasiveness of the bureaucratic model. It is concluded that in no single given moment, a public manager and his team, may count on a formal organizational design which attends the"congruency" criteria, devised by organizational design conceptual frameworks, to explain organizational results in different environmental sets. Although this conclusion may explain failure at the public sector, it can not provide understanding on the many instances of significative success attained by government operations in spite of inadequate formal administrative structures. This point calls for a better understanding from the interpretivist approach, on how public administrators, strongly associated with good organizational results, engage into transformative action, in order to superate administrative structures flaws and dysfunctional cultural patterns of conduct, structurally present and constantly reproduced, in vigorous developing countries, such as Brazil. The dissertation transcribes the testimony of four outstanding public administrators, doing a deep incursion in the managerial real world of public administration, as subjectively defined by them and transformed by their engagement into action.Through the thematic version of the Oral History methodology, full segments of the complete interviews are categorized into the thirty two managerial strategies captured which are presented on a recategorized manner under eight main strategies: (1) Interchanging Frames of Reference; (2) Exploring the Formal Limits; (3) Playing the Bureaucracy Game; (4) Inducing the Inclusion of Others (5)Promoting Internal Cohesion; (6) Creating Shields against Transgressions; (7) Overcoming Internal Restrictions; (8) Letting the Structures Blossom. Each one of these eight blocks of strategies presented, deserves further reflexive interpretation by the author, on the light of the interpretivist approach to organizational design. A final effort is made, now on theory building, for improving understanding on the matter. In order to find a significant meaning underlining all the strategies extracted from the "practical consciousness" of the interviewers as revealed in their report, the author resort to a metaphor. This metaphor helps to: (1) better describe and understand a not adequately treated phenomenon, namely, good results under inadequate structural social and organizational conditions; (2) reveal the logic and the meaning underlining all the strategies adopted to generate results under these unfaithful conditions; (3) name, accordingly to the nature of the managerial transformative social action involved, an open ended class of managerial interventions of a pragmatic sort driven by an ethics of results much common to good managers, that is, the concept of "managerial equalization"; and (4) give back to public administrators, represented by the interviewees, to be incorporated in their "discursive consciousness", something the most effective and experienced public managers already have as tacit knowledge built in their "practical consciousness", and so, help the education and development of new talents. / Ph. D. equalizer manager equalizing management unfaithfull structural conditions metaphor discursive cousciousness discourse practical cosciousness tacit knowledge agency intentionality ethics empirical bases improvising equalizing theory building meaning agent desining patrimonialism reflexive interpretation organizing inclusion cohesion transgression corruption clientelism nepotism cognitive maps deponents frames of reference transformative action explanation understanding oral history flexbilization decentralization uniformity conceptual frameworks organizational change goodness of fit organizational results organizational performance differentiation uncertainty Brazil develloping countries administrative reform bureaucratic model centralization organizational design organizational theory interpretivist approach subjectivism funcionalism paradigms cultural patterns reproduction structural flaws public manager public administrator formal management mechanisms Action managerial action public administration and management public sector public policy public programs

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