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- ItemInto the ecoregion : Robert Sullivan’s The meadowlands and the nature/culture divide : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in Creative Writing at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand. EMBARGOED until 30th August 2026(Massey University, 2024) Gilbert, Adam KaneThis thesis interrogates the role of nature/culture dualism in ecological and environmental creative nonfiction through a critical analysis of Robert Sullivan’s The Meadowlands: Wilderness Adventures on the Edge of New York City and a creative component titled The Knitted Sheep. Both the critical and creative sections take the view that the concept of nature/culture dualism in creative nonfiction must first be problematized through a locally scaled, ecoregional lens to truly comprehend ecological and environmental issues at a global scale. Through my reading of The Meadowlands in the critical portion of this thesis, I explore how Sullivan’s attention to the overlap between the natural and the human cultural aspects of the Meadowlands problematises the commonly accepted nature/culture dualism inherent in the natural world and how this problematization aids new ways of understanding the nature/culture relationships in our urban environments. I examine the problematization of nature/culture dualism in The Meadowlands through a dispute brought about by the work of two critical theorists: Timothy Morton’s Ecology Without Nature: Rethinking Environmental Aesthetics and Christien L. Marran’s Ecology Without Culture: Aesthetics for a Toxic World. Morton argues that extant Romantic ideas of nature must be abolished in favour of ecocriticism that embraces cultural forms of ecology. Marran counters Morton’s view, calling instead for more binding, trophic forms of ecocriticism that favour aesthetic perspectives of the human and the more-than-human world. I argue that by problematising the nature/culture dualism found at the urban fringe, rather than leaning too heavily on either cultural or nature tropes, ecological and environmental creative nonfiction can open new, imaginative spaces for understanding the nature/culture relationships in our urban environments. In the creative portion of my thesis, The Knitted Sheep probes the broader question of nature/culture relationships in ecological and environmental creative nonfiction by exploring my personal story of learning to make my clothes over the past twelve years. The Knitted Sheep is specifically focused on the moral and environmental concerns surrounding the use of wool and cotton. I problematize the concept of nature/culture dualism and local/global perspectives surrounding these contentious materials by focusing on my experiences with crafting in local settings while maintaining a critical perspective on the textile and fashion industries in a more generalized and global sense.
- ItemIntragenomic epistasis negatively impacts within-species coevolutionary arms races : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Biological Sciences at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand(Massey University, 2024) McFadyen, Sean LewisCooperation is susceptible to exploitation by selfish individuals. These individuals, referred to as cheaters, gain the benefits of cooperation without paying the costs. Cheating can select for individuals who can resist or prevent cheating, and resistance can in turn select for individuals that overcome the resistance. Thus, cheating and resistance potentially coevolve and lead to an arms race of adaptations and counter adaptations. Within a species, the existence of such an arms race is complicated by sexual reproduction among individuals that harbor alleles encoding the different strategies. Sexual reproduction will generate recombinants that harbor both cheating and resistance alleles. The impact of this recombination should depend on the extent of epistasis: that is, how the combined effects of these mutations differ from their effects individually. The goal of this thesis is to address how sexual reproduction impacts a within-species coevolutionary arms race, in this case, between cheating and resistance. The model organism Dictyostelium discoideum provides the perfect model to answer these questions. It has a unique life cycle, consisting of a unicellular (amoeba) stage, cooperative multicellular development (resulting in the formation of a fruiting body), and facultative sexual reproduction (resulting in the formation of a resting structure, termed a macrocyst). During the formation of the multicellular fruiting body, some cells are sacrificed to build a rigid stalk of dead cells that supports the rest. Cheaters exploit this altruistic sacrifice, and resistors prevent the cheaters from cheating. Resistance may in turn select for more efficient cheating, and this reciprocal selection can potentially spark a within-species arms race. During the sexual reproduction phase, recombination can then mix and match alleles encoding conflicting strategies into a single genetic background, allowing for epistatic effects to occur. Here I use the model organism Dictyostelium discoideum to understand how coevolution of cheating and resistance is impacted by sexual reproduction. To do so, I carried out a long-term evolution experiment to select for cheating and resistance. To understand the impact of recombination, I evolved replicate populations with or without periodic recombination. To address experimental difficulties, I also carried out an experiment to determine the optimal germination method for macrocysts produced during the Dictyostelium sexual cycle. Finally, I used computer simulations of the co-evolutionary process in Dictyostelium discoideum to explore how recombination and epistasis impact co-evolution, which allowed me to vary parameters of interest over a broader range of values than was possible in the laboratory. My findings suggest that recombination and resulting epistatic effects between conflicting strategies may prevent or slow within species co-evolutionary arms races.
- ItemThe feasibility of a nutrition screening tool to improve food habits of Pacific pre-schoolers : a co-designed study : a thesis presented for the partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics at Massey University, Albany Campus, Auckland, New Zealand(Massey University, 2024) Ngawhika, AimeeAim: To collaborate with stakeholders (Pacific Heartbeat and parents/care givers of Pacific pre-schoolers) in a co-designed feasibility study to assess the acceptability and use of the NutriSTEP nutrition screening tool to improve Pacific pre-schooler eating habits. The aim was to assess the appropriateness of the NutriSTEP questionnaire items with end-users’, to discuss potential adaptations, scoring methods and recommendations for use of the NutriSTEP tool in the community. Methods/Design: The co-design method involved extensive discussions with the Pacific Heartbeat stakeholder team to plan the engagement with end-user groups (Pacific communities). Five focus groups were undertaken across communities in Auckland (N=38 participants, mean age 38±10.9 years, 36 females, 2 male) who were parents/carers of Pacific children between the ages of 2-5 years old. Participants completed and provided feedback on the NutriSTEP tool in focus group discussions. Key findings were collated and presented in a final focus group with representatives from the previous round of focus group participants. Discussions enabled the approval of recommended changes for use of the NutriSTEP tool prior to community implementation. Results: Half of the participants were born in New Zealand with the remaining half born in various Pacific countries, nine participants had a tertiary education while 15 participants preferred not to comment, and over half (58%) of the participants used a first language other than English. Focus group discussions revealed six main themes: 1) The NutriSTEP tool is exposing and eye opening and raised awareness of daily habits, highlighting areas for improvement. 2) The opportunity for parents/carers to self-score the tool to clearly identify nutrition risk level outcomes was preferred. 3) Several proposed wording changes were needed to improve the clarity of questionnaire items. 4) Food group items were ambiguous and needed inclusion of cultural foods in item examples (e.g. taro and cassava in vegetable group). 5) Items related to food habits created a sense of embarrassment and judgement and highlighted the importance of community screening in a supportive group environment. 6) Physical activity, weight and growth items needed reframing to encompass a cultural perspective. Conclusions: The NutriSTEP tool was acceptable for the most part by the end-user groups. Amendments were needed for specified items to improve cultural acceptability and understanding. Groups sessions for completion of the tool was recommended for successful implementation in the Pacific community. The tool increased parent/carers awareness of nutrition related habits, and highlighted areas for improvement. The development of culturally appropriate resources to enable improved eating habits for Pacific pre-schoolers at all levels of health literacy was identified. Post tool completion resources will include material suggested in this co-designed study to increase knowledge around nutrition related topics.
- ItemIs mind-uploading possible? : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Philosophy at Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand(Massey University, 2024) Brown, Nathaniel HonoreThis thesis is a philosophical evaluation of mind uploading. ‘Mind-uploading’ is a trope common in science fiction where we move our mind/identity to a computer. I evaluate three classes of mind-uploading: 'destructive', 'non-destructive', and 'gradual' uploading. I assess the different intuitions about whether each upload would enable us to continue as the same person. I consider the Hard Problem of consciousness - the conceptual gap between the description of a physical system and the description of a mind. I note that the apparent inaccessibility of consciousness from the third person creates a barrier to knowing whether we could survive a mind-upload. I briefly survey different philosophical accounts of the mind and note that dualism generally appears more compatible with mind-uploading than physicalism. I argue that our intuitions about mind-uploading tend to support a dualist view of the mind. However, substance dualism cannot be reconciled with a belief in mind-uploading without making implausible claims. I then explain how a physicalist ontology can be rendered compatible with mind-uploading. To do this I rely on a robust presentation of computational functionalism, which argues that the mind is reducible to the right type of organisation and information processing. To support the compatibility of mind-uploading with physicalism, I offer the contours of how functionalism could refute the existence of the Hard Problem by appealing to the evolutionary origins of phenomenal consciousness and a Humean account of causation. I suggest this means we can have some confidence that a computer could have an identical phenomenal experience to our own, even though it seems impossible to know what conscious states someone is experiencing from the third person. In the final chapter, I assess whether our personal identity could be transferred in a mind upload. This is a crucial requirement for the success of mind-uploading, as even if a computer could replicate our conscious states, without the ability for our identity to transfer across physical systems, mind-uploading would not be feasible. I argue that our intuitions about survival (or otherwise) in mind-uploading cases would tend to undermine most traditional accounts of personal identity. I also discuss Derek Parfit’s critique of personal identity and apply it to mind-uploading cases. I reconcile the different intuitions about mind-uploading by appealing to the closest continuer account which I argue provides a persuasive answer about whether we survive mind-uploading procedures. If the closest continuer account of identity is true, then it appears that we could upload our minds.
- ItemChemometric and sensory characterisation of New Zealand craft ciders : a preliminary study : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Food Technology at Massey University, Manawatu Campus, Palmerston North, New Zealand(Massey University, 2024) Gong, WeiThe New Zealand craft cider industry is growing, but its unique sensory characteristics and chemical components are not yet fully scientifically understood. This study aimed to understand the key components and sensory attributes that define selected New Zealand craft ciders through the integration of chemometrics and sensory characterisation. Seventeen craft cider samples were collected from New Zealand cider regions and characterized for their chemical parameters, including pH, titratable acidity, tannin content and colour. Volatile components were identified and quantified using headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). One focus group (n=5) was organised to generate consumer-oriented descriptors for ciders. This was followed by quantitative sensory evaluation using a 9-point hedonic scale for liking of sensory attributes and Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) to characterise the samples. The results of the data analysis showed that there were significant differences (p<0.05) in chemical parameters and volatile components among the samples. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that tannin, pH and colour (a* and b* values) were the chemical parameters that contributed to high variability among the samples. The key volatile compounds identified in the samples were ethyl octanoate, isoamyl octanoate, and 1-octanol. According to sensory assessments, ciders from the North Island were mainly described as "fruity," whereas those from the South Island were primarily described as "bitter" and "dry." Additionally, the study showed that while bitterness and astringency were negative drivers, fruitiness and sweetness were positive drivers of acceptance for the samples. Moreover, the North Island's ciders displayed higher levels of similarity, whilst the South Island's ciders displayed higher levels of chemical variety. This finding implies that production techniques and apple varieties may be significant variables in determining the sensory and chemical profiles of the samples. This has implications for the importance of understanding the impact of geographical factors on the chemical and sensory characteristics of craft ciders. This study not only revealed differences in chemical and sensory characteristics of New Zealand craft cider but also provided valuable insights for producers. Future research could further explore the effects of apple variety, production methods and regional characteristics on cider quality, thereby contributing to the sustainable development of the New Zealand craft cider industry.
- ItemEffect of drying methods on the physicochemical and bioactivities of bovine colostrum and lactoferrin : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Food Technology, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand(Massey University, 2024) Wu, SinongThe aim of this study was to use low temperature electrostatic spray drying to produce bovine colostrum and lactoferrin powders with improved functional properties. The objectives were to examine the effects of spray, freeze and electrostatic spray drying on the physicochemical properties, bioactivity, antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of the bovine colostrum and lactoferrin. Liquid bovine colostrum and lactoferrin was spray dried at two different inlet temperatures: 165 and 180℃ and was electrostatic spray dried at two lower inlet temperatures: 75 and 150℃. Powders collected were analysed for the following characteristics: moisture content, water activity, crude protein content, solubility, particle size, absorbance spectrum from Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry (FTIR), bioactive immunoglobulin and lactoferrin content (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)) bioactivity, iron-binding ability (two methods), antioxidant ability using 2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging ability and antimicrobial ability. All analysed colostrum and lactoferrin powders had a moisture content below 4.5% (w/w) and water activity below 2.6. There was generally a decrease in the moisture content and water activity with increasing drying temperature. Drying temperatures also had an effect on the powder solubility and particle size. With higher drying temperatures, the solubility and volumetric median particle size (Dv50) of the powders decreased. The secondary structure of the protein investigated using FTIR showed that high temperature spray dried colostrum had greater protein degradation than low temperature electrostatic spray dried. ELISA analysis indicated that electrostatic spray dried colostrum retained more bioactive lactoferrin protein than freeze dried or high temperature spray dried. From both iron-binding methods tested, found that high temperature spray dried and low temperature electrostatic spray dried colostrum and lactoferrin had similar iron-bind ratios, ranging between 3 to 4 moles Fe/moles protein for colostrum, and 1.3 to 1.5 moles Fe/moles protein for lactoferrin. Low temperature electrostatic spray dried colostrum and lactoferrin showed better DPPH radical scavenging ability, followed by freeze dried and lastly high temperature spray dried. Colostrum electrostatic spray dried at 75C and freeze dried lactoferrin showed better antimicrobial ability to Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus than others. In conclusion, low temperature electrostatic spray drying was able to produce bovine colostrum and lactoferrin powders with slightly better bioactive and functional properties.
- ItemPoverty dynamics and life satisfaction within the context of South Africa : a longitudinal multi-level modelling approach : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand(Massey University, 2024) Mellor, LoganThis study examined the longitudinal relationship between life satisfaction and poverty, and the effects of intertemporal patterns of poverty. Data from all five waves of the National Income Dynamics Study (NIDS) were used. Longitudinal multi-level modelling results showed that an individuals’ life satisfaction tended to differ considerably between measurement occasions with variation being explained by multidimensional poverty status. Additionally, statistically significant differences in initial life satisfaction were found between individuals depending on the intertemporal patterns of poverty; individuals who were non poor across all occasions tended to report higher life satisfaction compared to individuals who were classified as transiently poor, whilst chronically poor individuals tended to report the lowest levels of life. Intertemporal poverty status was however not found to be a statistically significant predictor of rate of change in life satisfaction. Overall, these results support the need to include intemporal patterns of poverty as a key consideration both in future poverty research and in poverty intervention.
- Item“Should we call campus security?” : a qualitative analysis of staff response to stalking on campus : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Psychology at Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand(Massey University, 2024) Rizvi, FirdoseGenerally, people acknowledge stalking as something that happens to others when news highlights it. However, every year thousands of victims are stalked globally. An old behaviour and new crime (Meloy, 1999), stalking has been an ancient parasitic disease typically preying on women for its survival in society. Women in the ages of 18-25 are at the highest risk of being stalked either by an unknown or a well-known perpetrator. There are very few studies conducted in New Zealand universities pertaining to assessing and managing stalking. The current study has explored how staff identify, assess and report on stalking incidents in a New Zealand university context. Eight university staff participated in semi-structured interviews to gain a better understanding of managing stalking on campus. Any potential barriers to management and reporting were discussed. Analyzing the qualitative data through thematic analysis showed six themes; ‘Identifying Stalking’, ‘Evaluating Safety’, ‘The Reporting Loop’, ‘Who gets Involved’, ‘Where is the Information?’ and ‘Barriers to Support’. Results indicate that participants have a functional understanding of identifying, assessing and responding to stalking incidents. Complications of reporting processes and work culture have an impact on individual response management of incidents. As New Zealand rates high among OECD countries in violence against women, future research in this area is essential.
- ItemExploring the impact of job insecurity on employees’ well-being : a phenomenological study in the New Zealand higher education sector : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Business Studies in Management at Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand(Massey University, 2024) Wong, GigiIn response to escalating financial challenges in the higher education sector in New Zealand, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, institutions have undertaken significant organisational restructuring efforts. However, these initiatives, along with employees’ awareness of financial challenges, have simultaneously heightened uncertainty among the workforce, resulting in an increasing prevalence of job insecurity among employees. The purpose of this research is to analyse how employees’ lived experiences of job insecurity relate to their perceived well-being in the New Zealand higher education sector. Notably, prior research suggests job insecurity has a negative impact on employees’ well-being, but there are limited studies, particularly in the higher education sector, that explore the authentic experiences and consequential effects on perceived personal well-being. This gap is even more pronounced when it comes to using qualitative approaches to understand the perspectives of employees. Using a qualitative research approach within the interpretivist paradigm, this exploratory study aims to address this gap by exploring the multi-faced dimensions of the subjective phenomenon of job insecurity and its impacts on employees’ perceived well-being. In this study, job insecurity refers to instances in which employees feel threatened by the security of their positions because they have been notified of changes to their jobs or have observed insecurity in the workplace, which has led them to perceive potential changes to their jobs. This study employs thematic analysis of data gathered from semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 17 employees experiencing job insecurity in the New Zealand higher education sector to answer the following research ques-on: How do employees’ lived experiences of job insecurity relate to their perceived well-being? Three sub-questions were also used to guide the research: 1. What are the stressors that arise from job insecurity? 2. How do the stressors of job insecurity impact the well-being of employees? 3. How do employees respond to the challenges posed by job insecurity? During thematic analysis, the theoretical frameworks of stress theory and conservation of resources theory were drawn on to derive salient themes from the empirical data. The findings present three main themes: stressors, effects on well-being, and behavioural and attitudinal responses. Within these themes, there are 12 sub-themes identified. These findings collectively support a discussion on the negative impact job insecurity has on employee well-being that existing literature and theoretical frameworks have identified, with the domino effect emerging as a major revelation. The domino effect demonstrates how the initial stress of job insecurity can trigger a cascade of negative impacts on various aspects of employee well-being. Overall, the outcomes of this research shed light on the genuine and unique experiences of employees working within the country's higher education institutions, offering valuable insights into the complex interplay between job insecurity and employee well-being.
- ItemThe mediating role of decision-making logic and moderating role of organisation ambidexterity in the relationship between entrepreneurship, organisation change readiness and resources in New Zealand : an exploratory study : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand. EMBARGOED until 10th July 2026(Massey University, 2024) Walker, KathrynEntrepreneurship is a cornerstone of the New Zealand (NZ) economy. Entrepreneurs drive innovation, build wealth and create employment. Yet how entrepreneurs sustain the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that make up over 99% of NZ businesses has received little research attention. Moreover, in the current world where organisation changes are happening rapidly there is limited literature on how entrepreneurs prepare their business for these changes. This study is the first to link entrepreneurship to organisation change readiness (OCR) which is of particular importance given the current technological change climate facing businesses which is being driven by the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0). This study sought to understand how entrepreneurs running SMEs in NZ create OCR by using different types of resources and different types of decision-making logic. Extending understanding of these relationships further, this study examined the relationship between resources and OCR and how different types of decision-making logic mediate this. It also examined how the relationship between decision-making logic and OCR is moderated by organisation ambidexterity. This study was a quantitative design that involved 119 participants, all of whom were entrepreneurs that owned SMEs in NZ. Participants comprised 28 females and 91 males, with most aged between 20 and 39 with at least an undergraduate degree. After controlling for age, gender and education level, the study’s results found that a positive relationship existed between resources and OCR that was mediated by decision-making logic. A positive relationship was found between both types of decision-making logic and OCR; however, organisation ambidexterity did not moderate this relationship. These results show the important impact that the entrepreneur has on the change readiness of his/her business and the importance of both resources and decision-making logic to organisation change readiness (OCR).
