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Item Examining the discursive landscape of women's sexual desire and implications for sexual subjectivity : a dissertation presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology at Massey University, New Zealand(Massey University, 2025-10-28) Tappin, JessicaSexual desire and pleasure can be an “awkward” subject to bring up in conversation, many choosing to ignore it completely, or relegate it to the private realm. Yet, our media landscape is filled with various representation of sex that fundamentally shape the way we can think about, speak about, and enact expressions of sexual desire. A substantial corpus of feminist research suggests that discursive representations of sexual desire are highly gendered and heteronormative. These researchers have mapped cultural and social constructions of women’s sexual desire, tracing its portrayal as, for example, absent, relational, and aligned with postfeminist discourses of sexual agency. Previous scholarship has considered how these discourses are circulated within talk, and through mainstream media. A research gap remains in considering alternative feminist media, and psychological literature as sites that circulate discourses of sexual desire. The central aim of this thesis is to determine how women’s sexual desire is constructed across three sites of discourse circulation: (a) mainstream media, (b) alternative media, and (c) psychological literature, how prevalent discourses are supported, transformed, and resisted, as well as the implications for women’s sexual subjectivity and sexual agency. Foucauldian-informed discourse analysis was conducted with each set of textual data collected from those sites. Specifically, 75 advice columns or articles from mainstream media websites, 55 articles from alternative feminist publications, and 12 published articles from psychological and therapeutic journals. Key findings from these analyses indicate that (i) an essentialist biological discourse of desire is prevalent, shaping women’s sexual subjectivity in relation to men, (ii) many discourses and sexual subjectivities on offer within the texts are highly heteronormative and restrict agency outside of a narrow prescription of appropriate desire, (iii) a neoliberal incitement for women to reflect on and work on themselves in various ways underscored much of the data, and (iiii) alternative media texts provided opportunities for resistance of heterosexual norms, along with a broadening understanding of what desire is and can be for women.Item Is a voluntary healthy food policy effective? evaluating effects on foods and drinks for sale in hospitals and resulting policy changes(BioMed Central Ltd, 2025-12-01) Ni Mhurchu C; Rosin M; Shen S; Kidd B; Umali E; Jiang Y; Gerritsen S; Mackay S; Te Morenga LBackground: Healthy food and drink guidelines for public sector settings can improve the healthiness of food environments. This study aimed to assess the implementation and impact of the voluntary National Healthy Food and Drink Policy (the Policy) introduced in New Zealand in 2016 to encourage provision of healthier food and drink options for staff and visitors at healthcare facilities. Methods: A customised digital audit tool was used to collate data on foods and drinks available for sale in healthcare organisations and to systematically classify items as green (‘healthy’), amber (‘less healthy’), or red (‘unhealthy’) according to Policy criteria. On-site audits were undertaken between March 2021 and June 2022 at 19 District Health Boards (organisations responsible for providing public health services) and one central government agency. Forty-three sites were audited, encompassing 229 retail settings (serviced food outlets and vending machines). In total, 8485 foods/drinks were classified according to Policy criteria. The primary outcome was alignment with Policy guidance on the availability of green, amber, and red category food/drink items (≥ 55% green and 0% red items). Secondary outcomes were proportions of green, amber, and red category items, promotional practices, and price. Chi-square tests were used to compare results between categorical variables. Results: No organisation met the criteria for alignment with the Policy. Across all sites, 38.9% of food/drink items were rated red (not permitted), 39.0% were amber, and 22.1% were green. Organisations that adopted the voluntary Policy offered more healthy foods/drinks than those with their own organisational policy, but the proportion of red items remained high: 32.3% versus 47.5% (p < 0.0001). About one-fifth (21.3%) of all items were promoted, with red (24.6%) and amber (22.2%) items significantly more likely to be promoted than green items (14.0%) (p < 0.001). Green items were also significantly more costly on average (NZ$6.00) than either red (NZ$4.00) or amber (NZ$4.70) items (p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Comprehensive and systematic evaluation showed that a voluntary Policy was not effective in ensuring provision of healthier food/drink options in New Zealand hospitals. The adoption of a single, mandatory Policy, accompanied by dedicated support and regular evaluations, could better support Policy implementation.Item Green banking : an exploration from the perspectives of banks, and retail bank customers : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Banking at Massey University, Manawatu Campus, School of Economics and Finance, New Zealand. EMBARGOED UNTIL JULY 2027.(Massey University, 2024-11-11) Kalu Kapuge Dona, Lilani Randika KapugeThis study explores green banking adoption from the perspectives of banks, and retail bank customers. Our aim is to contribute to banks’ adoption of green banking. This is achieved by examining banks’ green practices and proposing a constructivist framework for banks to transform from conventional banking into green banking. As banks are driven by a profit motive, if banks’ environmental performance positively connects with attaining their profitability objectives, there may be a motivation to apply green banking practices. In Essay One, we examine the impact of banks’ green performance and disclosures on their financial, market, and risk performance. We employ Bloomberg’s environmental disclosure scores and Refinitiv’s environmental performance scores as proxies to measure banks’ green performance and disclosures. As an addition to ESG literature, we use Yale’s Environmental Performance Index (EPI) to examine the extent to which the home country’s environmental performance moderates the links between the impact of banks’ environmental performance and disclosures on their financial, market and risk performance. Data was drawn from 189 of the world’s largest banks for the period 2009 to 2019, and the analysis incorporates two-step system GMM models. To check the robustness of our results, we removed banks that are major financiers of fossil fuels and EU banks from the main sample. We find no evidence to support Bloomberg’s environmental disclosure scores or Refinitiv’s environmental performance scores impacting banks’ financial, market and risk performance. In addition, EPI does not moderate the links between the impact of banks’ environmental performance and disclosures on their financial, market and risk performance. The findings confirm that environmental performance and environmental disclosures do not matter to big banking players’ prosperity. Overall, this study establishes the need for a commonly agreed banking-industry-oriented environmental rating scale to measure banks’ green performance correctly to avoid misleading green-conscious stakeholders and identify banks’ true green efforts. In Essay Two, in response to the absence of an agreed or standard performance measurement mechanism for green banking, we develop a green banking scorecard (GBS) from a new perspective. First, we use the updated version of the Planetary Boundaries Theory (PBT) to broaden the green banking measurement scale. Second, we employ a Fossil Fuel Index (FI) to assess banks’ true commitments towards green banking, because banks are often criticised as major financiers of fossil fuels. Third, as a new addition to banks’ green performance measurement, we use Yale’s Environmental Performance Index (EPI) which brings international differences in measuring banks’ green performance into a common platform. We apply the GBS to 37 of the world's largest banks to measure their green performance. We find that European banks achieve higher green banking scores compared to Asian and American banks. In Essay Three, following Stakeholders' Theory, stakeholders’ positive behavioural change towards green banking is essential for banks to adopt green banking. Employing Behavioural Response Theory (BRT), we examined retail bank customers’ intention to adopt green banking in New Zealand using 254 online survey responses. To extend this study, we examine whether retail bank customers’ environmental knowledge moderates the association between attitude towards green banking and intention to adopt green banking. The study finds retail bank customers prefer green banking although some of them do not yet intend to adopt green banking. The findings confirm that environmental knowledge has a weak negative moderating effect on the association between attitude towards green banking and intention to adopt green banking. The responses from this study indicate there are specific factors that affect and limit retail bank customers’ intentions to adopt green banking. In summary, this study concludes environmental disclosure scores, or environmental performance scores do not impact banks’ financial, market and risk performance. We proposed a green banking scorecard (GBS) from a new perspective to measure banks’ green performance and we find that European banks achieve higher green banking scores compared to Asian and American banks. Finally, the study finds retail bank customers also prefer green banking and intend to adopt green banking.Item Pakiaka Tupuora Parenting From the Start : evaluating a preventative intervention to improve attachment and health outcomes for mothers and their babies : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology at Te Kungenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand(Massey University, 2024-12-06) Morrimire, LeithBackground: Parenting interventions can improve individual and societal outcomes but few are brief, preventative, or consistent with Indigenous knowledge. This is the first based on the latest multidisciplinary theory – the evolved developmental niche (EDN). Objective: To evaluate the one-day (8hr) preventative antenatal Parenting From the Start workshop in terms of infant attachment and other medium-term outcomes. Methods: Randomised controlled trial with two parallel arms open to pregnant residents of the Manawatū/Horowhenua regions of Aotearoa New Zealand. 57 English-speaking women aged 24 to 44 years were randomly assigned to intervention (n = 27) or wait-list control (n = 30) groups alongside standard free maternity care and parental leave. Retention rates were 81% at the home visit (n = 22 intervention; n = 24 control), and 74% at the clinic assessment (n = 20 intervention; n = 20 control). Primary analyses were based on maternal sensitive responsiveness as measured by the Ainsworth Sensitivity Scales, Mini-Maternal Behavior Q- Sort, and Observational Measure of Sensitivity and Responsiveness (11 to 24 months post birth) and infant attachment on the Strange Situation Procedure (11-22 months post birth). Secondary outcomes included a range of self-reported parenting intentions and strategies. Findings: Intervention group infants had higher rates of secure attachment (90%) than the control group (64%). This effect was significant at the level of 3-way attachment security (p = .011, Cramer’s V = 0.448), and attachment subcategory (p = .047, Cramer’s V = 0.552), but not 2-way attachment security (p = .059, Cramer’s V = 0.342). Maternal sensitive responsiveness did not differ across study conditions (p = .097, RBC = 0.288). Parenting intentions relating to breastfeeding, proximal care, room sharing, and elimination communication were significantly increased in the intervention group, as were responsive parenting beliefs, and frequency of positive care reported over the infants’ first year. Interpretation: The intervention significantly increased responsive parenting intentions and beliefs, positive care over the first year, and rates of secure attachment. Parenting From the Start warrants further study as a brief, preventative, bicultural intervention. Trial registration ACTRN12617000321347, universal trial number U111111840331. Trial information can be found at: http://www.ANZCTR.org.au/ACTRN12617000321347.aspxItem A culture-centered exploration of India’s Community Health Workers’ meanings of the COVID-19 pandemic and the role of mobile technology in response strategies : a thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Communication and Journalism at Massey University, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa, Center for Culture-Centered Approach to Research and Evaluation (CARE)(Massey University, 2025-01-20) Pattanaik, SamikshaDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, Community Health Workers (CHWs), particularly in developing countries such as India, played a crucial role in controlling the virus's spread (Niyati & Nelson Mandela, 2020). India imposed the world’s largest lockdown (Ghosh, 2020; Mathur, 2020), swiftly deploying its CHWs known as ASHA workers for community-level COVID-19 prevention and mitigation (Niyati & Nelson Mandela, 2020). Reports indicated that ASHAs in some states were required to purchase and use smartphones for COVID-19 tasks (Brar Singh, 2020; Hindustan Times, 2020b). This top-down approach to pandemic communication and mHealth initiatives (M. J. Dutta, S. Kaur-Gill, et al., 2018; Kumar & Anderson, 2015) sidelined ASHAs' their voices in mainstream discourse, despite their essential role. Furthermore, while existing research in this area has identified the structural challenges faced by ASHAs—such as overwhelming workloads and inadequate compensation—these studies often treat these challenges in a reductionist manner (Lazarus, 2020; Nichols et al., 2022; Srivastava, 2021), often from the perspective of the researcher. This marginalisation of ASHAs' voices is particularly concerning in the context of public health emergencies, where they are thrust into frontline roles without adequate infrastructural and policy support. This thesis addresses this significant gap in research by foregrounding their voices and lived experiences as frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on the Culture Centered Approach (CCA), a meta-theoretical framework particularly suited for research in marginalised settings, this study uses semi-structured interviews to explore ASHAs’ narratives, shedding light on how they navigated the pandemic and engaged with mHealth initiatives. The study finds that ASHAs operate within intersecting layers of structural inequalities shaped by their socio-economic context and the neoliberal organisation of India’s healthcare system. This system reduces these marginalised female workers to ‘efficient’ subjects, using their labour to offload state responsibilities while offering minimal support and compensation. Through this analysis, the research advances the theoretical framework of the CCA by deepening the understanding of the layering of structures upon structures and their simultaneous interaction with culture. While existing CCA literature addresses the structure culture dynamic, this study uniquely highlights how these layered structures intersect, reinforce, and sometimes contradict each other, intensifying marginalisation. In the context of mHealth, the study uncovers the complex, multifaceted, and sometimes contradictory meanings of technology in marginalised spaces, ranging from the relevance of face-to-face communication and bottom-up uses of technology in rural healthcare, to issues surrounding data privacy, confidentiality, and digital burden in marginalised spaces. By placing these evolving and often contradictory meanings at the center of theorising, this research challenges techno-optimism and prompts a critical re-evaluation of the role of technology in healthcare delivery, with mHealth as a key example. Additionally, this study extends the concept of marginalised agency within the CCA by shifting away from binary understandings of resistance and submission, demonstrating how such agency is multidimensional and dynamic, shaped by an intricate web of cultural, social, religious, economic, and professional factors. This multilayered interaction forces ASHAs to continuously negotiate their positions, sometimes exercising their voices and demands, and at other times complying with top-down orders due to structural constraints, while drawing on cultural resources to navigate these structures. The thesis concludes with recommendations for a communicative framework that integrates ASHAs into decision-making processes, fostering resilience among CHWs and the communities they serve in future health crises.Item Connecting Forecast and Warning: A Partnership Between Communicators and Scientists(Springer Nature Switzerland AG on behalf of the Met Office, 2022-06-21) Anderson CL; Rovins J; Johnston DM; Lang W; Golding B; Mills B; Kaltenberger R; Chasco J; Pagano TC; Middleham R; Nairn J; Golding BIn this chapter, we examine the ways that warning providers connect and collaborate with knowledge sources to produce effective warnings. We first look at the range of actors who produce warnings in the public and private sectors, the sources of information they draw on to comprehend the nature of the hazard, its impacts and the implications for those exposed and the process of drawing that information together to produce a warning. We consider the wide range of experts who connect hazard data with impact data to create tools for assessing the impacts of predicted hazards on people, buildings, infrastructure and business. Then we look at the diverse ways in which these tools need to take account of the way their outputs will feed into warnings and of the nature of partnerships that can facilitate this. The chapter includes examples of impact prediction in sport, health impacts of wildfires in Australia, a framework for impact prediction in New Zealand, and communication of impacts through social media in the UK.Item Investigating the quality and drivers of sustainability reporting in the electricity industry : a global context : a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Accounting at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand(Massey University, 2024-11-07) Marasigan, AlvaThis research investigates the quality and determinants of sustainability reporting in the electricity industry, in particular the electricity generation sector. Electricity is a major driver of economic development and a major influence on climate change, hence an interesting setting for this study. Understanding the trends and determinants relating to the quality of sustainability reporting (QSR) may contribute to improved QSR and consequential improvements in transparency, accountability, and value creation. Part 1 of this study is qualitative and investigates the QSR of 100 electricity generators included in the S&P Platts Top 250 Global Energy Companies Rankings for 2021. The assessment of QSR is based on the qualitative characteristics of reporting, namely relevance (including materiality) and reliability. Content analysis of sustainability disclosures during 2018-2020 suggests the QSR of sample companies is relatively high and improving over time. Companies in countries with mandatory sustainability reporting regimes generally tend to achieve higher QSR. Part 2 of this study is quantitative and concerns testing selected determinants of QSR through regression analyses. Findings suggest that sustainability performance, use of the Global Reporting Initiative framework, and institutional shareholding have significant positive impacts on all QSR measures, while foreign shareholding has the same effect on relevance and overall QSR (contemporaneous as well as one-year lagged effects). Rule of law and carbon pricing policy have significant negative effects on relevance (contemporaneous as well as one-year lagged effects) while gender diversity shows the same effect on reliability (one-year lagged effect only). Rule of law also has a significant negative influence on overall QSR but only when testing for one-year lagged effects. Robustness and additional tests support these results. This study extends the existing literature on sustainability reporting by providing a holistic longitudinal, global, as well as an environmental, social, and economic perspective on QSR in the electricity industry. It also covers a wider range of QSR determinants than most others and improves on the precision of QSR measurement. This study may be useful to regulators and standard setters in their efforts to harmonise sustainability reporting and provides useful insights to decision makers and practitioners on the need to link sustainability disclosures to sustainability performance, as well as stakeholder activities, assurance considerations, and materiality.Item Balancing risk in sexual violence restorative justice : professional views on risk assessment for restorative justice processes addressing sexual violence : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand(Massey University, 2024) Bremer, Charlotte (Charlie) GraceSexual violence is an ongoing international human rights issue, often resulting in significant negative impacts, and not always well addressed within conventional criminal justice systems. Restorative justice following sexual violence (SVRJ) is a victim-centred justice process showing significant benefits for victim-survivors (including meeting justice needs and supporting recovery), perpetrators of harm (including insight, community reintegration, and reduced reoffending), and wider communities (encouraging accountability and addressing harmful beliefs). However, there is a risk of causing further harm through SVRJ, meaning professionals in this space have an obligation to manage risk as best as possible. Risk of further harm is one reason why SVRJ is not particularly common around the world, and why opinions are often divided regarding the appropriateness of its use. Currently, there are no standardised guidelines for assessing risk within SVRJ. Instead, professionals may rely on their judgement alone, which is the least reliable and valid method of risk assessment. The current research seeks to address this by investigating professional perspectives about the factors important within SVRJ risk assessment, and subsequently developing SVRJ risk assessment guideline recommendations, which could enable a structured and more reliable approach to SVRJ risk assessment. Professionals (n=16) experienced in the areas of SVRJ and RJ risk assessment were interviewed about their experiences of SVRJ risk assessment, particularly what they considered within their assessments and risk-related decisions. Interview data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, with four themes identified: perceived participant preparedness, safe support systems, culturally competent assessment, and participant alignment. These findings formed the basis for developed SVRJ risk assessment guideline recommendations. Wider implications of the findings for SVRJ risk assessment, policy and practice are discussed. It is hoped that this research provides important insight into SVRJ professional practice and risk assessment and contributes to the safe use of SVRJ both in Aotearoa New Zealand and internationally, allowing more people to access the benefits of SVRJ in safe and considered ways.Item Awareness, support, and opinions of healthy food and drink policies: a survey of staff and visitors in New Zealand healthcare organisations.(BioMed Central Ltd, 2024-08-12) Gerritsen S; Rosin M; Te Morenga L; Jiang Y; Kidd B; Shen S; Umali E; Mackay S; Ni Mhurchu CBackground In 2016, a voluntary National Healthy Food and Drink Policy (hereafter, “the Policy”) was released to encourage public hospitals in New Zealand to provide food and drink options in line with national dietary guidelines. Five years later, eight (of 20) organisations had adopted it, with several preferring to retain or update their own institutional-level version. This study assessed staff and visitors’ awareness and support for and against the Policy, and collected feedback on perceived food environment changes since implementation of the Policy. Methods Cross-sectional electronic and paper-based survey conducted from June 2021 to August 2022. Descriptive statistics were used to present quantitative findings. Free-text responses were analysed following a general inductive approach. Qualitative and quantitative findings were compared by level of implementation of the Policy, and by ethnicity and financial security of participants. Results Data were collected from 2,526 staff and 261 visitors in 19 healthcare organisations. 80% of staff and 56% of visitors were aware of the Policy. Both staff and visitors generally supported the Policy, irrespective of whether they were aware of it or not, with most agreeing that “Hospitals should be good role models.” Among staff who opposed the Policy, the most common reason for doing so was freedom of choice. The Policy had a greater impact, positive and negative, on Māori and Pacific staff, due to more frequent purchasing onsite. Most staff noticed differences in the food and drinks available since Policy implementation. There was positive feedback about the variety of options available in some hospitals, but overall 40% of free text comments mentioned limited choice. 74% of staff reported that food and drinks were more expensive. Low-income staff/visitors and shift workers were particularly impacted by reduced choice and higher prices for healthy options. Conclusions The Policy led to notable changes in the healthiness of foods and drinks available in NZ hospitals but this was accompanied by a perception of reduced value and choice. While generally well supported, the findings indicate opportunities to improve implementation of food and drink policies (e.g. providing more healthy food choices, better engagement with staff, and keeping prices of healthy options low) and confirm that the Policy could be expanded to other public workplaces.Item The relationship between lean and performance measurement in service and manufacturing organisations in New Zealand : a thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Accounting at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand(Massey University, 2024-08-20) Roos, Christina MariaThis thesis examines the relationship between lean and performance measurement systems (PMSs) in New Zealand private and public organisations. There is a dearth of research on lean and PMSs, despite the importance of understanding this relationship. To provide insights and an understanding of this relationship, this study identifies and examines lean techniques and the corresponding performance measures applied to measure lean performance. The research data were analysed using Searcy’s (2004) framework of lean performance dimensions and the findings were informed by contingency theory. The research conclusions were drawn from qualitative interpretations of the data through thematic analysis. The research findings show that lean is still in an emergent state in New Zealand and that managers associate lean with reducing waste to reduce costs, promote continuous improvement, improve quality, and deliver customer value. This differs from the global perspective of providing customer value through continuous improvement (Thornton et al., 2019; Albzeirat et al., 2018). The lean techniques implemented by the lean organisations reflect the managers’ association of lean with reducing cost and promoting continuous improvement, with a marginal focus on improving customer value. Organisations that successfully use lean techniques remain in a ‘black hole’ between measuring lean performance and the inclusion of lean performance dimensions in the PMS. Less than half of the organisations adapted their PMSs to include lean performance, nor did they implement specific lean KPIs to measure and evaluate lean performance. In those organisations where managers had identified, implemented, and used critical lean success factors, they had concurrently modified their PMS to include lean KPIs. Nonetheless, dollars saved are still recognised as the most important lean contribution, subsequently, once dollar-related goals were reached, organisations restored their traditional PMSs. As such, lean performance was neglected, and the existing lean practices were not associated with PMS. Ultimately, most organisations did not adapt their PMSs sufficiently to accommodate lean, and consequently, the organisations’ PMSs did not adequately capture lean outcomes. The implications for organisations and CEOs are that they need to shift focus from cost savings and profits to lean techniques and map the correct key performance indicators to the PMS to fully measure and evaluate lean outcomes.
