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    Rebelling by any means possible : New Zealand local government nuclear weapon free zones : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in History at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2005) Stone, J. L
    One hundred and five nuclear weapon free zones (NWFZ) covered the country by 1987. The zones were declared by local Councils and harbour boards, over 72% of New Zealanders lived in these zones. The percentage meant New Zealand could claim the world record for local NWFZs. I had no previous knowledge of these zones until I read an article by Larry Ross on the campaign. The article proclaimed local and national petitions, alongside local body declarations, demonstrated to the Government that the people wanted a Nuclear Free New Zealand. Larry Ross, 'Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones total 64', New Zealand Monthly Review, November 1983, p. 9. The idea of declaring one's town nuclear free intrigued me, but I was instantly sceptical of the concept. I joined those who had previously scoffed at the notion that a Council could make such a stand against a nuclear armed state and it lead me to ponder what the nuclear free declarations meant. I quickly came to realise that the intention was not usually for the zones to be seen as a literal measure to prevent nuclear weapons from entering people's towns. Rather they were framed as a symbolic gesture and a political move to encourage states into action for nuclear disarmament. With no means of enforcement, I came to perceive that the process of developing the zones was more important than the final declaration. I believed the growth of zones would have contributed to a sense of legitimacy and momentum, yet I considered that the greater benefits of the NWFZs came from the process. The assumption was that the campaign would educate the public, shape public opinion and help strengthen the peace movement. My key question focused on looking at the processes which led to the local NWFZs being established and to ascertain what they meant in the wider context of the anti-nuclear movement. That process was examined through individual case studies, hoping to draw some conclusions on the importance of local nuclear free declarations.
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    Stories and organisational change : participants and sensemaking in local government : a thesis report presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy (Business) in Communication Management at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2002) Day, Mary
    This project explores the role of storytelling by individuals in times of organizational change. The study was carried out in a local body organization that, like other local body bodies in New Zealand, had been undergoing a series of changes over a period of several years as the result of central government reform. There is a wide body of literature supporting the theory that the performance of stories is a key part of an organization's members' sensemaking. It has been shown that people reconstruct and interpret different experiences of organizational change and learning. For this study a total of 21 employees from the local body were interviewed by way of storytelling. The main research question asked: "what do stories told by employees in an organization undergoing change indicate about the change?" Closely related sub-questions asked if stories indicated resistance or commitment to the changes, or degrees of resistance and/or commitment. Resistance to change is recognised as a critically important factor that can influence the success or otherwise of an organizational change. This resistance can be an impediment to progress. In times of organizational change, stories told by employees may indicate resistance to the change which, if not adequately addressed, may retard organizational change efforts. The major findings from the employees' stories revealed some important key themes. They were that the participants had conflicting views of what the purpose of the current changes were. In addition, there was a general sense of, "here we go again", following on from previous changes in the organization. This perception gave the effect that participants had difficulty in viewing the current changes seriously. There was also a general perception that the right people were not being included in the change- making decision process. People felt left out and therefore expressed resistance in their stories. Further, a special group of people was selected from within the organization to carry out the change process and they too indicated feelings of isolation from and rejection by the organization's employees, and that created for them feelings of resistance. Overall, it seemed clear the stories provided confirmed that participants resisted the change to varying degrees. Thornhill, Lewis and Millmore. (2000) states perceptions about change will affect its acceptance and may lead to resistance that could effectively minimise or even negate the purpose of the intended change. The analysis of these stories provided implications for change managers. This study has shown that the individuals' narratives orstories are a powerful vehicle and source of knowledge of how employees view happenings within the organization. A positive lesson to be learned from this research, and one which can be utilised by change managers in the future, is the significance of employees' stories and their importance to managers to listen to, gauge and assess the mood of the organization toward change. A second round of interviews with a small group of the original interviewees, one year on, served the purpose of giving the participants an opportunity to reflect on the events and for sensemaking of what they didn't necessarily understand or were not aware of at the time of the first round. This proved to be a valuable opportunity to consider, reflect and learn for future organizational change processes. It is suggested that it would be useful to conduct similar research within other local bodies that have also been undergoing series of changes over recent years following central government reform. Because of the uniqueness of local bodies and their position seated between public service organizations and the private sector, they are in a position where they are pressured to satisfy the demands of the stakeholders, both the community and the ratepayer-elected body of councillors. No doubt councils are continuing to investigate the most appropriate local government structures to meet their stakeholder's needs and the delivery of services. Key Words change, change management, commitment, culture, organization, organizational employees, resistance, sensemaking, stories.
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    Partnerships with the community sector as a strategy for good practice for local government : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (Social Policy) at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2000) Ord, Nadine
    This research evaluates current practice by local government in partnerships with the community sector and it considers the contribution of partnerships to the governance function of local government. This research emphasises that partnerships based on good practice contribute to effective governance by local government and are conducive to implementing the role of local government in the current policy and societal context. An analysis of the strategic plans of a selection of urban local authorities in New Zealand suggests a high level of interest in a partnership approach. However, there is little consistency in the definition and practice of partnerships by authorities. By reviewing the literature on partnerships in New Zealand and internationally, key success factors in working in partnership are considered and a definition of partnership based on good practice is defined. The experiences of two partnerships involving a local authority and a community organisation from the greater Auckland area, presented in this research, highlight the contribution of partnerships to the success of projects and to fulfilling a local authority's strategic goals. These 'case studies' also raise implementation issues. The processes used to overcome these issues in the two case studies are consistent with the findings from the European and North American research, and, hence, contribute to defining characteristics of successful partnerships.
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    Deliberative democracy : developing best practice in territorial local authorities : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (Social Policy) at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2000) MacLennan, Barbara Jill
    This thesis explores current practices used by territorial local authorities in Aotearoa/New Zealand to involve citizens in deliberation. It has been written in response to the call from other researchers into local governance and consultation, for the development of more participatory processes and a more deliberative democracy. Drawing on research data, the thesis establishes a national baseline about the deliberative processes currently used by territorial local authorities and the issues they identify. These are further examined through four case studies. The concepts emerging are presented as a draft set of best practice guidelines, as a contribution to improving democratic processes in local government and indeed throughout the public sector.
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    Submission-makers' perceptions of the annual plan process in New Zealand local government : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for a Master of Resource and Environmental Planning at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2001) Forgie, Vicky Elizabeth
    A purpose of local government in New Zealand as set out in s37k of the amended Local Government Act 1974 was to provide for public participation in local authority affairs. It was intended that this public participation provide citizens with a means of ifluencing local activities, as well as a way of making representatives more accountable to the citizens who elect them. The statutory annual planning and reporting cycle, and the special consultative procedure that it embodies, were the key mechanisms for achieving these objectives. The focus of this research was to determine if the annual planning and reporting cycle which was introduced as an amendment to the Local Government Act 1974 in 1989 provides citizens with an adequate means of participating in local government and provides local authority accountability to citizens. A postal survey of citizens who made submissions in 1999/2000 was undertaken. It covered submission-makers from two city, two district and two regional councils all located in the lower part of the North Island. The overall response rate to the survey was 57.5%. Statistical analysis was used to isolate key interrelationships. The survey responses indicated that most submission-makers value the opportunity the annual plan process provides to have an input into local government affairs. Despite the majority being of the opinion that submissions do not really make a difference or uncertain about whether they did or not, most submission-makers expressed the view they would make another submission in the future. Submissions were generally regarded as of 'some' importance to local authority decision-makers but not 'a lot'. Citizen satisfaction with involvement related more to benefits such as a chance to make their personal views known, than from any concrete outcomes in terms of influence on council decisions or accountability by council. How submission-perceived the public meetings to hear oral submissions and whether or not they were advised of the outcome were closely related to the level of satisfaction from involvement. People making submissions on behalf of organised groups were generally more positive about the process than individual submission-makers.
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    Can collaboration between local authorities enable efficent and effective environmental management? : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Resource and Environmental Planning at Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2012) McSoriley, Luke Gerard
    Local authorities in New Zealand are under increasing pressure from central government and the public to deliver efficient and effective local government. Local authorities are required to operate in a fiscally efficient manner while also undertaking a range of local government functions effectively. Local authority collaboration has been identified as a useful approach to the delivery of local government functions that can achieve efficiencies while also providing for effective local government. Local authority collaboration has also been identified as an alternative or complimentary approach to local authority amalgamation. Regulatory functions associated with environmental management are a key responsibility of local governments in New Zealand. This research evaluates the value and efficacy of local authority collaboration in environmental management. The primary research method was a case study of a Southland example of local authority collaboration in environmental management. The secondary research method was a documentary analysis of eight other New Zealand examples of inter-council collaboration in environmental management. The theory and practice of collaboration between local governments was also analysed through a review of relevant literature. This research has shown that collaboration between local governments can be fiscally efficient, whilst also providing an effective approach to the management of environmental issues. The research has also shown that local authority collaboration in environmental management can be effective across a range of environmental issues. The research concludes that local authority collaboration is a valuable and efficacious approach that can enable effective and efficient environmental management.