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    Mindfulness experiences of university staff in New Zealand : an integrated workplace mindfulness framework : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Management at Massey University, Albany, Auckland, New Zealand. EMBARGOED until 1 February 2026.
    (Massey University, 2021) Shahbaz, Wahab
    Research on and the practice of mindfulness is increasing in the organisational context. It is generally understood that mindfulness is a human ability or practice which guides the cognitive and psychological processes of employees and informs their decisions and actions in everyday life. Many organisations thus offer mindfulness training programmes to their employees in order to obtain workplace benefits such as improving well-being, inter-relationships, and performance. Much existing work on mindfulness in the organisational context has focused on the consequences of mindfulness interventions and the benefits that the mindful individual can bring to their work. Despite the positive relationship that research has shown between mindfulness and workplace functions, we still know little about how employees actually experience mindfulness. Such an understanding is important to advance organisational strategies and training inventions to promote health, well-being, and the productivity of employees. University staff experience considerable stress at work, and in response many universities around the world have made mindfulness sessions available as part of their staff support practices. Thus, they were an appropriate group to research regarding mindfulness experiences. The purpose of this research was thus to explore the mindfulness experiences of university staff in order to understand their experiences in more depth. In particular, using positive organisational behaviour (POB) as a theoretical lens and conservation of resource (COR) as an additional tool, this thesis focuses on aspects of mindfulness experience that can give insight into how employees enact mindfulness, for example: their everyday practices of mindfulness; their perspectives about workplace outcomes of mindfulness; and what employees perceive to be the facilitating and hindering factors of mindfulness. The research addressed three key research questions: i) how do staff experience mindfulness in the university?; ii) how and why might mindfulness impact on the workplace functions of university staff?; and iii) what individual and workplace factors facilitate or hinder the mindfulness experiences of university staff? To meet the research objectives of this study, a qualitative approach was based on phenomenological enquiry. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 28 faculty and administrative staff from different universities in New Zealand who had attended mindfulness-based training programmes and/or who practised mindfulness. Based on a qualitative thematic analysis of interview material, an integrated workplace mindfulness framework was developed that helps us to understand how employees perceive their mindfulness experiences and practices. First, the framework presents five different kinds of mindfulness-related experiences including formal practices, informal moments, mindful interactions, a state of awareness, and the state of being present. These mindfulness experiences help us to comprehend how staff operationalise mindfulness in the university environment. Second, the framework provides a range of well-being, relationship, and performance-related consequences of mindfulness to address the question relating to the workplace outcomes of mindfulness. Third, the framework elaborates on different mechanisms and functions that explain the relationship between mindfulness and workplace outcomes such as attentional stability, psychological detachment, self-regulation, attentional control, and cognitive flexibility. The mechanisms help us to understand why mindfulness affects workplace functions. Finally, to address the question relating to individual and workplace factors that facilitate or hinder mindfulness, the framework highlights various factors including individual efforts, communal support, and sectoral culture that can influence the application of workplace mindfulness in the university setting. This study contributes to knowledge by providing a comprehensive framework which will assist in the refinement and development of many branches of mindfulness research. In particular, the study discusses relevant aspects of POB and COR to draw out implications for operationalisation, outcomes, mechanisms, and factors affecting workplace mindfulness in the university setting. Practice contributions are also provided. The thesis has implications for the refinement of training practices and organisational efforts in the university sector as well as in other professions to optimise mindfulness programmes for employees’ well-being and productivity.
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    The development of higher education in Thailand : influences and effects : a thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Education at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2019) Maitrarat, Penpisoot
    This research investigated the way in which Thailand has changed access to and the provision of higher education since 1932. It offers a historically grounded analysis of higher education reforms in Thailand in relation to different forms of internal and external forces in higher education. The factors that influenced those changes and the effects of those changes were identified. In addition, it presented a critical analysis of how Western models of higher education have influenced the development of higher education in Thailand. The historical approach was taken in this research. The data relevant to the social phenomenon of higher education in past until now were drawn from historical record and oral accounts. The notion of policy borrowing and concepts from Foucault’s theory of social practice were employed to explain Thailand’s higher education development. An analysis of the changes and the drivers of those changes as well as the effects of those changes revealed how the past informed the present. It also provided an explanation for contemporary problems experienced within the higher education sector and suggested ways forward.
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    The development of a contextualised set of evaluation criteria for studying internationalisation at a Vietnamese public university : a dissertation presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Education at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2018) Nguyen, Thi Hong Nhung
    The aim of this thesis is to explore the development of a contextualised set of evaluation criteria for studying internationalisation at a Vietnamese public university. The literature on internationalisation has so far paid little attention to Vietnam, a context which is at an early stage in conceptualising a plan for its internationalisation. This thesis, therefore, will assist Vietnamese universities in this effort in order to become a part of the global higher education system. Having access to a set of relevant evaluation criteria will not only enable them to better understand their current level of internationalisation but also inform their future internationalisation strategy. The research process was supported by two conceptual frameworks: practical participation evaluation and utilization-focused evaluation approaches. A mixture of qualitative and quantitative research methods was employed to conduct the three-phase development of the contextualised set of evaluation criteria. A collaborative partnership was also developed with the institutional stakeholders from a key university for which the set of criteria was contextualised for evaluating the internationalisation process. The findings from this study indicated that the development of a contextualised set of evaluation criteria for internationalisation at a Vietnamese public university was informed by a complexity of contextual factors. In particular, the domestic-focused nature of institutional internationalisation was found to be shaped not only by national economic and political rationales but also the institutional structure of single focus on teaching. The complexity was further expanded to (national) cultural relevance, institutional purposes for the evaluation, and the institutional mono-disciplinary structure when it came to the evaluation of that internationalisation. As a result of the study, a modelling process for developing a contextualised set of criteria for internationalisation at Vietnamese public universities was established. Insights into the complexity of the process for contextualising a set of evaluation criteria to study internationalisation at a Vietnam university also led to implications and recommendations for institutional stakeholders at the key university in the study (policy implementers and senior leaders), other universities, and policy makers.
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    Information systems planning and management in New Zealand tertiary education institutions : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Computer Science at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1992) Greenwood, John
    The strategic use of information systems for competitive advantage is a subject of current information systems research. This thesis examines the application of this view of the organisation on tertiary education institutions in New Zealand, and its impact on their information systems planning process. Recent changes in the legislation governing the tertiary education sector are reviewed, and their effects on New Zealand tertiary institutions are examined. A number of models of information systems development are summarised and used as a framework to position the current state of information systems in tertiary institutions. The results of a survey, which gathered information about the information systems planning in New Zealand's tertiary education institutions, are presented. Several models of information systems planning are examined and their applicability to the organisations involved in tertiary education is determined. A suggested development of information systems planning within tertiary institutions is presented.
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    Impressions of a multiple station speech and language therapy admissions interview : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master degree in Speech and Language Therapy at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2014) Cope, Petronella Yvonne
    Interviews are commonly used as part of the admissions process into selected entry university programmes to assist the selection committee to ascertain applicants’ personal qualities such as their communication skills. There are no published studies on the effectiveness of interviews for selecting applicants into speech and language therapy programmes. Concerns have been raised in other disciplines, however, regarding the value of interviews due to questions about their reliability and validity. Eva, Rosenfeld, Reiter, and Norman (2004) developed a reliable and valid interview assessment process for admission into a medical school. The process is the multiple mini-interview (MMI) consisting of short stations. A Speech and Language Therapy Multiple Mini-Interview (SLTMMI) was developed. This involved adapting Eva et al.’s (2004) MMI for the speech and language therapy context, that is, each station was developed to assess one or more of the personal attributes or skills required for the speech and language therapy profession. The research study investigated the SLTMMI’s potential acceptability for use as an admissions interview process for the Bachelor of Speech and Language Therapy (BSLT) programme at Massey University. The participants for this study were some of the student applicants for the 2013 Year 1 BSLT programme and some of the interviewers. Questionnaires were used to gather information on the participants’ experiences. In addition, all of the deidentified student applicants’ scoresheets were examined to evaluate the potential value of each station and the strength of the relationship between stations. This research study represents the first step in the process of developing an improved admissions interview process for the BSLT programme at Massey University. The findings of the study have already led to refinements of the SLTMMI and will lead to further research into its reliability and its predictive validity for academic and clinical competence.