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    The role of supervisors and human resource management in mitigating stress : bus driving in a pandemic context : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Human Resource Management at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2025) Irai, Pari
    This thesis examines the occupational stress of bus drivers in New Zealand (NZ), particularly within the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. Urban bus driver is recognised as a high-risk occupation with elevated stress associated with adverse well-being outcomes. The nature of this occupation, along with its working conditions, which include strict schedules, traffic congestion, hostile passengers and low pay, has contributed to concerns about well-being and industrial disputes. The pandemic further intensified these challenges, creating a unique context for exploring the work experiences of bus drivers who were categorised as essential workers during the pandemic. The study employs the job demand-resource (JD-R) model in conjunction with the psychological contract theory to explore how working conditions and the pandemic influenced the well-being of drivers and employment relations climate within the NZ bus sector, as well as what measures were taken to address them. The study is guided by two research questions: 1) What job stressors impact the well-being of NZ bus drivers? and 2) What have bus companies (including the Auckland Transport) done to mitigate stress to safeguard their bus drivers’ well-being and improve the employment relations climate? The findings of this study are informed by 62 semi-structured interviews with drivers, supervisors, managers, and trade union representatives. Thematic analysis of the interviews revealed that pandemic-specific stressors, such as anxiety about Covid-19 contagion, hostile passengers' behaviour, work disruption, job insecurity, and financial strain, compounded pre-existing stressors, including low pay, long working hours, split shifts and traffic congestion. The lack of organisational and supervisory support further exacerbated these stressors and undermined drivers' perceptions of the organisation's commitment to their well-being. The findings are presented in two parts. The first area of findings highlights how increased job demands and limited resources influenced drivers' stress and coping ability during the pandemic. Second, the psychological contract lens demonstrates how perceptions of fulfilment or breach, mediated by perceived organisational support (POS), perceived supervisor support (PSS), and peer support, influenced both drivers' well-being and the broader employment relations. Theoretically, this study contributes to the refinement and development of organisational psychology theories from an integrated perspective of the JD-R and psychological contract frameworks through a qualitative, interpretive approach. Unlike the predominant quantitative focus of prior research, this study captures rich, content-specific narratives and provides a more nuanced understanding of how POS, PSS, peer networks, and person-job fit (PJ fit) influence employee well-being and employment relations. This integrative perspective advances both theory and methodology by demonstrating the value of qualitative inquiry in refining established frameworks. Practically, the findings inform managers and human resource (HR) practitioners by emphasising the importance of supervisory training and support in enhancing frontline leadership competence, communication and trust to foster relational human resource management (HRM) as well as more systematic engagement with employee representatives. Given the physical remoteness of bus drivers, the supervisory relationship is potentially problematic, but no less critical. This highlights the importance of effective supervisor and organisational support in influencing drivers' well-being as well as their perceptions of fairness, recognition and commitment to their well-being and positive employment relationships.
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    Discrimination or diversity? A balanced score card review of perceptions of gender quotas : prepared in partial fulfilment of a Master of Business Studies, Massey University (Albany)
    (Massey University, 2019) Burrell, Erin Kathleen
    Creating an economy where gender equality is at the forefront could be claimed to be beneficial to most, if not all, citizens and countries. Recent mandates of gender reporting at the Director and Officer levels have created a dichotomous environment in New Zealand. Taking learnings from other countries experiences with quotas, with a particular focus on Norway, adds insight into what could happen if implementation were to occur. Using qualitative interviews across a diverse group of participants, this study investigates current perspectives and implications of gender quotas. Understanding the role of the board to govern and design organisational strategy, the Balanced Score Card was selected as a clear instrument for analysis and recommendations. This exploration showcases the complexity of equity strategy as a component of board construction and the realisation that gender alone will not deliver a diverse board of directors. Empowered by the BSC structure, this effort delivers a recommendation for driving organisational change through diversity programming and contributes to academic discourse through a business outcome focused approach to qualitative research. Findings display that social policy does have a place in the boardroom, but that efforts must be measured and documented consistently over time, a process that is lacking in many NZ firms. Further, outcomes from the study show that quotas are not preferred as a tool for gender equity with just 27.78% of participants supporting the concept. This study makes a three-fold contribution: first, it investigates a broader range of participants than does existing NZ work, second, it leverages the Balanced Score Card for analysis to support real-time application of findings by practitioners outside of the academic sphere, and third, it introduces gender diversity as an element of gender quotas.