Massey University Departments

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    Beyond women's empowerment : exploring the role of men in family planning among the Mangkong ethnic group in Lao PDR : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of International Development, Massey University, Palmerston North, Manawatu, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2019) Lorkuangming, Vanly
    Since the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo, men’s involvement in family planning (FP) has been actively promoted as the pinnacle to women’s empowerment, and consequently, gender equality. Previous studies have found that when men are involved in FP, they can become more supportive when decisions about reproductive issues need to be made, which has positive implications elsewhere. Laos as an ethnically diverse country, means making FP universally accessible for its people has been challenging. It is especially problematic for ethnic minorities in rural areas where women are more vulnerable and marginalised, resulting in a high level of unmet need for FP among ethnic women. With ethnic minorities even less participation is evident, coupled with the fact there is a paucity of research on topic. This thesis therefore aims to explore the involvement of Mangkong men in FP. The fieldwork was conducted in seven villages in Nong District, Savannakhet province, Lao PDR. The research is qualitative in design and data was collected via semi-structured interviews with 13 couples, two women and five key informants. Other methods included informal observation, used as part of building rapport and learning about gender roles and lifestyle among the Mangkong, as well as document analysis. This study found that men’s involvement as FP service providers raised awareness of FP among men and women, while men’s involvement as targets of FP programmes improved and increased participation in counselling, integrated outreach, for example. However, this suggests that men’s involvement in FP alone cannot increase women’s empowerment unless broader strategic and practical gender needs are also addressed. Theoretically, the study calls for culturally specific models of empowerment, as the empowerment framework adopted in this study, which was based on Western feminist theories, cannot fully explain Mangkong women’s understandings of empowerment. Findings also suggest that if true empowerment in FP is to be achieved, it is necessary to focus on both men and women as individuals, couples and clients who have the rights to access FP information and services, thus meeting their individual needs. Both men and women are necessary agents of change for gender equality.
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    Lupe fa'alele : releasing the doves : factors affecting the successful operation of Samoan businesses in New Zealand : a thesis presented in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology, Massey University, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2018) Vao'iva Tofilau, Ma'atusi S.
    This thesis explores levels of Samoan entrepreneurship in New Zealand. It identifies unique challenges and opportunities Samoan entrepreneurs face when establishing businesses in a migrant setting. There is a growing body of knowledge in New Zealand on ethnic businesses, in particular, what constitutes an ethnic business, what facilitates and impedes their success, and the contribution they make to the New Zealand economy. Samoan entrepreneurship, however, remains an academic terra nova. Little is understood about what Samoan entrepreneurship looks like; is there a typical Samoan business, for example; what sorts of challenges do they face when negotiating and navigating cultural and business challenges in the New Zealand business environment; and what does this all mean in terms of success in both the business and community contexts? This thesis considers a qualitative research approach to investigate the lived experiences of Samoan entrepreneurs in New Zealand. The research draws on the experiences of fifteen male and six female Samoan entrepreneurs. The participants interviewed for this study included entrepreneurs who were born and educated in Samoa, those born in Samoa and partly educated in both Samoa and New Zealand, and entrepreneurs born and educated in New Zealand. The research examines how entrepreneurs differ from one another in the way they operate their businesses and the manner in which they negotiate their obligations towards family, religion, community and business responsibilities. Earlier literature on ethnic entrepreneurship has emphasized the importance of ‘social embeddedness’ of entrepreneurs in their social and community networks as key factors in operating a successful business. This study however looks to build on and extend this concept to a mixed embeddedness focus that highlights the combination of cultural, institutional, structural elements of the business environment and relevant strategies that entrepreneurs use to create a successful business. The findings in the study emphasize that the mixed embedded approach produces more successes and a variety amongst Samoan entrepreneurs especially when they negotiate the requirements of both fa’a-sāmoa in conjunction with the institutional and the regulatory responsibilities of the New Zealand business environment. The implications of these findings would be valuable for other migrant operated businesses in New Zealand.
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    Entrepreneurial assistance across the ocean : an examination of the effectiveness of international mentoring as a support service for entrepreneurs in Samoa : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Development Studies at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2013) Purcell, Gisela
    Indigenous entrepreneurs play an important role in the economic growth of developing countries but to be sustainable they must balance their business needs with the cultural norms of the local context. Donor countries are increasingly supporting the private sector through business mentoring, however the challenges facing indigenous entrepreneurs are quite different to those experienced by their mentors. This research investigates the value of donor-funded, cross-cultural mentoring through an examination of the Pacific Business Mentoring Programme, a New Zealand initiative in Samoa. Based on an extensive literature review, this thesis develops a framework to assess the value of a mentoring programme. Semi-structured interviews with 23 entrepreneurs in Samoa reveal their positive and negative experiences with the programme. An online survey of the New Zealand mentors who had worked in Samoa provides further data regarding the perceived strengths and weaknesses of the programme. This information is evaluated against the mentoring framework to assess what worked well and what areas could be improved. Research findings show that mentoring can provide both business and socio-cultural development outcomes, however economic improvements can be very difficult to attribute directly to a mentoring programme. Several cited benefits of the mentoring programme, such as providing a neutral sounding board and challenging the entrepreneur’s assumptions, are difficult to quantify. The majority of entrepreneurs believe that their mentor did not have a good understanding of the local cultural context. Where a mentor’s advice conflicted with their cultural practices, the entrepreneur would usually ignore or adapt the advice to reach a compromise. Some cultural practices appear to be detrimental to running a business, however many of these practices add to the resilience of local people as well as having a social function, and should therefore not be undermined. This thesis concludes that donor-funded business mentoring is a versatile, effective tool for development assistance if mentors are sensitive to the unique challenges of the local context and do not underestimate the abilities of the local entrepreneurs. With careful selection, training and support, mentoring can support indigenous entrepreneurs to improve their business skills while retaining their cultural identity.
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    A qualitative exploration of environmental and relational factors affecting service user involvement from the perspective of community mental health nurses : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Nursing at Massey University, Palmerston North Campus, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2012) Brown, Vicky Keryn
    Mental health policy and clinical guidelines require service user involvement principles within clinical practice and service provision, yet few national studies exist to examine Mental Health Nurse’s (MHNs) viewpoints about its implementation. This qualitative research project asks the question ‘What are the environmental and relational factors which affect service user involvement in community mental health team settings from the perspectives of community MHNs?’ The research aims were: (1) Explore how the practice environment supports service user involvement; (2) Explore how they include, or not, service users in the provision of care; and, (3) To discuss how the group of community MHNs recognise and describe service user involvement. Central ethics approval was gained and eight community MHNs in two District Health Board’s (DHBs) with over 5 years experience were interviewed. Participant’s discussion was audio taped, transcribed and then analysed utilising a thematic analysis approach. From this analysis, two predominant themes arose. Theme one highlights the ‘relationship dynamics of practice’ through exploration of concepts of historical changes; conflicting relationships, influential attitudes and powerlessness. Theme two explores ‘strength based approaches’ from the participants perspectives and includes recovery; inclusive practices; challenging stigma and beliefs towards service user involvement. Mutual agreement about the benefits of service user involvement was identified. However, changes to funding, hierarchical mental health organisations, nurses’ education, stigmatising attitudes and lack of nursing identity have impacted on the implementation and support of service user involvement. Recommendations for further research and suggestions for nursing practice are offered through building nursing capacity, capability, quality and strengthening the profession.
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    A study of the career pathways of Canadian young adults during the decade after secondary school graduation : a thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Social Work and Social Policy at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2011) Campbell, Catherine Grace
    This study examined the career pathways taken by 47 young adults in Canada after they graduated from secondary school. Based on a grounded theory analysis, this thesis explored the way young adults made career decisions and how their resources (individual, family, social and environmental) and the messages that they heard from significant others influenced their career pathways. The majority of the young people in this study either did not know what they wanted to do when they graduated from secondary school or subsequently changed their minds. Most engaged in a process of identity exploration through experimentation with tertiary programmes and different types of work as they tried to ascertain what constituted satisfying work. As participants experimented with different career pathways, they obtained a better sense of who they were and what types of work they found satisfying. Findings indicated that participants engaged in a process of finding a career-related place, an activity that superficially involved selecting a career pathway but more substantively meant a search for identity and life purpose. Finding a career-related place was achieved through the interchangeable use of five strategies: navigating, exploring, drifting, settling, and committing. These strategies emerged as a host of internal and external factors impinged on a young person’s simultaneous search for a career and the identity that could potentially come with it. This contingent nature of finding a career-related place stood in sharp contrast to the discourse of what is referred to in this thesis as the “career myth”. This discourse related to the belief that young people should follow a linear, predictable route from secondary school to tertiary training, and then on to a permanent, full-time job. Based on these findings, an argument is made that developmental and chaos-oriented approaches to career development should be moved into the foreground when professionals assist young people in the immediate years after secondary school graduation. Accordingly, the trait and factor ethos, which continues to dominate the career counselling field, should be deemphasised. Six career design principles are identified that provide guidelines for how young people can engage in the process of finding a career-related place in a way that is proactive while at the same time accepting that career pathways and the identities that follow may be uncertain.
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    A study of medical, nursing, and institutional not-for-resuscitation (NFR) discourses : a thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2002) Bickley Asher, Joy Lynley
    This study investigates the way that medical, nursing and institutional discourses construct knowledge in the specific context of Not-for-resuscitation (NFR) in a New Zealand general hospital where NFR guidelines are available in the wards and from the regional ethics committee. The thesis argues that there are ranges of techniques that staff use to construct NFR knowledge, enacted through various forms of speech and silence, which result in orderly and disorderly experiences for patients nearing death. The study was conducted through a critical analysis of the talk of health professionals and the Chairperson of the Regional Ethics Committee. Critical discourse analysis, a methodology that is primarily concerned with a critical analysis of the use of language and the reproduction of dominant ideologies or belief systems in discourse, was employed. The researcher examined the transcribed, audiotaped talk of eleven professional staff members of a large metropolitan general hospital, and the Regional Ethics Committee Chairperson. The results of the analysis indicate that medical discourses do not dominate the construction of NFR knowledge within the institution. Nor do the institutional or ethics committee discourses, written as NFR policy documents, dominate by instilling order into NFR practices with patients. Rather, a range of discourse practices within the disciplines of nursing, medicine, management and policy advice work to determine what happens to patients in the context of NFR and, unexpectedly, cardiopulmonary resuscitation. NFR discourses designed by the institution to influence and standardise practice at the bedside are resisted by professional discourses through the techniques of keeping quiet and keeping secrets, forcing others to keep quiet, delays in speaking up, through to speaking up against opposition. These techniques of speech and silence constitute a divergence between institutional discourses and professional discourses, and divergence within nursing and medical discourses. Both medical and nursing discourses underplay the degree of influence their professional power had over NFR events. This research is potentially significant at two levels; firstly because of what it reveals about the way in which health professionals and policy advisors construct NFR knowledge and secondly, because of the relationship between NFR practices in the health sector and societal ideas about control of death at the beginning of the twenty-first century. These findings will have particular relevance for the shaping of future health care policies. The outcomes of this study also point to the need for further research, both into NFR and into cardio-pulmonary resuscitation events particularly with regard to the implications of the policies for patients and their families.