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1
Anich, Vanessa F., and n/a. "Iwi management plans and consultation under the Resource Management Act 1991." University of Otago. Department of Geography, 1995. http://adt.otago.ac.nz./public/adt-NZDU20070531.125119.
Full textAbstract:
The Resource Management Act (hereafter �the RM Act�) has significantly changed the statutory framework for natural resource management in New Zealand. It is the result of a three year process of law reform, the largest law reform exercise ever undertaken in this country (M. F. E., 1992). It consolidates into one statute most of the laws that regulate the use of New Zealand�s natural and physical resources.
The purpose of the RM Act is the promotion of �the sustainable management of natural and physical resources�. The focus of this Project is the introduction into the RM Act of a number of positive obligations dealing with Maori interests, the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, consultation, and iwi management plans.
The RM Act contains provisions designed to, amongst other things, safeguard Maori heritage interests, make consultation between consent agencies and tangata whenua mandatory in the preparation of local authority plans and policy statements, provide for the delegation of authority to iwi, and to instruct decision makers to take the principles of the Treaty into account when exercising functions and duties under the act. These provisions provide new opportunities for a distinctive Maori dimension to be incorporated into resource management decision making practice.
The ability is present within the RM Act to remove some of the barriers that have prevented Maori from participating in decisions on the management of resources. The interest of tangata whenua in natural resource management are now a part of the statutory framework. This has the effect of increasing the interaction, consultation and accountability of iwi and local government when natural resources are managed.
The realization of the potential of these iwi provisions in the RM Act will require decision makers and local iwi to develop a working relationship by exploring models of consultation and co-management. For the relationship to be effective, it will need to be based on mutual tolerance and cooperation. The rights and duties in the relationship are complementary and rest with both parties. Long-term sucess will require a commitment from both local authorities and tangata whenua to work together in good faith and with clarity of purpose to develop kaupapa (plan, strategy) for the present and future management of natural resources.
2
Ruru, Tania Suzanne, and n/a. "The Resource Management Act 1991 and Nga Iwi Maori." University of Otago. Faculty of Law, 1997. http://adt.otago.ac.nz./public/adt-NZDU20070530.141814.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis describes the sections in the Resource Management Act 1991 of particular relevance for nga Iwi Maori and assesses how well these facilitate involvement for Maori in the management of New Zealand�s resources. The method of assessment used is one of comparison between the schemes and philosophies of 1991 Act, and the active involvement of Maori in decision-making for their resources which is requires by Article ii of the Treaty of Waitangi (Te Tiriti o Waitangi).
Part i describes the Maori world view of the environment and outlines the Treaty of Waitangi and its relevance to resource management law.
Part ii describes the purpose and principles contained in sections 5, 6(e), 7(a), and 8 of the 1991 Act. Chapter Three provides an overview of the relationship between the purpose and principles. Chapter Four discusses the purpose in section 5 and proclaims that the inclusion of sustainability as a purpose in resource management legislation is advantageous in terms of the indirect furtherance of Maori conservation aspirations for the enviroment. It also describes how the cultural wellbeing of Maori has been interpreted to be an express part of the purpose of the Act. Chapter Five provides an analysis of section 6(e) which makes the relationship of Maori and their culture and traditions with their taonga a matter of national importance under the Act. Chapter Six describes section 7(a) and kaitiakitanga which must be given particular regard under the Act. Chapter Seven discusses section 8 and the content and meaning of the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi. Part ii concludes that while the facilitation of Maori involvement in the management and protection of natural and physical resources is improved under this Act, these sections are an insufficient safeguard for Maori interests.
Part iii assesses the other sections in the Act which have a bearing on Maori involvement in resource management processes. Chapter Eight explores the planning system. Chapter Nine describes the resource consent processes in the 1991 Act. Chapter Ten comments on various procedural provisions which introduce tikanga Maori into the Act, and Chapter Eleven is devoted to exploring the sections in the Act which in the writer�s opinion provide the most potential for recognition of rangatiratanga in a limited form. This Part proclaims that the emphasis in the Act is very much on consultation with nga Iwi Maori as an effective means for their involement in resource management. It is submitted that this is not the active participation in decision-making that Maori seek and which is guaranteed under Article ii of the Treaty of Waitangi.
Chapter Twelve acknowledges that involvement of nga Iwi Maori in processes under the 1991 Act will rely to some extent on the content of policy statements and plans produced by the local authorities. An analysis of the Proposed Otago Regional Policy Statement is undertaken to explore how the concerns of Kai Tahu have been incorporated into the statement.
Chapter Thirteen ends by concluding that while the 1991 Act does provide for increased Maori involvement in resource management processes in New Zealand it does not facilitate the decision-making role guaranteed by Article ii of the Treaty of Waitangi.
3
Kerr, Simon. "An uneasy marriage : ecological reason and the Resource Management Act." Lincoln University, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/10182/2127.
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The late 1960s witnessed an unprecedented interest in the environment. One of the intellectual characteristics of this period was the rise of ecocentrism, a form of ecological reasoning that challenged the domination of anthropocentric environmental thinking and practice. The thesis briefly reviews the evolution of ecological forms of reason, and then poses two questions. The first question asks: "What is ecological reason and how does the literature conceptualise it?" This leads to a theoretical analysis of the forms of ecological reason discernable in the literature, and results in a 'matrix of ecological reason'. The three primary forms of ecological reason are described as 'Technocentric Ecology', 'Discursive Ecology' and 'Eco-social Ecology'. They differ in respect to different dimensions of ecological reason, the forms of communication employed (drawing here on Habermas), and the level of commitment to anthropocentrism or ecocentrism. This 'matrix' highlights the contested nature of ecological reason in the literature, and demonstrates that there is, yet, no clear agreement on what it means, or should mean. The second question examines the ecological rationality of environmental practice. The 'matrix' is employed in three case studies of environmental decisions that take place under the New Zealand Resource Management Act (RMA), and investigates the forms of ecological reason expressed in these decision processes. The results of this analysis show that Eco-social Ecology barely registers in these case studies, while the other two forms of ecological reason. Technocentric Ecology and Discursive Ecology are both highly visible in the rationality of the RMA, but with two important qualifiers. First, although there is a commitment to Discursive Ecology on the part of many professionals, there is also much concern that this form of reason undermines quality environmental decisions. Thus, there is significant ambiguity as to the role of the community (an important dimension of Discursive Ecology). This leads to the second qualifier. There is an uneasy relationship between these two forms of reason, at both the theoretical and practice level. This tension underpins the competing visions of the RMA as a scientifically driven process and as a community process. This thesis argues that this tension does not provide for a secure marriage of these two visions.
4
Pendly, Melissa Lin. "Investigating the Regional Variation in Rules and Best Management Practices for Forestry in New Zealand." Thesis, University of Canterbury. School of Forestry, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10092/9322.
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Under the Resource Management Act 1991, the interpretation and implementation of environmental policy is primarily the responsibility of local government. The management of forestry operations may be influenced via two written means: statutory rules published in regional and district plans, and recommended best management practices (BMPs) published in guidelines. There are concerns that inconsistency between jurisdictions’ regulations have a negative impact on the forestry industry; both in terms of cost and achieving positive environmental outcomes.
This research has investigated and quantified the variation in Permitted Activity rules and BMPs between the sixteen Regional Councils of New Zealand, with a focus on culvert installation and earthworks. This research quantified variation on both a national scale and between neighbouring councils. A peer review exercise was carried out to test the possible subjectivity of results, and found that an expert panel largely agreed with the results produced.
It has been found that there is significant variation in these regional rules and BMPs. Variation in both the level of control, i.e., the number of rules and BMPs per council, and the nature of control, i.e., the proportion of rules or BMPs utilised, is considerable. Further, the rules and BMPs of one council are seldom the same as another. This variation is apparent on both a national scale and when considering only neighbouring pairs of councils.
The findings on levels of variation between councils show that the variation is high, given that the parameters of this research excluded rules and BMPs which pertained to areas of special significance or value. As only ‘general’ rules and BMPs were examined, one would expect variation between councils to be low. The results, however, indicate that there is only limited agreement between Regional Councils.
New Zealand’s resource management rules and policies regarding plantation forestry are currently under review. By highlighting the existing regional variation, this research may help to promote the need for a more consistent and effective approach to the regulation of forestry operations.
5
McMeechan, Melissa Margaret. "Remote Sensing Evaluation of Compensatory Wetland Mitigation Regulated under the Clean Water Act in California, USA." Thesis, University of California, Los Angeles, 2017. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10666340.
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Impacts to wetlands protected under Clean Water Act Sections 401 and 404, can require mitigation with the goal of no net loss of acreage and function. Several studies of compensatory mitigation concluded this goal has not been met, resulting in cumulative losses. Many of these studies were completed by permit review or post-mitigation field survey. However, few studies evaluated condition before and after impact and mitigation activities as a comparison of losses and gains to assess net loss of wetlands.
Ambrose et al. (2007) evaluated both compliance and wetland condition for CWA §401 mitigation projects throughout California. As a continuance of the studies of Ambrose et al. (2007), this thesis evaluated the change in condition as a result of impact and mitigation activities to address whether no net loss was achieved. A rapid assessment methodology was adapted to evaluate wetland condition using aerial photographs.
As hypothesized, impact activities decreased the wetland condition at the majority of sites. However, mitigation activities often did not increase condition. Therefore, no net loss was not achieved for most projects. Furthermore, this study illustrates the pitfalls in an evaluation of no net loss based solely on the mitigation site condition after the project implementation. The observed wetland condition may have been present at the site prior to mitigation activities. This is a misleading assumption in the assessment of gains from the project. Therefore, the change in wetland condition should be assessed through an initial evaluation of site conditions, as well as part of on-going monitoring.
6
Rotimi, James Olabode Bamidele. "An Examination of Improvements Required to Legislative Provisions for Post Disaster Reconstruction in New Zealand." Thesis, University of Canterbury. Civil and Natural Resources Engineering, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10092/4145.
Full textAbstract:
Previous disaster management studies allude to the problems of coordination and the
difficulties that may be associated with the implementation of recovery programmes in
New Zealand. These studies have also indicated opportunities for improving the current
recovery and reconstruction framework in advance of a major disaster. They have shown
that much existing legislation were not drafted to cope with wide-scale devastations and
were not developed to operate under the conditions that will inevitably prevail in the
aftermath of a severe disaster.
This thesis therefore explores improvements that could be made to legislative provisions so
that they facilitate large-scale recovery management in New Zealand. Three legislative
documents are in view: Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) Act, Resource
Management Act (RMA) and Building Act (BA). The research investigations involved
qualitative research methodology using multi-methods to determine the practical
implication of implementing current reconstruction arrangement under these legislative
documents. The methods employed include: interviews, document analysis, focus group
study, surveys, and the use of subject matter experts for research verification.
Results show that the three legislative documents may become sources of vulnerability in
post disaster reconstruction because of their influence on the timely achievement of
recovery objectives. The impediments posed by these legislative documents are mainly in
the form of procedural constraints; ambiguities in rights and responsibilities for recovery
management; and deficiencies in the intents and purposes of the legislative documents.
More general results show that pre-planning the management of disaster resources; and
collaborative arrangements for response and recovery programmes are a pre-cursor to
effective and efficient management of reconstruction in New Zealand.
The research concludes by providing useful recommendations that are specific to the three
legislative documents and other general recommendations. It is hoped the implementation
of these recommendations could improve the robustness of the current reconstruction
framework so that it is able to cater for the complex needs of rebuilding for resilience in
New Zealand.
7
Gemmell, Fraser. "The politics of corporate investment : the impact of the Resource Management Act on investment certainty in New Zealand." Thesis, University of Oxford, 2005. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.422463.
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8
Mason, Greg. "Evaluating the Effectiveness of Conformance-Based Plans: Attributing Built Heritage Outcomes to Plan Implementation Under New Zealand's Resource Management Act." The University of Waikato, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10289/2609.
Full textAbstract:
Little is known about the effectiveness of district plans in protecting built heritage, which is a matter of national importance under New Zealand's Resource Management Act 1991 (RMAct). This is despite the fact that the RMAct directs planning agencies to evaluate the effectiveness of plan provisions. This lack of evaluation is not unique to New Zealand or merely symptomatic of heritage planning. Instead, it is a shortcoming in planning theory and practice internationally; a well recognised impediment being that planning lacks a suitable evaluation approach. This thesis aims to address this deficiency by proposing a methodology for evaluating plan effectiveness and applying it to the built heritage provisions of two district plans. The methodology adopted has been shaped by the theory-based and realist evaluation approaches, as developed in the field of programme evaluation. Both approaches share a common ontology regarding claims of causality, which stresses 'knowledge in context'. Thus, a central endeavour of the research is not only to identify the environmental outcomes arising from plan implementation, but also to understand how and why the implementation context promoted or inhibited the achievement of plan goals. In so doing, the causal and implementation theories underpinning the plans' heritage provisions are exposed, modelled and tested. The findings reveal that plan implementation failed to prevent the loss of built heritage values in many instances. While the plans' causal theory was largely sound, key aspects of the implementation theory were not realised during the development control process. Plan quality was a significant factor, as was the commitment and capacity of developers to comply with the plans. The institutional fixation on consent processing speed rather than environmental outcomes was a further impediment. Overall, the theory-based approach provided a useful framework for determining plan effectiveness and holds promise for evaluating plan issues other than built heritage.
9
Borrie, N. C. "An evaluation of the use of mediation in environmental dispute resolution under s.268 of the Resource Management Act 1991." Lincoln University, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/10182/2118.
Full textAbstract:
Since the 1970s there has been a growing interest in, and utilisation of, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) techniques to resolve environmental conflicts in western societies. ADR was incorporated into one of New Zealand's main environmental statutes, the Resource Management Act 1991(RMA). Under s.268 of the RMA the Environment Court (the Court) may, if the parties agree, conduct mediation in order to facilitate settlement of resource management disputes. The RMA, which has now been in operation for ten years, gives no guidance as to the way in which mediation is to be conducted. The Court has developed procedures and processes for administering and conducting mediation. This study critically evaluates the practice of Court assisted mediation of environmental disputes under the RMA. A literature review and interviews with stakeholder groups are used in this evaluation. The study shows that mediation generates benefits for the Court and participants. It also identifies limitations with the current mediation procedures and processes. These may impact the effectiveness of participants in mediation, their satisfaction with, and support for, the mediated settlement and with the environmental outcomes. The study recommends a series of guidelines be prepared on the functions and administrative procedures of the Court and on the mediation process promoted by the Court. Further research is also recommended. It is considered that these recommendations, if implemented, will enhance the process for participants, ensure more equitable and consistent environmental outcomes, in terms of present and future generations, and retain public confidence in the mediation process.
10
Odendaal, Barend Röges. "Implications of the Employment Equity Act and other legislation for human resource planning in Telkom, Western Cape." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/51797.
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Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2000.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The affirmative action process has accelerated dramatically since the democratisation of South Africa. After the 1994 general election equity became entrenched in legislation. The employment equity legislation together with other labour legislation is there to undo long-standing segregation policies. The Employment Equity Act, 1998, holds unique challenges for organisations to reach their employment equity goals. A limited time period has also been set for organisations to apply a temporary intervention to endeavour to correct the imbalances caused by the apartheid regime. The apartheid legislation, which resulted in 45 years of racial separation, had the adverse effect of denying certain South Africans equal employment opportunities. This caused an imbalance in the labour demographics of South Africa. This study focuses on the effects of the implementation of the Employment Equity Act, 1998, and other legislation on human resource planning within Telkom SA. Telkom SA, being the largest communications company in South Africa, has committed itself to employment equity and has already embarked on an affirmative action programme. However, the various pieces of legislation require certain criteria to be met. With the distortion of the labour demographics, Telkom SA finds has difficulty in finding suitably qualified candidates in certain race groups within the Western Cape. Perceptions of affirmative action have also been negative and this has led to resistance to the process. As soon as a commitment to the process occurs, then all human resources can be utilised effectively.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Regstellende aksie het dramaties versnel sedert die 1994 algemene verskiesing van Suid Afrika en gelykheid het deel begin vorm van aIle wetgewing. Die wetgewing op gelyke geleentheid, tesame met ander arbeidwetsgewing is daarop gestel om rasse verwydering te beveg. Die Wet op Gelyke Geleenthede, 1998, vereis dat instansies hulle gelyksheid doelwitte bereik binne 'n gegewe tydperk. Die tydelike tussenkoms om die wanbalans te herstel, wat deur die ou regering veroorsaak is, is van kardinale belang. Die apartheids wetgewing het veroorsaak dat daar na 45 jaar steeds 'n negatiewe uitwerking is vir sekere rassegroepe. Dit het ook veroorsaak dat daar 'n wanbalans in die demografie van Suid Afrika is. Hierdie studie is gemik daarop om die uitwerking van die verskeie wetgewing se uitwerking op die beplanning van die menslikehulpbronne van Telkom SA te ondersoek. Telkom SA, is tans die grootste kommunikasie maatskappy in Suid Afrika en hulle is daarop gemik om gelyke geleenthede te bevorder en het die nodige stappe alreeds geneem ten opsigte van die regstellende aksie plan. Die verskeie wetgewing stel sekere vereistes aan Telkom SA weens die feit dat hulle deel vorm van die aangewese maatskappye soos die wetgewing bepaal. Hulle vind dit moeilik om 'n geskoolde persoon uit sekere rassegroepe te kry, weens die feit dat hulle nie gelyke geleentheid gehad het om te ontwikkel nie. Regstellende aksie is ook negatief ontvang deur sekere werknemers en dit kan die proses vertraag. Sodra persone toegewyd word aan die voordele van so 'n proses, sal die dienste van aIle Suid-Afrikaners effektief gebruik kan word.
11
Banerjee, Malini De. "High-Frequency Nitrate Monitoring in Dynamic River Systems: the Case of Three Iowa Rivers in the Mississippi Basin." Diss., University of Iowa, 2013. https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/4818.
Full textAbstract:
High frequency water quality monitoring presents unique and unlimited opportunities of exploring spatio-temporal variation in water quality. Knowledge gained from analyzing high frequency water quality data can provide more clarity regarding transportation and processing of water constituents over time and space and scale. This study analyzes high frequency discharge, nitrate load and concentration data for three watersheds of different sizes - Cedar River Watershed, North Raccoon and Middle Raccoon. Each of these sites were monitored for 2-3 calendar years.
Sudden spikes in discharge, nitrate concentration and load data, also defined as "events" were analyzed in great detail to understand the patterns in event occurrence and event intensity. Smaller watersheds seemed to have sharper and "flashier" events compared to bigger watersheds. Nitrate concentration events were flatter in shape compared to discharge and nitrogen load events. The relationship between nitrogen concentration and discharge was found to be varying over time, unlike the relationship between nitrate load and discharge, which were almost perfectly correlated for most site-year combinations.
Based on more than 40,000 simulations, it was determined that high frequency water quality sampling is not only efficient in capturing minute spatio-temporal variations but can also capture nitrate exceedances to a greater degree. High frequency sampling was also associated with higher yield ratio in nitrate load estimates, not only during high flow periods, but also during the non-high-flow period.
12
Fietje, Leo. "Developing best practice in environmental impact assessment using risk management ideas, concepts and principles." Thesis, University of Canterbury. Civil Engineering, 2001. http://hdl.handle.net/10092/1107.
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This thesis argues that the management of environmental impacts has many analogies with the management of risk and practice can be improved by using ideas, concepts and principles found in the management of risk in other spheres of human activity. An overview of the challenges faced by environmental impact practitioners in New Zealand and reinforcement of its importance to the sustainable management of natural and physical resources under New Zealand's Resource Management Act is provided. Key risk management ideas, concepts and principles drawn from a variety of sources are listed and parallels drawn between these and existing environmental impact assessment practice in New Zealand. From this list a number are selected and opportunities for improving environmental impact assessment practice are explored. A number of opportunities are identified, starting with the need for a common language and methodology amongst practitioners. Categorisation of impacts to assist transparency of analysis and expression using frequency-consequence curves to aid and promote consistency of decision-making are further areas of opportunity. Risk management has several well-developed techniques for dealing with uncertainty and selection of assessment endpoints. The connection between communication of risk and public perception is an area with significant potential for communication about environmental impacts. Challenges with effective public participation in environmental decision-making are backgrounded and risk management practised in two high profile areas examined for opportunity for improved practice. Neither appears to offer opportunity for improvement in key decision-making areas. A relatively new indicator approach towards risk assessment called "healthy systems method" appears to have significant potential for cost-effective analysis of systems of various types and at various levels. This thesis identifies a number of other areas of risk management requiring further research to determine potential for achieving better practice in environmental impact assessment.
13
Childress, Ronald Jr. "Water Quality Trading Markets for the Kentucky River Basin: A Point Source Profile." UKnowledge, 2012. http://uknowledge.uky.edu/agecon_etds/8.
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This study assessed the feasibility and suitability of a Water Quality Trading (WQT) program within the Kentucky River Basin (KRB). The study’s focal point was based on five success factors of a WQT program: environmental suitability, geospatial orientation, participant availability, regulatory incentive, and economic incentive. The study utilized these five success factors, geographical characteristics, and Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMR) to assess the feasibility of a WQT program.
The assessment divided the KRB into five eight digit Hydrologic Unit Codes (HUC), North, Middle, and South Fork, Middle Basin, and Lower Basin, to determine regional impacts caused by the nutrient PSs. Individual nutrient profiles were generated to show the number of point sources (PS) operating in the KRB, their geospatial orientation to one another, and their permitted nutrient limits and nutrient discharges in form of total phosphorus (TP), total nitrogen (TN), and total nitrogen (as ammonia) (TA).
Findings suggest trading is highly unlikely for TP and TN PSs due to the lack of regulatory standards, limited number of TN and TP PSs, and an inadequate demand for offset credits. Trading is also unlikely in all the HUC 8 watersheds except for the Lower Basin due to the lack of nutrient impaired waters.
Key Words: Point Source, Non-Point Source, Water Quality Trading, TMDL, Impaired Waters
14
Hercock, Julie Maree. "An investigation into the impact of the Resource Management Act 1991 on the provision of information by regional councils in annual plans and annual reports." Thesis, University of Canterbury. Accounting and Information Systems, 1995. http://hdl.handle.net/10092/2709.
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Prior to the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) New Zealand's environmental law was
managed via a plethora of overlapping, confusing, and conflicting legislation (Resource Management
Bill (RMB), i). The purpose of the RMA is to promote the sustainable management of New
Zealand's natural and physical resources. It imposes a duty on every person to ensure that this is
achieved.
Regional councils play a pivotal role in promoting sustainable management because they are
responsible for establishing, implementing, and reviewing objectives, policies and methods to
achieve integrated management of natural and physical resources in their regions. They must prepare
a regional policy statement and a coastal policy statement, and where necessary regional plans. In
addition, they have certain other duties under the RMA: to consider alternatives, benefits, and costs
(section 32); and to gather information, monitor, and keep records (section 35). However, the RMA
does not clearly outline how regional councils should provide information to the public about
progress made towards objectives as outlined in regional plans and policy statements and their other
duties. It is important for the regional council to be accountable to the public for their progress made
towards objectives and their duties since, as ratepayers, the public are financial contributors.1
This study investigates how regional councils are currently providing information to the public about
progress made towards objectives and their other duties as required under the RMA. This study also
investigates whether the annual plans and annual reports (as required under the Local Government
Act 1974 (LGA)) are the appropriate vehicles for disclosing this information. The research is
conducted through a survey sent to accountants who coordinate and/or prepare annual plans and
annual reports in regional councils (or councils with regional responsibilities) who prepare annual
plans and annual reports. Follow-up interviews were held with two accountants at these regional
councils. The research has found that the RMA has currently had little impact on the provision of
information by regional councils in annual plans and annual reports. However, the impact may be
greater in the future.
15
Bell, Angela Maureen. "Councils' use of the RMA and LGA in coastal development decisions : towards sustainability : a thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Resource and Environment Planning at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand." Massey University, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10179/1346.
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The Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) gave councils a mandate and an obligation to promote sustainability. Along with this it also introduced an expectation that the environment will be better managed than previously. Evidence shows that the environment is continuing to be degraded. This is especially evident in the coastal environment where in the early 2000s there has been unprecedented development pressure. The addition of the Local Government Act in 2002 (LGA) has strengthened councils’ sustainability mandate by stipulating a sustainable development approach and supporting processes and principles. Because the RMA and LGA have a similar sustainability directive there has been a push to utilise the compatible strengths that the LGA offers to enhance the outcomes achieved through RMA decisions, therefore, integrating and aligning the LGA and RMA. This research used case studies, including interviews, to examine how councils use their RMA and LGA mandates in coastal development decisions. The research found that currently there is little integration of the LGA’s requirements and sustainability direction in RMA coastal subdivision decisions. The case study analysis showed that using the principles and processes in the LGA and also a council’s policies, strategies, and plans other than RMA documents would provide up to date policy direction and contextual information that would be useful for RMA decisions and could provide a more sustainable outcome if used. The case studies identified a significant number of barriers to achieving sustainability through the RMA, including that much of the policy direction in RMA planning documents is not considered in deliberations. A number of these barriers are also likely to reduce attempts to integrate and align the LGA and RMA, unless they are addressed.
16
Chao, G. "The emergence of integrated coastal and ocean management in Canada's Oceans Act, challenges of integrating fragmented resource sectors in Georges Bank, Nova Scotia and Hecate Strait, British Columbia." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1999. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk1/tape9/PQDD_0016/MQ49328.pdf.
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Mosoa, Moleboheng Wilhelmina. "Assessment of approaches to determine the water quality status of South African catchments." Diss., University of Pretoria, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/33159.
Full textAbstract:
The paradigm shift in water quality management of South African water resources was based
on current international trends. This significant move was from a previous emphasis on
source management to a focus on finding a balance between water resource protection and
water use. The current approach requires that water quality and quantity should be
maintained for sustainable functioning of both the natural aquatic environment and socioeconomic
development. This approach has placed the assessment of water quality status as
a key decision tool in water quality management.
Various assessment tools have been utilized to quantify the quality of South African water
resources. In this study we assessed the compatibility of some of the methodologies that
have been used in the Department of Water Affairs to determine and report on the water
quality status of the resource. During the assessment the context and manner in which
these methodologies can be utilized in water quality management were also addressed
The Compliance Evaluation and Fitness for use categorization methodologies are both used
to describe the water quality threshold of potential concern when dealing with the resource.
Compliance Evaluation methodology uses a pass or fail assessment, while the Fitness for use categorization methodology uses a scaled approach allowing for the assessment
of gradual change in the system. The out puts of these two methodologies, the Resource
Water Quality Objectives and Fitness for use categories/ classes have both been used in the
department as benchmarks to describe the current water quality status
The assessment of the two methodologies indicated that there are similarities in the
approaches and the principles behind the two processes. The observation of the results,
however, indicated differences in the manner of presentation of the results, the interpretation
of the outcome and in how water quality management measures that needs to be
implemented are linked.
Both methodologies are easy to apply when conducting water quality status assessments.
However, the two methodologies are not sufficient on their own when making decisions on
water quality management. It was concluded that although the compliance evaluation
methodology can play a pivotal role when setting end of pipe standards, the process needs
to consider the gradual changes of water quality in the river system in order to enable
instigation of different water quality management measures at appropriate levels. Further it
was recommended that with some modification the two approaches can be applied to assess
water quality to support adequate water quality management decisions at various levels.Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2013.
gm2014
Animal and Wildlife Sciences
Unrestricted
18
Defenbaugh, Angela Lynn. "Evaluating Ohio River Basin Waters: A Water Quality and Water Resources Internship with the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission." Miami University / OhioLINK, 2014. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1389295851.
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Mao, Jessica J. "California's War Over the Bay-Delta: Historic Failures and Current Battles." Scholarship @ Claremont, 2012. http://scholarship.claremont.edu/cmc_theses/482.
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California has one highly-coveted possession: the Bay-Delta, which is the second largest estuary in the United States. Today, tensions are higher than ever as Southern California continues to grow and demand water from the Delta, agriculture suffers from drought and less-than-promised water allocations, and aquatic life diminishes due to environmentally damaging processes like pumping and exporting of water elsewhere. This paper will examine the historic policies that have shaped how the Delta has been managed, their successes and failures, and current plans in discussion for continuing improvement of the Delta. The Bay-Delta Conservation Plan and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Water Reliability Act (HR 1837) are the specific current plans presented and analyzed for potential effectiveness. Despite some of the promising suggestions in HR 1837 and the Bay-Delta Conservation Plan, the Delta will remain a problem in the 21st century until stakeholders from all perspectives compromise enough to enact a single, clear-cut solution.
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Oliver, Peter Edward, and n/a. "Developing Effective Partnerships in Natural Resource Management." Griffith University. Australian School of Environmental Studies, 2004. http://www4.gu.edu.au:8080/adt-root/public/adt-QGU20040802.163341.
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This thesis seeks to understand and improve the effectiveness of partnerships formed by industry, community and government members of natural resource management (NRM) groups. The increasing popularity of partnership-based approaches to NRM is reflected in the rise of landcare, catchment management and other social mobilisation approaches throughout Australia and overseas. This thesis uses critical ethnographic methods to identify the characteristics of effective NRM partnerships and the factors influencing their effectiveness. This research also investigates appropriate methods for evaluating the effectiveness of such relationships and for determining when working in partnership with others may be the most appropriate response to a given NRM problem and context. The critical intent of the study means that it sought not only to understand the nature of such issues but also sought to enlighten and empower participants to improve the practice of partnerships in natural resource management. These characteristics and factors are analysed from three perspectives: the coordinators employed to broker and facilitate community-based NRM groups, the groups themselves and individual group members. This was done in order to reflect the importance of the continuous (re)negotiation of power that characterises long-term group relationships. It also enabled theories of power, cultural transformation, citizen participation, social capital and social learning to be used in the analysis of the NRM partnerships investigated in this study. These concepts were used to develop three tools for analysing NRM partnerships: a pendulum of citizen participation, an NRM citizen participation decision tree, and an NRM partnership typology. The study is based upon the analysis of nineteen cases, predominantly in South East Queensland, which were selected as examples of successful and effective NRM partnerships on the basis of referrals from regional managers and coordinators from State and Local Government. The research design was 'T' shaped, with Phase 1 of the study providing breadth through the analysis of fifteen partnerships. Depth was achieved in Phases 2 and 3. Phase 2 was a long-term ethnographic case study of one catchment management group while Phase 3 comprised a detailed analysis of three issue-specific partnerships formed by this group. These three phases concentrated on the viewpoint of coordinators, NRM groups and participants, respectively. Data on each of the nineteen cases were collected through interviews, field observations, workshops, document analyses and a short questionnaire. Data were analysed qualitatively. All data records were systematically coded to reveal themes and concepts relating to the research objectives from the viewpoints of coordinators, NRM groups and participants. Coding also revealed implications for governments seeking to enter into or to facilitate partnerships with others. The coding and interpretation of this data revealed a suite of twelve characteristics typical of effective natural resource management partnerships. These fell into five groups: (i) definitional characteristics (relating to effectiveness and shared power and responsibility) (ii) relationship characteristics (focusing on social capital building processes; communication; processes for knowledge acquisition and social learning; shared values, intent, action and risk-taking) (iii) participant characteristics (high levels of motivation and realistic expectations); (iv) a context characteristic (that the context is appropriate for a partnership) and (v) an 'outsider' perception characteristic (that the partnership is perceive positively by outsiders). A comparative analysis of cases reveals that only one of the nineteen cases exhibited all twelve characteristics. Importantly, three of these characteristics are not mentioned in the literature reviewed for this thesis. Two of these, share values and shared intent are relationship characteristics. Study findings emphasise that effective NRM partnerships are built on good personal relationships, based on shared values and intent. The third new characteristic is that people outside the partnership should perceive the relationship favourably. Since funds and other resources may be under the control of people outside a partnership, it is important that participants are able to effectively communicate their shared values and intent to others. Five factors were found to be significant in the development of effective partnerships (i) the need for participants and those brokering partnerships to realize that effective partnerships are built on positive personal relationships in which (ii) participants have high levels of motivation for being involved, particularly early in the relationship. The study further revealed that such relationships: (iii) need to be supported by a continuity of adequate funding and resources and (iv) the services of skilled, enthusiastic coordinators who (v) enjoy and are skilled at working in 'grey areas', the constantly changing social and organizational environment that is typical of NRM groups. These findings of the study are synthesized through a critical ethnography which depicts three years in the life of a typical, yet hypothetical, NRM group, the Armstrong Narrows-Yarooba Catchment Management Group (ANY Group). Based on the literature review and the analysis of results from this study, this composite story protects the anonymity of those who have participated in this research. Each of the three vignettes that make up this story contains two sections -As it was and As it could be. This 'double take approach' highlights the critical nature of the ethnography, emphasising how the development of collaborations and partnerships among members of NRM groups may be improved and evaluated. Coordinators, NRM group members and agencies supporting their efforts may use this ethnography as a basis for reflection and deliberation on the development of effective partnerships in natural resource management. Recommendations for how different stakeholders in NRM partnerships may develop the effectiveness of the partnerships they form are provided.
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Jiyapanichkul, Prasit, and jiyapanichkul@yahoo com. "Resource management in broadband multimedia networks." Swinburne University of Technology. Laboratory for Telecommunication Research, 1999. http://adt.lib.swin.edu.au./public/adt-VSWT20050610.100950.
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This research deals with optimal resource management in an overloaded broadband
multimedia network. Optimisation is with respect to user satisfaction, where user
satisfaction reflects both the quality of service experienced by connected users and the
dissatisfaction of users blocked from access to the network.
The research focuses on Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) networks and the Internet, because these are the dominant emerging broadband networks which present some fundamental unsolved problems, related to the sharing of resources between mixed traffic types. ATM networks use conservative admission control, which protects
network resources and ensures a high level of service for those admitted to the network, but results in low network efficiency because of low utilisation of resources due to blocking of many potential users. The Internet does not use admission control, with the result that performance degrades progressively as load increases. This causes frustration among users, and lowers the network efficiency due to high levels of congestion.
We propose an optimisation model for each network (ATM networks and the Internet)which is intended to represent the distribution and consumption of key network resources by different traffic types. The model is aimed at maximising performance such that users admitted to the network are offered no less than some minimum acceptable level of quality of service (QoS). The solution is a set of traffic flow rates on each path which results in maximising an objective function value (revenue based on network operator interest or throughput based on customer interest) for a given network
configuration with given user demand. As an example using the ATM network model, we illustrate the application of the model to an ATM network carrying both connection oriented and connectionless traffic. We explore the optimal response to a link failure which in turn causes node overload. As an example using the Internet model, we consider an overloaded network with link bottlenecks and an overloaded Web server, and explore the effect of transferring some server capacity to a mirror site and a proxy server.
For real-time traffic control, the optimisation model is used to assign quotas for bandwidth or connections to selected paths. A control algorithm is implemented to provide maximum performance by admitting requests within the quotas which are obtained from the optimisation model. In an ATM network simulation, the algorithm is used to manage the virtual path (VP) pool in a network which suffers a link failure. A comparison is made between fixed virtual path management (FVPM) and dynamic
virtual path management (DVPM), comparing the revenue achieved by each. This illustrates how DVPM adapts the VP pool in a robust fashion to achieve maximum revenue in the face of a link failure. However, the transient response suggests that benefit could be obtained using non-steady-state solutions. The model is extended by taking network state and traffic parameters into account to control changes in the VP pool to recognise limits to the rate at which traffic can be moved (through the natural
birth-death processes). This scheme is called state dependent virtual path management (SDVPM). Performance evaluation of the new model shows that SDVPM achieves higher revenue than DVPM when the network suffers a link failure that requires a major change to the VP pool. In an Internet simulation, two algorithms are compared for control of access to a proxy server and a set of primary servers. An algorithm based on
optimal flow solutions provides substantially better network performance than a localised heuristic algorithm. In each simulation case (ATM and Internet examples), the performance using a control system based on the steady state optimum flow model is close to the ideal optimal result.
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Chan, Eric Wai Leung, and eric_wl_chan@yahoo com hk. "Knowledge Management (KM) Using Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System." RMIT University. Property, Construction and Project Management, 2009. http://adt.lib.rmit.edu.au/adt/public/adt-VIT20091021.121704.
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The construction industry has long been criticized as being not advance enough to use information communication technology (ICT) and slow to adopt knowledge management (KM). This research demonstrates how using an effective and efficient ICT systems can improve KM, and that an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system can be one tools to help improve KM. An ERP system is also a powerful tool to help integrate business processes which has particular use in the construction industry. The principle objective of this research was to explore the drivers and inhibiters that determined successful adoption and use of an ERP system at its actual implementation stage. Secondly, it aimed to identify successful factors of a partnering strategy and its integration into the ERP system. The third objective was to investigate the appropriate leadership style that influenced the ERP system and the partnering strategy, and to identify the impact of culture on the leadership style. The research was conducted within the context of a Hong Kong construction organization. This research makes a contribution in two spheres: PM and the construction industry. The first implication for PM theory is to illustrate how knowledge has been efficiently managed within a construction organization by using ICT/ERP.
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au, s. roberts@murdoch edu, and Susan Ann Roberts. "Re-thinking staff management in independent schools: An exploration of a human resource management approach." Murdoch University, 2007. http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/adt/browse/view/adt-MU20080411.121602.
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While the mission and core business of schools has always been directed towards the education and pastoral support of the children, the staff who work to fulfil the mission and business have received less attention. With recent media reporting on anticipated teacher shortages, pedagogical issues and the quality of teaching the focus has shifted to the staff in schools. With evidence linking student achievements and academic outcomes to teacher impact, recruitment and retention have become significant issues, particularly in independent schools where parental expectations are high. Expertise in relation to human resource (HR) activities such as recruitment and retention, staff management and staff development, however, is not well developed in schools. This study therefore seeks to explore and understand staff management using a framework based on human resource management (HRM). It also examines the recent trend of appointing dedicated Human Resource (HR) practitioners to independent schools and the reasons behind these appointments.
A qualitative research approach was adopted in order to better understand the issues and reveal the complexity that surrounds them. In all, seven independent schools were purposely selected from urban Western Australia, and the principals, finance directors and HR practitioners from these schools were interviewed to gain their perspectives. The conceptual framework draws on the business-derived human resource management (HRM) and the HR activities within this domain. The analytical framework used was that of the hard/ soft duality contained within HRM, which allowed tensions, such as that between independent schools as businesses and independent schools as communities with heart, to be highlighted and examined.
The interviews revealed a broad understanding and knowledge by respondents of HR activities considered necessary for the recruitment, and the day-to day management of staff, including remuneration, and to some extent, induction and performance management systems. Most revealing in these schools was the lack of structure and strategy in the implementation of the various HR activities and ways to work through the hard/soft duality. By way of contrast, the HR practitioners appointed to five of the independent schools had a broad based knowledge of all HR activities and were attempting to educate those in schools about HRM and what the function, collectively applied, could do for them. They encountered entrenched attitudes and, in some schools, resistance caused by misunderstandings associated with both the role and function.
The thesis concludes with implications and recommendations for independent school leaders on the application of HRM in their schools. By re-thinking the paradigm of staff management in this way, and through the adoption of a systematic and holistic approach using the suite of HR activities, both hard and soft, the research points to the potential for improvements in the quality of teaching staff recruited and retained, and ultimately also in student outcomes.
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Roberts, Susan Ann. "Re-thinking 'staff management' in independent schools : an exploration of a human resource management approach /." Access via Murdoch University Digital Theses Project, 2007. https://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/adt/browse/view/adt-MU20080411.121602.
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Tipuna, Kitea. "Whakawhiti whakaaro, whakakotahi i a tatou convergence through consultation : an analysis of how the Māori world-view is articulated through the consultation processes of the Resource Management Act (1991) : a thesis submitted to Auckland University of Technology in partial fulfilment of the Master of Arts, 2007 / Kitea Tipuna." Click here to access this resource online, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10292/370.
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Hoffmann, Terrence Martin, and mikewood@deakin edu au. "Using competencies in human resource management: case studies in Australian companies." Deakin University, 1998. http://tux.lib.deakin.edu.au./adt-VDU/public/adt-VDU20050815.114903.
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This study investigated the use of competencies for human resource management in seven Australian companies. Despite advocacy for the use of competencies by Government Committees and Task Forces (For example Carmichael (1992), Mayer, (1992) and Karpin, 1995), and the existence of competency standards for eighty per cent of the Australian workforce, the competency approach has not been widely adopted. A review of the literature indicated that the term competency had several meanings with different implications for its use depending on the meaning. The study looked at how individuals have defined the term and applied the approach to human resource management practices.
Interviews were conducted with Human Resource and Training managers, and operative staff in companies using competencies. How they defined the term, described the rationale for using competencies, and applied competencies to selection, training, performance appraisal and remuneration were determined. Case studies were written for each company to describe their particular application of competencies.
Competencies were found to be defined in several ways by those interviewed. Some advantages of using competencies in human resource management applications were found. The amount of work involved in introducing the competency approach was described as a reason why competencies have not been more widely adopted.
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Yang, Hui-O., and n/a. "Human resource management in the hotel industry in Taiwan." Swinburne University of Technology, 2007. http://adt.lib.swin.edu.au./public/adt-VSWT20070704.091205.
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This thesis examines contemporary human resource management (HRM) in the hotel industry in Taiwan. The hotel industry and the effective management of its human resources are of great economic significance for Taiwan, given the government's plans for doubling the number of international arrivals between 2002 and 2008 (Tourism Bureau 2005b). Yet previous research on this topic is scarce, consisting of only four studies, three of them unpublished Master's theses. Access to two of the studies is limited and all four studies have adopted a 'single issue' perspective in their investigation. This study has attempted a broader perspective, inviting exploration in an open-ended way of a range of contemporary issues and concerns. It also offers a literature review intended as a significant contribution in its own right, in its attempt to locate research helpful to the Taiwanese hotel industry.
The specific aims of this study were to explore the way managers in the hotel industry are thinking about what they identify as concerns, the HRM issues and practices they perceive as important in employee management, and the future plans they have for HRM. The data were gathered from the manager which each hotel identified as being best placed to discuss these issues. Findings from this study are presented with interpretation and commentary offered to compare the themes raised in this study with those identified in the literature.
Given the high proportion of quantitative studies in hospitality industry research across the world (Lucas and Deery 2004), a qualitative method is utilised in this research and in-depth interviews were chosen as the main vehicle for data collection. The characteristics of such qualitative research are exploratory and descriptive, creating a data set that is not possible to obtain through written questionnaires and surveys. Twenty-eight hotels were approached and fourteen hotels participated in this research, representing a 50 per cent response rate.
The results suggest that most participating hotels are focused on dealing with the day-to-day operational challenges of shortages of appropriately skilled staff, seasonal variations in workforce demand and employee turnover. While they perceive these issues as significant and challenging, they were mostly inclined to view these as 'facts of life' in the industry, and were relatively limited in their thinking about more fundamental and strategic solutions for dealing with them. However, some hotels are developing more innovative approaches to effectively engaging with these challenges, such as participating in joint-training programs with other hotels; developing long-term relationships with internship students; increasing employee empowerment and using the Balanced Scorecard (Nair 2004; Niven 2006) in performance management.
This study explores some ways in which these practical initiatives could be taken further. It also takes up a key theme which emerged from the interviews, namely the vital importance of developing sound customer service cultures and practices. Some practical ideas are explored to assist in this respect. On the bases of these findings, this study also concludes that human resource managers have a valuable role to play in the executive management teams of hotels. This role needs to be further developed and encouraged. The current and emerging challenges facing the industry demand an approach to HRM which is far more strategic than the traditional focus of personnel administration; instead, HRM has a key role to play in creating and sustaining competitive advantage in organisations.
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Yang, Hui-O. "Human resource management in the hotel industry in Taiwan." Australasian Digital Thesis Program, 2007. http://adt.lib.swin.edu.au/public/adt-VSWT20070704.091205/index.html.
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Thesis (DBA) -- Swinburne University of Technology, Australian Graduate School of Entrepreneurship, 2007.Doctor of Business Administration, Australian Graduate School of Entrepreneurship, Swinburne University of Technology, 2007. Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (p. 264-285).
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Kelly, Dana, and d. kelly@uq edu au. "Power and participation: participatory resource management in south-west Queensland." The Australian National University. Faculty of Science, 2005. http://thesis.anu.edu.au./public/adt-ANU20060912.165641.
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To develop a sustainable future for the rangelands, partnerships are needed partnerships between scientists, policy makers, visitors, and most significantly, the various communities of people who live and work in the rangelands. The views of these people are as variable as the country about which they care; rangeland communities are not homogeneous. The power relations between these people are at the base of many conflicts. How we handle the relationships between these groups, and manage these conflicts, are crucial for success in land management.
¶
The first part of this thesis reviews the history of both community participation and power theory. While participatory approaches are part of the rhetoric in Australian land management, proponents are generally naïve about the complexities of power and power relations. The philosophical literature highlights that power is a contested concept; and these divisions are epitomised by the works of Habermas and Foucault. Their writings are compared and contrasted to provide a rich understanding of power relations in community participation.
¶
Power relations influence whose voices are heard: those who exercise power, and the sets of rules that define what is seen as true or false at any given time in history. Power relations also determine whose knowledge is incorporated in land management policy and practice. The model proposed in this thesis demonstrates that power relations interact with every dimension of community participation: context, goals, scale, stage, who is involved, the capacity of those involved, and the methods used.
¶
Research was undertaken within agricultural and natural resource management programs and projects in south-west Queensland. A variety of participatory approaches are used by government agencies to encourage grazier participation and the adoption of more sustainable practices, such as Landcare, Bestprac and the regional groups, such as the South West Strategy. While government staff in south-west Queensland purport to share decision-making power with landholders, landholders tend to have different perspectives about the level of power that is being shared.
¶
One of the key findings of this research is that power is not static within any project. Rather, power is ultradynamic, fluid, and highly dependent on context. In terms of land management programs, the levels of power sharing fluctuate over time and between actors. The micro-physics of power, or the power relations among individuals, are often invisible to, or neglected by, the facilitators of land management programs.
¶
Government agencies tend to focus on the processes used, and on finding the best participatory methods, rather than on the individuals who implement the process or the individuals who participate. Greater flexibility is needed in approaches to land management; correspondingly, greater responsibility is needed from all individuals who have a stake in it. To find sustainable solutions for the rangelands and its people, all involved in participatory land management projects need to better understand the dynamics of power, so as to manage any negative effects.
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Strengers, Yolande Amy-Adeline, and Yolande strengers@rmit edu au. "Bridging the divide between resource management and everyday life: smart metering, comfort and cleanliness." RMIT University. Global Studies, Social Science and Planning, 2010. http://adt.lib.rmit.edu.au/adt/public/adt-VIT20100329.165839.
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Smart metering residential demand management programs, such as consumption feedback, variable pricing regimes and the remote control of appliances, are being used to respond to the resource management problems of peak electricity demand, climate change and water shortages. Like other demand management programs, these strategies fail to account for (and respond to) the reasons why people consume resources in their homes, namely to carry out everyday practices such as bathing, laundering, heating and cooling. In particular, comfort and cleanliness practices together constitute most of Australia's potable water consumption in urban centres, and represent most of household energy consumption. In addition, new household cooling practices involving air-conditioning appliances are the major contributor to the nation's rising peak electricity demand, which overloads the electricity system on hot days, costing consumers millions of dollars each year. The oversight of comf ort and cleanliness practices in smart metering demand management programs is concerning because these practices are continuing to shift and change, often in more resource-consuming directions, potentially negating the resource savings achieved through demand management programs. This thesis aims to bridge the problematic divide between the policies and strategies of demand managers, and the day-to-day practices which constitute everyday life. Using the empirical 'hook' of smart metering demand management programs and the everyday practices of comfort and cleanliness, this thesis develops a practice-based conceptual framework to study, understand and analyse these practices and the ways in which smart metering demand management programs reconfigure or further entrench them. A series of qualitative methods were employed in studying 65 households across four research groups, focusing specifically on the household practices of heating, cooling, bathing, laundering, toilet flushing and house cleaning. In addition, 27 interviews were conducted with smart metering industry stakeholders involved or implicated in delivering demand management strategies. Together, these lines of inquiry are used to analyse householders' existing and changing comfort and cleanliness practices, the role of several smart metering demand management strategies in reconfiguring these practices, and potential avenues and opportunities for further practice change in less resource-intensive directions. In particular, this thesis highlights the inherent contradictions and problems in accounting for everyday practices within the dominant demand management paradigm, and offers an alternative paradigm termed the co-management of everyday practices. The thesis concludes by briefly identifying the ways in which smart metering could potentially constrain or catalyse a transition towards this new paradigm.
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Kelly, Dana. "Power and participation : participatory resource management in south-west Queensland /." View thesis entry in Australian Digital Theses Program, 2005. http://thesis.anu.edu.au/public/adt-ANU20060912.165641/index.html.
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Peszynski, Konrad Janusz, and mikewood@deakin edu au. "Power and politics in a system implementation." Deakin University. School of Information Systems, 2005. http://tux.lib.deakin.edu.au./adt-VDU/public/adt-VDU20051125.100244.
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The central concern of this study is to identify the role of power and politics in systems implementation. The current literature on systems implementation is typically divided into two areas, process modelling and factor based studies. Process modelling classifies the implementation into a linear process, whereas factor based studies have argued that in order to successfully implement a system, particular critical factors are required. This literature misses the complexities involved in systems implementation through the human factors and political nature of systems implementation and is simplistic in its nature and essentially de-contextualises the implementation process.
Literature has investigated some aspects of human factors in systems implementation. However, it is believed that these studies have taken a simplistic view of power and politics. It is argued in this thesis that human factors in systems implementation are constantly changing and essentially operating in a dynamic relationship affecting the implementation process. The concept of power relations, as proposed by Foucault (1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1982), have been utilised in order to identify the dynamic nature of power and politics. Foucault (1978) argued that power is a dynamic set of relationships constantly changing from one point in time to the next. It is this recognition that is lacking from information systems. Furthermore, these power relations are created through the use of discourse. Discourse represents meaning and social relationships, forming both subjectivity and power relations. Discourses are also the practices of talk, text and argument that continuously form that which actors speak.
A post-structuralist view of power as both an obvious and hidden concept has provided the researcher a lens through which the selection and implementation of an enterprise-wide learning management system can be observed. The framework aimed to identify the obvious process of system selection implementation, and then deconstruct that process to expose the hegemonic nature of policy, the reproduction of organisational culture, the emancipation within discourse, and the nature of resistance and power relations. A critical case study of the selection and implementation of an enterprise-wide learning management system at the University of Australia was presented providing an in-depth investigation of the implementation
of an enterprise-wide learning management system, spanning five years. This critical case study was analysed using social dramas to distinguish between the front stage issues of power and the hidden discourses underpinning the front stage dramas. The enterprise-wide learning management system implemented in the University of Australia in 2003 is a system which enables academic staff to manage learners, the students, by keeping track of their progress and performance across all types of training activities.
Through telling the story of the selection and implementation of an enterprise-wide learning management system at the University of Australia discourses emerged. The key findings from this study have indicated that the system selection and implementation works at two levels. The low level is the selection and implementation process, which operates for the period of the project. The high level is the arena of power and politics, which runs simultaneously to the selection and implementation process. Challenges for power are acted out in the front stage, or public forums between various actors. The social dramas, as they have been described here, are superfluous to the discourse underpinning the front stage. It is the discourse that remains the same throughout the system selection and implementation process, but it is through various social dramas that reflect those discourses. Furthermore, the enactment of policy legitimises power and establishes the discourse, limiting resistance. Additionally, this research has identified the role of the State and its influence at the organisational level, which had been previously suggested in education literature (Ball, 1990).
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au, S. Rockloff@cqu edu, and Susan Fay Rockloff. "Organising for Sustainable Natural Resource Management: Representation, Leadership and Partnerships at Four Spatial Scales." Murdoch University, 2003. http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/adt/browse/view/adt-MU20040428.155151.
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Sustainability of natural resources is currently a concern worldwide. The ecological and economic aspects of sustainability have received substantial research attention, but the social aspects of sustainability are less well understood. Participation by affected communities in natural resource management decisions is pivotal to social sustainability. As such, this study examined ten case studies of participation and decision-making by natural resource management groups involved in agriculture in the south-west of Australia. Groups at four spatial scales were studied, including the State, regional, land conservation district (Shire) and subcatchment.
Drawing on these ten case studies, this study analysed participation in these groups from the perspectives of representation, leadership and partnership. Crucial elements of this analysis included identifying the desirable attributes of participation in terms of achieving social sustainability, and then comparing current practice against these ideals.
The study concludes with comments about the efficacy at each spatial scale of current approaches to participation in terms of social sustainability. Central conclusions from this study follow. Some scales are performing better than others in terms of meeting the expectations expressed through the desirable criteria. The State scale is performing well, in terms of its mandate, with its lower expectations than those ascribed to regional and subcatchment scales clearly being met. On the other hand, the expectations associated with the community- and government-led regional groups and subcatchment groups are enormous.
The only place where there was any major difference between the three was in representation: it was barely considered by respondents from the subcatchment groups, while for the regional groups less of the expectations were met by the community-led than government-led groups. Otherwise they were very similar. The land conservation districts, caught between the regions and subcatchments, seem to be faring the poorest.
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Johnston, Louise C. "The relevance of strategic human resource management (SHRM) for the growing small business." University of Western Australia. Graduate School of Management, 2008. http://theses.library.uwa.edu.au/adt-WU2008.0111.
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[Truncated abstract] The commercial developments of the late 20th and early 21st centuries have come to signify profound and far-reaching change in the way that goods and services are designed, produced, marketed and delivered to customers in the world's international and domestic markets. In order to respond to a more intensively competitive trading environment that demands ever-increasing levels of product quality, customer service, organisational efficiency and business performance, the management of business entities has undergone fundamental alteration in form and content. It is within this context that two traditionally disparate business disciplines have emerged to play an important role in the new economic commercial order, that of small business management and that of Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM). Historically eclipsed by the large and powerful mass-producing corporations, the small business sector has been more recently viewed as playing an increasingly prominent part in the creation of national and regional prosperity within the developed countries. The unprecedented interest in smaller firms and the desire to see them fulfill their economic and social potential have resulted in legislative reform and widespread initiatives by governments and other institutions designed to support and protect the smaller operators in their commercial endeavours. Similarly, in the post-industrial knowledge economy people have risen in prominence over other organisational resources as a key source of competitive commercial advantage. The role of intellectual capital in securing business success has fuelled the development of management technology and methods designed to enhance the contribution of human resources to business performance. Heralded by many as the defining managerial approach for enterprises that wish to build sustainable competitive advantage in the markets of today and the future, SHRM has come to the fore as a means to re-evaluate the importance of human contribution to business outcomes and guide management practice in leveraging the latent potential of a company's human assets. ... In general, the management of business strategy was found to possess low levels of structure and formality, effectively merging into the collective activities associated with owning and operating a small business. Similarly, when compared with the key elements of a strategic human resource management framework constructed specifically for this study, the data indicated that the strategic management of people is prevalent in smaller firms but that this again represents only partial adoption of normative models as commonly promoted for the larger business management context. It was concluded that the theoretical principles and concepts of SHRM demonstrate relevance for small companies on account of the status of the contemporary external commercial environment in which they must compete as well as the range of managerial benefits associated with strategic methodology and practice. However, currently there exist no suitable models of practice with supporting guidelines that respond to the unique contextual and operational needs and experiences typical of smaller firm owner-managers.
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Boas, Andrew, and n/a. "Institutions, cooperation, and the quota management system." University of Otago. Department of Geography, 1994. http://adt.otago.ac.nz./public/adt-NZDU20070531.130233.
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The purpose of this thesis is to analyse the evolution of New Zealand�s Quota Management System (QMS) for marine fisheries. Analysis is performed using institutional theory and methodology.
A broad review of institutional theory is made. In contrast to neoclassical economic theory, of which institutionalists have been a major voice of dissent, institutionalism stresses a holistic approach to policy analysis. An understanding of the the forces for institutional change and the structure of that change are the primary focus of institutionalism.
An institutional framework for understanding the common pool nature of fishery resources is adopted. This highlights how the physical and technical characteristics of the resource and related decision-making arrangements influence the patterns of human interaction that determine the outcomes of a management regime such as the QMS.
It is shown that the QMS was adopted in 1986 to address the biological crisis that had occurred because of past open access management policies. The fiscal crisis and the economic ideology prevailing at the time were also influential in promoting the QMS. The system was not able to be expanded as was intended because of a series of challenges from Maori disputing the Crown�s right to fishery resources. The Deed of Settlement signed in 1992, has supposedly settled Maori claims to commercial fisheries and allowed expansion of the QMS.
Assessing the QMS using the institutional framework developed, showed the strong influence that neoclassical ideology has played in determining the outcomes achieved. Inadequate information concerning biophysical, social and economic implications of fishing constrain the ability of the QMS to successfully manage the resource. Inconsistencies and inadequacies in the legislation are only just being addressed as part of a comprehensive legislative review process.
The future development of the QMS is also addressed in terms of the likelihood of cooperative common property management regimes being adopted. The common pool nature of the fisheries makes common property management regimes preferable. Cooperative community cultures are claimed by institutionalists to improve the outcomes achieved in common property regimes. There was considered, however, to be only limited potential for cooperation within the current institutional structure for New Zealand�s fisheries. Although the changes of the legislative review appear to be making some progressive changes, the diversity of interest groups and the prevailing western culture are seen as potential impediments to a comprehensive cooperative regime.
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Kaye, Leah, and leahkaye@bigpond com. "Human resource management and the small entrepreneurial start-up : a new reading." Swinburne University of Technology, 2002. http://adt.lib.swin.edu.au./public/adt-VSWT20050303.140718.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis is broadly concerned with the factors that influence and shape the character of human resource management (HRM) within the entrepreneurial start-up enterprise.
Specifically, it investigates the way in which such companies implement and action HRM activities, and evaluates the extent to which it is possible to characterise the activities as entrepreneurial and strategic.
Human resource management is understood in this thesis in its broadest sense � that is, as signifying people management within employment relationship.
Little is known, however, about the development and implementation of human resource management in small and medium size enterprises.
The majority of published research to date focuses on HRM in large, formal organisations, and is inter-organisational, rather than intra-organisational. Welsh and White comment that �Small business is not a little big business� (1981: 18), however, and it cannot be presumed that the two have the same managerial practices. Research into small business does, however, indicate that size, informality of structures and processes, and the personal preferences, values and attitudes of the owner/manager impact significantly on the way in which HR practices are adopted.
Although there is little extant research that focuses on the relationship between HR practice and strategy in small business, it has been suggested by some that they have limited ability to manage strategically due to the informality of their structures and processes. Others however speak of HRM in the small organisation as strategic where there is a discernible link with the strategic goals and objectives to improve business performance and develop organisational cultures that foster innovation and flexibility.
The �entrepreneurial start-up enterprise� is understood in this thesis as a particular type of business; that is, a simple, small, informal enterprise with a founder/owner/manager who is opportunistic, innovative, responsive to the excitement of risk taking, and is interested in fast growth.
In the past, studies of the effectiveness of HRM and HR practices in small companies have benefited from being qualitative in nature. However, methodologies employed in the study of entrepreneurship tend to lack diversity and neglect alternative approaches (Aldrich, 1992). There has also been insufficient effort focused on researching organisation formation activities (Gartner and Starr, 1993).
This thesis employs a qualitative approach that is interpretive, naturalistic, and narrative in style, in an effort to go some way towards redressing the limitations of existing work in the twin fields of HRM and entrepreneurship research. This is a longitudinal case study of two self-styled entrepreneurial start-up enterprises: Consultco and Pilotco. Consultco is an interactive business consultancy with a recruitment practice as part of its service. Pilotco is a publishing and Internet company that was to produce a series of CD-ROM guides to key Internet sites.
A case study methodology was chosen as a sound way to explain, describe, evaluate and explore close-up HRM activities in the natural world of the entrepreneurial start-up. Narrative was chosen as a way of making the respondents stories about the organisational experiences more accessible to both the researcher and the reader, and in this way captures the unfolding story of the founding of a business as it occurs.
The thesis is presented in four parts. The first part explores entrepreneurship, the influence of the entrepreneur on their organisation�s culture, and the concept of entrepreneurial strategy within the growth process of the enterprise. It also covers different views of human resource management and the practice of HR in the context of small business, specifically the entrepreneurial start-ups.
The second part of the thesis is concerned with the theoretical methodologies that underpin the research, and the design of the study.
Part 3 presents the stories of the respondents in their own voice, to create organisational narratives for Consultco and Pilotco. A cross-case analysis follows, which tries to throw light on the process of HRM as it is practiced in the entrepreneurial start-up context. This part concludes with the researcher�s own story within the research process, and how this experience in turn influenced on the process of meaning making.
The final part of the thesis revisits the factors that influence and shape the character of HRM in the entrepreneurial context, and posits an alternative way in which to interpret the meaning of HRM, and its relationship to the opportunistic enterprise.
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Stavretis, Lyn, and lstavret@bigpond net au. "The Dance of Compliance: Performance Management in Australian Universities." RMIT University. Management, 2007. http://adt.lib.rmit.edu.au/adt/public/adt-VIT20080521.123556.
Full textAbstract:
This qualitative study identified the formal and informal performance management (PM) practices in use in Australian public universities for academic staff Levels A, B and C. It asked the following research questions. What PM practices are currently in use in these universities? What are the similarities in approach and what issues does PM raise? How do academic staff who take part in these practices (as either staff or management) experience them? What cultural and contextual factors (if any) contribute to this experience? What are the perceived effects of these practices on the performance of individuals, teams and the organisation? Which system elements do academic staff and academic managers perceive to be most effective in academic cultures and why? The context of substantive change within Australian universities was outlined and literature pertaining to the field of PM in general, and in educational organisations in particular, was explored. The existence, structure, purposes and other factual details of formal PM systems were identified, although the study focused on the opinions, perceptions and attitudes of the respondents. Findings suggested that current PM practice in Australian public universities did little to meet the needs of any of the key stakeholders and remained fundamentally unsatisfying to all concerned. Furthermore, the failure to clearly articulate the purposes and to consider the implementation and ongoing costs of a formal PM system typically resulted in widespread cynicism and a ritual dance of compliance that demonstrated palpably low engagement with systems. Formal PM systems helped to clarify objectives and workload allocation for some staff, but were found to be poorly linked to organisational planning processes, poor at differentiating levels of performance, not valued by academic staff as a vehicle for meaningful feedback, failing to follow through on development outcomes and thus did little to build team, individual or organisational capability. Study recommendations suggested that developmental models of PM were more appropriate and acceptable in academia and that considerable work would be required to incorporate evaluative links such as performance-related pay successfully. More rigorous evaluation, consultation processes regarding user preferences, piloting of PM systems prior to full implementation, and dedicated resources for the PM function and its outcomes (such as staff development), would be required as a part of a comprehensive change management strategy to overcome historical resistance. A thorough capability analysis of the people management skills for Heads of School and above was seen as a priority, given that feedback skill and the management of under-performance were consistently identified as problematic. The costs of under-performance warranted this expenditure. A national evaluation study of PM practice in higher education was recommended to assess the real outcomes, costs and benefits and determine whether continued investment in PM systems was actually merited. Alternative models and approaches such as modular PM systems for the different stages of an academic career, promotion portfolios, reflective practice or peer learning groups were suggested as potentially more successful in enhancing the accountability and performance of academic staff than mandated hierarchical PM.
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Tipa, Gail, and n/a. "Indigenous communities and the co-management of natural resources : the case of New Zealand freshwater management." University of Otago. Department of Geography, 2003. http://adt.otago.ac.nz./public/adt-NZDU20070508.124012.
Full textAbstract:
The starting point for this study is a socially constructed problem: the progressive degradation of natural resources of significance to indigenous communities and the lack of effective participation by indigenous communities in their management. For many indigenous communities survival was traditionally dependent upon knowledge of natural resources and the ability to gather sustainability those resources from lands, waterbodies and the seas within tribal territories. Environmental sustainability and the long term wellbeing of indigenous communities were seen as one and the same thing. But following contact with exogenous groups, and until relatively recently, indigenous perspectives on environmental management were largely ignored. Dispute over ownership, access to management and use of natural resources have been sources of long standing grievance for indigenous communities throughout the world including Maori within New Zealand.
In the last decade co-management has been promoted as a means of ensuring the participation of indigenous communities in contemporary resource management. But what is meant by co-management has been less clear.
This thesis posits that of the four possible definitions of co-management - namely dual management, cooperative management, collagorative management and community based management - it is collaborative management that promises the greatest benefits for indigenous populations and the environment alike. An analytical framework is developed which acknowledges the theories brought to such collaboration by State agencies and Maori in New Zealand. A case example is then presented of the establishment of a collaborative management programme involving freshwater in the Taieri Catchment near Dunedin.
Experience of this case suggests that in addition to affirming progressively validated general principles governing collaborative environmental management, the requirement for trusted facilitators acting at the interface between State agency and indigenous groups is mandatory. It is concluded that the potential exists for the collaborative management of environmental resources by State and Maori in New Zealand but that the process has barely begun and requires investment in capacity building on the part of both parties.
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Makarand, Tare, and tmakarand@swin edu au. "A future for human resources: A Specialised role in knowledge management." Swinburne University of Technology. School of Business, 2003. http://adt.lib.swin.edu.au./public/adt-VSWT20040311.093956.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis is broadly concerned with the future of the Human Resources function within organisations. The nature of these concerns is two-fold: first, how can Human Resources deal effectively with the challenges of organisational life today; second, how can Human Resources convince senior management that it is both relevant, and necessary, to the economic success of the enterprise, and so assure its future as an internal organisational function. This thesis posits that not only does an involvement in the knowledge management process hold considerable benefits for an organisation through a direct and positive influence on the �bottom-line�, but that such an involvement takes on a specialised set of aims and objectives within the human resource perspective that should not be ignored.
The argument is that Human Resources, with its own knowledge-awareness and overview of the structures, manpower, performance and reward systems, and training and development programs, is uniquely placed to be instrumental in creating the open, unselfish culture required to make a success of Knowledge Management, and secure its own future as a trusted and valued strategic partner, fully contributing to the enhancement of organisational performance, and ultimately, the organisation�s place in the world.
The thesis commences with an overview of how Human Resources has defined its role within organisations since the 1980s. The challenges and concerns of human resources professionals are discussed, and the opportunity for them to take the lead in developing the social networks that are vital to the capture and transfer of knowledge is foreshadowed. An examination of knowledge and knowledge management concepts and principles, and a discussion of the specialised aims and objectives that a knowledge management system can be argued to have within a human resources management perspective in the 21st century is discussed next. As learning from experience with the aim of improving business performance is one of the uses of knowledge management, a discussion of �learning� and the concepts of the �learning organisation� follows.
The chapters in the first part of the thesis contain the theoretical material concerning knowledge and knowledge management, learning and the Learning Organisation, and the argument that Human Resources is in a position to play a major role in moving the organisation's culture to one of value creation and valuable strategic decision-making capability, through its awareness of the concept of knowledge and its implementation of knowledge systems, policies, and practices.
The second part of the thesis is more empirically based, and reports the results of recent research by the author into the levels of awareness of the knowledge concept, and the degree to which knowledge management systems, policies, and practices are being implemented. The purpose of the study was to test a number of hypotheses about knowledge and knowledge management and the role of the Human Resources function vis-a-vis these issues. The results and their implications are subsequently discussed.
The thesis concludes with some reflections on the concepts of knowledge and learning, and the specialised role that the Human Resources professional can play in knowledge work.
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Bernard, Scott A. "Evaluating Clinger-Cohen Act Compliance in Federal Agency Chief Information Officer Positions." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2001. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/27357.
Full textAbstract:
This dissertation develops a method for evaluating whether federal agencies have complied with the intent of the Clinger-Cohen Act (CCA) of 1996 as they established Chief Information Officer (CIO) positions.
The research is important because the CIO position, as envisioned by the CCA, oversees a growing information technology infrastructure that is increasingly becoming the primary vehicle for inter/intra-government communication and for delivering services to the public. Yet despite this importance, CIO-related aspects of the CCA have not received in-depth evaluation in policy science or public administration literature.
The CCA specified many roles for the CIO position but provided few criteria for evaluating how agencies complied with the provisions that required the establishment of a CIO position. Therefore, a seven-step policy analysis process was used to develop a federal agency CIO position evaluation method that would fill this gap. This analytic research included describing the CCA's legislative context, modeling the federal CIO position, determining the intent of the CCA relative to CIO establishment, and devising a method to evaluate this activity. This research approach was grounded in organizational theory related to institutional structure.
A validated â Federal CIO Position Evaluation Methodâ (FCPEM) is the result of the research. FCPEM, which contains thirteen evaluation criteria, was tested and validated through key actor interviews at four federal agencies and focused on CIO position establishment activity between 1996 and 2000. Additional research is required to replicate this finding in other agencies and to further validate the use of FCPEM in conducting this type of public policy inquiry.Ph. D.
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Jenkins, Roger J. "The Adoption of discrete event simulation in manufacturing management /." Electronic version View thesis View thesis, 2002. http://library.uws.edu.au/adt-NUWS/public/adt-NUWS20030331.140950/index.html.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Western Sydney, [2002]."A thesis presented to the University of Western Sydney in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy " Bibliography: leaves 254-258.
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Corrie, Joan, and n/a. "The Management of Financial Resources: Post-Merger Structural Choice in a Blue Collar Union." Griffith University. Griffith Business School, 2007. http://www4.gu.edu.au:8080/adt-root/public/adt-QGU20070724.091823.
Full textAbstract:
Union mergers have occurred since unions were first established. Research on this particular aspect of the union movement is well established in the UK and the US. However, there are few studies of Australian union mergers, despite the fact that many Australian unions took part in a 'merger boom' in the 1980s and 1990s. Two of the few Australian studies, Hocking (1996) and Campling and Michelson (1998), utilised resource dependency and strategic choice theories to ascertain the why and how of union mergers. However, these Australian studies, like their UK and US counterparts, cease with the completion of the merger and, consequently, there is little known of the post-merger operation of unions. How does the integration of the merger partners - with their traditions, structures and financial arrangements - occur? This thesis rectifies the gap in the literature by means of a qualitative, longitudinal study of the merger and post-merger activities of one of the largest and most prominent unions in Australia, the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union (AMWU), as it moved towards complete amalgamation. The thesis examines the period 1995-2003. Four of the five pre-merger unions faced a serious and continued decline in membership and all faced mounting financial deficits. From 1995, the year the various mergers were completed, membership decline continued and financial resources dwindled further, providing the impetus for further and significant post-merger changes. The analysis demonstrates that, due to a continuing lack of financial resources, the AMWU leadership initiated a budgeting strategy which influenced the actions and changed the opinions of many of the Union's officials, guiding them towards accepting integration of the constituent divisions and near complete amalgamation. The thesis answers the questions of why and how a union moves from a negotiated federated structure towards amalgamation, post merger, with a particular focus on financial decision-making processes.
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Schlapp, Julia Emily, and julia schlapp@rmit edu au. "Modelling Fertiliser Use in the Glenelg Hopkins Catchment." RMIT University. Mathematics and Geospatial Science, 2009. http://adt.lib.rmit.edu.au/adt/public/adt-VIT20090602.144534.
Full textAbstract:
The improvement of water quality in the streams of the Glenelg Hopkins catchment is a priority of the Glenelg Hopkins regional strategy. A major source of water pollution in the region is linked to agricultural activities as high nutrient levels from runoff have the potential to increase the incidence of blue-green algae in the waterways. Land use change, reduced rainfall, more frequent extreme rainfall events and higher temperatures associated with climate change are likely to exacerbate this trend. Water testing data of the Total Phosphorus (TP) levels in the Hopkins River and at other sites within the Hopkins Catchment indicate increasing incidence of TP above the Environment Protection Authority's target levels for extended periods of each year. Earlier research indicated that phosphorus in runoff increases when pasture fertility increases and that fertiliser management practices should be considered as an element of preventative action for reducing nutrient pollution. During our research, a survey was undertaken in the Hopkins River catchment, to determine the current management of phosphorus (P) fertilisers on grazing and mixed enterprise farms, the attitude of farmers to natural resource management and their understanding of nutrient pollution. The survey also gathered information on the way farmers made fertiliser management decisions. If cooperation relating to phosphorus fertiliser application could be facilitated between groups of farmers, it may be possible to reduce nutrient runoff into the Hopkins waterways. Cooperative game theory has successfully been used worldwide in the resolution of environmental problems where there is an economic impact to the decision making process. In this project, the amount of phosphorus applied per hectare was used in a cooperative game theory model assessing the potential for cooperative action on phosphorus management by groups of farmers, based on the trade off between the economic cost of pollution to the region waterways and the economic production benefits to the individual. The outcome of this work was individual optimal strategies for fertiliser application, allowing individual farmers to reduce their impact of agricultural production on the health of the catchment. Involving the farmer groups, while undertaking the project, raised awareness amongst the farming population of the regional nutrient pollution caused by runoff from agricultural land, and enlisted their assistance towards adopting a cooperative approach to the problem. In addition, the results have been mapped using a Geographical Information System (GIS) for visual presentation and to demonstrate the use of this process in natural resource management with the farmer groups.
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Ngwenze, Lizo Archibald. "Investigating the role of human resources in the implementation of the government immovable asset management act and its policy framework." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020653.
Full textAbstract:
There is a strong belief amongst human resource specialists, professionals and academics that strategic human-resource management is critical to the success of the business and wellbeing of employees, and the organisation in which they work. There are two sides to human resources, as a strategic partner: Firstly, how it looks and portrays itself; and secondly, how the organisation views the importance of its human capital. Ulrich, Younger, Brockbank and Ulrich (2012) and the RBL Group (2012) identified six human-resource competencies for human resource (HR) practitioners. These not only identify the role they play in an organisation; but they also assist an organisation in achieving its objectives. These competencies, which apply to all HR practitioners, are: strategic positioner, change champion, credible activist, capability builder, technology proponent, innovator, and integrator. The implementation of the Government Immovable Asset Management Act No.19 of 2007 (GIAMA), and its policy implementation, are critical to infrastructural developments, economic development, and skills development, redressing any imbalances from the past and current history, and also developing a public service that assists the country in being internationally competitive. An HR practitioner with a worldview is critical in facilitating one of the most important transformative pieces of legislation. The research problem in this study is to investigate the role of human resources in the implementation of GIAMA and its policy framework in the Eastern Cape Province’s Port Elizabeth Regional Office by the National Department of Public Works. To achieve this objective, a quantitative study was undertaken on the role of human resources as a “strategic partner”. It involved an extensive literature review to assess the role of strategic human resources. An empirical study was later conducted to investigate the role of human resources in the Port Elizabeth Regional Office (from the National Department of Public Works); and how well this office succeeds in playing its assigned role. The conducted survey was compared with the literature review, to determine whether the Port Elizabeth Regional Office’s human resources are in line with the objectives of being a “strategic partner”. The overall findings revealed that the role of human resources is not that of a “strategic partner”. It also revealed that of the six competencies identified by Ulrich et al. (2012) and the RBL Group (2012), none of them could really be viewed as strategic. Notwithstanding the progressive pieces of legislation, it was appalling to receive the outcome, which indicated organisational failure for the past six years (see Figure 1.1). The conclusion of the study indicated that the Port Elizabeth Regional Office (from National Department of Public Works) must implement legislative recommendations as a starting point, and grow from there. The legislation and regulations are very supportive, and encourage innovative thinking – to achieve government goals – and to be on a par with the private sector.
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Kupka, Bernd, and n/a. "Creation of an instrument to assess intercultural communication competence for strategic international human resource management." University of Otago. Department of Management, 2008. http://adt.otago.ac.nz./public/adt-NZDU20080312.134104.
Full textAbstract:
The first research objective of this dissertation is to extend existing conceptualizations of intercultural communication competence to create a new theoretically grounded construct, the Rainbow Model of Intercultural Communication Competence. The second research objective of this dissertation is to utilize this foundation and assemble a new instrument, the 127-item Intercultural Communication Competence Inventory (ICCI). The ICCI consists of sub-scales to measure foreign language competence, non-verbal communication competence, perceptions of cultural distance, intercultural self-awareness, intercultural communication knowledge, intercultural communication skills, intercultural communication motivation, intercultural communication appropriateness, intercultural communication effectiveness, intercultural contextual relationships, and intercultural affinity. This tool is designed assist strategic international human resource management practitioners to find, select, and/or train the best possible candidates for international assignments in an efficient manner.
To accomplish these goals, a quantitative research design has been adopted. In a pilot study and three subsequent studies data was collected between 2005 and 2006 when the ICCI was administered to students in 19 courses with clear intercultural education elements at eleven universities in four countries (New Zealand, Germany, United Arab Emirates, USA) to build four samples of students: self tests (N = 1014) and retests (N = 587), peer tests (N = 613) and retests (N = 529). The ICCI was used as a paper-pencil and an online questionnaire. Using this method is appropriate as it provides intercultural communication trainers with quantifiable results to differentiate candidates and to measure training effectiveness.
This dissertation has produced several research findings. Each of the ICCI sub-scales is psychometrically scrutinized and results described in detail. In exploratory factor analyses most scales have supported their theoretical framework as described in the Rainbow Model of ICC. Most sub-scales show independence from a variety of biases, and demonstrate sensitivity to competence changes over time and differences between evaluators. Various hypothesized links between the scales could be verified. The entire ICCI demonstrated that, despite currently still insufficient sample sizes, its conceptual roots, the Rainbow Model of Intercultural Communication Competence, is recognizable in self and peer tests and retests.
The implications of the findings of this dissertation are threefold: First, the Rainbow Model of Intercultural Communication Competence has received preliminary confirmation. Second, the ICCI has initially shown a tendency to be a practical and reliable tool for recruiting, selecting of, and conducting training needs assessments that facilitate intercultural communication training effectiveness evaluations for suitable candidates for international assignments. Third, ICCI sub-scales have demonstrated the potential to enhance selection and training efforts in a speedy and specific way to support resource-cognizant intercultural training. The reader, however, is cautioned that a variety of limitations of this study need to be acknowledged. Finally, numerous areas of future research are identified.
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Simpson, Beverley, and n/a. "Strategic human resource management : matching the reality to the rhetoric in the Australian Public Service." University of Canberra. Administrative Studies, 2000. http://erl.canberra.edu.au./public/adt-AUC20061108.155751.
Full textAbstract:
This paper focuses on three main themes. Firstly, what is Strategic Human Resource
Management (SHRM) and the rhetoric surrounding it? Secondly, does the reality match
the rhetoric? Thirdly, is the model that has been adopted by the private sector an
appropriate model for the Australian public sector to be using?
HR has been criticised for being an administrative function that is regulatory and
compliance based, adding little value to an organisation. SHRM provides a strategic
focus, involving the partnering of HR and line areas to provide value added people
services. SHRM has been described by some theorists (Ulrich, Rothwell et al) as the
only way of the future for the HR function.
The model/s of SHRM that have been adopted by the private sector are now being
promoted by the Public Service and Merit Protection Commission as the way forward for
HR in the Australian Public Service.
This paper discusses the appropriateness of the SHRM model/s for the public sector by
examining what is happening in the HR area in three Commonwealth Government
departments: Health and Aged Care, Transport and Regional Services and Family and
Community Services. It examines the dilemmas for the HR functions as they try to move
to an SHRM approach in these organisations, and suggests models that are appropriate to
the public sector context.
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Murray, Daniel James, and n/a. "A Critical Analysis of Communicative Planning Theory as a Theoretical Underpinning for Integrated Resource and Environmental Management." Griffith University. School of Environmental Planning, 2007. http://www4.gu.edu.au:8080/adt-root/public/adt-QGU20071127.142417.
Full textAbstract:
Regional natural resource management is increasingly being implemented through collaborative arrangements. Theoretically, collaborative arrangements draw together multiple stakeholders to achieve a holistic approach to management. However, there is no comprehensive underpinning theory to guide implementation. In response, the resource and environmental management literature has been dominated by the search for procedural theory. Encouraged by the history and experience the planning field has with decision-making in multi-stakeholder settings, planning theory - specifically communicative planning theory - has been encouraged as procedural theory for regional natural resource management. However, there has been limited empirical evaluation of this concept - particularly in natural resource management contexts. The aim of this research was to identify whether communicative planning theory represented an appropriate procedural theory to guide the implementation of regional natural resource management. This research addressed this aim through a comparison of the concepts and ideas comprising communicative planning theory with the forces shaping natural resource decisions and actions in practice within a collaborative approach to natural resource management. Qualitative research techniques were used to examine, in depth, a single case study of the implementation of the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality in the Condamine Catchment. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty-six stakeholders including mayors, farmers, members of non-government organisations, and representatives of State and Commonwealth agencies. The results of this research provide valuable understanding of how decisions are made and what role natural resource management objectives play within collaborative decisionmaking processes. This thesis builds theory relating to when, where, and if natural resource management objectives may be achieved through collaborative arrangements. Natural resource decisions and actions within the Condamine Catchment were shaped by three key forces. Firstly, the institutional arrangements that framed the collaborative approach influenced how organisational stakeholders would interact while undertaking natural resource management. Secondly, the structure of the decision-making processes influenced how decisions were produced. Finally, the characteristics (personalities, interests, agendas, and experience) of individual participants influenced the shape natural of resource decisions. Collectively, these forces discouraged the development of an integrated approach to natural resource management. Under the influence of these three forces natural resource management objectives played a secondary role to political manoeuvring within decisionmaking processes in the Condamine Catchment. Stakeholder agendas, motivations and interests became the primary concern as stakeholders implementing the National Action Plan became focused on controlling decisionmaking processes, instead of focusing on implementing natural resource management itself. Stakeholder relations were characterised by conflict as stakeholders competed for control of the decision-making processes. Communicative planning theory does not adequately identify or contend with the complex contextual forces shaping natural resource decisions within the Condamine Catchment. Nor does this concept offer clear direction on how to overcome the identified barriers to the development of an integrated approach to management. These research findings suggest that communicative planning theory does not represent an appropriate procedural theory to guide the implementation of regional natural resource management. Collaborative models of implementation are currently gaining dominance as the preferred delivery vehicle of regional natural resource management. This research implies that instead of searching for a meta-theory to guide implementation, the resource and environmental management field may be better served by developing a theoretical framework that makes practitioners aware of, and provides the tools to address, the context sensitive barriers that exist towards implementing natural resource management within multistakeholder settings. This research contributes towards the development of this understanding, and the tools necessary to unlock collaborative planning practice in individual settings.
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au, Janet Chew@cbs curtin edu, and Janet Cheng Lian Chew. "The Influence of Human Resource Management Practices on the Retention of Core Employees of Australian Organisations: An Empirical Study." Murdoch University, 2004. http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/adt/browse/view/adt-MU20041201.150257.
Full textAbstract:
Employee retention is one of the challenges facing many business organisations today. For many organisations, strategic staffing has become a concern because the ability to hold on to highly talented core employees can be crucial to future survival. This empirical study examined the current human resource management (HRM) practices of Australian organisations in the retention of their core employees. In particular, the research identified the core elements of HRM practices, which strongly influence the decision for core employees to stay.
The study comprise three phases: (1) a preliminary investigation, utilising the Delphi Technique to obtain the opinions of an expert panel of thirteen, (2) in-depth interviews, involving twelve human resource managers of Australian organisations and (3) a quantitative survey of 800 employees from nine Australian organisations.
The findings revealed greater insights into the HRM-retention relationship and provided empirical validation of the relationship. More specifically, the research identified eight retention factors that influence the decision of core employees to stay. These specific factors consisted of two bundles of practices: HR factors (e.g., person organisational fit, remuneration, reward and recognition, training and career development, challenging job opportunities) and Organisational factors (e.g., leadership behaviour, company culture and policies, teamwork relationship and satisfactory work environment). The outcome of the HRM-retention relationship was examined through organisational commitment and turnover intention using multiple regression analysis.
The findings of this study revealed positive significant co-relationships between the eight factors and organisational commitment. Moreover, it was highlighted that commitment acted as a partial mediator of remuneration, recognition and reward, training and career development and work environment on intent to stay. Commitment fully mediated the relationship person organisational fit, teamwork relationship, culture and policies and intention to stay.
The study produced a model suitable for use by human resource practitioners as a guide in determining what initiatives an organisation should adopt to retain their critical employees.
This research has also made a contribution by illuminating the current employment relationships in Australian organisations and providing relevant empirical evidence to support the theoretical model of Human Resource Architecture, developed by Lepak and Snell (1999) and, as a result, creating a configuration for an Australian Human Resource Architecture model.
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Ruru, Jacinta Arianna, and jacinta ruru@stonebow otago ac nz. "Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the management of national parks in New Zealand." University of Otago. Faculty of Law, 2002. http://adt.otago.ac.nz./public/adt-NZDU20070508.135325.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis assesses the historical and current legislative provision for including nga iwi Maori in the management of national parks. The method of assessment is one of comparison between the legislative provisions and the guarantees promised to nga iwi Maori in te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Part One, Chapter One, establishes the relevance of te Tiriti o Waitangi to the management of national parks. This chapter is designed to act as the benchmark for the assessment of national park legislation.
Part Two outlines the early national park legislation. Chapter Two begins by focusing on the emergence of the national park estate in the late nineteenth, and early twentieth, centuries. Chapter Three focuses on the first consolidated national park statute, the National Parks Act 1952.
Part Three assesses the present statutory provision for including nga iwi Maori in national park management. Chapter Four focuses on the original provisions of the National Parks Act 1980. Chapters Five, Six and Seven focus respectively on the major statutory amendments since made to the National Parks Act 1980: the Conservation Act 1987, the Conservation Law Reform Act 1990, and the Ngai Tahu Claims Settlement Act 1998. Chapter Eight turns to assess national park management documents.
Part Four, Chapter Nine, concludes by exploring how legislation could be used in the future to provide for the Tiriti right of nga iwi Maori to be included in the management of national parks.
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Hope-Pearson, E. W., and n/a. "The theoretical and practical dimensions of pounamu management." University of Otago. Department of Geography, 2002. http://adt.otago.ac.nz./public/adt-NZDU20070508.125737.
Full textAbstract:
The vesting of pounamu back to Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu brings to the fore a whole new dimension of resource mangement to New Zealand�s wider resource management environment. As is highlighted in this study and noted by a number of academics, Maori people, like other indigenous communities, have their own planning systems values and appropriate processes for decision-making about the environment. But the relevance of such indigenous management systems has long been overlooked by the decision makers and authorities to the continued frustration and anxiety of indigenous peoples. This lack of recognition has been at the fore as a concept fundamental to many indigenous peoples grievances, both past and present. The subsequent vesting of pounamu has brought about the validation that Maori have to resource management rights.
In identifying issues associated with the management of natural resources by indigenous peoples, this study provides an examination of number theoretical concepts and a practical dimension associated with the management of natural resources by indigenous peoples and has placed pounamu in context. The placement of pounamu in context has provided the basis from which a number of central issues were identified and discussed.
A combination a literature study, analysis of an application traditional knowledge in a contemporary context and in-depth interviews and liaison with key stakeholders involved directly and indirectly in the management of pounmau were undertaken, has established that the management of natural resources by indigenous people is more about the management of number of associated processes rather than about the management of a single commodity, in this instance pounamu. Within these processes there exist a number of complex relationships that reflect the fundamental transaction of power and privilege associated with natural resource management. Further conclusions that this study has made, is the increasing need and importance of legislatures and planning professionals alike to further recognise the validity and become familiar with alternate methods of resource management and the application of indigenous systems and methods.