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Alone at work, connected at home? The role of community belonging in workplace loneliness and employee wellbeing : a moderation analysis.
Full text linkWorkplace loneliness has become an increasingly prevalent issue in recent years and has detrimental consequences for employee health and wellbeing. Yet, research has primarily examined the organisational and work-related implications of workplace loneliness, rather than its broader impact on employee psychological wellbeing or investigating its potential protective factors. The present study aims to address this gap by exploring the relationship between workplace loneliness and employee wellbeing, examining how sense of community belonging relates to wellbeing, and investigating whether community belonging moderates the impact of workplace loneliness, serving as a potential protective factor. Using a cross-sectional survey design, data was collected from 245 employed individuals from multiple countries and industries, via an online survey platform. Aligning with expectations, results of a correlation analyses yielded a significant negative association between workplace loneliness and wellbeing and a significant positive association between sense of community belonging and wellbeing. However, results of a moderated hierarchical linear regression were insignificant, indicating that while sense of community belonging independently positively contributes to employee wellbeing, it does not buffer employees from the adverse impacts of workplace loneliness. These findings provide empirical support for the detrimental consequences workplace loneliness, as well as reveal the significant benefits sense of community belonging has for employee wellbeing. Moreover, the lack of a buffering effect highlights the need for targeted, workplace-specific loneliness interventions, as external community connections are insufficient in mitigating its effect. This study contributes to the limited body of literature in this area by emphasising the importance of both workplace and external social environments in shaping employee wellbeing. Theoretical implications, practical applications, and recommendations for future quasi-experimental research are discussed
Navigating trauma: Proximity, wellbeing and work- integrated learning in higher education
Full text linkThis paper conducts an interdisciplinary exploration into the concept of trauma within work- integrated learning
(WIL), emphasizing the importance of 'proximity' as a novel extension of trauma within this context. The central
focus lies in conceptualizing fresh dimensions for a WIL wellness model that prioritizes community connectedness
over individual autonomy. The paper sheds light on the broader landscape of trauma within higher education,
acknowledging that students' lived experiences are characterized by global threats, local stressors, and traumatic
events. By addressing the challenges faced by students at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New
Zealand, this work intertwines the themes of trauma, wellbeing, and WIL to present a comprehensive view of the
opportunities and challenges within higher education. The Proximity Trauma Impact Model for Work-Integrated
Learning (PTIM-WIL) signifies a forward-thinking framework aimed at preparing students for the dynamic
landscapes of WIL and the post-graduation workplace
Identification of spatial and temporal sediment-related water quality variability through coupling of high frequency surrogate measurements with satellite imagery.
No full textSediment-driven water quality degradation poses challenges for multi-purpose reservoir
systems. Resulting consequences can for example be disruptions of water delivery,
damage of pumps and turbines, negative impacts on ecosystem health. Conventional
monitoring methods using point-based sensors face limitations in resolving
spatial variability and predicting turbidity dynamics. This results in reactive rather
than proactive management of such systems. To address this issue, Sentinel-2 satellite
imagery and machine learning were utilised in conjunction with high-frequency
ground data to develop a methodology to spatially map lake water turbidity, and to
provide turbidity forecasts. The methodology was developed using data collected
at Lake Opuha in New Zealand. A Random Forest model trained on spectral reflectance
and in-situ turbidity measurements showed a test R² of 0.93 and RMSE of
5.02 NTU. This approach allowed the creation of 295 turbidity maps across 4 years
(2021-2024). In addition, Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks were trained
to provide operational forecasts, achieving one-day and ten-day RMSE values of 1.45
NTU and 1.83 NTU, respectively. The integration of spatial mapping and temporal
forecasting offers a tool for reservoir managers to inform operational decisions. This
framework could be applied to other reservoirs facing sediment challenges, suggesting
potential for adaptive management strategies under environmental variability
Tailored chirps : could chirp stimuli tailored to individual cochlear delay reduce auditory brainstem response assessment duration?
Full text linkBackground: The Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) is the primary means of objectively determining hearing thresholds for clients unable to respond behaviourally. Problematically, ABR assessment is time-intensive, placing cost burden on healthcare providers. A bioengineered CE-chirp® stimulus has been developed, which input compensates for the cochlear traveling wave delay, with an upward sweep of frequencies. The CE-chirp® has been shown to increase ABR amplitude and in turn reduces ABR assessment duration relative to traditional stimuli. However, even with the CE-chirp® benefit there remains a clinical need to reduce ABR assessment duration further.
Purpose: This study explores if the CE-chirp® can be optimised to provide additional ABR recording benefit. The CE-chirp® is one-size-fits-all, designed to compensate for the average cochlear delay. However, there is substantial inter-individual variation in cochlear delay. Here, we investigate if tailoring the chirp upward sweep duration to match individual cochlear delay, could increase neural synchrony and ABR wave V response amplitudes. We also propose a feasible approach to clinically implement tailored chirps; whereby individual cochlear delay is used to select an appropriate duration chirp from a chirp library. Measuring individual cochlear delay by traditional derived band ABR (DB-ABR) is time-intensive. Here, we assess if transient evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE) data, which can be swiftly collected in < 5 minutes, could accurately stratify individual cochlear delay. Research Design: The study involved 18 normally hearing participants (female = 10, male = 8). Cochlear delay from DB-ABR and TEOAE data was collected and compared. ABRs were recorded with 5 custom chirp stimuli of different durations. The ABR wave V response amplitudes elicited by the different duration chirps was examined in respect to individual cochlear delay.
Findings: No significant difference was found between DB-ABR and TEOAE cochlear delay estimates, suggesting TEOAE can accurately stratify individual cochlear delay. Participants centrally located on the cochlear delay distribution were optimally stimulated by a medium duration chirp. Partial support was found for the benefit of using longer chirps for individuals with longer cochlear delays. No evidence was found supporting benefit of short chirps for those with short cochlear delays. Future work to explore the benefit of longer duration chirps for male listeners is recommended
Thermal and emission performance studies on premixed meso-combustors for thermophotovoltaic applications.
Full text linkThis study focuses on the thermal and emission performance of small-size premixed combustors by investigating the combustion and flow characteristics of various carbon-free and classical hydrocarbon fuels, including ammonia, hydrogen, and methane. More attention is given to the influence of combustor structure and inlet parameters on thermodynamic and emission performance. These novel structural designs demonstrated obvious improvements in combustor performance, offering valuable insights into the optimization of small-scale combustion systems.
One of the designs include a reverse flow single-channel inlet and double-channel outlet (SIDO) combustor aining to enhance its thermal performances. Increasing the inlet pressure (Pin) improves thermal performance and exergy efficiency while reducing nitrogen oxide emissions. Increasing the inlet velocity (Vin) can enhance the temperature uniformity of the combustor wall. Increasing the equivalence ratio (Φ) leads to a reduction of nitrogen oxide emissions, and the micro-combustor has better overall performance, when Φ = 1.0. Increasing the blending ration of hydrogen give rise to a decayed advection but enhanced diffusion, and the pressure loss (Ploss) can be reduced.
Another design is applying porous medium (PM) in the small-size combustors. In comparison with the system without PM, the application of PM is found to lead to a significant improvement on thermal performances. It is found that there is a substantial 37.5% reduction in the standard deviation of the outer wall temperature (ST,W) at Vin = 2.0 m/s. The optimal thermal performance is achieved as Φ=0.9. A higher porosity (σ) gives rise to a lower entropy production within the PM. The lowest entropy production resulting from heat conduction is shown to be achieved when σ = 0.8. By implementing PM, the exergy efficiency (ηexergy) is found to be increased by 23.9% at Vin = 2.0 m/s. In general, this present investigation shed physical insights on the entropy production and thermodynamic exergy performances of ammonia/methane-fueled micro-combustion systems with and without PM.
For comparison, we proposed and studied a double-channel inlet and double-channel outlet (DIDO) combustor, which is shown to be capable of generating a vortex at the outlet, thereby reducing NOx emissions. Specifically, at a ammonia volumetric flow rate of 900 mL/min, the NO concentration at the outlet can be curtailed by 29.23%. The DIDO combustor yields a substantial enhancement in thermal performance, achieving a 51% reduction in ST,W when ammonia volumetric flow rate is set at 500 mL/min which significantly enhances the uniformity of wall temperature. The peak of thermal performance and maximum radiation efficiency (ηradiation) is reached at Φ = 0.9.
Finally, we proposed and investigated a reverse-flow Tesla channel applied in a counter-flow combustor. It is found that such structured combustor has a remarkable improvement of 72.6% to the combustor wall temperature at hydrogen volume flow rate of 100 mL/min. The diodicity (Di) of the Tesla valve is found to be increased with higher hydrogen volume flow rate, and a lower Φ contributes to a higher Di. Besides, Di decreases when Φ goes up, stabilizing at Φ = 0.9. The reverse-flow Tesla valve exhibits a more uniform pressure distribution and entropy production than the forward-flow Tesla valve. At Φ = 0.9, the hydrogen-to-air ratio maximized heat release, producing the highest entropy. Tesla-valve structured combustors demonstrate near complete combustion before Φ reaching 0.9, the combustion efficiency (ηcombustion) gradually decreasing after Φ getting to 1.0. Additionally, the effect of blending ammonia with various ratio of hydrogen was studied. To achieve a stable ammonia-hydrogen combustion within the reverse and forward flow Tesla valves, ammonia ratio can reach 20% for the reverse flow Tesla valve, whereas the ratio for a stable combustion in the forward flow configuration is 10%. The increased flow resistance inside the reverse flow structure promotes more complete fuel-depleted combustion, thereby increasing the wall temperature. In contrast, the forward flow structure, due to its lower flow resistance, extends the flame area of the mixed fuel, thereby improving wall temperature uniformity. The Double-layer Tesla Valve structure improves wall temperature uniformity by over 55% across varying flow rates. Both double-layer and single-layer structures demonstrate a significant enhancement in the combustor's thermal performance and overall performances characterized with Nusselt and Peclet numbers
Judical review of Royal prorogations.
Full text linkAlthough chapters 2-6 all conclude with a summary, it is convenient at this point to summarise the principal conclusions reached in this work.
In chapters 2 and 3 it was concluded that judicial review of the manner of exercises of the power to prorogue was precluded by both Article 9 of the Bill of Rights and by the exclusive cognisance of parliament (which operates even more broadly than Article 9). Notwithstanding those conclusions the remainder of this work considered other issues relating to reviewability.
In chapter 4 it was concluded that, contrary to the Supreme Court’s reasoning in Miller [No 2], the determination of the scope of the power to prorogue involves no more than the characterisation of the power and the circumstances in which it operates. Accordingly (regardless of the operation of Article 9 and exclusive cognisance) there is virtually no scope for judicial review based on an exercise of the power being beyond the scope of the power, given that (apart from statute) the scope of the power is confined only by the requirement that the parliament must be in session.
In chapter 4 it was also concluded that the “limit” formulated by the Supreme Court in Miller [No 2] at [50] (derived from the principles of parliamentary sovereignty and accountability) was flawed and that review for compliance with that limit was heterodox and wrong in principle. Various problems with the Supreme Court’s approach were identified. In particular: (i) the limit did not amount to a delineation of the scope of the power to prorogue; (ii) the limit amounted to a review of the manner of the exercise of the power without determining its reviewability (contrary to CCSU and subsequent case law); and (iii) the limit derived had no legitimate jurisprudential provenance.
Chapter 5 explored the question of whether as a matter of constitutional convention the power to prorogue was a prerogative power exercisable otherwise than on Prime Ministerial advice. It also examined the role of the courts in relation to constitutional conventions. It was concluded that it was permissible for the courts to determine whether the power was so exercisable if that matter was relevant to the determination of the legal question of whether that power was reviewable. It was also determined that on the most widely accepted criteria for determining the existence of constitutional conventions (supplemented by the views of scholars, writers and senior bureaucrats) there was a reasonable basis for the conclusion that (at least in some circumstances) the power to prorogue was exercisable by the monarch otherwise than on Prime Ministerial advice.
Chapter 6 discussed the question of whether decisions concerning the power to prorogue were reviewable in the courts. It was concluded that the better view was that that issue should be determined by reference to whether in fact the relevant decision was made by the monarch otherwise than on Prime Ministerial advice. That approach would not involve the court in determining whether as a matter of convention the power was exercisable otherwise than on Prime Ministerial advice. On the issue of reviewability three other principal conclusions were reached. First, if constitutional conventions had a substantial impact on the determination of the proposed ground of review that would probably make the decision unreviewable because review would be likely to trespass upon matters forbidden by the case law, namely, the sanctioning of breaches of convention or the policing of the operation or scope of conventions. Secondly, if the court were to determine that the monarch acted otherwise than on Prime Ministerial advice, it was concluded that a variety of factors supported the view that the monarch’s decision was not reviewable. Finally, if the court determined that the monarch acted on Prime Ministerial advice, it was concluded that that advice was not reviewable
The impact of supply chain network structure on economic and environmental outcomes.
No full textThis research was inspired by a small local company that aims to prevent its products from ending in
a landfill after customer use by repurposing the waste from their used products. The idea to repurpose
waste from their end products was inspired by the ongoing global pressures facing supply chains.
Three supply chain pressures are explored, namely, increased government regulation on recycling
rates, an increase in demand and increased shipping taxes. To repurpose the waste the company aims
to implement a distributed 3D manufacturing circular system that sends wasted material to a recycling
facility. To recapture the used products, the recycled material is used as an alternative supply source
effectively creating a closed loop process.
To evaluate the desired benefits, this research addresses the question “how does a supply chain’s
network structure impact the interplay between its economic and environmental outcomes?”. There
is a current lack of research addressing the economic and environmental trade-offs of combined
circular economy solutions. There is also crucial need for practical knowledge on how to introduce
circular supply chains into real world scenarios. Addressing the research question began with the use
of a systems thinking approach to depict the economic and environmental relationships between a
centralised linear, decentralised linear and decentralised circular supply chains. To complement the
use of a systems approach as a theoretical lens, dynamic simulation modelling software – Stella
Architect – is used to portray the relationships between the elements of each system. This method is
employed to break down the complexity inherent in combining multiple circular economy solutions
as well as to compare each supply chain system behavior to one another.
The results from this research indicated that in all three supply chain cases there is a very strong
interdependency between demand and the economic and environmental outcomes of the supply
chain. Relationships between the actors of a supply chain become stronger the closer in distance they
are. If a supply chain strives to get as close to 100% reliance on recycled material as possible then the
further it reduces its reliance on virgin materials. This significantly influences the strength of
relationship between raw materials and their associated economic and environmental outputs. The
circular nature of the decentralised circular supply chain decreases the strength of the relationship
between demand and supply of raw materials over time. These results are transferable to managers
in understanding the economic and environmental outcomes between traditional and proposed
supply chain models. The research will also help to contribute to the growing circular economy
literature whilst measuring the impacts of combining decentralisation with a 3D manufactured
enabled closed loop supply chain
Conversation to support growth : exploring the application of motivational interviewing within sport coaching.
Full text linkThis thesis explores the application of Motivational Interviewing (MI) within the
context of sports coaching, examining its influence on coach-athlete communication and
athlete motivation. The study addresses the need for effective communication strategies in
sports coaching, which is a distinctive discipline requiring a blend of science and art. The
research uses a mixed-methods design, employing both qualitative and quantitative data to
investigate the perceived and experiences of MI training for coaches, along with the impact
of MI training and an ongoing learning community on coaching practices and athlete
engagement within conversations. The research includes two studies: Study 1 involved focus
groups with ten coaches (n=10), from diverse sporting backgrounds, to explore their
perceptions of integrating MI within their coaching. The coaches identified several challenges
to implementing MI, including time constraints, cultural norms, competitive pressures, and
the variable engagement and readiness of athletes for change. Coaches identified barriers to
consistent MI application, including challenges in fostering behaviour change, especially with
younger athletes. They also saw opportunities for MI to improve coach-athlete relationships,
raise coaching awareness, and boost athlete motivation and self-reflection.
Phase 1 of Study 2 explored coaches' experiences with MI training and its impact on
their coaching practices. Interviews were conducted with five of the nine coaches who
participated exclusively in the training days. Several key themes emerged regarding their
experience of the MI training. Coaches perceived that the MI training addressed gaps in their
coaching practices, providing them with new practical skills that they felt were not strongly
emphasised in previous coach development programs.. They also noted that the training
enhanced their self-awareness, prompting them to reflect on their coaching goals and values.
However, they also acknowledged the difficulties in applying the theoretical concepts and integrating new skills into their long-established routines. Coaches expressed a need for
ongoing support and further training to master the practical application of MI, with the
suggestion of a learning community and continued coaching to support their learning. They
also felt sport-specific examples were needed to better facilitate learning into the sport
environment.
Phase 2 of Study 2 examined MI implementation by two coaches, with ongoing
feedback over 14 weeks delivered via the learning community and individual phone calls.
Coach A recorded sessions pre-training (n = 3) and post-training (n = 6), while Coach B
recorded only post-training (n = 5). The learning community was generally perceived as a
positive experience, with coaches noting that individualised feedback helped them deepen
their MI skills. They also described growth in their reflective practice, particularly through
the process of re-listening to past coaching conversations—something they had not done
before. In Phase 2 of Study 2, one athlete per coach was interviewed, both reporting increased
autonomy and empowerment during their involvement in the conversations. Quantitative
assessments of the audio recordings using the MITI4.2.1 and CLEAR scales indicated some
improvements in MI skill, particularly in cultivating change talk and using reflections.
However, these gains were not consistent across all coaches, and variability remained.
Athletes speaking time relative to coach speaking talking also increased.
In summary, this research highlights the potential benefits of applying MI in sports
coaching, in supporting the coach-athlete relationships, increasing coach self-awareness, and
growing athlete motivation. However, challenges for integrating MI within the sport context
were also identified, such as the need for ongoing support to learn and implement MI, the
need for more sport-specific training examples, and the challenge of integrating it within a
outcome focused culture. Nonetheless, his study was the first to analyse real-world coaching
conversations while incorporating athletes’ perspectives, providing preliminary support for the integration of MI in sport coaching. However, the small sample size and limited baseline
data restrict the findings, highlighting the need for larger, longitudinal studies across diverse
sporting contexts
Exploring the production and perception of covarying sounds in New Zealand English.
No full textMany sociolinguistic studies tend to focus on variation and change of individual variables. However, more recent work is beginning to question if these individual variables may be working together, or covarying, for socially meaningful reasons. For example, if a speaker produces one sociolinguistic variant, what can this predict about their speech patterns in other parts of the linguistic system? Furthermore, are listeners interpreting these patterns to perceive social meaning? These questions fall under the sociolinguistic field of covariation.
This thesis builds on previous work by exploring the production and perception of covarying sounds in New Zealand English (NZE). Starting with the production analysis, this thesis takes an exploratory approach to see how speakers may be patterning segmental and suprasegmental features to index different aspects of their identity. Specifically, these features include ten NZE monophthongs, intervocalic medial /t/, /s/-fronting, rhythm, speech rate, creak, and mean F0. The results suggest that the variables pattern in different ways depending on what social information, or social ‘level’, is present in the data. At a macrosocial level, the vowels and non-vowels covary together to identify different age groups and genders in the data. However, at a more fine-grained social level (e.g., stylistic variation within age and gender speaker groups), the vowels covary only between themselves while the non-vowels appear to work independently. Taken together, these results suggest that covariation itself may be a fluid, dynamic phenomena where speakers may or may not pattern sociolinguistic variants together for socially meaningful purposes.
However, to fully understand whether these production patterns are socially meaningful, this requires perception experiments. This thesis conducts two perception experiments to examine whether listeners pattern these variables together to socially evaluate speakers. Both experiments asked listeners to rate a group of six, young NZE men on four different social dimensions – age, gender (i.e., masculinity), education, and accent. The two experiments differ by what variables listeners may pattern together, with the first experiment using variables that always covaried in production (i.e., KIT and TRAP) and the second experiment using variables that did not always covary in production (i.e., TRAP and intervocalic /t/). The results suggest that listeners do not pattern these variables together to socially evaluate speakers, except for conservative manipulations of KIT and TRAP when rating on accent broadness. Additionally, listeners were likely using other speech features, such as pitch, either by themselves or in combination with KIT, TRAP, or intervocalic /t/ for their ratings. In sum, the findings suggest that covariation in perception does not necessarily align with covariation in production.
Taking the production and perception together, the findings provide numerous implications for covariation research, social meaning, and sociolinguistic theory. This thesis suggests that covariation itself is a highly nuanced and gradient phenomena in both production and perception, where speakers and listeners may use individual variables and patterns of variables to construct and interpret social meaning at different levels of social granularity (e.g., macrosocial variation versus fine-grained variation)
Repairing work, repairing ourselves : experimental urban commons in Ōtautahi, New Zealand.
No full textIn Aotearoa New Zealand, waged work is a big part of many people’s lives. Like other places where people have been separated from historical commons, waged work provides many people with the income to sustain themselves and workplaces are where people meet and friendships form. However, the way that waged work is configured in this context gives rise to the problems of overconsumption and alienation. This is seen in the millions of products sold and wasted each year and the increasing reports of a lack of meaning in work. I argue that reconfiguring workspaces as sites of commoning provides a means to address the problems that arise from the current organisation of work. I use a diverse economies approach and draw on my participation and interviews with people from two field sites: Ōtautahi Repair Revolution (a repair café) and the Understorey (a coworking space), both located in the city of Ōtautahi Christchurch, New Zealand. Through my participation I investigate the collective repair labour performed by participants at repair cafés and the collective care labour performed by members of the Understorey. I theorize both kinds of collective labour as practices of commoning that arise in two layers. The first layer of commoning creates important resources for commoners in the form of a repair knowledge commons and a coworking commons. The second layer of commoning produces a repair sensibility and worker wellbeing. These layers of commoning are what enable repairers and coworkers to embody new work subjectivities that can redirect from ecological crisis and alienated work