Doctoral Theses

Permanent link for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10292/4

The Doctoral Theses collection contains digital copies of AUT doctoral theses deposited with the Library since 2004 and made available open access. All theses for doctorates awarded from 2007 onwards are required to be deposited in Tuwhera Open Theses unless subject to an embargo.

For theses submitted prior to 2007, open access was not mandatory, so only those theses for which the author has given consent are available in Tuwhera Open Theses. Where consent for open access has not been provided, the thesis is usually recorded in the AUT Library catalogue where the full text, if available, may be accessed with an AUT password. Other people should request an Interlibrary Loan through their library.

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Let’s Talk About Stress: Community Child Health Nurses Experiences of Stress in Whānau Engagements
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Hodren, Anne
Background While stress is considered a normal part of daily life community child health nurses are often experiencing multiple complex stressors as part of their care of whānau. While community child health nursing is undoubtedly valued and highly skilled work, the very nature of this work inevitably exposes community child health nurses to multiple psychologically demanding challenges and stressors that could significantly impact on the nurse’s wellbeing, and their capacity to engage with, and be attuned to, whānau. While there is some evidence that explores and describes the impact of stress in general and in nursing, little is known about how community child health nurses in Aotearoa New Zealand experience stress when engaging with whānau and how this affects their capacity to be attuned to the whānau they are supporting. Objective This study aimed to explore community child health nurses’ experiences of, and perspectives on, self-regulation and attunement in times of stress when working with whānau. Two research questions were posed; firstly, how do Aotearoa New Zealand Community Child Health nurses describe the relationship between stress and the capacity to self-regulate their stress response when engaging with whānau? and secondly, how do Aotearoa New Zealand Community Child Health nurses describe the influence of stress on attunement, the capacity to build trust, and their ability to reflect on whānau relationships? Using interpretive descriptive methodology, this qualitative study was undertaken in two phases, with phase one being a vignette-based survey with 26 community child health nurse participants, and phase two being a semi-structured interview with 10 community child health nurse participants. Findings Unique to this study was the rich description of the experience and impact of stress by Aotearoa New Zealand community child health nurse participants when engaging with whānau; a relatively unexplored area of nursing practice in the literature, especially as the study focused solely on exploring the impact of stress within engagement with whānau and describing what the experience is genuinely like for the nurses. The findings provide a unique picture of the complexity the nurse participants faced in navigating whānau relationships, while simultaneously being in a state of stress, which, at times, made it difficult for the nurses to recognise their own stress, and hindered their capacity to make sound decisions, while also remaining attuned and professional. The findings revealed the individual nurse’s experience of stress to be unique, complex, and unpredictable, and shaped by context, as the nurse participants strived to establish and maintain therapeutic relationships with whānau, while managing their own stress responses. The resulting impact on nurses and whānau relationships requires urgent attention to reduce the negative impact of stress on community child health nurses, and improve knowledge, resourcing, and supports to ensure safe and quality care. Conclusions The significance of the study findings lies in the ‘laying bare’ of the nurse participants’ experiences of the pervasive nature of stress, and its profound impact on both the nurses themselves, and their care of whānau. Attention needs to be drawn urgently to the consequences of stress on community child health nurses, so that the quality and continuity of care in community child health nursing is not compromised. The normalisation and acceptance of stress within the nursing profession has served to further entrench stress as an inevitable part of nursing practice, thereby limiting opportunities for personal, professional and systemic change. As a key outcome of the study, a multipronged approach is proposed that buffers and ameliorates the negative impacts of stress, lifting the sole responsibility for managing stress off the shoulders of nurses and redistributing it across employers, government, education, and other institutions within the Aotearoa New Zealand context. When managing stress is everyone’s responsibility, there is a greater chance of change.
Destination Management Systems and Community Participation: Indonesian Cases
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Akbar, Muhammad Dhaifan
This research explores the adoption of Destination Management Systems (DMS) to support sustainable tourism initiatives, with a specific focus on enhancing community participation in Indonesia. Given the expanded role of Destination Management Organisations (DMOs) in managing tourism networks sustainably, the capability of DMS to foster collaboration among stakeholders is becoming increasingly significant. However, recent research often links DMS functions primarily to traditional marketing roles, resulting in the marginalisation of residents and informal businesses, both of which are critical to the tourism ecosystem. This study aims to bridge the gap between the collaborative role of DMO and the application of DMS in Indonesia, where rapid tourism development has raised sustainability concerns, including the marginalisation of certain community groups. By positioning DMS as a mediator for community engagement, this research addresses the core question: “How can DMS support the implementation of community participation in tourism development in Indonesia?” To address this research question, three objectives are set: (1) to investigate how DMSs worldwide facilitate community engagement in tourism; (2) to examine the strategic implementation of DMSs in Indonesia's regional destinations, particularly in relation to strengthening community involvement in tourism development; and (3) to develop a community-focused DMS framework for Indonesia. This research adopts a sequential mixed-methods approach, incorporating website evaluation, interviews with DMS stakeholders, and a three-round Delphi method to address the research objectives. The theoretical frameworks employed include Services-Dominant Logic (S-D Logic), Social Construction of Technology (SCOT), and Motivation-Opportunity-Ability (MOA). These frameworks provide the theoretical foundation for understanding the context in which the DMS operates and offer an analytical lens through which the findings are interpreted. Findings reveal that although DMSs contain functions capable of fostering community participation, their primary focus remains on marketing, often overlooking the needs and engagement of local communities. This condition also characterises DMS adoption in Indonesia’s regional destinations, where top-down development approaches, shaped by socio-political structures and limited discourse surrounding DMS and DMO concepts, constrain their potential. To address these issues, the study proposes a community-focused DMS framework tailored to the Indonesian context, promoting a collaborative model that integrates local knowledge and encourages active participation from destination communities. Furthermore, it highlights the importance of applying internal marketing strategies within destination management to strengthen stakeholder involvement and community well-being. Overall, this research contributes to academic discourse by expanding the understanding of DMS capabilities in supporting community engagement and provides practical guidance for policymakers and DMOs to optimise DMS functions for the benefit of local communities. Future research directions are recommended to refine the proposed framework and address barriers to effective community participation in Indonesia’s tourism development.
Beyond Survivance: Embodying the Dance
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Madril, Edwardo
The driving question of this thesis is: How might American Indian dance – whether ‘traditional’ or ‘contemporary’ – be seen to make significant contributions to the cultural and historical narrative of American Indian people? That is: How might the cultural values and systems that are carried through American Indian dance practices and performance expressions be seen to construct American Indian identity – past, present, and future? Further: How might American Indian dance, as an embodied performance practice, be seen to move American Indian people beyond the current stages of survival and survivance? This thesis explores what it means to embody American Indian dance from my perspective as an American Indian academic, artist and dancer. Embodying the dance inscribes an action that is simultaneously dramatic and social, telling a story from the center of my soul in the company of my ancestors to the people alongside me, for the people watching, and beyond toward future generations. This thesis is grounded in dance and performance studies, using Diana Taylor’s conceptualization of the ‘repertoire’ to explore the ways American Indian dance has served in the past to preserve, construct and sustain our communities against the prospect of annihilation during the long history of colonization. For this thesis, then, the ‘data’ as such will be the dances I choose to analyse using the lenses of theory, history and my own social and artistic experience. Accompanying the exegesis is a performance that will reflect the research and the outcomes as they have manifested. This approach will also reflect how the knowledge and experience of embodiment of the dance can best be produced and perform what the exegesis describes. My background as a practitioner will frame and inform my analysis of selected examples as case studies. My first chapter will look at how American Indian dance has made a significant ongoing contribution to the survival of my people as a people. In my second chapter, I look at how, in the present day, these dances have come to be intertwined in contemporary dances that feature our traditions in non-traditional frames. In so doing, I will turn to Gerald Vizenor’s concept of ‘survivance’ and the way Chadwick Allen takes the term up to analyse other forms of creative expression. For my final chapter, I will apply the critical framework I’ve thus developed to a close reading of my own creative practice to demonstrate how such performances might be seen to go beyond survivance to assert our agency as artists and as a people going forward. At its core, this thesis is a quest for expanding knowledge and encourage understanding. It aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of what American Indian dance is through the bridging of knowledge systems in lived cultural experience and academic dance performance scholarship. Through this work, American Indian dance is highlighted as a path for cultural knowledge and identity to move beyond survivance towards cultural renewal within the complexities of our world.
Adjustment of the Surface Wettability of Cellulose-based Aerogels Derived From Harakeke and Their Application in Oil/Water Separation
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Zhai, Yitong
The increasing incidence of marine oil spills poses a significant threat to both marine ecosystems and human health. Among the various methods for oily wastewater treatment, adsorption is considered as the most promising solution due to its simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and high efficiency. Consequently, the development of high-performance, environmentally-friendly oil adsorbing materials for the removal and recovery of spilled oils have attracted substantial research interest. Cellulose-based aerogels as an emerging class of porous materials, exhibit promising properties, including ultra-low density, high porosity, and high specific surface area, making them particularly effective for adsorbing oily pollutants from wastewater. These characteristics position cellulose-based aerogels as promising candidates for widespread applications in oil spill remediation. However, there still exist some problems for the current reported cellulose-based aerogels, such as the complicated fabrication process, difficulty in recycling, and their inferior mechanical robustness, which limited their practical applications. Harakeke, or known as Phormium tenax is a monocotyledonous plant with long leaves, endemic to New Zealand and Norfolk Islands. It is a culturally significant source and treasure to Māori, and used to be the important export goods in New Zealand. However, in contemporary times, harakeke is primarily cultivated for landscaping purposes. The objective of this thesis is to assess the potential of using harakeke fibre as precursor material to fabricate cellulose-based aerogels. If harakeke fibre can be processed to fabricate cellulose-based aerogels through appropriate process, it could not only serve as an efficient and environmentally friendly adsorbent for oily wastewater remediation, but also create a new avenue for the comprehensive utilisation of the traditional harakeke plants. Based on the above hypothesis, this thesis investigates the use of raw harakeke fibre as starting material for the fabrication of cellulose-based aerogels, explores their surface modification methods, and evaluates their performance for oil adsorption. The main findings of this thesis are as follows: (1) A sequential chemical purification process was applied to raw harakeke fibres, involving treatment with acidic sodium chlorite solution to remove lignin, followed by potassium hydroxide solution treatment to remove the hemicellulose. This process successfully extracted pure cellulose fibres with an average diameter of 14.54 μm from the raw harakeke fibres. Additionally, it was determined that cellulose nanofibres (CNFs) with an average diameter of 61.54 nm could be obtained from the extracted cellulose fibres through a simple ultrasonication treatment using a probe ultrasonicator at an output power of 1500W. (2) Superhydrophobic cellulose-based aerogels were successfully prepared by first freeze-drying the harakeke-derived CNFs to obtain the pristine cellulose aerogels, followed by gas phase surface modification using methyltriethoxysilane (MTES) through chemical vapour deposition (CVD). The aerogel became superhydrophobic with water contact angle of 153° after silane modification. The structure and properties of CNF aerogels before and after modification were characterised by various methods, and the mechanism of gas phase modification using MTES was systematically studied. The oil sorption capacity of modified aerogels ranged from 90 to 146 g/g for various oils and solvents. The kinetic study results indicated the oil adsorption process of this aerogel obeys the pseudo-second order kinetic model. (3) Based on the aforementioned aerogel preparation method, superhydrophobic, magnetic aerogels were prepared from harakeke raw fibres to address the challenge of difficulty in recycling the oil saturated aerogels. Fe3O4 nanoparticles were deposited on the surface of aerogels by adding them in the CNF water suspension before freeze-drying. After a subsequent silane hydrophobisation treatment, the resultant aerogel showed magnetic properties, superhydrophobicity (WCA=150.3°) and outstanding oil adsorption capacity (up to 113.49 g/g for silicone oil). it was found that the addition of Fe3O4 nanoparticles not only rendered the aerogel with magnetic properties, but also contributed to a higher hydrophobicity, which is ascribed to the increased surface roughness. The magnetic aerogels can be easily controlled to move using an external magnet which greatly facilitates the recycle process. (4) In order to improve the mechanical robustness of cellulose-based aerogels, 1,2-Bis(trimethoxysilyl)ethane (BTMSE) and MTES were added into the CNF suspension as crosslinker and hydrophobic modifier, respectively. Directional freeze-drying was applied to prepare aerogels with aligned channel structures. Compression test showed that the yield point of silane modified aerogels appeared at a higher strain rate, which indicates a better mechanical robustness. Moreover, directional freeze-drying endows the aerogel with aligned channel structure and honeycomb like cross section morphology. The result aerogel showed a much higher shape recovery rate after releasing the compressive load in comparison to the conventional freeze-dried ones.
Quality of Service (QoS) Enabled Handover Architectures for LiFi/WiFi Hybrid Systems
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Shakir, Ullah
Mobile data traffic has increased exponentially over the last few years, from around 50 exabytes (EB) per year in 2018 to 240 EB in 2024, and is expected to further increase to around 560 EB by 2029. This increase can be attributed to the data generated by smartphones and the heavy deployment of Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Approximately 80% of mobile traffic originates from indoor devices connecting to outdoor base stations. This significantly impacts the outdoor mobile network's performance. Therefore, the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) and other mobile standardization bodies are strongly encouraging mobile traffic to be offloaded to the nearest indoor WiFi network. However, WiFi has limited bandwidth, and this additional mobile traffic offload, along with the existing indoor data traffic, can result in drastic degradation in performance. To meet this growing traffic demand, Light Fidelity (LiFi), which utilises visible light for communication (VLC), has emerged as a promising candidate for an additional networking technology. LiFi offers several advantages, including higher data rates due to its operation at higher frequencies and increased security, as light can be contained within a room, thereby reducing the chances of eavesdropping. LiFi, however, lacks robustness in mobility and has a limited coverage area due to higher free space and penetration losses. For this reason, the chances of service disruptions increase, thereby leading to more frequent handovers, inefficient resource utilisation, and QoS degradation. These challenges are unique to LiFi compared to WiFi, and as such, require the necessary design and modelling effort. Therefore, this thesis provides a comprehensive modelling and implementation of the LiFi physical layer and medium access control (MAC) layer in Network Simulator 3 (ns3). At the physical layer, appropriate modulation schemes, mobility, and necessary performance metrics are modelled and implemented. The MAC layer provides a comprehensive TDMA-based design and modelling, including framing for user association and dis-association, as well as mobility-aware resource sharing. The limited coverage and mobility robustness issues necessitate that LiFi be deployed in a hybrid arrangement with WiFi and other cellular technologies to provide a comprehensive networking system. The critical aspect of integrating LiFi and WiFi networks is user association and handovers, which are initiated when user devices encounter outages and/or experience degradation in other performance metrics. However, these are challenging problems in LiFi/WiFi hybrid networks, as the handover decision-making algorithms during the association process favour WIFI, because it offers consistent signal strength over a larger area. This can result in inefficient resource utilisation, an increase in delay, and a decrease in throughput. To address this issue, this thesis provides two handover solutions. The first one is a QoS-enabled handover process that utilises multiple criteria, including user satisfaction, packet delay, and signal strength, during the network selection process, which can lead to improved performance compared to traditional handover solutions. The proposed solution is also provided with a centralised controller, capable of initiating a handover when some specific conditions are met. However, since it is reactive in nature, the handover starts only in response to channel outage events, which can lead to unnecessary packet loss. The second solution offers a proactive approach that initiates the handover in an anticipatory manner by utilising machine learning to predict the handover conditions. It is also equipped with QoS-enabled network selection and prepares multiple targets in advance to ensure seamless transition and unnecessary packet loss. The proposed solution significantly improves upon the reactive handover approach in terms of throughput and user satisfaction. Both the handover solutions have been implemented in ns-3, and the simulation results show that the proposed handover architectures outperform the benchmark algorithms.
Professional Learning in Sustainability Education and Local Curriculum Design: One School’s Practice Development Through Critical Participatory Action Research
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Hulbert, Rachelle
The thesis investigates how professional learning and development (PLD) can support primary school teachers in Aotearoa New Zealand to embed sustainability education into their teaching practice and local curriculum design. It establishes the growing urgency of sustainability at both local and global levels and highlights the critical role that schools play in preparing students to respond to these challenges. Despite growing recognition of sustainability in education, a persistent gap remains between policy rhetoric and classroom practice, shaped by political and economic agendas that prioritise growth over sustainability. Grounded in the theory of practice architectures, this single-site case study examines how school-based practice arrangements and teachers’ sayings, doings, and relatings enabled or constrained the integration of sustainability education and local curriculum design. A critical participatory action research (CPAR) design documented teachers’ evolving understandings of sustainability, their engagement with PLD, and opportunities created to embed sustainability themes into planning and pedagogy. The research was conducted through critical participatory action research (CPAR) cycles across three distinct phases of the research. Phase One examined the local context; Phase Two evaluated the Sustainability Education and Local Curriculum Design (SELCD) PLD; and Phase Three explored how the PLD was embedded into practice. The findings show that, while sustainability remains an ambiguous concept requiring contextual definition, teachers’ practices still shifted across the phases as they integrated sustainability into curriculum planning. New sayings, doings, and relatings emerged, including place-based inquiry units, Indigenous knowledge integration, and peer-supported learning structures. These practices reflected growing teacher agency and reconfigured practice arrangements. The study revealed that PLD for sustainability must engage with cultural-discursive, material-economic, and social-political arrangements to support long-term change. Key elements include holistic models of sustainability, practical frameworks and resources, localised learning opportunities, time for integration, and a whole-school approach that fosters collaboration. The study offers a context-responsive, bespoke PLD model for sustainability education that is embedded, localised, and transformative. By foregrounding teachers’ lifeworlds and recognising the personal and professional dimensions shaping practice, the model has the potential to enrich the developing literature on site-ontological approaches to sustainability education and teacher professional learning.
Theatre and Drag Identity: A Comparative Study of Cross-gender Performance Traditions in Manipur, India and New Zealand
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Bradshaw, Suzania Brahmacharimayum
[Thesis embargoed until 18 November 2026]. Starting from the premise, following Judith Butler (1990), that gender identity is a form of performance, this thesis explores the values, attitudes, and lived realities underpinning drag performance traditions. Utilising an ethnographic methodology, it examines how cross-dressed and drag performers in Manipur, India, and in New Zealand use their theatrical personas to communicate strategies for navigating a stigmatised identity, and how their professional practices contribute to distinct traditions of drag and gendered performance. In Manipur, the Nupi Manbi (“to act like or resemble a girl”) occupy a significant position within the region’s theatre culture, mirroring patterns of everyday life, language, and social relationships. This thesis considers the significance of this theatrical tradition for Manipuri communities and the cultural, social, and historical factors that shape such practices within Eastern theatre. It also reflects on similarities and divergences between these practices and those found in neighbouring Asian contexts—such as Thailand, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, and China—and contrasts them with the traditions and styles of drag performance in Western theatre. Drawing on unstructured interviews with male cross-dressing performers, supported by visual analysis of live theatre, film, and television performances, this study investigates how performers negotiate gender identity and the sense of self within liminal spaces where conventional social boundaries are momentarily suspended. While drag has often been framed in the literature as subverting heteronormativity, far less attention has been given to the psychological and existential costs incurred by performers who publicly inhabit a stigmatised subculture. This research, therefore, asks: How do performance styles, peer networks, public attitudes, and conceptions of selfhood shape the construction of identity in theatre? It further examines how shifts over the past twenty-five years—technological advances, changing performance practices, and evolving theatre cultures—have complicated the relationships between gender identity, censorship, and national identity. By analysing the social status of performers and their responses to societal norms surrounding sex and gender, this thesis offers a comparative, cross-cultural account of how practitioners negotiate, resist, and reimagine identity within their respective artistic, social, and cultural environments.
Energy-Optimal Control for Unmanned Underwater Vehicles in Offshore Aquaculture
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Tun, Thein Than
With sustainable land-based farming and offshore aquaculture, the New Zealand aquaculture industry is expected to reach $3 billion market size by 2035 [1]. Aligning with this trend, the New Zealand King Salmon (NZKS), a leading fish farming company, started the proof-of-concept phase of its offshore aquaculture project called Blue Endeavour Project (the first of its kind offshore salmon farm in New Zealand) in June 2025 [2]. Along with relocation to the offshore, unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) play a crucial role in conducting work processes such as fish net-pen visual inspection (FNVI) autonomously in collaboration or on behalf of human workforce due to the harsh working environment. However, due to the constrained operational workspace in aquaculture, the autonomous UUV must rely on its limited onboard battery capacity, without the use of an umbilical cord for power supply and data transmission. Therefore, the energy-optimality aspect of optimal control is investigated in this thesis. The findings of this research are expected to contribute to the growing adoption of autonomous UUVs in aquaculture and oceanographic research, where energy efficiency and accurate trajectory tracking in constrained operational workspaces are essential, thereby enabling fewer battery-charging cycles and extended operational duration and range. Three main control schemes, namely, Proportional Integral Derivative-based controllers (PID-based controllers), Linear Quadratic Tracking-based controllers (LQT-based controllers), and Model Predictive Control-based controllers (MPC-based controllers), are applied in a total of 13 controllers to two UUVs, namely BlueROV2 Heavy Configuration (an inspection class UUV, weighing about 12 kg) and RexROV 2 (an intervention class UUV, weighing about 1800 kg), to conduct FNVI around NZKS’s Blue Endeavour Project site. Explicit power functions (component-level power function and system-level power function) are used in the performance index (also known as cost function or objective function) of the energy-optimal versions of LQT-based controllers and MPC-based controllers. Among all the proposed controllers, particularly for a harsh ocean environment with strong underwater current disturbances, the energy-optimal MPC (EO-MPC) on RexROV 2 is the most energy-optimal controller, achieving the equivalent trajectory tracking performance of conventional MPC (CO-MPC) for the energy-demanding trajectory while fulfilling constraints across both prediction and control horizons. To access the realistic phenomenon of UUV’s performance in the field-trials, high-fidelity simulations with 0.0m/s - 0.9m/s underwater current disturbance speeds are conducted in the Robot Operating System (ROS), integrated with Gazebo Physics Engine, using the specifications of UUV’s system parameters and NZKS’s Blue Endeavour Project. Due to the unavailability of an expensive and accurate localisation system for the sea/ocean trials, a total of 13 pool experiments were conducted using the actual hardware of BlueROV2 with the vision-based state-estimation system. These experimental results are cross-validated with another 13 pool simulation results and it was found that both experimental and simulation results are, in general, coherent among themselves and FNVI simulations. Most importantly, it is worth noting that the types of UUVs, the available computing capacity on the chosen UUV, the operational constraints, and environmental factors must be taken into account in choosing a controller among the proposed energy-optimal controllers. In addition, these research findings can be used as part of the technical evidence and operational guidelines by multiple stakeholders (e.g., policymakers, infrastructure owners, and management, development, and deployment engineers), thereby enabling comprehensive and informed decision-making regarding the advantages and challenges associated with the adoption of autonomous UUVs in offshore aquaculture.
Refugees at Work: Narratives of Identity Construction
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Moore, Vikashni
Existing literature has documented identity losses, diminished self-esteem, and employment challenges among refugees while also revealing the importance of their work integration in resettlement societies. However, we have only a limited understanding of how refugees actively negotiate and potentially transform their identities through diverse forms of work. Furthermore, in the contexts of identity and work, scholarship usually focuses on single aspects of the migration journey. This thesis explores the complex processes of identity construction among refugees through the research question – How are refugees’ identities constructed throughout their migration journey in the context of work? Guided by a constructivist grounded theory methodology integrated with the translocational positionality framework, I collected and analysed data from 41 participants across three groups in Aotearoa New Zealand – 22 refugees, 11 managers and mentors (M&Ms), and eight pathways-to-work providers (PWPs) – in a way that privileged participants’ voices while emphasising the co-construction of knowledge. Five significant findings emerged from analysis of the data collected from the refugee participants. The migration journey emerged as the contextual framework for understanding identity construction, encompassing refugees’ past, present, and future. Three primary identity constructs – anchors, refugeehood, and place – were found to be influential in the formation of identities for refugees. An insider-outsider continuum was a site for identity constructions, representing a dynamic process of negotiating multiple social positions. Refugees’ resourcefulness materialised through four interconnected strategies of exercising agency, demonstrating self-efficacy, finding alternative pathways, and remaining undeterred. Finally, the meaning of work, connecting intrinsically to identity constructions throughout the migration journey, was revealed in four themes of being oneself and to be more, working for survival, working for family, and working for communities, explaining why refugees chose to work in the roles that they do. Findings from the interviews with M&Ms and PWPs revealed five distinct motives driving their refugee assistance. Empathy was found to be a key motive, in addition to economic value, job or organisational requirement, a moral imperative, and personal fulfilment. Five key dimensions of work integration were identified – access to work, capabilities development, changing narratives, finding meaning in work, and social and cultural integration facilitation. Finally, the concept of a metaphorical stepping stone as a provisional meaning of work component also emerged as a finding from these two participant cohorts. From the above findings, this thesis presents a new theory on the bidirectional relationship between refugees’ identity and their meaning of work constructions. It contributes to reconfiguring understandings of the dialectic between the socially constructed ‘Me’ and the agentic ‘I’ in the migration journey and work contexts. The novel theory proposes a fluid identity construction process while highlighting the interplay between identity constructs and work meanings. Refugees’ resourcefulness throughout their migration journey, alongside strategies utilised by M&Ms and PWPs, influence identity formation and work meanings, and this led to the development of a new relational work integration framework. This research advances scholarship across disciplines – forced displacement and refugee resettlement studies, organisational behaviour, the meaning of work, and sociological and social psychology – and informs resettlement policy enhancement. It reconceptualises work integration beyond traditional employment pathways. The framework developed in this thesis is attentive to refugees’ unique experiences in constructing meanings from work. It contributes to refugee studies through a holistic migration journey perspective that also conceptualises refugeehood as an intricate, fluid construct incorporating agency. This thesis demonstrates how an ecosystem of employers and resettlement services organisations can provide meaningful work while supporting refugees’ identity formations and recommends policy improvements requiring coordination across individual, organisational and government levels.
Perspectives on Walking and Supportive Interventions Provided by Residential Care Staff for Residents With Dementia Who Walked: A Critical Ethnographic Study
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Adesina, Christianah Oyinade Bamidele Abiodun
Walking (commonly referred to as ‘wandering’) has been seen as problematic and stigmatised in persons living with dementia who walk. Walking is one of the increased symptoms of dementia (BPSD) as it progresses uniquely in each person. Studies indicate 15% to 60% persons with dementia will walk. In New Zealand, currently, 70,000 persons live with dementia, 78,000 persons are projected to live with it by 2026 and 170, 212 by 2050. The stigma associated with walking and dementia has been consequential, resulting in dehumanisation, a lack of respect for personhood, and social disregard as equal and social citizens. This impacts the psychological, holistic well-being and the quality of life of persons affected, with ripple effects on families. International studies reported a questionable common practice of administering antipsychotic medications to manage BPSD in residents in aged care facilities in urban and rural settings worldwide. This was widely condemned due to adverse effects of the medications. Best practice guidelines recommend non-pharmacological strategies as first-line interventions with antipsychotic medications as a last resort. This research set out to explore how residential care staff provided relational and supportive interventions to residents living with dementia who walked. The study had five aims: to explore the perspectives of all participants on the walking of residents with dementia; to investigate the supportive interventions provided in two aged care facilities in a city in New Zealand; to explore the concept of person-centred care; to examine the impact of built environment on residents’ walking; and to contribute to the destigmatisation of the residents, advocating for a shift to using dignifying language for residents’ optimal support. Critical ethnography with a social construction theoretical orientation was used to conduct the qualitative study. The design gives authority to participants’ voices to be heard. Social constructionism argues that no single meaning is sufficient to explain a human activity, that knowledge is constructed in every interaction using language, and that every new knowledge created as a result, needs to be acknowledged. Purposive sampling was used to recruit residents living with dementia who walked, their EPAs, RNs and HCAs. Data were collected through participant observations, in-depth interviews, and unobtrusive methods. All data were transcribed and thematically analysed. Three main themes were identified with ‘Carrying on normal life’ permeating throughout. First, ‘Perspectives on walking’ revealed residents wanted to ‘carry on normal life’. Second, ‘Supporting walking’ unfolded how staff used empathy, and relational solidarity to support residents’ walking by being proactive, reinforcing positive behaviours, and providing non-pharmacological interventions and third, ‘Environment and walking’, highlighted the importance of environment for residents’ walking. With the evidence presented in these findings, I argue that it is time to provide alternative and salutogenic support for residents to carry on normal life. In addition, there is a need for a national policy that supports the walking of the residents with dementia. All stakeholders should consider this support as an ethical obligation and work collaboratively and independently to achieve person-centred care goals for the residents using humanising language that enhances the psychological health, well-being, and quality of life of the residents.
Distributional Issues in Well-Being: A Case Study of New Zealand
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Jiang, Yi
It is now widely accepted that well-being is inherently multidimensional and that relying solely on economic indicators such as Gross Domestic Product or income fails to capture the comprehensive nature of human well-being. New Zealand is recognised as a global leader in well-being policy, exemplified by initiatives such as the first Well-being Budget and the national multidimensional well-being framework. However, existing measures remain insufficient in fully capturing the distributional aspects of well-being across different population groups. This thesis examines distributional issues in well-being in New Zealand through two studies. The overall objective is to assess the distribution of well-being across different demographic groups and to investigate the influence of cultural identity on individual life satisfaction. In the context of New Zealand’s diverse society and significant indigenous Māori population, this thesis aims to identify which populations are most vulnerable to well-being deprivation and to inform policies that promote more equitable well-being outcomes. Given that the existing research in New Zealand remains limited in exploring the distributional aspects of well-being, a multidimensional well-being index was constructed at the individual level using Categorical Principal Component Analysis (CATPCA). This composite index encompasses eight domains of well-being and is used to analyse the distributional patterns across population groups. The findings reveal pronounced disparities: Māori and Pacific peoples are considerably more likely than other groups to experience low well-being across multiple domains and are among the most vulnerable to well-being deprivation, which calls for more group-focused and culturally responsive policy interventions. Indigenous Māori have historically faced systemic inequalities that have undermined their well-being, while their distinct cultural identity has fostered resilience. The second study examines the relationship between cultural identity and life satisfaction. Using pooled ordinary least squares (POLS) regression and Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition, it analyses differences in life satisfaction between Māori and European New Zealanders. The analysis confirms that Māori report lower life satisfaction on average than Europeans. The Oaxaca-Blinder results attribute this gap partly to differences in socioeconomic resources and partly to unexplained factors, suggesting the presence of structural influences beyond observable characteristics. Cultural identity emerges as a crucial factor, with a stronger connection to Māori identity being associated with higher life satisfaction. However, existing studies suggest that broader structural factors can also contribute to these disparities. The analysis suggests the need for policy interventions that target cultural and structural factors. Strengthening Māori-centred frameworks, such as He Ara Waiora, while addressing systemic barriers in housing, healthcare, and income equality, is crucial. Policies should provide equitable opportunities for Māori to translate their cultural assets into tangible improvements in life satisfaction.
A Long Journey of Going Gender: Women’s Self-initiated Expatriate Experiences and Career Decision Making
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Basnayake, Courtenay Grace Karl
This doctoral thesis investigates the career decision-making processes of mid-adulthood professional self-initiated expatriate (SIE) women living and working in New Zealand, with the ‘going gender’ framework (Stenbacka & Forsberg, 2020) serving as the primary theoretical lens for understanding the dynamic interplay between gender, careers, and self-initiated expatriation (SIE). This research aims to contribute to the existing literature by exploring the gendered experiences of mid-adulthood professional SIE women, particularly within the New Zealand context. It seeks to move beyond traditional career-centric perspectives by exploring mid-adulthood SIE women's broader personal and professional experiences. The study seeks to understand how ‘going gender’ operates as a dynamic process within the context of SIE, recognising the influence of early life experiences and the multifaceted nature of international career and life trajectories. Employing a narrative inquiry and life story approach, this study gathered and analysed the lived experiences of 15 SIE women through semi-structured interviews. A multi-layered thematic analysis of these narratives revealed that ‘going gender’ is not merely a reactive adaptation occurring during and following SIE but a proactive, anticipatory process beginning before relocation. The research highlights the enduring influence of early life experiences, such as childhood exposure to diverse cultures and experiences, on women's propensity for and navigation of SIE. The study also demonstrates that SIE catalyses or facilitates accelerated personal and professional growth, leading to significant shifts in career aspirations and life priorities during SIE. This research concludes that ‘going gender’ within the SIE context involves a more anticipatory and iterative process than previously understood, thereby challenging traditional models of gender performativity prevalent in SIE literature. The study advances an understanding of SIE by emphasising the significant influence of early life experiences and the transformative potential of women’s international mobility. From a theoretical perspective, this research reconfigures Stenbacka and Frosberg's ‘going gender’ framework by demonstrating its applicability to the SIE context and highlighting the proactive nature of gender role negotiation. Practically, the findings underscore the need for holistic support systems for mid-adulthood professional SIE women, addressing both their professional and personal well-being. Policy implications include addressing gender related issues in SIE, such as pay gaps and underemployment, and developing immigration policies that facilitate smooth integration. This research contributes to a greater understanding of SIE as a comprehensive life journey, revealing how gender intersects with career decision-making and the international mobility of women in New Zealand.
‘Who do you think you are?’ A Multimodal (Inter)action Analysis of Identity Production Among Sakhalin Koreans in New Zealand, Russia, and South Korea
(Auckland University of Technology, 2024) Khan, Yulia
‘Who do you think you are?’ is a question that many might stumble upon. Not only does it assume one’s understanding of various facets that make up their identity but also how this identity is produced in everyday life. An additional layer of complexity lies in such significant events as migration and settlement, which both challenge that understanding and shape identity in (new) ways that then can be found in tangible instantiations: food that a person makes and serves, language(s) they use, the books they buy, read, and keep, and other objects that may be present in their home or work environment. The focus of this thesis is Sakhalin Korean identity and how members of this diaspora produce their identity across three countries: New Zealand, Russia, and South Korea in daily life contexts. The scholarship concerning Sakhalin Korean identity in general, to date, remains highly limited and investigating identity production among members of this diaspora beyond a single country is one of the key contributions that this thesis seeks to make. The thesis is grounded in the mediated discourse theory and multimodal (inter)action analysis (MIA) framework. Using mediated action as the key unit of analysis, I find that as the participants (inter)act with various objects they produce distinct identity elements that relate to family, their ethnicity, settlement in the new home country (New Zealand or South Korea) or life in Russia, occupation, and personal interests. A micro analysis of frozen actions, that is mediated actions embedded in the objects, yields further insight into a highly complex nature of identity production, and culminates in theoretical and methodological development. I have found that the existing methodological tools within mediated discourse theory and MIA are not sufficient to explicate how identity elements are structured (inter)action, particularly in instances when an object mediates more than one identity element. I develop and introduce three theoretical and methodological notions: identity cluster, identity elements’ convergence, and identity compound to fill this gap and show how they can be applied in the analysis. Identity cluster is a superordinate level of identity elements’ structure that can be used as a tool to determine scope, order, and scale for the analysis of relevant identity elements. Identity elements’ convergence and identity compound are two interrelated and interconnected notions. Convergence of identity elements is a notion that enables discovery of several identity elements that a social actor produces as mediated by one object. Together, those identity elements form an identity compound, which is an integral structure recognisable through the analysis of frozen actions embedded in the objects. Application of these three notions as methodological tools enables investigations into complexity of the produced identity going beyond a single cluster and contributes to the ontological discussion about objects and/as mediational means. The final chapter summarises identity production across the three countries, addresses affordances and constraints of the developed tools, and proposes areas for further research.
Emergency Nurse Retention: Understanding Success Factors for the Retention of Emergency Department Nurses Employed by a New Zealand District Health Board
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Kistan, Leslie
Nursing retention is a growing concern for the health workforce, especially in high-acuity and pressurised areas, such as emergency departments (EDs). For the emergency nurse workforce, there is pressure from higher patient: nurse ratios, staff shortages, and complex, acutely presenting co-morbidities. The New Zealand (NZ) media have been regularly reporting overcrowding, escalating presentations, long waits, incidents of violence, and, most concerningly, preventable patient deaths within EDs. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these issues. This research aimed to examine the key factors contributing to successful retention of ED nurses employed by a NZ district health board (DHB). The research questions were, firstly, “What are the perceptions of ED nurses in relation to retention?” and, secondly, “What are the success factors contributing to retention?” Qualitative interpretive description (ID) methodology was employed. The participants included 13 ED nurses who were purposively sampled and interviewed. The findings were thematically analysed using Braun and Clarke’s (2022) approach. The demographic characteristics of participants were: 1 male nurse, 12 female nurses; 1 nurse who identified as Māori, 1 Asian nurse and 11 European nurses. The average age was 35 years, and nursing experience ranged from 18 months to 40 years. Six themes were constructed. Theme one, personal satisfaction from being an ED nurse, captured reasons for taking the role. Theme two, using ways of coping, captured positive ways nurses coped in the ED. The third theme, workplace tensions, captured nurses’ experiences, struggles, and challenges while working in ED. Theme four, professional development is important, captured the importance of training and education for all ED nurses. Theme five, “we all chip in,” captured supportive relationships between team members in ED. Theme six, dissatisfaction with organisational structures, processes, and systems centred on the negative effect of existing systems, processes and structures within the organisation. The study concluded that pull (positive) and push (negative) factors operated simultaneously to inform personal, professional, interpersonal, and organisational factors that led to retention decisions. Key recommendations for nursing practice include consistently valuing and acknowledging ED nurses through positive organisational cultures, healthy workplaces, incentives, regular professional development, and career progression. Furthermore, improved infrastructures, processes and systems to protect staff from violence and aggression is recommended. In addition, support for both senior ED and early career nurses is needed. In terms of nursing education, it is imperative to provide courses on stress, coping, teamwork, communication and leadership. Future research using mixed methods research approaches with large population samples across several hospitals is recommended.
Adopting the Perceive, Recall, Plan and Perform Assessment into Practice in Aotearoa New Zealand: Influences on Clinical Reasoning
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Burrows, Wendy
The Perceive, Recall, Plan and Perform Assessment (PRPP-A) is a standardised, contemporary occupational therapy assessment of occupational performance and cognitive strategy application. In recent years in Aotearoa New Zealand, there have been growing numbers of occupational therapists completing the PRPP-A training. Despite this interest in the PRPP-A, however, there is a scarcity of information about the practical application of the assessment, including the relevance, affordances, and utility of the PRPP-A in practice. Further, neither the clinical reasoning involved in using the PRPP-A, nor its cultural applicability for cultural practice in Aotearoa New Zealand is well understood. Currently occupational therapists receive PRPP-A training without information to guide them, their managers, or funding agencies about what is involved following the training and the commitment needed to translate the PRPP-A into real-world contexts. Given the increased uptake of the PRPP-A training, there is a need to better understand the gaps in knowledge regarding PRPP-A implementation. Therefore, I designed a two-phase investigation; Phase One explored occupational therapists’ experiences of applying the PRPP-A in Aotearoa New Zealand; and Phase Two sought insights into how using the PRPP-A shaped therapists’ clinical reasoning through the assessment process. The intended outcomes of the study included obtaining practice-based understandings relevant to PRPP-A training, aiding knowledge translation, and improving post-course training support. A constructivist approach with qualitative interpretive description methodology guided this exploratory study. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit 13 and 8 PRPP-A trained occupational therapists for Phase One and Phase Two respectively. Data collection occurred through a focus group with two Māori participants, written reflective logs, and semi-structured interviews. Inductive thematic data analysis was used to identify five themes in Phase One and four themes in Phase Two. This study revealed that the PRPP-A is the type of assessment participants want to use, with the ecological and flexible nature of the assessment valued in practice. Participants reported that the PRPP-A enhanced the occupation-focus of their practice and had sufficient flexibility for use with clients with diverse cultural backgrounds, including tangata whenua (Māori-Indigenous people). Task flexibility was necessary for cultural applicability; however, the relevance of the PRPP-A depended on therapists’ ability to attend to cultural safety, humility, and their cultural competency. Selecting assessment tasks necessitated collaboration and honed questioning skills to find ‘just right’ assessment tasks. Translating the PRPP-A to practice involved initially returning to being novice assessors which was experienced as a demanding process that required commitment, dedicated time and support from others. Participants had learnt to use occupation-focused, context specific, and dynamic clinical reasoning to design bespoke client-centred assessments which were influenced by their own values and beliefs. Specific clinical reasoning skills and strategies were developed, and occupational performance was automatically viewed through a ‘PRPP lens’ that enhanced reasoning. The identified knowledge translation and clinical reasoning strategies will inform future occupational therapists in advance of PRPP-A training and guide PRPP-A Instructors designing courses. Overall, findings of this study contribute to the profession’s growing understandings of practice realities and skills associated with translating occupation-based assessments, like the PRPP-A.
Quantitative MRI T2 Relaxometry and Physical Activity in Acute Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: An Exploration of the Measurement and Modification of Potential Neuroinflammation
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Bedggood, Mayan
Mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) account for approximately 90% of all traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and are often associated with prolonged symptoms and functional impairments. Despite their prevalence and significant physical, psychosocial and financial impact, the underlying pathophysiology and factors influencing recovery remain poorly understood. mTBI typically results from a sudden impact, acceleration, deceleration, or rotational force, triggering a cascade of secondary injuries. A key component of this cascade is neuroinflammation, which, while initially protective, can lead to chronic deficits and neurodegeneration if prolonged or excessive. Despite the known role of inflammation in brain injury, significant gaps remain in understanding its influence on recovery and how it might be modulated. This thesis aims to address these gaps by investigating a method for measuring potential neuroinflammation and exploring a behavioural approach to modifying it. Forty male athletes (aged 16-35 years) were recruited within 14 days of sports-related mTBI, along with 52 age and sex-matched controls. T2-weighted MRI data were collected using a Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) spin-echo sequence. Preprocessing included brain extraction, normalisation, smoothing, and grey matter masking. T2 relaxation times were estimated at each voxel using a monoexponential model in qMRLab. Participants also wore Axivity AX3 wrist accelerometers continuously for 15 days to capture physical activity data. Physical activity data were analysed using the GGIR, compositions and deltacomp packages in R. The thesis comprises three studies. Studies 1 and 2 assess the utility of MRI T2 relaxometry as a marker of neuroinflammation. Study 1 used a case series approach, statistically comparing individual mTBI participants to the control group via z-tests and voxel-wise z-maps. Results showed elevated T2 relaxation times in acute mTBI, with unique regional patterns per individual and follow-up scans in a subset of participants demonstrated reductions in T2 relaxation times, suggesting recovery. Study 2 complemented this with a group-level analysis. Independent samples t-tests with threshold-free cluster enhancement (TFCE) revealed significantly higher T2 relaxation times in the mTBI group, particularly in frontoparietal regions, as well as a negative correlation between T2 relaxation times and recovery time. Study 3 shifted the focus to intervention, using compositional data analysis to examine physical activity patterns post-injury. No significant group differences were found, supporting the tolerability of physical activity during early recovery. Although longer sleep duration initially correlated with prolonged recovery, this effect was attenuated after adjusting for baseline symptom severity. Together, the findings suggest that quantitative T2 relaxometry is a sensitive, non-invasive marker of brain changes potentially reflecting neuroinflammation. The correlation between T2 relaxation times and recovery time may emphasise a dual role of inflammation, beneficial in the acute phase but potentially harmful if prolonged. Study 3 supports the tolerability of physical activity during early recovery and highlights the utility of compositional analysis in understanding movement behaviours. Given the known anti-inflammatory effects of physical activity, its role in recovery may partially stem from modulating neuroinflammation. These findings support a more individualised approach to mTBI care, integrating objective measures with clinical assessments to identify patients at risk of prolonged inflammation and neurodegeneration. Future research should focus on longitudinal designs with more diverse samples and larger activity datasets to better understand recovery trajectories and optimise intervention timing. As the first to apply quantitative T2 relaxometry and compositional data analysis in mTBI, this thesis offers novel insights into brain changes and physical activity patterns following injury.
Motion Artifact Reduction From Non-Contact ECG Recording Systems
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Khalili, Matin
With the growing demand for real-time, long-term, and remote electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring, non-contact capacitive sensors have emerged as a compelling solution due to their safety, comfort, and suitability for continuous use. However, a significant challenge remains; motion artifacts (MAs) caused by body movements and physiological vibrations. Such artifacts can significantly compromise diagnostic accuracy and may even lead to misinterpretations of cardiovascular conditions. To address this, this PhD research begins by demonstrating the feasibility of capacitive ECG acquisition from the head area to broaden its application scope, then transitions to a torso-worn chest strap system for practical implementation and MA reduction. It also includes a structured review of MAs in capacitive ECG systems, analyzing their mechanisms and mitigation strategies, with focused attention on electrode-tissue impedance (ETI)-based reference signal techniques. To further this development, the study tackles this challenge by developing novel techniques to reduce MAs and improve the quality of capacitive ECG signals. The Adaptive Noise Cancellation (ANC) technique is selected for MA mitigation, using a motion-correlated Reference Input Signal (RIS) and an Adaptive Filter (AF) to estimate and subtract MAs. A full-stack capacitive single-lead system is designed, spanning hardware, analog front-end design, and advanced signal processing. In this system, ECG and a highly correlated ETI-based RIS are simultaneously acquired through an efficient voltage injection network, offering improved performance compared to previous studies. In the first phase, the RIS is fed to a Recursive Least Squares adaptive filter to suppress MAs. Signal enhancement is evaluated using root mean square (RMS) reduction, standard deviation (STD) reduction, and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) per peak. The system demonstrates strong performance, achieving RMS, STD, and per-peak SNR improvements of 17.9 dB (650.2%), 4.24 dB (36.8%), and 2.8 dB (15%), respectively. In the subsequent phase, a Variable Step-Size Least Mean Squares with Correlation Power Boosting (VSS-LMS-CPB) adaptive filter is proposed. Benchmarking against seven established AFs confirms its superior performance in dynamically adapting step size, maintaining stability, preserving ECG morphology, and robustly handling both intra- and inter-experiment MA variability, fluctuating RIS–MA correlations, and abrupt high-amplitude artifacts, all without instability or over-adaptation. Although ETI-based RIS methods have not been widely assessed across diverse participants and conditions, the system is validated through both controlled and realistic motion experiments involving three participants. A total of nine motion scenarios, including stationary and dynamic conditions, are tested to assess generalizability and robustness. Performance is evaluated using correlation coefficients and RMS improvement, both showing marked enhancements. Collectively, the results confirm the effectiveness of the RIS-based framework and VSS-LMS-CPB algorithm in significantly reducing MAs while preserving ECG integrity. The system effectively suppresses MAs, achieving an RMS improvement of up to 11.12 dB and reducing ECG-RIS correlation from 0.866 to 0.107. By preserving full ECG morphology, including P, QRS, and T waves under motion conditions, this work advances the feasibility of wearable, non-contact ECG monitoring for telemedicine and continuous health tracking. The research contributes to biomedical signal processing by introducing practical, high-performance solutions for artifact mitigation in challenging non-contact recording environments.
Tourism Collaboration Among Rural Entrepreneurs in Rural Areas: Case Studies of Matakana in New Zealand and Pustertal in Italy
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Malacarne, Karin
Tourism in rural areas is a complex phenomenon with multifaced outcomes and has gained ground in terms of demand and attention from scholars in social science as well as in agricultural, environmental and food science. Tourism has a direct influence on the local economy, contributing to the entrepreneurial activity, which is essential for the sustainability of rural areas as it plays a vital role in its development, by leveraging resources and creating tourism offerings. Literature emphasises the importance of collaboration for both tourism providers and the broader entrepreneurial ecosystem in rural areas. Although the impact of tourism collaboration on rural development has been studied, further research is needed to understand how rural entrepreneurs perceive such collaboration. This thesis aims to investigate rural entrepreneurs’ point of view on tourism collaboration and to provide a deep comprehension of the intangible assets that can be mobilised in rural areas through collaboration. This research is underpinned by an interpretative research paradigm and adopts a qualitative case study approach in two distinct rural settings: Matakana (New Zealand) and Pustertal (Italy). The research design employs semi-structured in-depth interviews and the integration of a scenario cards game as a tool of elicitation. Twenty-seven respondents have participated to this research, 12 in Matakana and 15 in Pustertal. Findings of this thesis define the significant roles and multifaceted values of collaboration in rural settings, showcasing the roles of support, sharing, synergies, promotion and connections perceived by participants. The findings reveal also a number of challenges in achieving and maintaining tourism collaboration. The investigation of rural entrepreneurs’ experiences provides valuable insights on the development of a representative model for assets mobilisation through tourism collaboration in rural areas. Tourism collaboration does not only directly benefits rural entrepreneurs who participate in it, but also contributes to rural development by mobilising a variety of assets. The thesis concludes by emphasising the importance of re-thinking the role of collaboration in developing rural tourism destinations.
Roles of Dental Practitioners in Child Abuse and Neglect Responses: A Mixed-Methods Study in Aotearoa New Zealand
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Han, Heuiwon
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child asserts that all children have the right to protection from abuse and exploitation. Child abuse and neglect (CAN) remain a serious and ongoing social issue in Aotearoa New Zealand with significant implications for the health, development, and wellbeing of children. Oral health practitioners (OHPs) are uniquely positioned to support child protection efforts due to their regular contact with children and families through the nation’s publicly funded dental care system for individuals under 18 years of age. Guided by a pragmatic paradigm and a commitment to finding practical solutions, this thesis aimed to explore how OHPs can be better supported to identify and respond to CAN concerns, and to develop evidence-based recommendations to strengthen their role in child protection. The research adopted an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, implemented in four phases. First, a quantitative online survey assessed OHPs’ knowledge, attitudes, and perceived preparedness in responding to CAN. Second, a scoping review mapped international strategies aimed at enhancing the responsiveness of OHPs. Third, a review of legal and professional frameworks examined the regulatory requirements and ethical obligations surrounding CAN responses in Aotearoa New Zealand. Finally, qualitative interviews and focus groups explored the experiences and perspectives of OHPs, identifying barriers, enablers, and professional needs to enhance OHP responsiveness to CAN concerns. Findings indicate that while OHPs are not legally mandated to report suspected CAN, professional guidelines and legislation frameworks require them to engage in safeguarding practices to protect children. However, despite demonstrating empathy and a readiness to support affected families, OHPs’ practical engagement in child protection is hindered by limited capacities and support to respond to CAN concerns and participate in preventive strategies. Cultural misunderstandings, fears associated with the sensitive topic of CAN, and uncertainty about appropriate procedures were identified as key individual barriers. Systemic and organisational challenges, such as limited interdisciplinary collaboration, reduced trust in child protection agencies, and inadequate institutional support for OHPs, further hindered OHPs’ ability to respond safely and effectively. While these challenges were evident, the research also identified key strengths that OHPs bring to child protection efforts. Their ongoing relationships with children and families, clinical familiarity with orofacial manifestations of abuse, and trusted presence within community settings position them well to support prevention and early intervention approaches. Participants highly valued support through interdisciplinary collaborations and expressed a strong commitment to being part of collaborative practice. Participants emphasised the need for targeted training, culturally safe practice guidance, clearer legal and ethical frameworks, and stronger interdisciplinary collaboration to enhance their responsiveness and better support children and their families. This thesis highlights that OHPs have the potential to play a more meaningful and proactive role in child protection when supported through system-wide, culturally responsive, and strength-based approaches. The findings offer practical recommendations for educational providers, professional bodies, healthcare organisations, and policymakers to foster a more streamlined and effective child protection response. These efforts ultimately aim to advance equitable health and social outcomes for all children in Aotearoa New Zealand; a goal that reflects a shared vision and collective responsibility across sectors, communities, and society to ensure all children grow up safe, supported, and free from harm.
The Library as an Architectural Typology and Social Infrastructure
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Khalili, Ali Mohammad
Nowadays, political and socio-cultural transformations encourage public libraries to become platforms within communities by implementing new changes to their functions. Thus, future public libraries are anticipated to form social infrastructures maximizing their interventional impacts such as transport infrastructures, educational facilities, and public spaces. Accordingly, equal access to resources, socialization, and learning will be the priorities to distinguish the library as a probing place, interrelating with citizens and all surrounding sites. Transforming typologies such as public libraries into adaptive social infrastructures requires that the concept of socialization be modified in both library's design approach and the library's location with regard to space syntax parameters in an urban context which is one of the objectives of this study in the urban context of Auckland. In the meantime, the Auckland public libraries have tried to develop services; however, the extensions are predictable with limited development. That is why still there is a gap in scholarly research about public libraries in Auckland. In fact, the concentration on libraries' services extension is not necessarily the way to construct/strengthen sociability, but a strategy addressing the public libraries to make connections directly from inside to outside and conversely be a reasonable way which is another key target of the aims of this research study. Hence, the new approach will be expected to boost the opportunity of forming a "public-interior" but in the form of an open space that is not under the same roof to give the term "public access" within the location to break the boundary between the library, location, and the surrounding urban context. With regards to the above, this study reviews a scenario analysis including a group of public libraries in a different country to achieve the experience that leads to a set of analyses on the formation of Auckland public libraries. This research deploys a range of analytical ways for evaluating the space-society interrelation. As regards methodology, this analysis uses the qualitative method via applying mapping and space syntax methods. From a practical viewpoint, the outcome of this study has the potential to lead to a model of approach to strengthening the sociability of the future libraries in urban context, specifically in the case of Auckland. Besides, it will also open a perspective, providing insights on possible additional contributions to the Auckland 2050 plan to better incorporate public libraries in each of the four nodes as a part of the social infrastructure.

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