Masters Dissertations

Permanent link for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10292/476

The Masters Dissertations collection contains digital copies of AUT University masters dissertations deposited with the Library since 2007 and made available open access. From 2007 onwards, all dissertations for masters degrees awarded are required to be deposited in Tuwhera Open Theses & Dissertations unless subject to an embargo.

Dissertations submitted prior to 2007 are 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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A Systematic Literature Review of the Experiences of Skilled South Asian Migrant Women Employees
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Khan, Maha
This systematic literature review explores the employment experiences of skilled South Asian migrant women in host countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. The study aims to address two central research questions: (1) What barriers do skilled South Asian migrant women face in seeking suitable employment after migration? and (2) How do skilled South Asian migrant women navigate and overcome these work barriers? Using a structured search strategy guided by the keywords 'skilled,' 'South Asian,' 'migrant women,' 'job,' and 'seek,' relevant peer-reviewed articles published in English between 2010 and 2025 were systematically identified across major academic databases. Following PRISMA guidelines, a total of 47 peer-reviewed articles were selected for inclusion in this review. Studies were included if they focused on primary research related to the employment experiences of skilled migrants from South Asian countries, specifically: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Excluded were grey literature and non-employment-related studies. The synthesis reveals multiple, intersecting barriers, including the devaluation of foreign credentials, limited recognition of prior experience, gendered discrimination, and structural barriers within host-country labour markets. Cultural expectations and family responsibilities further constrain employment participation and advancement. Despite these challenges, skilled South Asian migrant women employ a range of adaptive strategies such as reskilling, professional networking, volunteering, and leveraging ethnic and community connections to re-enter the workforce or attain professional recognition. The review highlights the complexity of their integration journeys, emphasising the intersection of gender, ethnicity, and migration in shaping personal and labour market outcomes. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of global talent mobility, offering insights for policymakers, employers, and professional bodies to develop more inclusive credential recognition systems, culturally responsive employment support, and equitable workplace practices. By identifying both barriers and navigation strategies, this review provides a foundation for future empirical research and practical interventions aimed at improving employment equity for skilled migrant women from South Asia.
How Career Calling Reduces Counterproductive Work Behaviour in Hospitality: A Serial Mediation Model of Job Content Plateau and Workplace Boredom Across Organisational Tenure
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Kancharlapalli, Neha
The hospitality industry is characterised by high work intensity, repetitive service tasks, and limited opportunities for role enrichment, rendering employees particularly vulnerable to stagnation, workplace boredom, and counterproductive work behaviour (CWB). Although prior research has demonstrated that career calling promotes positive work attitudes and motivation, far less is known about how, and under what conditions, a calling may reduce negative workplace behaviours in hospitality settings. Addressing this gap, the present study examines the psychological mechanisms through which career calling mitigates CWB among hospitality employees. Drawing on Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, this study conceptualises career calling as a personal motivational resource that enables employees to sustain meaning, engagement, and self-regulation in demanding service environments. A moderated serial mediation model is proposed in which job content plateau and workplace boredom sequentially mediate the relationship between career calling and CWB. Organisational tenure is further examined as a boundary condition that shapes the effectiveness of career calling as a protective resource. Survey data were collected from 369 employees working in hospitality organisations. Established and validated measures were used to assess career calling, job content plateau, workplace boredom, and CWB. The proposed moderated serial mediation model was tested using Hayes’ PROCESS Models 6 and 83, with indirect effects estimated using 5,000 bootstrap resamples. Structural equation modelling with 5,000 bootstrapping iterations was additionally conducted as a robustness check. The findings provide strong support for the hypothesised relationships. Career calling was negatively associated with job content plateau, indicating that employees who perceive their work as purposeful and meaningful are less likely to experience stagnation and a lack of challenge in their job content. In turn, lower levels of job content plateau were associated with reduced workplace boredom, which subsequently predicted lower levels of CWB. The serial indirect effect of career calling on CWB through job content plateau and workplace boredom was statistically significant. Notably, the direct effect of career calling on CWB became nonsignificant once the mediators were included, indicating full mediation. This pattern suggests that career calling does not directly suppress deviant behaviour; rather, it operates by shaping employees’ everyday work experiences and affective states. By reducing perceptions of stagnation and preventing boredom, career calling helps preserve employees’ motivational and self-regulatory resources, thereby lowering the likelihood of behavioural deviance in hospitality work. In addition, organisational tenure moderated the first stage of the mediation process. The negative effect of career calling on job content plateau was stronger among long-tenure employees than among short-tenure employees. This finding indicates that accumulated organisational experience enhances employees’ ability to enact their sense of calling and derive meaning from stable or repetitive service roles, thereby strengthening the indirect protective effect of career calling on CWB. Overall, this study advances hospitality and career calling research by demonstrating that career calling functions not only as a positive motivational orientation but also as a behavioural safeguard against stagnation, boredom, and misconduct in service work. The findings offer a process-based explanation of how vocational meaning translates into behavioural regulation in hospitality contexts and provide practical implications for the design of calling-supportive and growth-oriented work environments.
Exposure of New Zealand-Listed Firms to Global Risks
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Huynh, Linh Chi
Motivated by rising global risks, this dissertation investigates how exchange rate and geopolitical risks are transmitted to firms in a small open economy by examining stock return exposure to these risks among New Zealand-listed companies. Using daily stock returns for 147 non-financial firms over 2012–2025, we first estimate firm-level sensitivities to exchange rate and geopolitical risks, followed by an analysis of how firms’ international operations and risk management practices shape these exposures, and a test of whether geopolitical risk can aggravate firm-level exchange rate exposure. We find that at the aggregate level, appreciations of TWI, CNY, and USD, as well as increases in geopolitical risk, are associated with lower stock returns for New Zealand firms. At the firm level, only around 10–15% of firms exhibit statistically significant exchange rate exposure, and approximately 9–11% show significant sensitivity to geopolitical risk. Cross-sectional analysis shows that larger firms exhibit greater exposure to currencies of New Zealand’s major trading partners. Export-oriented firms show greater sensitivity to AUD returns, while firms with stronger operational links to Australia exhibit significantly lower exposure to both AUD and TWI movements, consistent with operational hedging. These firms also show significantly greater sensitivity to geopolitical risk. There is no evidence that financial hedging reduces exposure to either exchange rate or geopolitical risks. We further find that geopolitical risk has a direct negative effect on firm-level exchange rate exposure but does not amplify it, with the only exception of AUD exposure increasing for firms reporting higher hedging activity during periods of elevated geopolitical risk. The findings suggest that firm-level exposure to global risks is shaped more by operational and geographic structures than by financial hedging. The results imply that risk managers of New Zealand-listed firms should prioritise strategic operational alignment and geographic diversification over traditional financial hedging instruments when managing exposure to both currency fluctuations and geopolitical volatility.
Pathways, Enablers and Barriers of Entry and Development for Women in Motorsport in New Zealand
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Dixon, Cort
This qualitative research investigates the pathways, enablers, and barriers to access for women in motorsport in New Zealand, where only 5% of licensed competitors are women. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 female drivers, revealing that access to the sport is generally informal in nature, often stemming from family connections or exposure to other female competitors, and typically begins later in life. Although intrinsic motivation and informal support networks are effective facilitators, advancement is hindered by systemic barriers, including prohibitive financial costs, psychological pressures, discrimination, and the burden of familial obligations. The results indicate a clear need for governing bodies in motorsport to introduce structured and inclusive pathways and formal support systems to alleviate the pressure of barriers and generate greater female participation and development.
Encouraging Customer Participation in Residential Electrification in New Zealand: A Systematic Literature Review
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Surve, Janhavi
As New Zealand pursues net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, the electrification of residential energy use emerges as a critical yet underdeveloped component of the national energy transition. While commercial and industrial electrification have received substantial attention, residential uptake remains low, hindered by financial, behavioural, and regulatory barriers. This study conducts a systematic literature review (SLR) of 63 peer-reviewed empirical studies to identify the global factors (financial, social, policy, technological and geographical) influencing residential electrification and to develop a context-specific framework for supporting customer participation in New Zealand. The review identifies five core dimensions shaping household electrification decisions: economic and financial feasibility, social and behavioural influences, policy and regulatory settings, technological readiness, and geographical context. Economic factors- particularly upfront costs and perceived long-term savings- emerge as the most influential, with social norms, trust, policy stability, and retrofit complexity acting as key enablers or constraints. Policy design is found to significantly influence both financial and behavioural outcomes, especially when stable and well-communicated. The review also highlights critical research gaps, including the limited representation of renters, lower-income households, and emerging technologies like hot water heat pumps and battery storage. Drawing on these insights, the study proposes a New Zealand-specific framework that emphasises targeted financial support, especially for vulnerable households, long-term policy consistency, culturally inclusive communication strategies, support for technological retrofitting, and regionally tailored programme delivery. This framework reflects the interdependent nature of consumer electrification decisions and aims to inform integrated strategies across policy, industry, and marketing research. The findings underscore that residential electrification is not solely a technological shift, but a complex socio-economic transition requiring systemic, context-aware interventions. By synthesising global evidence and tailoring it to local conditions, this study contributes to more equitable and effective electrification pathways in New Zealand.
Prospect Theory and Fund Flows under Uncertainty
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Manjardekar, Yash Ashish
We study whether macroeconomic uncertainty attenuates investors’ behavioural demand for mutual funds. This study employs a comprehensive dataset of U.S. equity mutual funds covering the period from 1995 to 2021. Using monthly panel regressions that incorporate fund-specific fixed effects and double-clustered standard errors at both the fund and time levels, we examine how future fund flows respond to a Cumulative Prospect Theory (CPT) score. The CPT measure is derived from the complete distribution of each fund’s returns over the preceding twelve months. A one-standard-deviation increase in CPT predicts higher inflows, but this CPT–flow sensitivity weakens meaningfully when Economic Policy Uncertainty (EPU) rises (about a 15% attenuation in our baseline), even after controlling for risk-adjusted performance and factor exposures. The dampening is strongest for younger, smaller, high idiosyncratic-volatility, and high downside-risk funds, and for active and local funds. Replacing EPU with alternative uncertainty proxies reveals distinct mechanisms: looser global financial conditions (higher GFC) amplify CPT- and return-driven flows; a tighter shadow rate lowers average flows yet increases selectivity toward CPT-aligned funds; and quantitative easing boosts baseline flows while eroding the marginal CPT premium. Results are robust when using abnormal returns and when focusing on “high” CPT/return funds (above the monthly median), for which premia are economically larger but similarly state-dependent. These findings integrate behavioural portfolio choice with macro-uncertainty channels and map when performance-chasing is most fragile.
Examining the Determinants of Migrants’ Career Development Opportunities in the New Zealand Hospitality and Tourism Industry
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Jin, Ye
Ethnic minority employees are an important part of the workforce in the hotel and tourism industry in New Zealand (Liu-Lastres & Wen, 2021). However, previous studies have largely focused on the impact of human capital and other individual-level factors on career progression, with a strong focus on the role of structural conditions and intersecting social identities remaining largely neglected (Buford & Flores, 2025). This study addresses this gap by analysing the relationship between demographic characteristics and employment attributes and how these influence employee's perception of career development opportunities (CDO). Based on human capital theory (HCT) and intersectionality, this study examines the effect of seven variables, demographic characteristics and employment attributes, on perceived CDO (PCDO). The analysis is drawn from secondary survey data, and has been collected from 17 cities and regions across New Zealand. A multiple linear regression model was applied to study the predictive effects of seven basic variables: gender, age, ethnicity, immigration status, business type, managerial responsibility, and work location. The results show that the identity and background of employees have a measurable impact on their PCDO. However, this influence works indirectly, mainly through factors that are congruent with organisational decision-making processes. The study concludes that CDO are determined not only by individual effort and skill but also by the ways in which organisations and society more broadly recognise, interpret and evaluate the potential and value of employees from different identity groups.
Key Components, Principles, and Distinctions of Sustainable Entrepreneurship: A Narrative Synthesis
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Souksamlane, Prarichat
Sustainable entrepreneurship represents a growing area of research that responds to complex global challenges by integrating environmental, social, and economic aims into entrepreneurial practice. However, a lack of conceptual clarity continues to limit its theoretical development and practical application. This study uses a systematic literature review with a narrative synthesis approach to analyse fourteen peer-reviewed empirical articles published between 1997 and 2024. It explores the key components and guiding principles of sustainable entrepreneurship and how it differs from other forms of entrepreneurship. The findings show that sustainable entrepreneurship is a dynamic and context-sensitive process shaped by entrepreneurial identity, stakeholder collaboration, and structural conditions. It is characterised by the pursuit of integrated value creation across the triple bottom line. This review contributes to theory by clarifying the key components and guiding principles that define sustainable entrepreneurship and by distinguishing it from other forms of entrepreneurship.
Understanding Consumer Trust in Virtual Influencers: A Systematic Literature Review
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Chen, Xiner
With the advancement of technology, social media platforms and artificial intelligence (AI) have significantly transformed how individuals engage socially, shifting from reliance on traditional experts to interactions with social media influencers. In recent years, various virtual influencers have emerged as substitutes for social media influencers (SMIs), engaging with audiences in the digital world. These virtual agents possess strong capabilities to mimic human appearance and behavior, offering new opportunities for marketers and brands to enhance consumer engagement and build brand loyalty. However, scholars and marketers have not sufficiently explored the underlying mechanisms of virtual influencers, which has led to their misuse in marketing strategies and, consequently, weakened consumer trust. Researchers have yet to develop a comprehensive framework that explains how virtual influencers foster consumer trust and ultimately influence consumer behavior, which remains a key research gap in the field. This research explores the factors that influence consumer trust in virtual influencers on social media in a marketing context, and how this trust leads to changes in consumer behavior. This study employs systematic literature review methodology to examine 97 carefully selected journal articles within the field of marketing. By synthesizing findings from relevant, peer-reviewed journal articles, this study develops a comprehensive understanding of how virtual influencers build consumer trust and influence behavioral change. The analysis identifies several key themes related to virtual influencers and consumer trust: types of virtual influencers, types of trust, factors that contribute to building trust between virtual influencers and consumers, and behavioral changes resulting from that trust. Following the themes of virtual influencers and consumer trust identified from the data analysis, this study proposes a dual-pathways theoretical model integrating VI–trust themes with Influencers’ trust-building strategy (e.g., content strategy, attractiveness, identity cohesion, engagement strategy) and consumer behaviour change (e.g., purchase intention, engagement, and word-of-mouth). The framework provides a foundation for understanding how different trust-building factors interact with current VI characteristics, and how trust in VIs ultimately drives changes in consumer behaviour. This research makes a theoretical contribution by offering a comprehensive view of the relationships between virtual influencers, consumer trust, and relevant behaviour. It establishes clear definitions of VI categories and trust types, while integrating insights from diverse academic domains. The practical implications include equipping marketers with a multidimensional understanding of how to effectively adopt AI-driven influencers in marketing campaigns and influence consumers’ purchasing intentions. Future research directions include empirically validating the proposed framework, investigating the dynamics of human-virtual influencer interactions, and refining the conceptual model linking virtual influencer types, trust dimensions, and consumer behaviour change. Limitations of this study include the potential exclusion of relevant literature and the need for further empirical research focusing on how virtual influencers build trust and influence consumer behaviour.
A Systematic Review of Service Robot Acceptance in the APAC Hospitality Sector: Cultural and Ethical Perspectives
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Kharbanda, Harshpreet
The swift incorporation of service robots within the hospitality sector in the Asia–Pacific (APAC) region signifies a larger transformation in service provision, influenced by advancements in technology, evolving consumer demands, and workforce obstacles. This dissertation explores how cultural, ethical, organisational, and social elements affect the acceptance and utilization of service robots among guests and staff alike. Employing a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) of 29 empirical and conceptual studies, the research consolidates findings through thematic and critical analysis. The results indicate that adoption is not simply a technological endeavour but rather a socially influenced occurrence shaped by cultural principles, ethical issues, and organisational preparedness. In collectivist, high-context cultures such as Japan and South Korea, trust in robots is rooted in socio-emotional customs and cultural practices, whereas in individualist, low-context nations like Australia and New Zealand, it depends more on transparency, ethical commitments, and functional dependability. To encapsulate these dynamics, the study presents two innovative constructs: Affective–Ritual Trust and Ethical–Functional Trust, which build upon established acceptance frameworks like the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Service Robot Acceptance Model (sRAM). The research makes a theoretical contribution by weaving together culture and ethics within acceptance models, thus providing a more intricate perspective on human–robot interaction in the hospitality field. On a practical level, it offers insights for managers, policymakers, and developers to create culturally aware and ethically sound approaches for the deployment of service robots. The study also recognises limitations in geographical scope and methodological variety, while laying out avenues for future research to enhance cross-cultural and multi-stakeholder understanding.
Beyond Stars and Comments: Uncovering the Impact of Digital Content on Hotel Booking Intentions
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Gajaweera Marthinna Moraslage, Dhananjana Madushani Morayes
Online travel review platforms have become a cornerstone of decision-making in the tourism and hospitality industry. Consumers are increasingly relying on peer feedback to evaluate hotels and make informed booking decisions. User-generated content (UGC), such as reviews, ratings, and photos, provides social proof, builds trust and influences consumer behaviour. Among these platforms, TripAdvisor stands out as one of the most influential and widely used review sites. This study investigates how different forms of UGC - specifically, review credibility cues, sentiment alignment, and multimedia elements affect consumer trust and hotel booking behaviour. Using a qualitative netnographic approach, the research analyses 105 TripAdvisor reviews posted between December 2023 and May 2025. Reviews were purposively selected from seven award-winning hotels in Auckland to ensure narrative richness, diversity of sentiment, and the inclusion of multimedia content. Data were collected through systematic TripAdvisor searches and analysed using thematic analysis and cross-validation to identify feedback patterns and interpret user sentiment. This study introduces a tripartite alignment framework that explains how reviewer credentials, content coherence, and platform affordances interact to co-construct digital trust. Unlike prior models that focus on isolated trust cues, this framework integrates multiple elements, highlighting their interdependencies and extending theoretical perspectives such as signalling theory, dual process persuasion, and affordance theory. Key findings indicate that when credibility cues, multimedia content, and platform-driven visibility are aligned, users exhibit heightened trust in reviews, which positively influences their booking intentions. These insights offer actionable guidance for hotel managers and platform designers to enhance review authenticity, optimise governance structures, and foster more meaningful consumer engagement.
The Impact of the Physical Environment on Children’s Experiences of Early Childhood Education
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Ranathunga, Ruchikala
This dissertation presents a critical integrative literature review examining the influence of the physical environment on children’s experiences in early childhood education (ECE), with a particular emphasis on the context of Aotearoa New Zealand. While pedagogy and teacher-child relationships remain central to early learning, this review focused on how elements such as spatial layout, aesthetics, sensory design, access to nature, and cultural visibility influence children’s holistic development, wellbeing, and sense of belonging. Framed by the research question, how does the physical environment impact children’s experiences in ECE? The review synthesised both international and local literature through the theoretical lenses of sociocultural theory, bioecological systems theory, and the principles of the New Zealand curriculum Te Whāriki (MoE, 2017). The findings highlight the uniquely diverse and bicultural context of Aotearoa New Zealand as central to understanding ECE settings and examine how historical developments, regulatory frameworks, and sector privatisation have contributed to wide variability in physical environments. Further, the review found that thoughtfully designed environments, characterised by environmental elements, support children’s cognitive growth, emotional regulation, social competence, spiritual expression, and identity formation. However, the literature also revealed significant challenges, including inequitable funding, regulatory constraints, and limited professional focus on spatial design and cultural responsiveness. Overall, the review concluded that physical environments must be recognised as active contributors to children's learning and development, with important implications for educators, policymakers, and centre designers. It offers actionable recommendations to promote equitable access to well-designed, flexible, and culturally sustaining environments. Finally, this work contributes to the ongoing discourse on environmental quality and its role in shaping more equitable and transformative early childhood education in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Exploring Filipino Culinary Identity Through Filipino Adobo
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Ambion, Rea Kim
This dissertation explores the characteristics of Filipino culinary identity through an in-depth analysis of the Filipino dish, adobo. Anchored in the perspective of a Filipino chef and guided by post-colonial theory, the study employs a qualitative methodology grounded in relativist ontology and constructivist epistemology. A comprehensive literature review situates the research within scholarly discussions on food and identity, nationalism, the historical multicultural food identity of the Philippines and its contemporary foodways. Using qualitative meta-synthesis for data collection and reflexive thematic analysis, the research identified eight emerging characteristics of Filipino adobo from 10 different adobo recipes. The study found that Filipino adobo is characterised by its: (1) flavour profile, (2) fundamental and non-fundamental ingredients, (3) cooking method, (4) regionality, (5) personal preference, (6) authenticity and adaptability, (7) state before and during Spanish colonisation, and lastly (8) symbolism in the contemporary Philippines. Ultimately, these characteristics are also found to be present within the broad Filipino culinary scene. The findings reveal the dynamic interplay between tradition, adaptation, and colonial legacy in shaping Filipino culinary expression. The study concludes by critically stating the implications of these findings, highlighting the researcher’s limitations and offering recommendations for future research on Filipino cuisine.
A Study on the Effect of Organisational Culture on Employee Engagement in SMEs
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Sheik Jalaludin, Sheik Azharudeen
This narrative literature review investigates the role of organisational culture in shaping employee engagement within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). While extensive literature has examined employee engagement in large corporations with formal human resource infrastructures, limited research addresses how SMEs, characterised by informal structures, resource constraints, and founder-led cultures, foster employee engagement through non-institutional mechanisms. Since SMEs represent over 97% of New Zealand businesses and employ a significant proportion of the national workforce, this research addresses a critical gap in organisational behaviour and human resource management scholarship. This thesis adopts a narrative literature review (NLR) methodology based exclusively on secondary data. The study synthesises findings from 65 peer-reviewed, published studies from 2000 to 2025. No primary data was collected; instead, the research draws solely from existing academic sources. The analysis is structured around three theoretical frameworks: Schein’s (2010) Three-Level Model of Organisational Culture, Denison’s (1996) Culture and Performance Model, and Kahn’s (1990) Psychological Conditions of Engagement. Five core organisational cultural dimensions — values and identity, relational leadership, communication and feedback systems, psychological safety and trust, and inclusive and adaptive practices — are key to employee engagement in SME contexts. The narrative literature review suggests that employee engagement in SMEs is primarily cultivated through relational and culturally integrated practices such as ethical leadership, value congruence, empowerment, informal dialogue, and psychological safety rather than through structured HR interventions. These organisationally and culturally situated mechanisms drive affective commitment and discretionary effort and sustain organisational resilience amid external pressures and internal growth. This research contributes to the theoretical advancement of organisational culture and employee engagement studies by contextualising them within the SME environment and the New Zealand economic landscape. It also offers practical recommendations for SME leaders seeking cost-effective, organisationally and culturally authentic employee engagement strategies aligned with their operational realities. Ultimately, the research provides a nuanced, secondary-data-based, evidence-informed framework for understanding how SMEs can leverage organisational culture as a strategic asset to enhance employee engagement and organisational performance.
Impact of Cultural Diversity on Team Performance: A Meta-Synthesis
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Rasheed, Eniola
Cultural diversity has long been acknowledged as a defining feature of contemporary teams, particularly in globalised work environments. In recent decades, cultural diversity has attracted growing attention within academic research on team dynamics and performance. However, the existing body of literature remains diverse, methodologically disjointed, and conceptually inconsistent. Limited attempts have been made to synthesise qualitative findings in a way that captures the complex interplay between diversity and team performance. Thus, the field will benefit from a holistic and process-oriented understanding of how cultural diversity shapes team outcomes. This study aims to address this gap by conducting a qualitative meta-analysis of empirical research on cultural diversity in teams across different sectors. Specifically, it seeks to synthesise thematic insights across studies, highlight recurring patterns and barriers, and identify directions for future research. The study is guided by two interrelated research questions: (1) How does cultural diversity influence team performance, especially team dynamics and communication? and (2) What are the key mechanisms of cultural diversity that impact team performance, especially on team dynamics and communication? To achieve these objectives, a meta-synthesis method was applied, drawing on twelve peer-reviewed qualitative studies published in the last 10 years. Thematic synthesis was used to identify and cluster key patterns across studies, progressing from primary-cycle coding of participant quotes to higher-order conceptual categorisation. The analysis was conducted inductively, and the resulting themes were interpreted through the Input–Process–Output (IPO) model to contextualise how cultural diversity shapes team inputs, interactional processes, and performance outcomes. The findings reveal that cultural diversity impacts team performance through relational, structural, and practice-based dynamics. Eight core themes emerged, grouped into three overarching conceptual categories: Relational Conditions that Enable Inclusion, Structural and Normative Barriers to Inclusion, and Practices that Translate Diversity into Performance. From this synthesis, the concept of Cultural Attunement was developed. Cultural Attunement is a process of cultural negotiation and relational reflexivity that allows diverse teams to build trust, adapt meaningfully, and optimise collaborative performance. This research makes several contributions. Theoretically, it advances a process-oriented understanding of cultural diversity by proposing Cultural Attunement as a central mechanism in diverse team functioning. It also bridges fragmented strands of literature by offering a cohesive thematic framework grounded in lived team experiences. Practically, the findings offer actionable insights for leaders and organisations seeking to foster inclusion and leverage diversity. Finally, the study proposes future research directions, including longitudinal and ethnographic approaches, to further examine how cultural attunement develops in real-time, high-stakes team environments.
Fostering Play-Based Learning in Early Childhood Education through Leadership and Parental Engagement
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Manokaran, Archerna
“Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile.” ― Mother Teresa This dissertation explores ways in which early childhood education (ECE) leaders interact with parents to facilitate learning through play. It analyses the relationship between leadership practices, expectations of parents, and cultural perceptions of education (Huang, 2013; Lightfoot & Frost, 2015; Zhang & Yu, 2016). This is achieved by employing a systematic literature review as the methodology. The review is informed by established guidelines for analysis of research literature as well as the PRISMA guidelines for open data collection of literature (Booth et al., 2012; Liberati et al., 2009; Mutch, 2013; Snyder, 2019). The findings illustrate that although play-based learning is widely acknowledged as a basis for holistic development, numerous parents still doubt its value, especially those from societies that place a high priority on formal academic accomplishment (Huang, 2013). Play is an essential component of education, particularly in early childhood settings. Play-based learning allows children to develop useful information and abilities by reorienting the teaching process from a teacher-centred to a student-centred approach (Khalil et al., 2022). Play-based learning has a substantial impact on children's development in early childhood as well as their advancement in later formal education (Khalil et al., 2022). Vygotsky's sociocultural theory views play as a key activity that fosters emotional, cognitive, and social development by allowing children to experiment with imagined elements and self-directed norms (Vygotsky, 1976). Joy is evident and frequently connected to early childhood environments and children's play. Even if joy is acknowledged and validated, barriers including administrative duties, regulations, expectations from parents, burnout, and time constraints can prevent educators from fully embracing joyful, play-based pedagogies (Little & Karaolis, 2023). Some of these barriers may be caused in part by parents' lack of support for their children's play, which is fuelled by high standards and demands for academic success as well as a lack of knowledge about the value of play in children's development (Karuppiah, 2022). Early childhood education leaders are under more pressure to bridge understanding through relational, honest, and culturally sensitive communication because of this tension (Lindsay, 2024; Heikkinen et al., 2024). This dissertation makes an argument that effective early childhood education leadership is a relational and ethical practice based on Te Whāriki (Ministry of Education, 2017) values rather than just a collection of administrative skills. Te Whāriki (Ministry of Education, 2017), the early childhood curriculum of New Zealand, has a strong emphasis on connections, family and community, empowerment, and holistic development as key pillars that enable inclusive and culturally sensitive pedagogies. It is crucial to respect the various realities and goals of early learning communities by acknowledging Te Whāriki as an intellectual framework (Ministry of Education, 2017). Therefore, this dissertation suggests curriculum initiatives that position families as co- weavers of education alongside educators and children, equity-driven funding, and ongoing professional development (Ministry of Education, 2018; Wood & Hedges, 2024). A personal reflection on my experiences working as an early childhood educator is included in the final chapter, which also highlights the continuous battle for respect and recognition in the field of early childhood education. It calls for a continued commitment to diversity and respect in early childhood education and ends with a message of empowerment for early childhood education professionals, reinforcing the critical role they play (Ballaschk et al., 2024; Cooper, 2025; OECD, 2019). Mother Teresa's words align well with Te Whāriki's (Ministry of Education, 2017) objective for relationships that respect and uphold the mana of all tamariki and whānau serves as the foundation for this dissertation.
Framing Gender Equality: Narratives in FIFA Women’s World Cup Bid and Legacy Documents (1991–2023)
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Firisua, David
The promises and limitations of leveraging sports mega-events for gender equality have long been debated within sport sociology and international development, with concerns that such events often prioritise symbolic visibility over structural transformation. While bid and legacy frameworks increasingly acknowledge the importance of gender equity in sport, progress remains uneven and is constrained by institutional inertia and inconsistent implementation. These tensions are particularly visible in the FIFA Women’s World Cup (FWWC), which has emerged as a central platform for advancing gender equality in global sport. This dissertation critically examines how gender equality has been framed and mobilised across FWWC bid and legacy documents from 1991 to 2023. It examines the narratives, commitments, and silences within host nation promises, considering the extent to which discursive framings translate into enduring structural change. Adopting a qualitative design within a critical inquiry paradigm, the study draws on feminist theory, intersectionality, and the capabilities approach. Critical Discourse Analysis and Reflexive Thematic Analysis supported by NVivo software, were employed to interrogate fifteen publicly available FIFA and host-nation documents. The findings reveal six themes, including four core themes: participation and structural access, empowerment and leadership, institutional framing and governance, and representation and media narratives. While gender equality increasingly features in tournament rhetoric, implementation is inconsistent, and progress remains vulnerable to post-event regression. Three recommendations emerge. First, FIFA must embed enforceable accountability measures, ensuring gender equality commitments extend beyond rhetoric. Second, host nations should integrate FWWC gender initiatives into national and regional policy frameworks, bridging global directives with local realities. Third, academics must monitor and evaluate these efforts, generating evidence-based insights that create feedback loops between policy and practice. By synthesising these findings, the dissertation advances scholarship on sport governance and offers pathways to strengthen the long-term legacies of gender equality in women’s football.
A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis of Perceived Authenticity in Ethnic and Cultural Restaurants
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Wang, Haosen
This dissertation systematically reviews and quantitatively synthesises existing research on perceived authenticity in ethnic and cultural restaurant contexts. Despite the growing emphasis on the importance of authenticity in consumer behaviour literature, existing research remains fragmented and empirical findings are contradictory. To address these gaps, this study conducted a systematic literature review of 86 academic papers, of which 44 studies were included in a psychometric meta-analysis. The meta-analysis scrutinised the relationship between perceived authenticity; its antecedents such as food quality, brand image, and ethnic décor; and outcomes including positive emotions, memorable experiences, customer satisfaction, and behavioural intentions. Further analysis revealed the significant moderating roles of culture, age, and gender on the relations of perceived authenticity with its antecedents and outcomes. Key findings were the robust effects of tangible authenticity cues, such as brand image and food quality, on authenticity perceptions. Comparatively, individual differences, such as prior knowledge and adaptation ability, showed weaker effects. The outcomes of perceived authenticity were strongly linked to emotional and behavioural responses, significantly impacting customer satisfaction, revisit intentions, and word-of-mouth recommendations. Moderation analyses further revealed significant demographic effects, with culture, age, and gender influencing how perceived authenticity relates to emotional and behavioural outcomes. Specifically, cultural individualism enhances positive emotions derived from perceived authenticity; compared with young people, older customers value authenticity more in enjoying a memorable dining experience, and female customers show higher sensitivity to interpersonal authenticity cues (employee ethnicity). By systematically reviewing and synthesising existing research, this meta-analysis advances both the theoretical understanding of perceived authenticity and practical options for creating these perceptions in ethnic and cultural restaurant settings. Specifically, the systematic review findings revealed how perceived authenticity has been examined to date, including its key antecedents, outcomes, research contexts, and methodological approaches. In addition, cross-tabulation analysis uncovered distinct methodological patterns in studies conducted in Eastern and Western regions. Furthermore, the meta-analytic synthesis addressed inconsistencies in previous empirical findings by clarifying robust relationships and identifying the boundary conditions that influence how the perception of authenticity relates to its antecedents and outcomes. Based on the findings, this review also highlights critical gaps and offers directions for future research, including the adoption of longitudinal design, the examination of underexplored constructs, and the application of mixed method approaches to deepen theoretical understanding. Practically, the findings offer strategic pathways for restaurant managers seeking to cultivate authenticity and enhance customer satisfaction, emotional engagement, and loyalty through targeted authenticity strategies.
A Meta-Analysis of Turnover Intention in the Hospitality and Tourism Context: Examining Antecedents, Outcomes, and Moderating Factors
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Liang, Siyin
Over the past decades, employee turnover has been a persistent and costly challenge in the global hospitality and tourism (H&T) industry, impacting service consistency, operational performance, and workforce stability. Although extensive research has explored the antecedents of turnover intention, inconsistent findings and contextual variability limit the generalizability of existing knowledge. To address this gap, the present study is a comprehensive meta-analysis of 249 empirical studies to (1) identify and quantify the key antecedents and outcomes of turnover intention among H&T employees, and (2) examine how contextual factors, including national culture, age, gender, and publication year, moderate these relationships. This meta-analysis has systematically reviewed and analyzed 249 empirical studies on turnover intention in the H&T industry, which were sourced from databases such as Google Scholar and EBSCO Tourism and Hospitality Complete. Inclusion criteria required studies to be empirical and quantitative and report correlations between turnover intention and its antecedents and/or outcomes within the H&T context. A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) flow chart was used to guide the selection process. Data extraction included coding variables such as effect size, sample size, region, publication year, and study design, which were entered into an Excel workbook. Meta-analytic techniques such as psychometric meta-analysis and meta-regression were used to examine effect sizes and test the influence of moderators including publication year, gender, age, and culture. Using psychometric meta-analytic techniques and meta-regression analysis, the findings indicate that job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and job stress are among the most influential factors, while emerging concepts such as artificial intelligence awareness and self-efficacy reflect the changing industry challenges. Moderation analyses revealed that national culture significantly moderates the effects of support-related variables and organizational support is more strongly associated with lower turnover intention in individualistic cultures, while supervisor support is more influential in collectivist settings. Age and gender, and publication year also moderated the strength of several predictors, such as trust toward the organisation, work-family conflict, and resilience. This thesis contributes to the turnover literature by clarifying mixed empirical findings, testing theoretical boundary conditions, integrating both established and emerging predictors and outcomes of turnover intention, and offering detailed future research directions. It also provides practical recommendations for developing evidence-based, demographically sensitive, and culturally adaptive retention strategies in the H&T sector.
Sustainable Tuna Fishing in Small Island Developing States: Governance and Policies in the Kiribati Islands.
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Asa, Semo
The sustainable governance of marine resources in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) such as the Kiribati Islands sits at the intersection of ecological stewardship, postcolonial sovereignty, and global socio-economic interdependency. My study explores the transnational governance of sustainable tuna fishing in Kiribati with one of the largest and most biodiverse tuna fish stocks in the world. In Kiribati, tuna is not merely a tradable commodity; it represents a cultural lifeline, economically, and politically amid shifting climate frontiers and volatile international markets. Positioned within the blue economy as a governance-sustainability nexus, my study advances an inquiry that foregrounds transnational governance as both a site of contestation and a coordination platform. Through a critical case study method drawing on secondary data (and some feedback from a few experts), my research examines how Kiribati’s tuna fisheries are governed across a diverse ecosystem of state, market, and civil society actors, each advancing diverging conceptions of what constitutes sustainable tuna fishing. By operationalising 15 Regulatory Standard-Setting (RSS) schemes and evaluating them through a Governance Triangle Framework, my research probes how these transnational mechanisms align or fail to align with Kiribati’s sustainability priorities and national sovereignty claims. The evaluation of the 15 RSS schemes’ effectiveness is anchored in five governance drivers articulated by Haas et al. (2022): legal enforceability, effectiveness and adaptability, credibility, inclusiveness, and empowerment. Recognising persistent asymmetries and inequities in how power is exercised across governance regimes, I further propose a sixth governance principle – “Equity and Justice” to address the often-underrepresented social equity dimensions within existing frameworks. The analysis is further guided by the normative objectives set forth in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), in particular UN SDG #13 (Climate Action), UN SDG #14 (Life Below Water), and UN SDG #17 (Partnerships for the Goals). These global commitments offer an analytical compass through which the governance of Kiribati’s tuna fisheries can be understood not only as a local or regional issue but as a matter of global strategy and transnational governance. The findings suggest that the effectiveness of transnational RSS schemes in Kiribati fisheries is uneven, constrained by fragmented authority structures, limited national capacity, and underlying structural dependencies. However, the study also highlights opportunities for adaptive, inclusive, and cooperative governance pathways that centre the voices of SIDS within the broader international business and ocean governance discourses. In doing so, my study contributes to closing what may be termed a “blue deficit” in the International Business (IB) literature, a long-standing oversight in how ocean spaces and their governance have been conceptualised, particularly within the IB literature and global strategy. By re-framing Kiribati’s tuna fisheries as both a governance challenge and a site of strategic agency, I hope my study brings renewed attention to how SIDS engage with the contested spaces of ocean governance and offers practical IB policy insights that may support a sustainable future within the Pacific blue economy.

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