Masters Theses

Permanent link for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10292/5

The Masters Theses collection contains digital copies of AUT University masters theses deposited with the Library since 2002 and made available open access. From 2007 onwards, all theses for masters degrees awarded are required to be deposited in Tuwhera Open Theses & Dissertations 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 & Dissertations. 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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The Job Embeddedness Nomological Network in Hospitality: A Meta-analysis of Antecedents, Consequences, and Boundary Conditions
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Qiu, Liqin
Job embeddedness (JE) has become a central framework for understanding employee retention in the hospitality industry, yet existing findings remain fragmented across diverse contexts, workforce profiles, and measurement approaches. This master’s thesis conducts the first systematic and quantitative synthesis of JE research within hospitality, clarifying how embeddedness develops, what consequences it predicts, and under which conditions its effects vary. Drawing on 109 empirical studies comprising 112 independent samples and 40,167 employees across 23 countries, this meta-analysis integrates a wide range of antecedents, consequences, and moderators to map JE’s nomological network. Methodologically, this thesis applies psychometric meta-analytic procedures, including reliability corrections, subgroup analyses, and meta-regression. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the synthesised effects. The results show that organisational factors - including organisational support, distributive justice, and high-performance work practices - exert the strongest influence on JE, followed by leadership behaviours and job-related characteristics such as coworker support and workplace friendship. Individual differences (e.g., age, gender, education) demonstrated only weak effects. JE was positively associated with key attitudinal and behavioural consequences, including job satisfaction, work engagement, life satisfaction, in-role and extra-role performance, and innovative behaviour, while showing moderate negative links with turnover intention and quiet quitting. Substantial heterogeneity across studies necessitated moderator analyses. Results indicated that culture and tenure moderated antecedent-JE relationships; for instance, the tenure-JE association was significantly stronger in Western and more individualistic cultures. In contrast, gender composition moderated JE-outcome relationships; for example, the JE-citizenship behaviour link was slightly stronger in samples with higherproportions of male employees. Measurement scale also shaped observed effects: multidimensional JE measures produced stronger correlations with structural and relational antecedents, whereas the global scale yielded weaker associations. This thesis advances hospitality scholarship by offering the most comprehensive empirical map of JE to date, resolving inconsistencies in prior research, and identifying meaningful directions for future empirical work. Beyond highlighting the need for longitudinal and multilevel designs, the thesis points to understudied antecedents (e.g., prosocial motivation, technological adaptation), potential nonlinear effects, and the importance of exploring the “double-edged sword” nature of JE. Practical implications for hospitality managers emphasise strengthening organisational support systems, fairness, relational climates, and purpose-driven HR practices to enhance long-term workforce sustainability.
When Is Sexism Seen As Sexist? Perceptions of Hostile and Benevolent Sexism by Perpetrator Gender
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Montesclaros, Corinne
Although society has made some progression toward gender equality over the years, the mechanisms of sexism have evolved alongside it. While overt forms of gender discrimination have become increasingly less socially acceptable, sexist ideology remains a pervasive undercurrent to society and has developed into subtler and more complex forms. In the face of gender-based discrimination, a key part of disrupting harmful cultural narratives is learning how to recognize discriminatory behavior and articulate it. To do this, we must first tackle the influences that create blind spots in sexism perception. The present study examined factors that may influence sexism detection, in particular, perpetrator gender and sexism type. Using a within-subjects design, 220 participants in New Zealand aged 16 and older were anonymously surveyed and asked to respond to a series of written scenarios that depicted hostile sexism, benevolent sexism, and a neutral condition. Additionally, an analysis of individual differences in ideological beliefs were examined as a predictor of sexism recognition. Results revealed a significant main effect of sexism type, where hostile sexism was more readily recognized than benevolent sexism. A significant interaction between sexism type and perpetrator gender was also observed, with hostile interactions rated more highly when enacted by a man than a woman. Individual differences in ideology were also found to be significant predictors of sexism recognition. The study underscores the need to move beyond a sole focus on overt forms of sexism and address the detection gap that allows subtle forms of discrimination to maintain gender inequality.
The Walk Within: A Nodal Based Framework on the Implementation of Walkable and Regenerative Urbanism Within Māngere East, Auckland, New Zealand
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Egneus-Goodman, Matthew
Re-stitching the Suburban Fabric Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland is currently grappling with the consequences of decades of low-density suburban sprawl, characterized by single-use zoning and a road network designed primarily for private vehicles. This urban model has resulted in high car dependency, fragmented ecological systems, and a hostile environment for pedestrians. While strategic planning documents like the Auckland Plan 2050 promote a “quality compact city,” the lived reality in many suburbs remains one of social isolation and environmental vulnerability to climate-related risks such as flooding. Architecture and urban design are central to this issue, as they have historically prioritised vehicular mobility over human-scale movement and ecological health. This thesis responds to these challenges by asking the central research question: How can principles of walkable urbanism and regenerative urbanism be implemented within Auckland suburbs in ways that respond meaningfully to local social, cultural, and ecological contexts?. The primary aim is to move beyond theoretical ideals and test the applicability of these frameworks through place-based design responses that integrate walkability, ecological repair, and social wellbeing. The research employs a design-led methodology centred on a nodal framework and the tactical application of urban acupuncture, small, precisely targeted interventions designed to catalyse broader systemic change. This framework reinterprets the fragmented suburban form as a connected system of social and ecological anchors. The strategic framework for urban revitalisation begins with Purpose Mapping, an analytical phase focused on identifying high-traffic trip generators such as schools, supermarkets, and healthcare facilities where the pulse of local life naturally clusters. Once these hubs are identified, Node Selection occurs by positioning targeted interventions at specific intersections where significant walkability deficits meet untapped ecological potential. Finally, the process of Stitching weaves these disparate points into a unified fabric by connecting the nodes through green loops, which are safe and legible corridors for pedestrians and cyclists that simultaneously function as vital ecological habitats. The suburb of Māngere East serves as the primary case study and live testing ground. The site was selected because it typifies the Auckland suburban condition: it is spatially fragmented by post-war “Radburn” planning and arterial barriers, yet it possesses significant latent potential through its community anchors (such as Middlemore Hospital and the Māngere East Shopping Centre) and its existing green-space network. The research demonstrates that meaningful transformation within car-dominated environments does not necessitate large-scale redevelopment but can instead be achieved through incremental and tactical change. By building upon established patterns of use, these design interventions show that walking follows purpose, meaning improvements are most effective when concentrated where everyday programmes already overlap. Furthermore, the findings suggest that ecology supports walkability, as integrating green infrastructure like bioswales, rain gardens, and shade trees improves micro-climatic comfort to make walking a more viable and pleasant choice. By focusing on the central node as both a destination and a connector, planners can facilitate nodal connectivity that allows for the re-stitching of divided urban fabrics. Walkable urban spaces that reduce traffic volumes, noise, and physical barriers can also function as permeable habitats for non-human species, creating safer and more ecologically supportive environments by lowering wildlife and vehicle collisions, reducing disturbance, and enhancing habitat connectivity within urban landscapes. Ultimately, the thesis concludes that when spatial proximity and ecological restoration are pursued simultaneously through a nodal approach, suburbs can transition into neighborhoods that are not only more accessible but also more socially connected and environmentally resilient.
Rudimentary Stratagems for Skilful Failures: Tactical Deployment of Humour and Play in Drawing, Sculpture, and Performance Practice
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Jowitt, Joseph
Through creative practice-led research, this project investigates what happens when we lean into failure, loosen the grip on optimisation, and let mischief steer the making. It explores how a playful, comedic approach might interrogate our relationship with technology, language, and materiality, and whether such strategies can offer comfort and connection in times of crisis. Can laughing in an emergency create momentary communities of understanding? Through rudimentary object-making, diagrammatic drawings, and rickety animatronics, the work riffs on familiar media meaning machines—radios, remotes, signposts—rendered as laconic stand-ins. These gestures of failure invite a seesaw of recognition and distancing, opening space for ambiguity and connective speculation. Could the rudimentary approach of a comedy ‘sketch’ develop into a productive methodology when transferred to sculptural and drawing mediums? Philosophical scaffolding in the project comes from Henri Bergson’s treatise on humour and his ideas around the tension between the mechanical and the vital. Alongside this, there is further support from Noë’s entanglement of art and life, Stiegler’s technics as prosthetic thought, and Haraway’s notion of ‘kinning’. Together, they frame humour not as embellishment but as a central disruptive, yet connective force—a way to reorganise ourselves in the ‘thick present’. The research asks: can erratum be an act of liberated resistance? Therefore, this thesis proposes play as a serious philosophical stance: a mode of thinking that scrambles habitual frameworks, embraces erratum, and proposes a speculative possibility for holding things lightly in an unstable troubled world.
The Application of Heliaki (Imagery) in Tongan Songs and the Roles of Journalists and Censorial Punake in Their Censorship Between the 1960s and the Early 2000s
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Latu, Kalino
The censorship of hiva kakala (kakala songs) was a prominent feature of broadcasting practice at the Tonga Broadcasting Commission (TBC), formerly Radio ZCO and later A3Z, from the 1960s until the early 2000s. Despite its significance within Tongan cultural life, little scholarly attention has been given to understanding why composers were required to compose according to heliaki (imagery) and submit their songs for scrutiny before public broadcast. This study investigates the cultural, literary, and journalistic factors underlying the censorship of kakala songs and examines the role of heliaki in shaping the composition, regulation, and interpretation of the genre. Guided by the indigenous theoretical frameworks of Tupunga Ola and Veitalatala, the research employed a qualitative methodology based on interviews, documentary analysis, and critical examination of historical and contemporary literature. The study explored the perspectives of composers (punake), journalists (faiongoongo), and individuals involved in the censorship and promotion of kakala songs. The findings reveal that kakala song censorship functioned primarily as a form of cultural moderation rather than suppression. It also found that censorship occasionally generated tensions and accusations of inconsistency. However, the participants generally viewed the control as contributing to the preservation, enhancement, and artistic quality of kakala songs. Censorship was used to uphold the values embedded within the nofo ‘a kāinga system and fatungamotu‘a e fonua structure, moderate the effects of Westernisation and foreign cultural influences, and monitor the appropriate use of heliaki, one of Tonga’s foremost literary and linguistic registers. The study further demonstrates that Queen Sālote Tupou III and her Traditions Committee played a pivotal role in shaping both the development and regulation of the genre. A major contribution of this research is the reconceptualisation of kakala songs as songs of heliaki. By revising prevailing definitions of heliaki, the study develops a continuum that clarifies the relationship between literal and figurative language. It proposes an updated definition of heliaki as a system of figurative expression that produces vivid, evocative, and memorable imagery. Within this framework, heliaki is also understood as a literary mechanism in compositions and communications for safeguarding fefaka‘apa‘apa‘aki and fefuafatongia‘aki, promoting social hierarchies, while simultaneously enhancing the expressive and affective values of mālie and māfana. The study also introduces the first standardised framework of 30 lea ‘o e heliaki (figures of speech), together with the development of the ‘Ēkitu‘a Binary Cultural Identity model and the Toafesiama Translation Integration Framework. In addition, the study advances new understandings of mālie and māfana as evaluative principles governing artistic effectiveness and audience engagement. The thesis contributes to scholarship on Tongan literature, culture, journalism, translation, and censorship by providing a comprehensive account of the cultural systems that underpin kakala songs and their regulation. It further offers practical recommendations for curriculum development, journalism education, cultural policy, and the preservation of Tongan literary traditions in the contemporary digital era. Drawing on the newly developed Toafesiama model and the reconceptualisation of heliaki through the semantic–heliaki continuum, this study posits that lea heliaki (figurative language) and liliu lea (translation) are fundamental mechanisms that enable the preservation, adaptation, and sustainability of the Tongan language in changing cultural and linguistic contexts. The findings of this study indicate that liliu lea has become a widely utilised practice among Tongans in everyday communication. This development is attributable not only to the prevalence of English as a second language, but also to the fact that the majority of Tongans reside in the diaspora. Furthermore, translation has assumed a significant role in hiva kakala composition, where it functions as a form of heliaki that enhances the mālie quality of the songs.
Te Whare o te Ao Hou
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Mokomoko, Caleb
This thesis explores how architecture can hold space for the return of sovereignty through birthing, bathing, and healing. Grounded in a kaupapa Māori perspective and situated in Ōpōtiki, Te Whare o te Ao Hou imagines a place where care, presence, and connection to land guide the design of intimate, liminal spaces. It considers how thresholds, materiality, and spatial flow can nurture moments of renewal, allowing the body, spirit, and community to reclaim agency. Through site analysis, case studies, and iterative design, the project demonstrates how culturally informed architecture can restore autonomy, honour whakapapa, and create environments where wellbeing, the rhythms of land, and the return of sovereignty coexist.
Ultimate Frisbee: The Impact of the ‘Spirit of the Game’ Concept
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Xiong, Kangzhe
This study explores, through a leadership lens, how the spirit of the game (SOTG) and the role of the spirit captain in ultimate frisbee (UF) influences the on and off-field behaviours and ethical development of UF athletes. SOTG is the moral cornerstone of UF, advocating fairness, self-refereeing and mutual respect among athletes. This study used mixed methods, combining quantitative survey data from 56 UF athletes in New Zealand with qualitative interviews with two UF organization leaders and two UF athletes to explore three objectives: the purpose of SOTG and the role of the spirit captain, their influence on athletes’ engagement in UF, and their influences on athletes’ behaviour in other sports and daily life. Quantitative research results show that athletes’ behavioural performance in adhering to the SOTG principle has significantly improved, especially in terms of rule knowledge and use, positive attitude and self-control, and fouls and body contact. At the same time, there is also a positive trend in respectful communication and fair-mindedness. Qualitative data indicates that SOTG helps cultivate athletes’ self-leadership, emotional regulation and moral reflection ability, while the spirit captain supports ethical conversation and shared responsibility. The athletes also said that they would apply behaviours based on SOTG, such as fairness, empathy and honesty, to other sports and daily life situations. These results confirm that SOTG is not only a rules-based ethical system but also a framework for promoting leadership and moral growth. This study expands previous research by providing empirical evidence from the UF community in New Zealand and linking SOTG with theories of ethics, shared leadership and self-leadership. The research results are of great significance for the future development of sports management, athlete education, and elite and Olympic-level self-refereeing sports.
Exploring the Role of Psychological Safety on the Relationship Between Constructive Leader Behavior and Burnout
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Plasserin Dinesh, Abhilash
As employee burnout continues to rise in contemporary workplaces, understanding the protective role of leadership remains critical. This study examines the relationship between constructive leadership behavior (CLB) and employee burnout among office-based workers in New Zealand, with a particular focus on the role of psychological safety. Drawing on social exchange theory, the research investigates whether psychological safety functions as both a mediating mechanism and a moderating condition in the relationship between leadership and burnout. Burnout is conceptualized as a multidimensional construct comprising emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment. A quantitative, cross-sectional research design was employed using survey data collected from office-based employees across New Zealand (N=213). Validated measurement instruments were used, including the Constructive Supervisor Behavior Scale (CSBS), the Psychological Safety Scale, and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). Data were analyzed using regression-based techniques to test direct, mediation, and moderation effects. The findings indicate that constructive leadership behavior is significantly associated with lower levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, and higher levels of personal accomplishment. Notably, the impact of constructive leadership behavior was most pronounced on the emotional exhaustion dimension, with psychological safety explaining a substantial proportion of this relationship compared to other burnout dimensions. Mediation analysis revealed that psychological safety partially explains the relationship between constructive leadership and all three dimensions of burnout, highlighting its role as a key interpersonal mechanism. Moderation analysis, however, yielded non-significant interaction effects, suggesting that its primary influence operates through mediation. These results contribute to the literature by extending the application of constructive leadership behavior to burnout outcomes and by clarifying the role of psychological safety within a single empirical model. The study findings also provide practical implications for organizations, emphasizing the importance of fostering supportive leadership behaviors and psychologically safe work environments to mitigate burnout. Findings further suggest that organizations should move beyond technical leadership training to prioritize interpersonal competency development, particularly focusing on how supervisors can foster open dialogue, role model supportive behaviors, and proactively signal psychological safety in everyday interactions. Overall, the research findings offers a nuanced understanding of how everyday supervisory practices shape employee well-being in office-based environments.
Cities in Bloom: Rewilding Urban Spaces for a Walkable, Regenerative Future
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Hutchins, Sam
Cities in Bloom is a practice-led architectural thesis, undertaken for a Master of Architecture at Auckland University of Technology, that explores how rewilding can serve as a regenerative design framework for reshaping urban ecologies. Situated within Auckland’s Central Business District, the project investigates how architecture might facilitate coexistence between humans and non-humans by restoring lost ecologies and re-imagining the city as an active, living system. Wellesley Street stands as the core focus of the research, a spine that paves its way through the heart of the CBD intersecting with Queen Street and its connection out to the Waitemata Harbour. Through Queen Street, the project follows the contours of the buried Waihorotiu Stream, a forgotten ecology left dormant beneath our feet, which carries an innate potential to restore and reconnect the human to the natural world. Wellesley Street offers opportunity to link two underutilised green spaces, Victoria Park and Albert Park, creating a continuous ecological zone that spans the city, diverting down its many industrialised streets and transforming the CBD into a place of ecology rather than urbanism. The research is theoretically grounded through the philosophy of kinship and vibrant matter. Deborah Bird Rose’s concept of kinship reframes nature not as an external resource but as an extension of family; to think through kinship is to understand that the human and non-human fall under the same obligations. Care, responsibility, and respect unite life, encouraging an ethic of participation rather than dominance. Jane Bennett’s theory of vibrant matter complements this view by asserting that all material possesses vitality and agency. Matter is not inert. It is a form that acts, responds, and transforms in relation to its surroundings, within architecture it implies that all things hold ecological significance beyond just their utility. Terrapin Bright Greens’ framework in the form of the 14 Patterns of Biophilic Design lays the foundation for what the thesis aims to achieve. It is built from this set of patterns that the project grounds its roots. A reconstructed framework in the form of The 6 Patterns of Rewild-ed is formed, which entails a move from the anthropocentric to an ecocentric lens, and adopting instead an eco-centric lens. Ecocentrism refers to a viewpoint that design is not limited to the human, but needs to extend beyond, placing the non-human along the same plane of importance and tending to its needs just as much as ours. Based on these considerations, a proposal is developed that re-imagines Wellesley Street as a living ecological corridor. The proposition is inherently speculative, imaging a future in which humans and non-humans coexist through layered urban ecologies. A radical re-configuration of spatial hierarchy is implemented through lifting human inhabitation above the ground plane, into rooftop glasshouse typologies and elevated walkways in which they traverse the city. The streetscape returns to nature, becoming an active ecosystem, allowing living systems to reestablish and move freely through an urban landscape. Cities in Bloom explores the potential of cities, a future where the built form and living ecology merge, trans-forming landscape into zones of connection, vitality, and kinship.
Machine Learning-based Detection of Pitching Patterns in Major League Baseball: An Analysis of Pitch Metrics Prior to Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Ozaki, Ryotaro
Purpose: Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction (UCLR) is the most prevalent surgically treated injury among Major League Baseball (MLB) pitchers, yet early detection of pre-surgical biomechanical deterioration remains limited. The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate an unsupervised machine learning-based anomaly detection framework capable of identifying multivariate pitching metric changes in MLB pitchers in the period preceding UCLR. Methods: Pitch-tracking data from Statcast were collected for 46 MLB pitchers who underwent primary UCLR between 2016 and 2024. Pitcher-specific vanilla autoencoders were trained on game-level aggregated pitching metrics spanning a 400-day baseline window (200–600 days before last appearance) and applied across a 200-day detection window (0–200 days before last appearance). Reconstruction error served as the anomaly detection metric. Six pitch types were analysed: four-seam fastball, sinker, slider, cutter, changeup, and curveball. Five percentile-based reconstruction error thresholds (90th to 99th) were evaluated. As an exploratory validation analysis, a propensity score-matched control group of 45 non-UCLR pitcher pairs was employed to contextualise the specificity of the pre-surgical signal. Results: Mean per-game reconstruction error escalated from 0.877 (151–200 days before last appearance) to 2.326 (0–50 days), representing a 2.7-fold increase with a broadly monotonic trajectory. At the 95th percentile threshold, anomaly rates were 67.2%, 76.4%, 71.0%, and 73.6% across the 151–200, 101–150, 51–100, and 0–50 day bins respectively. Escalation ratios increased monotonically with threshold stringency (p90: 0.98; p99: 1.18), with the most extreme deviations concentrated in the final 50 days. Feature-level analysis identified a two-phase deterioration structure: an early phase characterised by elevated slider movement and cumulative workload errors, followed by a late phase dominated by a 24-fold escalation in changeup usage error and sharp increases in rest interval deviation. In the exploratory matched control comparison, UCLR pitchers showed a statistically significant difference in median reconstruction error relative to matched controls in the proximate pre-surgical window (W = 1245, p = 0.036), with no equivalent directional escalation observed in controls. A Bonferroni-corrected comparison of multivariate and univariate detection identified only marginal gains from multivariate encoding in detection sensitivity, though the autoencoder provided structural interpretability and coherent feature-pattern identification not available through univariate monitoring. Conclusion: Pitcher-specific autoencoder models applied to Statcast pitch-tracking data can identify progressive multivariate deterioration in the period preceding UCLR, with a signal that appears at least partially specific to the pre-surgical period relative to matched controls. These findings suggest that routine monitoring of individualised pitching profiles may provide a clinically actionable detection window prior to UCL failure.
Youth Athletes’ Perceptions of the Sport Experiences Led by Coaches Who Participated in the Coaching for Impact Programme: An Interpretive Description
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Owers, Ben
This study explored youth athletes’ perceptions of the sport experiences led by coaches who had completed Sport New Zealand | Ihi Aotearoa’s Coaching for Impact coach development programme. Existing literature highlights that developing community sport coaches is complex and that the effectiveness of coach development initiatives should be evaluated beyond coach learning alone. Accordingly, this research examined how the coaching approaches of those involved in the contemporary, nationally led programme influenced the quality of youth sport experiences, as described by their participants. The study was informed by the Personal Assets Framework and Self-Determination Theory, which together conceptualise quality youth sport as an interaction of activities, relationships, and settings, and explain the motivational processes through which coaching can shape participants’ lived experiences. Aligned with a constructivist-interpretivist paradigm, an Interpretive Description methodology guided the study design, enabling an in-depth enquiry that utilised youth voice while drawing on relevant literature and practitioner knowledge. Nineteen purposively sampled participants aged 13 to 18 years, representing both individual and team sports, participated in semi-structured focus group interviews. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Four themes and four sub-themes were generated, describing factors that participants perceived to be influencing their sport experiences. Findings suggested that coaches positively impacted experiences through the development of quality coach-athlete relationships, effective leadership of sport delivery, and the application of autonomy-supportive and athlete-centred coaching approaches. In addition, they revealed that youth sport experiences were shaped by factors beyond the coach, including the influence of peers and family, the importance of achieving personal goals in sport, and the negative impact of ego-orientated goals. While coaches could not control all aspects of participants’ experiences, the analysis reinforces that they were influential across all factors, positioning them as key contributors to the quality of youth sport environments. Three practical recommendations are proposed, calling for continued investment in developing coaching effectiveness, intentional alignment between athletes’ goals and their sporting environments, and greater consideration of the wider social and system context to support the delivery of quality youth sport experiences.
Re-Stitching Urbanism: Reclaiming Urban Voids through Architectural Intervention
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Chirackal, Nevin
Mobility within urban environments has been a key issue since the widespread adoption of automobiles. With the increasing number of personal vehicles on the road, the importance of road infrastructure has grown, whereas the infrastructure needed to integrate human-scale movement within urban environments has diminished. Complex highway networks are often associated with occupying valuable urban landscapes and creating physical, social, and spatial barriers to urban development. This infrastructural occupation is exemplified at Auckland’s Central Motorway Junction, where almost 50 hectares of the city’s central zone have been dedicated to an extensive vehicular transportation network. With Auckland’s population expected to reach 2 million by 2030, according to Stats NZ, efficient use of available urban space is increasingly important. This thesis investigates the paradoxical nature of these infrastructural sites and proposes an architectural intervention to address the urban barriers and void spaces produced by the motorway network. The research combines a review of the theoretical literature, precedent analysis, and contextual and programmatic analyses to inform the final architectural intervention. To establish an intervention that facilitates a variety of social interactions and engagement, the project does not propose a singular, defined programme. Rather, it investigates an adaptable network of programmes that encourage and accommodate functionally across a range of time frames. By integrating a sense of interventional impermanence, the architectural proposal reimagines the infrastructural landscape as a testing site for urban transformation, where the intervention and its programmes can evolve alongside its users and adapt to the environment
Kohia ngā Taikākā: Collecting the Heartwood. A thematic analysis of stakeholder interviews on the culture of Avondale College, 1989-2025
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Elijaš, Susan
School culture, with its deep values and visible symbols and practices, plays a powerful role in shaping educational outcomes and capacity for transformation. However, empirical studies of school culture in Aotearoa New Zealand are scarce. This study examines the school culture of Avondale College, a large, diverse, co-educational, public secondary school in Auckland, New Zealand. It uses the methodology of Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA) to analyse semi-structured interviews with eleven purposively selected members of the Avondale College community, using an organisational culture theory lens. The analysis reveals two important aspects of ‘heartwood’ at the core of Avondale College’s school culture. These are ‘Excellence as a values-driven practice’ and ‘Whanaungatanga as a foundational cultural value’. Leadership is found to be an important mechanism for the transmission of culture. These findings align with international literature on school culture in relation to themes of effectiveness, belonging, relationships and leadership, and add further insight into the importance of the concept of whanaungatanga in the context of education in Aotearoa New Zealand. A conceptual framework is developed to illustrate the culture of Avondale College, based on a tree with the ‘heartwood’ values of ‘excellence’ and ‘whanaungatanga’ at its core; branches that show manifestations of culture (symbolic, behavioural and verbal/conceptual); and leaves of visible surface culture. These findings are significant as they can help to inform the future strategic direction of the school, particularly in relation to recognising leaders as kaitiaki/stewards of culture; harnessing the power of storytelling; enhancing the effectiveness of change strategies; and drawing from the stability of the school’s culture in the face of challenge and change. This research can also give broader insight into how dimensions of culture impact a school’s identity, goals and outcomes in a New Zealand context, which may have relevance to other communities. Limitations of this study include the small sample size and its context-specific nature which makes it replicable but not generalisable.
In-Situ Aerial Mapping of New Zealand Myrtaceae Affected by Myrtle Rust (Austropuccinia psidii) Using Deep Learning
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Pfaff, Robin
Invasive fungal pathogens pose a significant threat to forest ecosystems worldwide and have far-reaching consequences for tree species. The rust fungus (Austropuccinia psidii) causes the disease commonly known as myrtle rust and threatens susceptible Myrtaceae populations on several continents. This includes Syzygium maire, a rare taonga (treasure) species endemic to New Zealand that is significant in Māori culture and ecologically important, but is now threatened with extinction. Accurate spatial mapping of threatened populations is essential for targeted management and conservation efforts, but traditional ground-based survey methods are logistically challenging and time-consuming. The practical application of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in combination with deep learning was evaluated to detect S. maire in dense, species-rich native forests. High-resolution RGB (1.5 cm) and multispectral (2.5 cm) imagery were captured from four urban forest reserves on New Zealand’s North Island using consumer-grade imaging sensors. A fully convolutional neural network for semantic segmentation (U-Net) was trained to classify S. maire from background vegetation. Furthermore, dataset composition and hyperparameter configurations were systematically tested including loss functions, learning rates, and different spectral band combinations. Point cloud segmentation approaches using a UAV-mounted LiDAR system were also qualitatively evaluated to assess the potential for three-dimensional tree instance detection. Site-specific models showed moderate to good detection performance (F1 scores: 0.46–0.81), with RGB images performing comparably or marginally better than multispectral images. Dice loss outperformed pixel-wise approaches in handling severe class imbalances, and an aggressive learning rate of 0.02 with adaptive scheduling led to significantly better performance. However, generalising models across multiple sites proved more difficult due to site-specific differences (best F1=0.51). LiDAR-based instance segmentation algorithms developed for managed forests have potential for the dense, structurally complex context of natural forests, but are insufficient without further development. The results show that deep learning can successfully identify S. maire under optimal, site-specific conditions. At the same time, critical limitations for operational real-world use were identified. The limited availability of training samples, the severe class imbalance of 3.4±0.7% (mean±SE) target class and the insufficient radiometric calibration capabilities of low-cost multispectral sensors fundamentally limit the approach. These findings highlight the need for standardised frameworks governing multispectral data capture and radiometric calibration. The findings expose significant challenges in translating remote sensing methods from simplified scenarios to operational conservation monitoring in structurally complex forests. The methodological insights regarding hyperparameter optimisation, spectral band selection, and calibration challenges can be transferred to analogous applications for species detection. As invasive pathogens increasingly threaten forest biodiversity worldwide, the development of robust detection methods for (rare) species in complex environments remains essential to support proactive conservation and biosecurity measures.
Underrepresentation of Women in Critical Care Paramedicine: Experiences and Perceptions From Aotearoa New Zealand
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Fasher, Rainbow
Despite women comprising the majority of the frontline paramedic workforce in Aotearoa New Zealand, they remain markedly underrepresented within the specialist Critical Care Paramedic (CCP) scope of practice. This imbalance represents both an equity concern and a potential limitation to workforce capability and patient care, given established links between workforce diversity, organisational performance, and health outcomes. The purpose of this thesis was to explore the experiences, perceptions, and career progression of women CCPs in Aotearoa New Zealand, with a specific focus on identifying the barriers and enablers influencing advancement into this highest clinical scope of prehospital practice. This research adopted a qualitative descriptive approach guided by a critical realist and postpositivist paradigm. The thesis comprised two interrelated components: a systematic literature review examining international evidence on women paramedics’ career progression, and a qualitative study exploring the lived experiences of women CCPs in Aotearoa New Zealand. The systematic review identified persistent gender‑based barriers within emergency medical services internationally, including gender stereotypes, masculinised workplace cultures, discriminatory norms, and disproportionate caregiving expectations. Opportunities for progression were associated with supportive organisational cultures, flexible work arrangements, mentorship, and visible female role models. These findings provided an analytic foundation for the primary qualitative study. The qualitative study utilised an anonymous online survey with open‑ended questions distributed to all women who had practised as CCPs between 2020 and 2025. Qualitative content analysis was undertaken to identify patterns and themes, allowing findings to remain close to the participants’ language while minimising interpretive bias. Analysis of responses from 36 women CCPs identified five interconnected themes shaping career progression: access to professional development; organisational culture; flexible work‑life balance; women’s representation and collegial support; and psychological and life‑cycle challenges. Participants described enablers such as self‑directed postgraduate education, supportive managers, mentorship, scholarships, and the motivation derived from seeing other women succeed in CCP roles. However, these were frequently overshadowed by structural and cultural barriers. Key barriers included the financial cost of postgraduate study, limited and unevenly distributed CCP internships, relocation requirements, inconsistent preparation for clinical assessment, inflexible rostering, gender discrimination, ageism, and persistent “old boys’ club” dynamics. Caregiving responsibilities, maternity leave, and life‑cycle factors such as perimenopause intersected with these structures to disrupt clinical continuity, confidence, and progression. Psychological responses, including self‑doubt and imposter syndrome, further compounded these challenges. This thesis concludes that the underrepresentation of women in the CCP workforce reflects systemic, organisational, and cultural barriers rather than a lack of individual capability or aspiration. Addressing gender inequity at this advanced clinical level requires coordinated organisational action, including transparent and flexible CCP training pathways, equitable access to internships and assessment preparation, culturally inclusive leadership practices, and workforce structures that accommodate caregiving and life‑course variability. Enhancing equity in CCP progression is essential not only to support women paramedics’ career advancement, but to also build a diverse, resilient, and high‑performing advanced paramedic workforce in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Eccentric Motorised Cycling as a Re-Warm-Up Strategy for Trained Male Baseball Pitchers
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Takahashi, Yuuki
In most sports, intermissions during the games are common. These breaks in the game can reduce muscle temperature and neuromuscular readiness, subsequently affecting performance. Re-warm-up (RWU) strategies are important to mitigate these declines for a variety of sports. Although the physiological aspects of RWU have been investigated in the literature, the connection between perceived readiness and physiological readiness remains unexplored. While traditional RWU methods have shown benefits for performance, there is a distinct gap in the literature for the application of eccentric motorised cycling (EMC) as a RWU modality in overhead throwing athletes. This thesis aimed to (1) review the literature on RWU strategies and eccentric exercise in relation to ballistic performance, and (2) investigate the effects of EMC as an RWU intervention on throwing velocity, shoulder range of motion (ROM), and perceived readiness in baseball pitchers following a simulated intermission. Based on the gap identified in the literature review, a randomised repeated-measures design was employed, with 13 club-level male baseball players performing a throwing test, a shoulder ROM test before and after completing three RWU protocols: passive, plyoball, and EMC. A Likert scale for perceived readiness (Perceived Readiness Scale (PRS)) was also included to understand the participants’ subjective readiness prior to the second bout of throwing. The results showed no significant main effect for condition on throwing velocity (p = .150, ηp² = .158); however, EMC demonstrated the smallest decline in throwing velocity (−1.20%; mean change: −2.98 ± 3.61 km/h) and was significantly greater than the plyoball condition by 1.83 km/h (p = .045, d = 0.54). The lack of significance between EMC and control may be explained by the lack of sample size or wider variation from pre-post intervention in the control group. No significant differences were observed in shoulder ROM across conditions. A moderate negative correlation between external rotation (ER) change and throwing velocity was identified in the control condition (r = −.525). Additionally, PRS differed significantly between conditions (p = .023), with EMC producing the highest median scores (Mdn = 4.0) compared to control (Mdn = 3.0) and plyoball (Mdn = 3.0). A moderate positive trend between perceived readiness and velocity change was observed in the plyoball condition (ρ = .482). EMC shows potential as an effective RWU strategy to attenuate declines in throwing velocity and enhance perceived readiness following short intermissions. Although findings were limited by a small sample size and environmental variability, results provide some support for incorporating EMC into RWU protocols for overhead athletes. Further research with larger samples and controlled conditions is required to confirm these findings and explore mechanisms further.
Living With Water: Designing Flood-Resilient Housing in Flood-Vulnerable Communities in Auckland
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Lai, Rita
Flooding is increasing in frequency and intensity in many urban regions. This thesis is driven by the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Weekend flood, which exposed the vulnerability of existing housing patterns. In many parts of Auckland, residential areas experienced severe inundation, property damage, and long recovery periods that reduced residents’ well-being and caused anxiety during rainy days. The event highlights the need to rethink how housing can adapt to future weather patterns and reduce displacement. This thesis investigates how regenerative and climate-adaptive shelter systems can reduce flood vulnerability at dwelling, neighbourhood, and community scales. The research draws on five theoretical frameworks: Floodability, Build Back Better, the 4Rs of Resilience, the Transitional Shelter Framework, and the Mauri Ora Compass. Key ideas from these frameworks are translated into five flood resilience principles: adaptation, redundancy, rapidity, self-sufficiency, and community and culture. These principles form the conceptual foundation for the design proposal. The Clover Drive neighbourhood in West Auckland is selected as the test site because it was severely impacted by the floods. The area represents a typical suburban pattern of detached houses, private yards, and car dependent street access. Its exposure to flooding and visible damage provides a clear context to test and develop architectural strategies for resilience. The design-led research methodology combines literature review, theoretical synthesis, site analysis, and iterative architectural testing. The design proposes a multi-scalar flood adaptive housing system that allows controlled inundation while maintaining residential habitability. At the community scale, the proposal redistributes floodwater by creating level differences within a floodable landscape system integrated into public open space. At the dwelling scale, ground floors function as controlled inundation zones, while critical domestic spaces are elevated to support shelter-in-place and vertical retreat during flood events. Circulation shifts from ground based access to layered and connected elevated walkways. By linking spatial strategies with resilience principles, the thesis offers a framework for housing that accommodates water rather than resisting it, It demonstrates how architecture can function as part of an interconnected resilience system that reduces damage, maintains continuity of use, and strengthens long-term adaptability under increasing flood risk.
Building for Communities — Not for Profit: Third Sector Housing Policy Intervention Strategies in Practice
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Mayson, Níall
Dysfunction within the New Zealand housing sector relating to market stability and affordability is starkly evident and echoes systemic problems in many other countries. House prices, annual price growth, housing overburden costs and building costs are simply unsustainable. House price data from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation & Development (OECD) for the period 2000-2023 shows real house prices in New Zealand increased at more than 3x the rate of all OECD countries and more than 5.5x the rate of Euro area countries within the OECD. Housing affordability, measured by price-income ratio, worsened ~98% over the period, compared to ~22% for all OECD countries and ~21% for all Euro area countries. Further, the housing cost overburden rate (i.e. share of population spending more than 40% of household income on housing costs) for households here in the bottom quintile of income distribution was the 2nd highest in the OECD for owners with a mortgage and 3rd highest for private renters. Ideology based ‘quick-fix’ policy favouring greenfield and suburban infill development to build lower density and mainly market-priced housing has failed to produce improved, socially-diffuse, housing affordability. What it has ushered in is market instability, a boom in ‘for-profit’ residential investment property, rapid price and rent growth and expensive housing — especially for lower income households. Our housing eco-system feels a bit like a never ending game of Jenga — where both the property-owning majority and renting minority have a big financial interest in keeping the pieces stable but where our politicians are the only ones allowed to play. Uncertainty and instability pervades. What seems very clear is that we’re never going to subdivide our way to better housing outcomes — only social inequality. This research framework explores policy approaches adopted in selected European countries with mature third sector housing systems and actors achieving improved and more socially-diffuse housing outcomes and what can be learned and applied here in New Zealand. The research reveals that in the selected countries third sector housing policy interventions facilitated via dedicated state and municipal institutions and tools have made a positive contribution to improved and socially-diffuse housing outcomes and market stability — where not-for-profit public and private housing forms a major part of total housing stock. Key third sector building blocks include; pan-political consensus, spatial planning and housing law and policy focused on improved housing outcomes not growth, state and municipal actors proactively involved, and, in particular, low-cost funding and guarantee tools for not-for-profit housing actors and low-cost land opportunities. Not-for-profit housing systems and actors follow social (rather than commercial) imperatives and require tenure (ownership or rental) to be based on cost (not market price), with surpluses reinvested into new affordable housing development through revolving fund mechanisms. They often prioritise low to middle income segments of the market, referred to as “the missing middle”, overlooked by the state and for-profit developers. Policies focused on facilitating a “multi-stakeholder" not-for-profit housing sector — the “third sector” that is neither public nor for-profit housing — have been shown to lower housing costs, widen access to capital, improve housing affordability (including in the nonregulated for-profit sector) and improve housing quality.
The Recording Studio: Based on Biophilic Design and Multi-Sensory Architecture
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Veldtmann, Ryno
This thesis investigates how biophilic design and multi-sensory architecture can inform the design of a music recording studio. The research examines how natural systems and sensory engagement can be integrated with professional acoustic requirements to support human health, user well-being, and creative practice. Utilising theories from environmental psychology, phenomenology, regenerative architecture, and acoustic ecology, the thesis establishes a theoretical and design-led framework for the reinvention of conventional recording studio typologies. The project engages with the cultural–ecological context of Aotearoa through mātauranga Māori and Te Aranga design principles, thereby grounding the studio in place. It argues that a regenerative, multi-sensory approach can transform the recording studio from a sealed technical container into an experiential environment that enhances creativity, reduces stress, and supports environmental performance.
Heritage-Led Regeneration for Underused Historic Churches Using a Community-Led Approach in Aotearoa New Zealand
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Vo, Jordan
The concept of adaptive reuse has become an important strategy for addressing housing shortages, climate pressures, and the loss of obsolete heritage by repurposing existing buildings. In AotearoaNew Zealand, many historic buildings, particularly churches, are at risk of demolition by neglect, seismic vulnerability, and non‑compliance with current building codes. The diversity and shift in religious beliefs have left many ecclesiastical spaces underutilised, while urban expansion has made these site's amenities increasingly inaccessible by walking. Although adaptive reuse is discussed with growing interest in New Zealand, its acceptance and implementation are still met with considerable scepticism. Many building conversions privilege profit and focus on the development of luxury apartments, upscale retail and exclusive event venues, that serve private capital rather than public good. This thesis therefore questions how can underutilised heritage churches be adapted and repurposed through a community-led approach to promote social cohesion and collective participation with local cultural heritage? St James Church, constructed in 1900 and listed as a Category B heritage place on Auckland Council’s heritage schedule, is situated in Mount Eden and forms the focus of this study. The methodology underpinning this research adopts a heritage-led design approach and proposes a theoretical framework based on four key principles drawn from the International Council on Monuments and Sites New Zealand Charter (2010): minimum intervention, use, adaptation and risk mitigation. This framework is informed by detailed site analysis, the examination of international case studies, and a foundation of existing knowledge established through a literature review. Together, these methods inform the development of both the design and theoretical framework, enabling a rigorous iterative design process that generates a potential model for the adaptive reuse of heritage buildings. A bottom‑up approach is proposed, through a charitable trust model where residents define programmes, design priorities and important heritage elements for conservation work. The potential outcome is a resilient, mixed‑income community that gathers around a democratised heritage asset. Rather than showcasing elite capital, the reactivated church becomes a shared social infrastructure that affirms collective identity, encouraging intercultural dialogue, and demonstrating that heritage conservation and social justice can coexist, reinforcing one another in the changing modern urban landscape. The proposed framework offers a transferable model for community-led adaptive reuse of underused historic churches in similar contexts.

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