Department of Land Management and Systems
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Item Finding nori—Understanding key factors driving US consumers’ commitment for sea-vegetable products(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), 2024-03-01) Rombach, Meike; Botero, J; Dean, DavidThe trend toward sustainable and healthy food consumption has stimulated widespread debate. US consumers demand healthy and sustainable food options and are increasingly interested in alternative proteins such as macro-algae, also known as sea-vegetables. The present study is built on the responses of an online survey aiming to explore US consumers’ commitment towards varying sea-vegetable-based products. Affordability, sustainability, taste, environmental friendliness, and health benefits, as well as product novelty and versatility, were the factors under investigation. All factors were found to be equally strong predictors for sea-vegetable product commitment. Best-practice recommendations for US food marketers and agricultural producers are also provided.Item The role of the state in encouraging the supply of senior housing: Housing-with-care and retirement villages in Scotland and New Zealand(2023-01-15) Fyfe, A; Hutchison, N; Squires, GrahamThe inexorable increase in the demand for senior housing across all countries is well recognised with attention focusing on supply side responses. Adopting a welfare perspective, this paper considers whether leaving the supply of housing-with-care to the market alone will achieve optimal societal outcomes or lead to the under provision of senior housing. The level of state intervention in senior housing markets is considered employing a comparative approach of the experience in Scotland and New Zealand. State interventions were analysed in the areas of planning, property law and social care integration. The evidence would suggest that the market in New Zealand is more regulated than is the case in Scotland, thus enabling developers and investors to operate and invest with greater confidence, resulting in higher levels of supply. Given the current shortfall in appropriate age-related accommodation in Scotland this leads to the conclusion that the Scottish government needs to intervene more proactively in the market to stimulate and direct construction activity if a senior housing crisis is to be avoided.Item House prices, airport location proximity, and air traffic volume: Plus some Covid-19 effects(2023-01-15) Ngo, T; McCord, M; Squires, Graham; Lo, DAlthough house prices and airports are influenced by distinct factors that shape their evolutions, they are also intrinsically connected through the natural and built environment. Standard theory suggests that air-traffic noise and proximity to key economic hubs such as airports are of prime importance to house prices and the housing market. This study contributes to understanding the link between the housing market, airport location proximity, and air traffic. The research investigates this association across four key urban areas within New Zealand with an international airport - Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Queenstown. Applying GLS regression analysis reveals that house prices, air-traffic activity, and proximity to airports within New Zealand demonstrate a statistically significant spatial effect. Moreover, we demonstrate that more air traffic helps increase house prices, which is consistent with the literature. Findings also show a U-shape relationship between distance to the airport and house prices, suggesting that airport noise and other externalities can adversely affect the housing market. Furthermore, the new Zealand housing market experienced a significant price increase during the Covid-19 pandemic, whilst the airport volume decreased during an extensive lockdown period and longer-term halting of international arrivals.Item Rural contractor staffing – Challenges and solutions(New Zealand Institute of Primary Industry Management, 2023-12) Smith, DanielContribution to GDP and communities. There are over 7,000 rural contracting companies in New Zealand providing a range of services, including cultivation, harvesting, forage-making, shearing, fencing, ditch cleaning, hedge trimming, and fertiliser and chemical application, and as such are an important part of the rural economy. Not only do they contribute nearly as much to GDP as the forestry industry, but their contribution is also growing by around 6% per year. Rural contractors make a significant contribution to the entire agriculture industry, as they are usually more efficient than the farmer at what they do. This greater efficiency varies based on business, service type, region and farm types., Efficiency is driven by specialised equipment and skill sets, economies of scale, highly trained staff, advanced knowledge, use of the latest technology and operational excellence. Of these, operational excellence is the most prominent characteristic of these businesses.Item Alternative workplace solutions for university academic staff : A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Property Studies at Lincoln University(Lincoln University, 2001) Randrup, C. R. C.Work roles and patterns are changing dramatically. Australian and New Zealand university academic staff have had their workload and the hours worked in an average working week increased. The nature of their work has radically changed to incorporate greater time on administration and less on research and teaching. Where and how academic staff work is now under review. The office workplace has evolved as tertiary organisations are looking at ways to improve their competitiveness, productivity and to accommodate within building resources the new direction of education delivery. In the 1960's office landscapes experienced new directions with the introduction of the burolandschaft or open office plan design. The office continues to undergo change, with current and emerging trends in technology enabling the development of the non-traditional approach to office space such as the concept of Alternative Workplace Strategies. These strategies provide for a variety of transient work patterns, undertaken at a variety of locations and venues. This research examines recent workplace strategies in tertiary organisations by investigating as a case study, Auckland University of Technology. It also endeavours to understand the changing working environment of academic staff and to ascertain the best-suited workplace approach or approaches. A questionnaire was prepared, circulated to two thirds of AUT academic staff and analysed. The research concludes that AUT academic staff should now be working in a variety of work settings, preferably a blend of the cell and club office arrangement. This approach provides the flexibility in workplace management withou~ causing major changes to the culture and organisational management processes of AUT.