Identity Switching for Teaching Reflection — Example from Waikato Institute of Technology

The purpose of reflective teaching is to examine teaching process and improve teacher’s teaching ability. The reflective teaching course of Waikato Institute of Technology offers teachers an experience to learn a second language as fresh students. Through the process of a new foreign language learning practice, personal reflection, group discussion, personal reflective writing and teacher’s guidance, the teacher trainees are hoped to get a better understanding of students’ learning process, which can inspire college English teaching in China

Research in multi-cultural relationship building

This study aims to explore the ‘missing gap' between the values of an Accounting firm and the preference shown by Maaori on how they would like to be approached when wanting to build a trusted relationship within a business sense. This study makes use of qualitative approaches in which data is collected primarily through interviews and analysed to produce results and recommendations. The study found that Maaori would like to be approached in a way that makes sense to them and also identifies with their cultural proceedings. It also provides insight into how important trust is when establishing a relationship with Maaori. The study recommends that further studies conducted should interview a wider variety of focus groups to add different elements to this research and that FIRM A's small business department's offerings do not align with what Maaori want so need to be rethought to adapt to Maaor expectations

Editorial: Grammar in the face of diversity

The river one dips one’s toes into from one editorial to the next is never the same, as Heraclitus might have observed. Part 1 of this double issue (December, 2005) consisted of eight articles from contributors based in five countries: the United States, England, New Zealand, South Africa and Canada. Part 2 contains six articles and two teacher narratives from the United States (two), Scotland, the Netherlands, Australia (2), Indonesia and Denmark. The inclusion of contributors from European countries outside of the United Kingdom is a reminder that debates over the “grammar” question are not confined to the Anglophonic world. I am grateful to Amos van Gelderen and Anette Wulff for finding time to contribute to a journal, which hitherto has addressed itself to readers in a relatively small range of (officially) English speaking constituencies. I am also grateful to Handoyo Widodo for his contribution, written in the context of English-language teaching in Indonesia

Expanding the education role to narrow the audit expectation gap: exploring the expectation gap’s existence among accounting students

Society perceives and expects more from auditor’s than what auditors can actually achieve. Society has been found to misperceive the role of an auditor, in particular, in regards to fraud, internal controls and going concern issues. Society’s differing perceptions and expectations of the auditing profession is known as the audit expectation gap. This study aims to explore the audit expectation gap’s existence among Wintec accounting students and the effect that education has on the audit expectation gap. This research intends to answer two research questions. First, does an audit expectation gap exist among Wintec accounting students? Second, what is the effect of education on the audit expectation gap? To answer these research questions, 20 Wintec accounting students have been interviewed. Ten students who have received an audit education, and ten students who have not received audit education. Qualitative data was collected from these interviews and analysed using a mixed methods approach. This study found that an audit education exists among Wintec accounting students. This study also found that education reduced the audit expectation gap, in particular, the deficient performance gap and the communication gap. However, while education did reduce the audit expectations gap, it was not eliminated. This study recommends that Wintec provides a more basic auditing education during introductory accounting papers, educating students on the role of an auditor. This study also recommends that education focuses on the practical use of an audit report, to increase student’s understandings of the information in the audit report, and how this information is communicated. Thus, the researcher believes that these recommendations will help to further reduce the audit expectation

Analysis and optimization of distribution logistics for Just Water Company

This report details the various factors that affect the operational efficiency of distribution logistics. The research aimed at studying the existing components involved in the distribution logistics of Just Water. Distribution logistics begins at the end of the production line where the finished product is emerged until it reaches the customers. The literature review explains the key components of distribution logistics in an organisation. This research analyses the existing components of the distribution logistics of Just Water and discusses possible improvements that can be adapted to increase the overall efficiency of the distribution logistics operation. The background of the research is that Just Water faces difficulty with delivering its products on time during peak seasons. The research tries to unveil the reason for this delay and finds that the demands for extra water-out deliveries are interfering with the normal runs of the trucks, therein delaying their regular schedule. One another cause was found to be the shortage of supplies due to slow or less return logistics. The research suggests a change in the existing drop shipping distribution model and recommends the adaptation of intermediary or multi-stage distribution networks, possibly the ‘Last Mile Delivery’ configuration in order to reduce delivery lead-time, reduce transportation costs and improve customer satisfaction

Consumer behaviour in hamilton clothing sector

There is fierce competition in the clothing industry in New Zealand. This study analysed major determinants that influence consumer behaviour, especially in Hamilton. The background of this research is stated at the beginning of the report. In addition, there are 14 factors that may impact on purchase intentions, including store image, employee politeness, client’s gender, quality of products, and word of mouth. The researcher conducted primary research and gained data through a questionnaire. 150 informants participated in this research. After the analysis, respondents’ features are demonstrated in descriptive statistics, and answers to the research question are described in the results section. The first finding of this research is that employee politeness and consumer’s gender can impact on the budget people would like to spend in an apparel store. Another finding of this research is that store image, word of mouth, and product quality are the major determinant of the frequency that clients will visit a garment store. The researcher provides some recommendations for all clothing retailers to improve sales performance; firstly, coach staff before they provide service to your clients. Secondly, offer chairs and entertainment for the consumer’s partner. Thirdly, increase the investment for the store’s decoration, and design a stunning shopping bag for customers to carry. Fourthly, offer clients coupons or discounts when they bring their friends to purchase products together. Finally, retailers should focus on the industry’s movement and make adjustments rapidly

Stakeholder disclosure in the consumer and finance industries

Disclosures of information are important for disseminating information and the functioning of profit and non-profit organisations. The organisation is required to disclose information to stakeholders through different ways such as interim quarterly reports, and annual reports, with much additional information provided voluntarily. The annual report is found to be the most vital source of information about an organisations activities, financial and non-financial. By using annual reports, stakeholders are getting updated with the company’s quarterly and annually performances. To measure the level of information disclosed in annual reports, disclosure indices measure and assess the level of information. By using a disclosure index, researchers can determine which information companies find the most important and which are the least important. Past research indicates that disclosures vary across industries due to stakeholder influences in the respective industries. This study investigates the level of disclosure in annual reports of the consumer service Industry and the financial Industry. For this research, eight companies were sampled and analysed using 20 selected disclosure items relative to four stakeholder groups. Disclosure indices were used to measure and compare the level of disclosures for both industries. The results of this study showed that consumer services industry disclose more information to stakeholders than the financial industry. The stakeholder disclosed to most by both industries was the shareholder while community was the least disclosed to. The lack of disclosure to some stakeholders indicates a stakeholder management phenomenon. Disclosure could be improved by all industries and more disclosure to particular stakeholders

Assessing the impact of a cloud-based learning platform on student motivation and ownership of learning

Has the KuraCloud learning platform increased student motivation and ownership of their learning? Cloud-based educational technologies are used with the expectation that they will assist students to become life-long learners. These technologies give students more control over their learning and this has been shown to motivate them to work harder (Yurco, 2014). This research examines the impact of a recently implemented cloud-based learning platform (KuraCloud) on student motivation and ownership of their learning. All students enrolled in the undergraduate Bachelor of Nursing programme at Wintec will be invited to participate in an online survey. Areas that will be explored to assess motivation include whether students feel more motivated, whether they feel encouraged to seek extra information about topics, and whether their participation is influenced by particular aspects and exercises within the KuraCloud lessons. Areas that will be explored to assess ownership of learning include whether the KuraCloud lessons helped them to learn independently, to problem-solve, and to understand the topic content and the lesson concepts. The research has not been completed yet, but the results will be presented at the conference. It is expected that the results will inform future planning to enhance student motivation and ownership of learning using this technology

Strategic Plan for the Lakeland Queen and its entry into the China FIT market (2017-2020)

Abstract: With a maximum capacity of 240 customers on both decks, Lakeland Queen is the largest vessel on Lake Rotorua. Nowadays, it provides one-hour cruises including breakfast, lunch, and dinner cruise every day. Also, well equipped with buffet and bar on both decks, it is also capable of catering for many special events and parties. The past few years has seen a rapid growth in the number of Chinese visitors, who became the most important market for Lakeland Queen. However, behind the growing numbers of Chinese visitors every year, there is an undergoing trend from tour groups to Free Independent Travellers (FIT). The aim of the research is to develop a strategic plan for Lakeland Queen and its entry into the Chinese FIT market. A combination of quantitative research and qualitative research has been used. The target market for Lakeland Queen among the FIT visitors has been identified. And the customer awareness among the Chinse FIT visitors for Lakeland Queen are very low. Most importantly, the travel planning preferences of the Chinese FIT visitors have been found out. It would be recommended that the Lakeland Queen should clarify its target market first, based on which they can develop new products and cruise options for the FIT customers. Also, family discounts and combo activities would be effective ways to attract more independent travellers. Also, a digital development plan would be recommended primarily for Lakeland Queen

How to improve and manage effective and efficient online customer service

The aim of this research is to help improve and manage effective and efficient online customer service and from the literature two main research questions were found. The reason for this research is to help online customer service and this idea was generated through the researcher as they want to have their own online business in the future. The key findings of the research is that the longer participants have been shopping online the more trust they have with online stores and the longer they have been shopping online the more they would be affected by negative feedback about an online store. One major recommendation is to build relationships with customers, online stores need to have an online live chat so customers can ask questions at any time while shopping. Another major recommendation is maintaining service recovery, by having service recovery procedures in place and offering unhappy customer with a small gesture so that they know they are being valued which should increase customer loyalty