Anti-bribery and corruption reporting disclosures

Part of a series of research projects which analyses disclosures on areas of non-financial performance by Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) companies.Publisher PD

Thermal history of the early Miocene Waitemata Basin and adjacent Waipapa Group, North Island, New Zealand

Apatite fission track (AFT) and vitrinite reflectance (VR) data for early Miocene outcrops from the Waitemata Basin reveal that the basin sequence was subjected to shallow burial before denudation. AFT results suggest that the total sediment thickness within the basin was <=1 km and maximum paleotemperatures during burial never exceeded c. 60deg.C. Statistical analyses of the detrital AFT ages distinguish four dominant sources of sediment supply: contemporaneous volcanism; metagreywacke rocks of the Waipapa Group; the Northland Allochthon; and an unidentified source south of the basin. The apatite and zircon fission track results from the Waipapa Group rocks (Gondwana Terrane) adjacent to the basin suggest two discrete phases of accelerated cooling: the first during the early Cretaceous (c. 117 Ma) and the second during the mid Cretaceous (c. 84 Ma). These events probably reflect key stages in the tectonic development of the New Zealand microcontinent during the Cretaceous period, the earlier event being related to the climax of compressional deformation (Rangitata Orogeny) and the latter to extensional tectonism associated with the opening of the Tasman Sea. Waipapa Group rocks now exposed at the surface cooled from maximum paleotemperatures of c. 250deg.C at an estimated rate of c. 180-36deg.C/m.y., involving substantial denudation

Complexity and complicity in mobile telecommunications : the effect of network externalities and isomorphic strategy

The new information economy acts as a microcosm where the dynamics of complexity are present through the pervasive effects of increasing returns. Network externalities are the ubiquitous force behind winner-takes-all scenarios where only the strongest firms survive. The effect is evident in cases such as Microsoft's quasi-monopoly and eBay's dominance of the consumer and small business auctions market. Interestingly however, many important industries exhibiting strong network externalities, have emerged with no dominant winner and the competitive environment is preserved. This empirical study of the UK mobile telecom industry, which tracks an 18-year history of the mobile network operators as well as the strategies and product diffusion patterns of the networks, found firms counteracting winner-takes-all forces. Results indicate the presence of complex adaptive behavior between competing firms. Strategies are reconfigured to ensure the collective survival of all operators in the industry. The probability that one firm will dominate and that the rest will fail is eliminated. A complex set of isomorphic strategies emerges at the levels of network platforms, technical standards and consumer platforms. Through strategic herding, network externalities are exploited to act for the benefit of the whole industry causing competitors' market shares to converge dramatically to equal levels.peer-reviewe

Implementation and Use of a Convergence Test for Iterative Wind Tunnel Balance Load Predictions

A modified and extended version of a convergence test for wind tunnel strain-gage balance load iterations was implemented. The test uses an upper bound of the Lipschitz constant to assess convergence characteristics of balance load predictions if the Iterative Method is applied. Convergence is expected within the use envelope of the balance whenever this upper bound is less than the threshold of one. It is explained in great detail how the convergence test can be applied to the two load iteration equation types that are currently being used in the aerospace testing community. In addition, the application of the test to balances with bi-directional output characteristics is discussed. It is also shown how numerical differentiation can be used in order to obtain partial derivatives that are needed for the calculation of the Lipschitz constant. Finally, machine calibration data of NASA's MC60E six-component force balance is selected to demonstrate both implementation and use of the convergence test

Natural and anthropogenic lead in sediments of the Rotorua lakes, New Zealand

Global atmospheric sources of lead have increased more than 100-fold over the past century as a result of deforestation, coal combustion, ore smelting and leaded petroleum. Lead compounds generally accumulate in depositional areas across the globe where, due to low solubility and relative freedom from microbial degradation, the history of their inputs is preserved. In lakes there is rapid deposition and often little bioturbation of lead, resulting in an excellent depositional history of changes in both natural and anthropogenic sources. The objective of this study was to use sediments from a regionally bounded set of lakes to provide an indication of the rates of environmental inputs of lead whilst taking into account differences of trophic state and lead exposure between lakes. Intact sediment gravity cores were collected from 13 Rotorua lakes in North Island of New Zealand between March 2006 and January 2007. Cores penetrated sediments to a depth of 16–30 cm and contained volcanic tephra from the 1886 AD Tarawera eruption. The upper depth of the Tarawera tephra enabled prescription of a date for the associated depth in the core (120 years). Each core showed a sub-surface peak in lead concentration above the Tarawera tephra which was contemporaneous with the peak use of lead alkyl as a petroleum additive in New Zealand. An 8 m piston core was taken in the largest of the lakes, Lake Rotorua, in March 2007. The lake is antipodal to the pre-industrial sources of atmospheric lead but still shows increasing lead concentrations from <2 up to 3.5 μg g−1 between the Whakatane eruption (5530 ± 60 cal. yr BP) and the Tarawera eruption. Peaks in lead concentration in Lake Rotorua are associated with volcanic tephras, but are small compared with those arising from recent anthropogenic-derived lead deposition. Our results show that diagenetic processes associated with iron, manganese and sulfate oxidation-reduction, and sulfide precipitation, act to smooth distributions of lead from anthropogenic sources in the lake sediments. The extent of this smoothing can be related to changes in sulfate availability and reduction in sulfide driven by differences in trophic status amongst the lakes. Greatest lead mobilisation occurs in mesotrophic lakes during seasonal anoxia as iron and manganese are released to the porewater, allowing upward migration of lead towards the sediment–water interface. This lead mobilisation can only occur if sulfides are not present. The sub-surface peak in lead concentrations in lake sediments ascribed to lead alkyl in petroleum persists despite the diagenetic processes acting to disperse lead within the sediments and into the overlying water

Gender Dynamics in the Development of the Rural and Urban Informal Sector in Zimbabwe

This paper argues that the development of the informal sector has been characterized by varied degrees of dynamics which have to a greater extent shaped the gender bargaining in societies, especially amongst the Zimbabwean men and women. Men and women in the urban and Rural Zimbabwe have articulated the socio-economic and challenges offered by the informal sector differently. It is as a result of the different articulations that Zimbabwe’s informal sector has seen a much viable gendered nature of the sector as a whole. Thus this current write up seeks to carry out an evaluation of the gender dynamics of the rural and urban informal economy. Special emphasis will be on the evolutionary aspect of the development since the country’s independence. Keywords: Gender dynamics, development, informal sector, women, economy, rural, urban

Gender, Vending and Livelihood Sustainability in Zimbabwean Urban Areas: A Case Study of Katanga ‘Speed’ Market in Norton

This study explored the link between gender, vending and livelihood sustainability in Zimbabwean urban areas. The focus was on female and male vendors at Katanga ‘Speed’ market in Norton. Participants were female and male vendors selling food items including meat, poultry and fish products. Purposive sampling was adopted for the study. Data on the experiences, views and perceptions on vending activities was generated through observation, photography and interviews. Data analysis was done through descriptive statistics and corresponding percentages. In addition, data from interviews was analyzed thematically using common themes that emerged from the interviews on the challenges faced by vendors. To analyze the sustainability of the vending activities from a health perspective, the study questioned the reasons why vendors were not relocating to an established vending site less than two kilometers from the ‘Speed’ market, choosing to remain where there are no toilets or water facilities. The research recommends council authorities to prioritize the relocation of vendors and the involvement of organizations on educating vendors on food handling and hygiene to safeguard the health of the people consuming food sold at Katanga Keywords: Gender, vendors, informal sector, women, livelihood, fish, meat, urban areas. DOI: 10.7176/PPAR/9-3-16 Publication date:March 31st 201