Wavelet-based birdsong recognition for conservation : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

Listed in 2017 Dean's List of Exceptional ThesesAccording to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red Data List nearly a quarter of the world's bird species are either threatened or at risk of extinction. To be able to protect endangered species, we need accurate survey methods that reliably estimate numbers and hence population trends. Acoustic monitoring is the most commonly-used method to survey birds, particularly cryptic and nocturnal species, not least because it is non-invasive, unbiased, and relatively time-effective. Unfortunately, the resulting data still have to be analysed manually. The current practice, manual spectrogram reading, is tedious, prone to bias due to observer variations, and not reproducible. While there is a large literature on automatic recognition of targeted recordings of small numbers of species, automatic analysis of long field recordings has not been well studied to date. This thesis considers this problem in detail, presenting experiments demonstrating the true efficacy of recorders in natural environments under different conditions, and then working to reduce the noise present in the recording, as well as to segment and recognise a range of New Zealand native bird species. The primary issues with field recordings are that the birds are at variable distances from the recorder, that the recordings are corrupted by many different forms of noise, that the environment affects the quality of the recorded sound, and that birdsong is often relatively rare within a recording. Thus, methods of dealing with faint calls, denoising, and effective segmentation are all needed before individual species can be recognised reliably. Experiments presented in this thesis demonstrate clearly the effects of distance and environment on recorded calls. Some of these results are unsurprising, for example an inverse square relationship with distance is largely true. Perhaps more surprising is that the height from which a call is transmitted has a signifcant effect on the recorded sound. Statistical analyses of the experiments, which demonstrate many significant environmental and sound factors, are presented. Regardless of these factors, the recordings have noise present, and removing this noise is helpful for reliable recognition. A method for denoising based on the wavelet packet decomposition is presented and demonstrated to significantly improve the quality of recordings. Following this, wavelets were also used to implement a call detection algorithm that identifies regions of the recording with calls from a target bird species. This algorithm is validated using four New Zealand native species namely Australasian bittern (Botaurus poiciloptilus), brown kiwi (Apteryx mantelli ), morepork (Ninox novaeseelandiae), and kakapo (Strigops habroptilus), but could be used for any species. The results demonstrate high recall rates and tolerate false positives when compared to human experts

An empirical investigation of agency costs and ownership structure in unlisted small businesses

The study uses panel data to investigate agency costs, both principal-agent (PA) and principal-principal (PP), in 240 small businesses not listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange. Results show that both forms of agency cost vary according to industry, the life of the business and size. The results indicate that the degree of owner involvement in the business influences firm PA and PP agency costs. Moreover, this study finds non-linear relationship between agency costs and ownership structure align with convergence of interest hypothesis and managerial entrenchment hypothesis. It is noted that the distortion between equity returns and debt returns gives rise to a preference for quasi-equity and distorts the productive base and effective pricing of risk. The analysis indicates there is considerable variability in the burden of agency cost and that this raises the potential for regulatory and policy reforms that may enhance the productivity and growth in the sector

Numerical study of cold-formed steel beams subject to lateral torsional buckling

The use of cold-formed steel members as structural columns and beams in residential, industrial and commercial buildings has increased significantly in recent times. This study is focused on the use of cold-formed steel sections as flexural members subject to lateral-torsional buckling. For this purpose a finite element model of a simply supported lipped channel beam under uniform bending was developed, validated using available numerical and experimental results, and used in a detailed parametric study. The moment capacity results were then compared with the predictions from the current ambient temperature design rules in the cold-formed steel structures codes of Australia, New Zealand, North America and Europe. European design rules were found to be conservative while Australian and American design rules were unsafe. This paper presents the results of the numerical study, the comparison with the current design rules and the new proposed design rules

An Investigation of Foundation Phase Teachers' Perceptions of Their Needs Within the Inclusive Classroom

Student Number : 9604227E - MEd research report - School of Human and Community Development - Faculty of HumanitiesThis study investigates the needs of Foundation Phase teachers within an inclusive education system. The policy of inclusion in education is currently being promoted in many countries and has over the last decade been part of the new educational movement in South Africa. The rationale for this study lies in the pivotal role of teachers in facilitating the success of an inclusive system. The study utilises a sample of eighteen female teachers in the Foundation Phase of six different township-based mainstream primary schools in Gauteng. The schools share similar socio-economic backgrounds, and are all dual medium of instruction (English and Afrikaans), co-ed schools. The participants range in age from 26-59 years old, having a tertiary qualification in education and a range of teaching experience from 1 year to over 10 years. The teachers were asked to participate in a guided interview that was designed to examine 1) their perceptions of what they need in order to be effective within their classrooms, 2) their perceptions of their competency in managing diversity within their classrooms, and 3) their perceptions of support services with regard to in-service training programmes, district-based support teams, school-based support teams, and within school resources. The findings revealed that the major needs of teachers within an inclusive setting relate to: smaller class size, less administrative paperwork, specialised support from professional experts within the field of education (e.g. psychologists, remedial teachers), greater support from support teams, and training programmes aimed at directly addressing their difficulty in adequately meeting the individual needs of learners. Further, the teachers feel that they do not possess the necessary skills that are needed to cope with meeting the demands of learner diversity within their classrooms. The results of this study provide reasons for concern regarding teachers who are viewed as the key role-players for the successful implementation of inclusive education. The research findings suggest that unless the needs of teachers are acknowledged and addressed through effective interventions, the implementation of inclusive education could encounter serious obstacles. The limitations of the present study are discussed and directions for future research are made

Corporate governance and financial performance of Sri Lankan listed companies 2006-2010

This thesis investigates the effect of corporate governance practices have on the financial performance and agency costs of multinational subsidiaries and local public companies in Sri Lanka. In particular, this study examines (i) the relationship between corporate governance mechanisms of Sri Lankan listed companies, financial performance, principal-agent and principal-principal agency costs (ii) corporate governance practices and compliance differences of multinational company subsidiaries (MNCs) and local public companies (LPCs) in Sri Lanka, (iii) whether voluntary compliance with the new corporate code had an effect on firm financial performance and agency costs and (iv) corporate governance and firm financial performance differences across quantiles of performance proxies in MNCs and LPCs. Corporate governance has become a major issue since the collapse of major companies around the world. Additionally, the Asian financial crisis in 1997 showed the need for legislative reforms to strengthen corporate governance practices in that region. Now, it is widely believed that good corporate governance is an important factor in improving firm financial performance in both developed and developing financial markets. Until the mid-1990s, corporate governance was popularly known in Sri Lanka as, the systems used to control and direct companies. A real effort to codify the principle of corporate governance in a structured manner in Sri Lanka was made in 1996. Since the financial year commencing April 2008, Sri Lankan listed firms have been subject to mandated rules on corporate governance by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka. The main purpose of this new mandatory corporate governance rule is promoting accountability, transparency and overall efficiency in corporate governance best practice. This thesis makes a number of contributions to corporate governance and firm financial performance knowledge in several ways. First, it provides evidence of the relationship between corporate governance practices and firm financial performance and agency costs. Second, in contrast to most existing studies that use data from developed countries, this research considers how differences in institutional and governance systems between countries may impact firm financial performance, agency costs and corporate governance relationships. Third, this research is the first direct study of firm financial performance, agency costs and corporate governance practices for listed Sri Lankan companies. Data needed to test various hypotheses are sourced from the Handbook of Listed Companies - 2007, Fact Book - 2008 and Data library CD issued by the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE). Further data have been collected from companies listed on the (CSE) during 2006-2010 that published audited annual reports. For the LPCs and MNC subsidiary companies, the sampling period is 2006 through 2010. The focus of this thesis is on the governance variables that have been highlighted by the Sri Lankan Corporate governance best practice code (2008) and also other governance variables that are supported in the literature as providing an appropriate structure for the institutions in the environment in which they operate. Statistical issues such as controlling the endogenity effect and reverse causality effect of corporate governance variables indicate is appropriate to employ dynamic panel generalised method of moment estimators to explore the relationship between corporate governance variables, financial performance and agency costs. Various other statistical techniques including as ANOVA test, panel tobit regression, difference-in-difference method, quantile regression are used to check hypotheses relevant in this study. The findings indicate that there is positive relationship between corporate governance and firm financial performance and a negative relationship between corporate governance and firm agency costs. However, the process by which the firm financial performance and agency costs affect MNC subsidiaries and LPCs is different. These results also support the central argument in corporate governance that the institutional and cultural differences determine the effect of complying corporate governance and financial performance and agency costs. Although Sri Lanka basically follows an Anglo-American model of corporate governance, country institutional and cultural differences create a unique corporate governance environment in Sri Lanka. It is important to further develop the corporate governance code incorporating country specific characteristics rather than inherit bundles of corporate governance mechanisms from other developed countries. However, as this study shows, some mandatory corporate governance mechanisms have negative impacts on firm financial performance and/or increase company agency conflicts. A corporate governance framework appropriate for each organisation structure as “one size does not fit all” seems preferable. Guidelines encompassing an “or explain” exemption clause may be particularly beneficial in emerging economies

The roles of absorptive capacity, technology adoption, and extension services in a local agricultural innovation system in Sri Lanka

Sustainable agriculture development is realized through the local Agriculture Innovation System(AIS) of the country. Actors of the agriculture innovation system interacting with each other in technology generation, processing, dissemination, and utilization process to sustain the progress of the development process. AIS of the developing countries are in a disadvantageous position in generating and learning innovation. This study analyses the contributions of the individual elements to the performances of the AIS in context to Sri Lanka. First, the study analyzes the determinants of R&D institutes’ innovative and knowledge sharing performance. Secondly, the study analyses the ACAP of individual extension officers and determinants impacting their performances. Finally, farmers’ knowledge sharing process and technology adoption behaviors are analyzed. Therefore, this study consists of five related but independent studies based on local AIS in Sri Lanka. First, the study reveals that the ACAP of R&D institutes is primarily shaped by system and coordination capabilities, and to a lesser extent by socialization capabilities. Furthermore, coordination capabilities impact to a greater degree for organizations’ potential ACAP and system capabilities for realized ACAP. The empirical results based on network perspectives show that institutes with higher organizational ACAP and scientific publications hold more prominent network positions. Further, those institutes more frequently acquire external knowledge from publications and professional conferences empowering to achieve higher levels of innovation performance. The second study focuses on the Agricultural extension services and diffusion of knowledge and examines the extent to which AIs’ capabilities to identify, assimilate, utilize, and share knowledge are shaped by their motivations, abilities, and opportunities (MOA). The study Interviews 72 AIs in the Southern province of Sri Lanka. The empirical findings show that AIs’ abilities and opportunities contribute to the development of four dimensions of individual ACAP. In contrast, motivation does not seem to be of relevance in this context. Finally, this study explores the access and use of agricultural knowledge and information by paddy farmers in the Hambantota district in Sri Lanka. The study found that formal information-sharing processes are dominant among paddy farmers and farmers receive and share information more frequently and formally with the AIs. AIs are perceived as the most trusted and most accessible information sources by the farmers. Further, the farmer’s age and farming experience show a positive relationship with the adoption of new technologies, while technology adoption behavior is not significantly affected by the social and demographic factors of farming communities. Furthermore, the empirical results show that only 40 to 60 percent of farmers are actually inclined to adopt new agricultural technologies. Technological constraints are shown to be the most dominant adoption barriers for paddy farmers. Therefore, this study recommends to overcome technological barriers to upgrade adoption of agricultural technologies. Finally, this study recommended to initiate more collaborative activities to enhance the knowledge generation and diffusion in AIS in Sri Lanka. Moreover, the formal knowledge sharing process through AIs is recommended to enhance the productivity of the extension service in Sri Lanka. At last, private-public partnerships in research and extension services are recommended to uplifting the efficiency of the agricultural innovation system in Sri Lanka

Linking uses of management control systems with strategic capabilities and business level strategies for organizational performance evidence from the Sri Lankan textile and apparel industry

This research investigates how the uses of Management Control Systems (MCS), namely, diagnostic use and interactive use, as moderating variables, influence the relationship between business (competitive) strategies (which are determined by strategic capabilities) and organizational performance. Simons’ levers of control model, Porter’s theory of generic competitive strategy and the Resource Based View (RBV) of strategy have been considered as the underpinning theories and models of the study in developing the theoretical framework and hypotheses. The theoretical framework consists of two strategic capabilities (low cost competency and uniqueness competency), two generic business strategies (cost leadership and differentiation), two uses of MCS (diagnostic and interactive) and organizational performance as the study variables leading to twelve hypotheses based upon the extant literature. In this quantitative research, five hypotheses are developed as exploratory while the other seven hypotheses are confirmatory

Comparative analysis of environmental performance measures and their impact on firms' financing choices

This study investigates the roles of different measures of environmental performance in firms' financing choices. Environmental performance is measured through energy-efficiency investments, energy intensity, and energy consumption disclosures, which correspond to input-based, output-based, and disclosing perspectives, respectively. We further distinguish between debt financing and equity financing since environmental information asymmetry varies across investors, affecting the pecking order of financial sources. We use Eastern European and Central Asian firm-level data from the World Bank Enterprise Surveys conducted in 2019/2020. The study sample consists of above 3000 private firms from 42 countries. The logit model shows that alternative measures of environmental performance have varying impacts on financing. For a particular measure, it affects bank and equity financing in different ways. We also find that there is a direct joint impact of environmental investments and disclosures on equity financing. Overall, our study indicates that investors prefer to invest in eco-friendly firms rather than supporting conventional firms in reducing their environmental impacts. Hence, it is required to promote government support programs and loan guarantee programs to initiate firm-level environmental practices. Further, the complementary relationship indicates that firms may choose different environmental practices to reduce environmental information uncertainty, which improves the credibility of environmental information from the investors' perspective.publishedVersio

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and social work practice in Australia: A narrative literature review

In Australia, it has been well documented that the leading preventable cause of nongenetic neurodevelopmental disability (NDD) is Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). This review explores literature informing Australian social work in the context of FASD. It highlights the need for increased social work research to inform evidence-based practice (EBP) in FASD diagnosis and management using the biopsychosocial-spiritual-cultural (BPSSC) framework. Social workers are often first to identify children's emotional, behavioural, and learning difficulties that may be a characteristic of FASD. Nonetheless, there is limited knowledge and understanding about how social workers in Australia address FASD. We argue that research about FASD and social work practice can improve social workers’ understanding of the BPSSC characteristics and management of FASD across the life course and contribute to EBP development in these areas in Australian social work

Bending-induced local buckling during offshore installation of multi-layered FRP pipelines

In the last two decades FRP pipelines have attracted the attention of the oil industry because of their high strength, excellent fatigue performance and low specific weight. On the other hand, the final cost of installation of FRP pipelines is comparable to the cost of carbon steel ones. Therefore, their implementation in offshore applications seems to be advantageous. During offshore installation, the curvatures of the pipes during the S-lay or J-lay installation processes cause high bending stresses and risk for bending-induced local buckling. Since the pipe wall is multi-layered and the laminae are anisotropic, the calculation of critical bending moments is difficult. In the present work, an analytical solution of critical bending moments for bending-induced local buckling is provided. The proposed method uses the classical lamination theory of multi-layered anisotropic materials and Flügge's assumption for local buckling analysis of pipelines. Results for E-Glass fiber reinforced polymeric pipelines are provided and discussed.publishedVersio