Search results

The goal of this article is two-fold. The first is to contribute new insights to inform education policies for addressing the underlying educational inequalities and injustices that are caused by lack of epistemic access in the context of Fiji higher education. The second is to explore how the Grounded Theory Methodology can be applied to longitudinal language testing research that seeks to reverse epistemic injustices and educational inequalities in Fiji and other comparable multilingual countries.

To explore how the Grounded Theory Methodology can be applied to longitudinal language testing research that seeks to reverse epistemic injustices and educational inequalities in Fiji and other comparable multilingual countries. The study was conducted at a university in Fiji where 120 students were sampled at the beginning of the first year and at the end of their first year of university programme. The same cohort was tracked throughout the project, out of which 30 students were interviewed at the end of the first year.

The four indicators include: (1) lack of teaching and learning resources, (2) language barriers, (3) problems with the medium of instruction and (4) shortage of experienced teachers.

Although widely acknowledged in previous studies from elsewhere, the indicators of educational inequalities identified in this study are worth reporting on due to the unique socio-cultural and linguistic context of Fiji.

Fiji is a multicultural and linguistically multi-competent country. Historical ethnic divisions have socialised students into language friendships based around common languages. Recent changes to educational policy, specifically the mandating of students learning all three of the Standard languages of Fiji (Fijian, Hindi, and English), have been introduced in hope that cross-linguistic understanding will encourage a greater sense of national identity amongst all Fijians regardless of ethnicity. This study explores one multilingual school environment considering students’ language use, attitudes and friendships in light of these policies.

A convergent mixed-methods research design using surveying, artefact collection, students’ drawing and observation was employed.

The majority of students reported some proficiency in the language of their inter-ethnic peers; however, students’ inter-ethnic friendships predominantly relied on English language use. It was observed that most friendships amongst these Fijian primary school students were still established according to main language use at home; however, inter-ethnic peer interaction in English was observed to be friendly and respectful. These language use patterns and friendship behaviours were potentially reinforced by individual and societal multilingualism, in addition to the school environment.

The chapter presents the first research linking Fijian primary school students’ language choices and friendship development.

This study explored the experiences and perceptions of stakeholders concerning luxury yachting in the Fiji Islands. It also revealed the facilities provided on luxury yachts, significant challenges faced by stakeholders in the yachting business, major luxury yacht operators and the safety measures in place for the patrons/consumers of luxury yachting.

It employed an exploratory qualitative methodology that incorporated 16 in-depth semi-structured face-to-face interviews with stakeholders in the luxury yachting businesses via contact with superyacht agents. The interview participants for this research were selected based on a non-random sampling technique in the major marinas of the Fiji Islands (i.e. Port Denarau Marina, Copra Shed Marina, Savusavu, Royal Suva Yacht club, and Vuda marina).

Results revealed that the services/facilities provided on luxury yachts are state-of-the-art; however, there is a need to integrate luxury yachting with more personalized, creative, unique and innovative experiences. Findings also suggest the need for government funding for the redevelopment/renovation of some ports and provide skill-based training for yacht employees.

This study contributes to filling some of the gaps in the luxury yachting literature in Fiji and sheds light on stakeholders' perceptions of the amenities offered at marinas and ports, significant challenges in the yachting industry and safety measures in place for patrons.

This study aims to examine the geographic, historical and institutional influences on social enterprise in a small Pacific island country.

Drawing on theoretical literature and factual materials published by reputable sources and based on local knowledge of the authors, the study considers how Fiji’s location; history; and social, economic, political and cultural institutions affect social enterprise.

Social enterprise is influenced by Fiji’s remote location and small economy, which reduces access to external information and suggests that the nation is slow to embrace new ideas. Fiji’s demographics, ethnic divisions and cultural arrangements create economic and political tensions that affect how support services and economic policies are delivered. Indians were brought to Fiji under the British colonial administration, and Fijians with Indian heritage now make up almost 40% of the population. Informal separation and growing tensions between these Fijian Indian citizens and indigenous Fijians have contributed to political instability. The resulting outmigration of skilled nonindigenous people has reduced levels of human capital and expertise. This limits Fiji’s capacity to innovate, including developing a robust social enterprise sector. Although social enterprise could be a very effective way to address social and economic problems in Fiji, it seems unlikely that the government will embrace the concept without support and encouragement from external sources, especially international aid and UN agencies.

Generalisability is not assumed with this study, as it examines only one Pacific island country; however, it is likely that the findings will apply in other small Pacific island countries having similar cultural arrangements.

This paper offers information that will assist practitioners, researchers and policymakers in understanding and negotiating complexities of the institutional environment in remote locations, especially in small Pacific island countries.

As one of the first studies of a small Pacific island country, this paper extends scholarship in this region and adds to the current understandings of social enterprise. In particular, the paper adds valuable, new knowledge of the effects of geographic location, political instability and cultural and ethnic divisions. This study is likely to be relevant for other small countries in isolated locations, especially those in the Pacific region with similar cultural environments.

Computer corpus linguistics (CCL) is a scientific innovation that has facilitated the creation and analysis of large corpora in a systematic way by means of computer technology since the 1950s. This article provides an account of the CCL pioneers in general but particularly of those in Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Switzerland. It is found that Germany and Sweden, due to more advantageous financing and weaker communities of generativists, had a faster adoption of CCL than the other two countries. A particular late adopter among the four was Switzerland, which did not take up CCL until foreign professors had been recruited.

This is a study of the social consequences of accounting controls over labour. This paper aims to examine the system of tasking used to control Indian indentured workers in the historical context of Fijian sugar plantations during the British colonial period from 1879 to 1920.

Archival data consisting of documents from the Colonial Secretary’s Office, reports and related literature on Indian indentured labour were accessed from the National Archives of Fiji. In addition, documented accounts of the experiences of indentured labourers over the period of the study gave voice to the social costs of the indenture system, highlighting the social impact of accounting control systems.

Accounting and management controls were developed to extract surplus value from Indian labour. The practice of tasking was implemented in a plantation structure where indentured labourers were controlled hierarchically. This resulted in their exploitation and consequent economic, social and racial marginalisation.

Like all historical research, our interpretation is limited by the availability of archival documents and the theoretical framework chosen to examine these documents.

The study promotes a better understanding of the practice and impact of accounting controls within a particular institutional setting, in this case the British colony of Fiji.

By highlighting the social implications of accounting controls in their historical context, we alert corporations, government policy makers, accountants and workers to the socially damaging effects of exploitive management control systems.

The paper contributes to the growing body of literature highlighting the social effects of accounting control systems. It exposes the social costs borne by indentured workers employed on Fijian sugar plantations.

Teacher colleges played a significant role in the preparation of teachers for over 100 years in New Zealand. Teacher training colleges opened in the 1880s and served as the main institutions for teacher preparation. Toward the end of the twentieth century, the plight of teachers’ colleges once again fell victim to the ‘decline and demand cycle’ for teachers. Fueled by discussions regarding the extent teacher training should be “practically based in the classroom”, new government directions and policy priorities for the preparation of the teaching workforce were implemented. All teacher colleges experienced either staged amalgamations or ultimate closure. In the late 1970s and 1980s, the preparation of teachers entered a new phase as the responsibility shifted to the university sector, which included the training of kindergarten teachers. While the policy rhetoric imagined this to be an amalgamation, the reality was a process fraught with a number of anxieties, not the least of which were the intellectual shifts.

Fiji is an island nation in the South Pacific, which whilst enjoying swaying palms, coral seas and a relaxed life style, also experiences many of the problems of Third World developing countries.

Management development programmes (MDPs) are crucial to developing Pacific island countries. Programme designers must understand the region which comprises thousands of islands spread many miles apart. These countries are influenced by their history of colonial occupation and protection by the British, Germans and Americans. Fiji is unique, being an independent republic and the largest, wealthiest and most influential South Pacific country. Native languages are many, but English is commonly used throughout for government and business – except in French Polynesia. The native population is mainly Polynesian and Melanesian, with a significant minority being Micronesian. Each society has distinct customs, languages and behaviours modified by its national affiliation and geographical location. Early MDPs were modelled on western practices. In the 1990s, MDPs conform to the objectives of aid‐granting agencies, their content is oriented towards practical application of management skills, and instruction is conducted observing cultural behaviours and norms