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Article
Publication date: 3 August 2015

Ratenesh Anand Sharma and Laurence Murphy

This paper aims to examine the housing experiences of Fijian migrants in Auckland, New Zealand, in response to recent calls for greater attention to be given to the housing…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the housing experiences of Fijian migrants in Auckland, New Zealand, in response to recent calls for greater attention to be given to the housing experiences of a wider range of migrant groups. The paper seeks to extend the understanding of the housing experiences of a migrant group that have the economic and social resources that are likely to see them achieve housing outcomes beyond the usual “niche” and limited segments of the housing market usually available to migrants.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper used a questionnaire survey designed to uncover the housing experiences and levels of satisfaction of Fijian migrants living in Auckland. Developing on the works of literature that have addressed ethnic residential segregation and migrant housing outcomes, this paper addresses the housing experiences of a well-established migrant community that possesses significant human capital (skills, education, English language proficiency) but occupies a hybrid cultural identity.

Findings

The majority of the 84 respondents had attained homeownership. Homeownership was prized for conveying a sense of “independence” and was aligned with notions of Fijian Indian culture. Both homeowners and renters expressed high levels of satisfaction with the locational attributes of their homes. While the majority of renters aspired to homeownership, a lack of affordable housing was noted. Homeowners recognised that they had benefitted from accessing homeownership when house prices were more affordable and believed that current and future migrants would struggle to buy a house in the Auckland housing market.

Research limitations/implications

In the absence of a sampling frame, this research employed a purposive sampling technique that distributed questionnaires among Fijian migrant community groups and ethnic businesses. As the first study of its kind into the housing experiences of Fijian migrants in Auckland, the sample size (84 respondents) and geographical distribution of respondents was deemed sufficient to offer insights into the community’s housing experiences. The findings of this research could be used to develop a larger-scale analysis of the housing experiences of Fijian migrants in Auckland.

Originality/value

While considerable attention has been given to documenting the locational distribution of migrants in Auckland, this is the first study to examine the housing experiences of Fijian migrants. The paper adds to the understandings of the variety of migrant housing outcomes by focussing on the experiences of a well-established migrant group that possesses significant human capital and occupies a distinct ethnic position within Pacific migration flows.

Details

International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis, vol. 8 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8270

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 September 2011

Dulani Halvitigala, Laurence Murphy and Deborah Levy

This paper aims to examine the experiences of valuers when valuing market dominant and non‐dominant standard lease structures. The research compares the perceptions and approaches…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the experiences of valuers when valuing market dominant and non‐dominant standard lease structures. The research compares the perceptions and approaches of New Zealand valuers when valuing gross and net leases, two standard lease types commonly utilised in the New Zealand commercial property market.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employs a structured survey of 87 commercial valuers practising in Auckland (where net leases dominate) and Wellington (where gross leases dominate) complemented by in‐depth interviews with senior commercial valuers employed by large national/international multidisciplinary real estate companies.

Findings

The results suggest that valuers find the process of valuing standard non‐dominant lease structures more demanding than valuing dominant leases and tend to be comparatively less confident about carrying out valuations of leases with which they are less familiar. This lack of confidence tends to result from the lack of comparable evidence and the added complexity of the valuation process requiring additional valuer expertise and judgement. In addition the study uncovers the adoption of place‐based differential valuation practices that have built up over time between the two centres under study.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the literature relating to valuer behaviour by revealing that even within one country with the same rules and professional standards different valuation practices may evolve. This study specifically identifies different dominant lease structures as being one of the reasons for these differential valuation practices. The findings also highlight the difficulties perceived by valuers when valuing non‐dominant leases and in turn this may have implications when comparing the valuation outcomes of similar buildings within different markets.

Details

Journal of Property Investment & Finance, vol. 29 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-578X

Keywords

Content available
Article
Publication date: 14 June 2013

Bridget Penhale and Margaret Flynn

88

Abstract

Details

The Journal of Adult Protection, vol. 15 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1466-8203

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 3 April 2017

Jeremy Segrott, Jo Holliday, Simon Murphy, Sarah Macdonald, Joan Roberts, Laurence Moore and Ceri Phillips

The teaching of cooking is an important aspect of school-based efforts to promote healthy diets among children, and is frequently done by external agencies. Within a limited…

2721

Abstract

Purpose

The teaching of cooking is an important aspect of school-based efforts to promote healthy diets among children, and is frequently done by external agencies. Within a limited evidence base relating to cooking interventions in schools, there are important questions about how interventions are integrated within school settings. The purpose of this paper is to examine how a mobile classroom (Cooking Bus) sought to strengthen connections between schools and cooking, and drawing on the concept of the sociotechnical network, theorise the interactions between the Bus and school contexts.

Design/methodology/approach

Methods comprised a postal questionnaire to 76 schools which had received a Bus visit, and case studies of the Bus’ work in five schools, including a range of school sizes and urban/rural locations. Case studies comprised observation of Cooking Bus sessions, and interviews with school staff.

Findings

The Cooking Bus forged connections with schools through aligning intervention and schools’ goals, focussing on pupils’ cooking skills, training teachers and contributing to schools’ existing cooking-related activities. The Bus expanded its sociotechnical network through post-visit integration of cooking activities within schools, particularly teachers’ use of intervention cooking kits.

Research limitations/implications

The paper highlights the need for research on the long-term impacts of school cooking interventions, and better understanding of the interaction between interventions and school contexts.

Originality/value

This paper adds to the limited evidence base on school-based cooking interventions by theorising how cooking interventions relate to school settings, and how they may achieve integration.

Details

Health Education, vol. 117 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0965-4283

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 July 2021

Laurence Ferry, Guanming He and Chang Yang

The authors investigate how executive pay and its gap with employee pay influence the performance of Thailand tourism listed companies.

Abstract

Purpose

The authors investigate how executive pay and its gap with employee pay influence the performance of Thailand tourism listed companies.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors manually collect data on the executives' and employees' remunerations for Thailand tourism listed companies and use the data for the authors’ OLS regression analysis. To check the robustness of the results to potential endogeneity issues, the authors employ the two-stage least-squares regression analysis and the impact threshold for a confounding variable approach.

Findings

The authors find that short-term executive compensation enhances firm performance, and that long-term executive compensation reduces the likelihood of unfavorable corporate performance. The authors also find that the gap in short-term pay between executives and employees has an inverted-U relation with firm performance.

Research limitations/implications

This study suggests that higher executive pay relative to employee pay could encourage executives to work hard to improve corporate performance, but that too large a pay gap between executives and employees could impair employees' morale and harm firm performance.

Practical implications

It is important for tourism companies to not only pay executives well but also avoid too large a pay gap between executives and employees.

Social implications

This study implies the important role of compensation design in contributing to employee engagement and good performance for tourism firms.

Originality/value

This study sheds light on agency problems between executives and employees in tourism companies and provides new evidence and insights on compensation research in the tourism sector in emerging markets.

Details

Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights, vol. 6 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2514-9792

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 21 September 2021

Laurence Ferry and Mark Sandford

The relationship between central and sub-national (local) government is contentious around distribution of power and control. There is a specific concern when a (local) place has…

Abstract

Purpose

The relationship between central and sub-national (local) government is contentious around distribution of power and control. There is a specific concern when a (local) place has power devolved, but centralised hierarchical accountability pervades.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper addresses that concern by considering recent innovative developments around place-based accountability arrangements in England, through analysis of official reports and news media.

Findings

The article illustrates aspirations towards accountability to the local electorate clash with hierarchical accountability that remains an omnipresent mechanism of central control. It is suggested, accountability forums be developed to blend hierarchy and the place leadership role of directly elected mayors. This could enable local accountability to the electorate, whilst taking account of the context of specific regional level complexities.

Originality/value

This is one of the first papers to consider issues of place leadership and place based accountability within the framework of hierarchical accountability for central and local government relations.

Details

Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting & Financial Management, vol. 34 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1096-3367

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 October 2013

Graham F. Moore, Lawrence Raisanen, Laurence Moore, Nafees Ud Din and Simon Murphy

Primary-care referral to community-based exercise specialists (exercise referral) is common in the UK despite limited evidence of effectiveness. A recent pragmatic randomised…

2252

Abstract

Purpose

Primary-care referral to community-based exercise specialists (exercise referral) is common in the UK despite limited evidence of effectiveness. A recent pragmatic randomised trial of the Welsh National Exercise Referral Scheme (NERS), demonstrated promising impacts upon physical activity and mental health. This paper presents a mixed-method process evaluation exploring how outcomes were achieved.

Design/methodology/approach

Structured observation, implementer interviews and routine data assessed the extent to which NERS was implemented as intended. Baseline trial data were combined with routine monitoring data for the purposes of profiling uptake and adherence. Semi-structured patient interviews explored processes of change and the emergence of social patterning in responses to the scheme.

Findings

NERS offered patients a programme of supervised, group-based discounted exercise. However, motivational interviewing, goal-setting and patient follow-up protocols were delivered poorly. The high degree of professional support was perceived as helping patients to build confidence and assimilate into exercise environments. Patient-only classes provided social contacts, a supportive context and realistic models. Patterning in uptake emerged from access issues, with uptake lower among non-car owners. Adherence was poorer among mental health patients, younger patients and those who were least active prior to referral to NERS.

Originality/value

In practice, although the NERS RCT demonstrated positive impacts on physical activity and mental health, process evaluation data indicate that the intervention was not entirely delivered as intended. Mixed-method process evaluation served crucial functions in understanding implementation and functioning, offering insights into the roles of professional support and exercise classes in promoting activity and mental health, and the emergence of social patterning in responses to an ERS.

Details

Health Education, vol. 113 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0965-4283

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 January 2021

Laurence Ferry, Larry Honeysett and Henry Midgley

This paper describes the role and remit of the Scrutiny Unit, which assists members of parliament (MPs) with the analysis of accounting data.

339

Abstract

Purpose

This paper describes the role and remit of the Scrutiny Unit, which assists members of parliament (MPs) with the analysis of accounting data.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis is developed through an understanding of the secondary literature and practical experience of the work of the Unit.

Findings

The Scrutiny Unit is an unappreciated and yet vital part of the way in which financial scrutiny operates within the UK parliament. It translates to MPs key financial and economic documents including the budget and accounts. It is a unique institution, covering the entire financial cycle of approval and accountability within parliament.

Originality/value

This is the first descriptive piece on the Unit in an accounting journal and contributes to our understanding of how financial accountability works within the UK parliament.

Details

Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting & Financial Management, vol. 33 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1096-3367

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 March 2007

Katy Tapper, Simon Murphy, Laurence Moore, Rebecca Lynch and Rachel Clark

The purpose of this paper is to report findings on an initiative set up by The Welsh Assembly Government to provide free, healthy breakfasts to primary school children throughout…

1825

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report findings on an initiative set up by The Welsh Assembly Government to provide free, healthy breakfasts to primary school children throughout Wales.

Design/methodology/approach

The research employed a cluster randomised controlled trial design with 58 schools in South, West and North Wales. Quantitative measures were taken at baseline, four months and 12 months.

Findings

With the injection of more money and effective services it was found that the free school breakfast initiative could help improve health and social inequalities.

Originality/value

This paper provides some of the background to the initiative, describes the evaluation and highlights some of the key methodological issues that arose during the course of the research.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 109 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 February 2023

Laurence Ferry, Khalid Hamid and Paula Hebling Dutra

The aim of this paper is to compare the audit and accountability arrangements of Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) internationally.

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to compare the audit and accountability arrangements of Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) internationally.

Design/methodology/approach

Building on a theorisation of regulatory space, extended by new audit spaces of public audit, the scope of the research is the 196 SAIs that are full members of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI). The study is based on documentation review, workshops with a steering panel, a survey of all SAIs (response rate of 64%, being 125 of 196 members), workshops with the seven regions of INTOSAI and discussion at Congress.

Findings

The paper suggests that the audit and accountability arrangements for SAIs is underpinned by INTOSAI's global voice, a country's regulatory space and a SAIs organization, capacity and scope that are themes used to structure the comparison. The results show there is diversity in the organization, capacities and scope of SAIs, but also an opportunity for recognising the positive potential of INTOSAI in fulfilling its global voice leveraged from the results of its work with its regions and members.

Originality/value

This is the most comprehensive research study of SAIs and the research underpinning this study enables SAIs to compare themselves regionally and internationally.

Details

Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting & Financial Management, vol. 35 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1096-3367

Keywords

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