New Zealand Government’s budgetary response to the COVID-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anil K. Narayan ◽  
John Kommunuri
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Public Funding ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Fiscal Policies ◽  
Budget Deficits ◽  
Public Budgeting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
Policy Statements ◽  
The Moment

Purpose This paper aims to provide a commentary on how well the New Zealand (NZ) Government has used the budget as a tool to tackle the social and economic problems associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. The role of public budgeting as a political instrument is also critiqued. Design/methodology/approach An analysis was carried out of relevant documents that included government policy statements, budgets, news articles and website information on the pandemic. Meaningful interpretation of information and reflections helped provide the basis of the commentary. Findings Public budgeting has a prominent role in addressing a major global crisis. Budgets need to quickly respond to the needs of the moment in saving lives and sustaining people’s well-being, businesses and the economy. In a crisis situation, the social, political and economic factors become crucial determinants of budgetary policy measures. Although strong political leadership is required to deliver budgets under unimaginable circumstances, the ideology of the political party in government can be a powerful predictor of fiscal policies. Crisis budgeting will result in mounting budget deficits and public debts that will take many years for future generations to pay back. Practical implications This paper provides a significant learning for other nations. These lessons will guide budget policymakers to prepare better for potential crisis in the future. Originality/value This paper is original and based on the NZ Government’s budgetary response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It will be valuable in formulating budget policies and public funding decisions in a major crisis.

scholarly journals Social enterprise and wellbeing in community life

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 235-254 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane Farmer ◽  
Tracy De Cotta ◽  
Katharine McKinnon ◽  
Jo Barraket ◽  
Sarah-Anne Munoz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Enterprise ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Boundary Spanning ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Positive Interactions ◽  
Community Life ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
Mental Mapping

Purpose This paper aims to explore the well-being impacts of social enterprise, beyond a social enterprise per se, in everyday community life. Design/methodology/approach An exploratory case study was used. The study’s underpinning theory is from relational geography, including Spaces of Wellbeing Theory and therapeutic assemblage. These theories underpin data collection methods. Nine social enterprise participants were engaged in mental mapping and walking interviews. Four other informants with “boundary-spanning” roles involving knowledge of the social enterprise and the community were interviewed. Data were managed using NVivo, and analysed thematically. Findings Well-being realised from “being inside” a social enterprise organisation was further developed for participants, in the community, through positive interactions with people, material objects, stories and performances of well-being that occurred in everyday community life. Boundary spanning community members had roles in referring participants to social enterprise, mediating between participants and structures of community life and normalising social enterprise in the community. They also gained benefit from social enterprise involvement. Originality/value This paper uses relational geography and aligned methods to reveal the intricate connections between social enterprise and well-being realisation in community life. There is potential to pursue this research on a larger scale to provide needed evidence about how well-being is realised in social enterprises and then extends into communities.

scholarly journals Exploring collaboration within social housing retrofit practice for an ageing population: a single case study in the West of Scotland

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dayna Rodger ◽  
Nicola Callaghan ◽  
Craig Thomson
Keyword(s):  
Social Housing ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Single Case Study ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Data Infrastructure ◽  
The Social

Purpose Sustainably addressing the social and economic demands from an ageing population is a major global challenge, with significant implications for policy and practice. This is resultant of the increasing demand for housing adaptations to prevent increased pressure upon acute health services. Through the lens of institutional theory, this paper aims to explore the levels of joined-up retrofit practice within a Scottish social housing provider, under a constructivist approach. Design/methodology/approach An exploratory single case study of a Scottish local authority was undertaken. Within this, nine key stakeholders were interviewed, taking a hierarchical approach, from director to repair and maintenance staff. Results were analysed by using Braun and Clarke’s six stages of thematic analysis. Findings There is a need for greater levels of integration within retrofit practice to not only improve the health and well-being of the older population but also increase efficiency and economic savings within public services. Currently, there are key issues surrounding silo-based decision-making, poor data infrastructure, power struggles and a dereliction of built environment knowledge and expertise, preventing both internal and external collaboration. However, housing, energy and health have interlinking agendas which are integral to achieving ageing in place. Therefore, there must be system-wide recognition of the potential benefits of improved cross-sector collaboration, preventing unintended consequences whilst providing socioeconomic outcomes. Originality/value This research provides a new perspective surrounding retrofit practice within the context of an ageing population. It highlights the requirement for improved cross sector collaboration and the social and economic cost of poor quality practice.

scholarly journals Mapping research on the social impact of the arts: what characterises the field?

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 124
Author(s):  
Sofia Lindström Sol ◽  
Cia Gustrén ◽  
Gustaf Nelhans ◽  
Johan Eklund ◽  
Jenny Johannisson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Impact ◽  
Public Funding ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Research Field ◽  
Research Front ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Word Analysis ◽  
The Arts ◽  
Arts And Health ◽  
The Social

This article explores the broad and undefined research field of “the social impact of the arts”. The effects of art and culture are often used as justification for public funding, but the research on these interventions and their effects is unclear. Using a co-word analysis of over 10,000 articles published between 1990 and 2020, we examined the characteristics of the field as we have operationalised it through our searches. Since 2015, the research field of “the social impact of art” has expanded and consists of different epistemologies and methodologies, summarised in largely overlapping subfields belonging to the social sciences/humanities, arts education, and arts and health/therapy. In formal or informal learning settings, studies of theatre/drama as an intervention to enhance skills, well-being, or knowledge among children are most common. A study of the research front, operationalised as the bibliographic coupling of the most cited articles in the data set, confirmed the co-word analysis and revealed new themes that together form the ground for insight into research on the social impact of the arts. As such, this article can inform discussions on the social value of the arts and culture.

How do social responsibility and social entrepreneurship generate value creation in pandemics?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rui Silva ◽  
Margarida Rodrigues ◽  
Mário Franco ◽  
Cidália Oliveira ◽  
Nuno Sousa
Keyword(s):  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Entrepreneurship ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Social Entrepreneurs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
High Degree

Purpose Using self-determination theory and individual social responsibility’s (ISRs) association with pure social entrepreneurship, this study aims to answer the following question: How and why have the different actors responded to the crisis caused by the pandemic? Design/methodology/approach Qualitative research (multiple case studies) was adopted, resorting to interviewees with seven economic and non-economic actors in the Portugal context. Findings The results obtained, using MAXQDA software, show that those carrying out actions of social responsibility have a high degree of self-determination and intrinsic motivation, and are true social entrepreneurs, which lets them improve the well-being of those around them. In addition, these individuals feel good about themselves by performing these actions, as they measure their performance by the social impact of their actions on society in general. Practical implications This study suggest there is a high awareness amongst people to exercise that responsibility in a voluntary way, through humanitarian initiatives and campaigns brought about especially by an unprecedented pandemic. In practice, people joining these initiatives motivate many others towards the causes, creating the will to continue in the future and satisfy unmet needs provoked by social crises. Originality/value This study is innovative because it is related to filling the gaps identified, mainly by carrying out an empirical study about ISR, rather than that of firms, where studies are more common.

Exploring social entrepreneurial boundary spanning for compassion-triggered opportunities

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eliada Wosu Griffin-EL
Keyword(s):  
Emerging Market ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Boundary Spanning ◽  
Comparative Case Study ◽  
Social Entrepreneurs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
Entrepreneurial Action ◽  
The Individual

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to address the research question: How does the social entrepreneur’s compassion inform how they engage with their environment to mobilize resources for social entrepreneurial action? Design/methodology/approach The study features a comparative case study analysis of seven high-profile social entrepreneurs within Cape Town, South Africa. Data via in-depth interviews, site visits and archival information and follow-up conversations were collected and then analyzed via thematic coding of qualitative analysis. Findings The findings suggest that compassion is an antecedent for the social entrepreneurial boundary spanning shaped by their orientation toward concern for others’ well-being. Propositions presented offer the groundwork for an emergent theoretical framework of social entrepreneurial boundary spanning. Originality/value The study builds upon the emerging compassion research within social entrepreneurship, extending the conceptualization of compassion to be shapers of the social structure – not just the individual or the organization – in an emerging market context.

Unlocking the social domain in sustainable development

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 183-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica Thiel
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Systematic Literature Review ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Domain ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Academic Search ◽  
Untapped Resource

Purpose – Beginning with a multitude of differing definitions and theories of CSR and sustainability, an analysis of the effects and impacts of the social domain to remain an untapped resource to strengthen and merge the practice of sustainable development. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Utilizing a systematic review of literature between 1977 and 2013 about CSR and sustainability definitions and theories to reveal knowledge fragmentation in the use of the social domain and its implications within sustainable development. Findings – Identifies the gaps of the social domain in sustainable development and raises awareness to advance sustainable development beyond current sustainable development strategies, initiatives and practices. The pertinent publications from the inclusion and exclusion criteria in the systematic literature review were analyzed to determine how the social domain is used and interpreted in CSR and sustainability. Based upon the findings, four themes represent the social domain as socio-economics, stakeholders, societal well-being and social sustainability with suggestions for further research. Research limitations/implications – The systematic literature review searched one academic search engine and focussed on journals and books written in English. Originality/value – The contribution of the paper highlights, first, how an underdeveloped social domain can contribute toward multiple meanings of sustainable development and the social domain’s untapped capacity to develop a clearer standard definition of sustainable development and second, the potential to advance competitive advantage for corporations and governments.

Festival value in multicultural contexts: City festivals in South Africa

2020 ◽  
pp. 135481662093280
Author(s):  
Jen D Snowball ◽  
Geoff G Antrobus
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Economic Impact ◽  
South African ◽  
Public Funding ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cultural Participation ◽  
Strong Focus ◽  
The Social ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Impact

Worldwide, the number and variety of cultural festivals have grown dramatically. Many areas see festivals as an important way to attract tourists, and their spending, to a region, resulting in a positive economic impact. While they offer important opportunities for artistic producers and audiences, there is growing pressure for festival organizers to demonstrate their value to society beyond their economic impact. Like many countries, South Africa has a strong focus on increasing diverse cultural participation, demonstrating the social, nonmarket values of events that receive public funding. Using data from two South African festivals, the article uses a valuation framework developed by the South African Cultural Observatory to demonstrate measures of audience diversity, the use of quality of life measures to gauge the impact of culture on well-being, and the use of community focus groups to assess the impact of participation on social cohesion and capacity building.

scholarly journals Fecal Microbiotas of Indonesian and New Zealand Children Differ in Complexity and Bifidobacterial Taxa during the First Year of Life

2019 ◽  
Vol 85 (19) ◽  
Author(s):  
Blair Lawley ◽  
Anna Otal ◽  
Kit Moloney-Geany ◽  
Aly Diana ◽  
Lisa Houghton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Microbial Community ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Cultural Influences ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Rural Setting ◽  
First Year ◽  
Natural Ecosystem ◽  
Content Type ◽  
First Year Of Life

ABSTRACT The biological succession that occurs during the first year of life in the gut of infants in Western countries is broadly predictable in terms of the increasing complexity of the composition of microbiotas. Less information is available about microbiotas in Asian countries, where environmental, nutritional, and cultural influences may differentially affect the composition and development of the microbial community. We compared the fecal microbiotas of Indonesian (n = 204) and New Zealand (NZ) (n = 74) infants 6 to 7 months and 12 months of age. Comparisons were made by analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences and derivation of community diversity metrics, relative abundances of bacterial families, enterotypes, and cooccurrence correlation networks. Abundances of Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis and B. longum subsp. longum were determined by quantitative PCR. All observations supported the view that the Indonesian and NZ infant microbiotas developed in complexity over time, but the changes were much greater for NZ infants. B. longum subsp. infantis dominated the microbiotas of Indonesian children, whereas B. longum subsp. longum was dominant in NZ children. Network analysis showed that the niche model (in which trophic adaptation results in preferential colonization) of the assemblage of microbiotas was supported in Indonesian infants, whereas the neutral (stochastic) model was supported by the development of the microbiotas of NZ infants. The results of the study show that the development of the fecal microbiota is not the same for infants in all countries, and they point to the necessity of obtaining a better understanding of the factors that control the colonization of the gut in early life. IMPORTANCE This study addresses the microbiology of a natural ecosystem (the infant bowel) for children in a rural setting in Indonesia and in an urban environment in New Zealand. Analysis of DNA sequences generated from the microbial community (microbiota) in the feces of the infants during the first year of life showed marked differences in the composition and complexity of the bacterial collections. The differences were most likely due to differences in the prevalence and duration of breastfeeding of infants in the two countries. These kinds of studies are essential for developing concepts of microbial ecology related to the influence of nutrition and environment on the development of the gut microbiota and for determining the long-term effects of microbiological events in early life on human health and well-being.

scholarly journals Retired men and Men’s Sheds in Australia

2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (8) ◽  
pp. 972-989 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amie Southcombe ◽  
Jillian Cavanagh ◽  
Timothy Bartram
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Style ◽  
Family Relationships ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Value Congruence ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Charismatic Leadership ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of charismatic leadership style and value congruence on the social connectedness of retired men in Australian Men’s Sheds. This study also explores the impact of social connectedness on well-being outcomes, such as employment and training, improved family relationships and access to health and welfare services. Design/methodology/approach – The methodology is a qualitative approach using focus groups (yarning circles) and semi-structured interviews with Shed leaders, men members and healthcare workers. Findings – The findings suggest that a charismatic leader enhances the value congruence between leaders and their members through empowering, envisioning and empathy, which also contributes to the social connectedness of members and enhances well-being of retired men. Originality/value – The study provides insights into the factors that contribute to successful leadership, participatory and leadership practices in the Groups/Sheds, and addresses a gap in the literature in the area of leadership and Men’s Sheds.

Social network use and youth well-being: a study in India

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 119-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jehangir Bharucha
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Social Network ◽  
First Generation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Pervasive Technology ◽  
The Social ◽  
Social Landscape ◽  
Third Stage ◽  
Time Reading

Purpose The youth in present day India is the first generation to grow up within a world of pervasive technology. While several writers applaud these social network sites (SNSs) for transforming the social landscape of India, recent research is beginning to examine the destructive role of these SNSs. The purpose of this paper is to explore whether and to what extent social media contributes to decline in well-being, addictive behavior and other harmful social effects. Design/methodology/approach In the first phase, a structured questionnaire was sent via e-mail to 114 students. The second stage embraced an exploratory qualitative approach with in-depth interviews and reflections. As part of the third stage, the author devoted a lot of time reading the blogs and posts of the youth. Findings The analysis of qualitative data is presented in three major themes: patterns of usage, nature of online friendships and threat to well-being. Some of the respondents did experience “addiction-like” symptoms. It can be deduced that the respondents are not addicted to the medium per se; they are cultivating an addiction to certain activities they carry out online. Practical implications Indian newspapers have recently reported several cases how social media can mislead and corrupt the youth and some of these cases have ended in tragedy. This kind of obsessive behavior is extremely dangerous to the minds which are otherwise actually intelligent and ought to be stopped. Originality/value There is no doubt that the Indian youth is developing a dependence on this technological advance that fuses people all over the world. We are still in the infant stages of understanding these issues in the Indian context. This study adds value to the negligible empirical evidence in India till date.

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