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CSR practices in luxury hotels of China: Perception, cultural and generation differences
(The University of Waikato, 2026-01-23) George, LIU; Ryan, Chris; Mohsin, Asad
This study investigates how corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices are perceived in Chinese luxury hotels, focusing on cultural influences, generational cohorts, and organisational roles. Grounded in Hofstede’s national cultural dimensions, self-determination theory (SDT), and the Confucian concept of self-cultivation, the research addresses a gap in understanding how cultural values and intergenerational differences shape staff CSR perceptions in the luxury hospitality context. Adopting a pragmatic research philosophy, an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design was employed. In the qualitative phase, 37 semi-structured interviews with hotel staff (including senior managers, middle managers, and line employees) revealed key themes by the use of narrative interpretation: (a) deep-rooted cultural norms (collectivism, harmony, respect for hierarchy) that reinforce CSR as a collective obligation led by top management, (b) generational value differences in CSR engagement, and (c) variations in perceived CSR benefits across job positions. Building on these insights, the quantitative phase surveyed staff across luxury hotels in China (N = 533). Structural equation modelling results confirmed and extended the qualitative patterns. For example, 72% of managers affirmed that CSR initiatives strengthened brand reputation, whereas only 48% of line staff shared this view, reflecting positional gaps in perceived strategic value. Generational contrasts were also evident: nearly two-thirds of Millennial and Gen Z staff reported strong personal commitment to CSR activities, compared to about half of older staff. Statistical analysis using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) confirmed significant employee-level differences in perceptions of CSR practices within luxury hotels in China. Notably, perceived CSR was particularly pronounced among senior-level staff, reflecting hierarchical variations in CSR prioritisation and implementation. This research has provided a pioneering examination of CSR practices in China’s luxury hotel sector, demonstrating how cultural context and generational dynamics jointly shape staff perceptions of CSR. The study involved a nuanced synthesis of qualitative depth and quantitative rigour, yielding empirical evidence to describe similarities and differences between the perceptions and generations. These differences, rooted in China’s cultural heritage and the evolving values of its workforce, have significant implications for both theory and practice. The findings extend the CSR literature by confirming that why and how staff engage with CSR is contingent on a confluence of individual values, leadership influence, and socio-cultural background, aligning with global evidence of CSR’s positive impact while also highlighting unique intra-cultural variations. Theoretically, this thesis extends CSR and organisational behaviour literature by integrating Western motivational theories with Chinese cultural frameworks, demonstrating how national culture and generational identity jointly shape CSR perceptions and engagement. Methodologically, the study validates the efficacy of a pragmatic, sequential mixed-methods approach, effectively capturing the nuanced, multi-dimensional CSR perceptions within a complex cultural setting. Practically, the findings offer actionable insights for human resource management (HRM), recommending differentiated CSR strategies and communication tailored to generational characteristics and cultural values, thus enhancing CSR integration, employee motivation, and organisational alignment. Consequently, the main contributions of this thesis are: providing empirical evidence on how cultural and generational factors together influence perceptions of CSR in China’s luxury hospitality sector; demonstrating the effectiveness of a mixed-method approach to exploring complex cultural and organisational phenomena; and offering practical, culturally informed guidelines for improving CSR engagement among diverse staff groups in luxury hotels of China, highlighting the potential impact of staff perception on corporate ethical behaviour. This study discusses its limitations, provides recommendations, and explores potential opportunities for future research.
Furthering deep learning in near-infrared spectroscopy for fruit quality assessment
(The University of Waikato, 2026) Wohlers, Mark; Holmes, Geoffrey; Frank, Eibe; McGlone, Andrew
Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy is widely used to assess fruit quality in the horticulture industry. It enables non-destructive estimation of key fruit quality measures from spectra, including dry matter content (associated with taste) and soluble solids content (associated with ripeness). Traditionally, partial least squares regression (PLSR) has been the dominant modelling method. However, more recently, deep learning (DL) has shown promise due to its ability to learn features automatically and model non-linear patterns. However, there are several challenges DL faces when applied to NIR. Labelled datasets are complicated, expensive, and time-consuming to obtain at the size required to fit these models. Deciding on the appropriate architecture and hyperparameters can also be challenging when validation data is sparse. Additionally, a problem of great practical importance in NIR spectroscopy is the difficulty of generalising across different devices of the same model or under different conditions, such as temperature. This thesis addresses these challenges through three complementary methods. The first uses a data augmentation technique that samples from a multivariate normal distribution with a covariance matrix designed to simulate spectral differences observed across devices. The experiments investigate whether the augmentation improves generalisability and training with small sample sizes. The second method is a metric based on model stability to diffeomorphic transformations relative to uncorrelated perturbations of similar magnitude. The experiment evaluates the appropriateness of this method for model selection tasks and compares its performance with standard validation methods. The third method adapts the Barlow Twins contrastive learning method to enable semi-supervised learning in the NIR setting. The Barlow Twins loss function allows unlabelled data to compensate when labelled data is scarce. This method also improves generalisability by encouraging multiple measurements on the same fruit to be similar in the encoded latent space. Evaluation of these methods is conducted on two datasets: a new dataset containing 5418 kiwifruit sampled across five devices and three seasons, and a previously published dataset of 4675 mangoes measured across four seasons. The results show that the methods improve predictive performance, especially for small labelled datasets and calibration transfer problems. This allows for the easier application of deep learning to NIR spectroscopy by reducing the requirements for labelled data, improving model generalisability across devices, and enabling model selection under data constraints.
Elucidating the molecular basis of dihydroxyacetone (DHA) production in Leptospermum nectar
(The University of Waikato, 2025) Grierson, Ella; Clearwater, Michael J.; Chagné, David; Schwinn, Kathy; Davies, Kevin
Mānuka (Leptospermum scoparium) nectar contains variable amounts of dihydroxyacetone (DHA), a triose sugar that is the precursor to methylglyoxal (MGO), the antimicrobial compound underpinning the high value of mānuka honey and forming the basis of the Aotearoa-New Zealand honey industry. This trait is unique to some species within the Myrtaceae. The molecular basis of this high-value trait is unknown and identifying it would allow development of gene-based tools to identify high value germplasm to inform replanting and breeding programmes. Despite the fundamental importance of nectar to crop pollination and honey industries, the genetic control of nectary function is poorly understood, especially in non-model species. This thesis aims to elucidate the molecular basis of DHA production in Leptospermum nectar, through identifying associated genes and genomic regions, followed by further exploration of gene regulation and enzyme characterisation in vitro and in vivo. RNAseq analysis identified nectary-associated genes differentially expressed between high and low nectar-DHA genotypes of L. scoparium, and a mānuka high-density linkage map and quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping population revealed genetic regions associated with nectar DHA content. Expression and QTL analyses both pointed to the involvement of a phosphatase gene, LsSgpp2, as its expression correlated with nectar DHA accumulation and it co-located with a QTL on chromosome 4. To investigate Sgpp2 and its complex locus further, we produced high-quality genomes and hypanthium transcriptomes for two further Leptospermeae species with contrasting DHA phenotypes – Leptospermum morrisonii and Gaudium laevigatum. Expression patterns of Sgpp2 again correlated with nectar DHA in these species, and comparative analyses of Sgpp sequences within the Myrtaceae indicated that high Sgpp2 expression was likely ancestral in DHA producing taxa, followed by repeated loss of the trait. Comparison within and between Sgpp genes with differing expression profiles identified regions unique to the highly expressed Sgpp2 genes, which contained two C-box motifs, and a bZIP11 transcription factor predicted to bind to these motifs was identified as significantly differentially expressed in the RNAseq dataset. The bZIP11 gene was subsequently found to co-locate with another of the QTLs identified, further supporting its involvement. The L. morrisonii promoter drove strong nectary-specific expression in transgenic lines of Petunia and Nicotiana, showing elements essential for Sgpp2 expression are within that region. However, the promoter in 13 DHA producing L. scoparium genotypes was found to be similar, indicating variation in nectar DHA amounts may be conferred by further complex transcriptional regulation fine tuning Sgpp2 expression from beyond the promoter region analysed here. Functional analyses demonstrated that LmSGPP2 can dephosphorylate dihydroxyacetone-phosphate (DHAP) to produce DHA and phosphate in vitro. Transgenic Petunia and Nicotiana lines were created to characterise LmSGPP2 activity in vivo, but results were inconclusive due to low and mis-located expression of the transgene. Together our results suggest Sgpp2 may contribute to maintaining phosphate homeostasis in a photosynthesising nectary, potentially evolving due to low phosphate availability – which is common in Australia where this tribe originates. This work advances our understanding of nectar biology and reports some of the first QTLs and genes linked to a low abundance nectar compound. The genes and genomic regions identified here provide a foundation for developing tools to identify high-value germplasm – ensuring biodiversity can be maintained while increasing high-value honey production.
Activating belonging: Towards a critcial ensemble pedagogy
(The University of Waikato, 2025) Brown, Gaenor; Moffat , Kirstine; Haughey, Laura; Manning, Declan
Contemporary research shows school belonging as a key determinant of learner health and wellbeing. Teachers, and teaching practices, are pivotal in developing safe, supportive communities in which students can learn and thrive, where they can belong. In this thesis the high school drama education ensemble in Aotearoa New Zealand is presented as a site for the exploration and activation of belonging. Framed through a self-study of teacher education practice, using (S-STEP) methodology, the research reimagines ensemble pedagogy for dramatic inquiry process through a lens of critical belonging. The research opens with a contextual review of contemporary scholarship and evolving theories about school belonging and ensemble pedagogy, mapping how both fields are relationally, spatially and temporally situated. The contextual review highlights the importance of drama education and school belonging practices and pedagogies in the generation of transdisciplinary knowledge. Six principles of practice for drama educators have been developed to support the activation of belonging, relating to Identity, Process, Provocation, Space and Place, Performativity and Reflexivity. These principles are informed by semi-structured interviews with participants experienced in ensemble-based teaching and learning, and by autoethnographic reflective responses prompted by interview dialogues. In this research autoethnography is identified as a form of wayfinding, a traditional Pacific concept, drawing on the mātauranga Māori concepts and values of manaakitanga and whanaungatanga, to weave affective, political and socio-ecological belonging into a critical perspective of ensemble practice. The six principles of practice have been trialled in dramatic inquiry workshops, with pre- service drama educators, in a design incorporating process drama, image theatre and forum theatre. Drama conventions as boundary objects, bridging the fields of drama education and belonging, provide structure to the workshops, further informing development of the principles of practice. Through an ongoing dialogic cycle of workshop enactment, participant feedback and drama educator reflection, the principles are reassessed, redefined and refined. This research argues for a critical ensemble pedagogy that makes space for the ensemble as both site and practice. The study advocates for a pedagogy which honours indigenous ways of knowing in drama education, catalyses creative expression and activates critical belonging.
Lost in translation or lack of nuance? Perception of (near-)synonymy of common te reo Māori loanwords in New Zealand English
(Australian Linguistic Society, 2024) Pohl, Alexander; Calude, Andreea S.; Zenner, Eline; Rosseel, Laura; Whaanga, Hēmi
Ongoing contact between languages and their speakers inevitably leads to a flow of words being borrowed from one language into another. Research in the field of language contact has established and documented the kinds of borrowed words that stick in their recipient language (Haspelmath 2009; Winford 2010). However, one question that has received comparatively less attention is how a newly adopted loanword relates to the structure of the existing lexicon it enters. In recent years, language contact research has thus seen a paradigm shift towards an onomasiological perspective (see Anderson et al. 2017; Crombez et al. 2022; Zenner et al. 2023). Within this approach, most studies looking at lexical variation between loanwords and their (near-)synonyms employ corpus linguistics methods (e.g. Onysko & Winter-Froemel 2011; Soares da Silva 2013). However, there is variation in how these corpus studies have investigated loanword meanings, and, to our knowledge, there has been almost no experimental research focussed specifically on the relationship between loanwords and their (near-)synonyms to date. This project presents a large-scale experimental approach from a case-study examining Māori loanwords borrowed into New Zealand English (NZE). NZE presents an unusual language contact situation because it involves a dominant language (NZE) receiving an exceptionally high amount of lexical material (words and phrases) from an Indigenous language: Māori. Further adding to the uniqueness of this contact situation is the fact that only a fraction of the population (<10%) speaks Māori fluently (Statistics New Zealand 2019). Nonetheless, Māori loanwords are ubiquitous, salient, and probably still increasing within the NZE lexicon (Macalister 2007; Trye et al. 2019). One important dimension of this set of borrowings are their semantic characteristics, which straddle three main classes of words: flora and fauna (mānuka ‘tea tree’), material culture (maunga ‘mountain’) and social culture (mana ‘power’). Here, we report on a Qualtrics experiment devised to probe the perceived relationship between 60 Māori loanwords and their NZE equivalents, as ascertained from published sources. The synonymy judgements were elicited for pairs (e.g. whānau – family) using an analogue slider (ranging from 0 = non-synonymous to 100 = fully synonymous). Data was collected using a three-tiered questionnaire: 1) assessing synonymy of loanwords; 2) eliciting strategies for semantic assessments; and 3) collating background information about participants. Following cleaning and exclusions, the dataset showed a skew towards female participants, and for this reason, we focus our statistical analysis on the core sample containing (n = 170) young women (18-24 years). The results of the synonymy judgements analysis consist of qualitative inspections of box plots in relation to the semantic characteristics of Māori words in question, as well as sociodemographic variables of interest, specifically: years lived in Aotearoa NZ, and a composite score capturing exposure to and attitude towards Māori (TRMO). Preliminary findings suggest that many people think Māori loanwords are (highly) synonymous with NZE lexical alternatives. Our regression analyses exhibit evidence that years lived in Aotearoa NZ (p = 0.0054) and TRMO (p = 8.26e-10) can predict knowledge of Māori words. No statistically significant evidence was found for any predictors regarding the scores of the synonymy judgements; instead, we found that the random effects account for most of the variation. This is indicative of idiosyncratic loanword behaviour, in line with situations where variation is in-flux. These findings will be complemented by qualitative analyses of comments provided by participants in the open answer section (2). The talk will conclude with a summary of contributions to the general understanding of loanword meanings and contact-induced lexical change.