2021-06, Dyason, David, Fieger, P, Rossouw, R

The COVID-19 pandemic is exerting ongoing economic effects on communities locally and globally. Government responses to the ongoing crisis range from mere social distancing recommendations to lockdowns. In New Zealand, a strict lockdown regime was implemented for a 7-week period during which public activity was restricted and shopping limited to the nearest supermarket or pharmacy. During this period, overall retail spending declined substantially. This study employs a multi-region input-output (MRIO) model to investigate the impact of this reduced activity from an urban population on the wider-regional economy. The results reveal that the change in consumer spending and displacement has spilled over into the adjacent economies resulted in a shift in the regional economic landscape. Moreover, our results suggest that the effects of withheld spending during the lockdown propagate unevenly across retail sectors and beyond administrative boundaries once lockdown is lifted. Although millions of dollars remain unspent, the accelerated pace of consumer spending after lockdown reveals a shift from previous large-scale global shocks.

2020-07-17, Hall, Michael C, Prayag, Girish, Fieger, Peter, Dyason, David

Purpose - This study evaluates consumption displacement, the shift in consumption that occurs when consumers experience a change in the availability of goods, services and amenities to which they are accustomed as the result of an external event, and which is characterised by the points in space and time where consumption occurs and by the movements to, from, and between those points, that is occurring as a result of the effects of COVID-19 on the services sector in the Canterbury region of New Zealand.
Design/methodology/approach - Based on consumer spending data, the authors identify patterns of consumption displacement for the hospitality and retail sectors as defined by ANZSIC. We answer where, when, how, what and why consumption displacement happens.
Findings - The findings provide evidence of spatial and temporal displacement of consumption based on consumer spending patterns. Evidence of increased spending in some consumption categories confirms stockpiling behaviours. The hospitality sector experiences a sharp decline in consumer spending over lockdown.
Originality/value - Given the lack of studies analysing the impacts of crises and disasters on the services sector and consumption displacement, this study provides evidence of different forms of consumption displacement related to COVID-19.

, Rice, John, Martin, Nigel, Raziq, Muhammad Mustafa, Memon, Mumtaz Ali, Fieger, Peter

Purpose – Growth optimism, which describes the expected future growth of a firm, is an important but underexplored construct in strategy. This paper aims to assess the planning antecedents of such growth optimism by using a large Australian sample of small enterprises.

Design/methodology/approach – The authors use a secondary data set, gathered among Australian small to medium enterprises (SMEs), by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The analysis adopts a regression approach including a mediated and a non-mediated path to explore the direct and indirect effects of strategic planning and budgetary planning and management on expected future revenues.

Findings – This paper assesses the implications of concurrent strategic planning and financial management dynamic capabilities on anticipated future revenue growth, an important predisposition dynamic capability. The authors note that this configuration of actions and predisposition aligns closely with the necessary requirements for growth. The findings suggest that firms that use strategic planning and robust budget planning and monitoring processes exhibit higher optimism about future sales growth and firms that effectively configure these planning activities with market development tend to exhibit higher growth and more growth optimism.

Research limitations/implications – In terms of theoretical contributions, the paper strongly supports the formality view in the formal/informal debates associated with effectuation strategies. The authors suggest that appropriate strategic and budgetary planning and control systems act as a counterbalance to organisational confusion and managerial capriciousness, leading to improved confidence among managers and their employees regarding future resource commitments and plans.

Practical implications – The Findings of the paper are potentially important for both managers and policy makers. For managers seeking to grow their future sales, planning is shown to be an important antecedent activity. The presence of financial and strategic planning may predispose firms to make important investment decisions that drive future growth. Also, a better understanding of the firm’s current and future strategic and financial position may be evidence of effective firm management, a situation that, in turn, drives growth.

Social implications – In terms of social and policy implications, the data gathered for the survey by the ABS forms a valuable collection of information in relation to business practices. Australian firms are required by law to regularly report budget plans and outcomes. The research suggests that this data can inform policy initiatives, particularly in relation to programmes that may assist small and young firms to undertake prospective strategic and budgetary planning.

Originality/value – To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper to investigate the particular configuration of strategic and financial planning and anticipated sales growth in the SME context.

2017, Rice, Bridget, Fieger, Peter, Rice, John, Martin, Nigel, Knox, Kathy

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the manner in which employees' experience of distributive justice (DJ) moderates the impact of intrinsic and extrinsic values on role engagement (RE). RE is especially important in the healthcare setting (examined here) due to the sector's complexity, changeability and emotionally challenging nature. Design/methodology/approach Using data collected from a survey of employees from a large government health district in Southeast Queensland (Australia), this study examined the determinants of RE among a group of employees working across three hospital locations. Findings The focus of the study was on the impact, both directly and in combination, of espoused extrinsic and intrinsic values and perceived DJ on RE. The authors identify strong direct effects from DJ on RE, and complex third-order effects for the combinations of intrinsic (IM) and extrinsic motivation and DJ in predicting RE. Research limitations/implications As a cross-sectional and attitudinal survey, care must be taken in relation to common-method variance. Post hoc controls were performed in relation to this.

, Fieger, Peter, Rice, John

The COVID-19 pandemic has exerted many effects on populations worldwide. Due to the nature of the pandemic, health and specifically nursing sectors have been particularly impacted. While the nursing sector had to grapple with the impact of the pandemic as well as associated government interventions, nursing students have experienced changes in their job prospects, satisfaction with their training and their propensity to engage in further studies, all impinging on the sustainability of nursing education. This study aims to analyze educational outcomes for nursing graduates undertaking VET (vocational education and training) programs in Australia. Impacts assessed include employment, satisfaction, and further study after completion. The paper is based on analysis of five large waves of a comprehensive survey of Australian vocational education completers, from 2019 to 2022 inclusive. We develop three separate logistic regression models for the outcomes of employment, satisfaction, and enrollment in further study in order to estimate the predictive margins for the interactions between year and field of education, including the Diploma of Nursing, all other health qualifications, and all other qualifications. Our results show that these graduates saw significantly improved employment outcomes and heightened satisfaction during and after the pandemic, pointing to the sector meeting sustainability challenges. Interestingly, enrolment in further studies, after a notable increase earlier in the pandemic, returned to pre-pandemic levels as the crises abated.

2023-05-19, Fieger, Peter, Prayag, Girish, Dyason, David, Rice, John, Hall, C Michael

The city of Christchurch, New Zealand, incurred significant damage due to a series of earthquakes in 2010 and 2011. The city had, by the late 2010s, regained economic and social normalcy after a sustained period of rebuilding and economic recovery. Through the concerted rebuilding effort, a modern central business district (CBD) with redesigned infrastructure and amenities was developed. The Christchurch rebuild was underpinned by a commitment of urban planners to an open and connected city, including the use of innovative technologies to gather, use and share data. As was the case elsewhere, the COVID-19 pandemic brought about significant disruptions to social and economic life in Christchurch. Border closures, lockdowns, trading limitations and other restrictions on movement led to changes in traditional consumer behaviors and affected the retail sector's resilience. In this study, we used CBD pedestrian traffic data gathered from various locations to predict changes in retail spending and identify recovery implications through the lens of retail resilience. We found that the COVID-19 pandemic and its related lockdowns have driven a substantive change in the behavioral patterns of city users. The implications for resilient retail, sustainable policy and further research are explored.

2020, Fieger, Peter, Prayag, Girish, Hall, C Michael, North, Chris

This study evaluates the economic contribution of international freedom campers to New Zealand over the period 1997-2018. Using the International Visitor Survey (IVS) data, we categorise tourism activities undertaken by freedom campers as free, low value and high value and estimate whether over this period the proportion for each category increases or decreases. We also compare the economic value of the activities undertaken by freedom campers with those undertaken by tourists staying in commercial accommodation. The findings show that over the last 21 years, freedom campers have undertaken more free activities compared to those staying in hotels, motels and luxury accommodation. However, their uptake of high expense activities are similar to tourists staying in B&Bs or homestay, and camping/national park. Accordingly, this research note demystifies the perception that freedom campers are cheap tourists with nothing to contribute economically.

2021, Dyason, David, Fieger, Peter, Rice, John

Labour markets respond to supply and demand changes caused by external shocks, including pandemics. In 2020 and 2021, the Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused a sudden reduction in labour demand in certain industries globally. As economies emerge into the post COVID-19 reality, a return of patterns caused by ongoing structural pressures return. In Canterbury, a region centred on Christchurch in New Zealand, these include migration demand pressures. This paper uses data from the Canterbury region, which is no stranger to disasters, as a case study. Two models are developed to estimate the future workforce requirements during the recovery period. A population growth model is utilised to test the regional labour market's limits, while an economic model estimates the required jobs for the regional economy. The paper finds that the lower economic activity resulting from COVID-19 has reduced the near-term employment demand. At the same time, labour force transition coupled with strict border controls reveals the need for labour force participation to adjust during the extended recovery period. Although short-term demand for skilled migration remains lower, those leaving the workforce will require replacing.

2019, Fieger, Peter, Prayag, Girish, Bruwer, Johan

Using the push and pull framework, this study examines the relationship between tourist activities in New Zealand and behaviours such as tourist spending, travel style (group vs. independent travel) and length of stay. Data from the International Visitor Survey were analysed for a 19-year period (1997-2015). The findings, based on 62,288 respondents, identified 9 typologies of international visitors over this period. For example, type one visitors are primarily pulled by the nature-based activities offered in New Zealand while type two is pulled by adventure activities. Some of the typologies have activities that overlap reflecting the needs of international visitors. Significant relationships were found between the nine typologies, tourist spending, travel style and length of stay. Implications for destination marketing purposes are highlighted.

2019, Fieger, Peter, Prayag, Girish, Hall, Colin Michael

Freedom camping is undertaken by diverse tourist demographics including young budget travellers, couples with children, and retirees. These tourists tend to stay longer than the pleasure traveller, but because they tend to avoid campsite fees, and make use of public infrastructure without charge these tourists are frequently labelled “freeloaders”. Freedom campers’ contributions to local economies through purchase of supplies and services have been disregarded while the larger-scale economic activity associated with RV purchases and rentals is often overlooked. Freedom campers can often visit remote regions, thus contributing to local economic development. Another argument in favour of freedom camping postulates that the funds saved on accommodation will be used for other tourist endeavours, such as activities. Quantitative evaluations of the economic contribution of freedom camping are missing in debates over its impact. Specifically, comparisons of the economic value of the activities undertaken by freedom campers against tourists staying in other forms of accommodation (e.g. hotels, motels, backpackers and B&Bs) are non-existent. In this study, we aim to determine whether freedom campers are “low value” tourists based on the activities undertaken and their spending behaviour in New Zealand. We employ a pooled cross-sectional design that uses data spanning the period from 2013 to 2018 sourced from the NZ International Visitor Survey. We find that freedom campers engage in an above-average number of free activities compared to other tourists. However, when considering medium and high expense activities freedom campers’ profiles are similar to other visitors to New Zealand.