• Canada
• Research softwareclose
• Other research productsclose
• 2022-2022close
• English close
• VIUSpace close

There is a pressing need to develop a coherent and appropriate conceptualization of ‘resilience’ in the context of agricultural production as well as a tool for its practical assessment. Here I do both. I use a systematic and integrative approach to review and assess recent conceptualizations of ‘resilience’ and analytical frameworks. Following this review, I develop six conditions enabling resilience in agroecosystems, which inform the development of a conceptual framework and the selection of variables and indicators. Applying the conceptual framework to the Canadian agroecosystem in a general manner serves to identify opportunities for farmers and policy-makers to assess, discuss, and manage agroecosystem resilience. The high-level assessment demonstrates that important changes underway in the Canadian agroecosystem support resilience through re-organization, adaptation, and learning. However, the current focus on maximizing productivity and efficiency often leads to reduced diversity; increased connectivity; protection against disturbances; reliance on anthropogenic inputs; and missed opportunities for shared learning and experimentation. This focus on productivity may not support the long-term resilience of agroecosystem. Therefore, ensuring that agroecosystems can adjust to big and small disturbances in the future requires that we shift our thinking to recognize and support the complex adaptive nature of agroecosystems and adopt adaptive management approaches.

An Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) was established in British Columbia, Canada, by provincial legislation in 1973 with the objective of protecting agricultural lands and encouraging its use for agriculture. The regulation restricts the use of reserves lands to agriculture and related purposes, but approval for permitted non-farm uses can be granted by the reserve’s oversight body, the Agricultural Land Commission. This study assessed whether permitted non-farm use activities serve to enhance or detract from agricultural use of the land subject to the decision. A methodology to track and assess agricultural land use post non-farm use approval was developed and applied. This included a review of documentation related to approved non-farm use decisions in six contiguous municipalities in the greater Vancouver region of British Columbia, Canada, from 1997 to 2016. followed by contemporary land use assessment and data analysis. As such the study comprised three stages. Overall, approved non-farm use applications do not lead to more or less agricultural use of ALR lands. Most parcels not farmed prior to approval of non-farm use, remained not farmed and those used for farming continued to be farmed. As such, the analysis indicates that on balance there was neither an outright positive or negative outcome. Study results provide a snapshot of a period of time and are not intended to suggest a causal relationship. This study contributes to a greater understanding of the impacts of approved non-farm use decisions on land designated for agriculture.

This collaborative inquiry sought to answer the primary research question “How can a series of facilitated dialogues focused on mindfulness and adventure enhance student success within the Adventure Studies Department at Thompson Rivers University?”. Guiding this inquiry was the intention to work with the department and its students using an action research methodology that considered the Action Research Engagement model and an appreciative stance. Five second-year diploma students from the Adventure Studies Department participated in three dialogical methods of learning circle, participant journaling, and a focus group. Any interaction with participants adhered to the Royal Roads University Research Ethics Policy. Using both an inductive qualitative analysis and a deductive analysis the following four themes emerged: understanding mindfulness, mindfulness and adventure education, community, and emotional intelligence. Each conclusion ultimately informed recommendations that center on implementing mindfulness into the program and are worth pursuing. The recommendations are: adopt mindfulness into the Adventure Studies Department’s strategic plan, encourage staff to explore mindfulness for their own sake, and integrate mindfulness into the existing curriculum using guiding principles.

This inquiry brought together young people aged 15-24 and arts organizations to explore how arts organizations in Victoria could be more responsive to young people’s lived realities, needs, and aspirations. The question guiding this inquiry was: How might the courageous imaginations of young people inform the future of arts organizations in Victoria? This action research inquiry was informed by the tenets of Participatory Action Research, Youth Participatory Action Research, and Critical Participatory Action Research. It employed arts-based methods and small group dialogues to explore the benefits, constraints, and possibilities for the future of arts organizations. The inquiry concludes with six action-oriented recommendations to support arts organizations to actively engage young people in the arts and live into young people’s aspirations for the radical transformation of arts organizations in the future.

In the Canadian Armed Forces, leadership is essential for the conduct of endeavours, which sometimes involve life and death. Consequently, leadership development is important. Mentorship is viewed as a component of leadership and its application is often seen as a long-term way of growing leaders. The Royal Canadian Regiment (RCR) is a unit of the Canadian Army and ostensibly employs mentors. This study sought to answer the question: How might reflection and interactive dialogue on mentorship by various ranks of the Royal Canadian Regiment enhance leadership? The study was conducted using insider action research and relied on interviews and a focus group to achieve data collection. The study adheres to the Royal Roads University Research Ethics Policy as well as the Department of National Defence’s Defence Administrative Orders and Directives on research. The findings highlighted that informal mentorship was variably occurring, however, as access to mentorship was unequal, it was recommended that a formal program be initiated.

Pressed specimen of Pyracantha coccinea https://viurrspace.ca/bitstream/handle/10613/27236/Arendt2.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=y

Research shows that non-profit organizations are essential to the fabric of society in social, political, and economic ways (Tink & Kingsley, 2021) and contribute to the betterment of the people they serve (Guo & Saxton, 2014). However, due to social and political changes, funding for non-profit organizations has been continually decreasing, despite an increasing demand (Dees & Elias, 1998; Tan & Yoo, 2015; Tink & Kingsley, 2021). Due to this pressure, non-profit organizations have been forced to find new ways to secure funding. One option is to establish a social enterprise, an organisation that embraces commercial philanthropic activities (Dees, 1998) in order to generate revenue while meeting the needs of the community (Di Zhang & Swanson, 2013; Stecker, 2014). Extensive research has been conducted on social enterprise and non-profit organizations; however, very little research has been conducted on what elements need to be present within a non-profit organization to establish a social enterprise that will be primed for success. This research used the case study method to explore the elements important to establishing a successful social enterprise. Six participants were interviewed to explore what elements were present in their non-profit organizations and what elements might currently and ideally lead their social enterprises to be successful. In addition, there is a review of how supportive Alberta is towards these types of organizations. Themes arising from these semi-structured interviews, their practical applications, and their implications for future research are explored.

Conducted within a collaborative community of inquiry encompassing a broad range of key stakeholders, including members, credit union wealth leaders from across the country, and my sponsor organization, Aviso Wealth, this thesis examined the research question: How might leaders in the Canadian credit union system increase member engagement with credit union wealth management services? The overarching methodology followed was an action-orientated approach. Adhering to Royal Roads University’s ethics guidelines, the research included credit union members who completed an anonymous survey to understand their current wealth management relationships and perceptions, followed by a series of two virtual wealth leader focus groups, during which participants refined the themed survey data and subsequently engaged in a discussion of implementation recommendations. In both methods, I took an appreciative inquiry approach, however, the scope of my research did not support the complete use of the appreciative model. Member resultant findings and recommendations confirmed that each component of this complex system has a leading role to play in increasing member engagement with credit union wealth management. Furthermore, leveraging existing credit union strengths, such as providing financial education to members, taking a collaborative approach, and recognizing the inherent values in local credit unions intertwined with the national scale of partnerships within the cooperative system, creates a powerful opportunity for change. Keywords: credit unions, wealth management, financial literacy, member engagement, responsible investing, digital adoption

Resilience is a construct commonly cited by humanitarian and disaster management establishments. Despite the construct’s centuries-old multidisciplinary evolution and interpretations, our current perception of resilience is largely informed by Western research. This study sought to contribute to our understanding of resilience by exploring its manifestation in a non-Western society. The study focused on a group of internally displaced youth in Sudan who have experienced political violence and/or natural hazards. Interpretations of resilience from the literature on Disaster and Emergency Management and Developmental Psychology were reviewed and explored. The study employed a generic qualitative research design that included semi-structured interviews with 6 internally displaced participants. Thematic Analysis was the method used for data analysis. Three interrelated umbrella themes were generated and discussed. Findings supported cited resilience frameworks and revealed resilient behaviours that pivoted on two factors, (1) individual attributes, and (2) social resources. Keywords: Resilience, Sudan, internal displacement, coping mechanisms, religiosity, access to resources, political violence, complex emergency, complex disaster

This research explores the perspectives of faculty members teaching in undergraduate tourism programs across British Columbia (BC), Canada regarding curricula revitalization in consideration of macro changes that have occurred in the tourism industry worldwide including the COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing climate change crisis, and the urgent need for indigenization. With a focus on programs that offer bachelor’s degrees in tourism management, this qualitative study investigates the perspectives of nine faculty members representing Capilano University, Royal Roads University, Thompson Rivers University, and Vancouver Island University. Data was collected by conducting semi-structured interviews. A reflexive thematic analysis indicated one overarching theme: collaboration; two themes: tourism management higher education must 1) craft leaders who embody 21st century skills and 2) be as dynamic as the tourism industry; and three subthemes: 1) multi-disciplinary, 2) work-integrated learning, and 3) macro changes. Due to the rapid pace of change in the tourism industry, the current curriculum offered in tourism management degree programs across BC must be reimagined. Recommendations include course content revitalization, mandatory work-integrated learning, and the renewal and maintenance of collaboration across institutions. The study’s findings are relevant to tourism management students, faculty members and higher education institutions in British Columbia.