Tongan women first Pacific doctoral graduates from Business School [1]
Tuesday, September 27, 2016 - 18:36. Updated on Wednesday, September 28, 2016 - 13:00.
'Ilaisaane Fifita and Sisikula Sisifa, both 31, became the first Pacific academics at the University of Auckland’s Business School graduating with doctoral degrees today, Tuesday 27 September.
Both started working as research fellows at the Business School this year and both women intend to pursue a career in academia.
The University of Auckland Business School stated today, Fifita graduated with a Ph.D. in Marketing. She researched why Tongan and Pakeha female non-smokers don’t smoke, and hopes her findings will help design of public health campaigns to persuade other women not to take up the habit.
She did a Bachelor of Business and Information Management, a Bachelor of Commerce Honours degree and a Master of Commerce in Marketing at the University of Auckland.
"There is sometimes a perception that marketing is just about advertising, but that’s just one aspect. It can also has be used to improve the consumer’s wellbeing and the welfare of a society."
Her PhD research promises to do just that. She interviewed 27 Tongan New Zealand and New Zealand European women, to see whether the way a person defines themselves in relation to others influences their motivations for resisting pressure to smoke tobacco cigarettes.
'Ilaisaane the youngest of five grew up in Tonga, moving to Auckland for her final year of secondary school.
Her parents, Tevita Misa Fifita and Hola Fifita, operate a family business in Tonga.
"I grew up watching my parents work hard to build a business from scratch. I was always keen to study business and help my family."
'Ilaisaane is now applying for funding for research into e-cigarettes and alcohol consumption.
She said one young male Pacific student told her that having her as an undergraduate tutor had inspired him to do an honours degree.
Proud
For Sisikula, her graduation will be bittersweet. She and her family will be immensely proud of her achievements with her being the first to get a doctorate in her family. Her management PhD topic and her decision to pursue doctorate were both inspired by her father, Alekisanita Sisifa, who passed away suddenly in her third year.
She went to Auckland Girls Grammar and gained a Postgraduate Diploma and Masters Management from Massey University.
Her Ph.D. research found that cultural differences in thinking about management practices undermine the success of development projects.
She said many of the projects implemented in Tonga do not yield the outcomes envisioned at the outset.
“Project management practices and frameworks play an integral role in facilitating good development outcomes, but are often overlooked.”
She said with Tonga receiving a substantial amount of donor aid funding towards development projects, the wasted potential is significant. Donor agencies and international consultants need to understand there are cultural nuances and adapt their practices.
At the same time, the different Tongan ministries need to make their systems more efficient and effective, she said.
Her family keeps her grounded, reminding her she’s a normal person with flaws as well as a role model.
"My siblings do that on a daily basis."
She is the second youngest of four brothers and one sister. Tongan-born, she went to live with her grandmother in Auckland as a pre-schooler, and went back and forth between Tonga and New Zealand during her childhood.
By her mid-teens, the rest of her family had migrated to New Zealand. Her late father was Director of the Land Resource Division at the Secretariat of the Pacific Community. Her mother, Siulolovao, works in hospitality.
"When I was a student, I wished there were Pacific female academics in business school. Now I get comments from students saying that it's nice to see a brown female face standing at the front of the class."