Learning Mechanisms and the Development of Dynamic Capabilities within Firms. The project has the following national/community benefits: (1) a more comprehensive study of the specific and unique features of the structure and innovative process operating within a major Australian producer of commodities, (2) a greater understanding of how knowledge can be created and captured in the form of firm-level dynamic capabilities, contributing towards the creation of an effective knowledge and innovation ....Learning Mechanisms and the Development of Dynamic Capabilities within Firms. The project has the following national/community benefits: (1) a more comprehensive study of the specific and unique features of the structure and innovative process operating within a major Australian producer of commodities, (2) a greater understanding of how knowledge can be created and captured in the form of firm-level dynamic capabilities, contributing towards the creation of an effective knowledge and innovation economy, and (3) assisting regional communities by providing specific recommendations for generating learning mechanisms and more importantly, capturing value from learning in terms of process improvement and innovation.Read moreRead less
Innovative approaches to managing and understanding taste and odour in drinking water systems. Taste and odour (T/O) problems resulting from Cyanobacteria can change consumers' perception of product safety, resulting in many complaints, soaring management and treatment costs, and large financial losses, yet little is known about how they arise.
This project will provide the Australian Water Industry with cost-effective, sensitive, specific, rapid and practical tools for managing and understandi ....Innovative approaches to managing and understanding taste and odour in drinking water systems. Taste and odour (T/O) problems resulting from Cyanobacteria can change consumers' perception of product safety, resulting in many complaints, soaring management and treatment costs, and large financial losses, yet little is known about how they arise.
This project will provide the Australian Water Industry with cost-effective, sensitive, specific, rapid and practical tools for managing and understanding T/O episodes, and will also benefit the aquaculture and food sectors, and the research community. An improved ability to manage geosmin in drinking water, will also have positive repercussions on the Australian environment, by eliminating the need to use environmentally controversial control methods such as copper sulphate dosing.
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Managing work systems to promote employee engagement and business unit outcomes. This project will lead to the identification of specific people management practices that can be implemented within business units in order to promote both positive business outcomes and improvements in employee psychological well-being through increased employee work engagement. Given that research has already demonstrated significant positive business and psychological benefits arising from work engagement, the r ....Managing work systems to promote employee engagement and business unit outcomes. This project will lead to the identification of specific people management practices that can be implemented within business units in order to promote both positive business outcomes and improvements in employee psychological well-being through increased employee work engagement. Given that research has already demonstrated significant positive business and psychological benefits arising from work engagement, the results of the study have the potential to identify practical pathways towards generating significant economic, social and psychological benefits for employers and employees, at the level of the organisation, the community and, by extrapolation, the nation. Read moreRead less
Improving knowledge transfer from training providers to organisations. This research will identify factors within the control of organizations, business units and individuals that affect their capacity to transfer knowledge and skill effectively back into the workplace. Given the scale of national expenditure on training and development, this represents a significant opportunity to generate both economic and human capital benefits.
The evolution of global communities of practice within organisations: leveraging structure, identity and coordination. Communities of practice, groups of people who interact to share interests, concerns, or problems in a topic area, are popular within global organizations seeking to leverage dispersed knowledge and expertise for competitive advantage. This research project will examine factors that influence the effectiveness of global communities of practice.
Leveraging organisational context to maximise team performance and thriving: a dynamic approach to understand team learning across diverse settings. Work teams can be a means of delivering business objectives as well as promoting human thriving, resulting in employees who are learning and physically vital. Yet competing tensions in organisations threaten these outcomes. The project will examine ways of mitigating contextual challenges to result in sustained organisational performance and employe ....Leveraging organisational context to maximise team performance and thriving: a dynamic approach to understand team learning across diverse settings. Work teams can be a means of delivering business objectives as well as promoting human thriving, resulting in employees who are learning and physically vital. Yet competing tensions in organisations threaten these outcomes. The project will examine ways of mitigating contextual challenges to result in sustained organisational performance and employee well being.Read moreRead less
Sustainable cooperative enterprise: an investigation into the factors influencing the sustainability and competitiveness of cooperative enterprises. From a national perspective the top 100 Co-operative enterprises control a combined turnover of around $20 billion and provide employment and economic benefits to many thousands of people across both regional and rural Australia. In Western Australia (WA) there are around 70 Co-operatives working across a wide range of industries including fishing, ....Sustainable cooperative enterprise: an investigation into the factors influencing the sustainability and competitiveness of cooperative enterprises. From a national perspective the top 100 Co-operative enterprises control a combined turnover of around $20 billion and provide employment and economic benefits to many thousands of people across both regional and rural Australia. In Western Australia (WA) there are around 70 Co-operatives working across a wide range of industries including fishing, farming, retailing and services sectors. Despite their significance, there is relatively little research available on drivers of the Co-operative business model and what makes it both unique and competitive. This project will address these issues and assist Co-operatives WA to prepare for the introduction of new state legislation and provide research of benefit to Co-operatives at the national level.Read moreRead less
Bahavioural Determinants of the Adoption of Forward Market by Australian Wool Producers. It is estimated that 85% of Australian wool is sold in Auction, making it the dominant market system to sell wool. However, wool prices have fluctuated significantly in the auction system resulting in wool producers looking for alternative market systems. The Forward Market (selling wool in advance directly to the traders) is one such alternative market system which could offer guaranteed price to the wool p ....Bahavioural Determinants of the Adoption of Forward Market by Australian Wool Producers. It is estimated that 85% of Australian wool is sold in Auction, making it the dominant market system to sell wool. However, wool prices have fluctuated significantly in the auction system resulting in wool producers looking for alternative market systems. The Forward Market (selling wool in advance directly to the traders) is one such alternative market system which could offer guaranteed price to the wool producers. Despite its obvious advantages only 7% of wool producers sell wool through Forward Market system. This project investigates the behavioural determinants for the adoption of Forward Market system by the wool producers. We will develop a valid and reliable adoption model using Structural Equation Modelling approach through two rounds of data collection from the wool producers. The results will enhance wool industry's understanding of producers? response to the Forward Market system and thus help the policy makers to promote the alternative market system effectively. Read moreRead less
Extending Leadership and Learning: Improving the effectiveness of new learning technology for culture change and improved regional business performance. This research project explores the complex relationships between new technology and learning, and the subsequent impact on organisational change and business effectiveness. The study will examine the use of video-conferencing and on-line training packages in the regional locations of a major bank, in order to determine more effective configurati ....Extending Leadership and Learning: Improving the effectiveness of new learning technology for culture change and improved regional business performance. This research project explores the complex relationships between new technology and learning, and the subsequent impact on organisational change and business effectiveness. The study will examine the use of video-conferencing and on-line training packages in the regional locations of a major bank, in order to determine more effective configurations of learning architecture that support organisational culture change and impact on business performance. The organisation has a strategic commitment to cultural change towards leadership and learning. This research intends to examine how new learning technologies can more effectively impact on achieving such cultural change and improved regional equity.Read moreRead less
Managing Productive and Collaborative Relations in Australian Workplaces. Concerns over workplace productivity are high on the agenda of policymakers. Evidence suggests that collaboration in the workplace and high involvement approaches have a productivity premium of up to 20 per cent over those without the commitment to collaborative approaches. However, collective relations do not necessarily mean union relations nor necessarily collaborative relations. This research will benefit Australia's s ....Managing Productive and Collaborative Relations in Australian Workplaces. Concerns over workplace productivity are high on the agenda of policymakers. Evidence suggests that collaboration in the workplace and high involvement approaches have a productivity premium of up to 20 per cent over those without the commitment to collaborative approaches. However, collective relations do not necessarily mean union relations nor necessarily collaborative relations. This research will benefit Australia's social and economic fabric through understanding alternative means by which collaborative workplace relations lead to productivity gains. This is consistent with the current policy approach of government in promoting productive and harmonious workplace level industrial relations.Read moreRead less