International franchising success factors: A guide for Australian franchise systems. Australia is considered the most 'franchised' nation in the world. With 850 franchisors, it has over three times the number of systems per capita than the United States. However, Australian franchises are small due to the country's limited population, with 60% of systems holding fewer than 30 units. One third of Australian franchisors now operates internationally, however little is known about how they plan an ....International franchising success factors: A guide for Australian franchise systems. Australia is considered the most 'franchised' nation in the world. With 850 franchisors, it has over three times the number of systems per capita than the United States. However, Australian franchises are small due to the country's limited population, with 60% of systems holding fewer than 30 units. One third of Australian franchisors now operates internationally, however little is known about how they plan and implement their expansion strategies. It appears that franchisors are reacting to approaches made by overseas investors rather than proactively developing international expansion strategies. This research will examine the practices of successful exporters to develop a model of best practice for future activity in the sector.Read moreRead less
Conceptualisation and Measurement of Customer Value: An Application to the Timeshare Industry. Timeshare or resort ownership is a growing industry worldwide. There are more than 110 timeshare properties in Australia, most of which are located in regional communities. This research will benefit these communities through the provision of information to enhance and sustain the development of this expanding industry. The information obtained will assist the collaborating organisation in the transfor ....Conceptualisation and Measurement of Customer Value: An Application to the Timeshare Industry. Timeshare or resort ownership is a growing industry worldwide. There are more than 110 timeshare properties in Australia, most of which are located in regional communities. This research will benefit these communities through the provision of information to enhance and sustain the development of this expanding industry. The information obtained will assist the collaborating organisation in the transformation of the industry, while addressing some of the concerns raised in a 2005 Parliamentary Inquiry. The project examines how consumers obtain value from the timeshare product. The project has the potential to be applied internationally thus providing export opportunities for Australia.Read moreRead less
Identifying, attracting and retaining successful foster parents. This research project will improve Australian foster care systems. By developing tools to identify, attract and retain successful foster parents more effectively we will address two critical problems facing foster care organisations: decreasing numbers of foster parents and increasing numbers of 'placement breakdowns'. Improvements of these factors will (1) give foster children a more positive and healthier start to life; (2) reduc ....Identifying, attracting and retaining successful foster parents. This research project will improve Australian foster care systems. By developing tools to identify, attract and retain successful foster parents more effectively we will address two critical problems facing foster care organisations: decreasing numbers of foster parents and increasing numbers of 'placement breakdowns'. Improvements of these factors will (1) give foster children a more positive and healthier start to life; (2) reduce the extent to which foster children develop antisocial and emotional attachment problems; (3) reduce the incidence of criminal and antisocial behaviours among foster children; and consequently (4) have a positive long-term effect on the social fabric of Australia.Read moreRead less
Women in non-traditional careers: a longitudinal study of female professionals in the mining and resources industries. This project is in line with National Research Priority, strengthening Australia's social and economic fabric, which identifies the importance of research on workforce participation. The main aim of this research is to increase the attraction, participation, development and most importantly, retention of qualified female technical staff in the Australian resource industry. Analy ....Women in non-traditional careers: a longitudinal study of female professionals in the mining and resources industries. This project is in line with National Research Priority, strengthening Australia's social and economic fabric, which identifies the importance of research on workforce participation. The main aim of this research is to increase the attraction, participation, development and most importantly, retention of qualified female technical staff in the Australian resource industry. Analysis of project outputs will directly inform policies and practices to redress the significant skill shortages in the industry. Furthermore enhancing workplace diversity is necessary to create effective and innovative workplaces that reflect the diversity of the broader Australian society.Read moreRead less
Internet Companies and Consumer Behaviour: A Study of Consumer-Company Identification and Word of Mouth Communication. The emergence of Internet based companies has significantly changed consumer marketplaces within Australia. Companies using Internet related technologies are offering consumers new and better marketplace choices and, in turn, generating new revenue streams. This project seeks to understand the growth of such companies, to investigate the process of Internet related word of mo ....Internet Companies and Consumer Behaviour: A Study of Consumer-Company Identification and Word of Mouth Communication. The emergence of Internet based companies has significantly changed consumer marketplaces within Australia. Companies using Internet related technologies are offering consumers new and better marketplace choices and, in turn, generating new revenue streams. This project seeks to understand the growth of such companies, to investigate the process of Internet related word of mouth communication -- a process on which much of the success of these new companies rests -- and to build decision making tools for companies -- helping them to create, implement and modify strategies that are appropriate for this dynamic environment.Read moreRead less
Incentivizing Attendance and Performance at School: A Field Experiment. This project aims to develop and evaluate an incentive-based program to increase the school attendance and performance of Indigenous students to help alleviate current inequalities between Indigenous and non-indigenous Australians. Only 43 per cent of Indigenous Australians graduate from high school compared to 78 per cent for non-Indigenous Australians. The study plans to investigate whether high value rewards (e.g. driving ....Incentivizing Attendance and Performance at School: A Field Experiment. This project aims to develop and evaluate an incentive-based program to increase the school attendance and performance of Indigenous students to help alleviate current inequalities between Indigenous and non-indigenous Australians. Only 43 per cent of Indigenous Australians graduate from high school compared to 78 per cent for non-Indigenous Australians. The study plans to investigate whether high value rewards (e.g. driving licence instruction) are effective in incentivising year 11 and 12 students. It also aims to examine whether the way incentives are provided — ex-post as traditionally done or ex-ante in the form of a trust-based contract — increase high school completion rates of Indigenous students where previous incentive schemes have failed.Read moreRead less
TALKING THEATRE: An Audience Development Programme for Regional Queensland and the Northern Territory. TALKING THEATRE seeks to build new theatre audiences both in the short and long term for regional Queensland and the Northern Territory. Non-theatregoers from 14 regional centres will experience live theatrical performances in their communities, and will participate in post-performance questionnaires and focus group discussions. TALKING THEATRE will thereby ascertain the entertainment, cultu ....TALKING THEATRE: An Audience Development Programme for Regional Queensland and the Northern Territory. TALKING THEATRE seeks to build new theatre audiences both in the short and long term for regional Queensland and the Northern Territory. Non-theatregoers from 14 regional centres will experience live theatrical performances in their communities, and will participate in post-performance questionnaires and focus group discussions. TALKING THEATRE will thereby ascertain the entertainment, cultural, and creative needs of non-theatregoers living in regional areas. This innovative linking of audience reception studies with market development, will create skilled regional theatre staff and volunteers capable of growing new audiences, and will build the efficiency and sustainability of Australia's regional theatre networks.Read moreRead less
Enhancing mothers' engagement with the workforce in the preschool years. Increasing the workforce participation of mothers is a key national policy agenda. This project will produce unique data that provides insights into how leave arrangements, childcare, flexibility, job characteristics and individual circumstances interact to influence mothers' workforce engagement and how this varies for different groups of mothers.
Examining the impact of marketing communications on brand image, brand equity and behaviour outcomes. The results would help charities in brand building activities through improved marketing communications. For example, the Australian Red Cross Blood Service (ARCBS) can understand how to improve their brand equity (e.g. improving loyalty, enhancing brand awareness levels, achieving higher perception of quality as well as enhancing brand image) in their donor markets. Increased commitment from th ....Examining the impact of marketing communications on brand image, brand equity and behaviour outcomes. The results would help charities in brand building activities through improved marketing communications. For example, the Australian Red Cross Blood Service (ARCBS) can understand how to improve their brand equity (e.g. improving loyalty, enhancing brand awareness levels, achieving higher perception of quality as well as enhancing brand image) in their donor markets. Increased commitment from the donors is likely to result in benefits such as more blood donations for this charity organisation. This would mean better services provided by ARCBS which would mean promoting and maintaining good health among the Australian public.Read moreRead less
Promoting youth wellbeing through participatory digital media: A multidisciplinary assessment of the mental health outcomes of cyber-participation. This innovative, multidisciplinary research addresses the urgent issue of youth mental health, and aims to investigate the impact of digital media participation on improving youth wellbeing. Key national benefits of this research are: the significant potential to contribute to the larger conception, prevention and promotion of youth mental health in ....Promoting youth wellbeing through participatory digital media: A multidisciplinary assessment of the mental health outcomes of cyber-participation. This innovative, multidisciplinary research addresses the urgent issue of youth mental health, and aims to investigate the impact of digital media participation on improving youth wellbeing. Key national benefits of this research are: the significant potential to contribute to the larger conception, prevention and promotion of youth mental health in Australia; evaluation of, and subsequent evidenced-based innovations, of POs' digital media programs to increase level of support for youth; and the training provided to emerging researchers in the project team.Read moreRead less