The Employment Relations Implications of Mergers and Acquisitions in the Australian Black Coal Mining Industry. This project will study the employment relations (industrial relations and human resource management) implications of mergers and acquisitions in the Australian black coal mining industry - Australia's largest export income-earning industry. Global merger and acquisition activity has intensified in recent years despite strong international evidence to suggest that mergers and acquisiti ....The Employment Relations Implications of Mergers and Acquisitions in the Australian Black Coal Mining Industry. This project will study the employment relations (industrial relations and human resource management) implications of mergers and acquisitions in the Australian black coal mining industry - Australia's largest export income-earning industry. Global merger and acquisition activity has intensified in recent years despite strong international evidence to suggest that mergers and acquisitions often fail due to people-related problems. This study seeks to explore this international enigma, by examining a range of employment relations issues in newly merged or acquired organisations in the Australian coal industry. The frenetic pace of recent mergers and acquisitions in the coal industry, and its centrality to the prosperity of Australia, make it an ideal site to develop understanding of the people-related problems associated with mergers and acquisitions,and to develop strategies to address these difficulties. It is expected that this study will reveal significant theoretical insights and provide practical lessons on appropriate management interventions, that go beyond the Australian coal industry.The findings will be presented at international conferences and be published in leading academic journals and the mainstream financial press.Read moreRead less
Employee voice in Australia: the impact of employee participation arrangements on organisational performance and employee well-being. Given the extent of union decline in Australia, there is a need to update policy to reflect the new reality of low unionisation. This project will examine what alternative arrangements exist and their economic and social consequences. It focuses on the employee impacts and employer impacts of these arrangements and will inform current policy debates.
Developing leadership for high stress workplaces: Improving well-being, engagement, productivity and staff retention. Workplaces today are increasingly complex. The ageing of the workforce, growing economic pressure and increasing employee mobility make the ability of organisations to attract, develop and retain talented staff critical issues for Australian industry. Staff stress costs the economy tens of billions of dollars a year. This project focuses on the measurement and development of lead ....Developing leadership for high stress workplaces: Improving well-being, engagement, productivity and staff retention. Workplaces today are increasingly complex. The ageing of the workforce, growing economic pressure and increasing employee mobility make the ability of organisations to attract, develop and retain talented staff critical issues for Australian industry. Staff stress costs the economy tens of billions of dollars a year. This project focuses on the measurement and development of leader's ability to take sophisticated perspectives on complex events, and in so doing open new possibilities for effective action. By developing models, tools and training methods to enhance this ability in managers, we aim to make an important contribution economic sustainability and employee well-being in Australia and internationally.Read moreRead less
Measuring and Managing the Impact of Lost Organisational Knowledge. This research should produce significant economic and social benefits for many sectors, and the theoretical model potentially has practical benefits for all organisations. It addresses a widespread problem across the public service: the country's ageing demographic, which is affecting its efficiency and sustainability. It will improve the Royal Australian Navy's capacity to maintain national security, and help it to manage indus ....Measuring and Managing the Impact of Lost Organisational Knowledge. This research should produce significant economic and social benefits for many sectors, and the theoretical model potentially has practical benefits for all organisations. It addresses a widespread problem across the public service: the country's ageing demographic, which is affecting its efficiency and sustainability. It will improve the Royal Australian Navy's capacity to maintain national security, and help it to manage industry better. This will create cost savings and improve risk management, and thereby also contribute to one of the ARC's priority research areas: Safeguarding Australia.Read moreRead less
Bullying in the workplace: A study of Australian Nurses. Improving the work life of nurses is an emerging issue in the international media, for the nursing profession and health managers. Bullying has been identified as a significant workplace issue for nurses and links to workplace retention inferred. This timely study, through a process of in-depth interview, expert consultation and national survey will differentiate the extent, nature and sequelae of bullying in the Australian nursing contex ....Bullying in the workplace: A study of Australian Nurses. Improving the work life of nurses is an emerging issue in the international media, for the nursing profession and health managers. Bullying has been identified as a significant workplace issue for nurses and links to workplace retention inferred. This timely study, through a process of in-depth interview, expert consultation and national survey will differentiate the extent, nature and sequelae of bullying in the Australian nursing context. The results will provide a framework for policy makers and health professionals to explore proactive approaches to bullying and provide a validated tool that can be used to explore bullying in other workplace settings.Read moreRead less
The Impact of Hiring and Firing Costs on Wages and Unemployment. Hiring and firing costs are a crucial part of intense debates over relationships between labour market flexibility, wages and unemployment. However, we have little information about their levels and structure. Using a new theoretical model of the impact of hiring and firing costs, together with information from a large-scale survey of Australian firms, this project quantifies their impacts on wages and unemployment. Better infor ....The Impact of Hiring and Firing Costs on Wages and Unemployment. Hiring and firing costs are a crucial part of intense debates over relationships between labour market flexibility, wages and unemployment. However, we have little information about their levels and structure. Using a new theoretical model of the impact of hiring and firing costs, together with information from a large-scale survey of Australian firms, this project quantifies their impacts on wages and unemployment. Better information about these impacts will contribute to current policy on training, unfair dismissal laws, and regulation of overtime. Efficiency gains from better policy will be a major national benefit, together with improved prospects for unemployed Australians.Read moreRead less
Promoting Long-Term Employment of Autistic Individuals . Autistic adults tend to have poor employment outcomes and poor well-being, but these outcomes have mostly been treated separately. This project aims to investigate the links between sustainable employment and well-being of autistic adults. Survey and interview data will be collected in partner organisations after implementing two training programs for autistic staff and colleagues. Expected outcomes include enhanced capacity of both emplo ....Promoting Long-Term Employment of Autistic Individuals . Autistic adults tend to have poor employment outcomes and poor well-being, but these outcomes have mostly been treated separately. This project aims to investigate the links between sustainable employment and well-being of autistic adults. Survey and interview data will be collected in partner organisations after implementing two training programs for autistic staff and colleagues. Expected outcomes include enhanced capacity of both employers and employees to pro-actively manage job demands and build resources of autistic employees. This should provide significant benefits by improving sustainability of autism employment programs, thus providing social and financial benefits to autistic individuals, employers, government, and society. Read moreRead less
Proximal and organizational leadership and climate as predictors of key performance in non-profit organizations. This project will provide a transferable model of the leadership and organisational characteristics required for success among nonprofit church organisations. The model will provide opportunities for strengthening the support structures of nonprofits who play a critical role in helping needy families and individuals live healthy, productive, and fulfilling lives. The study addresses t ....Proximal and organizational leadership and climate as predictors of key performance in non-profit organizations. This project will provide a transferable model of the leadership and organisational characteristics required for success among nonprofit church organisations. The model will provide opportunities for strengthening the support structures of nonprofits who play a critical role in helping needy families and individuals live healthy, productive, and fulfilling lives. The study addresses the National Research Priority of Promoting and Maintaining Good Health and Priority Goal 'Strengthening Australia's social and economic fabric.' In addition, the model will provide benchmarking opportunities with other nonprofits both in Australia and internationally and will contribute to the Government's welfare reform and participation agendas. Read moreRead less