Intelligence and national security: ethics, efficacy and accountability. This project aims to generate an ethically informed set of practice and policy guidelines for viable security intelligence collection and analysis of electronic data by liberal democracies. In the context of global terrorism and the resurgence of technologically sophisticated authoritarian states, effective intelligence collection and analysis of electronic data is crucial for the national security of liberal democratic sta ....Intelligence and national security: ethics, efficacy and accountability. This project aims to generate an ethically informed set of practice and policy guidelines for viable security intelligence collection and analysis of electronic data by liberal democracies. In the context of global terrorism and the resurgence of technologically sophisticated authoritarian states, effective intelligence collection and analysis of electronic data is crucial for the national security of liberal democratic states. Yet intelligence agencies in Australia, United States, European Union and so on, are not only under pressure to perform, but must also meet a variety of ethical challenges, notably privacy constraints and democratic accountability. This project will contribute to Australia's national security policy making environment, and to privacy and broader human rights debates, by providing an evidenced based, ethically informed set of practice and policy guidelines for viable national security intelligence practice in liberal democracies.Read moreRead less
Evidence-based community standards for ethics in advertising. The primary social benefit of this project is the development of evidence-based standards representing community views on acceptable practices in advertising, providing a basis on which to lobby for improvements in regulation. Such improvements will contribute to the ability of consumers to make informed choices about product purchase and behaviour change. This project also has economic benefit for commercial and social advertisers in ....Evidence-based community standards for ethics in advertising. The primary social benefit of this project is the development of evidence-based standards representing community views on acceptable practices in advertising, providing a basis on which to lobby for improvements in regulation. Such improvements will contribute to the ability of consumers to make informed choices about product purchase and behaviour change. This project also has economic benefit for commercial and social advertisers in Australia, enabling them to: pre-test potential advertisements to ensure that they comply with community standards; develop advertisements which are better suited to their target audience(s); better forecast the effects of appeals on advertising outcomes; and reduce complaints to the ASB and other bodies.Read moreRead less
Protecting while they prosper? Organisational responses to whistleblowing. This project aims to examine the adequacy of organisational responses to whistleblowing (employee reporting of wrongdoing). So far, research into public-interest whistleblowing has revealed much about the incidence, significance and experience of whistleblowers. This project now extends the research to the other side of the issue — the organisations. By comparing employee and managerial experience in multiple public and p ....Protecting while they prosper? Organisational responses to whistleblowing. This project aims to examine the adequacy of organisational responses to whistleblowing (employee reporting of wrongdoing). So far, research into public-interest whistleblowing has revealed much about the incidence, significance and experience of whistleblowers. This project now extends the research to the other side of the issue — the organisations. By comparing employee and managerial experience in multiple public and private sector organisations in Australia and New Zealand, the project intends to identify the factors that influence good and bad responses across a range of institutions; provide a clearer basis for reform of policies, procedures and law; and set benchmarks for comparative research worldwide.Read moreRead less
Water for Australia's future - reducing fears and increasing acceptance of alternative water sources through public information. Australia is in the midst of a water crisis. Available water sources are dwindling. Alternative water sources are key to Australia's sustainable water future. National and international experiences show that while alternative water treatment technologies are available, public acceptance is the most important factor to determining the successful implementation of altern ....Water for Australia's future - reducing fears and increasing acceptance of alternative water sources through public information. Australia is in the midst of a water crisis. Available water sources are dwindling. Alternative water sources are key to Australia's sustainable water future. National and international experiences show that while alternative water treatment technologies are available, public acceptance is the most important factor to determining the successful implementation of alternative water schemes. This project will study public acceptance of a range of alternative water schemes in Australia. It will identify barriers to adoption of these alternatives and highlight preferred options by the community. The information needs of Australians will be identified and optimal communication strategies developed.Read moreRead less
Reducing irresponsible gambling: Changing a justification to an avoidance strategy. The results will aid policy makers in their assessment of harm minimisation strategies such as voluntary self-exclusion. Discovering when 'flawed' thinking about previous gambling episodes can be used to justify potentially irresponsible gambling decisions will assist in the design of new prevention measures for irresponsible gamblers and those at risk. The strategies developed here will be useful for gamblers to ....Reducing irresponsible gambling: Changing a justification to an avoidance strategy. The results will aid policy makers in their assessment of harm minimisation strategies such as voluntary self-exclusion. Discovering when 'flawed' thinking about previous gambling episodes can be used to justify potentially irresponsible gambling decisions will assist in the design of new prevention measures for irresponsible gamblers and those at risk. The strategies developed here will be useful for gamblers to empower themselves and avoid behaviour they will regret later. Australia will benefit from insights into how and why irresponsible episodes occur and how to prevent them. Read moreRead less
From economic benefit to social cost: Antecedents of irresponsible gambling. The social impact of gambling is a challenge for policy-makers. Australia's gambling expenditure in 2001 contributed $4.4 billion in tax revenue. This economic benefit however, is offset by significant social costs ($1.8 to $5.6 billion). We will identify when and how distorted memory for previous gambling outcomes and gaming machine accessibility can cause irresponsible gambling. The results can be used to make informe ....From economic benefit to social cost: Antecedents of irresponsible gambling. The social impact of gambling is a challenge for policy-makers. Australia's gambling expenditure in 2001 contributed $4.4 billion in tax revenue. This economic benefit however, is offset by significant social costs ($1.8 to $5.6 billion). We will identify when and how distorted memory for previous gambling outcomes and gaming machine accessibility can cause irresponsible gambling. The results can be used to make informed assessments of the social impact of increasing the accessibility of gambling opportunities on local communities. The results can also be used to understand how gambling that contributes to the economy of a community becomes a social cost.Read moreRead less
Enhancing the Technology Transfer Capability of Australian Univerities. This project aims to assist in achieving enhanced University capability in technology transfer which is regarded by government as cruicial to improving national innovation performance. I seeks to identify the determinants of effective technology transfer and provide in-depth understanding of the social process involved in transferring both inventions and associated scientific knowledge from universities to corporationss. Emp ....Enhancing the Technology Transfer Capability of Australian Univerities. This project aims to assist in achieving enhanced University capability in technology transfer which is regarded by government as cruicial to improving national innovation performance. I seeks to identify the determinants of effective technology transfer and provide in-depth understanding of the social process involved in transferring both inventions and associated scientific knowledge from universities to corporationss. Employing a contingent effectiveness model, the research will focus on the characteristics of the transfer agent, the transfer recipient, the transfer medium, the transfer object and the demand environment. Results and recommended strategies will be communicated to university and industry managers and government officials.Read moreRead less
Innovation Agents and Innovation Tracks. Research Scientists in the Australian National System of Innovation. The project examines the backgrounds, careers and technology transfer activities of research scientists working in Australia. The project is significant because these scientists are the key innovation agents of the Australian National System of Innovation. Increasingly anxious about successful transition to a knowledge economy, governments are focusing on R&D but paying too little atten ....Innovation Agents and Innovation Tracks. Research Scientists in the Australian National System of Innovation. The project examines the backgrounds, careers and technology transfer activities of research scientists working in Australia. The project is significant because these scientists are the key innovation agents of the Australian National System of Innovation. Increasingly anxious about successful transition to a knowledge economy, governments are focusing on R&D but paying too little attention to Australia's core innovation personnel. The project focuses attention onto scientists and the innovation tracks they and their work make across the economy, in both public and private sectors, with the aim of improving polices for their retention and full participation in Australian knowledge-based development.Read moreRead less
Developing demand-side strategies for sustainable futures at the business and consumer levels. Australia is facing a world in which the material demands of developing nations are putting pressure on global resources, at the same time as effects of economic activity on the earth's climate are leading to questions about the planet's sustainability. Efforts to mandate changes in consumption patterns are likely to be politically unpopular and lead to a loss of social welfare. This research will in ....Developing demand-side strategies for sustainable futures at the business and consumer levels. Australia is facing a world in which the material demands of developing nations are putting pressure on global resources, at the same time as effects of economic activity on the earth's climate are leading to questions about the planet's sustainability. Efforts to mandate changes in consumption patterns are likely to be politically unpopular and lead to a loss of social welfare. This research will investigate ways in which choices between current and future consumption can be framed to maximize voluntary consumer choices for sustainable futures. It will allow the demand side of negative environmental trends to be addressed, reducing the pressure on the supply side without the loss of consumer sovereignty.Read moreRead less