Digital Commons Network^™

A Strategic Audit Of Tesla.Pdf, Abigail Hoelzlhammer

Abigail Hoelzlhammer

A Strategic Audit Of Tesla.Pdf, Abigail Hoelzlhammer

Abigail Hoelzlhammer

A Dynamic Analysis Of The Impact Of Uncertainty On Import- And/Or Export-Led Growth: The Experience Of Japan And The Asian Tigers, Renuka Mahadevan, Sandy Suardi

Sandy Suardi

Increasing integration of the Asian Tigers with the world economy through trade has exposed their income and trade to greater uncertainty and volatility. This paper models uncertainty in trade and income and re-examines the stability of the trade-growth nexus for Japan and the Asian Tigers in a dynamic framework. We find that in a volatile environment Japan's GDP growth is only import-led while Hong Kong's GDP growth is both export and import growth-led. On the other hand, incorporating uncertainty breaks the causal link between Korea's GDP growth and trade but it does not affect Taiwan's mutually causative relationship between GDP …

Effects Of Global Competitiveness, Human Development, And Corruption On Inward Foreign Direct Investment, Tamilla Curtis, Dawna L. Rhoades, Tom Griffin

Dr. Tamilla Curtis

The purpose of this paper is to investigate which of Dunning's location-specific advantages of host countries, presented as composite indices for Global Competitiveness, Human Development and Corruption Perception, better predict the level of inward Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). A stepwise multiple regression method was applied on a sample of 129 countries, which was further divided into two subgroups: OECD members and non-OECD members. The study provides evidence that global competitiveness and the level of corruption of the host country are important determinants for inward FDI. For non-OECD countries the Human Development index appears to be an additional FDI determinant. More …

Project Finance: Transactional Evidence From Australia, Michael Regan

Michael Regan

The international project finance market is experiencing a period of significant change. The new Basel III capital adequacy rules will make it harder for banks to provide long-term project finance, and alternative sources of finance such as the shadow banking sector, fund managers, sovereign wealth funds, and institutional investors will take time to bridge the financing gap. In the meantime, it is difficult to source project finance for tenors beyond seven years, risk premiums are higher, and finance is difficult to source. Recent innovations in the form of the European Investment Bank’s Project Bond Initiative, and the ASEAN Infrastructure Fund …

Style Drift Analysis Of Hedge Funds, Lin Xu, Thomas Henker, Julia Henker

Thomas Henker

It is well established in the literature that mutual fund managers are susceptible to style drift. However, less is understood regarding the existence of the style behaviours in a closely linked alternative investment vehicle class – hedge funds. We investigate the existence of style drift within the hedge fund industry and examine the relationship between style drift and both stages of the funds’ lives and the past returns. There are two key contributions made in this study. Firstly, we consider fund risk return profiles directly, rather than classifying funds by their self-described strategies. Secondly, we implement a K-Means clustering algorithm …

Are Low-Skill Public Sector Workers Really Overpaid? A Quasi-Differenced Panel Data Analysis, Peter Siminski

Peter Siminski

Public–private sectoral wage differentials have been studied extensively using quantile regression techniques. These typically find large public sector premiums at the bottom of the wage distribution. This may imply that low skill workers are ‘overpaid’, prompting concerns over efficiency. We note several other potential explanations for this result and explicitly test whether the premium varies with skill, using Australian data. We use a quasi-differenced Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) panel data model which has not been previously applied to this topic, internationally. Unlike other available methods, this technique identifies sectoral differences in returns to unobserved skill. It also facilitates a …

Parent's Conception And Experience Of Calling In Child Rearing: A Qualitative Analysis, Justin C. Coulson, Lindsay G. Oades, Gerard J. Stoyles

Lindsay G Oades

The concept of "calling" has evolved from a religiously oriented description of occupation to an integrated, broad, and multidimensional construct that is associated with optimal vocational outcomes, personal fulfillment and meaning, and contribution to the "greater good." This article investigates the relevance of calling in the parental domain and explores the experience of calling in child rearing. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis, 11 qualitative, semistructured interviews were conducted with mothers and fathers. Different parents were interviewed at three distinct developmental time points in their child(ren)'s lives: while their child was an infant (<2 >years), while their children were of primary school …

An Analysis Of Mature Aged Female Participation In New South Wales Regional Labour Markets, Natalie Akmacic, Martin O'Brien

Martin O'Brien

The analysis of regional markets has surfaced as an important emerging area of economic research in recent years. In particular, economists have attempted to explain the factors behind divergent trends in different regions' growth, migration, structural change and employment. With this in mind, the focus of this paper is to explore the trends in regional labour force participation for mature females over the period 1992 to present. The labour force participation of this group is particularly relevant in the context of Australia's ageing population. To analyse mature age participation we utilise ANOVA to determine the differences between various Australian regions …

Australian Tax Analysis: Cases, Commentary, Commercial Applications And Questions, Cynthia Coleman, Geoffrey Hart, Brett Bondfield, Margaret Mckerchar, John Mclaren, Kerrie Sadiq, Antony Ting

John McLaren

No abstract provided.

The 25 Per Cent Entrepreneurs' Tax Offset - A Critical Analysis, John Mclaren

John McLaren

It should be acknowledged at the start that any measure to reduce the income tax burden on business, and in particular small business in Australia, is a step in the right direction, given the comparative rates of tax that apply in the Asia-Pacific region. However, using the tax system to attempt to encourage growth in small business may not be the ideal approach, and the purpose of this paper is to critically analyse the new 25% tax offset for entrepreneurs' as well as propose areas that need further research and further options that may be considered to promote the financial …

Factors Affecting The Technical Inefficiency Of Thai Manufacturing And Exporting Small And Medium Sized Enterprises: A Stochastic Frontier Analysis (Sfa), Yot Amornkitvikai, Charles Harvie, Teerawat Charoenrat

Charles Harvie

This study employs a stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) and technical inefficiency effects model to predict the technical efficiency of 3,168 Thai manufacturing and exporting SMEs, analyze their returns to scale and key factors impacting on their technical efficiency. Analysis of cross-sectional data from a 2007 census of Thai manufacturing SMEs indicates that their average technical efficiency is approximately 69.72 percent, signifying a moderate level of technical inefficiency which is reducing potential output. With respect to each group of manufacturing and exporting SMEs, SMEs exporting to East Asia have a level of technical efficiency of 0.7081, followed by SMEs exporting to …

Capital Structure And Firm Performance In Emerging Economies: An Empirical Analysis Of Sri Lankan Firms, Anura De Zoysa, Muhammad Chowdhury, Palli Mulla K A Chandrakumara, Athula Manawaduge

Anil Chandrakumara

This paper offers an empirical analysis of the impact of capital structure on firm performance in thecontext of an emerging market¿Sri Lanka. The study applies both pooled and panel data regressionmodels for a sample of 155 Sri Lankan-listed firms. The results demonstrate that most of the SriLankan firms finance their operations with short-term debt capital as against the long-term debtcapital and provide strong evidence that the firm performance is negatively affected by the use of debtcapital. The study also finds a significant negative relationship between tangibility and performanceindicating inefficient utilization of non-current assets. The negative performance implicationsassociated with over-utilization of …

Profitability Analysis Of Listed Manufacturing Companies In Sri Lanka And Malaysia: An Empirical Investigation, Anura De Zoysa, Athula Manawaduge, Palli Mulla K A Chandrakumara

Anil Chandrakumara

This paper uses empirical data on 161 listed manufacturing companies in Sri Lankaand Malaysia over the period of 2006 to 2008, and compares the performance of thesecompanies against two commonly used financial performance indicators: Return onAssets (ROA) and Return on Equity (ROE). The results indicate that during this periodSri Lankan manufacturing companies were considerably more profitable than theircounterparts in Malaysia in terms of ROA but less profitable in terms of ROE. It alsoidentifies a relatively weaker position of equity investments in the manufacturing sectorof Sri Lankan companies and attributes this to a number of factors, including: arelatively poor equity market, …

An Analysis Of The Sustainability And The Future Of Innovation Readiness Within The Australian Supply Base: A Cross-Sectorial, Cross-Regional Snapshot, Lee Styger

Lee Styger

Recently, there has been unprecedented disturbance in the core supply base of many Australian organisations. Supply networks that were once considered robust are in many cases vulnerable. Traditional supply chain development methodologies appear to offer little improvement opportunity due to critical gaps developing at core supply nodes and/or within the critical mass of supply. This paper discusses the data derived from a series of novel cross-sectional and cross-regional supply chain focus groups and OEM feedback interviews. This paper highlights the potential embedded risks within the supply base of Australia. Importantly this paper demonstrates a disconnect between supplier and customer, a …

An Empirical Analysis Of Sustainability Of Trade Deficit: Evidence From South Asian Countries, Reetu Verma, Nelson Perera

Nelson Perera

In this paper, the long-run relationship between Sri Lankan exports and imports during the period 1950 to 2006 is examined using unit root tests and cointegration techniques that allow for an endogenously determined structural break. The results failed to support the existence of a long-run equilibrium between exports and imports in Sri Lanka. This finding questions the effectiveness of Sri Lanka’s current long-term macroeconomic policies and suggests that Sri Lanka is in violation of its international budget constraint.

A Classification Scheme For Analysing Web 2.0 Tourism Websites, Scott Bingley, Stephen Burgess, Carmen Sellitto, Carmen Cox, Jeremy Buultjens

Carmen Cox

This article proposes a Web 2.0 classification scheme developed from a study of tourism websites that have adopted Web 2.0 features. The article goes on to outline various website analysis techniques noted and reported in the literature. Moreover, the authors contend that these previously documented approaches are inadequate when used to analysis commonly encountered features associated with typical Web 2.0 website - many sites containing a combination of weblogs (blogs), videos, rating systems, images or other forms of user-generated content. The article continues with an example of how the authors developed their own approach to the analysis of Web 2.0 …

Activity As A Unit Of Analysis For Knowledge Management Frameworks, Leoni Warne, Irena Ali, Helen Hasan

Helen Hasan

The authors of this paper take the view that knowledge management is a set of practices for systematically adding value to the knowlege of individuals, which is generated and shaped through interaction with others. It is therefore appropriate that knowledge management research be conducted in the context of particular organisations, focusing on local activities. To that end two of the authors have conducted a four-year research program investigating the factors in organizations that enhance and enable the assimilation, generation, sharing and building of knowledge that transfonns an organization into a learning organization. Human activities in organisational contexts have been analysed …

An Activity-Theory Analysis Of Corporate Wikis, Helen M. Hasan, Charmaine C. Pfaff

Helen Hasan

Purpose: Wiki technologies, which are popular in social settings, are beginning to contribute to more flexible and participatory approaches to the exploitation of knowledge in corporate settings. Through the lens of activity theory, this paper aims to investigate contentious challenges to organizational activities that may be associated with the introduction of corporate wikis, in particular the potential democratization of knowledge work. Design/methodology/approach: From a study of several cases of corporate wiki adoption, this paper presents and interprets two representative cases sampled to provide more generalized results. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews and observation. The analysis followed a systematic …

An Activity Theory Analysis Of A Case Of It-Driven Organisational Change, Wannapa Suratmethakul, Helen Hasan

Helen Hasan

The paper describes unexpected problems encountered in the automation of a scheduling process using an IT application already in use in other similar organisations. A grounded theory approach was used to collect and categorise data on the case. Activity Theory was then used to analyse the attempt by management to implement organisational change through the introduction of the system. The findings suggest that it is inadvisable to impose organisational change through the introduction of a complex IT system, particularly when this disrupts entrenched decision-making processes of the organisation.

Location And Tracking Of Mobile Devices: Überveillance Stalks The Streets, Katina Michael, Roger Clarke

Professor Katina Michael

During the last decade, location-tracking and monitoring applications have proliferated, in mobile cellular and wireless data networks, and through self-reporting by applications running in smartphones that are equipped with onboard global positioning system (GPS) chipsets. It is now possible to locate a smartphone-user's location not merely to a cell, but to a small area within it. Innovators have been quick to capitalise on these location-based technologies for commercial purposes, and have gained access to a great deal of sensitive personal data in the process. In addition, law enforcement utilise these technologies, can do so inexpensively and hence can track many …

Opportunities For Interactivity In Public Health Websites: A Content Analysis Approach, Sumayya Banna, Helen M. Hasan, Joseph A. Meloche

Sumayya a Banna

The Internet has many advantages over other media in the provision of information services in the area of public health. However many designers are not yet taking full advantage of its potential for interactivity. This paper examines the development of interactivity in public health websites in the increasingly important area of Palliative Care. Content analysis is used here to map the interactivity in a sample of 30 existing websites along with Heeter’s six dimensions (content and availability of choice, effort users must exert, responsiveness to the users, and the ease of adding information, monitoring the information and the system use, …

Lean And The Analysis Of Continuous Process Industry Supply Chains, Matthew P.J Pepper, Trevor A. Spedding

Matthew Pepper

The lean approach is a well established philosophy in the manufacturing industry. Due to increasingly competitive global markets, the scope of application for this way of thinking is widening, and continually evolving to become suitable for application into new areas - the continous process industry being a key example.

Opportunities For Interactivity In Public Health Websites: A Content Analysis Approach, Sumayya Banna, Helen M. Hasan, Joseph A. Meloche

Helen Hasan

The Internet has many advantages over other media in the provision of information services in the area of public health. However many designers are not yet taking full advantage of its potential for interactivity. This paper examines the development of interactivity in public health websites in the increasingly important area of Palliative Care. Content analysis is used here to map the interactivity in a sample of 30 existing websites along with Heeter’s six dimensions (content and availability of choice, effort users must exert, responsiveness to the users, and the ease of adding information, monitoring the information and the system use, …

An Analysis Of The Financial Services Regulations Of Australia, Shyam S. Bhati

Shyam Bhati

The purpose of this paper is to critically analyse various aspects of Australian Financial Services Regulation in terms of Llewellyn’s Theory of Financial Services Regulation and offer suggestions for the improvement of FSR based on the analysis. A discussion based approach is used to conduct this analysis. It is observed that the FSR Act, 2001 of Australia does not cover credit products thereby leaving an important segment of the market outside the purview of the Act. The policies developed by Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) on FSR Act relies on Industry self regulation as mechanism of creating trust and …

Government Sector And The Private Sector: An Input-Output Analysis For Australia, Robert Castle, J Guest

Robert G. Castle

No abstract provided.

A Welfare Analysis Of The Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, Peter M. Siminski

Peter Siminski

The Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) is a key element of a suite of benefits for Australia's 'self-funded retirees'. Its main component is a pharmaceutical concession, which is analysed as a form of public health insurance. The utility gain through risk-pooling is found to be negligible under conservative assumptions. The deadweight loss through moral hazard may be considerable. Finally, the CSHC may be seen as an inequitable transfer, because CSHC holders are a particularly wealthy population.

The Unit Of Analysis In Is Theory: The Case For Activity, Helen Hasan, Sumayya Banna

Sumayya a Banna

In the field of IS, researchers use and adapt existing theories to make sense of their data. They also build new theory from their research findings. The way theory is used, adapted or created usually assumes a certain unit of analysis, which could be the artefact, the system, the organisation, the user, the developer, the team or something else. In this paper we propose that ‘activity’ should also be considered as a suitable unit of analysis for theory in IS since the purpose of any information systems is to facilitate activities of use. To support this proposition, we describe tenets …

The Unit Of Analysis In Is Theory: The Case For Activity, Helen Hasan, Sumayya Banna

Helen Hasan

In the field of IS, researchers use and adapt existing theories to make sense of their data. They also build new theory from their research findings. The way theory is used, adapted or created usually assumes a certain unit of analysis, which could be the artefact, the system, the organisation, the user, the developer, the team or something else. In this paper we propose that ‘activity’ should also be considered as a suitable unit of analysis for theory in IS since the purpose of any information systems is to facilitate activities of use. To support this proposition, we describe tenets …

A Trination Analysis Of Social Exchange Relationships In E-Dating, Sudhir Kale, Mark Spence

Sudhir H. Kale

More than half a billion users across the globe have availed themselves of e-dating services. This chapter looks at the marketing and cross-cultural aspects of mate-seeking behavior in e-dating. We content analyzed 238 advertisements from online matrimonial sites in three countries: India (n=79), Hong Kong (n=80), and Australia (n=79). Frequencies of mention of the following ten attribute categories in the advertiser’s self-description were established using post hoc quantitative analysis: love, physical status, educational status, intellectual status, occupational status, entertainment services, money, demographic information, ethnic information, and personality traits. Past research on mate selection using personal ads and the three countries’ …