Digital Commons Network^™

Sme Innovation Within The Australian Wine Industry: A Cluster Analysis, David Aylward, John Glynn

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This paper assesses core innovation activity among SMEs within different levels of cluster development. The aim of the paper, using empirical data from the Australian wine industry, is to demonstrate that innovation levels and activity intensify as an industry cluster develops. By dividing wine clusters into ‘innovative’ (highly developed) and ‘organised’ (less developed) models, the paper uses selected core indicators of innovation activity to explore levels of integration within each model. This integration is examined in the context of Porter’s theory of ‘competitive advantage’, with implications for SMEs in particular, and lessons for industry clusters in general.

Efficiency In The Australian Stock Market, 1875-2006: A Note On Extreme Long-Run Random Walk Behaviour, A. C. Worthington, H. Higgs

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This note examines the weak-form market efficiency of the Australian stock market. Daily returns from 6 January 1958 to 12 April 2006 and monthly returns from February 1875 to December 2005 are examined for random walks using serial correlation coefficient and runs tests, Augmented Dickey-Fuller, Phillips-Perron and Kwiatkowski, Phillips, Schmidt and Shin unit root tests and multiple variance ratio tests. The serial correlation tests indicate inefficiency in daily returns and borderline efficiency in monthly returns, while the runs tests conclude that both series are weak-form inefficient. The unit root tests suggest weak-form inefficiency in both return series. The results of …

Stochastic Price Modelling Of High Volatility, Mean-Reverting, Spike-Prone Commodities: The Australian Wholesale Electricity Market, H. Higgs, A. C. Worthington

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

It is commonly known that wholesale spot electricity markets exhibit high price volatility, strong mean-reversion and frequent extreme price spikes. This paper employs a basic stochastic model, a mean-reverting model and a regime-switching model to capture these features in the Australian national electricity market (NEM), comprising the interconnected markets of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria. Daily spot prices from 1 January 1999 to 31 December 2004 are employed. The results show that the regimeswitching model outperforms the basic stochastic and mean-reverting models. Electricity prices are also found to exhibit stronger mean-reversion after a price spike than in …

Modelling The Usage And Understanding Of Financial Products: An Empirical Analysis Of Australian Owner-Occupied And Investor Mortgages, A. C. Worthington

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Binary logit models are used to predict usage and understanding of owner-occupied and investor mortgages on the basis of demographic, socioeconomic and financial characteristics. The data is drawn from the 2003 ANZ Survey of Adult Financial Literacy in Australia and relates to 3,548 respondents. Factors examined include financial literacy, gender, age, ethnicity, occupation, educational level and family structure, along with household income, savings and debt. Understanding is defined in terms of knowledge of mortgage rates, fees and charges and familiarity with key mortgage terms. The results indicate that being middle-aged or a couple with children increases the likelihood of an …

Issues Relating To Designing A Work-Integrated Learning (Wil) Program In An Undergraduate Accounting Degree Program And Its Implications For The Curriculum, Indra Abeysekera

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Work-integrated learning (WIL) programs are becoming popular with students, government, employers, and universities. A major benefit of a WIL program is the increased employability of students, and this matches well with the present trend whereby students expect a pay-off from their investment in education. Although WIL programs are more common in some profession-based undergraduate courses than others, they have not been frequently discussed in relation to accounting in the Australian context. This paper discusses issues related to designing a WIL program for an undergraduate accounting program in an Australian context. The importance of WIL programs in general is followed by …

Content Analysis Of Social, Environmental Reporting: What Is New?, J. Guthrie, Indra Abeysekera

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to review the use of content analysis as a research method in understanding SEA and to examine current contemporary foci of this research tradition. Further, several research method issues relating to the use of content analysis are examined. Methodology: Contemporary focus and research issues are analyzed to provide some future directions for scholars in the field of SEA, by categorizing work in the SEA, social environmental reporting (SER) and intellectual capital reporting (ICR) literature, according to the following: normative literature/theory/commentaries; focus of empirical investigation; quality SER research; combined research methodologies; content analysis method …

Embedding Social Processes Into Agent-Oriented Conceptual Models, Rodney J. Clarke, Aneesh Krishna

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This paper describes how theories and methods for determining structural and functional patterns of communication in organisational settings can be applied to developing Agent-Oriented Conceptual Modelling, In particular we show how social processes in the form of genres- routine patterns of communication-can be embedded into Strategic Dependency diagrams used in the i* Framework. The research uses an entirely unforeseen relationship between communication theory in organisations and agent-based systems promoting agent based models that are easier to verify, more robust and portable. An example of this kind of conceptual modelling is provided and used as the basis for deriving a partial …

Communication And Conflict Between Marketing And R&D During New Product Development Projects, Graham R. Massey, Elias Kyriazis

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Effective cross-functional working relationships (CFRs) between Marketing Managers and R&D Managers are a key factor in successful new product development (NPD). Empirical evidence suggests however, that this CFR is often problematic. This article adds to our knowledge about Marketing/R&D CFRs during NPD by examining the effects of three forms of communication (communication frequency, bidirectionality, and quality) on two forms of conflict (dysfunctional and functional conflict). A hypothesised model of Marketing/R&D CFRs is tested using a sample of 184 NPD projects conducted in Australia, using R&D Managers as key respondents reporting on their relationships with the relevant Marketing Manager. Our findings …

Organisational Factors And It Professionals' View Of Wireless Network Vulnerability Assessments, Keir Dyce, Mary Barrett

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

The paper reports on a survey-based study of Australian computer security professionals' use of and opinions about two types of wireless vulnerability assessment (WNV A): wireless monitoring and penetration testing. An initially surprising finding was how little both types are used, despite the ease with which wireless networks can be attacked, and the lack of clear obstacles to using them.

In the light of aspects of organisational culture, including decision-making style and professional identity, the survey findings become more explicable. Senior management, and even IT staff themselves, may still hold a traditional, 'wired network' view of their organisation. 'Culture' may …

A Methodology For Integrating Artificial Intelligence Into A Quality Management Teaching Environment, Xuesong Chi, Trevor A. Spedding

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Management flight simulators provide a “microworld” in which users control an organization in a realistic environment without the need to disturb the real system. This paper presents a web-based intelligent virtual learning environment to enhance the education of engineering management students in quality management and statistical process control techniques. The paper introduces the structure and methodology for building this online learning environment. The simulated environment is based on an innovative approach which incorporates a Fuzzy Adaptive Resonance Theory Neural Network to enable students to obtain the best response by automatically identifying out of control conditions.

Taking Care Of (E)-Business? Australian It Professionals' Views Of Wireless Network Vulnerability Assessments, Keir Dyce, Mary Barrett

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

M-commerce, a growing sub-category of E-business, allows business to be done 'anywhere, anytime'. However security of wireless devices remains problematic. It is unclear whether protocols to alleviate security problems, such as wireless vulnerability assessments (WNVAs), are being used or are effective. The paper reports on a survey-based study of Australian computer security professionals' use of and opinions about two types of WNVA: wireless monitoring and penetration testing. An initially surprising finding was how little both types are used, despite the ease with which wireless networks can be attacked and the fact that penetration testing is fairly well understood. In the …

An Investigation Into The Reward Systems And Performance Management Of Us And Japanese Companies In Vietnam, Anne Cox

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This paper aims to examine the interaction between country of origin and country of operation, effects in determining human resource management (HRM) policies and practices in multinationals (MNCs) in the context of globalisation.