Business Commons^™

A Global Analysis Of Supply Chain Trends In The Health Industry, Siti Zulkiffli, Peter Wayne Robertson

Sydney Business School - Papers

• An outlook for the pharmaceutical and medical logistics market • Achieving success in the pharmaceutical supply chain • Improving efficiency along the supply chain

Method Variation In Calculating Perceived Change, Antonis C. Simintiras, Nina Reynolds

Faculty of Business - Papers (Archive)

Motivated by findings in the literature suggesting that error attributed to measures used in generating retrospective reports are excessive, this study explores error attributed to methods that individuals use for calculating change retrospectively. Preliminary findings indicate that method variation is present which, in turn, affects the reported change scores (i.e., the scores varied as a function of the calculation method used). These findings suggest that the accuracy and comparability of retrospective reporting might be improved if one controls for inter-individual calculation method variation. A brief discussion of the implications of the results along with suggestions for future research is provided.

Non-Tradable Share Reform And Convergence Between Chinese Cross-Listed A And H Shares, Yuan Fang Zhao, Andrew S. Tan, Gary G. Tian

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This paper explores the impact of China's two recent stock market reforms, i.e.non-tradable share reform and QFII procedures, on the price linkages of A- and H- sharesby using the technique of cointegration. We found that although A-share index andH-share index is still segmented, the price linkages between individual A-shares and theircross-listed H-shares have been straightened since the two policies implemented. Weargued that ownership restrictions contributed to the market segmentation of Chinese andHong Kong's stock markets and the integration process of China and Hong Kong seemsto be a gradual progress.

Ict Devices As Ubiquitous Tools For Information Seeking Activity, Joseph A. Meloche, Helen M. Hasan

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This paper investigates the use of current and developing ubiquitous digital devices and the way that they impact on, and are integrated into, use by groups within the community for information seeking. Three cases are presented involving ubiquitous use of the mobile phone, USB memory devices, and a wireless groupware system. The study considers the need for ongoing research to inform, direct and study the innovative use, appropriation and development of such tools. The primary methodological framework that is applied is activity theory, as it allows dasiatoolpsila to be examined in light of purposeful activity in the context of their …

What Determines The Research Output Of Australian Universities?, Abbas Valadkhani, Simon Ville

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This paper develops and estimates a cross-sectional model for forecasting research output across the Australian university system. It builds upon an existing literature that focuses either on institutional comparisons or studies of specific subjects, by providing discipline-specific results across all of the ten major disciplinary areas as defined by Australias Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST). The model draws upon four discipline-specific explanatory variables; staff size, research expenditure, PhD completions, and student-staff ratios to predict output of refereed articles. When compared with actual averaged output for 2000-2004, the results are highly statistically significant.

Enabling Authentic Cross-Disciplinary Learning Through A Scaffolded Assignment In A Blended Environment, Anne Abraham, Hazel J. Jones

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This paper reports on the development of a scaffolded learning assignment with blendedcomponents in a cross-disciplinary setting. The assignment has been developed in a socioculturalcontext, based on a Vygotskian approach and this paper details the design anddevelopment of the assignment. The five stages of the assignment have been carefullyscaffolded and include elements of individual and group tasks, finishing with an individualreflection on the process. Formative assessment and associated feedback are importantelements of the scaffolding and suggestions for further applications for the learning designof the assignment are suggested.

Predicting Packaged Holiday Purchases: The Case Of A Mature Market (Switzerland), Christian Laesser

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Tour operators in Europe and Switzerland face multiple challenges. Yet, against all expectations, they more or less manage to maintain their overall market share. This paper explores why this is so by exploring determinants which predict packaged holiday purchases (as opposed to independent travel) by means of a binary logistic regression. The case is a mature outbound market — Switzerland. The results somewhat contrast with previous research, and reveal that choosing a packaged holiday cannot be predicted by socio-demographics, but rather by a given travel situation. Lack of familiarity with the destination, small travel groups, the travel motivations diversion/experience of …

Modelling Patient Arrivals When Simulating An Accident And Emergency Unit, Le Yin Meng, Trevor A. Spedding

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This paper presents a case study of a discrete event simulation model of an Accident and Emergency Unit in a hospital in the UK. The objective of the study is to create a simulation study of the A&E Unit, to evaluate alternative scenarios and hence reducing patient waiting time. The case study uses a novel approach to predict the arrival time of patients and hence results in a more realistic platform on which to base the subsequent scenario analysis. The scenario analysis illustrates that significant reductions in the waiting time of patients can be obtained by relatively minor changes in …

With Reckless Abandon: Haneef And Ul-Haque In Australia's 'War On Terror', Mark Rix

Sydney Business School - Papers

This brief paper considers the political and social implications of the manner in which Australia has prosecuted the so-called ‘war on terror’. It does this by investigating relevant aspects of Australia’s anti-terrorism legislation and the performance of Australian security and law enforcement agencies, namely, the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) and the Australian Federal Police (AFP). Focusing on the Haneef and Ul-Haque cases, the paper will consider how the political climate created by the former Federal Government’s legislative approach to the war on terror has influenced the performance of these organisations. By focusing on these two cases, the paper …

The Development Of The Revised Urinary Incontinence Scale (Ruis), Janet E. Sansoni, Nicholas Marosszeky, Emily Sansoni, Graeme Hawthorne

Sydney Business School - Papers

This paper reports on innovative work aimed at adapting a urinary continence measure for Australian conditions. Following recommendations made by the Continence Outcomes Measurement Suite (COMS) Project (Thomas, et al. 2006), two brief urinary incontinence measures, the Incontinence Severity Index (ISI) and the Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI-6) were included in a community population survey (N = 3015) to obtain current prevalence estimates for urinary incontinence in Australia.

This large dataset also allowed for the psychometric examination of these instruments and their item properties, e.g. examining item endorsement and discrimination, item-total correlations and Cronbach’s Alpha, as well as the use of …

Rural Palliative Care Program National Evaluation Project: Patient And Carer Experiences, Pamela E. Grootemaat, Karen Quinsey, Alan G. Owen

Sydney Business School - Papers

[extract] Palliative care services in Australia are provided across a range of inpatient, outpatient and community settings by a mix of specialist and generalist providers from the public and private sectors. There is little evidence to guide the provision of palliative care in rural areas and few large scale studies that reflect on patient and carer experiences. The national Rural Palliative Care Program was implemented to provide support for palliative care interventions and to develop evidence on their effectiveness. An important part of that evidence is whether patients and their carers actually found the interventions to be helpful to them.

A Heuristic Search Algorithm For Flow-Shop Scheduling, Joshua P. Fan, Graham K. Winley

Sydney Business School - Papers

This article describes the development of a new intelligent heuristic search algorithm (IHSA*) which guarantees an optimal solution for flow-shop problems with an arbitrary number of jobs and machinesprovided the job sequence is constrained to be the same on each machine. The development is described in terms of 3 modifications made to the initial version of IHSA*. The first modification concerns thechoice of an admissible heuristic function. The second concerns the calculation of heuristic estimates as the search for an optimal solution progresses, and the third determines multiple optimal solutions whenthey exist. The first 2 modifications improve performance characteristics of …

The Corporate Social Responsibilities In Sri Lankan Universities, Kamal Tilakasiri, Grace Mccarthy, John Glynn

Sydney Business School - Papers

Public sector universities have certain special characteristics compared to other organisations. As Neave and Pergamon (2000, p. xiv) suggest, such universities are generally known for their "knowledge production" and the fact that their acitivities are substatially funded by the government.

A Design And Input-Specific Classification Framework Of Ontology Matching Techniques, Kar Yin Leung, S. Lau, Joshua P. Fan

Sydney Business School - Papers

Ontology matching can be defined as the process of discovering similarities between two ontologies and it can be processed exploiting a number of different techniques. To provide a common conceptual basis, researchers have started to develop classifications to distinguish them. The most significant one is the classification proposed by Shvaiko and Euzenat to compare different existing ontology mediation systems as well as to design a new one. Although the classification is developed conscientiously, there are still some improper identifications and vague categories. Thus, a design and input-specific classification framework of ontology matching techniques that consists of executive approach, basic technique …

Enhancing The Reusability Of Inter-Organizational Knowledge: An Ontology-Based Collaborative Knowledge Management Network, Kar Yin Leung, S. Lau, Joshua P. Fan

Sydney Business School - Papers

Researchers have developed various knowledge management(KM) approaches that only focus on managing organizational knowledge. These approaches are developed in accordance with organizational KM strategies and business requirements without the concern of system interoperation. The lack of interoperability means that hetergeneous Knowledge Management Systems (KMS) from different organizations are unable to communicate and cooperate with one another.

Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting Of Two Note-Issuing Banks In Hong Kong, F. Hui, G. Bowrey

Faculty of Business - Accounting & Finance Working Papers

The environmental performance and management disclosure of organisations has over the past decade come under increased scrutiny due to a number of factors including, in particular, the impact organisations have had on the world’s environment and the corresponding rapid change in the world’s climate. These concerns have made organisations, including financial institutions, review the level of their environmental performance and management disclosures to demonstrate, amongst other objectives, their level of social responsibility. Financial institutions due to the nature of their business are not generally seen to contribute directly to the degradation of the environment however they do provide the funds …

Australian Commonwealth Public Sector Environmental Reporting In A New Public Managerialism Environment, G. Bowrey

Faculty of Business - Accounting & Finance Working Papers

The environmental impact of organisations operations on the environment has come under significantly increased public awareness, over the past two decades. Even so, most organisations in Australia are not required by regulation to report on the impact of their organisations on the environment. Some organisations have been voluntarily providing reports to varying degrees on their environmental performance and management, however the only legislated environmental reporting requirement for private sector organisations in Australia is to report breaches of environmental laws and licences in their annual reports (Section 299(1) Corporations Act 2001). In the public sector the situation is slightly different. The …

Keeping Up Appearances: The Quest For Governance Legitimacy, Graham Bowrey

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

An effective corporate governance structure is as crucial to a public sector organisation as it is to a private sector organisation. This paper reviews the profile of directors on governance boards of government controlled organisations and finds that, while the governance structures are similar with those in the private sector, the real power to set the strategic, financial and operational directions of these organisations is not in the hands of the directors, as it is in the private sector, but in the hands of the responsible ministers. This de-coupling, it is argued, is due to the perception that private sector …

Are Green Tourists A Managerially Useful Target Segment?, Sara Dolnicar, K. Matus

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Environmental sustainability in tourism has received significant attention among destination managers and researchers alike. Yet the range of measures proposed to reduce the environmental footprint of tourists at a destination remains limited to measures taken at the destination, as opposed to marketing measures which aim to attract truly green tourists. The potential of using green tourist as a market segment, however, has not been established to date.
We review published profiles of green tourists and assess the managerial usefulness of this segment using theoretical criteria of segment attractiveness. Results indicate that much is known about the distinctive characteristics of green …

Contextualising Workplace Stress: The Experience Of Bank Employees In Nigeria, A. Oke, Patrick Dawson

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This article draws attention to the contextual dimensions to workplace stress and advocates the need for more sociological research. In a study of ten banking organizations in Nigeria, quantitative data are captured using a survey instrument and qualitative data are collected through a series of semi-structured interviews. This dual methods approach is used to investigate workplace stress and a key finding is that employee experience of stress reflects both individual characteristics as well as more collective qualities that are shaped by contextual factors. We conclude that too much emphasis is placed on individual-based programmes for managing stress and that more …

An Explanation Of Human Capital Disclosure From The Resource Based Perspective, S. Abhayawansa, Indra Abeysekera

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Though the importance of human capital (HC) in firm value creation is firmly established in the literature the level of emphasis placed on human capital disclosure (HCD) by preparers of financial statements and sell-side analysts is minimal. The purpose of this paper is to address this dilemma by critically analysing the conceptualisation of human capital in disclosure literature and introduce a more germane explanation.

Do Australian Investment And Savings Behave Procyclically?, Arusha V. Cooray, B. Felmingham

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This study uses spectral analysis to examine the behaviour of Australian savings and investment and their synchronisation with the business cycle over the period September 1959 to December 2005. The results reveal that the major cyclical components of savings and investment cohere strongly. Further, savings coheres strongly with the business cycle suggesting that Australian savings is procyclical. Investment also exhibits a procyclical pattern although the evidence of this is weaker

Formative Versus Reflective Measurement Models: Two Applications Of Formative Measurement, T. Coltman, T. M. Devinney, D. F. Midgley, S. Venaik

Faculty of Informatics - Papers (Archive)

This paper presents a framework that helps researchers to design and validate both formative and reflective measurement models. The framework draws from the existing literature and includes both theoretical and empirical considerations. Two important examples, one from international business and one from marketing, illustrate the use of the framework. Both examples concern constructs that are fundamental to theory-building in these disciplines, and constructs that most scholars measure reflectively. In contrast, applying the framework suggests that a formative measurement model may be more appropriate. These results reinforce the need for all researchers to justify, both theoretically and empirically, their choice of …

In Pursuit Of A Sustainable Supply Chain: Insights From Westpac Banking Corporation, Byron Keating, Ali Quazi, Anton Kriz, Tim Coltman

Faculty of Informatics - Papers (Archive)

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to provide clues to industry and academia on how best to approach the challenge of developing a sustainable supply chain.

Design/methodology/approach – A case study was undertaken of the Westpac Banking Corporation – one of the world's most socially responsible banks – to examine how they approached the challenge of managing corporate social responsibility (CSR) in their supply chain.

Findings – This paper highlights some of the challenges and opportunities associated with extending corporate governance beyond the firm boundary. Specific attention is given to a discussion of assessment and governance tools.

Research …

The Value Of Prerequisites: A Link Between Understanding And Progression, Vicki Baard, Edmund W. Watts

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This paper contributes to the debate about the value of discipline-specific prerequisites. The study compared the results of students from 2003 to 2006 completing the subject Principles of Finance and who had completed the subject Business Statistics, to students who had not. This comparison indicated that the students who completed Business Statistics performed significantly better overall than those students who had not. The findings imply that discipline-specific prerequisites provide students with a minimum level of understanding required to undertake advanced subjects, and can improve their chance of success.

Southeast Asian International Firms And Their Strategies, Ah Ba Sim

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

No abstract provided.

Inside The 'Black Box': Women Accountants In Small Firms, Glenda Strachan, Mary Barrett

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Research on women’s employment conditions has been based on the experiences of women in large organisations. There is little information about women’s employment and their employment conditions in small businesses. This paper is the first and preliminary analysis of a segment of the findings from a survey of CPA Australia members working in small firms. The paper reports on employment conditions that may assist women to combine paid work and family care responsibilities such as parental leave and family care leave, as well as part-time work. The research concludes that employment in small firms does not offer these conditions as …

Advanced Capacity Cost Management Models: Making Visible The Structural Limits Of Capacity, Ted Watts, C J. Mcnair-Connolly, Vicki Baard, Lidija Polutnik

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Purpose This paper fills the gap between defining and measuring the productive limits of a machine or system, and the impact of various assumptions about the productive potential of the nature and informativeness of capacity cost management systems. The authors focused on the various ways in which multi-dimensional limits (for example, time, space, volume and/or value-creating ability) can be used to define productive capacity. Specifically, this research suggests that the limits used in establishing the capacity cost management system restricts the amount and nature of the information the system is capable of providing to management.Justification Two reasons are identified for …

Belassa-Samuelson Effect Approaching Fifty Years: Is It Retiring Early In Australia?, Muhammad K. Chowdhury

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This paper tests empiricaly the Balassa-Samuelson (BS) hypothesis using annual data for Australia. We applied the ARDL cointegration technique developed by Perasan et al. (2001) and found evidence of a significant long-run relationship between real exchange rate and Australia-US productivity differential during the period of 1950-2003. We found that a one per cent increase in labour productivity in Australia relative to the US will lead to 5.6 per cent appreciation in the real exchange rate of Australia. We suspect that the elasticity coefficient is "ever-estimated" due to the exclusion of relevant explanatory variables. The dynamics and the determinants of the …

Economic Sanctions, Oil Price Fluctuations And Employment: New Empirical Evidence From Libya, Abdusalam Yahia, Ali Saleh

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This research attempts to examine the links between fluctuating oil prices, economic sanctions and the employment in the Libyan economy. KIn particular this study attempts to answer the basic question whether UN's resolutions number 748 (1992) of 31 March 1992 and oil price fluctuations have any significant influence of the employment in Libya.