Business Commons^™

A Third Dimension In The Mirror? How Senior Managers Design Products And Organizations, Norbert Bach, Peter Galvin

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Individual CEO characteristics may affect architectural choices through the application of managerial discretion. Systems such as organizations and their products are not purely driven toward modularity because of external forces. Individual CEO characteristics may constitute an additional dimension to established mirroring considerations that impacts both the choice of architecture and the correspondence between product and organization architectures.

The Business Of Trails, Kerstin Stender

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Long distance trails have substantial infrastructure due to their length and provision of overnight shelters. Length and remoteness impact negatively on travel time for access, resulting in high maintenance costs. Additionally, as government budgets are declining globally, funding for trails can be difficult to source, leaving infrastructure to deteriorate.

This research investigated how long distance trails are managed, specifically from the perspective of a tourism product in a natural protected area. Global case studies were based on site visits and interviews with trail managers around the world, as well as a review of written documentation. Through comparative analysis the components …

The Governance Schema Of Regional And Rural Public Hospital Nurses: How Relevant Are The Dimensions Of Stewardship Governance And Trust In Management?, Kim Clark

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study broadly pertained to the issue of public health sector governance. The field of healthcare governance had been characterised as having challenges of greater intricacy and sensitivity than those found in any other sector (Philippon & Braithwaite, 2008). While increasingly regarded as important to health system performance, governance had, however, been evaluated as poorly understood in conceptual and practical terms and subject to competing ideas regarding its role and challenges (Brinkerhoff & Bossert, 2013). Specifically, the thesis elucidated frontline regional and rural hospital nurses’ cognitive schema of strategic aspects of governance practice of managers in the Western Australian Country …

Harnessing Social Capital : An Exploratory Investigation Of Stakeholder Disposition In Boundary Spanning Networks, Brett Martin-Smith

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis confronts existing bilateral models of stakeholder management. It is based upon the premise that existing models place insufficient value upon the mediating power of individuals and small groups imbued with social capital within an organisational stakeholder environment. Initially, this study explores and maps the complex theoretical relations between organisations, stakeholders and social capital to construct an argument for addressing stakeholder management from a more plural and holistic perspective. The thesis suggests that rapid advances in social media and social interconnection now enables the sentiment of individual stakeholders to aggregate and rapidly form issue-specific interest groups that harness social …

Linking Uses Of Management Control Systems With Strategic Capabilities And Business Level Strategies For Organizational Performance Evidence From The Sri Lankan Textile And Apparel Industry, Nirosha D. Kapu Arachchilage

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This research investigates how the uses of Management Control Systems (MCS), namely, diagnostic use and interactive use, as moderating variables, influence the relationship between business (competitive) strategies (which are determined by strategic capabilities) and organizational performance. Simons’ levers of control model, Porter’s theory of generic competitive strategy and the Resource Based View (RBV) of strategy have been considered as the underpinning theories and models of the study in developing the theoretical framework and hypotheses. The theoretical framework consists of two strategic capabilities (low cost competency and uniqueness competency), two generic business strategies (cost leadership and differentiation), two uses of MCS …

The Relationship Between Attributional Style And Information Technology Project Perception, Eric Kordt

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The purpose of this research is to investigate the relationship between attributional style and Information Technology (IT) project perception at varying job responsibility levels. To achieve this thirty participants were recruited from a large government department in the three distinct job responsibility levels of support worker (i.e. individual who undertakes activities under general direction), line manager (i.e. individual who undertakes activities under limited direction and typically performs role of team leader) and executive manager (i.e. individual who undertakes activities that involve a high a level of management skill under broad direction) and interviewed using a modified Work Attributional Style Questionnaire …

Sensemaking And The Management Of Older Volunteers, Megan Paull

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study explores the experiences of older volunteers and their managers in particular when a change in the perfonnance of the volunteer is noticed by the manager. The impetus for this study was an expressed concern of the managers of volunteers which classified the management of 'older volunteers" as being somehow different from their younger counterparts. Conducted within an interpretivist framework this study employed a two-phase methodology comprising a context setting descriptive quantitative study followed by an in-depth qualitative grounded theory approach. The importance of the in-depth examination revealed the importance of context to the management process.

An Improved Model Of Structural Changes Resulting From Use Of E-Commerce, Nick Lethbridge

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

not available

Surfing The Waves : 17th Anzam Conference, Alan Brown (Ed.)

Research outputs pre 2011

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Antecedents Of Successful E-Business Implementations Through Erp : A Longitudinal Study Of Sap-Based Organisations 1999-2003, Colin Ash

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This research was carried out between 1999 and 2003 on the use of e-business applications in ERP-based organisations. A composite research method based on structured case studies was developed for this study. It combined the application of case methods by Carroll et al. (1998], Klein and Myer (1998), and Eisenhardt (1989). This was used to provide a focused, yet flexible structure, as a dynamic approach to case study interpretive research. The research method used three distinct models at three progressive stages of the study, to provide a multi-faceted view of each case. This composite case-based method was developed to maintain …

Systems In Management 7th Annual Anzsys Conference 2001: The Relevance Of Systems Thinking In The Contemporary World, William Hutchinson (Ed.)

Research outputs pre 2011

Welcome to Perth, Western Australia, and to the Systems in Management 7th Annual ANZSYS Conference 2001 "the relevance of systems thinking in the contemporary world" hosted by the We-B Centre, School of Management Information Systems at Edith Cowan University. The conference provides an opportunity for sharing and networking among academics and industry specialists in systems and related fields. The conference has drawn participants from national and international organizations. All submitted papers were subjected to an anonymous peer review process managed by the Conference Committee. Stringent review criteria resulted in an unprecedented number of papers declined this year. Based on these …

Critical Study Of The Managerial Selection Practices In Malaysian Business Organisations, Zeti Sheikh Othman

Theses : Honours

An exploratory study was made on the managerial selection practices of Malaysian business organizations. The data for the study was provided by 62 business organizations comprising 22 Malaysian-owned small and medium enterprises, 26 large locally-owned corporation and 14 Malaysian-based multinational companies. Comparisons of the selection practices were made between the two categories of Malaysian local companies; between the Malaysian local companies and the multinationals, and between selection practices of the Malaysian organizations combined with the practices in the developed countries as revealed by management literature. Analysis of the results reveal that generally there were little differences between the selection practices …

To What Extent Can Knowledge Management Systems Build And Reinforce Consensus Around Initiatives For Change?: A Self-Reflective Analysis Of Professional Practice, Guy A. Duczynski

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis reports on my attempts to 're-align' the purpose, behaviour and underlying culture of a large military organisation through heuristic, self reflective enquiry - to 'find its future' - with and through its people. I use the word re-align with great care as I recognised that change would have been too ambitious and would (probably have) result(ed) in failure. Whilst I cannot claim total success, I have made new and valuable discoveries in knowledge elicitation and methods of integrating the views of a large number of people to 'build and reinforce consensus around initiatives for change'. In the process …

The Management Of Performance By Volunteers: The Use Of Performance Feedback, Megan Paull

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The purpose of this study was to examine the use of feedback by managers and co-ordinators of volunteers in the management of performance by volunteers. Research into the use of feedback in the paid workforce was examined extensively. Additionally, research dealing with the application of human resource management theory to volunteers is discussed. A foundation study conducted to examine the performance management practices in use with volunteers in Western Australia forms the basis for a multi-phase qualitative and quantitative examination of the topic. The perceptions of the managers and coordinators of volunteers, and the volunteers themselves about what constitutes poor …

Downsizing : An Analysis Of Organisational Strategies And Human Resource Management Outcomes, Cecil A. Clabaugh

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The objective of this research was to examine the relationship between loss and retention of key employees in downsizing organisations and organisational performance. The purpose of this was to develop an understanding of the organisational performance that results when downsizing organisations are unable to retain their key workers. The secondary objective of the research was to examine the factors that make up a downsizing organisation's employee selection process in order to determine how these factors affect loss and retention of key workers. The research was guided by a theoretical framework developed by Kozlowski et al (1993) and Thornhill and Saunders …

International Portfolio Diversification With Special Reference To Emerging Markets, Joseline Chimhini

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study evaluates the potential benefits that investors obtain from diversifying their portfolios into emerging markets when the time varying behavior of assets is considered. It also tests whether the existing asset-pricing model developed in the context of developed markets, which assumes complete integration, can explain the expected returns in emerging markets and determines the risk of investing in these markets using cross section and time series data. An international capital asset pricing model (ICAPM) with time varying moments developed by Harvey (1991) is adopted. The conditional asset-pricing model, which takes into account prevailing world economic factors, was used. The …

Exploring The Criteria Used By Managers To Measure The Effectiveness Of Customer Loyalty Programs, Peter D. Simms

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Since the 1970s there has been a paradigm shift away from mass marketing towards the establishment and maintenance of individual relationships known as relationship marketing. Customer loyalty programs can be seen as the tactical strategies that have resulted from this change in focus, as they attempt to retain existing customers by developing a long-term, mutually satisfying relationship. The first of these such strategies was introduced in 1981, and they are still a relatively new and unexplored phenomenon. The limited research on these strategies conducted thus far has shown the many purported advantages to be doubtful at best, yet their number …

The Marketing Orientation Of Small And Medium Enterprises: An Australian Study, Venkateswara S. Venkatesan

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The market orientation construct has emerged as a key marketing theme in the 1990's. While the concept of being focussed on the market (customers and competitors) has been known since the early 1950's (e.g. Drucker,1954), putting the concept into practice through a set of specific actions has eluded many organisations and academics. As a result, market orientation (also termed market focus, customer focus and competitor focus) had remained a business philosophy (Bennett & Cooper, 1979: Felton, 1959; Konopa & Calabro,1971) more than a strategic approach. While there have been sporadic attempts at defining or operationalisinga marketing or customer orientation in …

The Effects Of Budget Emphasis, Budgetary Participation, Trust And Organisational Commitment On Job Related Tension And Propensity To Create Slack : Empirical Evidence From Norway, Christin S. Buckland

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Results of early studies (eg. Hopwood, 1972; Otley, 1978) on the effects of supervisory styles on subordinates’ job related tension have been contradictory. Subsequent studies using the contingency model to resolve these conflicting results have identified budgetary participation (Brownell, 1982a) and trust (Ross, 1994) as important moderating variables. With respect to participation, a number of prior studies found that a compatible combination of high budget emphasis and high participation was associated with better behavioural outcomes (eg. lower job related tension), than other combinations of budget emphasis and participation. Yet there has been relatively little research to investigate why this particular …

The Interactive Effects Of Different Accounting Controls On Subordinates' Behaviour And Performance, Chong M. Lau

Research outputs pre 2011

Prior research suggests that goal setting and an emphasis en meeting tight budget targets may influence the extent of subordinates' performance and slack creation. This study hypothesizes that other accounting controls may moderate these relationships. Specifically, it hypothesizes that: (i) budgetary performance is increased and (ii) budgetary slack creation is decreased when an emphasis on setting and meeting tight budget targets is complemented with a high extent of cost control. The results support a significant two-way interaction between Emphasis on setting and meeting tight budget targets and Cost control affecting budgetary performance. A significant two-way interaction between Emphasis en setting …

An Empirical Model For Predicting The Feasibility Of Corporate Turnaround, Syed Kamalludin Bin Syed Alaudin Al Qadiri

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The primary objective of this research was to identify the determinants of corporate turnaround feasibility and their effect (in terms of their state of existence and their existence) on the probability of corporate turnaround feasibility in Successful and Non Successful Turnaround Companies. The other objective was the development of an empirical model of the determinants of corporate turnaround feasibility capable of predicting the feasibility of corporate turnarounds. One hundred 'troubled companies ' were identified out of two hundred and eleven publicly listed companies of the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange through observations of their share price performance, earnings before interest and …

Women And Leadership Working Paper Series: Paper No. 12: Career Barriers And The Older Woman Manager, Leonie V. Still, Wendy Timms

Research outputs pre 2011

The removal of the age retirement barrier has led to expectations that more and more older workers will remain in the workforce past the usual retirement age of 65. Women make up an increasing proportion of older workers, and Patrickson and Hartmann ( 1996) have shown that Australian women are planning not to retire in order to improve their retirement income.

An important section of the older workers group are the managerial and professional women, aged in their 50s, who are part of the first generation of women to have long-term careers like men i.e. full-time careers extending over 25 …

Breaking The Glass Border: Barriers To Global Careers For Women Managers, Catherine R. Smith, Leonie V. Still

Research outputs pre 2011

The identification and placement of managers who can meet the business challenges at both local and international level is critical to the success of a company's overseas operations. North American and British research shows that, while organisations may be prepared to promote women into their domestic managerial hierarchy, few women currently have access to international careers through expatriate management appointments. This report describes an investigation of the selection, placement and management development by Australian organisations of women for international managerial assignments. Interest in this topic arose from the outcomes of the Industry Task Force on Leadership and Management Skills (1995), …

Challenging Futures: The Career And Life Decisions Of Managerial And Professional Women In Their 50s, Leonie V. Still, Wendy Timms

Research outputs pre 2011

The Australian Institute of Management in Western Australia has for many years been very supportive of women in management, and in particular has encouraged the growth and development of our Women in Management Special Interest Group. The Institute has also played its small, but hopefully, significant role in helping to redress the gender imbalance in the management profession with the creation of its Excellence in Management Award for Women, which is now in its sixth year. This Award is significant in that it helps to clearly identify women who have excelled in their management career and it also provides some …

Managing Change Without Changing Managers: An Investigation Of Influences On Decision Making Performance Of Public Sector Managers Within Novel And Complex Environments, David Clark-Murphy

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study examines relationships between the cognitive and decision making styles of individual managers, and their decision making performance , within public sector environments during structural and cultural reform. The main purpose is to develop a more effective means of matching managers to their novel and complex working environments, to minimise staff turnover and improve productivity.

Human Resource Management Manual For Children's Services, Vicki Banham, Les Evans, Lynda Pragnell

Research outputs pre 2011

A Children's Services Human. Resource Management is based on the policies and procedures that define the staffing requirements for the effective operation of the children's service. The total process of staffing, from advertisement to employment, is based upon the specific criteria that is determined for the particular position required. Thus, the entire process is designed to provide the children's service with the best information necessary to select the most appropriate person for each staff position in the team.

Consequently, well defined inclusive personnel policies and procedures enable each member of staff to understand the duties, skills, knowledge and responsibilities of …

Systems For The Future: Proceedings Of The Australian Systems Conference, W. Hutchinson (Ed.)

Research outputs pre 2011

The depth and variety of papers in this volume are a testament to the applicability of systems thinking to a wide range of problems. The complexity of modern management demands approaches that take into account not only difficult technical challenges, but also the various views and perceptions of those involved in the problem situation. The following papers are a small subset of the work being done to rise to this challenge. Systems methodologies and techniques will shape the future. They provide an avenue to attempt to solve the myriad of environmental, social, business, and technical problems that face us. Systems …

Women In Leadership Program 1993: Shaping The Culture, Catriona Pyner

Research outputs pre 2011

In discussing Women in Leadelrship one member of the Management Group sometimes used the term "Program", and sometimes "Project". This was not a mere slip of the tongue. One useful way to conceptualise "Women in Leadership" is as a Project- which seeks to strategically engage with a changing institution, and which is both organic and structured. Part of the Project structure is the Program. The Program is made up of three formal elements: The Collegial Groups; the Public Lecture Series and the National Conference. And yet, part of the Purpose of the Program is to engage with, shape and respond …

Interaction Of Budget Emphasis, Budgeting Participation And Task Characteristics : A Cross-Cultural Study, Liang C. Low

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis is an empirical examination which links two important areas of management accounting research. The first area relates to the relation between superiors' evaluative styles and the two dependent variables of job related tension and managerial performance. The second area relates to the impact of culture on management accounting system. Two of Hofstede's (1980) dimensions of culture were used in this study. They were power distance and individualism. Two studies, Brownell and Hirst (1986) and Brownell and Dunk (1991), both of which were conducted with samples from a low power distance/high individualism nation were re-examined within the framework suggested …

The Potential For Work Redesign Within Contemporary Organizations, Chris Du Boulay

Research outputs pre 2011

Work redesign is not only important for the wellbeing of the employee, but it has also captured the imagination and zeal of some employers. Recent studies (Hendry, 1990 ; Cordery, Mueller & Smith, 1991) have indicated that employees become more positive and enthusiastic towards their jobs and employers experience gains in productivity. Over the years many people have examined the concept and need for work redesign (Hackman & Oldham, 1976; Galbraith, 1984; Pasmore, 1988). Concepts such as work simplification, job enrichment, job enlargement, socio-technical redesign, alternative work arrangements and quality of work life programmes have been introduced, developed and implemented. …