Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

A Documentary Of Innovation Support Among New World Wine Industries, D. K. Aylward

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

During the past two decades, the international wine industry has undergone a ‘seismic shift’. Old World producers no longer dominate production, export and marketing of wine to the extent that they once did. Instead, New World producers such as California, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand have successfully married production, management, marketing and innovation to emerge as a new force on the global wine landscape. It is the innovation supports within these selected New World industries that this paper seeks to document, in order to highlight different approaches and outcomes and how they may or may not contribute to an …

Trust Me! A Personal Account Of Confidentiality Issues In An Organisational Research Project, H. J. Irvine

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Organisations, particularly those that depend on donations from the public, care a great deal about the image they present to society. This makes them especially sensitive about confidentiality when it comes to details of their accounting systems and financial affairs. Organisational, technical and personal factors determine the strategies adopted for encouraging trust and respecting confidentiality while undertaking research in such organisations. This is a personal account of some of the confidentiality issues that arose during a qualitative research project within a large religious/charitable organisation. It illustrates the importance and challenges of maintaining confidentiality in that and other contexts.

The Influence Of Interactions Between Market Segmentation Strategy And Competition On Organizational Performance – A Simulation Study, Sara Dolnicar, R. Freitag

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

A computer simulation study is conducted to explore the interaction of alternative segmentation strategies and the competitiveness of the market environment, a goal that can neither be tackled by purely analytic approaches nor is sufficient and undistorted real market data available to deduct findings in an empirical manner.The fundamental idea of the simulation is to increase competition in the artificial marketplace and to study the influence of segmentation strategy and varying market conditions on organizational success. Success/failure is measured using two performance criteria: number of units sold and survival of firms over 36 periods of time. Three central findings emerge: …

The Effectiveness Of True Analogies For Consumer Learning Of Really New Products, A. Ait El Houssi, K. P. Morel, E. J. Hultink

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Recent research has suggested that analogies may be useful to enhance consumer learning of really new products (RNPs). However, these studies have failed to show convincingly that analogies enhance consumers’ comprehension of RNPs as their operationalisation of analogies does not represent a “true” analogy. Besides, they examined the interaction effects of numerous moderators without showing the existence of a main effect first. Hence, it remains unclear what the effectiveness of analogies for consumer learning of RNPs truly is. It is the aim of the present study to fill this void by means of an experiment in which consumers evaluate product …

Tracking Positioning Developments – Perceptual Changes In Hair Colorant Positioning In Eastern Europe, Sara Dolnicar

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Typically, changes in the perception of brand images are tracked on an attribute-to attribute basis. In reality, however, it is not a single attribute but a combination of multiple attributes that constitute brand image. Accounting for this multi-facetness of brand perception, a framework for tracking changes thereof is proposed that can be used in addition to simple attribute comparison approaches. It provides insight into changes over time in a more holistic manner, tracking shifts of associations of specific brands with generic perceptual positions. The framework consists of (1) computation of a data-driven generic perceptual positions, (2) characterization of generic perceptual …

Development Of A Posteriori Market Segments Over Time - A Tracking Procedure, Friedrich Leisch, Sara Dolnicar

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Segmentation has become a standard procedure in strategic marketing. A posteriori approaches are popular among practitioners and researchers and gaining importance over a priori consumer groupings. Despite the wide variety of methodological developments in the field, little attention has been given to tracking changes of a posteriori market segments over time. This article proposes a simple tracking procedure that allows testing of a posteriori segment developments over time on the basis of identical consecutive consumer surveys. It is flexible with regard to techniques chosen at each step and – through validation findings through repetition – allows thorough insight into market …

Poly(2-Alkylacrylic Acid) Polymers Deliver Molecules To The Cytosol By Ph-Sensitive Disruption Of Endosomal Vesicles, Rachel A. Jones, C. Y. Cheung, F. E. Black, J. K. Zia, P. S. Stayton, A. S. Hoffman, Mark R. Wilson

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

The permeability barrier posed by cell membranes represents a challenge for the delivery of hydrophilic molecules into cells. We previously proposed that poly(2- alkylacrylic acid)s are endocytosed by cells into acidified vesicles and are there triggered by low pH to disrupt membranes and release the contents of endosomes/lysosomes to the cytosol. If this hypothesis is correct, these polymers could be valuable in drug delivery applications. This report provides functional comparisons of a family of three poly(2-alkylacrylic acid)s. Poly(2-propylacrylic acid) (PPAA), poly(2-ethylacrylic acid) (PEAA), and poly(2-methylacrylic acid) (PMAA) were compared in red blood cell haemolysis assays and in a lipoplex gene …

The Causes Of Unemployment In Iran: An Empirical Investigation, Abbas Valadkhani

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This paper examines the major causes of Iran’s unemployment conundrum using a simultaneous-equation model and annual time series data from 1968 to 2000. It is found that the rate of unemployment responds positively to output gap and increasing economic uncertainty and negatively to the higher growth rates of real investment and inflation, supporting the view that there exists a degree of trade-off between inflation and unemployment. However, since persistent and soaring inflation rates eventually lead to the chronic depreciation of the domestic currency and rising economic instability, it will be irrational to exploit this trade-off to fight against unemployment, particularly …

An Empirical Analysis Of Australian Labour Productivity, Abbas Valadkhani

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This study presents a model capturing sources of Australian aggregate labour productivity using annual time series data from 1970 to 2001. Labour productivity, or real output per hour worked, in this model is determined by real net capital stock in information technology and telecommunications (ITT), real net capital stock in the non-ITT sector, trade openness, human capital, the wage rate, international competitiveness, and the union membership rate. Given the lack of long and consistent time series data, multivariate cointegration techniques are inappropriate as the cointegration results will be sensitive to the lag length, the inclusion or exclusion of the intercept …

Using Input-Output Analysis To Identify Australia’S High Employment Generating Industries, Abbas Valadkhani

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Using the 1996-97 input-output table, the objective of this paper is to identify Australia’s high employment generating industries. First, the “real” (direct and indirect) contribution of the tradeable industries to employment are quantified by adopting the “loss of the industry” or “shut-down of industry” approach. Second, the sectoral employment elasticities are calculated to determine the leading employment generating sectors. The empirical analysis and rankings undertaken in this study shed some light on sectoral potentials in relation to the creation of jobs in the economy. It is found that, inter alia, the following industries will play a crucial role in generating …

Causes And Implications Of Declining Economics Major: A Focus On Australia, M. Alauddin, A. Valadkhani

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This paper analyses the causes and implications of declining economics major in Australia. Based on a brief review of the relevant literature and an analysis of the Australian time series data, it is found that economics continues to be less attractive to students in relative terms. Three major factors contribute to this phenomenon: less than appropriate product for an increasingly diverse clientele, the introduction of more attractive and business, commerce and industry-oriented programs such as finance, accounting and commerce, and business majors geared to the needs of the real world, and the use of less experienced teaching staff in lower …

Theory And Econometric Evidence Explaining Public Expenditure: The Case Of Iran, D. P. Doessel, A. Valadkhani

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

The purpose of this paper is to analyse government expenditure in Iran using annual time series data for the period 1963-2000. Various theories of the size of government are reviewed and a distinction is made between economic/structural determinants and institutional determinants. Categorising the theories of government expenditure in this way suggests the application of non-nested tests as a mechanism whereby the relative importance of the two broad theoretical categories can be determined. The empirical results, indicating "double rejection", reveal that neither the economic/structural determinants nor the institutional determinants alone are sufficient to explain government expenditure in Iran. A comprehensive, incorporating …

The Effect Of Government On Economic Growth In Fiji, D. P. Doessel, A. Valadkhani

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This paper investigates the empirical relationship between the size of government and the process of economic growth in Fiji. The results reported here present a mixed picture, in that the model estimated specifies two different effects of the government sector on economic growth. Using annual time series data for the period 1964-1999, it is found that government expenditure exerts a strong beneficial impact on economic growth. However, marginal factor productivity in the government sector is found to be lower than that of the private sector. The reasons for this low productivity are twofold: the result of the lack of market …

Novel Pharmacophore Based Methods Reveal Gossypol As A Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor, Paul A. Keller, C. Birch, S. P. Leach, D. Tyssen, R. Griffith

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

In a program to identify new structural entities for the inhibition of the HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) enzyme via database searching, a series of RT pharmacophores were developed. By utilising a novel filtering technique, the National Cancer Institute database of compounds was scanned producing 15 compounds to be screened for activity. A notable inclusion was a series of gossypol derivatives. The testing of a series of compounds revealed the parent compound gossypol to be an HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitor. These results suggest that at least part of its anti-HIV activity is due to gossypol targeting the non-nucleoside inhibitor binding pocket …

Nonviolence And Communication, Brian Martin, W. Varney

Faculty of Arts - Papers (Archive)

Communication is central to the effectiveness of nonviolent action: methods of protest and persuasion are essentially means of communication, while methods of noncooperation and nonviolent intervention have crucial communicative dimensions. As a mode of political communication, nonviolence can be contrasted with rational dialogue, electoral politics and violence, and stands out from them in combining high transformative potential with dialogue and participation. The more well studied dimensions of nonviolence as communication are dialogue with opponents, power equalization to prepare for dialogue, and mobilization of third parties. To these should be added two further dimensions, collective and individual empowerment. Two cases of …

A Case Study Of Sodium Reduction In Breakfast Cereals And The Impact Of The Pick The Tick Food Information Program In Australia, P. G. Williams, A. Mcmahon, R. Boustead

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

In 1997 one of Australia’s largest food companies undertook a program of salt reduction in 12 breakfast cereals. The National Heart Foundation’s Pick the Tick program criterion (<400mg>sodium/100g) was used as a target value where possible. Twelve products were reformulated, with reductions ranging from 85-469mg sodium per 100g and an average reduction of 40% (12-88%). As a result, 235 tonnes of salt were removed annually from the Australian food supply and five more products were able to carry the Tick logo. The impact of the Pick the Tick program in changing the food supply extends beyond those products that …

Cybermethods: An Assessment, H. Megens, Brian Martin

Faculty of Arts - Papers (Archive)

Methods of communication and action on the Internet, such as e-mail, encryption and hacking, can be broadly grouped into four categories: expressing, protecting, information gathering and interfering. This classification helps explain the distribution of concern about cybermethods and offers a guide for assessing and designing future methods. As forms of technology, cybermethods are neither neutral nor autonomous. Methods of expressing and protecting are most suitable for promoting a society with greater equality and participation.

An Activity-Based Model Of Collective Knowledge, Helen M. Hasan

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

In the challenges faced by organisations in the area of knowledge management, there is clearly a role for information and communications technologies in supporting the exploitation of business knowledge. This paper proposes a model of knowledge processes, based on the concept of "activity", i.e. what people do, as determined by the cultural-historical activity theory. The evolutionary development of an implementation of the model in currently available technology is described, together with the results of an evaluation of its suitability and effectiveness. This work is substantiating both the practicability of the implementation and the usefulness of the structure for the extraction …

Known 'Bugs' In Cultural Historical Activity Theory, John G. Findlay

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

When Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) was first propounded by the Vygotskian school of Russian psychologists in the 1920s it offered a robust explanation of how human development is mediated by cultural as well as biological influences. Along the way, CHAT has acquired some "bugs" or usability difficulties by remaining isolated from other theories that have a common heritage. This paper explores how the theory may have evolved if Vygotsky was alive today. Revisions to CHAT are proposed that borrow from complexity theory, innovation theory, group dynamics and Flow theory to explain the evolution of minds, tools and cultures as a …

Cracks In The Egg: Improving Performance Measures In Business Incubator Research, Barbara Cornelius, Rekha Bhabra-Remedios

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Early research into business incubators focused on describing how they were operated and what activities were undertaken to assist in the survival of tenant firms. The only measures of effective operation were based upon the economic agenda of those sponsoring the incubators, that is, whether jobs were created and firms successfully developed beyond the protected incubator environment. The theoretical considerations used by researchers were, as a consequence, limited largely to either economic or fmancial models of performance. Much can be learned, however, from the management literature, which examines performance through organisational theory. It is suggested that further research into incubator …

Web-Mediated Communication (Wmc) And Social Interaction: A Social Psychological Approach, Koo Won Suh, Helen Hasan, Paul K. Couchman

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

It can be argued that social interaction is a critical factor in understanding Web-mediated communication. While the concept and domain of social interaction has been studied in several disciplines they are underdeveloped in the current Web-enabled environment. This paper adopts a social psychological point of view of conceptual and operational issues in relation to social interaction. Through a review of the literature, two domains of social interaction are identified: task and socio-emotional interaction. The literature review also addresses some problems in defmition related to socio-emotional interaction. In an attempt to fill the gap between conceptual and operational defmitions of social …

Government Business Process Analysis With Activity Theory, Peter A. J Larkin

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Activity Theory tells us that a motivated person or group performs an activity directed at an object in order to transform the object into desired outcomes to fulfil a need. It also tells us that instruments and the community mediate human activity. The New South Wales state parliament in Australia performs the activity of creating Acts and those Acts prescribe within them the objects of the Act and the desired outcomes. To achieve the desired outcomes, the Act will establish or constitute the necessary instruments. This paper describes an application of Yrjo Engestrom's Activity Theory model, or structure of human …

Visual Creativity In Advertising: A Functional Typology, John R. Rossiter, Tobias Langner, Lawrence Ang

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

There are many ways in which the visuals of an advertisement can be made "creative." In this article, we propose a new typology of visual creative ideas. The typology is functlonal in that the first type, literal product or user visuals, which are "noncreative" in the usual sense gain selective attention, by a product category-involved audience. The other three types, in contrast, are "creative" and can force reflexive attention among low-involved audiences. These are called pure attention getters, including the innate erotic, baby, and direct-gaze schemas, and the learned shock, celebrity, and culture-icon and subculture-icon schemas; distortional attention getters, including …

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

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

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 …

Development And Validation Of An Australian Video Speed Test (Avst), Jennifer Ann Algie, John R. Rossiter

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Anti-speeding educational campaigns (in television commercials, print ads, and outdoor ads, mostly) are constantly being tried but it is difficult to determine which ads are effective in reducing speed. A promising solution to this problem is to use a behavioural simulation such as the Video Speed Test, the VST (Horswill and McKenna, 1999). The driving simulation test involves getting drivers to view video excerpts of a person driving a vehicle in real driving situations. The drivers then are asked to estimate the speed that they would use in the same situations, that is, how many kilometres/hour slower or faster they …

Social Reporting By The Tobacco Industry: All Smoke And Mirrors?, Lee C. Moerman, Sandra Van Der Laan

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

In July 2002 British American Tobacco, one of the largest private multinational corporations involved in tobacco production and marketing, launched their first social report. Using a process of stakeholder engagement, global reporting initiatives and process auditing the report was delivered just before the release of the World Health Organisation initiative, the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Within the corporate social reporting literature there is a belief that to give account serves as a legitimising device for organisational activity thus bridging the divide between the social and economic realm. The tobacco industry has been heavily criticised, particularly in Western society, for …

Trend To Better Nutrition On Australian Hospital Menus 1986-2001 And The Impact Of Cook-Chill Food Service Systems, A. Mcclelland, P. G. Williams

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objective To assess trends in the nutritional quality of hospital menus and examine differences between menus used in hospitals with cook-chill or cook-fresh food services.

Design Standard patient menus were analysed against 28 criteria to assess nutritional standards and compared to results from similar studies in 1986 and 1993.

Setting Menus were collected from 80 hospitals in New South Wales, Australia, including 36 using cook-chill food service systems.

Statistical Analysis Chi-squared analysis was used to assess differences between the proportions of hospitals meeting the criteria in 2001 and 1993 and between different types of hospitals.

Results In 2001 compared to …

Evaluation Of A Tool For Rating Popular Diet Books, L. Williams, P. G. Williams

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objective The aim of this study was to develop a questionnaire for use by nutrition professionals to enable evaluation of popular diet books.

Design A questionnaire was developed incorporating quantified criteria based on current authoritative nutrition guidelines. Twenty two questions were included, relating to nutritional adequacy, daily energy allowance, recommended rate of weight loss, flexibility and sustainability, physical activity advice, use of supplements, claims, author’s credentials, and scientific evidence. The questionnaire was used to rate 35 diets in 20 popular diet books sold in Australia in 2001, in order to test its practicality, validity and sensitivity. A computerised dietary analysis …

Nutrition And Related Claims Used On Packaged Australian Foods - Implications For Regulation, P. G. Williams, H. Yeatman, S. Zakrzewski, B. Aboozaid, S. Henshaw, K. Ingram, A. Rankine, S. Walcott, F. Ghani

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The aim of this study was to describe the use of nutrition and related claims on packaged food for sale in Australia and measure the compliance of such claims with regulations governing their use. A survey was conducted of the labelling of 6662 products in 40 different food categories on sale in New South Wales in 2001. Levels of compliance were assessed by comparing the claims on the label and data in the nutrition information panel with requirements of the Foods Standards Code and the Code of Practice on Nutrient Claims. Half of the products (51.3%) carried some type of …

Sexism Is In The Eye Of The Beholder: Does The Advertising Standards Board Reflect "Community Standards"?, Sandra C. Jones

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This study examines the Advertising Standards Board’s response to complaints lodged against advertisements between 1999 and 2001 under sub-section 2.3 of the AANA Code (portrayal of sex/sexuality/nudity). Between 1999 and 2001, the ASB considered 419 complaints lodged by members of the general public under this subsection of the Code, of which only three were upheld. The decisions reported in the ASB’s Case Reports for these three years are examined by assessing three advertisements from each of these years (including the only one in each year against which a complaint was upheld). Inconsistencies in the application of this sub-section of the …