Digital Commons Network^™

The Block: A Catalyst For Ongoing Innovation, Loretta Konjarski, John Weldon, Susan Ashley, Traci Freeman, Jai Shanata, Meghan Yamanishi, Erin Lotz, Christian Gilde, Alice Ganzel

Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice

This paper will contribute to our understanding of the Block, its pedagogical rationale and value, and explain why, apart from pandemic conditions, these might constitute a compelling alternative to traditional academic calendars. Current research highlights the need for further research on the nature of the Block, driven by an increased global focus on student outcomes and retention in Higher Education. This paper offers five case studies from institutions that have adopted a version of the Block at some time over the last 50 years. The authors seek to define the features that comprise block courses whereas the nature and functionality …

Towards A Conceptual Framework Of It Operating Model And Its Implications For Emerging Practices In Information Technology, Durga Das Mishra, S. Vijayakumar Bharathi

Australasian Accounting, Business and Finance Journal

This paper is to establish a fit-for-purpose conceptual framework for the IT Operating model to handle emerging requirements in IT. Currently, there is no standard one size fits all kind of Operating Model. This paper brings a flexible IT Operating model to address emerging requirements. We examined today's various IT operating models suggested by Institutions and experts. Based on our study, we have proposed a conceptual framework for the IT Operating Model by carefully analysing the dimensions and mapping them to elements of IT Strategy and Operations discussed in this paper, giving an adaptive framework that can address various requirements. …

Sustainability-Oriented Housing Innovation: Using The Solar Decathlon As A Knowledge Source, Yeganeh Baghi

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 2017+

The Solar Decathlon competition started in 2002. Since then, Solar Decathlon has acted as a showcase and source of innovation in the field of sustainability for housing and for the construction industry at large. This thesis has utilised data from Solar Decathlon competitions to understand the nature of innovations involved with progressively building and refining the technology required for sustainable housing. As such, the focus and drive of this thesis is to present an image of the Solar Decathlon competition as openly creating and synthesising new knowledge about sustainability-oriented innovation. It can be stated that understanding the precise factors that …

Location Attractiveness For Multinational Enterprises: The Case Of Singapore Maritime Cluster, Mohd Shahrin Osman

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 2017+

This thesis is an empirical investigation on the approach for industrial cluster development of the Singapore maritime cluster, using the case study research methodology. The case study approach leverages on multiple sources of evidence such as interviews, observations, documentation and archival records (Yin, 2009). As a means of contributing to the cluster renewal process, Singapore as the country embarks on the next stage of maritime cluster development, a comparison against the Norwegian Innovation Clusters has been incorporated.

No Lines: Observations From A Pilot Project To Re-Imagine, Design And Implement A Flexible Student-Centred Approach To Study Mode Selection, John Bevacqua, Meg Colasante

Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice

Upon enrolling in a university course, students typically commit to a predetermined study mode: on-campus, online, or a hybrid/blended study mode. The education provider typically predetermines which study mode/s are available for each course. In this paper, the authors address the challenges of designing and trialling a new “StudyFlex” student-centred study mode at La Trobe University. By re-imagining the concept of flexibility in study mode selection, StudyFlex does away with bright line distinctions between online, blended and on-campus offerings and empowers students to self-select and adjust their preferred study mode pathway within their subject and throughout their course. This paper …

Manufacturing In Australia – An Explorative Investigation Of Innovation Capability Enhancements Using Value Stream Thinking, Brogan Rylands

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 2017+

Supply chains and supply chain management continue to increase in importance, with research showing that it is supply chains that compete today, rather than individual businesses (Christopher, 2011). Supply chain management in the Australian manufacturing industry is of particular importance due to the challenges and changes being faced by manufacturing. This includes but is not limited to, declining employment figures and the decreasing percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) attributed to manufacturing, the recent closures, downsizing and offshoring of manufacturing, including the closure of automotive production plants, and downsizing of a major employer and steel manufacturer which is integral to …

Towards Sustainable Technology-Enhanced Innovation In Higher Education: Advancing Learning Design By Understanding And Supporting Teacher Design Practice, Sue Bennett, Lori Lockyer, Shirley Agostinho

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Improving teacher design promises to be a scalable, sustainable approach to building capacity amongst a workforce faced with complex and evolving drivers of change in higher education worldwide. While design has long been recognised as a routine part of teaching, there has been renewed interest in supporting and understanding the design work that teachers do to foster innovation, particularly in technology-enhanced learning, at institutional scale by influencing teachers' practices. Re-framing teaching as design usefully emphasises the creative problem-solving needed to balance pedagogical, logistical and technical considerations within specific educational contexts, tailored to learners' needs. There is potential for this re-framing …

Going Against The Grain: Exploring Opportunities For Novel Grains In The Australian Food Supply, Thomas George Simnadis

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 2017+

Background: Grains are present in a myriad of recognisable food products, such as bread, pasta and breakfast cereals. The vast majority of grain consumption (over 90%) is however dominated by wheat, rice and corn. As the global population grows and the demand for food increases, current farming systems are under pressure to enhance their productivity to meet these future demands. However, in the face of global climate change, land degradation and water scarcity, productivity gains for the major dietary grains may be increasingly hard to capture, requiring a rethink of the current grain supply strategy. Rather than being reliant on …

Multiple Perspectives On Understanding Innovation With It In An Early Childhood Education And Care Organisation, Melinda Ann Plumb

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 2017+

Objective: To better understand how innovating with information technology (IT), conceptualised as a process of IT appropriation, unfolds within an early childhood education and care (ECEC) organisation.

Research questions: By developing two different theoretical frameworks based on two different ontologies, a set of five research questions were created to achieve the research objective. Firstly, by utilising a tri-perspective framework grounded in a substantialist ontology to investigate the IT appropriation process, the following three research questions are posed:

RQ1: What specific facilitators exist which support the appropriation of IT?

RQ2: What specific barriers exist which hinder the appropriation of IT?

RQ3: …

Technological Innovation In The Maritime Industry: The Case Of Remote Pilotage And Enhanced Navigational Assistance, Benjamin Brooks, Tim Coltman, Miles Yang

Faculty of Business - Papers (Archive)

Advances in technological innovation have been deployed to support autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicles in many industries. A question that remains unanswered is why very little progress has been made in remote pilotage over the past 15 years. This paper draws together theories from innovation management and the high reliability organisation literatures to shed light on this question. Using a case study of two Australian ports, we examine a business case for remote pilotage demonstrating that despite positive cost benefit models, ambiguities in benefits exist throughout the ecosystem. The discussion sheds light on unique challenges that Port executives face where it …

Designing A Framework And Research Model For The Logistics Service Providers Innovation And Adoption, Balan Sundarakani

University of Wollongong in Dubai - Papers

This research work is aimed to examine the technological and non-technological innovation adoption mechanism of Logistics Service Providers (LSPs) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as the UAE is considered to be one of the fastest emerging markets in the world. By investigating the critical drivers that stimulates LSPs for innovation, growth and sustainability, the research develops various theoretical hypotheses and design a framework that could be used practitioners in the innovation adoption landscape. The proposed methodology follows with the various hypotheses setting, questionnaire design, focus interview, surveying and testing the variables. The research develops an initial framework as well …

Information Technology And Open Innovation: A Strategic Alignment Perspective, Tingru Cui, Hua Ye, Hock Hai Teo, Jizhen Li

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Advances in information technology (IT) have enabled firms to increasingly rely on open innovation. Although researchers and practitioners are interested in this phenomenon, there is a lack of theoretically driven research on how IT impacts organizational open innovation performance. Drawing on the strategic IT alignment perspective and related literature, we proposed a model to explain the performance of organizational open innovation; i.e., the alignment between IT strategies and the openness of open innovation strategies results in different outcomes for open innovation. Through the analysis of data from 225 firms in China, we found that the alignment between IT flexibility and …

The Social Innovation Network (Sinet) University Of Wollongong Final Report 2015, Helen M. Hasan

Faculty of Business - Papers (Archive)

[extract] A decade ago, discussions were held between Prof Margaret Sheil, the then Pro Vice- Chancellor (Research), and researchers in the social science on the most effective structures by which the University's Research Office could recognize and support research excellence in areas other than science and engineering. Most of the Research Strengths funded at the time adopted the traditional institute structure, which suited science and engineering where costly laboratories and equipment were needed. We pointed out that research in Social Sciences, Humanities, Business and Education tended to occur in small groups all over campus between which there were multiple connections. …

Effect Of Sustainability-Oriented Innovation Practices On The Overall Organisational Performance: An Empirical Examination, Matjaz Maletic, Damjan Maletic, Jens Dahlgaard, Su Mi Dahlgaard-Park, Bostjan Gomiscek

University of Wollongong in Dubai - Papers

One major means to address corporate sustainability practices in organisations are sustainability-oriented innovation practices, which tend to result in significantly improved products, services, processes or even management systems. Prior research has widely discussed the relevant issues about integrating sustainability aspects into innovation process; however, little empirical research has been conducted to analyse the link between sustainability-oriented innovation practices and the overall organisational performance. This paper addresses this gap by exploring the underlying structure of sustainability-oriented innovation practices as well as their effects on the particular performance dimensions (i.e. economic performance, quality performance, innovation performance, environmental performance and social performance). The …

Innovation Within An Early Childhood Education And Care Organisation: A Tri-Perspective Analysis Of The Appropriation Of It, Melinda Plumb, Karlheinz Kautz

Faculty of Business - Papers (Archive)

Empirical studies on information technology (IT) in early childhood are scant, despite an increasing number of early childhood education and care organisations choosing to innovate with IT. This paper presents a framework to understand the appropriation of IT as an innovation within such an organisation. The framework consists of three perspectives on innovation: an individualist, a structuralist and an interactive process perspective. While the first focuses on concepts such as leadership, IT champions, previous IT exposure, the second focuses on organisation size, parents as stakeholders, competitors, government compliance and regulatory requirements. The third perspective views the innovation as a dynamic, …

The Contribution Of Entrepreneurship And Innovation To Thai Sme Manufacturing Performance, Teerawat Charoenrat, Charles Harvie

Faculty of Business - Papers (Archive)

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) play a pivotal role in accelerating Thai economic development. SMEs provide backward linkages for large enterprises through supply of goods, services, information and knowledge. Despite SMEs obvious significance, they face several severe difficulties that act as obstacles to their further development. The primary motivation of this study is to upon identifying: 1) the role, significance and contribution of Thai manufacturing SMEs to the Thai economy; 2) entrepreneur characteristics (age, gender, education, work experience); and (3) innovation (new products, processes, organization structure).

The Relationship Between Sustainability-Oriented Innovation Practices And Organizational Performance: Empirical Evidence From Slovenian Organizations, Matjaz Maletic, Damjan Maletic, Jens Dahlgaard, Su Mi Dahlgaard-Park, Bostjan Gomiscek

University of Wollongong in Dubai - Papers

Background and Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to empirically analyse the effects of sustainability-oriented innovation practices on the overall organizational performance. Further, this paper also aims to advance understanding of the measurement of corporate sustainability practices with the focus on innovation dimensions. Design/Methodology/Approach - The study uses data obtained from a survey of 116 organizations encompassing both the manufacturing and service industries in Slovenia. Descriptive statistics were used in order to determine the level of sustainability-oriented innovation practices deployment. Exploratory factor analysis was applied to extract the underlying factors and to provide a basis for assessing their …

Innovation And Economic Education: An Integration, Eduardo Pol

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Almost everyone agrees on the importance of educating a broad spectrum of the public about economics and business. It has been suggested by experts in economic education that universities should place greater emphasis on economics as a general education. The present paper develops a proposal to integrate innovation into elementary economic education that business faculties might use to enrich their general economic education offerings. We believe the proposal can be implemented through the design of a new subject - which may be called the 'Creative Economy' - supported by a method of teaching and learning by successive approximations. The study …

Heresy Or Innovation? Transforming Culture And Service For Impact, Rebecca Daly, Lisa M. Mcintosh

Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) - Papers

The ERA2010 exercise changed the landscape of research and publication management at the University of Wollongong (UOW), pushing the research agenda into the spotlight across the University. The Library, always alert to its value to the University, quickly understood that it could play an integral role in further supporting researchers through the development of its skill sets and services. The recognised need to rebalance its services to reflect the broad University goals, particularly the research agenda, resulted in the major review and realignment in 2011-2012 of the two large divisions in the UOW Library, Resources and Client Services. The delivery …

Innovation In Small And Medium-Sized Wood-Furniture Firms In Central Java, Indonesia, Amie Kusumawardhani, Grace Mccarthy

Sydney Business School - Papers

The aim of this paper is to explore the perception of innovation within Indonesian SMEs in the wood-furniture industry in Central Java, Indonesia. Qualitative research was employed by interviewing SMEs managers/owners. The study showed that SMEs' perception of innovation was not necessarily related to 'newness' or 'novelty' as suggested by some scholars. The innovation carried out by the majority of SMEs in this study is likely to be considered as incremental innovation. The characteristics of the wood-furniture industry and SMEs are believed to contribute to the different perspectives concerning innovation than those reported in the literature. Even so, they are …

Social Innovation Through Spiritual Leadership, Lauren Klaus, Mario Fernando

Faculty of Business - Papers (Archive)

Abstract presented at the 2nd International Conference on Social Responsibility, Ethics, and Sustainable Business Bournemouth, UK, September 5 & 6, 2013.

A Literature Review On Business Process Management, Business Process Reengineering, And Business Process Innovation, Abhijith Anand, Samuel Fosso Wamba, Denis Gnanzou

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Business process management (BPM), business process reengineering (BPR), and business process innovation (BPI) have been the primary strategies adopted by several organizations to manage their business successfully along with IT. In the last few years, the concept of BPM, BPR, and BPI has been a hot topic among the IS community, which is evident in the degree of literatures devoted to it. Due to the dynamic nature of this research area, this paper aims to add knowledge to the existing ones by answering (1) what is the current level of development on BPM, BPR, and BPI within AIS basket of …

Reconciling The Invisible Hand And Innovation, Eduardo Pol

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

It is generally agreed that Adam Smith invoked the Invisible Hand to send the message to posterity that a free-market economy is the best form of economic organization. Strictly speaking, the Invisible Hand of Adam Smith is a conjecture about the virtues of a free-market economy. There are three claims in this paper concerning the interpretation of the Invisible Hand conjecture. First, the neoclassical interpretation engenders a conceptual confusion -identified here as the 'double paradox' of the Invisible Hand. Second, the interpretation of Adam Smith's conjecture on the beneficial effects of the free-market economy cannot -and should not- be confined …

Collegiate Presence: An Innovation In Understanding Interdisciplinary Collaboration, Marc Broadbent, Lorna Moxham, Trudy Dwyer

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Interdisciplinary collaboration is a cornerstone of healthcare service delivery across the globe. This presentation reports on an ethnographic study that examined the interdisciplinary relationships between emergency department (ED) triage nurses and mental health triage nurses who collaborate to deliver care to clients presenting with a mental illness.

Historical Approaches To Creativity And Innovation, Simon Ville

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

In this chapter, I will analyse historical approaches to creativity and innovation. Initially, this will take the form of a broad international comparative perspective and then, more specifically, I will address recent Australian historical experience. This will include a focussed look at sources of new technology in the interwar period. In the final section of the paper, I will address briefly the policy implications arising from the historical survey.

Jugaad As Systemic Risk And Disruptive Innovation In India, Thomas Birtchnell

Faculty of Arts - Papers (Archive)

Jugaad is the latest/trend in management and business reports of India’s awakening. The term refers to the widespread practice in rural India of juryrigging and customizing vehicles using only available resources and know-how. While the practice is often accompanied by indigence and corruption in traditional interpretations, the notion of jugaad has excited many commentators on India’s emergence into the global economy in its promise of an inimitable Indian work ethic that defies traditional associations of otherworldliness and indolence – widely reported as inherent in India’s society and culture. Jugaad has been identified across India’s economy in the inventiveness of call-centre …

Rfid- A Unique Radio Innovation For The 21st Century, Rajit Gadh, George Roussos, Katina Michael, George Q. Huang, B Shiv Prabhu, Peter Chu

Faculty of Informatics - Papers (Archive)

In 1948, the Proceedings of the Institute of Radio Engineers published Harry Stockman’s seminal work on “communication by means of reflected power,” which many consider as the first paper on RFID. The paper concluded by expressing the expectation that “considerable research and development work has to be done before the remaining basic problems in reflected-power communication are solved, and before the field of useful applications is explored.” It is only appropriate that after more than 60 years following the publication of this work by its progenitor, in this special issue the Proceedings of the IEEE review current developments towards the …

The Spread Of Ict Innovation In Accounting Education, Sam H. Jebeile, Indra Abeysekera

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This paper conveys the findings of a study conducted to evaluate the initiation of an interactive online computer-assisted learning module, called WEBLEARN, in an undergraduate introductory accounting course at an Australian university. The purpose was to aid students in the preparation of cash flow statements, a topic that from the student perspective is usually considered fairly difficult. Following the pilot of the module, student responses were collected via questionnaire in order to evaluate their perceptions regarding the WEBLEARN module. Diffusion of innovations theory was utilized as a framework for assessing student responses and to guide further development of modules in …

Technological Innovation In Action: Transforming The Learning Landscape For Multi-Locations Through Networked Interactive Whiteboards, Maria T. Bavaro

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This paper commences to unpack the possibilities for the question: how can technologies transform the learning for our future regional teachers? Videoconference and interactive whiteboards are not new. Yet, the innovation of these technologies has resulted in a new way of thinking to enhance the learning experiences for regional students who often feel disconnected when studying from a distance (Moore, 1997; Knipe &Lee, 2002; Saw et al., 2008; Worthy, Arul & Brickell, 2008). The advancement arises when a shared digital canvas is created using networked interactive whiteboards in conjunction with the videoconference for video and audio communication to provide two-way …

Examining The Social Processes Of 'Innovation' To Inform The Development Of A New Framework For Making Sense Of ''Social Innovation", Patrick M. Dawson, Lisa Daniel

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

In the face of increasing pressure to change and adapt to the needs of highly competitive business markets, it is not unusual for management to focus on the commercial payback on technical innovations and to downplay social processes. Typically, company survival is explained in terms of an 'innovation imperative' where new products and services are part of the dynamic business environment for securing and maintaining competitive advantage. Historically, the focus has been on how to translate innovations in science and technology into commercial applications. We contend that whilst largely downplayed, social processes have always been essential tounderstanding innovation and that …