Digital Commons Network^™

The Agricultural Co-Operative Business Structure In Context: A Western Australian Study, Elizabeth Cheong

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Agricultural co-operative businesses are the focus of considerable academic research overseas, particularly from the perspective of agricultural economics. Research on Australian agricultural co-operatives, however, is very limited. This exploratory study investigates agricultural co-operatives at two inter-related levels. Firstly, the thesis examines the broader political economy shaping the agricultural co-operative sector, specifically policy and institutional arrangements affecting agricultural co-operatives. Secondly, the thesis considers how this external world influences the internal behaviour of the agricultural co-operative business. The study adopts a qualitative research methodology, principally using the case study method. Over 50 in-depth interviews were conducted with actors associated with the agricultural …

Constraints To Youth Participation In The Current Federal Political Environment, Judith G. Bridgland Sorenson

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This research explores the constraints to youth participation through the mechanism of the National Youth Roundtable. In 1999 the National Youth Roundtable was established as the centrepiece of the Federal Government's `Voices of Youth' initiative, designed to go to the grass roots of the youth population and seek their participation on matters of policy development. This was to be the new interface between young people and the Australian government, replacing the peak body for youth affairs as a more effective participation mechanism.

Silenced Voices: Experiences Of Grief Following Road Traffic Crashes In Western Australia, Lauren Breen

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Despite the introduction of road safety measures and media campaigns, crashes are a leading cause of death in Western Australia. While economic costs of crashes are relatively easy to determine, their psychosocial burden remains appreciably under-studied, as are the social, cultural, historical, temporal, and political contexts within which grief experiences are housed. As such, I explored the experience of grief resulting from losing a loved one in a crash in Western Australia and described the influence of contextual factors on those grief experiences.

Critical Literacy In A Global Context: Reading Harry Potter, Jill Reading

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Millions of adolescents across the globe eagerly await and read each new Harry Potter fictional novel. As a series, the novels can be assumed to participate influentially in the production of adolescent literacies and subjectivities. Situated in politically conservative times, however, the texts may support readings in simple accord with culturally pervasive conservative views which favour conventionally masculinist, martial views of the individual and of society. Such readings potentially confirm ancient prejudices built out of differences which themselves may be associated with the socio-cultural reproduction of violent conflicts. Nevertheless, contemporary conditions such as planetary climate change and globalised political fear …

Transformation Theory And E-Commerce Adoption, Mark P. Brogan

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis investigates business transformation on the Internet; particularly the nature and significance of Cyber transformation theory and the Marketspace Model as a framework for E-commerce adoption. E-commerce can raise a firm's productivity, transform customer relationships and open up new markets. The extent to which nations become adopters of E-commerce is set to become a source of comparative national competitive advantage (or disadvantage) in the twenty first century.

Thai Popular Music: The Representation Of National Identities And Ideologies Within A Culture In Transition, Lamnao Eamsa-Ard

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Thai popular music always reflects and reproduces the concerns of Thai people in changing times especially in regard to issues relating to identity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the preservation of Thai identity and the ideologies surrounding it and the adoption of Western innovation in Thai popular music. The issues surrounding the identity and ideology of Thais, such as class, gender and ethnicity are explored within the area of Thai popular music. I use ethnography as the major tool for gathering and analysing the research data. Using triangulated ethnographic techniques, involved in-depth interviews, focus …

Discrepancies In Intimate Violence Reporting For Men And Women's Violence: A Meta-Analysis, James L. Herbert

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The report of intimate violence is often taken on face value in research. With no gold standard existing, one partner's report is often an accepted measure of violence in the relationship. This discrepancy in reporting between intimate partners has been thoroughly examined, yet researchers still debate the reliability of single partner reporting. The current study extends upon the Archer (1999) meta-analysis of intimate violence discrepancy reporting, and includes current studies, instruments and research methods in the analysis. This study examines the discrepancy effect among thirty-four samples from studies of heterosexual intimate violence, finding that the discrepancy in general was sizeable …

Controlling Involvement To Promote Confidence In Palliative Care Decisions - A Grounded Theory From The Patient's Perspective, Susan F. Lee

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Decision making in the context of palliative care is particularly complex given the unpredictable illness trajectories experienced by patients and the number of individuals who may be part of the decision making process. This grounded theory study explored and described from the perspective of patients with advanced illness, their experiences of making care decisions. A review of literature at the commencement of the study indicated that there was a lack of evidence to support the best way of ascertaining patient's preferences for involvement in decisions in a palliative care context and almost no research to guide clinicians about the involvement …

An Analysis Of The Relationship Between Social Capital And Subjective Well-Being In Four Regions Of Spain In The Mid-1990s, Maria Puerta Francos

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This research offers an analysis of two concepts: subjective well-being and social capital. I examine each concept separately, looking at their underlying determinants and characteristics, and I also look at the links between these two notions, as there is theoretical support for their interdependent relationship. I have conducted data analysis of five samples, all part of the World Values Survey 1995-1996. The WVS 1995-1996 offers vast data for Spain and for four autonomous regions - Basque Country, Andalusia, Galicia and Valencia. For the national sample N= 1211. Regional sampling is as follows: Basque Country (N=2205), Andalusia (N=1803), Galicia (N=1200), and …

Whose Story Is It Anyway?: An Explanation Of How `Academic Literacy' Was Constructed In A University Transition Course For Indigenous Australians During A Period Of Organisational Change, Gregory J. Stratton

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis examines how a group of lecturers who taught in a university preparation course designed for Indigenous Australians thought about what `academic literacy' meant. Lecturers were asked to consider the relationships between the meanings of `academic literacy' , curriculum, and the considerable problems the Course was facing in order to remain viable. My research goal was to better understand what alignment of people, ideas, and other important entities would be required to develop a sustainable program for Indigenous people seeking an alternative pathway into university degrees.

Professional Perceptions Of Domestic Violence: The Relationship Between Causal Explanations And Views On Prevention And Intervention, Rachel A. Taylor

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The 1970s saw a shift of focus by professions responding to domestic violence cases perpetrated by men towards women within Australia. Their focus was targeted at the factors that surround male perpetrators? violent behaviour. As a result, a number of alternative interventions were established based on a new understanding of domestic violence. Wider explanations have therefore led professional groups to form different angles of approach. Consequently researchers have found that perceptions towards domestic violence and the effectiveness of relevant interventions remain controversial across professions (Laing, 2002). Based on the literature supporting the importance of consistent professional perceptions and responses towards …

Strategies For Designing And Implementing Knowledge Management Systems: An Interpretive Case Study Of Two Western Australian House-Building Firms, Geoffrey David Wilson

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Knowledge management is a relatively new concept that has received substantial attention in the academic and industry literature particularly in the information systems field. Proponents of knowledge management argue that it has been driven by the desire of organisations for greater innovation, cost reduction and process improvements (Wilson. Jackson & Smith 2003). Little research, though, has been conducted from a knowledge management perspective into how Western Australian house-building enterprises develop and implement information systems. The WA house-building industry forms part of the wider building and construction community. Most construction firms are small to-medium-sized enterprises that differ from large organisations in …

The `Good Oil': The Role Olive Oil Plays In The Lives Of Western Australian Consumers, Trudie Michels

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Throughout Australia, a great number of resources have been devoted to the burgeoning billion dollar Australian olive industry. Recently a rapid increase in olive oil production has been witnessed. This growth combined with aggressive international competition will see pressure put on Australian producers to supply quality and price-effective olive oil into the Australian market. This will require a detailed understanding of consumers' perceptions of and thoughts about olive oil and a comprehension of how, when, where and why consumers utilise olive oil.

Meeting The Challenge Of Diversity : Ministry And Mission In A Multicultural Milieu, Chadwick L. Short

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Parent Perceptions Of School Climate And Its Impact On Their Child's School Performance, Danielle Malinowski

Theses

This study compared the relationship of student and parent perceptions of school climate to the student's academic performance and school problem behaviors (disciplinary referrals, unexcused absences, and tardiness). A sample of students (n=531), grades 7-12, completed the School Climate Survey (Haynes et al., 1996). Additional information was obtained regarding each student's academic performance and school problem behaviors. A randomly selected sample of parents were sent the School Climate Survey,

Parent Edition and were asked to voluntarily return them (n=45). Correlation results found no significant relationship between parent and student perceptions of school climate. A significant relationship was found between Parent …

The Relationship Of Missional Outreach To United Methodist Church Growth In The Central Appalachian Region, 1990-2005, Carol D. Crawford

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Missional Potential Of International Churches : A Case Study Of Capital City Baptist Church, Mexico City, Ernest Eugene Klassen

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Identifying Paradigms Of Conversion Operative In United Methodist Churches Of The Texas Conference, Kenneth Alan Munn

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Risk Management, Ben J.M. Ale, Phil W.M. Brighton, Michael S. Baram

Faculty Scholarship

Risk management develops as the need arises. Usually after an accident people want “authorities” to do something. On the other hand, industry wants predictable behaviour of authorities to be able to judge the soundness of their investments. This led to an adaptive process involving many decision makers embedded in legal and cultural heritage. It was indeed as struggle to determine who should be responsible and how to have risk management done by competent party (i.e. (1) industry, (2) public (3) authorities).

Lawyers' Professionalism, Colonialism, State Formation And National Life In Nigeria, 1900-1960: 'The Fighting Brigade Of The People', Chidi Oguamanam, W. Wesley Pue

All Faculty Publications

This essay explores the role of the organized legal profession in relation to British Imperialism, state formation, and independence in Nigeria. Drawing on recent works in the fields of post-colonial legal studies and cultural histories of legal professions, the paper develops an understanding of lawyering and lawyers' associations as deeply implicated in the myriad cultural projects through which law simultaneously 'civilizes' provincials and mediates between centre and locale. The paper reviews new developments in theories of legal professionalism and surveys secondary literatures of lawyers in colonial processes. It assesses the historical processes linking imperialism, law, and lawyers from the establishment …

Consolidating Pharmaceutical Regulation Down Under: Policy Options And Practical Realities, Frances H. Miller

Faculty Scholarship

Pharmaceutical regulatory agencies struggle worldwide to maintain public trust these days. Drug safety issues proliferate,' the costs of lharmaceuticals take increasingly larger shares of most countries' health service spending, and conflicts of interest afflicting the drug approval and marketing processes capture more and more public attention. The Australian and New Zealand governments are keenly aware of these problems, and have been attempting to forge a regulatory alliance to combine their respective pharmaceutical regulatory agencies, Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and New Zealand's Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Authority (Medsafe), into the pending Trans Tasman Therapeutic Products Authority (ANZTPA, or TPA). …

Acoustic Classification Using Independent Component Analysis, James Brock

Theses

This thesis research investigates and demonstrates the feasibility of performing computationally efficient, high-dimensional acoustic classification using Mel-frequency cepstral coefficients and independent component analysis for temporal feature extraction. A process was developed to calculate Mel-frequency cepstral coefficients from samples of acoustic data grouped by either musical genre or spoken world language. Then independent component analysis was employed to extract the higher level temporal features of the coefficients in each class. These sets of unique independent features represent themes, or patterns, over time that are the underlying signals in that class of acoustic data. The results obtained from this process clearly show …

New Urbanist Zoning For Dummies, Michael Lewyn

Scholarly Works

No abstract provided.

The Wto Agreement On Government Procurement And The Uncitral Model Procurement Law: A View From Outside The Region, John Linarelli

Scholarly Works

Two of the most significant efforts to bring municipal procurement institutions up to international standards are the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA) and the UNCITRAL Model Law on Procurement of Goods, Construction and Services. Though the Model Law has had limited adoptions, it enjoys global influence as a source of norms and practices for good public procurement. The GPA, also reflective of international standards, seems to be on the rise, as more WTO members elect to become GPA contracting parties. This article explores two aspects of these instruments. First, the article explores how the Model Law promotes efficient public …

When We Hold No Truths To Be Self-Evident: Truth, Belief, Trust, And The Decline In Trials, Lisa Blomgren Bingham

Journal of Dispute Resolution

This article will explore the relationship between the "vanishing trial" and the changing ways in which we think about truth. First, it briefly overviews how we think about knowing what is true: epistemology and this history of philosophy. Second, it looks to the philosophy of science and history of social science for new theories and methods about how we ascertain and construct meaning and what we believe to be real and true. Third, it examines our changing relation to information in the face of the "information explosion": information is the evidence upon which we reach a conclusion about what is …

Vanishing Or Increasing Trials In The Netherlands, Carolien Klein Haarhuis, Bert Niemeijer

Journal of Dispute Resolution

In this article, we will address the question of whether something like vanishing trials exists in the Netherlands. This could be the case, as some of the causes of the decline in the number of trials advanced by Galanter are also observed in the Netherlands. ADR is gaining popularity, the costs of court procedures are on the rise, and there clearly exists a development toward "managerial justice."

Influence Of Teacher Immediacy On Student Evaluations Of Teachers In American And Chinese Classrooms, Wenli Gao

Theses

This study investigated student perspectives on teacher immediacy in American and Chinese classrooms, and the correlation between immediacy and teacher evaluation. Specific immediacy behaviors that are most associated with teacher evaluation among American and Chinese students were also examined. Two hundred seventy-seven university students responded to instruments designed to measure teacher immediacy and teacher evaluation. Chinese students perceived a lower amount of instructor nonverbal immediacy than American students, but there is no significant difference between the two groups on verbal immediacy. Significant positive correlations were found between teacher immediacy and teacher evaluation in both groups. Praising students' work and soliciting …

"God's Created Order", Gender Complementarity, And The Federal Marriage Amendment, Linda C. Mcclain

Faculty Scholarship

Does marriage, in the United States, need the protection of an amendment to the federal constitution, which would enshrine marriage as only the union of a man and a woman? In answering "yes" to this question, sponsors and supporters of the Federal Marriage Protection Amendment (FMPA), in the House of Representatives and the Senate, have made various appeals to the gender complementarity of marriage: (1) opposite-sex marriage is part of "God's created order;" (2) procreation is the purpose of marriage and has a tight nexus with optimal mother/father parenting; (3) marriage bridges the "gender divide" by properly ordering heterosexual desire …

The Policies Of State Succession: Harmonizing Self-Determination And Global Order In The Twenty-First Century, Robert D. Sloane

Faculty Scholarship

In State Succession and Commercial Obligations (2006), Tai-Heng Cheng applies the New Haven School methodology to an opaque and unsettled body of international law: that governing the commercial rights and duties of states, creditors, and other participants in the unruly process of state succession. Rather than work within inherited conceptual and doctrinal frameworks, which have seldom proved either helpful or descriptively accurate, Cheng provides a fresh perspective on the issues. He argues that a policy-oriented perspective on state succession ameliorates the "descriptive inaccuracy" and "normative deficit" of inherited theories. Part I of this review considers the former claim; Part II …

Educating The Total Jurist?, W. Wesley Pue

All Faculty Publications

This paper discusses a discontinuity between the ways in which legal education has historically sought to reconstruct the soul of lawyers-in-training and the contemporary conceit that legal education can be value-free. It identifies a gap between early 21st century narrowly technocratic approaches to legal professionalism - epitomized by Enron professionalism and earlier conceptions of lawyering. A desire to instill a moral sensibility in apprentice lawyers weighed heavily in an earlier generation's thinking about legal education everywhere in the common law world, giving rise to the programmes, schemes, and imaginings that provided templates for contemporary university legal training. With surprising consistency, …