Pay alignment: Fact or fallacy? The project will make an important contribution to our understanding of the impact of employee pay system configuration on firm performance and, in turn, on national productivity and Australia's social and economic fabric. The findings will enrich pay system theory and guide evidence-based improvement in firms' pay practices. It will help employers to identify the most contextually appropriate and effective ways to manage pay level, structure and plan choice and t ....Pay alignment: Fact or fallacy? The project will make an important contribution to our understanding of the impact of employee pay system configuration on firm performance and, in turn, on national productivity and Australia's social and economic fabric. The findings will enrich pay system theory and guide evidence-based improvement in firms' pay practices. It will help employers to identify the most contextually appropriate and effective ways to manage pay level, structure and plan choice and thus to design pay systems that employees in different workplace contexts perceive as fair and that enhance organisational performance and ability to attract, motivate and retain high calibre staff.Read moreRead less
Small business job creation: employer and employee perspectives of job quality. Small business is high on the policy agenda as employment growth is trending downwards. Recent recommendations to increase small business employment highlight the importance of both quantity and job quality. This project will investigate what is a quality small business job from employer and employee perspectives. The research will focus on new small business jobs in the Latrobe Valley - a 'less favored' region. The ....Small business job creation: employer and employee perspectives of job quality. Small business is high on the policy agenda as employment growth is trending downwards. Recent recommendations to increase small business employment highlight the importance of both quantity and job quality. This project will investigate what is a quality small business job from employer and employee perspectives. The research will focus on new small business jobs in the Latrobe Valley - a 'less favored' region. The findings will fill a significant gap in knowledge about the process of job generation and lead to a better understanding of the determinants of job quality from different perspectives, which can assist economic policy development.Read moreRead less
WorkChoices and the Evolution of Australian Working Life: The Changing Role of the Labour Contract. Both internationally and nationally, there is much speculation as to how the transformation of the industrial relations framework will impact on workers and the broader community. Knowledge of the impact of WorkChoices is vital for employers, unions and governments to understand the influence the industrial relations framework has on Australia's social and economic fabric. The survey will address ....WorkChoices and the Evolution of Australian Working Life: The Changing Role of the Labour Contract. Both internationally and nationally, there is much speculation as to how the transformation of the industrial relations framework will impact on workers and the broader community. Knowledge of the impact of WorkChoices is vital for employers, unions and governments to understand the influence the industrial relations framework has on Australia's social and economic fabric. The survey will address some of the social issues that are debated widely in Australia such as the impact of the industrial relations changes on wages and wage inequality, work and family balance, skills development and shortages, workers in regional areas, and workers in low skilled and low paid jobs.Read moreRead less
Developing and testing a best practice model of enterprise bargaining in the retail sector. Recently, the Australian labour market has seen a decrease in the manufacturing sector and an increase in the retail sector. The SDA with over 230,000 members is the largest trade and industrial union in Australia. It negotiates EB Agreements on behalf of employees. This research will assess improved job satisfaction and job conditions - a key EB goal, which will have tangible benefits in reducing turnove ....Developing and testing a best practice model of enterprise bargaining in the retail sector. Recently, the Australian labour market has seen a decrease in the manufacturing sector and an increase in the retail sector. The SDA with over 230,000 members is the largest trade and industrial union in Australia. It negotiates EB Agreements on behalf of employees. This research will assess improved job satisfaction and job conditions - a key EB goal, which will have tangible benefits in reducing turnover of retail sector employees, recognised as a major problem for employers. This research will enhance effectiveness for unions and employers in the implementation of agreements commensurate with the needs of employees, the findings of which will have broad applicability across Australian industryRead moreRead less
Developing a data-based system for competitor analysis, performance monitoring, and decision-making within the disability employment service industry. There are three aims: to implement a database that would assist business decision-making and improvement of professional practices; to provide the peak body means for reporting to members, representing members to the funding body, and promoting the industry; to develop a system relevant to micro and small businesses across industries. Disability ....Developing a data-based system for competitor analysis, performance monitoring, and decision-making within the disability employment service industry. There are three aims: to implement a database that would assist business decision-making and improvement of professional practices; to provide the peak body means for reporting to members, representing members to the funding body, and promoting the industry; to develop a system relevant to micro and small businesses across industries. Disability employment services currently do not have means for competitor analysis even though it is recognised as integral to business planning. We expect that organisations will use the system, making more informed decisions, improving their performance, and improving their influence in discussions with the funding body.Read moreRead less
Labour Matters: The Recomposition of Trade Union Action in a Globalising Era: Australia and Canada1983-2003. Trade unions are struggling to craft innovative responses to globalisation's pressures, while seeking to shore up their traditional role in 'porous' national economies. We compare Australia with Canada 1983-2003: semi-peripheral countries facing similar pressures from globalisation, but responding differently in governance and trade union action. Labour innovation is set against the backd ....Labour Matters: The Recomposition of Trade Union Action in a Globalising Era: Australia and Canada1983-2003. Trade unions are struggling to craft innovative responses to globalisation's pressures, while seeking to shore up their traditional role in 'porous' national economies. We compare Australia with Canada 1983-2003: semi-peripheral countries facing similar pressures from globalisation, but responding differently in governance and trade union action. Labour innovation is set against the backdrop of changes in employment regulation and employment security. We examine innovation through national and transnational union campaigns that parallel in two countries, to evaluate innovation in Australia. Postgraduate research training in internationally comparative social science methodology is provided and results disseminated in academic, practitioner and public fora.Read moreRead less
Work-Life Integration: Developing the 'Dual Agenda' in Theory and Practice. This project addresses the important and urgent need to reconcile organizational efficiency with employee needs to balance work, personal and family life. Current research indicates that the adoption of standard ?family-friendly? policies is hindered by traditional, gendered work processes, organizational norms and structures. A new approach called the ?dual agenda? for change is advocated to resolve this problem. This p ....Work-Life Integration: Developing the 'Dual Agenda' in Theory and Practice. This project addresses the important and urgent need to reconcile organizational efficiency with employee needs to balance work, personal and family life. Current research indicates that the adoption of standard ?family-friendly? policies is hindered by traditional, gendered work processes, organizational norms and structures. A new approach called the ?dual agenda? for change is advocated to resolve this problem. This project tests the application of the ?dual agenda? in two large Australian organisations. The data produced will identify policies and processes which meet the ?dual agenda? of gender equitable, improved work-life outcomes for employees and improved business outcomes for organizations.Read moreRead less
The psychological contract: Bridging human resource management practices and organisational effectiveness. Many managers believe that recent changes in management practice are responsible for Australia's high labour productivity but very little is known about the mechanisms through which such effects are transmitted. Will HRM enable Australian organisations to generate and maintain a competitive advantage in the global context? In this project we draw on theoretical frameworks established in ....The psychological contract: Bridging human resource management practices and organisational effectiveness. Many managers believe that recent changes in management practice are responsible for Australia's high labour productivity but very little is known about the mechanisms through which such effects are transmitted. Will HRM enable Australian organisations to generate and maintain a competitive advantage in the global context? In this project we draw on theoretical frameworks established in the behavioural sciences to understand how HRM practices influence employee reactions and impact organisational effectiveness, such as labour productivity. The results will be of direct benefit to Australian organisations designing, evaluating, or reconfiguring their HRM practices in line with their competitive strategy.Read moreRead less
The Award Safety Net of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission. The industrial relations changes of the 1990s have altered the role of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) in prescribing and influencing the terms of employment. Its awards are now characterised as a ?safety net? and have, to a significant extent, been displaced by registered agreements as the legal instruments binding employers and employees. The project focuses on the remaining role of the safety net. Wh ....The Award Safety Net of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission. The industrial relations changes of the 1990s have altered the role of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) in prescribing and influencing the terms of employment. Its awards are now characterised as a ?safety net? and have, to a significant extent, been displaced by registered agreements as the legal instruments binding employers and employees. The project focuses on the remaining role of the safety net. What are its purposes? What are the criteria by which it is adjusted? What are the effects of the adjustments on actual wages, incomes and employment? How does the safety net relate to social welfare policies?Read moreRead less
Implications of Emerging Forms of Labour Management in Transitional Economies for Households Livelihood Strategies: China and Vietnam. This project aims to (1) investigate institutional changes to labour management during the economic transitions of China and Vietnam and (2) analyse their impact on the livelihood strategies of households. The research will be based on a large interview study of officials, managers and workers in the TCF and electronics industries in four cities. The project wi ....Implications of Emerging Forms of Labour Management in Transitional Economies for Households Livelihood Strategies: China and Vietnam. This project aims to (1) investigate institutional changes to labour management during the economic transitions of China and Vietnam and (2) analyse their impact on the livelihood strategies of households. The research will be based on a large interview study of officials, managers and workers in the TCF and electronics industries in four cities. The project will contribute details about China and Vietnam to the theoretical literature about the management of labour and the relations between restructuring / transition and gender at work. The project will inform policy makers, businesses, nongovernment groups and academics about the social implications of transition.Read moreRead less