Human Resource Managers' Contribution to Workplace Performance. This project examines the professional identity and role of Human Resource managers in fostering and implementing strategies that encourage high workplace performance. This is significant because workplace performance affects Australian competitiveness and this will be the first detailed empirical analysis of Australian HR managers that combine case study and survey methods. The findings will develop models and strategies that wil ....Human Resource Managers' Contribution to Workplace Performance. This project examines the professional identity and role of Human Resource managers in fostering and implementing strategies that encourage high workplace performance. This is significant because workplace performance affects Australian competitiveness and this will be the first detailed empirical analysis of Australian HR managers that combine case study and survey methods. The findings will develop models and strategies that will improve professional management standards through academic and business publications, including a book accessible to managers. Educational materials, suitable for higher and continuing education, will also aim to improve the people-related capabilities of human resource and line managers.Read moreRead less
Enhancing volunteer capacity to maximise the volunteer resources for contextually diverse community organisations. The study aims to maximise the volunteer resources available to community organisations through the development of a flexible organisational volunteer model that enhances each volunteer's capacity, particularly at key points of their engagement.Individual volunteer capacities will be analysed using a multidimensional measure validated with different volunteer samples across diverse ....Enhancing volunteer capacity to maximise the volunteer resources for contextually diverse community organisations. The study aims to maximise the volunteer resources available to community organisations through the development of a flexible organisational volunteer model that enhances each volunteer's capacity, particularly at key points of their engagement.Individual volunteer capacities will be analysed using a multidimensional measure validated with different volunteer samples across diverse organisations and social contexts. The model will help community organisations determine the self-efficacy of volunteers; enhance individual and collective volunteer capacity;identify new volunteer pathways responsive to the lifestyles and social and economic circumstances of volunteers;and create a more capable and responsive pool of volunteers.Read moreRead less
Creative culture: The development of innovative research practices in science, technology and art. The proposed research will contribute to our understanding of the factors and conditions conducive to scientific, technological and artistic innovations. Australian governments and industries devote hundreds of millions of dollars annually to support scientific research and artistic projects. An understanding of how creativity can be fostered and maintained is therefore important for the appropria ....Creative culture: The development of innovative research practices in science, technology and art. The proposed research will contribute to our understanding of the factors and conditions conducive to scientific, technological and artistic innovations. Australian governments and industries devote hundreds of millions of dollars annually to support scientific research and artistic projects. An understanding of how creativity can be fostered and maintained is therefore important for the appropriate use of such resources. The project will contribute directly to the goal of "promoting an innovation culture and economy" under the National Research Priority framework, as it focuses on the organisational processes and socialisation techniques that favour a culture of creativity among researchers in science, technology and art.Read moreRead less
The Making of Creative Artists. This project is designed to examine how creativity is developed among artists. Through analysing the experience of five groups of artists (from undergraduate students to established practitioners), it investigates subjects' conceptions of creativity and the creative processes emergent within their practice. Using a theoretical framework based on Pierre Bourdieu and refined by one of the chief investigators (Chan), the project employs a longitudinal research desig ....The Making of Creative Artists. This project is designed to examine how creativity is developed among artists. Through analysing the experience of five groups of artists (from undergraduate students to established practitioners), it investigates subjects' conceptions of creativity and the creative processes emergent within their practice. Using a theoretical framework based on Pierre Bourdieu and refined by one of the chief investigators (Chan), the project employs a longitudinal research design to examine the development of creativity among novices. Contrasted against a background of orthodox literature in creativity research the project breaks new ground in explaining the role of creativity in the sociology of occupations.Read moreRead less
Context, Judgement and Informal Learning at Work: An Investigation of Factors Crucial for Enhancing Performance. This project investigates learning that enables people to perform well the demanding aspects of their occupations. Detailed case studies of critical incidents in a range of workplaces will be constructed and the learning or otherwise by key players involved in these incidents will be elucidated and analysed. These findings will test and refine a theory of learning at work that concept ....Context, Judgement and Informal Learning at Work: An Investigation of Factors Crucial for Enhancing Performance. This project investigates learning that enables people to perform well the demanding aspects of their occupations. Detailed case studies of critical incidents in a range of workplaces will be constructed and the learning or otherwise by key players involved in these incidents will be elucidated and analysed. These findings will test and refine a theory of learning at work that conceptualises it, at its best, as a growing capacity to make appropriate context-sensitive judgements. Developing a sound theory of workplace learning is very important because, though it is currently a major policy focus, received theories are of limited explanatory value.Read moreRead less