Towards a Virtual Enterprise Framework for Effective Business Process Outsourcing. With the advent of the Internet, Virtual Enterprises (VEs) are breaking down geographical barriers of nations, enabling the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) of corporate business activities. The primary objective of this project is to leverage international expertise in Australia and Japan to develop a VE framework for effective BPO by studying the effect of evolving virtual team coordination techniques under al ....Towards a Virtual Enterprise Framework for Effective Business Process Outsourcing. With the advent of the Internet, Virtual Enterprises (VEs) are breaking down geographical barriers of nations, enabling the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) of corporate business activities. The primary objective of this project is to leverage international expertise in Australia and Japan to develop a VE framework for effective BPO by studying the effect of evolving virtual team coordination techniques under alternative VE orderings. An organising framework for VEs will provide the ideal structure for high technology Australian firms to compete globally by drawing on entrepreneurial and knowledge capital of technologically advanced nations, whilst sustaining and maximising their own domestic array of skills and capabilities through an efficient vertical international division of labour.Read moreRead less
The end of Westphalia? Re-envisioning Sovereignty. This initial project aims to undertake a systematic re-evaluation of state sovereignty. In doing so, we seek to reconceptualise the meaning of sovereignty, how that meaning has changed over time according to a variety of historical conditions, and the implications of this for traditional Westphalian conceptions during a time when state authority is increasingly challenged by an array of new actors. The broader project will then build on the new ....The end of Westphalia? Re-envisioning Sovereignty. This initial project aims to undertake a systematic re-evaluation of state sovereignty. In doing so, we seek to reconceptualise the meaning of sovereignty, how that meaning has changed over time according to a variety of historical conditions, and the implications of this for traditional Westphalian conceptions during a time when state authority is increasingly challenged by an array of new actors. The broader project will then build on the new possibilities for the evolution of sovereignty, first by suggesting necessary changes to existing legal and political institutions, and secondly by offering practical policy recommendations for states.Read moreRead less
Research on Organizational Discourse. This collaboration links Melbourne and Sydney Universities with McGill University and Kings College, the University of London in an international research network that will conduct research and doctoral training on organizational discourse. Organizational discourse represents an important new theoretical and methodological development in organization and management theory and, in carrying out this program, researchers will be working at the leading edge of t ....Research on Organizational Discourse. This collaboration links Melbourne and Sydney Universities with McGill University and Kings College, the University of London in an international research network that will conduct research and doctoral training on organizational discourse. Organizational discourse represents an important new theoretical and methodological development in organization and management theory and, in carrying out this program, researchers will be working at the leading edge of theory development, as well as developing research expertise in Australia. Projects include a Handbook, a special issue of a leading international journal, a new journal, a research methods book, an ARC Discovery application and a series of workshops.Read moreRead less
Promoting Knowledge Economy Organisations and Innovative Work: Regional influences on Knowledge-based Small and Medium-sized Enterprise clusters in Australia and Germany. In both Australia and Germany many regional areas have experienced economic and social decline. Clusters offer a means of fostering local economic development thereby arresting regional social and economic deterioration. The research focuses on those clusters that rely on knowledge transfer between organisations. Through identi ....Promoting Knowledge Economy Organisations and Innovative Work: Regional influences on Knowledge-based Small and Medium-sized Enterprise clusters in Australia and Germany. In both Australia and Germany many regional areas have experienced economic and social decline. Clusters offer a means of fostering local economic development thereby arresting regional social and economic deterioration. The research focuses on those clusters that rely on knowledge transfer between organisations. Through identifying the drivers and impediments to the formation of knowledge based clusters, the research aims to provide practical guidance to regionally-based organizations to assist in the successful formation and maintenance of clusters. In doing so, the research will identify how clusters that rely on the sharing of organizational knowledge may promote greater regional employment possibilities.Read moreRead less
The Future of Oceans Governance in Polar Areas. Australia has a compelling national interest in maintaining its sovereignty and security in the Antarctic. Australian government goals include maintaining the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS); enhancing Australia's influence within the system; protecting the Antarctic environment; understanding the role of Antarctica in the global climate system; and undertaking scientific work of practical, economic and national significance. This project directly ad ....The Future of Oceans Governance in Polar Areas. Australia has a compelling national interest in maintaining its sovereignty and security in the Antarctic. Australian government goals include maintaining the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS); enhancing Australia's influence within the system; protecting the Antarctic environment; understanding the role of Antarctica in the global climate system; and undertaking scientific work of practical, economic and national significance. This project directly addresses national research priorities through analysis of oceans governance issues that centre on Australian interests. This project will also contribute to national benefit by focusing on issues central to the International Polar Year.Read moreRead less
Comparative Border Studies. While borders are of increasing interest to Australian scholars and policy-makers, much existing research in Australia is focused on issues of border security or border integrity. There is an urgent need to supplement this work with theoretical and empirical insights drawn from the field of border studies. North America is a key site for international research in this field. Collaboration with North American scholars is thus an important step in developing and expandi ....Comparative Border Studies. While borders are of increasing interest to Australian scholars and policy-makers, much existing research in Australia is focused on issues of border security or border integrity. There is an urgent need to supplement this work with theoretical and empirical insights drawn from the field of border studies. North America is a key site for international research in this field. Collaboration with North American scholars is thus an important step in developing and expanding Australian expertise in border studies. This project will provide the intellectual environment and collaborative networks necessary to establish the first dedicated Centre for Border Studies in Australia.Read moreRead less
China and Latin America: New Challenges and Opportunities for Australia. This project examines the growing international influence and strength of one of Australia's most strategically important neighbours, the People's Republic of China. Emerging commercial and diplomatic alliances between China and Latin America pose economic and political challenges for Australia and other resource exporters. This research consolidates Australia's reputation as a leader in the field of China Studies by clarif ....China and Latin America: New Challenges and Opportunities for Australia. This project examines the growing international influence and strength of one of Australia's most strategically important neighbours, the People's Republic of China. Emerging commercial and diplomatic alliances between China and Latin America pose economic and political challenges for Australia and other resource exporters. This research consolidates Australia's reputation as a leader in the field of China Studies by clarifying the nature of these challenges over the next five to ten years. The project will produce academic seminars in Sydney, Guadalajara, and Monterrey; the exchange of Australian and Mexican scholars, and joint publications in a field of study that bears direct relevance to the national interests of both countries.Read moreRead less
International interventions: ethical, legal and political issues. The project is the first stage of a larger study in partnership with Canadian researchers. The pilot will develop case studies showing the political, ethical and legal issues currently influencing intervention within other States for peacekeeping, peacemaking or humanitarian reasons. There is currently no internationally agreed legal, ethical or political code underlying such decisions to intervene. Humanitarian disasters are like ....International interventions: ethical, legal and political issues. The project is the first stage of a larger study in partnership with Canadian researchers. The pilot will develop case studies showing the political, ethical and legal issues currently influencing intervention within other States for peacekeeping, peacemaking or humanitarian reasons. There is currently no internationally agreed legal, ethical or political code underlying such decisions to intervene. Humanitarian disasters are likely to increase with the proliferation of new states and re-emergence of ethnic and religious intolerance. Australia's defence policy recognises that peacekeeping is a significant function for our armed forces. Australia should influence thinking on when the international community should act.Read moreRead less
Advanced issues in market segmentation research. We will investigate unresolved questions in market segmentation research that will provide answers to the following questions as outcome:
- How to pre-assess market segmentation data structure.
- How to improve the partitioning.
- How to visualize and present the resulting segmentation solutions.
- How to generalize the outcomes over multiple periods of time.
These tasks represent fundamental methodological research. The scientific significan ....Advanced issues in market segmentation research. We will investigate unresolved questions in market segmentation research that will provide answers to the following questions as outcome:
- How to pre-assess market segmentation data structure.
- How to improve the partitioning.
- How to visualize and present the resulting segmentation solutions.
- How to generalize the outcomes over multiple periods of time.
These tasks represent fundamental methodological research. The scientific significance consequently lies in knowledge development and methodological improvement. Findings will also enable both academic researchers using market segmentation methodology as well as practitioners applying such techniques to significantly improve the quality of their market structure analyses.Read moreRead less
Crafting Authoritarian Politics. Although Russia is nominally a democracy, strong elements of authoritarianism remain dominant. This project examines how Russia has accommodated these authoritarian themes within a representative democracy and, more generally, seeks to shed new light on the process of democratization in postcommunist societies. Russia is the 8th largest country in the world by population and the 11th largest economy based on GDP; it also remains nuclear-armed. Understanding th ....Crafting Authoritarian Politics. Although Russia is nominally a democracy, strong elements of authoritarianism remain dominant. This project examines how Russia has accommodated these authoritarian themes within a representative democracy and, more generally, seeks to shed new light on the process of democratization in postcommunist societies. Russia is the 8th largest country in the world by population and the 11th largest economy based on GDP; it also remains nuclear-armed. Understanding the dynamics of democratization in Russia has implications for political stability across a large section of the world which is currently in transition from authoritarianism to democracy.Read moreRead less