Employee wellbeing and productivity: the role of territoriality, conflict and emotions. Australia is investing billions in redesigning modern office spaces, but the effect of office layout on employees is still not well understood. Using innovative real-time data collection techniques, an international team will study the effect of office layout and develop a training package to improve office-worker productivity and wellbeing.
Development of psychological capital in emergency service organisations. The project addresses the research priorities ‘Promoting good health and well being for all Australians’ and Safeguarding Australia. The project will identify ways in which the performance and wellbeing of volunteer and paid members of emergency service organisations can be enhanced, potentially diminishing the likelihood of depression, aggression, and other detrimental effects. The findings will also contribute to the qual ....Development of psychological capital in emergency service organisations. The project addresses the research priorities ‘Promoting good health and well being for all Australians’ and Safeguarding Australia. The project will identify ways in which the performance and wellbeing of volunteer and paid members of emergency service organisations can be enhanced, potentially diminishing the likelihood of depression, aggression, and other detrimental effects. The findings will also contribute to the quality of training provided to leaders in emergency services. Theoretically, the project will advance understanding of the mechanisms that underpin the psychological capital construct, placing Australian researchers at the forefront of this important emerging field of inquiry.Read moreRead less
An empirical analysis of structural cost management decision making. This study analyses the rationale adopted by firms in implementing cost management choices with significant social and economic consequences. Layoffs, across-the-board cost cuts and off-shoring are significant influences on workforce participation levels in the Australian economy. This study explores the factors associated with firms and managers that lead to systematic preferences for certain types of cost management respons ....An empirical analysis of structural cost management decision making. This study analyses the rationale adopted by firms in implementing cost management choices with significant social and economic consequences. Layoffs, across-the-board cost cuts and off-shoring are significant influences on workforce participation levels in the Australian economy. This study explores the factors associated with firms and managers that lead to systematic preferences for certain types of cost management responses. In analysing these decisions in a range of organizational settings, and seeking to establish best practice benchmarks in innovative cost management practice, this study directly supports the government's workforce participation agenda. Read moreRead less
Enhancing the National Benefit of Volunteers through Career Development in Community Organisations: A Case Study of Senior Volunteers. This project aims to determine the benefits of career development in enhancing volunteer performance and volunteer retention, with particular attention to the needs of senior volunteers. Research concerning career development is fundamentally important in the paid workforce; little investigation has occurred in the economically important and parallel area of volu ....Enhancing the National Benefit of Volunteers through Career Development in Community Organisations: A Case Study of Senior Volunteers. This project aims to determine the benefits of career development in enhancing volunteer performance and volunteer retention, with particular attention to the needs of senior volunteers. Research concerning career development is fundamentally important in the paid workforce; little investigation has occurred in the economically important and parallel area of volunteer development. The project will build on preliminary research by the Chief Investigators by developing and testing a research instrument underpinned by career development theory. The anticipated outcomes will be (a) an improved understanding of volunteer needs within an organisation through career matching and development, (b) a generic "tool kit" for organisations wishing to develop and maintain volunteers, particularly their more experienced and senior ones and (c) a benefit to the emotional and physical well-being of the community in general and volunteers in particular.Read moreRead less
Boards of directors and the governance of emergence risk. Australian firms systematically under-invest in innovation and other future-oriented activities. An underlying premise of this research is that, in part, this is because they do not systematically include emergence risk in their governance activities. If we find that this is the case, one impact of this research will be to contribute to a rethinking of the roles and practices of boards of directors. A consequence of this will be that A ....Boards of directors and the governance of emergence risk. Australian firms systematically under-invest in innovation and other future-oriented activities. An underlying premise of this research is that, in part, this is because they do not systematically include emergence risk in their governance activities. If we find that this is the case, one impact of this research will be to contribute to a rethinking of the roles and practices of boards of directors. A consequence of this will be that Australian corporations will become more competent in the management of innovation and other future-oriented activities. Read moreRead less
Managing the Volunteer Workforce: Flexible Structures and Strategies to Integrate Volunteers and Paid Workers. Volunteers now play a vital role in many service-oriented organisations. This project proposes an innovative framework to assist organisations to develop flexible and appropriate structures and strategies for the management of volunteer and paid workforces. The approach draws upon Atkinson's (1984) "Flexible Firm" concept. A flexibility model is applied to the relationship between volun ....Managing the Volunteer Workforce: Flexible Structures and Strategies to Integrate Volunteers and Paid Workers. Volunteers now play a vital role in many service-oriented organisations. This project proposes an innovative framework to assist organisations to develop flexible and appropriate structures and strategies for the management of volunteer and paid workforces. The approach draws upon Atkinson's (1984) "Flexible Firm" concept. A flexibility model is applied to the relationship between volunteers and the broader workforce. The project aims (a) to understand, conceptualise and evaluate the roles, functions and structure of volunteer groups within paid workforces; (b) to investigate how positive relationships, training, effective communication and flexibility can enhance the contribution of volunteers in the workforce and (c) to propose mechanisms which can improve the deployment of human capital within larger service-oriented organisations such as the National Museum of Australia and Museum of Victoria.Read moreRead less
Organising for control in innovation-driven firms: managing the efficiency-flexibility duality. Cultivating innovation in Australian companies is a key priority for international competitiveness and national economic prosperity. This project will determine the management and implementation requirements that foster both innovation and performance accountability and control, a critical dual force for sustainable, long-term growth.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170100381
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$379,000.00
Summary
A global analysis of the effectiveness of corporate board diversity quotas. The project aims to examine the global effectiveness of attempts to change the demographic profile of corporate boards through gender diversity quotas (GDQs). It will investigate how firms respond to mandates for GDQs worldwide; how directors are introduced as a result of GDQs inducted into different types of boards globally; and how corporate governance practices need to be adjusted to facilitate intended benefits of co ....A global analysis of the effectiveness of corporate board diversity quotas. The project aims to examine the global effectiveness of attempts to change the demographic profile of corporate boards through gender diversity quotas (GDQs). It will investigate how firms respond to mandates for GDQs worldwide; how directors are introduced as a result of GDQs inducted into different types of boards globally; and how corporate governance practices need to be adjusted to facilitate intended benefits of complying with GDQs in different global settings. The project is expected to provide an evidence base for policy-makers and corporations to make GDQs work effectively, sustainably, and strategically.Read moreRead less
Retiring women: Understanding older female work-life transitions. There are significant gaps in knowledge in relation to the later life experiences of work and retirement among older women, whose career opportunities and trajectories, experiences of balancing work and personal aspects of life, social relationships both at work and in the community, financial security, and lived experience of ageing, may differ from those of men. As a consequence of such gaps, public policymaking and that of empl ....Retiring women: Understanding older female work-life transitions. There are significant gaps in knowledge in relation to the later life experiences of work and retirement among older women, whose career opportunities and trajectories, experiences of balancing work and personal aspects of life, social relationships both at work and in the community, financial security, and lived experience of ageing, may differ from those of men. As a consequence of such gaps, public policymaking and that of employers is based on an incomplete understanding of older women's orientations and attitudes. The study will develop policy and practice recommendations for structuring and enriching women's later job and retirement opportunities.Read moreRead less
Organisational Behaviour in the Victoria Police Force. One of the major challenges facing managers in the Victoria Police is to create working environments that provide employees with the best possible chance of achieving organisational objectives. Subsequently, the aim of this project is to investigate a comprehensive model of organisational behaviour that employs the psychological contract approach and an augmented job strain model to predict employee attitudes and behaviour over time. The com ....Organisational Behaviour in the Victoria Police Force. One of the major challenges facing managers in the Victoria Police is to create working environments that provide employees with the best possible chance of achieving organisational objectives. Subsequently, the aim of this project is to investigate a comprehensive model of organisational behaviour that employs the psychological contract approach and an augmented job strain model to predict employee attitudes and behaviour over time. The combined project model goes beyond the typical studies in this field by incorporating cutting-edge issues such as organisational citizenship behaviours. The Victoria Police is highly committed to this project and believes that the successful execution of this project will contribute to its strategic goals.Read moreRead less