The institutional structure of e-government: a cross-policy, cross-country comparison. Governments have expended vast resources on building websites, yet how government is structured on the internet is unknown. This project will map Australia's online government for the first time and assess to how websites are supporting improved government service. The study will support government innovation in web design and service delivery.
E-Government: prospects for public administration, citizenship and social theory. This project examines how electronic technologies effect modes of governing and citizenship in liberal democracies. It focuses on electronic client records and electronic communications in social security, taxation and primary health care. It uniquely adopts and extends a theoretical framework (of 'governmentality') and applies an innovative research design to the study of e-government. Attention is given to how e- ....E-Government: prospects for public administration, citizenship and social theory. This project examines how electronic technologies effect modes of governing and citizenship in liberal democracies. It focuses on electronic client records and electronic communications in social security, taxation and primary health care. It uniquely adopts and extends a theoretical framework (of 'governmentality') and applies an innovative research design to the study of e-government. Attention is given to how e-government differently affects rural, urban, young, old, rich and poor persons. Outcomes include theoretical developments in studies of technology, government and citizenship, and the identification of practical ways to realise governmental objectives such as active citizenship, individualised service delivery, access and equity.Read moreRead less
Building communities: managing public assets to provide social value. Local government facilities have a social value for the community beyond the immediate provision of service or amenity. However, this aspect is not generally considered in the formal planning and management of public facilities, which concentrate on economic considerations and community service needs. This project explores the links between public assets, their social value and community well-being. The research will provide a ....Building communities: managing public assets to provide social value. Local government facilities have a social value for the community beyond the immediate provision of service or amenity. However, this aspect is not generally considered in the formal planning and management of public facilities, which concentrate on economic considerations and community service needs. This project explores the links between public assets, their social value and community well-being. The research will provide a rationale, model, and set of indicators to assess social value for facilities, assisting local government decision-making, including regional and rural communities, and contribute to the development of meaningful long-term infrastructure and community plans.Read moreRead less
Science, Litigation and the Public Accountability of Vertically Integrated Expertise. The impetus for this research derives from concerns with tort law reform; the loss of public trust in science and legal process when expertise is perceived to be biased; the opportunity cost of inappropriate regulation from misunderstood expertise in litigation; and issues of social justice when regulators and courts disregard plaintiffs' legitimate claims because of a refusal to consider various forms of exper ....Science, Litigation and the Public Accountability of Vertically Integrated Expertise. The impetus for this research derives from concerns with tort law reform; the loss of public trust in science and legal process when expertise is perceived to be biased; the opportunity cost of inappropriate regulation from misunderstood expertise in litigation; and issues of social justice when regulators and courts disregard plaintiffs' legitimate claims because of a refusal to consider various forms of expertise. By offering a conceptually fresh look at science/law relations, the project will enrich public understanding of the management of controversial scientific issues by the legal system, and assist in the clearer framing of law reform and science policy.Read moreRead less
Investigating mismatches between Australian international graduate destinations and skill shortages. This project examines the extent to which Australias current skills shortage can be addressed by changes to the training and recruitment of international graduates from Australian universities. Australia does not employ its international graduates to the extent that other countries do (eg USA) despite the fact that these graduates have necessary professional skills, are familiar with Australian c ....Investigating mismatches between Australian international graduate destinations and skill shortages. This project examines the extent to which Australias current skills shortage can be addressed by changes to the training and recruitment of international graduates from Australian universities. Australia does not employ its international graduates to the extent that other countries do (eg USA) despite the fact that these graduates have necessary professional skills, are familiar with Australian culture and have studied in English. This project will inform the evidence base on the successful recruitment and employment of skilled international graduates into the professions. This study identifies the inhibiting factors and proposes solutions for universities, government, employers and graduates.Read moreRead less
The Enterprise University as Networked University: Investigating the contribution of Australian higher education institutions to social capital. As well as creating benefits for individuals, higher education contributes broader social, economic and cultural benefits or 'public goods'. Though these are of major significance for community and government, they have eluded definition and plausible measurement. However recent research on social capital - the norms and networks (including ICT networks ....The Enterprise University as Networked University: Investigating the contribution of Australian higher education institutions to social capital. As well as creating benefits for individuals, higher education contributes broader social, economic and cultural benefits or 'public goods'. Though these are of major significance for community and government, they have eluded definition and plausible measurement. However recent research on social capital - the norms and networks (including ICT networks) that facilitate cooperation - provides a promising new line of inquiry. Building on three previous ARC studies of Australian universities, the project investigates (1) local and global networks sustained by eight case study institutions, and (2) through survey, the contribution of those institutions to the values and networking of graduates.Read moreRead less
Changing work, changing workers, changing selves: a study of pedagogies in the new vocationalism. Changes in the form of work have led to an emphasis on the development of new kinds of working identities. This project aims to map, analyze and theorize the way in which pedagogical strategies in vocational education produce new worker identities. It examines contextual differences across different sectors and industries as well as forms of inclusion and exclusion. For policy-makers it provides ....Changing work, changing workers, changing selves: a study of pedagogies in the new vocationalism. Changes in the form of work have led to an emphasis on the development of new kinds of working identities. This project aims to map, analyze and theorize the way in which pedagogical strategies in vocational education produce new worker identities. It examines contextual differences across different sectors and industries as well as forms of inclusion and exclusion. For policy-makers it provides a new mapping and evaluation of different types of institutional programs; for practitioners it brings new insights about effective practices; for theorists it offers a new, empirically-grounded theorisation of workplace knowledge.Read moreRead less
Schooling the nation in an age of globalization: National curriculum, accountabilities and their effects. The research will contribute to the development of Australia's human capital through the enhancement of knowledge concerning the policy settings necessary at national and state systemic levels for achieving higher quality and more equitable student outcomes. The research will advance understandings of how education federalism can best be utilized to achieve such outcomes. Analyses of NAPLAN ....Schooling the nation in an age of globalization: National curriculum, accountabilities and their effects. The research will contribute to the development of Australia's human capital through the enhancement of knowledge concerning the policy settings necessary at national and state systemic levels for achieving higher quality and more equitable student outcomes. The research will advance understandings of how education federalism can best be utilized to achieve such outcomes. Analyses of NAPLAN and PISA data will also provide policy and practice relevant knowledge for systems and for schools. The project will strengthen Australia's research capacity in education policy studies and its reputation in the academic field, and contribute to improved research-based policy making in education.
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Courts, the Judiciary and Social Change. While few Australians have direct experience of courts, nearly all agree that courts are important to the community, though public confidence is low. Social changes and the ambiguous position of courts in relation to change are part of this tension. This project will undertake a concrete examination of one aspect of social change and the courts: the increasing number of women in the judiciary. The focus on how gender interacts with judicial work and th ....Courts, the Judiciary and Social Change. While few Australians have direct experience of courts, nearly all agree that courts are important to the community, though public confidence is low. Social changes and the ambiguous position of courts in relation to change are part of this tension. This project will undertake a concrete examination of one aspect of social change and the courts: the increasing number of women in the judiciary. The focus on how gender interacts with judicial work and the wider roles of courts will produce new and valuable understandings of gender and judging, gender and work, and courts and social change. Better knowledge about these complex relationships will strengthen Australian society and its legal integrity.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354508
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$10,000.00
Summary
A collaboration to study organisational and social factors of work practice change to reduce risk of harm in healthcare. Preventing harm is a national priority in healthcare and research. Recent studies that quantified the extent of healthcare error has focussed policy attention on technical solutions to manage risk. This focus has not brought hoped-for sustainable improvement because the often-invisible environmental barriers to change have not been identified and addressed. A cross-disciplin ....A collaboration to study organisational and social factors of work practice change to reduce risk of harm in healthcare. Preventing harm is a national priority in healthcare and research. Recent studies that quantified the extent of healthcare error has focussed policy attention on technical solutions to manage risk. This focus has not brought hoped-for sustainable improvement because the often-invisible environmental barriers to change have not been identified and addressed. A cross-disciplinary collaboration of academics, consumers and industry partners will link to investigate the organisational, social and psychological factors that facilitate or impede change and the conditions under which sustainable improvement can be achieved. The collaboration is unique. Economic, industrial, societal and professional outcomes with international implications are expected.Read moreRead less