The Role of Employment Relations in the Competitive Strategies of Low Cost Airlines in Australia. Employment-relations issues are key determinants of an airline's performance. Air transport is important for Australia. Australia has experienced failing airlines (e.g. Ansett, Compass); its most successful airline, Qantas, charges high fares and one of its priorities is improving its employment relations. This project will investigate airlines' critical success factors with special attention to the ....The Role of Employment Relations in the Competitive Strategies of Low Cost Airlines in Australia. Employment-relations issues are key determinants of an airline's performance. Air transport is important for Australia. Australia has experienced failing airlines (e.g. Ansett, Compass); its most successful airline, Qantas, charges high fares and one of its priorities is improving its employment relations. This project will investigate airlines' critical success factors with special attention to the links between corporate strategies and employment relations. Besides investigating Qantas, it will link with MIT's Global Airline Industry Program to consider the transformation of Australia's aviation industry and, in particular, the innovations pioneered by low-cost airlines: JetStar and Virgin Blue.Read moreRead less
The Rise and Retention of the 'Authoritarian Taylorism' Perspective as Orthodoxy in the Employment Relations Field. In the late 1980s revisionist historians of the employment relationship began questioning the belief that Taylorism is an authoritarian, anti-union school of management. These scholars argued that the managers and theorists who predominated within the U.S. interwar Taylorist movement were unique in the management community in the extent to which they promoted industrial democracy, ....The Rise and Retention of the 'Authoritarian Taylorism' Perspective as Orthodoxy in the Employment Relations Field. In the late 1980s revisionist historians of the employment relationship began questioning the belief that Taylorism is an authoritarian, anti-union school of management. These scholars argued that the managers and theorists who predominated within the U.S. interwar Taylorist movement were unique in the management community in the extent to which they promoted industrial democracy, mutual gains, and gender equality. In the light of this knowledge, this project explores how it could be that the authoritarian Taylorist perspective became accepted by all schools within the employment relations field and what the notion of progressive Taylorism offers employment relations analysis and reform.Read moreRead less
Enterprise Labour Flexibility, Worker Security and Wellbeing: China and India Compared. Arguably China and India are currently the two nations most likely to reshape employment practices and the nature of work globally in the coming years. Sections of the Australian community who will benefit from the research include politicians, employees and employers as all three require a detailed knowledge of the labour policies and practices of these two major trading partners as they continue to confront ....Enterprise Labour Flexibility, Worker Security and Wellbeing: China and India Compared. Arguably China and India are currently the two nations most likely to reshape employment practices and the nature of work globally in the coming years. Sections of the Australian community who will benefit from the research include politicians, employees and employers as all three require a detailed knowledge of the labour policies and practices of these two major trading partners as they continue to confront the unending problem of labour market management and workplace reform. The research will also be of value to investors considering investing in either country and who need to make decisions regarding where to invest and how investments might be optimised. Read moreRead less
Business Social Protection Behaviour in China. Employer social protection behaviour is an under-researched field
because analysts are seldom able to attain adequate enterprise data.
Our industry partner will enable us to overcome the data problem by
providing relevant information on the revealed behaviour of 5000 firms
per year for three years. This project pioneers the utilisation of firm
specific data to analyse this issue using data from Shanghai. The
research will assist China to op ....Business Social Protection Behaviour in China. Employer social protection behaviour is an under-researched field
because analysts are seldom able to attain adequate enterprise data.
Our industry partner will enable us to overcome the data problem by
providing relevant information on the revealed behaviour of 5000 firms
per year for three years. This project pioneers the utilisation of firm
specific data to analyse this issue using data from Shanghai. The
research will assist China to operationalise its decision to model its
emergent social security system on the Australian security regime and
will assist Australia's financial community to capture the opportunities made available by this development.Read moreRead less
Constructing a Chinese International Human Resource Management System in Regional Australia: The Case of CHALCO (The Aluminum Company of China). Australians will benefit from the project for it will: 1) increase the nation's resource base; 2) improve the balance of payments; 3) increase regional development, income and employment; 4) motivate other Chinese firms to invest in Australia; 5) contain social disputation and ensure the interests of multiple stakeholders will benefit from CHALCO's inve ....Constructing a Chinese International Human Resource Management System in Regional Australia: The Case of CHALCO (The Aluminum Company of China). Australians will benefit from the project for it will: 1) increase the nation's resource base; 2) improve the balance of payments; 3) increase regional development, income and employment; 4) motivate other Chinese firms to invest in Australia; 5) contain social disputation and ensure the interests of multiple stakeholders will benefit from CHALCO's investment; 6) help generate a good industrial relations climate in the region where the refinery is to be sited; and 9) induce the construction of improved regional social infrastructure. It will also enable Australia scholars to become world leaders in the study of Chinese MNC's policies and practices.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
Work and Social Cohesion under Globalisation. The project will explore how innovation and improvement in productivity can be accommodated with notions of fairness at workplace and industry level. The impact of increasingly competitive markets on the nature of work and society and the relationships between employers and employees in five industries: finance, tourism, health, ICT and automotive components, will be examined. The views of a wide cross-section of employees and managers in five key i ....Work and Social Cohesion under Globalisation. The project will explore how innovation and improvement in productivity can be accommodated with notions of fairness at workplace and industry level. The impact of increasingly competitive markets on the nature of work and society and the relationships between employers and employees in five industries: finance, tourism, health, ICT and automotive components, will be examined. The views of a wide cross-section of employees and managers in five key industries, complemented by existing survey data, will be analysed. A major outcome will be five industry workshops promoting productivity, partnership and social cohesion in a competitive global environment. Policy implications for the wider economy will be developed in the final report.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
Gender and Employment Equity: Strategies for Advancement in Australian Universities. Gender inequity in pay and employment remain a feature of Australian society and can impair labour productivity. Lower female labour force participation rates continue to be a major issue, resulting in less than optimum use of women's skills. This project undertakes detailed analysis of these issues in Australian Universities, the major training site for the national skilled workforce. It will develop practical ....Gender and Employment Equity: Strategies for Advancement in Australian Universities. Gender inequity in pay and employment remain a feature of Australian society and can impair labour productivity. Lower female labour force participation rates continue to be a major issue, resulting in less than optimum use of women's skills. This project undertakes detailed analysis of these issues in Australian Universities, the major training site for the national skilled workforce. It will develop practical strategies to promote gender equity in universities. As women's participation is a major driver of labour force growth, this research will provide vital information for many industries.Read moreRead less
Efficiency, justice and voice: a study of effective ways to prevent and settle workplace disputes. Formal and informal dispute procedures are used to settle workplace conflict which, if not managed well, imposes major costs on society. This project aims to improve the design and implementation of dispute procedures. The research uses an innovative analytical approach based on the concepts of efficiency, workplace justice and employee voice.