Examining the role of service innovation and service branding capabilities in services firms value creation and appropriation: a multi-level study. This project examines how service firms' innovation and branding capabilities help them create superior value for customers, as well as obtain higher profit ensuring their sustainability. Our findings will help improve the efficiency of Australian service firms and provide higher profiles to its academic contributions to services research globally.
Change Detection in Causal Relationships and Measurement of Systemic Risk. Empirical measures of interconnectedness between financial institutions based on tests of Granger causality are currently used in detecting systemic risk. However, researchers need to define periods of calm and stress exogenously in order to implement these tests appropriately. This project aims to develop a new procedure to identify changes in causal relationships and the timing of these changes. The new approach has the ....Change Detection in Causal Relationships and Measurement of Systemic Risk. Empirical measures of interconnectedness between financial institutions based on tests of Granger causality are currently used in detecting systemic risk. However, researchers need to define periods of calm and stress exogenously in order to implement these tests appropriately. This project aims to develop a new procedure to identify changes in causal relationships and the timing of these changes. The new approach has the potential to be a significant improvement in the real-time identification of emerging turmoil in financial markets and provide an improved method for the detection of systemic risk. The new test procedure will be implemented using data for financial and non-financial institutions across Europe, the US and Australia.Read moreRead less
The pharmacokinetics of plant secondary metabolites and their effects on feeding in the brushtail possum. Plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) are considered to protect against herbivory, although the mechanisms are not well understood. This project will determine how marsupial folivores avoid toxicity when browsing on Eucalyptus leaf. Blood levels of terpenes, phenols and their metabolites will be measured in the brushtail possum while it feeds on a diet of varying PSM content. We expect to be ab ....The pharmacokinetics of plant secondary metabolites and their effects on feeding in the brushtail possum. Plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) are considered to protect against herbivory, although the mechanisms are not well understood. This project will determine how marsupial folivores avoid toxicity when browsing on Eucalyptus leaf. Blood levels of terpenes, phenols and their metabolites will be measured in the brushtail possum while it feeds on a diet of varying PSM content. We expect to be able to show relationships between the ingestion and blood levels of PSMs and feeding behaviour. This will give a greater understanding of the effect of plant toxins on browsing behaviour, enabling improved foraging models and more effective habitat management.Read moreRead less
Regions undergoing transition: the roles of unions and their peak bodies. The project aims to investigate how unions and their peak bodies can act in beneficial ways to promote regional socio-economic development. This project expects to generate knowledge of the processes of regional renewal, including the ways unions and their peak bodies may be involved. Expected outcomes include theory development and explanations of these processes of regional engagement to enhance regional transition. It w ....Regions undergoing transition: the roles of unions and their peak bodies. The project aims to investigate how unions and their peak bodies can act in beneficial ways to promote regional socio-economic development. This project expects to generate knowledge of the processes of regional renewal, including the ways unions and their peak bodies may be involved. Expected outcomes include theory development and explanations of these processes of regional engagement to enhance regional transition. It will also provide a comprehensive refinement of research methodologies for labour and regional studies. This should provide significant benefits enabling the development of engaged and inclusive transition policies at a regional level. It will benefit workers, their households and communities. Read moreRead less
Novel governance for marine ecosystems in rapid transition. This project will develop the governance knowledge required to manage rapidly changing marine ecosystems. Australia has the third largest marine estate globally, and its ecosystems support critical economic and sociocultural values. However, human pressures are tipping marine ecosystems into alternate states, inspiring new interventions to sustain industries and communities. New interventions necessitate transitions in governance. Expec ....Novel governance for marine ecosystems in rapid transition. This project will develop the governance knowledge required to manage rapidly changing marine ecosystems. Australia has the third largest marine estate globally, and its ecosystems support critical economic and sociocultural values. However, human pressures are tipping marine ecosystems into alternate states, inspiring new interventions to sustain industries and communities. New interventions necessitate transitions in governance. Expected outcomes include a comparative understanding of novel marine interventions now underway globally, and practical guidance on how to diagnose and implement responsible marine governance. Significant benefits include enhanced governance and sustainability of Australian and international marine ecosystems.Read moreRead less
Sustainable fiscal federalism and reform of the GST distribution system. The primary source of funds for Australian States and Territories is GST revenue distributed by the Commonwealth using an equalisation formula that has proved to be politically unsustainable and in recent times manifestly inadequate to provide the revenue needed in response to crises and natural disasters. A tipping point has been reached and reform is urgently needed. Drawing on international experience with GST distributi ....Sustainable fiscal federalism and reform of the GST distribution system. The primary source of funds for Australian States and Territories is GST revenue distributed by the Commonwealth using an equalisation formula that has proved to be politically unsustainable and in recent times manifestly inadequate to provide the revenue needed in response to crises and natural disasters. A tipping point has been reached and reform is urgently needed. Drawing on international experience with GST distributions specifically and fiscal federalism more generally, the project aims to develop a reform blueprint for a sustainable and equitable fiscal federalism regime in Australia that best aligns with Australia’s current and long-term fiscal needs.Read moreRead less
Leader of the pack: social structure and predator management. This project aims to quantify the importance of the individual in behaviour and social structures when managing social predator populations to protect economic and environmental assets. Using dingoes as a model system this project will characterise social structure and behaviour under varying management scenarios. This information will be embedded within models of ecological networks to examine the effects of disrupting dingo packs on ....Leader of the pack: social structure and predator management. This project aims to quantify the importance of the individual in behaviour and social structures when managing social predator populations to protect economic and environmental assets. Using dingoes as a model system this project will characterise social structure and behaviour under varying management scenarios. This information will be embedded within models of ecological networks to examine the effects of disrupting dingo packs on biological communities. The project expects to improve understanding of how behaviour and social interactions influence ecological outcomes, improving conservation and management.Read moreRead less
Keystone effects of Australia's top predators: dingoes, devils and biodiversity. This project will study the interactions of Australia's two largest predators, the dingo and Tasmanian devil, with other species. The project will help develop an understanding of the value of these predators in maintaining ecosystem processes and diversity, and guide their management in the future.
Landscape-scale population dynamics of open forests in the Australian monsoon tropics. Over the last century there has been a trend of increasing tree cover in many landscapes. Yet the causes of this globally important ecological phenomenon are poorly understood, but may include the effects of climate, fire, grazing and CO2. We will determine how an area of forest has changed over 50 years in Kakadu National Park, linking forest demography with remote sensing techniques, re-measurement and analy ....Landscape-scale population dynamics of open forests in the Australian monsoon tropics. Over the last century there has been a trend of increasing tree cover in many landscapes. Yet the causes of this globally important ecological phenomenon are poorly understood, but may include the effects of climate, fire, grazing and CO2. We will determine how an area of forest has changed over 50 years in Kakadu National Park, linking forest demography with remote sensing techniques, re-measurement and analysis of long-term tree demography datasets, and simulation models of tree population dynamics on a landscape scale. This will provide a scientific framework to develop sustainable land management and the conservation of Australia's forest biodiversity.Read moreRead less
Understanding the impact of global environmental change on Australian forests and woodlands using rainforest boundaries and Callitris growth as bio-indicators. Human-caused climate change is a fact but the ecological responses are uncertain. These could include accelerated tree growth, expansion of rainforest, and thickening of woodlands, although cessation of Aboriginal firing may be equally important. We will provide a historical context to understand how and why Australian forests have change ....Understanding the impact of global environmental change on Australian forests and woodlands using rainforest boundaries and Callitris growth as bio-indicators. Human-caused climate change is a fact but the ecological responses are uncertain. These could include accelerated tree growth, expansion of rainforest, and thickening of woodlands, although cessation of Aboriginal firing may be equally important. We will provide a historical context to understand how and why Australian forests have changed. Our results will inform management and policy debates about (i) rainforest conservation (ii) the role of fire in forest management (iii) the likely impact of increased CO2 ('fertiliser effect') of forest productivity (iv) national carbon accounting and (v) the consequences of climate change on forest ecosystems, particularly the respective wetting and drying trends in the north and south of Australia.Read moreRead less