Work/Life Balance, Well-Being and Health: Theory, Practice and Policy. This project links to the national research priority of promoting and maintaining good health in two ways. It establishes a new annual national measure of work/life balance, a critical element of good health and well-being, assisting understanding about work/life conflict and informing workplace and government policy responses to it, strengthening Australia's social and economic fabric. Deep study of work/life issues in the h ....Work/Life Balance, Well-Being and Health: Theory, Practice and Policy. This project links to the national research priority of promoting and maintaining good health in two ways. It establishes a new annual national measure of work/life balance, a critical element of good health and well-being, assisting understanding about work/life conflict and informing workplace and government policy responses to it, strengthening Australia's social and economic fabric. Deep study of work/life issues in the health sector will also inform recruitment, retention and well-being in the health workforce, with flow-on to the health system more broadly. The project includes analysis of 'pre-retirement' work/life issues, also linking to the 'ageing well, ageing productively' priority. Read moreRead less
The Work, Housing, Services and Community Project. Australian cities are bursting at their seams. Major new housing developments are being undertaken to meet housing demand. These new developments sit alongside existing developments and raise issues about socio-spatial integration. New developments attempt to meet changing work, housing, services and community needs. This project examines how they are succeeding, how workers and residents see the relationship between work, home, services, and th ....The Work, Housing, Services and Community Project. Australian cities are bursting at their seams. Major new housing developments are being undertaken to meet housing demand. These new developments sit alongside existing developments and raise issues about socio-spatial integration. New developments attempt to meet changing work, housing, services and community needs. This project examines how they are succeeding, how workers and residents see the relationship between work, home, services, and the community they want to live amidst, and what kinds of spatial alignments they seek. The project will assist urban planners, workplaces, service providers and the developer community, potentially improving the well being of men, women and children.Read moreRead less
Making policy reform work: a comparative analysis of social procurement . This project aims to clarify the institutional and cross-sectoral conditions needed for successful implementation of emerging social procurement policy reforms; these seek through public spending to increase employment and business opportunities for people experiencing social exclusion. Via a mixed-methods comparative study in the leading jurisdictions of Victoria and Scotland, the project will extend scholarly knowledge o ....Making policy reform work: a comparative analysis of social procurement . This project aims to clarify the institutional and cross-sectoral conditions needed for successful implementation of emerging social procurement policy reforms; these seek through public spending to increase employment and business opportunities for people experiencing social exclusion. Via a mixed-methods comparative study in the leading jurisdictions of Victoria and Scotland, the project will extend scholarly knowledge of implementing policy reforms that rely on government and non-government actors working together in new ways, and practical understanding of what is needed to realise social procurement policy goals. This will contribute to effective public expenditure and ultimately help redress the societal consequences of exclusion.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
Theoretical and policy implications of changing work/life patterns and preferences of Australian women, men and children, households and communities. This project establishes a Research Fellowship for Ass. Prof. Barbara Pocock, that will principally analyse and investigate, over five years, the relationship of changing patterns of work (broadly defined) in Australia, and the changing nature of Australian households, communities and workplaces. The study explores the effects of work upon househol ....Theoretical and policy implications of changing work/life patterns and preferences of Australian women, men and children, households and communities. This project establishes a Research Fellowship for Ass. Prof. Barbara Pocock, that will principally analyse and investigate, over five years, the relationship of changing patterns of work (broadly defined) in Australia, and the changing nature of Australian households, communities and workplaces. The study explores the effects of work upon households, along with individual preferences and household, community and workplace structures (and their interaction), drawing out implications for social theory and policy. It will analyse policy, quantitative data, and collect and analyse new qualitative data at Australian sites, within an international context.Read moreRead less
Addressing the hour-glass ceiling: new case for action on gender equality. This project aims to provide new evidence on the twin wealth and health costs and benefits of greater gender equality in work hours, and new data resources for policy modelling and testing. It also aims to provide insights into progress on gender parity which appears to have stalled despite concerted policy action. Expected benefits of this evidence include improving the health and economic security of women, and the iden ....Addressing the hour-glass ceiling: new case for action on gender equality. This project aims to provide new evidence on the twin wealth and health costs and benefits of greater gender equality in work hours, and new data resources for policy modelling and testing. It also aims to provide insights into progress on gender parity which appears to have stalled despite concerted policy action. Expected benefits of this evidence include improving the health and economic security of women, and the identification of options for new policy actions to solve the problem of gender inequality in employment and earnings.Read moreRead less
Improving local government solid waste management practices through deliberative citizen decision-making and behaviour change communication strategies. This project aims to provide a democratic procedure (deliberative processes) to enhance local government's ability to deal with contentious economic, social, and environmental issues. Instead of top-down communication methods (education and edict), two processes are evaluated: commitment and feedback to people as local leaders, and the deliberati ....Improving local government solid waste management practices through deliberative citizen decision-making and behaviour change communication strategies. This project aims to provide a democratic procedure (deliberative processes) to enhance local government's ability to deal with contentious economic, social, and environmental issues. Instead of top-down communication methods (education and edict), two processes are evaluated: commitment and feedback to people as local leaders, and the deliberation of a citizen jury with access to expert knowledge. These processes will be simultaneously tested in
a mature (Ipswich) and emerging (Springfield) community with different demographic profiles. The expected outcome is greatly enhanced recycling output based on the enhanced citizenship of those involved, and the responsiveness of the service provider to 'bottom-up' deliberation and communication.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR200200443
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$241,000.00
Summary
Inequality in Australia: Housing in the Asset Society. The project addresses the role of housing in growing inequalities of wealth in Australia in an era when housing prices have risen faster than wages. It will generate new knowledge about 1) the institutional drivers that have led to a combination of house price appreciation and wage stagnation and 2) the role that intergenerational housing-based wealth transfers are playing in shaping the life chances and trajectories of young people. An expe ....Inequality in Australia: Housing in the Asset Society. The project addresses the role of housing in growing inequalities of wealth in Australia in an era when housing prices have risen faster than wages. It will generate new knowledge about 1) the institutional drivers that have led to a combination of house price appreciation and wage stagnation and 2) the role that intergenerational housing-based wealth transfers are playing in shaping the life chances and trajectories of young people. An expected outcome will be a model of social stratification that takes full account of household asset positions. The findings of the project will provide benefits to organisations seeking practical policy options for addressing growing wealth inequality and for enhancing social cohesion in Australia.Read moreRead less
Addressing time scarcity: feasible strategies for a healthy future. Lack of time is the main reason people say they don't exercise, take public transport or eat healthy food, and for many Australians (especially parents who combine working with raising children) time pressure is acute. This program of research will provide ways to reduce time barriers, to make healthy and sustainable living more feasible.
Neoliberalism, Inequality and Politics: Public Policy and the Transformation of Australian Society. In 20 years since 1983 there has been a fundamental transformation of Australian public policy based on economic deregulation, an increasing emphasis on market processes and the privatisation and corporatisation of government businesses and services. This project examines the impact of these changes on social mobility and inequality, gender relations and politics and culture. The project uses high ....Neoliberalism, Inequality and Politics: Public Policy and the Transformation of Australian Society. In 20 years since 1983 there has been a fundamental transformation of Australian public policy based on economic deregulation, an increasing emphasis on market processes and the privatisation and corporatisation of government businesses and services. This project examines the impact of these changes on social mobility and inequality, gender relations and politics and culture. The project uses high-quality national sample surveys and leading-edge statistical methods to adjudicate on whether neoliberalism produces positive or negative social outcomes in these three areas of social life.Read moreRead less