Modelling the structure of Australian wool auction prices. Australian wool auction ($3.5-4 billions per year) is an on-going process. The prices paid in this auction market are used by the Australian production and service sectors to identify the quality preferences the international retail markets and the intermediate processors. The proposed research will optimise the information that can be extracted and used by these sectors in the production and distribution of the raw wool clip. A two- ....Modelling the structure of Australian wool auction prices. Australian wool auction ($3.5-4 billions per year) is an on-going process. The prices paid in this auction market are used by the Australian production and service sectors to identify the quality preferences the international retail markets and the intermediate processors. The proposed research will optimise the information that can be extracted and used by these sectors in the production and distribution of the raw wool clip. A two-stages algorithm in tree-based regression will be developed. The project will provide a challenge environment to train a Ph.D. student in agriculture modelling and optimisation.Read moreRead less
An exploration of the development and effectiveness of word-of-mouth communication in financial services markets. Word-of-mouth plays a critical role in marketing. Organisations are continually seeking new ways to achieve competitive advantage and word-of-mouth represents such an opportunity. However, previous research is limited, for example using word-of-mouth intentions to test the outcome of a consumer model. The proposed study, however, addresses not only the factors that lead to word-of-m ....An exploration of the development and effectiveness of word-of-mouth communication in financial services markets. Word-of-mouth plays a critical role in marketing. Organisations are continually seeking new ways to achieve competitive advantage and word-of-mouth represents such an opportunity. However, previous research is limited, for example using word-of-mouth intentions to test the outcome of a consumer model. The proposed study, however, addresses not only the factors that lead to word-of-mouth but also the consequences of word-of-mouth We suggest perceived value is a core contributor to word-of-mouth and will examine the relationship between word-of-mouth development, value perceptions and purchase. The study has key practical implications for service providers, such as our financial service industry partner.Read moreRead less
Dynamic relations between values and consumer behaviour: age and life-stage. This project aims to understand the complex relations between people’s life goals and their consumption behaviour, exploring age, life-stage and cohort effects. The intended outcomes of the project include a state-of-the-art interactive values-based website, basic knowledge about Australian values, values change and value-related behaviour, and business insight into value-based marketing. This project aims to apply the ....Dynamic relations between values and consumer behaviour: age and life-stage. This project aims to understand the complex relations between people’s life goals and their consumption behaviour, exploring age, life-stage and cohort effects. The intended outcomes of the project include a state-of-the-art interactive values-based website, basic knowledge about Australian values, values change and value-related behaviour, and business insight into value-based marketing. This project aims to apply the knowledge gained from a large scale study into Australian values and value change across the adult life-span in order to understand how people’s values influence their consumer and other decisions; providing information that will enable Australian organisations to improve their marketing activities and the nature of their promotional appeals.Read moreRead less
A framework for prioritising investment in natural resource management. If public funds applied to natural resource management are to achieve the highest level benefit, then the potential projects have to be prioritized. This is difficult when the expected benefits are both incommensurate (e.g. protection of roads v. areas of biodiversity) and uncertain. This project will evaluate alternative decision support methods for making such choices, with a particular focus on salinity management in We ....A framework for prioritising investment in natural resource management. If public funds applied to natural resource management are to achieve the highest level benefit, then the potential projects have to be prioritized. This is difficult when the expected benefits are both incommensurate (e.g. protection of roads v. areas of biodiversity) and uncertain. This project will evaluate alternative decision support methods for making such choices, with a particular focus on salinity management in Western Australia, although it is anticipated that the lessons learned could be applied to other NRM policies. The outcome will be a contribution to aid participatory decision making.Read moreRead less
Implementation of a strategic framework for investment for Natural Resource Management: evaluation and development. If public funds applied to natural resource management are to achieve the highest level benefit, then the potential projects have to be prioritized. This is difficult when the expected benefits are both incommensurate (e.g. protection of roads v. areas of biodiversity) and uncertain. This project will evaluate alternative decision support methods for making such choices, with a par ....Implementation of a strategic framework for investment for Natural Resource Management: evaluation and development. If public funds applied to natural resource management are to achieve the highest level benefit, then the potential projects have to be prioritized. This is difficult when the expected benefits are both incommensurate (e.g. protection of roads v. areas of biodiversity) and uncertain. This project will evaluate alternative decision support methods for making such choices, with a particular focus on salinity management in Western Australia, although it is anticipated that the lessons learned could be applied to other NRM policies. The outcome will be a contribution to aid participatory decision making.Read moreRead less
The Future of Australian Mineral Exports. Australia is among the world's largest exporters of steelmaking raw materials, specifically iron ore, coking coal and manganese. This project will develop an integrated econometric model of the global steel industry to forecast future trends in global steel production and the associated demand for raw materials. The results of this research will not only assist Australian mineral exporters in achieving better outcomes in annual pricing negotiations by im ....The Future of Australian Mineral Exports. Australia is among the world's largest exporters of steelmaking raw materials, specifically iron ore, coking coal and manganese. This project will develop an integrated econometric model of the global steel industry to forecast future trends in global steel production and the associated demand for raw materials. The results of this research will not only assist Australian mineral exporters in achieving better outcomes in annual pricing negotiations by improving market knowledge, but also help focus their longer term marketing strategies. The extensive global mine database to be assembled as part of the network flow component of this model will also allow Australian mineral exporters to assess their competitive position relative to foreign producers.Read moreRead less
The impact of self-management training on staff satisfaction, absenteeism and an organisation's service culture. Self-management training has been widely suggested as a way to improve organisational performance. Using a classic training intervention approach, the present project will experimentally examine whether such training improves attendance and well-being at work and whether it creates a more positive approach to customers. Further, the study will examine whether changes are maintained ....The impact of self-management training on staff satisfaction, absenteeism and an organisation's service culture. Self-management training has been widely suggested as a way to improve organisational performance. Using a classic training intervention approach, the present project will experimentally examine whether such training improves attendance and well-being at work and whether it creates a more positive approach to customers. Further, the study will examine whether changes are maintained over time. The study will also test whether self-management training improves employees' perceptions of their organisation's service culture and increases their willingness to provide appropriate customer service. The practical implications of such training interventions for Human Resource Management practices in service organisations will also be evaluated.Read moreRead less
Understanding cross-cultural consumer behaviour and implications for effective segmentation, targeting and positioning of Western Australia as a tourism destination. This research extends a model of cross-cultural consumer behaviour suggested by the first CI (Lee, 2000) that provides richer specification of the antecedents of people's actions than previously suggested models. The model will be compared with these models, which have been successful in Western, but less successful in Eastern, cult ....Understanding cross-cultural consumer behaviour and implications for effective segmentation, targeting and positioning of Western Australia as a tourism destination. This research extends a model of cross-cultural consumer behaviour suggested by the first CI (Lee, 2000) that provides richer specification of the antecedents of people's actions than previously suggested models. The model will be compared with these models, which have been successful in Western, but less successful in Eastern, cultures. The model will be tested in the tourism domain to predict intentions and behaviour of potential visitors. Results will be used to improve the effectiveness of Western Australia's tourism marketing. In addition, a method to reduce social desirability bias will be tested, as will two scales measuring aspects of culture. Read moreRead less
Virtual Innovation Clusters: the Grid and Customer Relationship Management. Innovation Clusters are seen as geographically based and focussed on product development. Recent studies however indicate that technical innovation in geographic clusters is lower than geographically dispersed companies, and that their competitiveness arises from innovations in tailoring products and marketing. The emergence of the ?Grid? enhances the capabilities of ?Virtual? Clusters. Through installation of a Grid Por ....Virtual Innovation Clusters: the Grid and Customer Relationship Management. Innovation Clusters are seen as geographically based and focussed on product development. Recent studies however indicate that technical innovation in geographic clusters is lower than geographically dispersed companies, and that their competitiveness arises from innovations in tailoring products and marketing. The emergence of the ?Grid? enhances the capabilities of ?Virtual? Clusters. Through installation of a Grid Portal and Grid-enabling analysis tools, we export the capabilities of a geographical cluster around Europe's leading computational facility and contrast this with a Virtual Cluster in Australia, where we demonstrate an innovative application of High-Performance Computing to modelling consumer behaviour and managing customer relations.Read moreRead less
Bahavioural Determinants of the Adoption of Forward Market by Australian Wool Producers. It is estimated that 85% of Australian wool is sold in Auction, making it the dominant market system to sell wool. However, wool prices have fluctuated significantly in the auction system resulting in wool producers looking for alternative market systems. The Forward Market (selling wool in advance directly to the traders) is one such alternative market system which could offer guaranteed price to the wool p ....Bahavioural Determinants of the Adoption of Forward Market by Australian Wool Producers. It is estimated that 85% of Australian wool is sold in Auction, making it the dominant market system to sell wool. However, wool prices have fluctuated significantly in the auction system resulting in wool producers looking for alternative market systems. The Forward Market (selling wool in advance directly to the traders) is one such alternative market system which could offer guaranteed price to the wool producers. Despite its obvious advantages only 7% of wool producers sell wool through Forward Market system. This project investigates the behavioural determinants for the adoption of Forward Market system by the wool producers. We will develop a valid and reliable adoption model using Structural Equation Modelling approach through two rounds of data collection from the wool producers. The results will enhance wool industry's understanding of producers? response to the Forward Market system and thus help the policy makers to promote the alternative market system effectively. Read moreRead less