Academic literature on the topic 'Other commerce, management, tourism and services not elsewhere classified'

There has been increasing interest in open innovation in academic research as well as industry application since the concept was introduced in 2003. The concept got much attention because of its economic benefits and novel means for facilitating innovation. This thesis aims to adapt the concept of open innovation to the university environment, in order to foster innovation in the development process for intellectual property (IP) derived from academic research activities. It contributes to the literature on open innovation adapted to the university context, i.e. open collaboration on the development of intellectual property towards a commercial ready stage. In order to investigate the potential of open innovation in the university environment, a focus group was conducted. In addition, the business process of Quirky Inc. was analysed as an example to better understand how open innovation works in the business context. The results of the study’s data analyses inform new opportunities for interventions in universities towards fostering different approaches to IP development as research outcomes. Further, it reveals interventions that can promote open innovation approaches in the university’s context more generally.

Investors and academics around the world are intrigued by new possibilities to reduce risk and increase the returns of portfolios. The portfolio theory suggests that diversifying to include assets from different industries and various markets will reduce a substantial part of the total risk of the portfolio and hence bring gains to the investor. Ever since the portfolio theory was developed in 1952 by Markowitz, there have been various improvements of it, and the central argument that the inclusion of diverse assets in a portfolio is beneficial to the investor has stayed afloat. However, whether or not the assets are diverse enough to bring about significant gains has become the primary area of examination. In the early years of diversification studies, international diversification across developed markets was found to be profitable. As the advanced capital markets increasingly became integrated with each other, these gains diminished. Investors, in their search for better avenues for diversification, identified emerging markets as a new asset during the 1990s, and they achieved unprecedented benefits from diversifying into them. Globalisation and the financial integration of markets since then have resulted in a decline in benefits from emerging market diversification in the recent years. This investment scenario has set the premise for venturing into the less researched area of frontier market diversification. The primary objective of this thesis is to examine whether there are significant benefits for a developed market investor from frontier market diversification. Frontier markets are the smaller and less developed markets among the developing economies that are not large enough to be included in the emerging v markets category. There are around 60 frontier markets around the world and these have been recently opened to international investors and are theoretically highly segmented from the developed capital markets. This study analyses whether the potential benefits from frontier market diversification differ for a small developed market (Australia) compared to that of a large developed market (the U.S.A). The importance of looking into the Australian perspective of frontier market diversification stems from the facts that the Australian market is distinct enough to hedge major effects during a crisis such as the GFC; and also because of the investment environment in Australia that is witnessing a tremendous growth in managed funds. There is no previous research that has compared the diversification benefits from frontier markets for Australian and US investors. This thesis will bridge these significant gaps in the existing literature. The findings of this study provide a significant contribution to the literature. The study finds that frontier market diversification is beneficial to both groups of developed market investors that are analysed. But the benefits for the US investor are much larger than that for the Australian counterpart. One of the major contributions of this thesis is the out-of-sample analysis; the results from the holding out period test also emphasise on the vast disparity in diversification benefits accruing to the two investors in consideration. The findings of this study are robust; a statistically advanced and computationally efficient model, AG-DCC GARCH, has been employed to estimate the time varying correlations between the markets. The ex-post analysis enhances the significance of the results vi presented. The results from this thesis will provide the investors the confidence to consider frontier markets as potential additions to their portfolio, and will also generate further research interest in the area.

Organisations are increasingly looking beyond their organisational boundaries to evaluate how resources can be utilised to survive and grow the business. Different inter-organisational relationships have emerged as important resources in supply chains. The decision about what type of inter-firm relationship is appropriate for a specific circumstance appears complex and demands a particular degree of managerial attention. Supply chain researchers agree that in many instances, not all inter-firm relationships need to be either cooperative or collaborative and that there is no unique relationship suitable for all circumstances. While marketing channel theories and supply chain theories can provide some explanation for a wide range of inter-organisational relationships, the existing literature lacks a comprehensive explanation of the interplay between the attributes of relationships, the desired outcomes and differing inter-firm relationships. Consequently, this research seeks to fill the gap in the literature by first explaining the power that relational factors such as trust, power, interdependency, longevity and sharing, have in predicting the types of inter-firm relationships a firm participates in and, second, by understanding and discussing the linkages between achieved benefits, such as reduced costs, improved quality, flexibility, speed and reliability of an organisation involved in an array of relationships. In order to address the gap a theoretical framework was tested through a three stages methodology, which involved convergent interview, self-administered questionnaire and a case study. Qualitative data was analysed by using content analysis techniques in which patterns were identified from the data while quantitative data was analysed using confirmatory factor analysis and multiple regression analysis. The road freight transport industry was chosen as the research setting to examine inter-organisational relationships because of its complexity and competitiveness in the Australian setting. This thesis concludes that trucking firms are only marginally shifting from loose to closer relationships, so they tend primarily to be adversarial players and as such expect to achieve four primary outcomes. These are improvements in operational cost, flexibility, quality and reliability.-- Abstract

Despite the intense scholarly focus on leadership development in corporate settings, the importance of developing good leaders in police organisations has received scant attention. The dearth of scholarship on police leadership means that the distinctive demands of policing are often overlooked in addressing the question of unique leadership requirements. This gap also suggests that we do not yet understand how the characteristics of policing drive a need for tailored approaches to developing police leaders. This research addressed this gap in the literature by initially exploring how senior officers learn the art of leadership within an Australian policing context through interviews with jurisdictional experts (Study 1). The focus of this research then centred on commissioned officers within the Queensland Police Service (QPS) through a survey questionnaire (Study 2) and stakeholder interviews (Study 3). Drawing upon the literature and theoretical frameworks of leader development models, this investigation explored what development methods best advanced officers’ leadership together with other factors that facilitated or constrained their development. The research then centred on the extent to which recognised factors—such as the unique challenges of policing, the existence of feedback and the extent of support—lead to the enhancement of senior police leaders. Study 1 explored policy frameworks across eight (8) Australian police agencies that revealed each jurisdiction applied a unique approach to leader development, reflecting the parochial and independent way each agency administered its policing functions. In study 2 the survey questionnaire yielded a 61 percent response rate comprising officers who were predominately male, highly educated and mature (in age and service). Inherent cultural and organisational characteristics encouraged officers to adopt a “cradle to the grave” approach to their policing careers. In the final study, interviews with twenty (20) QPS commissioned officers revealed participants comprised a small cohort of survivors who had successfully navigated the politically charged police environment. This study highlighted officers’ journeys in acquiring their leadership was underscored by being contextually grounded within the difficult and challenging organisational milieu of policing. In addressing the research questions, the three studies, when analysed, broadly supported the 70:20:10 learning model which theorises leadership is primarily acquired by job experiences (70%) and to a lesser extent through relationships (20%) and via formal or structured learning (10%). This model did not present as a measured outcome which arose from allocating resources or priorities according to a clearly defined 70:20:10 outcome ‘rule’. Instead, the (approximate) 70:20:10 distribution of leadership learning was almost certainly the outcome of an interaction between the structure of the police leadership environment and the reality of the field. This research found on the job work was their primary “classroom” for learning leadership, with the majority of learning acquired through informal means (i.e. job experiences and relationships). However, the three components of the 70:20:10 process needed to be better articulated, planned and seamlessly integrated. In particular, more tangible and coherent links need to be developed between formal learning and informal learning and greater acknowledgement that informal learning requires the same levels of support and feedback to that supplied for formal learning. The research found superiors played a pivotal role in the leadership development process; either as facilitating or hindering an officers’ leadership. The findings revealed that many superiors were found wanting as role models with officers’ learning more about what leadership behaviours to avoid replicating; by observing the key characteristics of superiors who were bad role models (i.e. reverse role-modelling). Diverse cultural factors were found to hinder officers from advancing their leadership including the rank orientated and risk adverse culture and the powerful tradition of favouring management over leadership. Various macro-organisational characteristics also stymied officers’ development including the failure to integrate leadership development into the organisations’ infrastructure, evidenced by policies and frameworks that lacked strategic maturity and intent. The findings also broadly support the two-part leadership development model promoted by McCauley et al. (2010a). Within the fertile contextual milieu of policing, officers’ key characteristics were highlighted in the first component of the model. Commissioned officers were a highly homogenous group that were winners who had flourished within the unique developmental system and distinctive police culture. Their characteristics were critical in scaling the rungs of the highly competitive and occasionally brutal leadership ladder, including possessing warrior like skills that reflected the deeply entrenched macho police culture. The research also lent support to the second part of the model comprising vital elements of challenge, support (coupled with feedback), together with the pivotal elements of (i) leadership context with (ii) varied developmental experiences, moulded by challenge, feedback and support. The research highlighted that the quality and extent of support and feedback provided by superiors, coupled with their key characteristics proved instrumental in officers’ developing as leaders. Arguably more strategic roles played by senior leaders are part science and part art, however, the findings suggest there is relatively little “science”, (formal learning) and a great deal of art (on-the-job training). Officers were thrown into significant, ill-controlled and unpredictable challenges, often with a considerable lack of training and resources, and it was the on-the-job challenges that ultimately defined them as leaders. Another key issue that emerged was that officers were not being “developed” by the police service but had rather survived the difficulties thrown up by their work. This meant the nature of police “leadership development” resulted in survivors becoming leaders and the ad hoc system of police development may have inadvertently “weeded out” talented individuals. Superiors’ permeated this process by possessing a hopeful but ultimately naïve assumption that informal learning occurred naturally and by merely adopting a “set and forgot” approach would eventually culminate in officers’ automatically acquiring leadership capability. Such an approach reflects a “cream rises to the top” philosophy of leader development involving the misconception that the best talent will emerge regardless of the quality of developmental experiences provided. Finally, this program of research highlighted a conflict between how headquarters would like to see policing and police leadership training, and the reality of how officers acquired their leadership primarily in the field. At a senior level, police may well imagine or wish that the process was more structured and orderly, and governments require the process to be documented and predictable, but out in the field a battle is ongoing, despite the wishes of leadership. So there is a tension, or juxtaposition between a desire for order, and a reality of chaos in the police workplace which has implications for how leaders are developed.

An important creative decision for advertisers is whether to include a presenter in their advertising, and if so how they will select a suitable presenter. The VisCAP Model of presenter selection was proposed by Percy and Rossiter (1980) to assist advertisers when selecting appropriate presenters in their advertising, with the aim of enhancing branding and persuasion. The four main presenter characteristics of the VisCAP Model of presenter selection form an acronym for VisCAP. Thus, `Vis' refers to visibility and 'CAP' refers to Credibility, Attraction and Power. The presenter characteristic of credibility is further divided into expertise and objectivity, while attraction is divided into likability and similarity. The presenter characteristic of similarity refers to the similarity of the presenter in the advertisement to the target user of the advertised product. The Rossiter-Percy Grid is an advertising planning model which forms the theoretical foundation of the VisCAP Model and takes into account many different types of advertising situations. Components of the two models were tested on working women using a hypothetical personal superannuation service product.

This research examines the presenter characteristic of similarity, a component of one of the four main presenter characteristics of the VisCAP Model. Three hypotheses were tested in the research, two of which empirically tested the VisCAP Model, and one hypothesis which tested the Rossiter-Percy Grid.

This report supports submission of business related training resource packages (see Attachments 1 & 2) for assessment of a Professional Practicum. The report provides information on the production process and details educational concepts and justifications used during resource package development.

The "Business Development Through Innovation" project was conceived and designed by the author and the resource package subsequently developed by the author's production company. The project objective is to disseminate information about the philosophy of innovation and specifically to facilitate the application of a number of lessons learned from case studies of successful Australian small and medium enterprises (SME).

The project involved the design and development of a training package targeted at Australian SME and micro businesses. The package may be used privately by business operators and is also used as the primary reference resource in a range of business development workshops.

The dynamic nature and rapid evolution of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in the last decade (which is also referred to as the digital revolution or industrial revolution 4.0) has given little time for organisations to evaluate the nature of the technological change to their business. This research project aims to identify if there is a disconnection between organisational strategic intent and ICT use, such as, analyze ICT adoption and use issues from various perspectives concerning digital evolution, strategic outcomes and long-term objectives of the organisation, and report findings. The study also aims to identify the alignment factors for technology use with strategic intent. In today's digital age, the healthcare industry has been undergoing a transformational change in patient care pathways and patient safety with the help of digital technologies. Digital technologies such as electronic medical records, mobile applications, telehealth, assisted diagnosis, and prevention have been changing the ways healthcare services are being delivered to patients. But little success has been achieved in implementing these transformations due to the complexity of ICT requirements in healthcare. This challenge in achieving successful digital transformation has given rise to a knowledge gap requiring further research. Until now, a review of the literature reveals few studies have been undertaken to understand connections and disconnections between strategic intent and technology use in healthcare. Therefore, this study aims to understand if there is a disconnect between organisational strategic intent and technology used in the digital age. The primary audience for this research is senior policy and decision-makers in healthcare and senior ICT staff. This research is designed to understand the technology use and its impact on organisational strategic intent from the perspective of clinical staff, non-clinical staff, and executive management. The multi-stage mixed-method design has been used in this study. The findings indicate that technology should be part of strategic intent, and technology adoption should flow from the edge inwards. The findings will enhance the delivery of digital transformation initiatives in healthcare and enable more successful digital transformations with lesser technology adoption, and use issues.

This study seeks to improve the understanding of Indigenous Enterprise Development (IED) efforts undertaken on communal Indigenous land in the Northern Territory of Australia. Success in enterprise may support the achievement of a range of social, political and economic objectives for Indigenous peoples. The thesis offers a contribution to knowledge and literature on IED by bringing understanding to the meaning of success for Indigenous enterprise, identifying those factors that contribute to its success as well as presenting the barriers that prevent it. This study is the most recent rigorous scholarly work of IED on Indigenous land in the Northern Territory. The focus of this research is on Indigenous commercial enterprise development at a communal and individual level. Indigenous enterprise development is said to be different from other forms of enterprise development because of the legal rights of Indigenous peoples and because of particular cultural attributes, such as different perceptions of property rights in the Indigenous context and an emphasis on values like collectivism and sharing. These differences are found to shape notions of success and approaches to development. The research reviews literature in the international and domestic context on Indigenous economic development and Indigenous entrepreneurship. It also draws from internal and external documents of relevant institutions and news sources. These sources and findings are then built upon with fifty six in-depth, face-to-face interviews of selected participants who are experts or opinion leaders on IED in the region. These participants represented a variety of interest groups such as the government, academia, the Indigenous community and businesses from both Indigenous and non-Indigenous cultures in the Northern Territory. This study used a qualitative research approach for data collection and analysis. The researcher utilized a qualitative data analysis method, including the reporting of field notes, preparation of field notes into transcripts, coding of data, display of data, the development of conclusions, and creation of a report. This study identified five categories of barriers to successful enterprise development on Indigenous land in the Northern Territory. These barriers are: high levels of conflict and mistrust, socio-cultural norms and values that can work against success, a lack of human capital, a poor institutional framework and economic and structural factors. There were four categories of factors found that support the development of successful Indigenous enterprise: developing business acumen, integrating culture within the enterprise, separating business from community politics and greater independence from government. While definitions of success varied across the region there were common objectives for Indigenous enterprise, such as eliminating welfare dependency and maintaining a link to land. Ultimately, success for Indigenous enterprise was deemed to be business survival, but in ways that are congruent with each Indigenous community?s values. The findings in this research emphasize that certain cultural attributes may act to constrain successful enterprise development, but can be integrated into an enterprise through changes in enterprise structure, or practice, to support successful economic outcomes. The research also emphasizes the importance of institutional settings on human capital and successful enterprise development in the region. This study?s findings can potentially guide and inform further research in this field. The research develops a number of policy recommendations which offer potential support to policymakers in addressing the important social problem of Indigenous disadvantage through enterprise development initiatives.
This study seeks to improve the understanding of Indigenous Enterprise Development (IED) efforts undertaken on communal Indigenous land in the Northern Territory of Australia. Success in enterprise may support the achievement of a range of social, political and economic objectives for Indigenous peoples. The thesis offers a contribution to knowledge and literature on IED by bringing understanding to the meaning of success for Indigenous enterprise, identifying those factors that contribute to its success as well as presenting the barriers that prevent it. This study is the most recent rigorous scholarly work of IED on Indigenous land in the Northern Territory.
Thesis (PhD)--University of South Australia, 2008