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1
Rose, Graeme Charles. "Investigating the role of state school principals' feelings of empowerment affecting transformational leadership in effective school governance : empirical testing of a structural model." Monash University, Dept. of Accounting and Finance, 2004. http://arrow.monash.edu.au/hdl/1959.1/5306.
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Cheung, Chun-ming, and 張俊明. "New roles of school principals in school-based management reform: a comparative study." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2000. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31961502.
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Nong, Victoria Nomsa. "The role of school governing bodies in the effective governance of schools in the Klerksdorp district : a public administration perspective / Victoria Nomsa Nong." Thesis, North-West University, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10394/1255.
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Since the new dispensation, all stakeholders in the school are expected to play an
active role in the governance of schools. It is not the responsibility of government alone
to see that schools are up and running. Parents, educators, non-teaching staff, learners
(in Secondary Schools) and the community must also share their ideas on how the
school is to be administered.
This study has focused on the knowledge that the School Governing Bodies (SGB's)
should posses in relation to legislations and the application of the knowledge make an
impact in the administration and management of the school in the Klerksdorp-area.
For schools to function effectively, the School Governing Bodies need to know that the
Constitution (Act 108 of 1996) is the supreme law that has an impact in all education
legislations, policies and regulations. Therefore, whatever school policy is to be
developed should take cognizance of the Constitution.
Central to the study is the SGBs' understanding of their roles and functions as stipulated
in the Schools Act, (Act 84 of 1996) to avoid conflict of interest and administer the
school efficiently and effectively. It is expected that the SGBs should transfer their
knowledge into action by formulating policies that govern the school. By formulating
school policies the SGB will then be able to have an influence since clear directions will
be stipulated in the school policy on how the school is to be managed and administered.
School Governing Bodies, as governors of the school are also accountable to people
that elected them. It is their responsibility to provide feedback to their constituency and
to inform them on the progress made.Thesis (M. Development and Management)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.
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Laffan, Carmel Therese, and res cand@acu edu au. "An Ethnographic Study of a Victorian Catholic Secondary School." Australian Catholic University. School of Religious Education, 2004. http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/digitaltheses/public/adt-acuvp46.29082005.
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This thesis constitutes a study of a Catholic secondary school in the State of Victoria, Australia, in the year 2001. It addresses the issue of the nature and purpose of Catholic schools in situ, the focus of the research being an in-depth analytical description of the participant school. Consequently, the findings are of potential relevance to those interested in the issue of the nature and purpose of the Catholic school in situ from a general and holistic perspective. Specifically, given the concern of the research with the nature and purpose of a Catholic school in situ, two anticipated areas of focus for the study were identified. These were the defining features of the school, in relation to the concern of the study with the nature of the school, and the ends of the school, in relation to the concern of the study with the purpose of the school. The study was thus governed by 2 two-part general research questions. 1. What are the defining features of the school, and how are they maintained? 2. To what ends is the school oriented, and how is this orientation sustained? In the form of an ethnographic study, the research describes and interprets the participant school from the perspective of those who constitute the day-to-day community. The findings of the study are located within a contextual understanding involving historical and prescriptive perspectives for, and literature pertaining to, the contemporary Catholic school. Given the concern of the ethnography with the development, as opposed to the verification, of theory, data gathered from five major sources over the period of a school Section headings for the Introduction through to the References have necessarily been deleted for electronic presentation. Likewise, page numbers have necessarily been deleted for electronic presentation. year were focused and analysed, through the method of grounded theory, to arrive at the findings of the study. These five sources were participant-observation, in-depth interviews conducted with a number of the school personnel, observation of various school meetings, school documents, and a survey of the student body. The findings of the study, in their descriptive and analytical dimensions, are presented in four chapters. Specifically, these are presented in Chapters Five through to Eight, in relation to four main organising principles pertaining (a) to the description of the school, (b) to predominant perspectives on the school from within its day-to-day community, (c) to the prevailing characteristics upon which the perspectives of the day-today community turn, and (d) to the theoretical construct consequent upon the description, the predominant perspectives, and the prevailing characteristics. As with the descriptive aspect, to which the first two organising principles predominantly pertain, the interpretive dimension of the findings is largely undertaken in two chapters. The first of these chapters (i.e., Chapter Seven), pertaining to the delineation of the prevailing features evident within the perspectives of the day-to-day community, provides an interpretation of the descriptive findings in terms of an autocratic hegemony, a managerial administrative focus, and a bureaucratic organisational culture. Thus, this chapter signifies the primary analysis of the findings of the two previous chapters through completion of the descriptive dimension. The second of these chapters (i.e., Chapter Eight) places this preliminary analysis of the descriptive findings within a theoretical construct pertaining to concepts of disparity and congruity, opposition and compliance. The concepts of disparity and congruity relate to the school's adherence to ideological and primitive imperatives respectively. Those of opposition and compliance relate to the degrees of consonance, within the day-to-day community, in terms of assent to the prevailing order within the school. Consequently, it is to be observed that the elements of description and interpretation, essential to the in-depth analytical description demanded of the ethnographic methodological approach, decrease and increase, respectively, across these four chapters. Section headings for the Introduction through to the References have necessarily been deleted for electronic presentation. Likewise, page numbers have necessarily been deleted for electronic presentation. The study concluded that the nature and purpose of the school were consequent upon its prevailing autocratic hegemony, its pre-eminently managerial administrative focus, and its profoundly bureaucratic organisational culture. These interconnected elements of the school's practices, disparate from the ideological imperatives advocated for the Catholic school, were found to effect a latent opposition within the school community, principally in relation to the teaching personnel, masked by the overall compliance of the day-to-day community with the prevailing order.
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Li, Fuxin 1963. "Decentralisation of educational management and curriculum development : a case study of curriculum reform in Shanghai and Victorian schools (1985-1995)." Monash University, Faculty of Education, 2001. http://arrow.monash.edu.au/hdl/1959.1/9140.
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Coffey, Anne M. "A comparative study of controversy in the education systems of Western Australia, Victoria and New Zealand: Community participation in government schools 1985-1993." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 1998. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1001.
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The release of Better Schools in Western Australia: A Programme for Improvement (1987), in line with other public sector agency reforms; contained a prescription for the restructuring of the Education Department of Western Australia from 11 bureaucratic to a corporate management system of school administration. These changes were intended to render the education system, and especially schools more flexible, responsive and accountable. Among the proposals for educational restructuring was a new opportunity for community participation through ''school based decision making groups." Contemporaneously, the education systems in Victoria and New Zealand were undergoing similar reforms. The research agenda for this thesis is based on two questions. The first research question is: In what ways did the reforms conducted by the governments in Western Australia, Victoria and New Zealand change the participation of the school community in school decision making in state schools during the period 1985-1993? The extent to which the new organisational structures, based upon corporate management, facilitated the admission of the school community into the school decision making process is investigated. In order to facilitate the analysis of policy, this thesis develops a conceptualisation of the notion of controversy. The controversy framework involves the investigation of a number of elements of a controversy - stimulus, context, events, issues, arguments, protagonists, constraints, consequences and closure. The use of this framework is intended to assist in educational policy analysis by highlighting and elaborating upon the interdependent elements, including power relationships, involved in educational policy formulation and implementation. The second research question is: How effective is controversy as a framing device for educational policy analysis? The adequacy of “controversy” as a framing device is evaluated at the conclusion of the thesis. In order to investigate the research problems a variety of data was gathered and analysed. Scrutiny of the major Government and Education Department policy documents us well as a review of literature such as journals, books, newspapers, and documents produced by organisations such as teacher unions, was undertaken. In the case of Western Australia face-to-face interviews were conducted. A series of video-taped interviews with major actors in the controversy in Western Australia was also used in the data gathering process. The data was then systematically ordered using the controversy framework which enabled comparison of the controversies in Western Australia, Victoria and New Zealand. The conclusions drawn focus upon the manner in which corporate management and genuine democratic community participation are antipathetic. Despite rhetoric to the contrary, the school community was unable to exert meaningful influence upon the direction being charted for government schools. As a framing device for educational policy analysis it is concluded that controversy, at this preliminary stage, appears to have merit end further use and refinement of this framework is recommended.
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Natelli, Alexander. "Online discussion forum influence on professional sport fan support an exploratory study : submitted to the School of Information Management, Victoria University of Wellington in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Information Management /." ResearchArchive@Victoria e-Thesis, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10063/1293.
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Shepheard-Walwyn, Emma Jane. "Usage and impact factor correlations in electronic journals submitted to the School of Information Management, Victoria University of Wellington in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Library and Information Studies /." ResearchArchive@Victoria e-Thesis, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10063/1265.
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Sturmfels, Michael S. "A qualitative study of staff stress, morale and well-being in Victorian government schools /." Connect to thesis, 2009. http://repository.unimelb.edu.au/10187/6668.
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Mogonediwa, Maiketso Victor. "Strategies for the management of low performing secondary schools in the North West Province / Maiketso Victor Mogonediwa." Thesis, North-West University, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10394/2132.
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Griffiths, Debra. "Agreeing on a way forward: management of patient refusal of treatment decisions in Victorian hospitals." Thesis, full-text, 2008. https://vuir.vu.edu.au/2036/.
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The purpose of this study is to investigate and develop a substantive theory, of the processes adopted by nurses and medical practitioners when patients with serious illness refuse medical treatment. The study seeks to identify the main constraints confronting nurses and medical practitioners and to explain the key factors that moderate the processes of dealing with refusal decisions. Using a grounded theory method, a sample of 18 nurses and 6 medical practitioners from two public hospitals in Melbourne were interviewed. In addition, observations and documentary evidence were utilised.
The basic social psychological problem shared by nurses and medical practitioners is conceptualized as Competing Perspectives: Encountering Refusal of Treatment, which reflects the diverse perceptions and beliefs that confront participants when patients decide to forgo therapy. In utilizing the grounded theory method of analysis, it is recognised that participants deal with this problem through a basic social psychological process conceptualized as Endeavouring to Understand Refusal: Agreeing on a Way Forward. This core variable represents the manner in which
participants, to varying extents, deal with the situations they face and it incorporates the various influences which moderate their activities. Endeavouring to Understand
Refusal: Agreeing on a Way Forward comprises a series of three transitions. The first involves a struggle for participants to come to terms with, or even recognize that
patients are rejecting treatment. The second transition illustrates the varied responses of participants as they interact with patients, relatives and each other, in order to clarify and validate decisions made during episodes of care. The third transition reflects the degree to which patients and family members are incorporated into
treatment decisions, and highlights a shift in emphasis, from a focus on the disease state, to the patient as a person with individualistic thoughts and wishes.
The remaining social processes evident in the study consist of four categories. The first, Seeking Clarification, embodies exploration undertaken by participants and
their recognition that treatment is actually being refused. The second category, Responding to Patients and Families, demonstrates the level of expertise of participants communicating, and their ability to encourage reciprocity in the professional-patient relationship. The third category, Advocating, highlights the extent and manner in which patient and family wishes are promoted to members of
the treating team. The fourth category, Influencing, reveals the ability of participants to utilize a degree of authority or power in order to shape particular outcomes.
The findings also indicate that over arching the core variable and categories are various contextual determinants that moderate the way nurses and medical practitioners deal with patient refusal of treatment. These determinants are
categorized into three main influences: The Context of Work, describes the of the environment and organisational factors pertinent to public hospitals; Beliefs and
Behaviours, illustrates the perceptions of, and values held, by four key groups involved in decisions, namely, nurses, medical practitioners, patients, and family
members; and Legal and Ethical Frameworks, examines the existing principles that support or guide professional practice in situations where patients with serious
illness refuse medical treatment.
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Griffiths, Debra. "Agreeing on a way forward management of patient refusal of treatment decisions in Victorian hospitals /." full-text, 2008. http://eprints.vu.edu.au/2036/1/griffiths_debra_thesis.pdf.
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The purpose of this study is to investigate and develop a substantive theory, of the processes adopted by nurses and medical practitioners when patients with serious illness refuse medical treatment. The study seeks to identify the main constraints confronting nurses and medical practitioners and to explain the key factors that moderate the processes of dealing with refusal decisions. Using a grounded theory method, a sample of 18 nurses and 6 medical practitioners from two public hospitals in Melbourne were interviewed. In addition, observations and documentary evidence were utilised. The basic social psychological problem shared by nurses and medical practitioners is conceptualized as Competing Perspectives: Encountering Refusal of Treatment, which reflects the diverse perceptions and beliefs that confront participants when patients decide to forgo therapy. In utilizing the grounded theory method of analysis, it is recognised that participants deal with this problem through a basic social psychological process conceptualized as Endeavouring to Understand Refusal: Agreeing on a Way Forward. This core variable represents the manner in which participants, to varying extents, deal with the situations they face and it incorporates the various influences which moderate their activities. Endeavouring to Understand Refusal: Agreeing on a Way Forward comprises a series of three transitions. The first involves a struggle for participants to come to terms with, or even recognize that patients are rejecting treatment. The second transition illustrates the varied responses of participants as they interact with patients, relatives and each other, in order to clarify and validate decisions made during episodes of care. The third transition reflects the degree to which patients and family members are incorporated into treatment decisions, and highlights a shift in emphasis, from a focus on the disease state, to the patient as a person with individualistic thoughts and wishes. The remaining social processes evident in the study consist of four categories. The first, Seeking Clarification, embodies exploration undertaken by participants and their recognition that treatment is actually being refused. The second category, Responding to Patients and Families, demonstrates the level of expertise of participants communicating, and their ability to encourage reciprocity in the professional-patient relationship. The third category, Advocating, highlights the extent and manner in which patient and family wishes are promoted to members of the treating team. The fourth category, Influencing, reveals the ability of participants to utilize a degree of authority or power in order to shape particular outcomes. The findings also indicate that over arching the core variable and categories are various contextual determinants that moderate the way nurses and medical practitioners deal with patient refusal of treatment. These determinants are categorized into three main influences: The Context of Work, describes the of the environment and organisational factors pertinent to public hospitals; Beliefs and Behaviours, illustrates the perceptions of, and values held, by four key groups involved in decisions, namely, nurses, medical practitioners, patients, and family members; and Legal and Ethical Frameworks, examines the existing principles that support or guide professional practice in situations where patients with serious illness refuse medical treatment.
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Carvalho, Medianeira da Silva [UNIFESP]. "A produção discursiva da Revista Gestão Escolar sobre a gestão da escola: um “manual” para a equipe de gestão e o alinhamento às orientações de agências internacionais." Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), 2018. http://repositorio.unifesp.br/11600/41743.
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Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)
O OBJETIVO desta pesquisa é analisar a produção discursiva da Revista Gestão Escolar (RGE) sobre a gestão da escola. A questão que instiga o trabalho é identificar qual modelo de gestão é valorizado pela RGE e, para tanto, trabalhamos com a HIPÓTESE de que o periódico orienta a escola a adotar uma gestão escolar gerencialista com o slogan “gestão democrática e compartilhada” e, ao mesmo tempo, se aproxima das orientações preconizadas por organismos internacionais, entre eles o BM a UNESCO e a OCDE, com vistas ao aumento da produtividade e eficiência, mensurados por meio de avaliações em larga escala, e ao maior alinhamento da escola às necessidades do mercado. O PROBLEMA que estimulou esta investigação é a assunção de que a boa qualidade da educação (seja na condução da educação nacional, seja na condução do que ocorre dentro da escola) decorre, fundamentalmente, apenas do modelo de gestão adotado; nesse sentido, parece que a eficiência das unidades escolares – geralmente determinada por índices de desempenho – passa a ser um problema tipicamente de gestão, ignorando-se os diferentes matizes que marcam discursos multifacetados sobre gestão escolar, bem como a existência de outros fatores intervenientes para a almejada boa qualidade da educação. Para compreender o discurso da revista tratamos, também, de questões que sustentam a argumentação do periódico como as proposições dos Organismos Internacionais sobre gestão escolar e as concepções acerca das parcerias público-privadas (PPP) na educação brasileira. As trajetórias das Fundações Victor Civita (FVC) e Lemann (FL) são abordadas no intuito de melhor conhecer a organização, estrutura e circulação do periódico em análise, identificando as estratégias discursivas que buscam legitimar um discurso sobre a gestão da escola. Para a realização da investigação, foram analisadas 53 (cinquenta e três) edições do periódico, sendo 29 edições impressas e 24 on-line, no período de agosto/2009 a dezembro/2016, além de entrevista com a direção de edição e produtos da Associação Nova Escola (ANE). Para fundamentar as análises trabalhamos com os conceitos de “linguagem autorizada” e “descrever e prescrever” em Bourdieu (2008); de slogan e metáfora, em Scheffler (1974); de ciclo de políticas, gerencialismo e performatividade em Ball (1989, 2001); de “rede de legitimidade” em Ricardo Filho (2005); além das contribuições de Shiroma et al (2005); Victo Paro (1988); Felix (1984) e Ravitch (2011).
The OBJECTIVE of this research is to analyze the discursive production of the School Management Magazine (RGE) on school management. The question that instigates the work is to identify which management model is valued by RGE. We work with the HYPOTHESIS that the periodical guides the school to adopt a managerial school model management with the slogan "democratic and shared management" and, at the same time, utilizes the guidelines recommended by international organizations, among which, the World Bank, UNESCO and OECD, with the purpose of increasing productivity and efficiency, measured through large-scale assessments, and of attaining better aligning between the schools and the needs of the market economy. The ISSUE that stimulated this research is the assumption that the good quality of education (whether in the conduct of the national education or in the conduct of what happens inside the school) is fundamentally based only on the management model adopted. In this sense, it seems that the efficiency of the school units - usually determined by performance indexes - becomes a typical management problem, ignoring the different tints that mark the multifaceted discourses about school management, as well as the existence of other intervening factors for the desired good quality of education. In order to understand the discourse of the journal, we also address issues that support the journal's arguments, such as the proposals of the International Organizations on school management and the conceptions about public-private partnerships (PPP) in Brazilian education. The trajectories of the Victor Civita (FVC) and Lemann (FL) Foundations are approached in order to understand better the organization, structure and circulation of the periodical under analysis, identifying the discursive strategies that seek to legitimize a discourse about school management. In order to carry out the research, 53 (fifty-three) editions of the journal were analyzed, being 29 printed editions and 24 online editions, from August/2009 to December/2016. We have also interviewed the directors of editing and of products of the New School Association (ANE). To substantiate our reviews, we use the following theories: the concepts of "authorized language" and "describe and prescribe" in Bourdieu (2008); the concept of slogan and metaphor in Scheffler (1974); the notions of policy cycle, managerialism and performativity in Ball (1989, 2001) and the idea of "legitimacy network" in Ricardo Filho (2005). In addition to those, we have also utilized contributions from Shiroma et al (2005); Victo Paro (1988); Felix (1984) and Ravitch (2011).
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Esson, Rachel Margaret. "How good is survey design in medical libraries? a systematic review of user surveys : submitted to the School of Information Management, Victoria University of Wellington in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Library and Information Studies /." ResearchArchive@Victoria e-Thesis, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10063/1282.
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Bunker, Beverley. "An investigation into expectations of the Chief Information Officer's role and knowledge, skills and experience that support it a dyadic IT-business perspective in NZ local government : submitted to the School of Information Management, Victoria University of Wellington in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Information Management /." ResearchArchive@Victoria e-Thesis, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10063/1136.
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Tong, Wendy Yee. "An analysis of encyclopaedia citations in University of Auckland Doctor of Philosophy dessertations, 2007 and 2008 submitted to the School of Information Management, Victoria University of Wellington in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Library and Information Studies /." ResearchArchive@Victoria e-Thesis, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10063/1270.
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Carman, Nicholas. "LibraryThing tags and Library of Congress Subject Headings a comparison of science fiction and fantasy works : submitted to the School of Information Management, Victoria University of Wellington in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Library and Information Studies /." ResearchArchive@Victoria e-Thesis, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10063/1272.
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Pibulsilp, Thanawadee. "An investigation of cultural influence on academic library usage and experience of international medical students from Asian countries a case study of students at the Christchurch School of Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch : submitted to the School of Information Management, Victoria University of Wellington in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Library and Information Studies /." ResearchArchive@Victoria e-Thesis, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10063/1273.
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Daniels, Ray Education Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences UNSW. "The management of change in six Victorian secondary colleges." Awarded by:University of New South Wales. School of Education, 2001. http://handle.unsw.edu.au/1959.4/18223.
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This study explored change in six Victorian secondary colleges some four years into the major school-system change program known as ?????Schools of the Future?????. The purpose of the study was to identify successful models and practices for positive school change by exploring school change from the school level perspective. A focus of the investigation was an organizational development program designed by a North American professor of organization and management in which Victorian school principals were trained as their schools entered the ?????Schools of the Future????? program. The project was guided initially by four major research questions to which six additional research questions were added as the research progressed. The research methodology was qualitative. The data for this investigation were collected in 1997. The main means of gathering them was the in-depth interview of the principals of the six schools in the study and of the four members of staff they nominated as knowledgeable about their school?????s change processes. A follow-up questionnaire to the interview, a telephone questionnaire that asked principals for background information about their schools, and a study of school documents were also sources of data. The analysis and interpretation of the data related to charge in the schools was presented in the forms of six case studies and a multisite study. Eleven variables and eighteen insights identified the aspects associated with successful change across the sites. The study?????s three major findings identified the critical importance in the success of change of the school?????s organizational culture and individual participants in change processes, its relationship to elements in its external environment and the nature of its planning for change. A theoretical framework for positive school change environments was developed. It combined the elements associated with successful change in the study. This framework may prove useful as a basis for further research on systemic change in schools and as a point of reference for those actually engaged in leading the change process in schools and school systems.
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DiGiusto, Dennis Michael. "A protection motivation theory approach to home wireless network security in New Zealand establishing if groups of concerned wireless network users exist and exploring characteristics of behavioral intention : submitted to the School of Information Management, Victoria University of Wellington in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Information Management /." ResearchArchive@Victoria e-Thesis, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10063/1148.
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Leslie, Susan Elder. "An examination of the information behaviour of new entrepreneurs in the start-up phase of a business submitted to the School of Information Management, Victoria University of Wellington in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Library and Information Studies /." ResearchArchive@Victoria e-Thesis, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10063/1271.
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Faulkner, Michael, and mikewood@deakin edu au. "Vision and rationalisation : A study of the school psychology profession within the Victorian Government school system." Deakin University. School of Education, 1992. http://tux.lib.deakin.edu.au./adt-VDU/public/adt-VDU20050719.083810.
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Since its origins in the 19th century, modern schooling has been a continuously contested domain within nation states. Underlying this contestation dynamic lie competing value systems about the social purpose of education; competing values around which are generated different discourses, and which in turn generate inherently contradictory social and organisational structures. As reflected in other areas of society, the 20th century expansion of state-provided schooling has essentially developed around variations of a bureaucratic model Thus, organisational cultures based around bureaucratic values have come to permeate the enterprise of schooling on a world wide scale. Concomitantly, the value for education to be fundamentally associated with human emancipation from psychological, social, political, or economic states of being, persists as a recurring theme in modern schooling. Premised on these understandings, the thesis argues that the development of the practices of school psychology as a profession, like education in general, and special education in particular, has similarly been influenced by tensions between different and competing constellations of values. It is argued that throughout the 20th century, the pervasiveness of formal schooling systems suggest that schooling may be understood as a modernist cultural archetype. As a socially constructed reality, the phenomenon of schooling has become unproblematic the apparent cultural inevitability of formal schooling in the modern era can also be understood as a premise of a systemised way of looking at the world; that of bureaucratic consciousness. Dialectically, bureaucratic consciousness persists in influencing every manifestation of schooling; structurally through its organisational forms, and epistemologically through the institutionalization of teaching and learning. A particular illustration of the dialectical relationship between bureaucratic consciousness and the social forms and social practices of schooling is the school psychology profession which has developed as a part of school systems. The thesis argues that the epistemic archeology of psychology as a knowledge discipline can be traced through an earlier European intellectual and cultural tradition, but in the 20th century, has come to develop a symbiotic yet contradictory relationship with compulsory schooling in the modern nation state. The research study employs historical and fieldwork methods in a study of the development of the school psychology services within the Victorian Education Department, particularly between 1947 and 1987. The thesis also draws upon several usually distinct literatures; the philosophical and theoretical discourse of modernity and post modernity, the history and development of modern schooling, the ethnography of schooling, the international comparative literature on the school psychology profession, and the literature on action research in education practice and curriculum development, As a case study of Victorian school psychology, the research eschews a quantitative statistical approach in favour of qualitative investigatory genres, which have in turn been guided by the values of action research in education, as well as those of critical theory. The important focus of the thesis is its investigation of some aspects of the development and transformations within the Victorian state education bureaucracy, and the dialectical relationship that has persisted between the evolution of change processes and the shifting conceptions of school psychology practices in the 20th century. A history of the organisational development of school psychology services in Victoria constitutes an important part of the thesis. This is complemented by specific illustrations of how some school psychologists have been influenced by and have contributed towards paradigm shifts within the profession, shifts relating to how the changing nature of their work practices have come to be understood and valued by teachers and by school administrators. The work of J. R. MacLeod from the 1950s is noted in this regard. Particular attention is also drawn to the dialectical relationship between bureaucratic consciousness and school psychology's professional orientation in the 1980s. As a means of providing field data to explore this relationship, ethnographic case studies with two school communities are included as part of the fieldwork of the thesis, and are based upon the author's own work in the mid 1980s. These case studies provide a basis for conceptually refraining the school psychologist's professional experience within schooling systems, and an opportunity to examine how competing value systems impact upon the work of the school psychologist. The thesis concludes with some observations about bureaucratic transformations within educational organisations, and about the future relationship of the school psychology profession with schooling systems, as framed by the theoretical parameters of the modernist /post modernist debate. The issue of competing value systems within the administration of public education is re-examined as is the value of promoting human empowerment in the ongoing work of the school psychologist. Finally, some scenario building with reference to the future of school psychology in Victoria in is undertaken.
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Chung, Lui-pong Gavin. "A principal's views on school-based management : implications for school management in aided secondary school /." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 1999. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B21305092.
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Hwang, Kyu Won. "A selected annotated bibliography of the resources on the perceptions and attitudes in relation to people who stutter : covering the period from 1990 to the present day submitted to the School of Information Management, Victoria University of Wellington in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Library and Information Studies /." ResearchArchive@Victoria e-Thesis, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10063/1280.
Full text
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Ible, Wayne. "School based management and the operational effectiveness of school councils in Victoria and New South Wales: a comparative study." Thesis, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1311028.
Full textAbstract:
Research Doctorate - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)The world of public school education systems is currently experiencing a reform phenomenon in which almost exclusively, the focus of reform is to create decentralized models of school governance described as school-based management (SBM). Issues such as the challenges of the global knowledge economy are fuelling the focus on SBM as a means of providing educational opportunities essential for the nations to remain competitive. An important component of SBM is the school council or board which is the vehicle for shared governance. Since the 1970's, Australia has become a world leader in the introduction of SBM. In particular, the initiatives by the state of Victoria played a lead role while continuing to refine and fine-tune its SBM focus as the key principle underpinning development of its large public education system. New South Wales (NSW) attempted to introduce SBM in the early 1970's and on several occasions since but was unsuccessful until 1990. The model of SBM, its introduction and political commitments have differed between NSW and Victoria. This study compared the effectiveness of school councils in each state as an indicator of the effectivemess of SBM. The research was conducted in 2006 using both quantitative and qualitative methodologies comprising of an empirical survey with a sample of 100 Victorian and 150 NSW schools ans semi-structured interviews with 41 participants belonging to all categories of stakeholders as well as documentary analyses. Data generated from the two phases of the research correlated strongly and identified a number of important issues. Most principals see school councils as supportive of their role but ironically, the effectiveness of a school council is dependent on the knowledge, skills and commitment of the principal. School councils in Victoria are significantly more effective when compared to NSW, however, the data indicated that the role of school councils can and should be broadened and strengthened in both states. Although at the schools where school councils have been established in NSW there is general support of the concept, there is confusion about the place and future of school councils especially in view of the luke-warm support they receive from the NSW bureaucracy.
26
Edwards, Kenneth J. "Historical trends in occupational health and safety in Victoria." Thesis, 1993. https://vuir.vu.edu.au/15380/.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis reviews the history of Occupational
Health and Safety legislation in Australia from its
conception in attempts to regulate the factory system in
the mid-nineteenth century until the passing of the
Occupational Health and Safety Act in 1985 in Victoria.
27
Munro, Angela. "A stakeholder approach to ecologically sustainable tourism : the case of the Twelve Apostles, Port Campbell National Park, Victoria." 2001. http://eprints.vu.edu.au/532/1/532contents.pdf.
Full textAbstract:
There has been widespread support for formal treaties and declarations to ensure ecologically sustainable development (ESD) internationally and in Australia, at national and state levels, for almost 30 years. Despite this, the momentum of ESD appears to be waning (Low et al 2000). It is the author’s view that such loss of momentum calls for examination of planning process as it affects land use, including tourism. Indeed, the social and environmental impacts of tourism in Australasia have tended to be ignored in policy development (Hall et al 1997). Sub-optimal outcomes and the uncertainty engendered by costly and high profile conflicts over competing land use, in Australia and internationally in the past decade, highlight the need for such an examination. In addressing this hiatus between ESD policy development and implementation, the aims of this research are fourfold. First, it seeks to clarify the meaning of ecologically sustainable tourism, given the reliance of the rapidly growing Australian tourism industry on natural resource conservation. In so doing it addresses the inherent conflict between alternative visions for land use as they relate to tourism development in and around protected areas Second, contemporary applications of stakeholder theory are examined in order to analyse and learn from such tourism related land use conflicts. Stakeholders are defined as individuals or groups with multiple stakes or interests in an organisation or decision. Several epistemological perspectives are noted, with the present research fitting broadly within those of the political economy or political ecology of tourism, to which power relations are central. The third aim is to analyse the decision-making process in 1996-9 for the development of visitor facilities near The Twelve Apostles, an 'icon' coastal attraction of national significance at Port Campbell National Park, in south western Victoria. The case study method is chosen to enable an in-depth application of stakeholder theory to that process as it relates to ecologically sustainable outcomes. The framework used for this empirical analysis is derived from an approach to stakeholder management known as Shared Decision-making (SDM). It was applied in a recent design and evaluation of planning process in British Columbia, Canada, where a comparable governmental framework and experience of natural resource conflict made it a useful model for a Victorian case study (Williams, Penrose and Hawkes 1998). The Williams et al framework of evaluative criteria informs the schedule of semistructured interviews. This was administered to 17 respondents representing the 12 key decision makers and stakeholders involved in the decision-making process for the Twelve Apostles tourism development. The framework also underpins the author’s approach to analysis of material drawn from the project files of five stakeholder organisations and from contemporary media coverage. Finally, the research seeks to identify the implications of this decision-making process for tourism planning which is conducive to ecological sustainability. It is the author’s contention that a government commitment to collaborative planning, involving meaningful public participation is a key determinant of EST. Whereas community involvement has long been advocated for many reasons, philosophical and expedient, this research identifies the primary role of the community in promoting sustainable tourism as that of active citizens. Collaborative planning is judged essential but insufficient to achieve equitable and sustainable outcomes. Meaningful participation and environmental protection must also be enforceable through institutional reform, including provision for open standing and third party appeal rights, largely unavailable under Victorian environmental law. Collaborative planning and stakeholder management, it is argued, operates in a political context, insufficiently acknowledged. Research involving multiple cases and multiple jurisdictions would enable the validity of the study’s conclusions regarding the pivotal role of citizens (and non government organizations) in the implementation of ecologically sustainable tourism to be tested. Further research, it is argued, should promote an interdisciplinary approach drawing on political science, law, ecology, urban and regional geography and environmental planning. In particular, the application of political ecology to tourism offers a promising framework for the analysis and design of stakeholder management conducive to ecologically sustainable tourism.
28
Katis, Jenny. "The Dynamics of Ethnic Entrepreneurship: Vietnamese Small Business in Victoria." Thesis, 2017. https://vuir.vu.edu.au/32618/.
Full textAbstract:
Small businesses represent by far the largest proportion of business entities within Australian business, and as such represent a vital component of the country’s economic structure (ABS, 2016). There has been a significant increase in the Australian population due to immigration from a range of countries. In fact, Australia is now very diverse, with migrants arriving from more than 200 countries across the world. There are approximately 5.3% of all small businesses that are run by Vietnamese entrepreneurs in Australia (ABS, 2016). It is clear from this figure that Vietnamese small businesses make up a significant proportion of this sector in Australia. This thesis examines the dynamics of Vietnamese migrants in small business in Victoria. The consideration of environmental and personal factors in understanding Vietnamese migrant business start-ups, survival and Ethnic Entrepreneurship theories has been the focus of discussion for this study. Firstly, there is a general consensus of what contributing environmental and personal factors influence the Vietnamese migrant in business start-up. Secondly, the thesis looks at how these factors are associated with the Ethnic Entrepreneurship theories identified in the literature. Lastly, the work identifies what factors have contributed to the Vietnamese migrant in sustaining their small business.
29
Fitzpatrick, Maree. "Corporate governance in the Victorian public health sector." Thesis, 2008. https://vuir.vu.edu.au/1569/.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis sets out to investigate the meaning, understanding and application of corporate governance in a public sector health service provider in Victoria, Australia. The methodological and analytical approach is based on an adaptation of the Glaser and Strauss’ grounded theory, using ethnographic and survey techniques to collect
and describe data so as to capture a broad interpretation of how governance as a process is interpreted, understood and practiced in this organisation. Most studies of governance focus on economic compliance and performance, and
questions concerning less obvious human elements of governance involving decision-making are left largely unaddressed and unresolved. In this thesis, these
less tangible elements of governance are explored. The perspective presented here is that corporate governance is a socio-cultural phenomenon that requires not only an
examination of the governance structures and processes in place, but also the direct observations of social and cultural elements including individual and organisational
decision-making. There is a dearth of corporate governance research in the public sector, which has in the past decade adopted a system of governance more aligned to a private sector model. This thesis starts to address this lack. It combines a study of the Board and its accountabilities in the face of rapid change (analogous to the private sector model) with evidence from stakeholders to assess the impact of the governance in the public sector. From the analysis of the data collected and from the researcher’s observations, the health provider studied here can be described as having an effective Board. It appears
to have integrated decision-making, with the Board strategically setting the direction of the service and supporting the actions of management to meet the key performance targets and measures as prescribed by the Department of Human Services (DHS). This research explores how governance as a process is interpreted, understood and
practiced in the context of a public sector organisation. It offers a unique insight into the complex concept of corporate governance and offers a constructionist conceptual
paradigm for further governance inquiry.
30
Kidd, Jeffrey N. "The development and investigation of a systems model of farm tourism in Victoria." Thesis, 2003. https://vuir.vu.edu.au/17940/.
Full textAbstract:
The marketing of farms for tourism and recreation purposes has been taking place for
many years. Farmers have frequently sought to supplement their farm income
through providing accommodation and recreation facilities to paying guests. This
study concentrates on one state of Australia, Victoria, and has two main aims. The
first aim is to develop a systems model of farm tourism that reveals the roles played
by various stakeholders. The second aim is to examine farm tourism from a systems
perspective, and to explore the attitudes of both farmers and guests to their
experiences. In addition, the comments of local government authorities are also
investigated.
The purpose of the study, in broad terms, is to develop a systems model of farm
tourism in Victoria, Australia. In order to do this, the study reviews the literature and
then examines the evolution and development of farm tourism in general, through a
detailed analysis of the relationships between host farm operators and their visitors. is hoped that the present study will shed some light on an industry which has been
largely ignored by most writers and researchers in the different disciplines represented
in this topic.
The research objectives are, firstly, to develop a systems model of farm tourism;
secondly, to examine and describe the scope of farm tourism in Victoria, from the
point of view of the farmer; thirdly, to describe the evaluation of the farm tourism
experience by the guests who have visited farms in Victoria; and, finally, to
investigate the attitudes and involvement of local government bodies in Victoria to
farm tourism.
Tourism in general is examined, as well as the relationship between agriculture and
tourism, leading to a discussion of the definition of rural tourism. General trends in
rural tourism are identified, and their relevance to farm tourism is explained. The
definition of farm tourism is then covered, with commentary on the application of the
characteristics of tourism to the farm tourism industry. Trends in farming are
mentioned, which point to the importance of farm tourism as an alternative source of
income for the farmer, and a useful form of diversification from farm operations,
reducing dependence on one source of income. The concepts of leisure and recreation
are also considered, and their relevance to farm tourism is identified.
31
Dale, Catherine. "The Role of Local Government for a Contemporary Victorian Community." 2008. http://eprints.vu.edu.au/1576/1/Dale.pdf.
Full textAbstract:
In this thesis the role of Victorian local government has been explored from a community perspective. Often referred to as the sphere of government closest to the people, this dissertation has explored the potential for local government to positively impact on residents’ quality of life and provide opportunities for citizen engagement and participation in key issues and within a diversity of fields. As a level of government it is contended that Victorian local government has six roles: democratic; governance; service provision; community building; advocacy and community planning. These roles have been reviewed from the following perspectives: the context within which Victorian local government undertakes these roles; the limitations or barriers that impede achievement of these roles; how these roles benefit the community and what proposals could be introduced to enhance their implementation. The examination of Victorian local government’s role has also been examined within its historical, political and financial context. A qualitative research method was utilized in this thesis. The relevant literature has been examined and discussed within the context of the four perspectives as listed above. Thirty-one in-depth, semi-structured interviews with opinion leaders were undertaken and analyzed. As a result of the research for this thesis a number of key recommendations have been identified that would progress the effectiveness of Victorian local government’s role. These recommendations focus on the enhancement of local government’s image, increased facilitation of citizen engagement, a review of the legal and political framework within which local government operates and in particular local government’s relationship with the state government, enhancement of local government’s financial capacity, changes to the electoral structure, additional training for elected representatives and senior officers, the evelopment of a range of performance indicators, the need for local government to operate on a more regional basis and a review of organizational structures.
32
Munro, Angela. "A stakeholder approach to ecologically sustainable tourism : the case of the Twelve Apostles, Port Campbell National Park, Victoria." Thesis, 2001. https://vuir.vu.edu.au/532/.
Full textAbstract:
There has been widespread support for formal treaties and declarations to ensure ecologically sustainable development (ESD) internationally and in Australia, at national and state levels, for almost 30 years. Despite this, the momentum of ESD appears to be waning (Low et al 2000). It is the author’s view that such loss of momentum calls for examination of planning process as it affects land use, including tourism. Indeed, the social and environmental impacts of tourism in Australasia have tended to be ignored in policy development (Hall et al 1997). Sub-optimal outcomes and the uncertainty engendered by costly and high profile conflicts over competing land use, in Australia and internationally in the past decade, highlight the need for such an examination. In addressing this hiatus between ESD policy development and implementation, the aims of this research are fourfold. First, it seeks to clarify the meaning of ecologically sustainable tourism, given the reliance of the rapidly growing Australian tourism industry on natural resource conservation. In so doing it addresses the inherent conflict between alternative visions for land use as they relate to tourism development in and around protected areas Second, contemporary applications of stakeholder theory are examined in order to analyse and learn from such tourism related land use conflicts. Stakeholders are defined as individuals or groups with multiple stakes or interests in an organisation or decision. Several epistemological perspectives are noted, with the present research fitting broadly within those of the political economy or political ecology of tourism, to which power relations are central. The third aim is to analyse the decision-making process in 1996-9 for the development of visitor facilities near The Twelve Apostles, an 'icon' coastal attraction of national significance at Port Campbell National Park, in south western Victoria. The case study method is chosen to enable an in-depth application of stakeholder theory to that process as it relates to ecologically sustainable outcomes. The framework used for this empirical analysis is derived from an approach to stakeholder management known as Shared Decision-making (SDM). It was applied in a recent design and evaluation of planning process in British Columbia, Canada, where a comparable governmental framework and experience of natural resource conflict made it a useful model for a Victorian case study (Williams, Penrose and Hawkes 1998). The Williams et al framework of evaluative criteria informs the schedule of semistructured interviews. This was administered to 17 respondents representing the 12 key decision makers and stakeholders involved in the decision-making process for the Twelve Apostles tourism development. The framework also underpins the author’s approach to analysis of material drawn from the project files of five stakeholder organisations and from contemporary media coverage. Finally, the research seeks to identify the implications of this decision-making process for tourism planning which is conducive to ecological sustainability. It is the author’s contention that a government commitment to collaborative planning, involving meaningful public participation is a key determinant of EST. Whereas community involvement has long been advocated for many reasons, philosophical and expedient, this research identifies the primary role of the community in promoting sustainable tourism as that of active citizens. Collaborative planning is judged essential but insufficient to achieve equitable and sustainable outcomes. Meaningful participation and environmental protection must also be enforceable through institutional reform, including provision for open standing and third party appeal rights, largely unavailable under Victorian environmental law. Collaborative planning and stakeholder management, it is argued, operates in a political context, insufficiently acknowledged. Research involving multiple cases and multiple jurisdictions would enable the validity of the study’s conclusions regarding the pivotal role of citizens (and non government organizations) in the implementation of ecologically sustainable tourism to be tested. Further research, it is argued, should promote an interdisciplinary approach drawing on political science, law, ecology, urban and regional geography and environmental planning. In particular, the application of political ecology to tourism offers a promising framework for the analysis and design of stakeholder management conducive to ecologically sustainable tourism.
33
Dale, Catherine. "The Role of Local Government for a Contemporary Victorian Community." Thesis, 2008. https://vuir.vu.edu.au/1576/.
Full textAbstract:
In this thesis the role of Victorian local government has been explored from a community perspective. Often referred to as the sphere of government closest to the people, this dissertation has explored the potential for local government to positively impact on residents’ quality of
life and provide opportunities for citizen engagement and participation in key issues and within a diversity of fields. As a level of government it is contended that Victorian local government has six roles: democratic; governance; service provision; community building; advocacy and community planning. These roles have been reviewed from the following perspectives: the context within which Victorian local government undertakes these roles; the limitations or barriers that impede achievement of these roles; how these roles benefit the community and what
proposals could be introduced to enhance their implementation. The examination of Victorian local government’s role has also been examined within its historical, political and financial context.
A qualitative research method was utilized in this thesis. The relevant literature has been examined and discussed within the context of the four perspectives as listed above.
Thirty-one in-depth, semi-structured interviews with opinion leaders were undertaken and analyzed. As a result of the research for this thesis a number of key recommendations have been identified that would progress the effectiveness of Victorian local government’s role.
These recommendations focus on the enhancement of local government’s image, increased facilitation of citizen engagement, a review of the legal and political framework
within which local government operates and in particular local government’s relationship with the state government, enhancement of local government’s financial capacity,
changes to the electoral structure, additional training for elected representatives and senior officers, the evelopment of a range of performance indicators, the need for local
government to operate on a more regional basis and a review of organizational structures.
34
Dempsey, Kate. "Values in Leadership: Approaches of Victorian Local Government Managers." Thesis, 2006. https://vuir.vu.edu.au/520/.
Full textAbstract:
Since the 1980s the public sector in Australia, including local government, has been imbued with the language of business management. In part, this has occurred because other levels of government have brought changes to the operation of local government and also because public sector managers have accepted the conventional wisdom that the private sector provides the better model for managing large organisations. But how useful is this way of operating in the public sector? This thesis argues that local government management continues to be 'captured' by the dominant ideology of neoliberalism. This ideology has shaped the politically conservative policies of many western countries and is based on economic theories of public choice and agency, which essentially argue that the market is the key sphere of influence that, if it is left to regulate itself without undue government intervention, inevitably brings order and prosperity. The neoliberal theory of the market - economic rationalism - still appears to dominate language and thinking within local government, and this may not be in the best interests of either local government organisations or the communities they serve. Management theories arising from the private sector, in the main, do not take account of the direct engagement of local government with local communities, the ethic of service, the breadth of services provided and the political environment of local government. Nor do they fully address issues such as the impact on the practice of management of CEO values, worldviews and unconscious motivations. This research aims to take account of the rich unspoken, unconscious meanings in human dialogue and interaction. In order to gain a deeper understanding of the breadth of experience in being a local government CEO, the researcher conducted face-to-face semistructured interviews with 18 (23per cent) of Victorian local government CEOs. Then the researcher observed one local government CEO at her workplace, over a period of six months. The thesis draws on socio-analytic theory to look beyond currently popular management theories, with their emphases on rationality and instrumentality, to examine the beliefs and motives local government CEOs bring to their work. It concludes that local government is not a non-profit variant of private enterprise and that the importation of business language and tools has damaged local government's service role. It argues for a renewal of commitment to the values of service and to leadership that encompasses both rational and non-rational aspects of managing people. The real work of the leader is to participate in a relationship with staff that acknowledges that projections, splitting and denial do occur and to be patient with their effects. The more able a leader is to contain the projected fantasy material of those around her, the better leader she will be.
35
Fitzpatrick, Maree. "Corporate governance in the Victorian public health sector." 2008. http://eprints.vu.edu.au/1569/1/fitzpatrick.pdf.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis sets out to investigate the meaning, understanding and application of corporate governance in a public sector health service provider in Victoria, Australia. The methodological and analytical approach is based on an adaptation of the Glaser and Strauss’ grounded theory, using ethnographic and survey techniques to collect and describe data so as to capture a broad interpretation of how governance as a process is interpreted, understood and practiced in this organisation. Most studies of governance focus on economic compliance and performance, and questions concerning less obvious human elements of governance involving decision-making are left largely unaddressed and unresolved. In this thesis, these less tangible elements of governance are explored. The perspective presented here is that corporate governance is a socio-cultural phenomenon that requires not only an examination of the governance structures and processes in place, but also the direct observations of social and cultural elements including individual and organisational decision-making. There is a dearth of corporate governance research in the public sector, which has in the past decade adopted a system of governance more aligned to a private sector model. This thesis starts to address this lack. It combines a study of the Board and its accountabilities in the face of rapid change (analogous to the private sector model) with evidence from stakeholders to assess the impact of the governance in the public sector. From the analysis of the data collected and from the researcher’s observations, the health provider studied here can be described as having an effective Board. It appears to have integrated decision-making, with the Board strategically setting the direction of the service and supporting the actions of management to meet the key performance targets and measures as prescribed by the Department of Human Services (DHS). This research explores how governance as a process is interpreted, understood and practiced in the context of a public sector organisation. It offers a unique insight into the complex concept of corporate governance and offers a constructionist conceptual paradigm for further governance inquiry.
36
McKenzie, Michael. "The determination of the bio-limiting factors in the control of algal blooms in the Maribyrnong River estuary." Thesis, 1994. https://vuir.vu.edu.au/32997/.
Full text
37
Dempsey, Kate. "Values in Leadership: Approaches of Victorian Local Government Managers." 2006. http://eprints.vu.edu.au/520/1/520contents.pdf.
Full textAbstract:
Since the 1980s the public sector in Australia, including local government, has been imbued with the language of business management. In part, this has occurred because other levels of government have brought changes to the operation of local government and also because public sector managers have accepted the conventional wisdom that the private sector provides the better model for managing large organisations. But how useful is this way of operating in the public sector? This thesis argues that local government management continues to be 'captured' by the dominant ideology of neoliberalism. This ideology has shaped the politically conservative policies of many western countries and is based on economic theories of public choice and agency, which essentially argue that the market is the key sphere of influence that, if it is left to regulate itself without undue government intervention, inevitably brings order and prosperity. The neoliberal theory of the market - economic rationalism - still appears to dominate language and thinking within local government, and this may not be in the best interests of either local government organisations or the communities they serve. Management theories arising from the private sector, in the main, do not take account of the direct engagement of local government with local communities, the ethic of service, the breadth of services provided and the political environment of local government. Nor do they fully address issues such as the impact on the practice of management of CEO values, worldviews and unconscious motivations. This research aims to take account of the rich unspoken, unconscious meanings in human dialogue and interaction. In order to gain a deeper understanding of the breadth of experience in being a local government CEO, the researcher conducted face-to-face semistructured interviews with 18 (23per cent) of Victorian local government CEOs. Then the researcher observed one local government CEO at her workplace, over a period of six months. The thesis draws on socio-analytic theory to look beyond currently popular management theories, with their emphases on rationality and instrumentality, to examine the beliefs and motives local government CEOs bring to their work. It concludes that local government is not a non-profit variant of private enterprise and that the importation of business language and tools has damaged local government's service role. It argues for a renewal of commitment to the values of service and to leadership that encompasses both rational and non-rational aspects of managing people. The real work of the leader is to participate in a relationship with staff that acknowledges that projections, splitting and denial do occur and to be patient with their effects. The more able a leader is to contain the projected fantasy material of those around her, the better leader she will be.
38
Bollard, Robert. "The active chorus : Victorian participation in the mass strike of 1917." Thesis, 2004. https://vuir.vu.edu.au/32985/.
Full textAbstract:
In 1917, eastern Australia was in the grip of a mass strike. Of the 97,000 workers
who struck for varying periods between August and December 1917, thirteen per
cent (over 14,000) were Victorian. This thesis will attempt to redress the
historiographical neglect of these Victorian strikes. It will do so by focusing on the
conflict between the rank and file of the unions involved and their officials. It will
draw upon Rosa Luxemburg's analysis of the phenomenon of the mass strike as well
as upon a tradition of Marxist analysis stretching from Luxemburg herself, through
Antonio Gramsci to Tony Cliff, which stresses the role of the trade union
bureaucracy as a principle buttress of reformism. Seen in this light, any rank and file
revolt is a positive development. Indeed, one on the scale of 1917 in eastern
Australia is clearly of immense significance. The fact that the strike was
disorganised and had no clear strategic direction, while regrettable, does not alter
this.
39
O'Halloran, Michael. "Working conditions of Vietnamese-Australian people with limited English language skills." Thesis, 1999. https://vuir.vu.edu.au/32976/.
Full textAbstract:
This dissertation examines a number of aspects of the Vietnamese-Australian community
and traces their progress from the mid-1970s when the bulk of these migrants were
refugees. The rates of unemployment over the past two decades for this group are the
focus of much research and the results of this research are discussed at length. Similarly,
the types of employment that these people entered are studied in depth by eminent
researchers, and these results are also discussed.
The main focus of this study, however, concerns the working conditions of members of
the Vietnamese-Australian community who are not very proficient in the English
language. A number of these people were interviewed for this project and produced some
very important data. The interviewees talked of their working conditions, which included
their rates of pay, and the entitlements that they should legally receive, but do not. There
are a perceived number of reasons for the plight of these workers, and the people who
endure such pay and conditions discuss these reasons.
40
Adam, Tas. "Determining an e-learning model for students with learning disabilities : an analysis of web-based technologies and curriculum." Thesis, 2010. https://vuir.vu.edu.au/18969/.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis investigates the impact of ICT on the learning outcomes for Learning
Disabilities (LD) or special needs students, in a special school setting. The literature
reported a significant prevalence of LD universally, ranging from physical and mild to
extreme disabilities. It highlighted that there are a significant number of students with
learning disabilities who require assistance and support in their learning. Assistive
technology plays a significant role for educators and students with learning disabilities
in facilitating the learning outcomes. The Internet and Information and Communication
Technologies (ICT) play a major part in shaping the knowledge and skills of LD
students. Assistive technology has introduced awareness for both educators and
students and, for the past decade, there has been a growing effort in designing and
developing ICT based platforms to enhance the learning outcomes of these students.
With the emergence of new technologies like Web 2.0, the need to design appropriate
tools and provide an environment that is conducive to successful learning is stronger.
This thesis examines the various teaching methodologies and ICT innovation in a
holistic way. The literature shows that although there are some studies that investigate
the impact of technology on the learning for special needs students, most of the data are
second source. This study presents results from participant observations in two outer
suburban special schools with students aged between 14-18 years, and in addition,
examines the role and impact of Education Department policies on the schools‘ ICT
environment. These observations are compared with a study based on an individual
case of a student from Prep to Year 12 and TAFE. This study identified different
categories of special needs students who were catered for in these special schools.
These ranged from students with physical or cognitive disabilities, to mainstream
students placed temporarily in a hospital. The latter group received ICT support to
continue their studies which is now facilitated through a virtual classroom environment.
41
Rahman, Fashiur. "Hydraulic conductivity and chemical compatibility of some Victorian soils used as liners for waste containment." Thesis, 2000. https://vuir.vu.edu.au/15668/.
Full textAbstract:
Wastes generated due to human activities pose a threat to the environment, and their safe and economical disposal is warranted. Landfilling of these wastes is still the most widely practised and viable alternative for their disposal. This is usually accomplished by using engineered waste containment systems in which compacted liners of predominantly clay soils are employed between waste and natural ground to act as barrier to chemical leaching. It follows that the design hydraulic conductivity of the clay is a governing parameter and many environmental regulations require this parameter to be less than 1x10"' m/s. Therefore, the precise assessment of hydraulic conductivity and the compatibility of the liner material with the permeant or leachate encountered, is paramount to ensure the effective performance of the clay liner. This thesis reports the test results of the compatibility and hydraulic conductivity of some Victorian soils used for liner construction.
42
Wijesuriya, Wipulal Sardha. "Investigation of the relationships between biomass reduction, soil disturbance, soil nutrients and weed invasion in basalt plains native grassland remnants in Victoria, Australia." Thesis, 1999. https://vuir.vu.edu.au/15240/.
Full textAbstract:
The investigations reported in this thesis examined the relationships between biomass reduction (burning and mowing), soil disturbance, soil nutrient levels (N, P and K) and weed invasion in native grassland remnants in Victoria, Australia.
The study was carried out at three native grassland remnant sites, Derrimut grassland reserve, Laverton grassland reserve and Victoria University of Technology, St. Albans campus grassland reserve on the westem edge of Melboume, Australia.
These grassland remnants belong to the Western Basalt Plains grassland community which is listed as threatened in Victoria, and which forms part of the lowland temperate grasslands which once extended across south eastern Australia. A major threat to the survival of these communities is invasion by a variety of weeds. Weed
invasion is often markedly enhanced by disturbance of the soil due to ploughing and overgrazing. It is known that some type of biomass reduction (burning, mowing or
grazing) is required to prevent the dominant native perennial tussock grasses from over shadowing the diversity of forbs that grow between the tussocks, but the effects of
various biomass reduction methods on weediness, and the underlying causes of weediness, have not been studied in any depth.
The outcomes of the investigation are currently being applied to the management and rehabilitation of lowland grassland remnants. Most previous studies of lowland grassland rehabilitation and management have assumed that the key determinant of competition between native and exotic plant species in lowland grasslands is above-ground cover. The results reported in this thesis clearly show that
below-ground competition for nutrients is also important in determining the extent of exotic and native plant growth in intact and disturbed areas. The successful establishment of native species during revegetation, with low levels of weed growth, will depend on the extent to which below ground growth of natives is achieved to lower available nutrient levels quickly, and prevent large scale growth of exotics. The management of lowland grassland remnants with low levels of flatweeds and annual grasses will likewise depend on the maintenance of a healthy sward of native vegetation which can keep available nutrients in the soil at low levels, especially when above-ground cover is removed by biomass reduction actions such as burning, mowing and grazing.
43
Muller, Anthony. "A needs analysis for Phillip Island Information Centre, within the Fauna Island project." Thesis, 1990. https://vuir.vu.edu.au/15648/.
Full textAbstract:
The Victorian Department of Conservation & Environment(DCE), "Fauna Island" project brief targeted the redevelopment of the information centre at Newhaven as one of several strategies in improving tourism and the wildlife viewing on Phillip Island. This study examined this little researched priority through a broad review of relevant literature; surveys and interviews with intrastate, interstate, and international visitors to the Island and existing centre; and consultation with relevant tourism operators and providers of tourist related facilities and infrastructure.
44
Funnell, Rita. "Opinions of registered nurses about quality of working life in Victoria’s public hospitals." Thesis, 2010. https://vuir.vu.edu.au/16010/.
Full textAbstract:
High quality of working life is vital for maintaining an adequate workforce, and given the current global nursing workforce shortage, the quality of nurses’ working lives is of particular importance. The literature suggests that ensuring working conditions are attractive enough to retain nurses in the workforce is the most cost-effective and sustainable strategy for addressing the nursing shortage.
Drawing upon the Theory of Work Adjustment as a theoretical framework, this cross-sectional, mixed-method study sought to explore the opinions about quality of working life held by nurses working in public hospitals in Victoria. Differences in opinion about key aspects of working life between nurses who planned to continue a career in nursing and those who planned to make a career change were also sought. Data were collected using a Likert-style survey and semi-structured interviews and were analysed by means of the SPSS computer program and qualitative content analysis.
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Seyers, Lawrence Robert. "Understanding outer-urban governance: a case study of local government administration in Melbourne's north-west." Thesis, 2009. https://vuir.vu.edu.au/15495/.
Full textAbstract:
The research aims to provide an understanding of local governance in an outer metropolitan area of Melbourne. Through the examination of the policy framework that
has established and maintained community governance in Victoria by the State Government from the period of local government amalgamations in 1994 to the present day and the use of a case study, Hume City Council, the thesis has descriptive and analytical elements drawing on empirical inquiry using case study methodology. The case study method has been chosen because it is most suitable for discovering how the community participants perceive their level of governance and their desires for future governance structures.
Since the dramatic reforms of local government in Victoria, there have only been two governance reviews; at Hume City Council in 2000 and at Delatite Shire in 2002. In
addition, minor boundary realignments were made to the Cities of Melbourne and Moonee Valley in 2007. These are the only attempts at a review of the structure of local
Understanding Outer-Urban Governance: A case study of local
government in Victoria since the Kennett Government reforms. This thesis reaches the conclusion that the concept of wicked problems is applicable to the management of the case study and other complex problems created as a result of amalgamation. The wicked problem context of this thesis cites decision making as the major focus. Through
decisions about authority, governance, identity and community consultation the key concept of trust is questioned which has led to the inherent unsatisfactory resolution of the selected local government wicked problems.
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Sayakhot, Padaphet. "Perceptions and experiences of Laotian women living in Australia with managing menopause." Thesis, 2005. https://vuir.vu.edu.au/33015/.
Full textAbstract:
A more universal approach to an understanding of menopause can offer health
professionals a broader view of the phenomenon. Menopause is an important time in a
woman's life. As her body is going through changes that can affect her social life, her
feelings about herself and her ability to work. In the past, menopause was often surrounded
by misconceptions and myths. Now, it is recognized that menopause is a natural step in the
process of aging. However, different ethnic cultures perceive and experience menopause
differently. Women in some Asian cultures, such as Chinese, Indian and Laotian cultures
hold more esteemed positions in their culture when they are older and menopausal, while
western societies may devalue the role of women as they age.
The purpose of this thesis was to examine the perceptions and the experiences of women
with Laotian cultural backgrounds living in Victoria, Australia, in regards to how they
manage menopause, and to examine the Laotian cultural influence on the perceptions of
menopause. The research methodology was decided to use surveys or structured interviews
as the means of collecting data. The survey was used to collect demographic data, and
record social demographic and cultural factors, menopausal symptoms and menopausal
management. Data was collected from 55 Laotian women residing in Victoria.
Participating women were recruited by word of mouth, and through a Laotian community
representative of Victoria. One of the three methods, such as interviewer-administered
questionnaire, self-administered questionnaire and telephone interviewing was used to
survey Laotian women who were aged between 45 and 65years old.
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Harrison, Lorraine Jessie. "Feeling the heat : workers' experiences of job stress in the Victorian community services sector." Thesis, 2013. https://vuir.vu.edu.au/21792/.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis examines work stress in the Community Services Sector (CSS) in Victoria. Psychological injuries are extremely high in the CSS (WorkSafe Victoria), and yet there has been no research specifically addressing this issue in the sector. Further, there has been little research that examines workers’ perspectives of work stress. The thesis thus focuses on the ‘missing voices’ of workers by outlining what workers have to say about work stress, its causes and its effects. In order to place this research into both its historical and socio-political contexts, the genealogical roots of work in the CSS are examined and the impact of neo-liberalism on the sector critically assessed.
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Sood, Hitu. "Exploring Open Innovation in the Biotechnology Industry: A Qualitative Study." Thesis, 2020. https://vuir.vu.edu.au/41807/.
Full textAbstract:
Open Innovation (OI) is a new paradigm in innovation suitable for organisations characterised by Research and Development (R&D), and for organisations that are global and operating in high- technology industries. Although exceedingly relevant to Australian businesses due to the location challenge faced by Australia, to date OI is only sparsely researched in the Australian context. The majority of research published on OI is in the European or American context. This qualitative case study therefore, investigated OI in the Victorian Biotechnology Industry, which meets the characteristics of organisations suitable for OI. The aim of this research is to understand the micro-foundations of OI and its implications from individual managers’ perspective in Biotechnology organisations; and to explore how organisations and individuals can manage these implications. The results of this study show how the implications of OI can be managed at an individual level and also at, the organisational level without heavy investment or major changes.
Applying the lens of Knowledge Based Theory of the firm, this research examines the perspectives of various stakeholders on OI in the Biotechnology industry. This research explored individual managers’ interpretation of the OI phenomenon based on their overall experience of OI in their organisations. The interpretivist paradigm enabled an understanding into the reality of the phenomenon as seen by the practitioners of OI. It allowed the Researcher to search for patterns of meaning while describing meanings that the managers assigned to OI; their view of the implications of being open for innovation, and examining how OI was managed in their organisations. The data for this study was collected based on the considerations of theoretical saturation which was achieved from eight Biotechnology organisations in the state of Victoria in Australia. A total of twenty interviews were conducted with ten participants from the eight Biotechnology organisations. In addition, for triangulation, six interviews with five participants from: a Contract Research Organisation (CRO), a premier Australian Research Institute (RI), and an Industry Body (IB) for the Biotechnology industry were conducted. By including a variety of stakeholders from the industry this research is able to present a holistic picture of OI in the Victorian Biotechnology industry. Although a small sample, saturation of information was reached from the rich data that emanated from the semi-structured interviews, analysis of documents collected, and from information posted on websites. The data set was so rich that issues of validity and reliability were easily justified from the analysed data.
Literature on OI has suggested that one of the implications of OI is that it requires considerable changes in the policies, processes and systems of organisations. The findings of this research suggest that the nature of the Biotechnology industry is such that it is knowledge intensive, participates in R&D, is technology based, and adopts OI without much effort in change management. OI was viewed as ingrained in the nature of scientific work and not an entirely novel phenomenon within the Biotechnology industry in Victoria. The Biotechnology firms investigated did not have to incorporate any major changes to realise OI, nor required implementing any specific systems, processes or procedures for the management of OI. Consequently, the changes experienced by individuals in these organisations for OI were minimal. The findings of this research, vary from earlier studies on OI in the American and European context that suggest that there are considerable implications due to the ‘not-invented-here’ syndrome. This research instead suggests that there are other implications that need more attention. For the Biotechnology organisations in this research OI promoted greater learning, improved staff morale and more team work. OI also required individuals to balance diverse stakeholder demands, learn better time management and communication, be more open to change as well as overcome ego, fear and distrust while attempting to form external partnerships. Additionally, these research findings suggest that entrepreneurial thinking, team work and cross-disciplinary knowledge are major enablers for OI in organisations.
The findings on the implications of OI in terms of the benefits and challenges highlight the dichotomy of saving time and money due to OI while also facing the challenge of risking time and money when working with external partners. To realise the benefits of OI these organisations had to harness the advantages of opposing forces such as: revealing and being open, efficiency and innovation, hierarchy and networks, teamwork and individual accountability, maintaining cost control and ensuring quality, as well as a centralised vision with decentralised autonomy. For individuals in the Biotechnology organisations this meant dealing with these paradoxes. The findings highlight that at an individual level OI can lead to a struggle to manage timelines and resource constraints while striving for quality; learning to balance between disclosure and discretion when interacting with external partners; retrieving internal knowledge while gaining new knowledge; working collaboratively internally and externally while being individually responsible.
The findings of this study suggest that OI increasingly requires knowledge exchange while contending with dualities and paradox at both individual and organisational level. Importantly this research highlights that Organisational Fluidity and Agility enables balancing and managing these dualities and paradox. The characteristics of Organisational Fluidity and Agility such as: porous boundaries, fluidity in processes and systems, resource mobility and temporary project teams are useful for OI as determined from the Biotechnology organisations. As these organisations were also Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) that are generally known to be responsive and flexible, it is deemed that the overall agility and fluidity of these organisations further provided on-going support for OI.
This research confirms that OI was facilitated in these Biotechnology SMEs due to their Organisational Fluidity and Agility at an individual and organisational level. At the individual level, Organisational Fluidity and Agility was supported through the use of flexible processes, systems, roles and responsibilities. This allowed employees to better handle the dual demands placed on their time, knowledge and skills for OI.
The contribution this study makes is that OI is closely linked to Organisational Agility and Fluidity, both at the individual and organisational levels. Organisations do not necessarily need to undergo major transformation to gain the benefits of OI. The characteristics of agile and flexible organisations (such as: porous boundaries, fluidity in processes & systems, resource mobility and temporary project teams) appear to facilitate OI in the Biotechnology industry. At the individual level, individuals in Biotechnology SMEs are orientated towards collaboration (internally and externally) due to their scientific training and overall nature of knowledge intensive drug development process. Additionally, the small size and resource constraints of these Biotechnology organisations is the reason for individuals to adopt a more collaborative attitude towards innovation to stay ahead of competition. However, these findings are from one industry compromising of SMEs. Future research is required to explore these findings in other industries.
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Azhar, Aftab H. "Short term planning and operation of irrigation systems." Thesis, 2001. https://vuir.vu.edu.au/15766/.
Full textAbstract:
In recent times, with regards to rural water supplies in Victoria and most other parts of Australia, emphasis is placed more on efficient use of existing water resources than on new resource developments. This is especially true for irrigation systems. This emphasis is mainly due to limited funds available for construction works, lack of
suitable hydrologic sites, and the spirited and justifiable lobbying of enviromnental groups against construction of new projects. Hence to meet the increased water demands, efficient operation of existing irrigation systems is required. Recently with the high computational power of personal computers, irrigation scheduling based on an accounting of soil water budget components has become popular around the world. This research project focuses on such irrigation scheduling techniques, with the aim of improving the efficiency of water use, thus leading to conservation of water resources.
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Paracha, Zahir Javed. "Design and development of intelligent computational techniques for power quality data monitoring and management." Thesis, 2011. https://vuir.vu.edu.au/19381/.
Full textAbstract:
The most important requirement of power system operations is sustained availability and quality supply of electric power. In Electrical Power Distribution System (EPDS), non-linear loads are the main cause of power quality (PQ) degradation. The PQ problems generated by these non-linear loads are complex and diversified in nature. The power system which is not capable to handle non-linear loads faces the problem of voltage unbalance, sag, swell, momentary or temporary interruption and ultimately complete outage of EPDS. The PQ problems have motivated power system engineers to design and develop new methodologies and techniques to enhance EPDS performance. To do so, they are required to analyse the PQ data of the system under consideration. Since, the density of the monitoring nodes in EPDS is quite high, the aggregate analysis is computationally involved. In addition, the cost involved with the PQ shortcomings is significantly high (for domestic consumers and rises exponentially for industrial consumers), hence it also becomes mandatory to project /predict the undesired PQ disturbance in EPDS. This will provides power system engineers to formulate intelligent strategy for efficient power system operations. This objective of the research is to identify and exploit the hidden correlation in PQ data with minimal computational cost and further use this knowledge to classify any PQ disturbance that may occur. ... Further this research also investigates the power distribution system behaviour considering the relationship of main PQ disturbance harmonics in conjunction with the other major PQ parameters i.e. voltage unbalance, sag, swell and frequency.