bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of light and feeding on the fatty acid and sterol composition of zooxanthellae and host tissue isolated from the scleractinian coral Turbinaria reniformis
Authors: Treignier C. , Grover R. , Ferrier-Pagés C. , Tolosa I.
Published: November 2010

The fatty acid and sterol compositions of zooxanthellae and animal fractions of the scleractinian coral Turbinaria reniformis were investigated under different light and feeding conditions, to study the symbiont‐host exchanges. Nubbins were maintained during 6 weeks under two light levels (100 [mol photons m−2 s−1 and 300 [mol photons m−2 s−1) and two feeding levels (starved and fed with zooplankton) in a factorial experiment. There were greater proportions of some polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA; e.g., C18:4 n‐3, C20:5 n‐3, C22:6 n‐3) in the zooxanthellae than in the host, suggesting that these PUFA were synthesized by the algae and transferred to the animal. Conversely, C20:4 n‐6 exhibited a greater proportion in the host and might have been synthesized by the animal. Light affected the chlorophyll content, the rates of photosynthesis, and the lipid production of all coral samples. Corals maintained in high‐light conditions had lower relative phytol content but higher concentrations of fatty acids (FA) and sterols than the shaded corals. Feeding also affected coral metabolism, but differently according to the light level and despite the fact that the host did not directly incorporate the zooplankton lipids (PUFA and cholesterol). In low light, feeding resulted in an increase of growth rates and storage lipid concentrations, mainly saturated fatty acids (SAFA) and membrane constituents (PUFA and sterols). In high light, the lipid energy from the food was directed toward an increase in calcification, as well as in chlorophyll content and protein content. This study highlights the importance of feeding in sustaining coral metabolism, especially when light, or stress events, is limiting photosynthesis.
In situ photobiology of corals over large depth ranges: A multivariate analysis on the roles of environment, host, and algal symbiont
Authors: Frade P. R. , Bongaerts P. , Winkelhagen A. J. S. , Tonk L. , Bak R. P. M.
Published: November 2010

We applied a multivariate analysis to investigate the roles of host and symbiont on the in situ physiological response of genus Madracis holobionts towards light. Across a large depth gradient (5‐40 m) and for four Madracis species and three symbiont genotypes, we assessed several variables by measuring chlorophyll a fluorescence, photosynthetic pigment composition, or symbiont population descriptors. Most of the variation is explained by two major photobiological components: light‐use efficiency and symbiont cell densities. Two other minor components emphasize photoprotective pathways and light‐harvesting properties such as secondary pigments. Statistics highlight the role of irradiance on coral physiology and reveal mechanisms that are either genetically constrained, such as symbiont cell sizes, or environmentally dependent, such as photochemical efficiencies. Other parameters, such as cellular light‐harvesting and photoprotective pigment concentrations, are regulated by host, symbiont, and environment. The interaction between host and environment stresses the role of host properties in adjusting the internal environment available for the endosymbionts. Different holobiont strategies, relating to symbiont cell density, vary in their physiological optimization of light‐harvesting or photoprotective mechanisms and link to host‐species distribution and dominance over the reef slope. Symbiont functional diversity appears to have a significant role but does not explain host vertical distribution patterns per se, highlighting the importance of species‐specific morphological and physiological properties of the coral host.
Aerobic hydrogen production and dinitrogen fixation in the marine cyanobacterium Trichodesmium erythraeum IMS101
Authors: Punshon Stephen , Moore Robert M.
Published: November 2010

Rates of hydrogen production and acetylene reduction were measured in aerobic cultures of the marine cyanobacterium Trichodesmium erythraeum IMS101 grown in a supplemented seawater medium low in combined inorganic nitrogen. Both hydrogen production and acetylene reduction conformed to a circadian pattern with maximum activity in the afternoon. Normalized hydrogen production rates ranged from 0.06 to 0.71 nmol H2 [g chlorophyll a (Chl a)‐1 h‐1, while nitrogen fixation rates, calculated using an assumed ratio of 4 mol acetylene to 1 mol dinitrogen, ranged from 0.12 to 4.71 nmol N2 Chl a−1 h−1. Yields of hydrogen from nitrogen fixation were in the range 0.15–0.48 mol H2 evolved per mol N2 reduced. A comparatively low net rate of H2 uptake was observed in one culture during the dark period (20.01 nmol H2 [g Chl a−1 h−1). These measurements suggest that T. erythraeum is potentially a net source of hydrogen to the low‐latitude surface ocean.
Incorporation and burial of carbon from settling cyanobacterial blooms by deposit‐feeding macrofauna
Authors: Karlson Agnes M. L. , Nascimento Francisco J. A. , Elmgren Ragnar
Published: November 2010

Summer blooms of filamentous, nitrogen‐fixing cyanobacteria are typical of the Baltic Sea, and recent findings indicate that cyanobacteria may be an important food source for the benthos below the euphotic zone. In a 2‐week laboratory experiment, we measured incorporation of cyanobacterial carbon by the deposit‐feeding amphipod Monoporeia affinis when exposed to 14C‐radiolabeled, natural blooms of cyanobacteria dominated by either the toxic Nodularia spumigena or nontoxic Aphanizomenon sp. Carbon from both cyanobacterial blooms was used, with greater incorporation from Aphanizomenon‐dominated bloom material than from N. spumigena, indicating that the latter is less suitable as food. However, neither cyanobacterium supported significant amphipod growth. Also, less cyanobacterial carbon was mixed down in the sediment in the N. spumigena treatment, indicating lower bioturbation activity in this treatment. Long‐term effects on feeding and survival remain to be studied, especially for the toxic N. spumigena.
Environmental Effects in the Performance of Daily Tasks in Healthy Adults
Authors: Geusgens Chantal A. , van Heugten Caroline M. , Hagedoren Edith , Jolles Jelle , van den Heuvel Wim J.
Published: November 2010

OBJECTIVE. We examined the effect of switching from a familiar to an unfamiliar setting on household task performance in healthy adults. We also examined the influence of the cognitive functions abstract reasoning and memory on the ability to adapt to different environments.

METHOD. Thirty healthy adults were observed in two different settings while they performed two daily tasks. We evaluated process skill abilities in task performance, time needed to perform each task, memory functioning, and abstract reasoning.

RESULTS. Performance of both tasks required significantly more time in the unfamiliar kitchen. Scores on process skill abilities were significantly lower in the unfamiliar kitchen. We found no associations between environmental effects and abstract reasoning or memory.

CONCLUSION. We found environmental effects on task performance in healthy adults. These findings have important implications for rehabilitation practice. Addressing facilitation of transfer of training effects to familiar environments is of great importance to rehabilitation programs.
Arm–Hand Use in Healthy Older Adults
Authors: Rand Debbie , Eng Janice J.
Published: November 2010

OBJECTIVE. Our objectives were (1) to quantify arm–hand use of older adults without a disability and to determine the effects of hand dominance, gender, and day on hand usage and (2) to determine the factors that predict arm–hand use. This information will enhance understanding of the extent of the client’s occupational performance.

METHOD. Twenty men and 20 women, ages 65–85, wore wrist and hip accelerometers for 7 consecutive days. Manual dexterity and grip strength were assessed. A three-way factorial analysis of variance and multiple linear regressions were conducted.

RESULTS. The activity kilocounts from both wrist accelerometers revealed a significant interaction effect between hand and gender (F[1, 190] = 24.4, p < .001). Enhanced manual dexterity of the right hand was associated with greater right-hand use.

CONCLUSION. Arm–hand use is a novel dimension of hand function measuring the extent of real-life occupational performance in the client’s home.
Long-Handled Shoehorn Length, Body Mass Index, and Hip Range of Motion in Healthy Female Adults
Authors: Wehrkamp Rachel A. , Rice Martin S.
Published: November 2010

We examined the effect that long-handled shoehorn (LHSH) length and body mass index (BMI) have on hip range of motion (ROM) in female adults. Thirty-eight female participants were asked to don a shoe using 18-, 24-, and 30-in. LHSHs. Significant differences in hip flexion were found between the 18- and the 24-in. shoehorns and between the 18- and the 30-in. shoehorns. A significant positive relationship was found between BMI and internal rotation for each of the LHSHs. The results suggest that healthy women with low BMIs using a 24- or 30-in. LHSH have the greatest chance of not violating hip flexion or hip internal rotation ROM precautions. Implications suggest that therapists consider individual BMI and available hip ROM before prescribing an LHSH. A follow-up study is needed involving populations who would likely benefit from using LHSHs.
Effectiveness of Therapy Ball Chairs on Classroom Participation in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders
Authors: Bagatell Nancy , Mirigliani Gina , Patterson Chrissa , Reyes Yadira , Test Lisa
Published: November 2010

A single-subject design was used to assess the effectiveness of therapy ball chairs on classroom participation in 6 boys with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The sensory processing pattern of each participant was assessed using the Sensory Processing Measure. Data on in-seat behavior and engagement were collected using digital video recordings during Circle Time. During baseline, participants sat on chairs. During intervention, participants sat on therapy ball chairs. Social validity was assessed by means of a questionnaire completed by the teacher. Each child demonstrated a unique response. The ball chair appeared to have a positive effect on in-seat behavior for the child who had the most extreme vestibular–proprioceptive-seeking behaviors. Children with poor postural stability were less engaged when sitting on the therapy ball chair. The results illuminate the complex nature of children with ASD and the importance of using sound clinical reasoning skills when recommending sensory strategies for the classroom.
Effects of a Tailored Activity Pacing Intervention on Pain and Fatigue for Adults With Osteoarthritis
Authors: Murphy Susan L. , Lyden Angela K. , Smith Dylan M. , Dong Qian , Koliba Jessica F.
Published: November 2010

OBJECTIVE. We examined whether tailored activity pacing intervention was more effective at reducing pain and fatigue than general activity pacing intervention.

METHOD. Adults with knee or hip osteoarthritis (N = 32) stratified by age and gender were randomized to receive either tailored or general pacing intervention. Participants wore an accelerometer for 5 days that measured physical activity and allowed for repeated symptom assessment. Physical activity and symptom data were used to tailor activity pacing instruction. Outcomes at 10-week follow-up were pain (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index) and fatigue (Brief Fatigue Inventory).

RESULTS. Compared with general intervention, the tailored group had less fatigue interference (p = .02) and trended toward decreased fatigue severity (p = .09) at 10-wk follow-up. No group differences were found in pain reduction.

CONCLUSION. Tailoring instruction on the basis of recent symptoms and physical activity may be a more effective symptom management approach than general instruction given the positive effects on fatigue.
High-Definition Occupational Therapy: HD OT
Authors: Clark Florence
Published: November 2010

This article was taken from Dr. Florence Clark’s address given at the AOTA Annual Conference & Expo, held in Orlando, Florida, April 29–May 2, 2010.
Trade associations: Exploring the Trans Tasman environment for business associability
Authors: Perry Martin
Published: November 2010

Trade associations are a form of business network distinguished by third party coordination and representation of sector-affiliated organisations. In New Zealand, a recent review found that trade associations have made increasing contributions to industry and business development. The possibility that New Zealand's associations benefit from a small country advantage in supporting collective activity is explored. This follows suggestions in the New Zealand survey and Nordic claims that small economies benefit from shared trust that facilitates business cooperation. A matched sample of 13 Australian and New Zealand trade associations reveals that New Zealand's associations tend to have higher levels of membership and are less troubled by ‘free riders’ than their Australian counterparts. There is weak evidence that support for trade associations reduces with increases in enterprise diversity (size and activity specialization) within an industry and that the organisation of industry value chains influences trade association activity. Any advantage in maintaining participation is reduced by the greater resource strength of Australian associations. Further investigations of Trans Tasman differences in business associability are justified.
Organisational and group antecedents of work group service innovativeness
Authors: Nsenduluka Evaristo , Shee Himanshu Kumar
Published: November 2010

This study examined the individual and combined effects of the organisational-level variables of climate and task design, and the group-level variables of group citizenship behaviour (GCB), market orientation, group self-efficacy (GSE), and group climate for innovation (GCI) on work group service innovativeness. Specifically, this study theorised that work group service innovativeness is a product of both organisational (organisational climate and task design) and work group (GCB, market orientation, and GSE) contexts. Drawing upon the theories and literature, six hypotheses were derived. Data were collected through a 64-item questionnaire using a 7-point Likert scale from four hotels in Melbourne, Australia. Results indicated that organisational climate, task design, GCB, group self-efficacy, and group climate for innovation were significant predictors of work group service innovativeness, while market orientation was not. Limitations, future directions, managerial and research implications are explored.
Emotional intelligence in teams: Development and initial validation of the short version of the Workgroup Emotional Intelligence Profile (WEIP-S)
Authors: Jordan Peter J , Lawrence Sandra A
Published: November 2010

Research reveals that emotional intelligence is an important factor in predicting performance in teams. In this article, we initially outline a theoretical model for examining emotional intelligence in teams. Using this model, we test a short version (16 items) of the self-report Workgroup Emotional Intelligence Profile (WEIP). Evidence from three studies supports this model. Two samples of 620 and 217 employees support the hypothesized structure of the WEIP-S. Four distinct constructs were derived: Awareness of own emotions; Management of own emotions; Awareness of others' emotions; and Management of others' emotions. The WEIP-Short Version (WEIP-S) scale, therefore, is based on abilities that are vital during the interaction of team members. Data from 99 employees provide evidence of test–retest stability for the WEIP-S across three time periods. Limitations and potential uses in management research for this short-version scale are discussed.
Exploring the antecedents of perceived diversity
Authors: Shrivastava Samir , Gregory Janet
Published: November 2010

We explore whether differences in perceptions of diversity might emanate from the characteristics of perceivers themselves rather than from the characteristics of those observed. Grounding our arguments in self- and social-identity theory, we hypothesize that individuals respond differently to the same diversity stimuli because they differ in their ‘propensity to stereotype’ and ‘diversity experience.’ Since individuals tend to gravitate towards similar others, we also hypothesize that perceived diversity can predict an individual's ‘desire to group’ with others. Over 200 individuals – staff and students – from a university were exposed to diverse stimuli in an online experiment in a bid to test the hypotheses. Structural Equation Modeling of the data generally supported the hypothesized relationships.
Walking the tightrope: Constructing gender and professional identities in account management
Authors: Gremmen Inne , Benschop Yvonne
Published: November 2010

This paper contributes to the growing stream of organization research that explores the relationship between professional identities and gender. Our central question pertains to how account managers ‘do gender’ in constructing their professional identities. While account management has been considered a sales occupation with a strong masculine connotation, some indications towards ‘feminization’ have also been observed. Our analysis of 39 interviews with white women and men working as account managers in the Netherlands suggests that these account managers construct a ‘tough salesman’ identity and a ‘co-operative communicator’ identity. These identities have different gender connotations. The ‘co-operative communicator’ identity facilitates a critical dialogue with the – often implicit – masculinity in the ‘tough salesman’ identity norm. We reflect on the effects of these gender connotations both for account managers and for our practice as organization researchers who intend to deconstruct rather than reproduce gender stereotypes in our study of professional identities.
Queer theory and diversity management: Reading codes of conduct from a queer perspective
Authors: Bendl Regine , Fleischmann Alexander , Hofmann Roswitha
Published: November 2010

Queer theory is a relatively new theoretical approach in organizational discourse that we think can uncover power relations and normative and hierarchical processes in diversity management discourse. ‘Heteronormativity’ and ‘performativity’, core concepts of queer theory, critique categorization and fixed identities and thereby problematize and broaden perspectives on current diversity management discourse, especially those associated with organizational constructions of diversity dimensions. In this article, we focus on the discursive and intersectional construction of subject positions and identities within organizations by drawing upon a queer theoretical framework to analyze three companies' codes of conduct that claim to create an inclusive work environment. The deconstructive analysis of these discursive artifacts emphasizes the intersectional power dynamics of and between the categories of sex, gender and sexuality, and can be taken as a point of departure for questioning the heteronormative arrangements of diversity management practices.
Organisational Myths and Storytelling as Communication Management: A Conceptual Framework for Learning an Organisation's Culture
Authors: Kaye Michael
Published: November 2010

This paper explains how organisational myths and stories are vehicles of communication management (Kaye 1993; 1994). Contemporary scholars (eg Brown 1992; Boje 1991b) have argued that stories and myths are not only important communicative tools for learning within organisations but also powerful media for bringing about changes in people and in the culture of their workplace. People-associated changes include ways in which professional relationships and interpersonal communication are affected. In turn, the effects of mythologising and storytelling on organisational behaviour and communication are likely to have further-reaching consequences in shaping the culture of human systems.

Myth-making in organisations involves the identification of heroic and legendary archetypes. Such archetypes often serve as exemplars or role models for people-in-systems. The telling of stories involving heroic role models can have a marked influence on the shaping of communication between managers and their staff. Often the exploits of heroes become embellished through repeated oral versions. Stories gradually acquire a mythical quality or status. Significantly, the incorporation of stories into an organisation's culture will depend a lot on the credibility of the storyteller. When managers are perceived to have high credibility, they have a powerful means of helping those they supervise to learn, to achieve professional goals, and thus to contribute to the strategic growth of their organisations.

In this paper, myth-making and storytelling are considered to be specialised facets of communicative competence and analysed in terms of the Adult Communication Management Model (Kaye 1993; 1994). Attention is given to the effect of myth-making and storytelling on the covert ‘shadow-side’ culture of human systems. It is argued that the understanding and management of shadow-side communication is an integral component of effective organisational behaviour and survival. It is also proposed that such understanding and the ability to manage shadow-side communication is closely related to managers' awareness of prevailing myths and stories within their organisations. Finally, it is argued that managers who are skilled storytellers have the opportunity to help their staff develop communication abilities in a workplace conducive to learning.
Snakes and Ladders: Relocation and the Dual Career Couple
Authors: Pierce Jennifer , Delahaye Brian L.
Published: November 2010

The dual career couple is a contemporary and growing phenomenon in western industrialised nations. There are numerous human resource management issues associated with the dual career couple. The focus of this paper is on just one of these issues — employee relocation. The research reported here found that dual career employees are concerned about their partner's career prospects and unless current career levels can be maintained for the trailing partner, organisations may experience relocation resistance. Of specific interest in the Australian context is that organisations with operations in country areas may be particularly affected, since country areas are less likely to offer desirable career opportunities for trailing partners. Further, organisational mobility expectations frequently force couples to decide which partner's career will take precedence. Historically it has been the male partner's career, even in dual career relationships. The findings from this study suggest that such decisions are becoming more complex, with couples placing greater emphasis on economic and quality of life concerns. Traditionally, organisations have relied on employee mobility as a career development strategy. However, greater emphasis on long-term human resource planning is advocated to facilitate career development strategies which are less reliant on geographical relocation. Further, if organisations are to retain their dual career employees, relocation assistance packages may need re-assessment to reflect the needs of those employees who are unwilling to sacrifice their partners' careers for the sake of their own.
Alternative Production Regimes: The Challenge to Karpin
Authors: Harding Sandra
Published: November 2010

This paper is born of a deep concern about the premise upon which Enterprising Nation, Report of the Industry Task Force on Leadership and Management Skills (The Karpin Report), was undertaken. I argue that the review, report and recommendations are based on a set of simplifying assumptions that are essentially limiting. By conforming to a view of business embedded in neoclassical economic theory, the Task Force has not explored the implications of current developments worldwide that demonstrate the remarkable capacity of small-scale production to galvanise regions like the Third Italy and the Basque provinces of Spain. These enormously productive regions base their economic activity upon a capacity to cooperate as well as compete and this is anathema to the unmitigated competition that the Task Force takes as given in its recommendations about the development of management/leadership in Australia. Moreover, a reliance on this particular theoretical perspective has limited the Task Force's understanding of, and response to, organisational inequality. Ultimately, I argue that the five challenges articulated by the Task Force are important, but I interpret them differently in the light of a broader and more socially-embedded understanding of the importance and nature of business. In particular, management/leadership of the future will be an integral part of all worker's roles; it will no longer be confined to an organisational or societal elite. Understanding and preparing for the universalism of management in the future is a key challenge for both industry and management education.
The Impact of CEO Role Behaviour on Firm Performance
Authors: Zakliki Mohammad , Christodoulou Chris
Published: November 2010

The impact of executive leadership on organisational performance has been the focus of study for many years. This study, of CEOs of Australian publicly listed companies, used the Competing Values Framework developed by Hart and Quinn (1993) to measure CEO role behaviour. It consists of four competing roles: Vision Setter, Motivator, Analyser, and Task Master. These roles were tested against three dimensions of firm performance: Financial, Business, and Organisational Effectiveness Performance. The results showed that there was little functional connection between executive leadership and firm performance.

Further, the organisational effectiveness factor was the domain of firm performance most influenced by CEOs. Task Master role was the only role behaviour which had a positive relationship with any domain of firm performance.

Behavioural complexity of leadership behaviour had a positive relationship with organisational effectiveness performance in large firms and for firms following an analyser type of strategy. Behavioural complexity also had a positive relationship with business performance for firms following an analyser type of strategy. However, there was no association between behavioural complexity and financial performance regardless of situational factors.

These findings suggest that effective CEOs are required to demonstrate paradoxical skills, and that any approach for developing management skills must involve a heavy dose of practical application.
Home, Work and Management in the Information Age
Authors: Standen Peter
Published: November 2010

Allowing employees to work at home for at least part of the week is a management concept said to be rapidly gaining popularity. There is evidence that employees working at home are more productive, satisfied and committed, and that homeworking allows organisations to reduce office overheads, recruit from a wider pool, and retain valued workers. This paper examines the spread of homeworking and its telecommunications-based variant teleworking in Australia. A survey of human resource managers in Western Australia shows that, while 28 percent of large organisations have homeworkers, they are generally few in number and permitted only on an informal basis. Factors inhibiting use of homeworking include a lack of awareness and support amongst senior and middle managers, concerns over issues such as security and occupational health, and unsupportive organisational cultures. It is concluded that, contrary to media reporting, home-working and teleworking are not likely to become widespread in Australia in the near future.
Determinants of Organisational Size: Bhp and Vertical Integration 1885–1915
Authors: Blackmur Douglas
Published: November 2010

Abstbact

One of the most important strategic issues for managers involves deciding the size of the organisation. Factors which influence this decision include economic, social and political change. The boundaries of the organisation are thus not fixed, and are in part contingent upon the particular characteristics of the environmental context. Theoretical progress in the discipline of strategic management, as far as it relates to matters of organisational size (and structure), requires that serious consideration be given to the analysis of the dynamics of vertical integration which is available in the New Institutional Economics literature. One of the most interesting strands in this literature is the Transactions Costs Economics developed by R.H. Coase and O.E. Williamson. This paper provides an overview of the Coase-Williamson theory of vertical integration. It then uses this theory as a point of departure in conducting an empirical discussion of decisions to integrate vertically taken by one of the world's largest mining enterprises, The Broken Hill Proprietary Company Limited, during the first 30 years of its existence. The paper seeks to demonstrate that theorising in strategic management is enriched if analytical (albeit critical) attention is paid to advances in the economics of organisation.
Analogies and Organisations: The Debt of Systems Theory to Thermodynamics
Authors: Roos Ian
Published: November 2010

Organisation theory makes extensive use of analogies to encourage diversity in thought and explanation of complex phenomena. Analogies are able to provide insights about the internal and external behaviour of organisations of organisations. This is readily observed in the use of the systems concept in the description of organisations.

Systems thinking is often seen as unifying; spanning the physical, biological, and social sciences. The term systems theory is perhaps a misnomer in that in its general form it is neither testable, falsifiable nor predictive. However, most of the theories or laws describing the physical universe use the concept of a system. It can be argued that it fits Kuhn's concept of a paradigm.
Contracting Out Information Technology in Public Sector Contexts: Research and Critique
Authors: Willcocks Leslie R , Currie Wendy L.
Published: November 2010

The growing trend towards IT outsourcing within the United Kingdom (UK) public sector is analysed. Factors influencing the degree of success experienced in a range of IT outsourcing deals are detailed, and then used as a framework for analysing and discussing two case histories — of selective and large-scale IT outsourcing — drawn from different parts of the public sector. Both examples demonstrate how distinctive public sector contexts influence the direction and degree of outsourcing. At the same time, they highlight a range of managerial and organisational issues raised by moves towards contractual, core competence forms of organising. Selective outsourcing is revealed as effective provided key decisions and actions are taken. The large-scale outsourcing case raises a number of critical issues not just for how it can be conducted in public sector contexts, but also about the efficacy of such arrangements in terms of cost savings, possible over-dependence on a few suppliers, and ability to respond flexibly to changing political requirements and legislation.
Technology Policy, Task Uncertainty and Organisational Performance
Authors: Dunk Alan S. , Roohani Saeed J.
Published: November 2010

Factors influencing organisational performance have attracted attention, both in the literature and in practice, as a means of responding to increasing market competition. One factor that may enhance performance is a technology policy and a number of organisations have implemented such policies. Technology policy proponents argue that a society's capacity for sustained technological innovation is crucial to its economic well being. The primary purpose of the present paper is to investigate the extent to which organisational performance is influenced by the use of a technology policy. Since the literature suggests that task difficulty and task variability may influence this relationship, the paper also examines these relationships. The results suggest there is an association between technology policy and performance and that this relation is influenced by task difficulty, but not task variability. The relationship between technology policy and performance seems to greater when task difficulty is high than it is when task difficulty is low.
Hong Kong Employees' Organisational Commitment before the 1997 Transition: Its Trend, Dimensionality and Relationships with other Human Resource Variables
Authors: Wong Chi-Sum
Published: November 2010

The present study replicates previous surveys in examining Hong Kong employees' organisational commitment, intention to leave, job satisfaction, self-perceived performance, and motivational job characteristics. The results suggest few changes over the four year period examined, despite the 1997 transition to China approaching. Structural equation modelling was used to examine the dimensionality of the organisational commitment scale used and the impacts of aspects of organisational commitment on various human resource outcomes were examined. The results confirmed the three commitment dimensions proposed by the scale's developers and suggested that continuance commitment has the strongest relationship with people's intention to leave, value commitment has the strongest relationship with job satisfaction and also has a positive impact on performance.
Human Resources on the Waterfront: Managing History
Authors: Whiteley A. , McCabe M. , Savery L.
Published: November 2010

The present paper examines the introduction of the Conaust (Fremantle) 1991 Enterprise Based Agreement (EBA). It is more about impressions than about ‘facts’, presenting an interpretive view of the likelihood that the environment at Conaust was conducive to the deep change required by the EBA. The paper describes the nature of waterfront workers' (wharfie) work, the employee relations context within which the waterfront culture developed, the history of Conaust in Fremantle and the Conaust EBA. A central focus of the paper is the contradistinction between behaviours that were a part of the strong waterfront history and those that were accepted as part of the future.
If Management is ‘Common Sense’, Why is Sense in Management so Uncommon?
Authors: Lamond David
Published: November 2010

One of the more regular observations of management students and managers is that it (management) is all ‘common sense.’ We are left to ponder then, ‘if management is common sense, why is sense in management so uncommon?’ This question is prompted by observations of managers and their decisions and actions over a number of years and reflections about various models of management. It is also a question appropriately asked in light of ‘globalisation,’ which is currently fashionable. Can ‘sense’ in management ever be ‘common,’ or do we need to revise our understanding of what is a ‘sound, practical perception or understanding’ according to the contexts within which the perceptions take place?
Women Working as Casual Academics: A Marginalised Group
Authors: Bassett Penny , Marshall Helen
Published: November 2010

Organisations are becoming increasingly flexible in staffing, often using a small core of permanent staff and a peripheral contingent of contract, casual and temporary employees. Recent Australian and overseas studies suggest that this is also true in the higher education sector, with a casualisation of the academic workforce, particularly in the lecturer and below range. This is creating a large group of marginalised academics, the majority of whom are women. Such academics' opportunities may be limited because of the values implicit in the university culture. The possibility of a model of permanent academics on the one hand and a ‘casual’ underclass on the other has the potential to cause significant problems and to affect the quality of education provided.
The Impact of Networking on Marketing
Authors: Buttery E. Alan , Buttery E.M.
Published: November 2010

The paper provides a typology of networks, identifies key attributes of business networking and explains how they impact on marketing. The paper demonstrates the potential advantages that accrue to organisations that combine networking with marketing skills. It also provides a framework for developing such a combination.
The Two Faces of Authority: A Critique
Authors: Spillane Robert , Spillane Lynda
Published: November 2010

In the management literature, authority is generally defined as, or confused with, power (legitimate or otherwise) on the one hand, or (less frequently) attributed to subordinate concession on the other. In short, authority is thought to have two faces. The aim of the present paper is to demonstrate the confusions surrounding the use of authority and to suggest that more attention should be directed to the important differences between authority, power and legitimacy. An analysis of managerial authority is discussed that argues for the crucial relationship, recognised by the ancients, between authority and rhetoric. Authority, it is argued, is not legitimate power but a source of power and is established by effective rhetoric.
The Myth of the Disposition: Motivation and Personality in Management
Authors: Spillane Robert , Martin John
Published: November 2010

Readers of management books frequently find themselves among experts who claim to know about motivational and personality dispositions. However, they find it impossible to agree on the most basic of details. This paper argues that dispositions are myths derived from an inadequate grasp of their dubious logical and linguistic status. Concepts such as need, motive and trait are logically deficient because of the inherent problem of circularity and linguistically inadequate because of the vagueness of definition that applies to all dispositional theories. Two leading representatives of the motivational dispositional perspective in management [David McClelland and Abraham Maslow] serve as the basis for case studies in which the notions of need and motive are shown to be problematic. Personality traits are also analysed critically and reveal similar deficiencies. An analysis of the authoritarian personality serves as a third case study and reveals an important negative relationship between personality and intelligence. It is argued that personality reflects deficiencies rather than dispositions and an alternative view is offered which treats individuals as pattern perceivers and rational choosers of goals. Such a view, however, works against dispositionalism's scientism, which has found much favour with managers and their consultants for the past fifty years. Why this should be the case is briefly explored.
Black-Box Protection of Core Competencies in Strategic Alliances
Authors: Milgate Michael
Published: November 2010

This article presents a conceptual framework that participants in cooperative ventures may use to protect core competencies and proprietary information, while allowing the cooperative venture to benefit from these. While strategic alliances, in various forms, are becoming more common (Beamish and Delios, 1997), a potentially issue that often remains unresolved is how to protect your core competencies, while still cooperating openly with your partner, particularly when advanced technology is involved. It can be difficult for partners in an alliance to cooperate and openly share strategic know-how. Cooperation and openness are necessary, however, if a joint venture is to succeed. Since the success of any strategic alliance is based on cooperation, trust and an open sharing of competencies, potentially sensitive knowledge might be exposed through the joint venture. This is why many executives regard strategic alliances with reservation (Lorenz, 1992). They resist giving away core strategic competencies that might be misused in other contexts.
Lessons From the Evolution of the Strategy Paradigm
Authors: O'Shannassy Tim
Published: November 2010

A review of the strategy literature suggests there have been five phases in the evolution of the field since the Second World War. The present paper discusses each of these phases, drawing on developments in each decade to determine the key lessons for managers and researchers. In particular, it is suggested that ongoing concerns with the effectiveness of strategy implementation in the 1980s and 1990s have led the field to pay greater attention to managers' thought processes, the use of technology, organisational learning, organisational politics, organisational culture and group dynamics. It also appears that a debate has evolved as to whether strategy should be practiced as art, a science or a combination of both.
Australian Management Attitudes Toward Public Relations: Strategic Opportunities Lost
Authors: Steiner Carol J.
Published: November 2010

This paper reports some empirical research that examines how senior managers in large Australian organisations view and use public relations. The results suggest few Australian organisations practice ‘symmetric public relations,’ which means encouraging stakeholder participation in decisions, especially in corporate strategic planning. This may well represent lost strategic opportunities as it limits the scope of a firm's orientation to its external environment and denies firms the benefit of such an orientation.
Operationalising Vision and Mission
Authors: French Steven N , Kelly Stephen J , Harrison Jennifer L
Published: November 2010

This paper discusses an exploratory investigation into vision and mission, the starting points of the classical strategic planning process (Ginter, Rucks and Duncan 1985). Constructs measuring vision and mission are identified, as well as three other items that are frequently cited in the literature as being critical for effective formulation and implementation of vision and mission statements (latent abilities, market focus and competitor focus). It is argued that clearer definitions of these constructs and others discussed in strategic literature are a necessary step to allow empirical investigation into the interactions inherent in the strategic process.
Is The Sense We Take Equal To The Sense We Make? A Discussion on Sensemaking and Power in Organisations
Authors: Gordon Raymond D
Published: November 2010

Sensemaking is recognised as one of the key contemporary approaches to organisation studies. It not only responds to current debates in the field, but also appears to offer a way out of the unproductive and misguided paradigm wars of recent times. The sensemaking literature, however, addresses power implicitly. Sensemaking and the power-knowledge nexus is discussed, giving rise to an argument that suggests the sense people make in organizations may not be entirely their own. Rather, the sense people make may be largely constituted for them in the sense criteria (historical antecedents - constituted knowledge and codes of order) and the political context of the setting in and of, which they are making sense. Implications for managers and future research in regard to how people come to make the sense that they do are contemplated.
Is the Interaction of International Diversification and Economic Performance a Linear Relationship?
Authors: Mangos Nicholas C. , OBrien Peter W , Damania Richard
Published: November 2010

The current study analyses the effect of an international diversification strategy measured by multi-nationality and country scope, and tests its relationship with economic performance in the context of Australian corporate activity. Evidence from previous US studies on the relationship between international diversification strategy and economic performance was inconclusive, which suggests that research should go further with empirical analysis than testing for a linear relationship and should test for curvilinear relationships resulting from transactions costs analysis. Guided by that evidence a Chow test was used in the current study to establish a cut-off point that divided the sample of Australian firms into two subgroups (low-to-moderate and high level international diversification) to determine whether a non-linear relationship existed between economic performance and international diversification. This approach followed a similar technique used by Hitt, Hosskisson and Kim, (1997) and was used in this study as a method for determining two subgroups. The sample was selected from the population of large firms in Australia over a three-year period covering 1993-1995. The results suggest there is a statistically significant non-linear relationship between economic performance and multi-nationality. The results suggest that Australian corporations may be sensitive to the effect of transaction and managerial processing costs on the relationship between multi-nationality and economic performance resulting in a non-linear relationship.
Telecommuting and Perceived Productivity: An Australian Case Study
Authors: Tamrat Elsabet , Smith Malcolm
Published: November 2010

The concept of widespread “telecommuting” in a community envisages the presence of large numbers of employees who, instead of commuting to work, perform either all or a significant fraction of their tasks at home. It is widely accepted that large-scale adoption of telecommuting is just a matter of time in those countries with the necessary telecommunications infrastructure.

This paper reports on the conduct of a telecommuting project in a large Australian organisation. The data and the analyses demonstrate that, overall, the telecommuting project has been successful and brought benefits to both the employees and the organisation. The results also indicate the presence of strong positive links between the relationship/interactions telecommuters had with their supervisors, and the telecommuters' perception both of their own productivity, and their levels of satisfaction with the telecommuting experience. The tasks which telecommuters performed were also related to the employees' perception of productivity and job satisfaction.
The Case of the Bougainville Mine: Success and Failure in the Management of a Multinational Corporation
Authors: Tonks Graeme R , Dowling Peter J
Published: November 2010

Although inquiry into the impact of contextual factors on the governance of multinational enterprises (MNEs) has increased, primary attention has centred on MNEs from developed countries, which operate in other industrialised economies. There has been relatively little research into organisations from developed nations involved in less developed countries (LDCs). As this dearth of inquiry is particularly evident in South Pacific economies, this paper examines the management of Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL), an Australian mining company that operated in Papua New Guinea (PNG) until it was violently expelled by local communities in 1990. While this study supports research claiming that MNE performance depends upon the alignment of firms' internal and external environments, it demonstrates that alignment becomes increasingly difficult as characteristics in the host setting deviate from those in the home country. More importantly, it reveals that MNEs cannot survive under extremely divergent home—host conditions despite management efforts to control environmental variables. It also establishes that MNEs should focus contextual congruency on the host society, not the host country as widely suggested in the literature.