Research Students
Some Current Work and Organisational Studies PhD Students
| Research Student | Thesis Topic | Thesis Description |
|---|---|---|
Factors that influence employers in their skill use of immigrant professionals |
Australia has been encouraging skilled immigration in order to fill existing skill shortages. Yet existing literature suggests that there is a skill underutilisation of immigrant professionals. Factors that influence such skill underutilisation have been examined from the perspective of immigrants and policymakers. The extant literature suggests this skill underutilisation is due to reasons such as varying recognition of immigrant skills and experiences by employers, and lower levels of immigrant English language skills. To date, however, no Australian empirical research has been conducted to explore the specific factors that may influence employers in their recognition and skill utilisation of immigrant professionals. Using a case study of employers and recruiters in the Illawarra region, this research examines factors that influence employers in their skill use of immigrant professionals. Associate Professor Marian Baird and Dr Dimitria Groutsis are supervising this project. |
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An Analysis of the Contribution of Corporate Real Estate to Strategic Competitive Advantage |
As the field of strategic management has developed and expanded over the past few decades, the role of organisational resources as contributors to - or enablers of - competitive advantage has received much attention in management literature. In particular, the attention given to strategic human resource management and information technology strategy as contributors to value has seen these aspects move into the mainstream in organisational behaviour theory and practice. However, the potential for corporate real estate (CRE) resources to support value creation in organisations has not been given much attention. Business managers and industry practitioners tend to focus on CRE cost reduction and as a result, business-relevant outcomes from organisations' occupation of CRE are poorly understood. This research aims to address the knowledge gap through a holistic examination of CRE as a resource that combines in complex ways with other organisational resources to produce positive (or in some cases perhaps negative) outcomes. In particular, it aims to identify and analyse the positive (or negative) contribution CRE makes to competitive advantage. The focus is on highly knowledge-dependent organisations, and within this context top- and premium mid-tier law firms have been selected for the case studies. Associate Professor John Shields is supervising this project. |
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Changing shades of blue reshape police organisational culture |
The overall aim of the study is to find out how the changing ethnic diversity in New Zealand Police (through targeted recruitment of Maori, Pacific Island Peoples and Asian) impacts on and shapes organisational culture. The study aims to identify what diversity management policies are implemented and practised and what adaptations the organisation makes in recognising the contribution of this changing ethnic mix to the organisation and to the community. Associate Professor Suzanne Jamieson and Dr Dimitria Groutsis are supervising this project. |
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Organisational determinants of work-family arrangements in South African organizations. |
South Africa has unique work-family concerns, and, with increasing HIV/AIDS prevalence rates, its citizens face an enormous burden of care - concerns with this area of care (as opposed to elder care or child care) raise new and interesting perspectives that adds to the research undertaken in developed nations. This project involves the collection of primary data on work-family arrangements in South African organizations through a large scale survey of small and large organizations in different sectors in South Africa. The data analysis will provide both descriptive statistical information on the nature and spread of work-family practices that may have implications from a public policy perspective, but will also be utilized to test the propositions that have been developed to establish which organizational characteristics act as predictors of work-family arrangements in South African. Associate Professor Marian Baird and Dr Diane van den Broek are supervising this project. |
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MNC's labour utilisation strategies: Individual and organisational perspectives |
Much research into expatriation has attributed problems faced by expatriates to cultural issues. However, using culture as the main explanatory variable understates the role of other factors in the relationship, such as organisational strategy and the role local employees. This paper presents a theoretical model of international mobility and expatriation that seek to account for an array of emerging issues that have remained largely outside the scope of traditional expatriate research. By redefining the key outcome in terms of strategic goals for the organisation, the model allows for the consideration of new influences such as different forms of mobility, new employment relationships at the domestic level and the interaction between expatriates and local employees. In particular, the use of international and domestic employees, and of the patterns of tension and accommodation created by the MNC. Professor Russell Lansbury is supervising this project. |
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Insolvency, Employee Rights and Employee Buyouts |
Insolvency is an intractable issue. In Australia the priority rights of employees in a winding up are comparatively advantageous by international standards. However what has been a continuing problem is the inability or unwillingness of government to legislate to better protect employee entitlements. The present insolvency policy has been criticised as reactive and costly. The central aim of this research project is to examine the use of the employee buyout as a potential strategy, used with trade union support, to save jobs and entitlements in a failing company. A further aim is to examine whether this strategy extends trade union influence and membership as well as the industrial and political power of working people. Associate Professor Bradon Ellem and Dr Rae Cooper are supervising this project. |
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Employer strategy in the residential aged care sector in NSW |
This thesis investigates the forces and pressures that shape employer strategy in the residential aged care sector in NSW. The aged care sector is growing both as a proportion of the domestic economy and as a social issue, with the ageing of the Australian population attracting the interest of public policy makers and the general public who are increasingly faced with difficult decisions regarding elder care. The increase in demand for aged care services and the resultant demands on the aged care labour force also have implications for the conduct of industrial relations within the sector. To date, industrial relations in the aged care sector has not been the focus of much academic exploration however the increasing economic and social importance of the sector commends it as an area of study. This research considers the influence of workforce demographics, labour market characteristics, economic trends and the activities of other actors, namely the state and unions, on the industrial relations approaches pursued by aged care employers. The aged care sector has recently witnessed developments which suggest that its structure is on the cusp of significant change with the private sector displaying increasing interest in the acquisition of aged care facilities. This thesis raises timely questions as to the likely impact of greater corporate involvement on employment practices within the sector. and its implications for traditional forms of collective voice among the aged care workforce. Associate Professor Bradon Ellem and Dr Rae Cooper are supervising this project. |
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Equity and Efficiency In the Labour Market: The Origins and Effects of the Public Employment Service in Australia |
This PhD thesis examines and builds on a new area of industrial relations thinking, that is, state intervention in the labour market through labour market intermediaries: public employment services. In particular, it seeks to examine the origins and effects of two labour market intermediaries: NSW State Labour Bureau 1888-1945 and the Commonwealth Employment Service 1946 -1972. Professor Greg Patmore and Dr Harry Knowles are supervising this project. |
Professional Service Firm Mergers: A Systemic Discursive Perspective |
Sebastian's thesis explores the role that discourse plays in the social construction of corporate change. Professional Service Firm Amalgamations have been chosen as the context for the study for two reasons. First, Professional Service Firms due to their unique features and characteristics are believed to provide the ideal empirical setting for the study of large scale change processes both from a cultural as well as structural perspective. Second, organisational amalgamations are seen as among the most intense moments of organisational change. A distinct analytical focus on language and how social realities emerge from communication is believed to enhance our understanding not only of organisational change processes during Professional Service Firm Amalgamations but may also yield insights that could contribute to organizational change literature more generally. Professor David Grant and Associate Professor Nick Wailes are supervising this project. |
The impact of economic rationalism on the level of stress claims within the NSW Public Sector |
Stress claims are a measure of clinical psychological conditions arising from either a breakdown in industrial relations or exposure to a critical incident such as assault/robbery. The doctorate will track stress claims trends for the previous 15 years across the Department of Health, Department of Education, NSW Police, Department of Corrective Services and Department of Community Services. The doctorate will try to identify the reasons for increasing stress claims (over the last previous fifteen years) in these Government Departments. The key question is whether there is any link between these trends and the introduction of neo-liberal policies such as privatisation of public sector services, the introduction of accountability measures and work intensification. Professor Greg Patmore and Associate Professor Suzanne Jamieson are supervising this project. |
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Paying the Piper: Regulation of Directors? and Executive Remuneration in Australian Listed Corporations since 1987 | This thesis examines the conceptual and applied developments in the regulation of executive remuneration in Australia listed corporations since the 1980s. The regulation/governance of executive remuneration is an issue of significance given the surge in executive remuneration levels in listed corporations in US, UK and Australia. There are various parties, who directly and indirectly influence the regulation of executive remuneration in listed companies and these include the government, stock exchange and other peak associations. The position and influence of these and other stakeholders in the regulation/governance of executive remuneration for ASX-Listed Companies will also be considered. Associate Professor John Shields and Dr Leanne Cutcher are supervising this project. |
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A Tale of Leadership Identity |
Leadership identity has played a prevalent role within leadership studies since we first asked the question, 'What makes a leader'?. With the recently emerged but already widely discussed concept of 'authentic' leadership, the role of identity has most markedly been brought to the fore. Existing authentic leadership literature reveals divisive tensions between the self as fixed and the self as dynamic. The latter view perceives leaders to be capable of adapting to their unique contexts while maintaining their authenticities. Helena's doctoral research aspires to investigate this fascinating tension within the literature. Assuming that the self is indeed dynamic, she adopts a constructionist approach in examining leaders' public life stories through narrative analysis to reveal the processes by which leaders construct their identities. Furthermore, by introducing a cross-cultural comparison of leadership, the relativity of leadership identity will become apparent. Dr Leanne Cutcher is supervising this project. |
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A study of the career of coaching in organisations - an examination of the professionalisation project of coaches |
Over the last fifteen years in Australia coaching has emerged as an occupation and increasingly is being used within organisations. To date there have been no qualifications required and no restrictions on who is able to call themselves a coach. However, in the last few years the coaching associations have been attempting to place restrictions on who has the right to use the term coach and to make coaching a profession. This study is an examination of this process and aims to investigate the actions being taken to achieve this professionalisation project and to understand the reasons behind the desire of the coaching organisations to have coaching recognised as a profession. Associate Professor Richard Hall and Associate Professor Jim Kitay are supervising this project. |
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Comparative anti-bullying public policy in Australia, Britain, Canada and United States |
This thesis examines the comparative anti-workplace bullying public policy in Australia, Britain, Canada and United States. Specifically, this research is to compare the similarities and differences of anti-workplace bullying public policy in these four countries? regulatory framework and it seeks to explore how bullying as an industrial/OHS issues has emerged and come to be regulated in these four industrialised countries. Professor Greg Patmore and Dr Harry Knowles are supervising this project. |
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Knowledge Management And Contract Professionals: A Study of Contingent Employment And Knowledge Sharing Behaviours |
The emergence of the knowledge economy has led to organisations becoming increasingly reliant on the appropriate use of knowledge workers while concurrently, the nature of professional or expert employment has increasingly become transient in organisations. There is thus a fundamental conflict between the desire to 'possess' and apply expert knowledge in organisations and the need for individuals to maintain their expert status and trade. Using a case study approach, this research seeks to explore the knowledge sharing behaviours of professionals employed as contractors within organisations. It is expected that this research will make a significant contribution to the understanding of knowledge sharing, professional identity and the management of contingent employment within organisations. Associate Professor Richard Hall is supervising this project. |
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Being Classy: Australian white collar employee organizations, 1942-1968 |
Australian white collar employees created class positions for themselves in Australian society. Some of these positions lay within the working class, some outside it. The circumstances they did this in were partly inflicted, but partly open to negotiation with the Australian state or capital. White collar employees formed their class position by creating employee organizations. These organizations structured demands about the appropriate social position for their particular occupation. Demands that were largely aimed at status and control issues over work: class conscious demands. Class consciousness, through the potential for action and organizational capacity to undertake action, produced the class position of white collar employees. Professor Greg Patmore and Dr Harry Knowles are supervising this project. |
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Fatalities in the Construction Industry: politics, power and justice |
State and Federal Royal Commissions into the building and construction industry in the last 17 years paved the way for the introduction of the Australian Building and Construction Commission, the Industry Taskforce and the Building and Construction Industry Improvement Act (2005) (BCII). This thesis argues that these measures have undermined health and safety in one of the most dangerous industries in Australia, and contributed to the increasing fatality rate. It also argues that penalties for fatal incidents in NSW for prosecutions under the NSW OHS Act (2000) are inadequate on several levels. Associate Professor Suzanne Jamieson is supervising this project. |
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Reframing Job Evaluation - a Constructionist-Interpretivist Investigation of Job Evaluation in the NSW Public Sector |
Job evaluation systems are used in work organisations for establishing a notional grading of jobs, in order to determine a 'fair' level for a position's remuneration. The international literature in relation to job evaluation identifies competing and sometimes contradictory perspectives on job evaluation. Indeed, the literature points to an enduring debate, framed in realist-positivist terms, between opponents of job evaluation and those who advocate job evaluation as an integral element in a work-based approach to 'effective' reward management. However, an alternative reading of the mainstream literature suggests that both sides of this managerialist debate may have overlooked deeper realities and signification of the job evaluation phenomenon. As a prelude to the main qualitative research, which examines the broad signification of job evaluation, this thesis traces empirically the introduction of job evaluation systems into the NSW public sector in the early 1990s, by examining primary documents, including national and state wage case decisions, original correspondence and other historical documents. The thesis thereby considers some of the major themes in Australian wage-determination and their relevance for job evaluation. The core study is informed by the literature(s) of social constructionism, postmodernism and discourse analysis, as well as the ideas of the French philosopher, Jacques Derrida. Drawing on detailed qualitative research carried out within three case study organisations, the core PhD study investigates and interprets the socially constructed nature and signification of analytical job evaluation systems. The analysis - centred on empirical material collected through research interviews with employees, including line employees, union representatives, managers and supervisors, as well as human resources staff, - explores the multi-faceted and complex nature of job evaluation's 'reality' and its 'meaning' in work organisations. Associate Professor John Shields and Dr Susan McGrath-Champ are supervising this project. |
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Building capable capabilities: The role of Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) in achieving competitive advantage through Talent Management |
The aim of Sharna?s thesis is to further develop an understanding of the use of Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) in the area of talent management by applying the established theory of the resource-based view of the firm to create sustainable competitive advantage. This research will explore the role of the HRIS in the management of talent in organisations which will contribute to our understanding of the role of technology in human resource management and its impact on the organisation to maintain and sustain competitive advantage. Furthermore it aims to address salient concerns of human resource and non-human resource practitioners. Professor David Grant and Dr Kristine Dery are supervising this project. |
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Family Provisions and Prospects for Equality Bargaining in Australia |
In 2005 the Family Provisions test case decision was delivered by the Australian Industrial Relations Commission. This decision granted award-covered employees a range of increased family provisions entitlements, including increased parental and carers' leave provisions. Work Choices restricted the traditional avenues for accessing the new award provisions, resulting in employees being required to bargain for these provisions to be included in a collective workplace agreement. It is therefore essential to consider how employees bargain for these, and other family provisions, such as paid maternity leave. This examination is framed within a wider discussion on workplace regulation, focusing on bargaining. The thesis shows that bargaining theories have not incorporated work and family or gender issues to any great extent - indeed, they are gender-blind. Conversely, empirical research examining bargaining for equality, including for family friendly working arrangements, has only had limited engagement with bargaining theories. There is thus much scope to combine the two fields to develop a gendered bargaining theory which can be used to inform empirical studies on bargaining for family friendly working arrangements. This study will be significant in several ways. Firstly and most importantly, it will result in a gendered bargaining theory (known as equality bargaining), which will add to, and update traditional bargaining theories. Such a theory will build on the work of established academics who have developed comprehensive bargaining theories, as well as building on research conducted on equality bargaining. Secondly, the study will also demonstrate how bargaining for family provisions is conducted in a deregulated labour market post-Work Choices, a subject which has political and social significance and which is highly topical. Finally, this study will result in the development of a model of equality bargaining. This will be able to be used by industrial relations practitioners as they progress through the various stages of collective workplace bargaining, to achieve increased family provisions in a negotiated workplace agreement. Associate Professor Marian Baird and Dr Rae Cooper are supervising this project. |