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When Rupert Murdoch announced in April 2004 that he intended to see his company, News Corporation, reincorporated in the United States, two competing representations of the 'media mogul' came to dominate the press's interpretation of this event. The first of these 'Murdoch representations' was the most common, and painted an image of a successful entrepreneur, a 'celebrity CEO'. Yet, the second 'Murdoch representation' painted a different image, a more detailed portrait, with critical attention paid to the modus operandi of the world's most notorious media proprietor. This article deconstructs these representations of Murdoch, a mythic fracturing of image resulting from the political economy of the Australian press. In essence, the article explores issues of media diversity, myth and ideology, and the propensity of the press for critical, impartial, journalism. The empirical data are drawn from an analysis of two of Australia's pre-eminent newspapers: The Australian and the Sydney Morning Herald. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Accreditation to standards developed by the Royal Australian College of General Practice provides assurance to the community of the quality and safety of general practices in Australia. The objective of this study was to conduct an empirical evaluation of the 5th edition standards. Minimal empirically driven evaluation of the standards has been conducted since their publication in 2020. Methods: Data encompass consecutive Australian general practice accreditation assessments between December 2020 and July 2022 recorded from a single accrediting agency. Met and not met compliance (binary) scores for 124 indicators evaluated at the site visit were recorded. A subset of indicators derived from a selection of existing and consistently non-conformant indicators within each criterion was generated. Concordance between the indicator subset and the criterion was assessed to determine the predictive ability of the indicator subset in distinguishing practices who are conformant to the entire criterion. Results: A total of 757 general practices were included in the analysis. On average, 113.69 (s.d. = 8.16) of 124 indicators were evaluated as conformant at the site visit. In total, 52 (42%) indicators were required to obtain a true positive conformity rate above 95% for all criterions of the standards. For criterion 1 (General Practice 1) conformity to the entire criterion (nine indicators; >95% true positive rate) could be obtained by including 2/9 indicators (C1-1a and C1-2a). Conclusion: Our results identified that indicator non-conformity was driven by a small proportion of indicators and identifying a subset of these consistently non-conformant indicators predicted a true positive rate above 95% at the criterion level. What is known about the topic? Minimal empirical evaluation of the 5th edition standards for accreditation have occurred since their implementation. What does this paper add? Our findings suggest that more than half of the indicators currently do not adequately distinguish practices at the site assessment. What are the implications for practitioners? These findings may suggest that a review of individual indicators and the standards structure is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The implementation science literature acknowledges a need for engagement of key stakeholders when designing, delivering and evaluating implementation work. To date, the literature reports minimal or focused stakeholder engagement, where stakeholders are engaged in either barrier identification and/or barrier prioritisation. This paper begins to answer calls from the literature for the development of tools and guidance to support comprehensive stakeholder engagement in implementation research and practice. The paper describes the systematic development of the Implementation‐STakeholder Engagement Model (I‐STEM) in the context of an international, large‐scale empirical implementation study (ImpleMentAll) aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of a tailored implementation toolkit. The I‐STEM is a sensitising tool that defines key considerations and activities for undertaking stakeholder engagement activities across an implementation process. Methods: In‐depth, semistructured interviews and observations were conducted with implementers who were tailoring implementation strategies to integrate and embed internet‐based cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT) services in 12 routine mental health care organisations in nine countries in Europe and Australia. The analytical process was informed by principles of first‐ and third‐generation Grounded Theory, including constant comparative method. Results: We conducted 55 interviews and observed 19 implementation‐related activities (e.g., team meetings and technical support calls). The final outcome of our analysis is expressed in an initial version of the I‐STEM, consisting of five interrelated concepts: engagement objectives, stakeholder mapping, engagement approaches, engagement qualities and engagement outcomes. Engagement objectives are goals that implementers plan to achieve by working with stakeholders in the implementation process. Stakeholder mapping involves identifying a range of organisations, groups or people who may be instrumental in achieving the engagement objectives. Engagement approaches define the type of work that is undertaken with stakeholders to achieve the engagement objectives. Engagement qualities define the logistics of the engagement approach. Lastly, every engagement activity may result in a range of engagement outcomes. Conclusion: The I‐STEM represents potential avenues for substantial stakeholder engagement activity across key phases of an implementation process. It provides a conceptual model for the planning, delivery, evaluation and reporting of stakeholder engagement activities. The I‐STEM is nonprescriptive and highlights the importance of a flexible, iterative approach to stakeholder engagement. It is developmental and will require application and validation across a range of implementation activities. Patient or Public Contribution: Patient contribution to ImpleMentAll trial was facilitated by GAMIAN‐Europe at all stages—from grant development to dissemination. GAMIAN‐Europe brings together a wide variety of patient representation organisations (local, regional and national) from almost all European countries. GAMIAN‐Europe was involved in pilot testing the ItFits‐toolkit and provided their views on the various aspects, including stakeholder engagement. Patients were also represented in the external advisory board providing support and advice on the design, conduct and interpretation of the wider project, including the development of the ItFits‐toolkit. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03652883. Retrospectively registered on 29 August 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper, which is based on literature and documentary survey, explores civilian police oversight mechanisms in Europe, Australia and Africa. The paper reveals that Europe has several nations with independent institutions to investigate police misconduct; thought there is limited empirical research on the effectiveness of these institutions. Independent police oversight institutions in Australia have limited investigative powers and they are more of review boards. Two African countries- Kenya and South Africa have independent institutions to investigate police misconduct, though the effectiveness of these two institutions has been questioned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

National uniform legislation exists in federations to implement national reforms where the central government does not have the direct authority to legislate under the Constitution. The State jurisdictions must work together on legislation to address urgent issues of national concern, national uniform legislation. Developing and drafting national uniform legislation are complicated and complex because they require the cooperation of many units with asymmetrical knowledge, competing priorities, limited budgets and timeframes, and at times irreconcilable differences. Empirical data analysis and statistics could provide an aid for decision-making in these circumstances. On examination of a large body of legal information on the 69 most significant Australian national reforms, this article finds factors that inhibit or promote sustainable uniformity of enacted legislation by using ordinal regression for the first time. This work provides significant evidence-based insights into the process of harmonisation in federations. Overall, our findings contradict the general belief that the uniformity is mostly dependent on structures alone (referred, applied, mirror, and hybrid). If sustainable uniformity is the goal,the decision-makers must allow resources for establishing the national regulator, ensure maximum uptake by the majority of the nine Australian jurisdictions, support the development of national uniform legislation through the National Cabinet, and be prepared for the second wave of national reforms through consecutive reforms. These findings have valuable strategic implications for policymakers, law reform agencies, and legislative drafters who intend to rely on evidence for future decision-making in terms of the most important national reforms. This paper provides recommendations for governments intending to ensure the sustainability of uniformity and adaptability of the Australian legislation for any future changes without losing the important consensus that has been achieved. The findings are also important for other federations seeking to implement harmonised legislation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For refugees, displacement involves a reconfiguration of both space and time. Yet the temporal aspect receives less emphasis in existing geographic research. Paying attention to the temporal dimension can generate conceptually innovative insights into how temporality shapes refugees' experiences of displacement. Based on empirical research conducted with Ethiopian refugees in Melbourne, the paper considers how the participants experienced time throughout their migration journeys until their arrival in Australia. The participants' accounts suggest that their pre‐arrival displacement experiences were characterised by four novel distinct temporal features: spontaneity,disorientation, transposition, and incessancy. Recounting their stories, the participants pointed out that they were excluded from time and space, while simultaneously being engaged in temporary place‐making endeavours, navigating through multiple temporalities. Being displaced has altered their connections not only to places but also to times of which they are a part. The paper expands the growing theme of time and temporalities in geographic and migration research while showing how refugee experiences are dictated and controlled by time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the status of entrepreneurship education (EE) in Australia, replicating and expanding a similar study in 2015. The aim is to review neoteric global best practice EE initiatives, enabling the examination and embedding of EE offerings and initiatives at all 40 higher education institutions (HEIs) in Australia. Design/methodology/approach: The authors introduce a review of prominent and recent global EE scholarship, enabling an iterative and emergent inquiry perspective aligned to inductive and nascent multi-method empirical research associated with theoretical underpinnings of symbolic and substantive management theory. Findings: This paper highlights the sparse and inconsistent distribution of EE programs and initiatives across all 40 Australian HEIs, particularly against the backdrop of rapidly expanding start-up and entrepreneurship ecosystems. Furthermore, outcomes provide best practice EE initiatives, which included staff mobility and transferability of skills. HEIs in Australia are experiencing a moderate EE boom, albeit marginally down on global EE transformation initiatives. Research limitations/implications: Limitation of the data is subject to availability and accuracy of online documents and material resources, although implications have been mitigated using multi-method research design. Practical implications: The findings provide critical grounding for researchers, practitioners and HEIs wishing to enhance EE within ever-expanding entrepreneurship ecosystems. Originality/value: This study is the first multi-methods inquiry into the status of EE in Australia, consisting of quantitative, qualitative and algorithmic methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this brief comment on , we identify two shortcomings in their paper on the Australian water and wastewater sectors. First, the empirical literature survey in the paper is deficient because it does not adequately cover the Australian scholarly work in the area. This neglect inter alia negates some of the recommendations for further research offered by . Second, the paper has overlooked important work on urban water markets in Australia undertaken by the Productivity Commission. This has also served to undermine some of the conclusions drawn in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to suggest how well-being messages are recontextualized into school-based contexts from an analysis of national policy and state curricular approaches to health education as reported in the findings of two selected case studies as well as community concerns about young people's well-being. Design/methodology/approach: A cross-sectional review of Australian federal and state-level student well-being policy documents was undertaken. Using two case examples of school-based in-curricular well-being programs, the paper explores how discourses from these well-being policy documents are recontextualized through progressive fields of translation and pedagogic decision making into local forms of curriculum. Findings: Pedagogic messages about well-being in Australia are often extra-curricular, in that they are rarely integrated into one or across existing subject areas. Such messages are increasingly focused on mental health, around phenomena such as bullying. Both case examples clearly demonstrate how understandings of well-being respond to various power relations and pressures emanating from stakeholders within and across official pedagogic fields and other contexts such as local communities. Originality/value: The paper focusses on presenting an adaptation of Bernstein's (1990) model of social reproduction of pedagogic discourse. The adapted model demonstrates how "top-down" knowledge production from the international disciplines shaping curriculum development and pedagogic approaches can be replaced by community context-driven political pressure and perceived community crises. It offers contemporary insight into youth-at-risk discourses, well-being approaches and student mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Empirical research on international student migrants has sometimes homogenised this group, framing it as predominantly made up of privileged members of the global middle-class. This has led to calls to acknowledge and address the precarity faced by international students in their respective host countries more comprehensively. This study aims to explore how levels of financial precarity vary among international students in Australia, and how this in turn contributes to varying levels of precariousness in the personal spheres of students' lives. In doing so, we centre and refine the concept of precarity for use in studies of internationally mobile students, arguing for its use as a 'relational nexus', bridging financial precarity and broader lived experiences. Drawing on a large-scale survey and semi-structured interviews with 48 students, we emphasise the linkages between financial precarity and precariousness as a socio-ontological experience, explored through the examples of time poverty, physical and mental wellbeing, and relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - By describing some of the often-ignored aspects of repository advocacy, such as disciplinary differences and how these might affect the adoption of a particular institutional repository, this paper aims to offer practical guidance to repository managers and those responsible for open access and repository policy. Design/methodology/approach - The argument uses examples from an empirical study of 43 in-depth interviews of academic staff in three disciplines, Chemistry, Computer Science and Sociology, at two Australian universities. The interviewees discussed their interaction with the literature as an author, a reader and a reviewer. Findings - The study finds that disciplines are markedly different from one another, in terms of their subject matter, the speed of publication, information-seeking behaviour and social norms. These all have bearing on the likelihood a given group will adopt deposit into an institutional repository as part of their regular work practice. Practical implications - It is important to decide the purpose of the institutional repository before embarking on an advocacy program. By mapping empirical findings against both diffusion of innovations theory and writings on disciplinary differences, this paper shows that repository advocacy addressing the university academic population as a single unit is unlikely to be successful. Rather, advocacy and implementation of a repository must consider the information seeking behaviour and social norms of each discipline in question. Originality/value - The consideration of disciplinary differences in relation to repository advocacy has only begun to be explored in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study summarises research- and practice-based evidence on home-based chemotherapy, and explores existing delivery models. A three-pronged investigation was conducted consisting of a literature review and synthesis of 54 papers, a review of seven home-based chemotherapy programmes spanning four countries, and two case studies within the Canadian province of Ontario. The results support the provision of home-based chemotherapy as a safe and patient-centred alternative to hospital- and outpatient-based service. This paper consolidates information on home-based chemotherapy programmes including services and drugs offered, patient eligibility criteria, patient views and experiences, delivery structures and processes, and common challenges. Fourteen recommendations are also provided for improving the delivery of chemotherapy in patients' homes by prioritising patient-centredness, provider training and teamwork, safety and quality of care, and programme management. The results of this study can be used to inform the development of an evidence-informed model for the delivery of chemotherapy and related care, such as symptom management, in patients' homes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mothering and motherhood can be a very challenging experience in the 21st century, where cultural pressures, on the one hand, and health experts' regular parenting surveillance, on the other, continue to influence mothering decisions and practices. The socially constructed "good mother" discourses and associated pressures/influences can be amplified for vulnerable mothers who may feel marginalized from or judged by the broader society. This article presents findings from a study that involved interviews with ten young mothers and 12 staff working at a leading family welfare agency supporting young parents in Melbourne, Australia. The study examined how digital technology could promote a sense of agency for vulnerable mothers as well as barriers and enablers of accessing digital knowledge and online parenting support. In addition, the study explored how technology could assist community organizations' staff in helping their clients better. This paper argues that, overall, digital technologies can positively influence the experience of mothering and can empower vulnerable mothers by increasing their access to various sources of support. Furthermore, our findings suggest that technology can enhance community and family service providers' practice, opening possibilities for a more supportive relationship with clients by empowering them and increasing agency over their situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production of sociological knowledge in Australian universities is explored through an empirical study of research papers published in a selection of academic outlets between 1960 and 2011. Drawing on theories concerning scholarly practices, institutional formation and the sociology of knowledge, questions are posed about the factors that shape and structure the production of sociological knowledge about health and medicine. The concept of intellectual schools is examined, with evidence sought for the presence of these 'knowledge networks' in the Australian context. The study suggests the formation and maintenance of schools are subject to structural factors within the university sector, specifically the relative wealth and prestige of the university and the dictates of the higher education market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Childhood poverty matters—not only because of the disturbingly high number of children affected, but also because of the deleterious impact on their human flourishing, both now and in the future. Effectively addressing child poverty requires clear identification of the nature and causes of the problem, as well as an understanding of how it is experienced. This paper aims to deepen understanding of child poverty, by drawing on key elements of a capability approach, rights-based approaches, and feminist standpoint theory, and empirical research. It is grounded in the findings of rights-based, participatory research with children aged between 7 and 15 years in Indonesia and in Australia, which cast new light on the dimensions of poverty that are most egregious from a child-driven standpoint. It presents a three-dimensional typology of material, opportunity, and relational poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dementia is currently incurable, irreversible and a major cause of disability for the world's older population. The association between mental health difficulties, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder (MDD), and dementia has a long history within the civilian population. Despite the increased importance of this link within the military veteran population, who suffer a greater propensity of mental health difficulties and consist largely of over 65s, attention is only recently being paid to the salience of such an association for this group. This paper aims to explore the relationship between PTSD and MDD with dementia within the military veteran population. Method: A systematic review was conducted on articles from 1990 to July 2016 on MEDLINE, EMBASE, EBSCO and Web of Science electronic databases with an update conducted in February 2017. Results: Six empirical studies were identified from the review, the majority of which originated from the USA. Five of the studies asserted that veterans with a diagnosis of either PTSD or MDD are at a significantly greater risk of developing dementia than ‘healthy’ controls. The final study, conducted in Australia, found only a small, but non-significant, correlation between earlier MDD and future dementia, but no concurrent correlation. Conclusions: While causality cannot be determined, it is likely that PTSD and depressive disorders are related to an increased risk of dementia in military veterans. Potential pathological explanations and risk factors are reviewed and the clinical and neuroscience implications of these findings are explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forecasts predict a growing shortage of skilled nursing staff in countries worldwide. Nurse migration is already a common strategy used to address nursing workforce needs. Germany, the UK, and Australia are reviewed here as examples of destination countries for nurse migrants. Agreements exist between countries to facilitate nurse migration; however, it is not evident how nurse migrants have contributed to data on which these arrangements are based. We examined existing primary research on nurse migration, including educational needs and initiatives to support policymakers', stakeholders', and health professions educators' decisions on measures for ethical and sustainable nurse migration. We conducted a rapid evidence assessment to review available empirical research data which involved, was developed with, or considered migrant nurses to address the research question: what are the findings of research that directly involves migrant nurses in producing primary research data? A total of 56 papers were included. Four main themes were identified in this research data: Research does not clearly define what is meant by the term migrant nurses; discrimination is often reported by migrant nurses; language and communication competencies are important; and structured integration programs are highly valued by migrant nurses and destination healthcare employers. Migrant nurses continue to experience discrimination and reduced career opportunities and therefore should be included in research about them to better inform policy. Structured integration programs can improve the experience of migrant nurses by providing language support (if necessary), a country-specific bridging program and help with organisational hurdles. Not only researching migrant nurses but making them active partners in research is of great importance for successful, ethical, and sustainable migration policies. A broader evidence base, especially with regard to the views and experiences of migrant nurses and their educational support needs, should be promoted to make future immigration policy more needs-based, sustainable and ethically acceptable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, Social Media (SM)'s adoption as educational instruments in Higher Education (HE) has been gaining popularity among researchers and practitioners. Nonetheless it has been adopted to support various learning approaches such as Cooperative Learning (CL). Despite the growing research in this field, few studies have proposed a comprehensive SM integration framework as well as empirical studies to evaluate its effectiveness. This paper examines how SM is being used as a pedagogical tool in HE and identifies major factors that drives SM's inclusion in HE classrooms. In addition, the paper investigates the effectiveness of a previously proposed integration framework which was developed to promote CL using a popular SM platform, LinkedIn. A survey was administered to collect data from students in different subjects at a university in Australia. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was adopted for data analysis using IBM's SPSS26 and AMOS26. One of the notable results of this study is the significant positive relation found between the use of the adopted integration framework and CL, SM challenges' mitigation, students' intention to use SM and their learning process. The findings of this study have important implications for practice and pave the way for future empirical studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vulnerability of deafblind people is considered axiomatic; they are seen not only as a vulnerable group but also as one of the most vulnerable. This paper aims to synthesise existing knowledge to determine what is known about such vulnerability. A comprehensive literature search was undertaken between April 2013 and May 2014. The review method was informed by systematic review principles. An approach based on a 'hierarchy of evidence' would have reduced the amount of literature reviewed significantly, to the point where synthesis would not be possible. Included material was appraised and an interpretative rather than aggregative approach to synthesis adopted. Drawing on principles of critical interpretive synthesis, rather than being a determiner of whether material should be included or excluded, a critique of the literature is offered within the synthesis. Twenty-eight references were identified for inclusion, originating from the UK, USA, Australia, Continental Europe and the Nordic Countries. No empirical studies specifically examining the experience of vulnerability of deafblind people were found. However, deafblind people describe feelings of vulnerability in studies exploring their experiences more generally, and in personal accounts of living with the impairment. Literature produced by practitioners and specialist organisations also explores the topic. Deafblind people are identified as a population 'at risk' of various adverse outcomes, particularly when compared to the non-deafblind majority, and deafblind people describe being and feeling vulnerable in various situations. The literature largely relates to negative outcomes and includes significantly less exploration of positive risk taking, coping capacity and resilience. Deafblind people do not appear to describe themselves as being vulnerable as a permanent state, suggesting a need for greater exploration of the experience among all sections of this heterogeneous population, with consideration of the concepts of resilience and coping capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes and evaluates the application of an explicitly critical realist methodology to a quantitative doctoral research project on the causes of family homelessness in Australia. It is offered as an example of a critical realist approach to empirical research, in the hope that it will provide ideas and motivation to other scholars seeking a critical realist foundation to their research practice. The paper demonstrates the role of critical realism in informing and defining the analytical and theoretical approach I took. It shows how the philosophy influenced the foundations and practical development of my work. It describes the process of moving from empirical data to theoretical models by stepping through and describing each stage. Finally, I offer an assessment of how critical realism changed, enabled, improved, and liberated my project; that is, what advantage critical realism offered to explaining a complex social phenomenon and crisis in contemporary Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has highlighted the occurrence of isomorphic tendencies-convergences in terms of formal organizational structure-in higher education systems in times of uncertainty and under external pressure to change. It has been repeatedly claimed that the Australian university system largely followed a logic of isomorphic change in the aftermath of radical national policy reform of the late 1980s. Yet to date, there is a lack of comprehensive empirical studies testing this thesis. Addressing this lacuna, and drawing on a range of university and government data, this paper tracks and analyses: (a) changes in the formal academic organizational structures existing at all public Australian universities and (b) changes in the numbers of academic staff and students in different academic organizational groupings over the period of 1987-1991. Despite some limitations in the available data, our system-level analysis finds that there was clear and significant convergence in terms of formal organizational structures and student and staff numbers in the majority of academic fields that were taught and researched at Australian universities at that time. We also draw attention to some conceptual limitations of existing accounts of isomorphic change in Australia and outline trajectories for future research supplementing the system-level analysis presented here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new Victorian Government won the 2014 election on a platform to inter alia introduce a cap on council rates in all Victorian councils. This means that a rate-cap will be introduced beginning with the 2016/17 financial year, with future rises in rates pegged at the Consumer Price Index (CPI) after this date. This paper provides a comparative empirical analysis of New South Wales local government - the only Australian local government system to operate a rate-pegging regime - and Victorian local government with respect to rate-capping. We find evidence to support the proposition that rate-capping has deleterious effects on municipal revenue effort, equity, debt and infrastructure maintenance. Moreover, our findings do not provide empirical evidence in support of the claim that ratecapping increases municipal efficiency. The paper concludes by considering various alternative public policy instruments to ratecapping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forced amalgamation has been used as a policy instrument in local government by numerous regulatory authorities across the world. A common presumption underlying municipal mergers holds that larger local councils will experience greater economies of scale. However, the empirical evidence on this question is mixed. Part of the reason for this could lie in the frequent use of population as a proxy for local government output in the empirical literature. This paper examines the use of alternative proxies, particularly the number of households but also the addition of business unit data. We demonstrate that household data represents a more accurate proxy of Australian local government output compared to population size. In addition, the paper employs experimental data, conceptual considerations on population, and household dynamics to establish that the number of households represents the most appropriate measure of local government size for both empirical and public policy purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Many universities are in the process of changing their learning management systems to Moodle yet there is limited empirical research available on the impact of this change. The purpose of this paper is to explore the results of an initial pilot, which was conducted as the first stage of implementing Moodle at an Australian university. Design/methodology/approach – The pilot study involved an online survey and a focus group with unit convenors teaching Open University Australia (OUA) units in Moodle. Findings – The aim was to essentially test Moodle and eliminate any technological issues prior to the university-wide roll-out the following year. It was envisaged that this pilot would contribute to building capability and knowledge amongst staff members; however, it was unanticipated that this would be jeopardised by a wider and ongoing issue in higher education; namely, the casualisation of the academic workforce. The paper maps the accumulated knowledge of these unit convenors and how this knowledge is "walking out the door". Originality/value – The paper argues that an environment of insecure employment is a barrier to change management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of Australia's first national research assessment, excellence for research in Australia, provoked considerable discussion about the state of educational research in Australia. Understanding the nature of this field of research became the focus for empirical research and analysis that was intended to inform strategic planning. This paper provides an overview of the articles in this special issue, bringing together research on Australian educational research and insights from international researchers who research the effects of research assessment in educational research in their own countries. These sources inform a commentary on Australian educational research and suggest an agenda for further action on strategic capacity building for Australian educational research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the empirical relationship between working capital management (WCM) and firm performance (FP) for Australasian publicly listed firms. Australia and New Zealand are attractive investment destinations due to their business friendly environments. The past two decades have seen increased academic attention in studies linking WCM and FP across various parts of globe. The empirical relationship between WCM-FP has not been sufficiently examined in regards to Australian and New Zealand firms. This study measures the role of WCM during the 2008 global financial crisis in both Australia and New Zealand firms. This study uses System General Method of Moments to address the endogeneity problem in order to reduce the possibility of biased results. The results show that WCM has a significant relationship with FP. More specifically, the Cash Conversion Cycle (CCC) and the Inventory Conversion Period (ICP) exhibit negative relationships with FP indicating that a reduction in the CCC and the ICP help to improve FP in Australasian firms. However, in the case of the Average Collection Period (ACP) and the Average Payment Period (APP), the results vary between both countries. In Australia, the ACP has no significant relationship, whereas APP has a positive relationship. This is contrary in the case of New Zealand firms. Another important finding is that firms in both markets were relatively efficient collecting their receivables during the 2008 global financial crisis period. These findings provide new empirical evidence that WCM matters for improving FP in Australasian firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents part of the findings from a Master of Education thesis at the University of Western Australia aimed at addressing the paucity of empirical research in the area of migrant Muslim parenting in a Western context. This paper focuses on the perspective of success held by orthodox/ moderate migrant Muslim parents in Perth in bringing up their second generation children in Australia through living Islamic values. Using community focus groups and case studies, participants of this qualitative study defined outcomes of success to include internalisation of faith; confidence in one's Muslim identity; educational achievement; respectful engagement with others and fair representation of Islam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to present an investigation of the extent to which electronic resources are utilized in higher education in Australia. It seeks to explore the pattern and trend of accessing and using electronic resources in a university library for helping university libraries manage their resources better. This leads to the identification of the underlying motivation for such emerging patterns and trends in the use of electronic resources in the university library. It also aims to identify the critical factors for the effective and efficient use of electronic resources. Design/methodology/approach - An online survey was conducted to investigate the use of electronic resources in a university library and for identifying the emerging pattern and trend in accessing and using electronic resources. A comprehensive review of the relevant literature was carried out on the utilization of electronic resources, which led to the development of an online survey instrument with respect to the user profile, the frequency of use, the purpose of use, the reasons for use, and the critical factors for the effective and efficient use of electronic resources in a university library. Findings - The study reveals that the usage of electronic resources is common in a university environment with the rapid advance of information and communication technologies. It shows that the use of electronic resources is very much dependent on the user and the purposes of using electronic resources. The awareness and the quality of the available electronic resources are the two important factors for the effective and efficient use of electronic resources. The findings shed light on the use of electronic resources and help university libraries to understand better the perception and experience of users in using electronic resources, leading to more effective and efficient use of electronic resources. Research limitations/implications - The online survey was conducted in one university with a student population of about 57,000. It is a purposeful survey in which 305 valid responses to the survey were obtained. The survey was distributed through the university weekly news bulletin. As a result, the response rate to this survey is hard to determine owing to the insufficient information on the size of the real population in the survey. This is due to the fact that not everyone in a university will pay attention to every news item in the weekly bulletin. Originality/value - The paper provides, for the first time, empirical data for understanding the perception and experience of users on the use of electronic resources in a university environment. It identifies the critical factors for the effective and efficient use of electronic resources. Such findings are of practical significance for the continuous development of electronic resources in a higher education environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dungey and Pagan (2000) present a SVAR model of the Australian economy which models macroeconomic outcomes as transitory deviations from a deterministic trend. In this paper we extend that model in two directions. First, we relate it to an emerging literature on Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium modelling of small open economies. Second, we allow for both transitory and permanent components in the series and show how this modification has an impact on the design of macroeconomic models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite numerous equity initiatives aimed at increasing participation in higher education, students from regional and remote communities continue to be underrepresented in Australia. This paper presents a scoping review of empirical studies, published between 1991 and 2016, that examined aspirations for higher education of students from regional and remote areas. Analysis of the 65 articles revealed an emphasis on enablers and barriers to participation in higher education including: cost and distance, supportive environments, attachment to home, schooling and academic achievement, knowledge of pathways, and individual characteristics. However, much of the research offers a homogeneous view of regional and remote communities which elides location-specific characteristics that are powerful in shaping educational aspirations. We argue that there is a critical need for greater understanding of the diversity of experiences, influences, and aspirations among students within rural and remote communities to underpin the provision of appropriate infrastructure and support for their higher education aspirations. We identify some key avenues for further research into the aspirations of students in rural and remote communities and the ways in which this research can inform and improve outreach activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper re-examines criticisms of cross-sectional methods used to test for supplier-induced demand (SID) and re-evaluates the empirical evidence using data from Australian medical services. Cross-sectional studies of SID have been criticised on two grounds. First, and most important, the inclusion of the doctor supply in the demand equation leads to an identification problem. This criticism is shown to be invalid, as the doctor supply variable is stochastic and depends upon a variety of other variables including the desirability of the location. Second, cross-sectional studies of SID fail diagnostic tests and produce artefactual findings due to model misspecification. Contrary to this, the re-evaluation of cross-sectional Australian data indicate that demand equations that do not include the doctor supply are misspecified. Empirical evidence from the re-evaluation of Australian medical services data supports the notion of SID. Demand and supply equations are well specified and have very good explanatory power. The demand equation is identified and the desirability of a location is an important predictor of the doctor supply. Results show an average price elasticity of demand of 0.22 and an average elasticity of demand with respect to the doctor supply of 0.46, with the impact of SID becoming stronger as the doctor supply rises. The conclusion we draw from this paper is that two of the main criticisms of the empirical evidence supporting the SID hypothesis have been inappropriately levelled at the methods used. More importantly, SID provides a satisfactory, and robust, explanation of the empirical data on the demand for medical services in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deciding whether to release tutorial solutions to students is quite often a dilemma for instructors. This paper provides empirical evidence on the effect of releasing tutorial solutions in a management accounting course at a large Australian university. For this purpose, this paper develops a base model for predicting performance in the course and expands the model to incorporate a variable capturing the release of tutorial solutions. Consistent with previous research (e.g. Doran et al., 1991; Danko-McGhee and Duke, 1992; Kavanagh and Rohde, 1996), in the base model, although performances in an introductory accounting course and the mid-semester test were found to be good predictors of performance in the final examination, evidence on the role of gender and age was weak. In the expanded model, there was no evidence that releasing tutorial solutions improved performance in the final examination. The findings of this paper have policy implications for educators and administrators in education in deciding whether to release tutorial solutions to students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a series of papers, Blackburn et al. claim to solve the conceptual and measurement issues associated with vertical gender segregation by occupation. In this paper it is argued that the authors misinterpret the conventional index measures of segregation, which leads them to a misspecification of their vertical and horizontal components of segregation which are alleged to be orthogonal. As a consequence, the two components are conflated, so that neither component of segregation is correctly calculated. There are also conceptual and measurement difficulties with the cross-national empirical work of Charles (2003). The absence of hierarchical employment data by occupation from the typical Labour Force Survey precludes the estimation of country wide vertical segregation. Data from sources such as the Australian Workplace Industrial Relations Survey will enable the calculation of vertical gender segregation, in addition to the generation of insights about the factors contributing to vertical gender segregation. Case studies too will enable a greater understanding of the extent and causes of vertical gender segregation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the rapid spread of urban film festivals in Australia from the 1980s onwards. Up to the 1980s, film festivals in Australia were limited to only a few events in the country's capital cities. Yet, by the end of the 1990s an exponential increase in the number and diversity of events had occurred. While this rapid growth seemingly fits within existing international observations regarding the global spread of film festivals throughout this period, specific local factors, including the wider mix of film exhibition activities operating in Australia in the preceding decades, influenced how the nation's film festivals multiplied and developed. This paper draws on significant empirical research to analyse the rapid growth of film festivals in Australia through the 1980s. In doing so, it seeks to address two goals. First, to provide more concrete evidence of the rapid global proliferation and diversification of film festivals in the 1980s through the inclusion of the Australian experience. And second, to open up a discussion around an under examined aspect the nation's film appreciation and exhibition history, specifically that relating to film festivals and non-theatrical film exhibition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Australian public's concerns about a potential war with China has recently seen a sharp rise. This study utilizes Google Trends data to gauge the public agenda. Drawing from the Google Trends data in Australia between April 2013 and March 2023, several original conclusions are reached. Firstly, since 2017, the Australian public has strongly associated China-related war activities or threats of war with Australia. Secondly, since early 2020, the concerns of the Australian public towards a potential war with China has significantly increased. This result aligns with findings from conventional polls. Furthermore, these concerns reached its peak in March 2023. Lastly, the fluctuations in the Australian public's concerns regarding a potential war with China can be attributed to policy and media agendas, with their specific roles varying across different periods. This study contributes to the debate on Australia's China policy by introducing some novel empirical evidence and methods to academia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Requests for textile damage examinations can result from a variety of crime types. While a reasonable proportion involve an edged implement, a broad spectrum of damage types can be encountered. The examination requires an understanding of the complex mechanism of damage formation to enable an accurate interpretation and reliable conclusion to be formulated. The report recently published by the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) scrutinized numerous forensic feature-based comparisons, and highlighted deficiencies in their validity and reliability. Textile damage was not a focus area of this report, but is a subjective feature-based technique. It is, by necessity, largely reliant upon a practitioner’s opinion, experience and professional judgement, and is therefore subject to the report’s commentary. Significant progress has been made to strengthen the discipline since examinations were conducted during the investigation of the death of Azaria Chamberlain nearly 40 years ago. The purpose of this paper is to review the current state of textile damage examinations in Australia in light of the PCAST report, and to survey the work being conducted to improve the foundational science and standardization of damage analysis. Certain areas requiring future attention and research, such as empirical studies, will be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Previous studies that have attempted to relate corporate environmental performance to financial performance have generated conflicting results. This paper presents the findings of a study on the relationship between greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the financial performance of Australian corporations. Using multiple regression models and data from a sample of 69 Australian public companies, this paper finds a positive correlation between GHG emissions and corporate financial performance. By testing the statistical significance of GHG emission factors in determining company Tobin's q, this study finds that a stronger Tobin's q often correlates with higher GHG emissions across all industry sectors. This finding is contrary to evidence found in previous studies conducted in other countries. The positive correlation found in this study could be explained with reference to the unique economic structure and development of Australia, particularly its dominant mining industry. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous papers in this issue of Economic Papers have dealt with some substantive issues surrounding food security. The purpose of this article was different. We provide a general commentary on other Australian agricultural policy issues where the rhetoric of food security is used to exaggerate the challenges faced and/or to support solutions to some challenges that are expensive and unrealistic. This article comprises opinion based on historical observations of the agricultural policy process in Australia and the underlying principles of mainstream agricultural economics. It does not offer detailed empirical analysis of the issues discussed. The issues discussed are irrigation in the Murray-Darling Basin, prospects for agricultural production in northern Australia, especially irrigation development, the bias in favour of further processing of agricultural products (value adding), food imports and foreign ownership, and the effects of Asian economic development on Australian agriculture and agricultural trade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Suicide among nursing home residents is a growing public health concern, currently lacking in empirical research. This study aims to describe the frequency and nature of suicide among nursing home residents in Australia.Methods: This research comprised a national population-based retrospective analysis of suicide deaths among nursing home residents in Australia reported to the Coroner between July 2000 and December 2013. Cases were identified using the National Coronial Information System, and data collected from paper-based coroners' records on individual, incident, and organizational factors, as well as details of the medico-legal death investigation. Data analysis comprised univariate and bivariate descriptive statistical techniques; ecological analysis of incidence rates using population denominators; and comparison of age and sex of suicide cases to deaths from other causes using logistic regression.Results: The study identified 141 suicides among nursing home residents, occurring at a rate of 0.02 deaths per 100 000 resident bed days. The ratio of deaths from suicide to deaths from any other cause was higher in males than females (OR = 3.56, 95%CI = 2.48-5.12, P = <0.001). Over half of the residents who died from suicide had a diagnosis of depression (n = 93, 66.0%) and had resided in the nursing home for less than 12 months (n = 71, 50.3%). Common major life stressors identified in suicide cases included the following: health deterioration (n = 112, 79.4%); isolation and loneliness (n = 60, 42.6%); and maladjustment to nursing home life (n = 42, 29.8%).Conclusions: This research provides a foundational understanding of suicide among nursing home residents in Australia and contributes important new information to the international knowledge base. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Work placements (including internships) are common in urban and regional planning education but the relevant literature has largely overlooked their assessment and academic standards. To address this gap, the paper presents a study of this topic undertaken within the Australian context. The research involved systematically scoping the status of work placements in planning education in Australia, and exploring the perspectives of participating educators, practitioners and students on appropriate assessment methods and academic standards. We found significant and problematic divergence in these three key stakeholders’ perspectives. The implications of these findings are discussed in a national and international context. The consequent proposition is an approach to assessment and standards that promotes a shared understanding across these key stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose There has been very little empirical research for the need to identify the importance of an inclusive territory of commonality for “invisible” students with disabilities in Australian education testing, such as the National Assessment Program-Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN). The paper aims to discuss this issue.Design/methodology/approach The research methodology used a cross-sectional mixed methods, deductive quantitative, an inductive qualitative, functionalist perspective and interpretivist perspective from internet secondary data analysis. This was undertaken to investigate the government functionalist macrosociology of Australian education to the detriment of the microsociology debate of students with disabilities, for inclusive education and social justice.Findings This finding showed vastly underestimated numbers of students with disabilities in Australian schools experienced through “gatekeeping”, non-participation in NAPLAN testing and choices of schools, resulting in poor educational outcomes and work-readiness.Social implications The research findings showed that functionalism of Australian education is threatening not only social order, well-being and resilience of an innovative Australian economy through welfare dependency; but also depriving people with disabilities of social equality and empowerment against poverty brought about by a lack of education and of the human right to do a decent job.Originality/value The study provided a critical evaluation of the weaknesses of government functionalism; specifically the relationship between the dualism of macro and micro perspectives, which promotes the existence of “invisible” students with disabilities in education, despite government legislation purporting an inclusive education for all students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International literature has recognised the importance of education research with Pacific learners. In an Australian context, the early years learning framework for Australia and the Australian curriculum emphasise that education sectors should work towards cultivating respect for cultural diversity and to develop intercultural understanding and intercultural capabilities. As such, the call to better understand the cultural complexities that underpins Pacific learners and their interactions with educational processes remains pertinent. This scoping review offers an important synthesis of empirical research on the educational successes and challenges of Pacific learners in Australian educational settings from 2010 to 2021. While this study offers critical insights for teacher education and research, the findings also revealed paucities in education research with Pacific learners. Thereby, propositions for future and ongoing education research with Pacific learners in Australia are offered in this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Migration status has been neglected both theoretically and empirically in the financial discrimination literature. Drawing on data from a comprehensive survey of small- and medium-sized businesses in Australia, this paper tests whether Australia's migrant entrepreneurs have greater difficulty accessing external business finance than their Australia-born counterparts. In doing so, it tests the theoretical proposition that the passage of time (or time spent in Australia) mediates a relationship between migration status and access to business finance by determining borrow-lender information asymmetries. We find that long-term migrant entrepreneurs are more likely than Australia-born entrepreneurs to: (1) report access to finance as an obstacle, (2) pass up investment opportunities because of inadequate access to finance, and (3) have obtained funding from family and friends. However, no significant differences are found between migrant and Australia-born entrepreneurs in terms of denial and discouragement rates, or their past use of bank finance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper begins a process of addressing a significant gap in knowledge about people's responses to being caught in rip currents. While rip currents are the primary hazard facing recreational ocean swimmers in Australia, debate exists about the best advice to give swimmers caught in rip currents. Such surf rescue advice -- on what to do and how to respond when caught in a rip -- relies on empirical evidence. However, at present, knowledge about swimmers reactions and responses to rip currents is limited. This gap is a considerable barrier to providing effective advice to beach goers and to understanding how this advice is utilised (or not) when actually caught in the rip current. This paper reports the findings of a pilot study that focussed on garnering a better understanding of swimmers' experiences when caught in rip currents. A large scale questionnaire survey instrument generated data about rip current survivors' demographics, knowledge of beach safety and their reactions and responses when caught in a rip current. A mix of online and paper surveys produced a total of 671 completed surveys. Respondents were predominantly an informed group in terms of rip current knowledge, beach experience and had a high self-rated swimming ability. Preliminary insights from the survey show that most respondents recalled a "swim across the rip/parallel to the beach" message when caught in the rip and most escaped unassisted by acting on this message. However, while nearly a quarter of respondents recalled a message of "not to panic", short answer responses revealed that the onset of panic inhibited some respondents from recalling or enacting any other type of beach safety message when caught in the rip current. Results also showed that despite the research sample being younger, competent and frequent ocean swimmers, they were more likely to swim at unpatrolled beaches and outside of the red and yellow safety flags. Moreover, they were still caught in a rip current and they panicked. The findings of this study have significant implications for a range of demographic groups of differing beach safety knowledge and swimming ability who may be caught in rip currents behave, we know very little about how beach goers may respond to being caught in them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper draws initially on theoretical literature describing schools and universities as, necessarily, dialogic learning communities, which is then applied to an investigation into the use of peer review in teacher education in an Australian university. The empirical research described was completed with pre-service teachers of religious education, and it explores the implications for the learning of those pre-service teachers in a university and in school settings. Advantages of peer review by pre-service teachers include helping them to identify, understand and address their strengths and limitations. The work was described as a positive experience, supporting the expectations of the authors that it could and should be positive, despite some of the previous literature in the field emphasising negative experiences of peer review. Activities used for this research were themselves models of professional learning, representing a ‘research attitude’ of the pre-service teachers to their own work. That can in turn be applied to the research attitude of university tutors and, just as significantly, of teachers and pupils in schools. Pre-service teachers were seeing themselves as researchers in learning communities, and were able to understand how they might transfer this approach into the classrooms in which they would be working. Although a small-scale piece of empirical research, it nevertheless helps to clarify some of the ways in which teacher education can model, and influence, the nature of schools as learning communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dimovski and Brooks (J Intern Financ Mark Inst Money 14:267-280, ) examined 358 Australian industrial and mining company initial public offerings (IPOs) from 1994 to 1999 to report that more money was left on the table by IPOs that engaged underwriters than those that did not engage underwriters. Loughran and Ritter (Autumn 5-37, ) suggested that the negative relation between underwriter reputation and underpricing has reversed in the 1990s with U.S. IPOs. The main purpose of this paper is to study the relationship between underwriter reputation and underpricing in terms of Australian IPO data. In this paper, we use 380 Australian industrial company IPOs from 1994 to 2004 to perform the empirical study. Our results suggest that more prestigious underwriters are associated with a higher level of underpricing. Other variables that are found to be significant in explaining the level of IPO underpricing are market sentiment, share options, total capital raised and underwriter options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]