Description:
Purpose: Academic research and consumer polls often report strong consumer support for environmentally responsible products (ERPs), and yet the proportion of sales they account for is often comparatively small. The purpose of this paper is to address one of the purported reasons behind this “attitude-behaviour gap” by measuring the influence of six relatively untested factors on consumer attitudes towards environmentally responsible clothing (ERC). Design/methodology/approach: This study employed a consumer household sample. It also used a quantitative survey approach to collect its data and structural equation modelling to analyse it. Findings: Of the six factors, four were found to have a significant influence on consumer attitudes: altruism, status enhancement, perceived consumer effectiveness (PCE) and happiness. Originality/value: Altruism, environmental concern, PCE and self-identity have consistently featured in other environmental contexts, but less so in the specific context of ERC. Happiness and status enhancement have yet to appear in any study relating to the purchase of ERPs.
Description:
Innovation and the environment are perceived as being in conflict within mainstream economics. Both are neglected themes in post-Keynesian economics, despite their prominence in general business discourse. A post-Keynesian ‘eco-sustainable framework’ is specified, which can stimulate innovation with supportive public policy tools for the attainment of sustainable economic and ecological development. The framework aims at satisficing towards a ‘sustainable society’ based on the work of Micha
Description:
Innovation and the environment are perceived as being in conflict within mainstream economics. Both are neglected themes in post-Keynesian economics, despite their prominence in general business discourse. A post-Keynesian ‘eco-sustainable framework’ is specified, which can stimulate innovation with supportive public policy tools for the attainment of sustainable economic and ecological development. The framework aims at satisficing towards a ‘sustainable society’ based on the work of Micha
Description:
Analysis of the data collected from a survey into what OHS professionals do in practice indicated that they are not strategically influential with senior managers and that this lack of influence may be limiting workplace health and safety improvements. This article revisits the survey data to investigate the potential links between the personal (gender) and professional (education and experience) characteristics of OHS professionals, the industry and the size and geographical location of the organisation in which they work, and their involvement in strategic activities. The analysis indicates that the profile of OHS professionals who are strategically influential includes the following: they are male; they have worked in OHS for six to 10 years; and they are employed by large organisations, particularly in the mining and construction industries. The data regarding the role of education were contradictory to expectations and other reports. While this analysis has provided a profile of OHS professionals in Australia, it has added little to our understanding of the interactions and dynamics of factors that might impact on the strategic influence of OHS professionals.
Description:
The current study used confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), latent profile analysis (LPA), and factor mixture modeling (FMM) to examine the co-occurrence of the childhood syndromes using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and Teacher Report Form (TRF). Parents and teachers completed the CBCL and TRF, respectively, for a clinic-referred sample of 720 children, ages 7-12 years. For the CBCL, the analyses indicated most support a 2-class 2-factor FMM, and for the TRF, there was most support for a 2-class 3-factor model. The classes were all syndromes at average levels and all syndromes at high levels. The findings indicate high syndrome co-occurrence. The implications of the findings for understanding syndrome co-occurrence in the CBCL and TRF, theories of syndrome co-occurrence, and the clinical use of the CBCL and TRF are discussed.
Description:
The global demand for web-based applications regarding financial products and services drives the financial sector to innovate through Information and Communication Technology (ICT) projects. The ICT projects are launched for the diffusion (spread) and implementation of new software or hardware by using web-based platforms in order to offer innovative financial products and services across the branch bank system. These projects are initiated, diffused, managed and implemented by global actors, so-called ICT change agents. Despite the increased recruitment of ICT change agents, there is relatively little research available regarding ICT change agents in financial services projects. Specifically, little consideration is given to the interaction process between formal and informal ICT change agents' roles. Based on a case study methodology in Australia and Germany, this research indicates that deadline-oriented projects drive ICT change agents to play various formal and informal roles. Their formal roles are performed in accordance with organisational settings and project management standards, whereas their informal operations are due to the rapid-changing and global nature of ICT technologies. The findings are summed up in a new framework which indicates that both types of roles impact on the outcomes of financial services technology projects.
Description:
The present study examined measurement invariance of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) in community groups of Australian heterosexual men (N = 1106), heterosexual women (N = 2111), gay men (N = 527), and lesbians (N = 712). Confirmatory factor analysis of CES-D item scores supported the theorized oblique 4-factor model. There was support for full measurement invariance across the 4 groups, based on differences in approximate fit indices. In contrast there was support for only partial invariance when the chi-square difference test was applied. Lack of invariance was mostly for depressed affect and somatic symptom items, with noninvariant somatic symptom items showing consistently high factor loadings and thresholds among lesbians compared with the other groups. The findings are discussed in relation to the use of the CES-D, the relevance of different depression symptoms to how depressions is experienced by the different gender and sexual orientation groups, and gender role socialization and minority sexual orientation theories. (PsycINFO Database Record
Description:
The Internet and portability of technologies are changing the way we are doing business. Electronic business and commerce (e-commerce) platforms purportedly provide companies of all sizes with opportunities for economies of scale, process efficiencies and mechanisms for electronic advertising, retailing, trading and transaction. Australian small and medium size enterprises (SME) have, however, been reluctant to embrace information and communication technologies (ICT) and e-commerce because they fail to see the value of such tools. While SME are still coming to terms with core ICT adoption and strategic e-commerce directions, individual SME connectivity and e-commerce adoption inertia has been upstaged by collaborative network trends. Competitive advantage is becoming embedded in collaboration, networking and (virtual) clustering. This paper discusses the pathways towards online collaboration that address both industry or network needs and the capabilities, needs and attitudes of individual SME.
Description:
The Internet and portability of technologies are changing the way we are doing business. Electronic business and commerce (e-commerce) platforms purportedly provide companies of all sizes with opportunities for economies of scale, process efficiencies and mechanisms for electronic advertising, retailing, trading and transaction. Australian small and medium size enterprises (SME) have, however, been reluctant to embrace information and communication technologies (ICT) and e-commerce because they fail to see the value of such tools. While SME are still coming to terms with core ICT adoption and strategic e-commerce directions, individual SME connectivity and e-commerce adoption inertia has been upstaged by collaborative network trends. Competitive advantage is becoming embedded in collaboration, networking and (virtual) clustering. This paper discusses the pathways towards online collaboration that address both industry or network needs and the capabilities, needs and attitudes of individual SME.
Description:
The purpose of this paper was to examine the influence of individual and situational level factors on internal whistle-blowing intentions, within a South African context. This is the first quantitative study of whistle-blowing in South Africa. Quantitative survey data, encompassing 250 senior, middle and lower-level management/administration personnel was analysed. Majority of surveyed participants indicated positive intentions toward whistle-blowing. Majority also believes that general sense of morality and professional ethics are the most influential motivations for whistle-blowing. Improved internal organizational systems and external legal systems were surprisingly found to discourage whistle-blowing in our sample. A theoretical basis for future research is extrapolated, with the main findings highlighting the importance of positive organizational values/culture and the perpetuation of business ethics awareness.
Description:
The purpose of this paper was to examine the influence of individual and situational level factors on internal whistle-blowing intentions, within a South African context. This is the first quantitative study of whistle-blowing in South Africa. Quantitative survey data, encompassing 250 senior, middle and lower-level management/administration personnel was analysed. Majority of surveyed participants indicated positive intentions toward whistle-blowing. Majority also believes that general sense of morality and professional ethics are the most influential motivations for whistle-blowing. Improved internal organizational systems and external legal systems were surprisingly found to discourage whistle-blowing in our sample. A theoretical basis for future research is extrapolated, with the main findings highlighting the importance of positive organizational values/culture and the perpetuation of business ethics awareness.
Description:
A wide range of decision-making models have been offered to assist in making ethical decisions in the workplace. Those that are based on normative moral frameworks typically include elements of traditional moral philosophy such as consequentialist and/or deontological␣ethics. This paper suggests an alternative model drawing on Jean-Paul Sartre’s existentialism. Accordingly, the model focuses on making decisions in full awareness of one’s freedom and responsibility. The steps of the model are intended to encourage reflection of one’s projects and one’s situation and the possibility of refusing the expectations of others. A case study involving affirmative action in South Africa is used to demonstrate the workings of the model and a number of strengths and weaknesses are identified. Despite several weaknesses that can be raised regarding existential ethics, the model’s success lies in the way that it reframes ethical dilemmas in terms of individual freedom and responsibility, and in its acceptance and analysis of subjective experiences and personal situations.
Description:
A clear path to the new eco-sustainable techno-economic paradigm is mapped out in Courvisanos (2009a) using a framework for innovation and investment developed from the seminal work of Adolph Lowe and Michal Kalecki. This theoretical framework is based around three elements that are crucial to achieving this eco-sustainable paradigm: (i) cumulative effective demand for eco-sustainable products, services and processes, (ii) ecological rules for capital investment to ensure resource saving and long-term carrying capacity, and (iii) iterative flexible public and private planning and monitoring processes to allow ecologically sustainable innovation to be supported by infrastructure, R&D and learning and development systems. This path was specifically applied in Courvisanos (2009a) to regional (non-metropolitan) Australia, an area of food and fibre production that is fragile because of drought, fire and massive storms due to ecological degradation and greenhouse warming. The heartland of regional Australia is the nation’s food bowl, the Murray-Darling River Basin (MDRB), which is under great stress due to salination and drought. There also is great rainfall variability with huge floods due to climate change, as became evident in 2010. A path for resolution of the concerns of specific regional and corporate interests along the whole Murray-Darling river system has not yet emerged. What is required is an eco-sustainable framework that addresses these issues in a holistic manner.
Description:
A clear path to the new eco-sustainable techno-economic paradigm is mapped out in Courvisanos (2009a) using a framework for innovation and investment developed from the seminal work of Adolph Lowe and Michal Kalecki. This theoretical framework is based around three elements that are crucial to achieving this eco-sustainable paradigm: (i) cumulative effective demand for eco-sustainable products, services and processes, (ii) ecological rules for capital investment to ensure resource saving and long-term carrying capacity, and (iii) iterative flexible public and private planning and monitoring processes to allow ecologically sustainable innovation to be supported by infrastructure, R&D and learning and development systems. This path was specifically applied in Courvisanos (2009a) to regional (non-metropolitan) Australia, an area of food and fibre production that is fragile because of drought, fire and massive storms due to ecological degradation and greenhouse warming. The heartland of regional Australia is the nation’s food bowl, the Murray-Darling River Basin (MDRB), which is under great stress due to salination and drought. There also is great rainfall variability with huge floods due to climate change, as became evident in 2010. A path for resolution of the concerns of specific regional and corporate interests along the whole Murray-Darling river system has not yet emerged. What is required is an eco-sustainable framework that addresses these issues in a holistic manner.
Description:
This study uses the concept of emotional labour to illuminate areas of pressure and strain for teachers in English primary and secondary schools. It explores the impact of aspects of new public management reform on the nature and differences in the emotional labour experienced by teachers. The aim of this research was to help us understand the difficulties and tensions that this group of public sector professionals may be experiencing in the current environment. This research investigates the emotional side of teaching as a source of both job satisfaction and stress, in a performance-driven education sector. Findings show that the emotional labour presented differs in terms of its source, severity and impact on educational and personal goals and also that prescriptive and bureaucratically driven teaching frustrates teachers. The study contributes to the growing literature on emotional labour distinctive to public institutions. Theoretical and practical implications for recruitment, selection and training are discussed concluding with a research agenda.
Description:
Country-specific information on risk management is increasingly important, not only for investors and decision makers in international markets but also, for those in national and regional markets. This study reports the results of a cross-sectional survey of risk management practice and derivatives use by a sample of Australian firms. Overall, the results suggest that firm-specific factors appear to have some influence on risk management practice with the industry of the respondent being the most important, while the degree of international exposure has the least. Larger and more internationally exposed firms are likely to have more frequent reporting of derivatives use, and are more likely to use swaps and options to manage risks than other types of firms. Issues and implications for international firms are discussed