A critical ethnographic study of older people participating in their health care in acute hospital environments
- Authors: Penney, Wendy
- Date: 2005
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: "While consumer participation is the focus of 21st century health policy, little is known about this concept from the perspectives of people who require acute hospital services. [...]This project set out to explore older people's perspective of participating in their care. Adopting critical ethnographic method, field work included observation of the inpatient experience. Following discharge home people were interviewed about their experiences including what helped and what hindered participation in their care. Similarly nurses involved in [...] a hospital experience were invited to be involved in individual and focus group discussions aimed at defining how they believed they facilitated people to participate as well as barriers that prevent this style of care."
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Penney, Wendy
- Date: 2005
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: "While consumer participation is the focus of 21st century health policy, little is known about this concept from the perspectives of people who require acute hospital services. [...]This project set out to explore older people's perspective of participating in their care. Adopting critical ethnographic method, field work included observation of the inpatient experience. Following discharge home people were interviewed about their experiences including what helped and what hindered participation in their care. Similarly nurses involved in [...] a hospital experience were invited to be involved in individual and focus group discussions aimed at defining how they believed they facilitated people to participate as well as barriers that prevent this style of care."
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
An In-Vehicle data acquisition system to monitor the service conditions of brake systems
- Authors: Fumi, Duncan
- Date: 2008
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: The design of vehicle brake systems involves optimising a large number of competing parameters. In order to find an appropriate balance of properties, it is important to have a good picture of the range of operating conditions the system will operate under. Obtaining such information for a large range of driving conditions requires recording data over a long period from a number of vehicles under a number of different driving conditions. In this thesis, a proposed data acquisition system has been designed, constructed and implemented to measure and store in real-time performance related parameters of brake systems. The system proposed in this thesis to monitor brake performance employs a small embedded PC system along with a number of peripheral cards as its basis [...]
- Authors: Fumi, Duncan
- Date: 2008
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: The design of vehicle brake systems involves optimising a large number of competing parameters. In order to find an appropriate balance of properties, it is important to have a good picture of the range of operating conditions the system will operate under. Obtaining such information for a large range of driving conditions requires recording data over a long period from a number of vehicles under a number of different driving conditions. In this thesis, a proposed data acquisition system has been designed, constructed and implemented to measure and store in real-time performance related parameters of brake systems. The system proposed in this thesis to monitor brake performance employs a small embedded PC system along with a number of peripheral cards as its basis [...]
Non-linear analogues of Lagrange functions in constrained optimization
- Authors: Giri, Jason
- Date: 2005
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: "This thesis investigates several non-linear analogues of Lagrange functions in the hope of answering the question 'Is it possible to generalise Lagrange functions such that they may be applied to a range of nonconvex objective problems?' The answer to this question is found to be yes for a particular class of optimization problems. Furthermore the thesis asserts that in derivative free optimization the general schema which is most theoretically and practically appealing involves the reformulation of both objective and constraint functions, whilst the least practically successful approach for everything but the most simple convex case is the augmented Lagrangian approach."
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Giri, Jason
- Date: 2005
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: "This thesis investigates several non-linear analogues of Lagrange functions in the hope of answering the question 'Is it possible to generalise Lagrange functions such that they may be applied to a range of nonconvex objective problems?' The answer to this question is found to be yes for a particular class of optimization problems. Furthermore the thesis asserts that in derivative free optimization the general schema which is most theoretically and practically appealing involves the reformulation of both objective and constraint functions, whilst the least practically successful approach for everything but the most simple convex case is the augmented Lagrangian approach."
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Wine and regional tourism : Cluster complementarity and regional development
- Authors: McRae-Williams, Pamela
- Date: 2005
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis investigates the impact of clustering on the development and operation of wine and tourism industries in Victoria, Australia. Specifically, the research analyses the structure and competitive strength of industry players, and highlights the importance of geographic co-location on their behaviour. In essence, this study examines micro-clusters in these regional industries to identify overlap and complementarity between them. The research focuses on three case studies based around geographic locations in Central and Western Victoria - Ballarat, Northern Grampians and Bendigo regions. "The primary aim of the study is to gain an understanding of the scope of wine and tourism micro-clusters and how they interact. [...] Generally speaking, this study develops and applies a framework that demonstrates the relevance of cluster theory as a regional development tool for scenarios that fucus on co-located clusters at a micro level, as opposed to the majority of research reported that focuses on the macro level."
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: McRae-Williams, Pamela
- Date: 2005
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis investigates the impact of clustering on the development and operation of wine and tourism industries in Victoria, Australia. Specifically, the research analyses the structure and competitive strength of industry players, and highlights the importance of geographic co-location on their behaviour. In essence, this study examines micro-clusters in these regional industries to identify overlap and complementarity between them. The research focuses on three case studies based around geographic locations in Central and Western Victoria - Ballarat, Northern Grampians and Bendigo regions. "The primary aim of the study is to gain an understanding of the scope of wine and tourism micro-clusters and how they interact. [...] Generally speaking, this study develops and applies a framework that demonstrates the relevance of cluster theory as a regional development tool for scenarios that fucus on co-located clusters at a micro level, as opposed to the majority of research reported that focuses on the macro level."
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
The construct validity of the Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Oppositional Defiant Disorder symptoms : A multitrait-multisource approach based on father and mother ratings
- Authors: Carroll, Steve
- Date: 2005
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: There has been considerable debate over the construct validity of the Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) symptoms in past research due to measurement error (e.g., source effects) associated with parent and teacher ratings of childhood behaviour. Recent multitrait-multisource (MT-MS) studies have attempted to account for measurement error by using multiple sources involving parents and teachers. These studies have identified low trait variance in the AD/HD and ODD dimensions, thereby raising questions about the validity of the AD/HD - inattention (IN), AD/HD - hyperactivity/impulsivity (H/I), and ODD constructs. However, as these studies examine ratings from different settings (i.e., home and school) it can be argued that the low trait variance in the AD/HD constructs may reflect cross-situational differences. The current research used confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) procedures to examine the internal and external validity of AD/HD and ODD symptoms based on ratings (i.e., mother and father) from individuals in the same setting...
- Description: Doctor of Psychology (Clinical)
- Authors: Carroll, Steve
- Date: 2005
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: There has been considerable debate over the construct validity of the Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) symptoms in past research due to measurement error (e.g., source effects) associated with parent and teacher ratings of childhood behaviour. Recent multitrait-multisource (MT-MS) studies have attempted to account for measurement error by using multiple sources involving parents and teachers. These studies have identified low trait variance in the AD/HD and ODD dimensions, thereby raising questions about the validity of the AD/HD - inattention (IN), AD/HD - hyperactivity/impulsivity (H/I), and ODD constructs. However, as these studies examine ratings from different settings (i.e., home and school) it can be argued that the low trait variance in the AD/HD constructs may reflect cross-situational differences. The current research used confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) procedures to examine the internal and external validity of AD/HD and ODD symptoms based on ratings (i.e., mother and father) from individuals in the same setting...
- Description: Doctor of Psychology (Clinical)
Underwater kicking following the freestyle tumble-turn
- Authors: Clothier, Peter
- Date: 2004
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Swim turns are a component of competitive swimming where considerable advantage can be gained or lost. This thesis investigates underwater dolphin and flutter kicking techniques and their application to exits following the turn in freestyle swimming. Five separate investigations were conducted to examine the kinetics and kinematics of each underwater kicking technique and are presented in expanded journal manuscript form. Studies one, two and three involved the comparison of freestyle turns when using flutter and dolphin kicking wall exit techniques. The results obtained indicated that freestyle turns using flutter kicking were faster than dolphin kicking in age-group swimmers. For this group, significant and equal improvements were made to flutter and dolphin kick turn performances following six weeks of dolphin kick and dolphin kick turn training. However, no difference in turn times were observed between kicking conditions by older and more highly skilled swimmers. Study four involved a kinematical comparison of maximal underwater free-swimming dolphin and flutter kicking. Results showed dolphin kick to be a superior underwater free-swimming technique. Greater foot width, increased ankle range of movement and greater vertical displacement of the ankle and foot during kicking were shown to be highly predictive of faster underwater dolphin kicking. Investigation five compared the drag forces and kinematics between the dolphin and flutter kicking techniques while subjects were towed at velocities representing those experienced following wall turn push-off. Results favour the dolphin kick as a superior underwater technique at these higher velocities. Increased underwater dolphin kicking efficiency, as measured by decreased net towing force, was found to be associated with larger kick amplitude – rate ratios, and higher kick amplitude – streamline length ratios.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Clothier, Peter
- Date: 2004
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Swim turns are a component of competitive swimming where considerable advantage can be gained or lost. This thesis investigates underwater dolphin and flutter kicking techniques and their application to exits following the turn in freestyle swimming. Five separate investigations were conducted to examine the kinetics and kinematics of each underwater kicking technique and are presented in expanded journal manuscript form. Studies one, two and three involved the comparison of freestyle turns when using flutter and dolphin kicking wall exit techniques. The results obtained indicated that freestyle turns using flutter kicking were faster than dolphin kicking in age-group swimmers. For this group, significant and equal improvements were made to flutter and dolphin kick turn performances following six weeks of dolphin kick and dolphin kick turn training. However, no difference in turn times were observed between kicking conditions by older and more highly skilled swimmers. Study four involved a kinematical comparison of maximal underwater free-swimming dolphin and flutter kicking. Results showed dolphin kick to be a superior underwater free-swimming technique. Greater foot width, increased ankle range of movement and greater vertical displacement of the ankle and foot during kicking were shown to be highly predictive of faster underwater dolphin kicking. Investigation five compared the drag forces and kinematics between the dolphin and flutter kicking techniques while subjects were towed at velocities representing those experienced following wall turn push-off. Results favour the dolphin kick as a superior underwater technique at these higher velocities. Increased underwater dolphin kicking efficiency, as measured by decreased net towing force, was found to be associated with larger kick amplitude – rate ratios, and higher kick amplitude – streamline length ratios.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
A class of Increasing Positively Homogeneous functions for which global optimization problem is NP-hard
- Authors: Sultanova, Nargiz
- Date: 2009
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: It is well known that global optimization problems are, generally speaking, computationally infeasible, that is solving them would require an unreasonably large amount of time and/or space. In certain cases, for example, when objective functions and constraints are convex, it is possible to construct a feasible algorithm for solving global optimization problem successfully. Convexity, however, is not a phenomenon to be often expected in the applications. Nonconvex problems frequently arise in many industrial and scienti¯c areas. Therefore, it is only natural to try to replace convexity with some other structure at least for some classes of nonconvex optimization problems to render the global optimization problem feasible. A theory of abstract convexity has been developed as a result of the above considerations. Monotonic analysis, a branch of abstract convex analysis, is analogous in many ways to convex analysis, and sometimes is even simpler. It turned out that many problems of nonconvex optimization encountered in applications can be described in terms of monotonic functions. The analogies with convex analysis were considered to aid in solving some classes of nonconvex optimization problems. In this thesis we will focus on one of the elements of monotonic analysis - Increasing Positively Homogeneous functions of degree one or in short IPH functions. The aim of present research is to show that finding the solution and ²-approximation to the solution of the global optimization problem for IPH functions restricted to a unit simplex is an NP-hard problem. These results can be further extended to positively homogeneous functions of degree ´, ´ > 0.
- Description: Master of Mathematical Sciences (Research)
- Authors: Sultanova, Nargiz
- Date: 2009
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: It is well known that global optimization problems are, generally speaking, computationally infeasible, that is solving them would require an unreasonably large amount of time and/or space. In certain cases, for example, when objective functions and constraints are convex, it is possible to construct a feasible algorithm for solving global optimization problem successfully. Convexity, however, is not a phenomenon to be often expected in the applications. Nonconvex problems frequently arise in many industrial and scienti¯c areas. Therefore, it is only natural to try to replace convexity with some other structure at least for some classes of nonconvex optimization problems to render the global optimization problem feasible. A theory of abstract convexity has been developed as a result of the above considerations. Monotonic analysis, a branch of abstract convex analysis, is analogous in many ways to convex analysis, and sometimes is even simpler. It turned out that many problems of nonconvex optimization encountered in applications can be described in terms of monotonic functions. The analogies with convex analysis were considered to aid in solving some classes of nonconvex optimization problems. In this thesis we will focus on one of the elements of monotonic analysis - Increasing Positively Homogeneous functions of degree one or in short IPH functions. The aim of present research is to show that finding the solution and ²-approximation to the solution of the global optimization problem for IPH functions restricted to a unit simplex is an NP-hard problem. These results can be further extended to positively homogeneous functions of degree ´, ´ > 0.
- Description: Master of Mathematical Sciences (Research)
Generalist telephone counselling and referral call data as a social indicator : a lifeline to social support?
- Authors: Watson, Robert
- Date: 2006
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The aim of this Australian Research Council Linkage doctoral project with industry partners UnitingCare-Lifeline Ballarat and Lifeline Australia was to investigate whether calls to Lifeline – a generalist telephone counselling and referral service – could be used as valid and reliable social indicators of health. The Lifeline Australia service receives approximately 1,000 calls a day and key details of each call are recorded on its Client Services Management Information System (CSMIS). A number of research questions directed this study: (1) What are the characteristics or attributes of callers to Lifeline?; (2) How do the patterns of calls to Lifeline vary spatially?; and (3) What is the statistical relationship between calls to Lifeline and other measures of community health? This thesis presents a detailed descriptive summary and analysis of Lifeline’s national CSMIS call data (N = 90,128 cases) from 01-04-2003 to 29-06-2003. It explores this and other sources of call data, such as the Telstra Exchange data, for their potential to be used as social indicators. The project created a model of generalist telephone counselling and referral use (MGTCRU). The MGTCRU was used as a theoretical base to a call rate indicator, named the Lifeline Indicator of Social Need (LISN), which reflects the community’s capacity to provide social support to its most socially isolated residents. The LISN was found to have useful attributes and a potential for use as a social indicator of community strength. The call rate indicator showed a statistically significant relationship with the Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia, measures of socio-economic disadvantage, and suicide rates. However, the CSMIS database was found to have certain limitations. The thesis presents recommendations for this situation to be addressed. While acknowledging that there are limitations to telephone counselling call data it is clear that these call data can be used to create cost effective, rapid, reliable, and potentially valid social indicators. This thesis has made a number of significant empirical and theoretical contributions to knowledge on telephone counselling and referral. The descriptive summary of the CSMIS data provided in this thesis might be used in innovative ways by social researchers. The LISN could be used on its own or included in other social indices. The MGTCRU provides a theoretical framework for understanding telephone counselling and referral services use and may assist these services to organise their operations and meet the needs of their callers. This project may have particular application to a current upgrade of Lifeline Australia’s telephony and call data systems.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Watson, Robert
- Date: 2006
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The aim of this Australian Research Council Linkage doctoral project with industry partners UnitingCare-Lifeline Ballarat and Lifeline Australia was to investigate whether calls to Lifeline – a generalist telephone counselling and referral service – could be used as valid and reliable social indicators of health. The Lifeline Australia service receives approximately 1,000 calls a day and key details of each call are recorded on its Client Services Management Information System (CSMIS). A number of research questions directed this study: (1) What are the characteristics or attributes of callers to Lifeline?; (2) How do the patterns of calls to Lifeline vary spatially?; and (3) What is the statistical relationship between calls to Lifeline and other measures of community health? This thesis presents a detailed descriptive summary and analysis of Lifeline’s national CSMIS call data (N = 90,128 cases) from 01-04-2003 to 29-06-2003. It explores this and other sources of call data, such as the Telstra Exchange data, for their potential to be used as social indicators. The project created a model of generalist telephone counselling and referral use (MGTCRU). The MGTCRU was used as a theoretical base to a call rate indicator, named the Lifeline Indicator of Social Need (LISN), which reflects the community’s capacity to provide social support to its most socially isolated residents. The LISN was found to have useful attributes and a potential for use as a social indicator of community strength. The call rate indicator showed a statistically significant relationship with the Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia, measures of socio-economic disadvantage, and suicide rates. However, the CSMIS database was found to have certain limitations. The thesis presents recommendations for this situation to be addressed. While acknowledging that there are limitations to telephone counselling call data it is clear that these call data can be used to create cost effective, rapid, reliable, and potentially valid social indicators. This thesis has made a number of significant empirical and theoretical contributions to knowledge on telephone counselling and referral. The descriptive summary of the CSMIS data provided in this thesis might be used in innovative ways by social researchers. The LISN could be used on its own or included in other social indices. The MGTCRU provides a theoretical framework for understanding telephone counselling and referral services use and may assist these services to organise their operations and meet the needs of their callers. This project may have particular application to a current upgrade of Lifeline Australia’s telephony and call data systems.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
The determinants of capital structure in Chinese listed companies
- Authors: Shen, Gensheng
- Date: 2008
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Traditional financial theories see capital structure as a result of mainly financial, tax and growth factors (Modigliani & Miller, 1958). But corporate governance theories (Jensen & Meckling, 1976) and business strategy theories (Barton & Gordon, 1988) suggest that ownership structure and ownership concentration, product diversification and asset specificity may also influence capital structure. Focusing on the examination of the determinants of capital structure in Chinese listed companies, this research goes beyond financial factors and considered business strategy and corporate governance approaches, and their impact on capital structure, in a transitioning Chinese context where institutions, expertise and regulatory processes are different to, but converging on, Western approaches. A panel data set of 1,098 Chinese listed companies for the period of 1991 to 2000 was collected from published sources, and conventional and innovative econometric methodologies were used to model a range of relationships between capital structure and its financial and non-financial determinants. The statistical approaches used in this study included Ordinary Least Squares Model and also Linear Mixed Model, which is a powerful tool to examine panel data where independence of explanatory variables is not assumed. The analysis also involved Hox’s model building procedures to measure model fit. The capital structure of listed companies in both the Shenzhen Stock Exchange and the Shanghai Securities Exchange is positively related to a firm’s tax rate, growth and capital intensity and negatively related to a firm’s profit and size. Other financial factors such as tangibility, risk and duration are non-significant. The capital structure of listed companies, particularly in the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, is positively related to product diversification and negatively related to asset specificity. The capital structure of listed companies in the Shanghai Securities Exchange is positively related to government ownership and ownership concentration of the largest shareholder and negatively related to legal person ownership and ownership concentration of the ten largest shareholders. The data and modelling support financial and non-financial determinants of capital structure. In particular, information asymmetry, business diversity and asset specificity have a significant impact on capital structure. In addition the empirical work in the study supports agency cost explanations of debt and equity. Finally the research demonstrates that the two main financial markets in China, Shenzhen and Shanghai, have operated differently but are converging towards a common norm. The research contributes to the general field of capital structure and provides valuable insights into the nature of the Chinese firm and the evolution of the Chinese financial system.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Description: 2003006320
- Authors: Shen, Gensheng
- Date: 2008
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Traditional financial theories see capital structure as a result of mainly financial, tax and growth factors (Modigliani & Miller, 1958). But corporate governance theories (Jensen & Meckling, 1976) and business strategy theories (Barton & Gordon, 1988) suggest that ownership structure and ownership concentration, product diversification and asset specificity may also influence capital structure. Focusing on the examination of the determinants of capital structure in Chinese listed companies, this research goes beyond financial factors and considered business strategy and corporate governance approaches, and their impact on capital structure, in a transitioning Chinese context where institutions, expertise and regulatory processes are different to, but converging on, Western approaches. A panel data set of 1,098 Chinese listed companies for the period of 1991 to 2000 was collected from published sources, and conventional and innovative econometric methodologies were used to model a range of relationships between capital structure and its financial and non-financial determinants. The statistical approaches used in this study included Ordinary Least Squares Model and also Linear Mixed Model, which is a powerful tool to examine panel data where independence of explanatory variables is not assumed. The analysis also involved Hox’s model building procedures to measure model fit. The capital structure of listed companies in both the Shenzhen Stock Exchange and the Shanghai Securities Exchange is positively related to a firm’s tax rate, growth and capital intensity and negatively related to a firm’s profit and size. Other financial factors such as tangibility, risk and duration are non-significant. The capital structure of listed companies, particularly in the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, is positively related to product diversification and negatively related to asset specificity. The capital structure of listed companies in the Shanghai Securities Exchange is positively related to government ownership and ownership concentration of the largest shareholder and negatively related to legal person ownership and ownership concentration of the ten largest shareholders. The data and modelling support financial and non-financial determinants of capital structure. In particular, information asymmetry, business diversity and asset specificity have a significant impact on capital structure. In addition the empirical work in the study supports agency cost explanations of debt and equity. Finally the research demonstrates that the two main financial markets in China, Shenzhen and Shanghai, have operated differently but are converging towards a common norm. The research contributes to the general field of capital structure and provides valuable insights into the nature of the Chinese firm and the evolution of the Chinese financial system.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Description: 2003006320
An Investigation into spring water
- Authors: Purtill, Marie
- Date: 2008
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: This exegesis explores the sacred, holy and commercial aspects of spring water as revealed by an exploration of the relationships of Indigenous Australians and non–Indigenous European Australians to spring water. As a non–Indigenous Australian migrant, my knowledge of Indigenous Australian spiritual and cultural matters was limited, as was knowledge of Indigenous Australian history, both pre- and post-European settlement. As a migrant, I have many memories and experiences of spring water at European wells, springs and places of pilgrimage where healing, both physical and spiritual was sought. In childhood, I enjoyed reading the many myths and legends that surround the magical, mysterious and often invisible resource of spring water. Realising that my current knowledge of spring water relied more on folklore and anecdotal information than on fact, I decided that the topic of spring water offered worthwhile opportunities for research. [...] The availability of spring water is being challenged on more than one front. This research explores and investigates the abundance of (particularly) art references to spring water in Indigenous Australian culture and traditions, while noting the dearth of art references relating specifically to spring water in non-Indigenous Australian culture; although an abundance of art references to water in general is revealed. In the latter context, references to art depicting aspects of the hydrologic cycle have been substituted and explored.
- Description: Master of Arts
- Authors: Purtill, Marie
- Date: 2008
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: This exegesis explores the sacred, holy and commercial aspects of spring water as revealed by an exploration of the relationships of Indigenous Australians and non–Indigenous European Australians to spring water. As a non–Indigenous Australian migrant, my knowledge of Indigenous Australian spiritual and cultural matters was limited, as was knowledge of Indigenous Australian history, both pre- and post-European settlement. As a migrant, I have many memories and experiences of spring water at European wells, springs and places of pilgrimage where healing, both physical and spiritual was sought. In childhood, I enjoyed reading the many myths and legends that surround the magical, mysterious and often invisible resource of spring water. Realising that my current knowledge of spring water relied more on folklore and anecdotal information than on fact, I decided that the topic of spring water offered worthwhile opportunities for research. [...] The availability of spring water is being challenged on more than one front. This research explores and investigates the abundance of (particularly) art references to spring water in Indigenous Australian culture and traditions, while noting the dearth of art references relating specifically to spring water in non-Indigenous Australian culture; although an abundance of art references to water in general is revealed. In the latter context, references to art depicting aspects of the hydrologic cycle have been substituted and explored.
- Description: Master of Arts
A locale of the cosmos : an epic of the Wimmera : exegesis and text
- Authors: Rieth, Homer Manfred
- Date: 2006
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: "This project has, for its central component, an epic poem, 'A locale of the cosmos'. The accompanying exegesis examines epic as an ancient, but continually evolving form. It argues that, as a contemporary example of the genre and, as a sustained poetic rumination on landscape and memory, 'A locale of the cosmos' represents a significant development within the modern tradition of autobiographical epic. In broader terms, 'A locale of the cosmos' privileges the landscape and history of a region of Australia, the Wimmera region of north-western Victoria and, in doing so, explores the cumulative effects of the physical environment as a site for sustained poetic treatment. The poem is, therefore, an epic of both historical narrative and philosophical reflection, giving meaning to and interpreting ideas of space, place and locale. "Furthermore, it explores, in particular, the psychological and spiritual effects of vast horizontal distances, created by a landscape in which endless plains and immense horizons form an analogue of the wider cosmos. The poem's themes, therefore, bear not only on the prominences of the visible locale, but also explore the salients of an interior world, a landscape of the mind to which the poetry gives shape and meaning."
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Rieth, Homer Manfred
- Date: 2006
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: "This project has, for its central component, an epic poem, 'A locale of the cosmos'. The accompanying exegesis examines epic as an ancient, but continually evolving form. It argues that, as a contemporary example of the genre and, as a sustained poetic rumination on landscape and memory, 'A locale of the cosmos' represents a significant development within the modern tradition of autobiographical epic. In broader terms, 'A locale of the cosmos' privileges the landscape and history of a region of Australia, the Wimmera region of north-western Victoria and, in doing so, explores the cumulative effects of the physical environment as a site for sustained poetic treatment. The poem is, therefore, an epic of both historical narrative and philosophical reflection, giving meaning to and interpreting ideas of space, place and locale. "Furthermore, it explores, in particular, the psychological and spiritual effects of vast horizontal distances, created by a landscape in which endless plains and immense horizons form an analogue of the wider cosmos. The poem's themes, therefore, bear not only on the prominences of the visible locale, but also explore the salients of an interior world, a landscape of the mind to which the poetry gives shape and meaning."
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Navigating their way : how do women with hospitalised premature infants perceive their roles in regional special care nurseries?
- Authors: Knox, Catherine
- Date: 2006
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: "Improved survival rates for premature infants have resulted in extended hospital stays in neonatal nurseries with consequent challenges for mothers assuming a parental role. Additionally, maternal medical complications associated with surgical birth, and a need to locate themselves in unfamiliar clinical environments, exacerbate women's experiences and transition to a maternal role competes with other roles at this time. For women living in rural and regional areas, who experience premature birth, there is additional hardship due to isolation, distance and limited support services. There has been little research on women's experiences with infants in special care nurseries in regional Australia."--(leaf ii).
- Description: Master of Nursing
- Authors: Knox, Catherine
- Date: 2006
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: "Improved survival rates for premature infants have resulted in extended hospital stays in neonatal nurseries with consequent challenges for mothers assuming a parental role. Additionally, maternal medical complications associated with surgical birth, and a need to locate themselves in unfamiliar clinical environments, exacerbate women's experiences and transition to a maternal role competes with other roles at this time. For women living in rural and regional areas, who experience premature birth, there is additional hardship due to isolation, distance and limited support services. There has been little research on women's experiences with infants in special care nurseries in regional Australia."--(leaf ii).
- Description: Master of Nursing
Using digital image analysis for assessing the quality of wheat and barley
- Authors: Armstrong, Bruce
- Date: 2004
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis explores the issues involved in developing a relatively low-cost digital imaging analysis (DIA) system fot the quality assessment of wheat and barley using commonly available equipment. It also explores the capability of such a system to provide rapid and accurate assessments.
- Description: Master of Applied Science by research
- Authors: Armstrong, Bruce
- Date: 2004
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis explores the issues involved in developing a relatively low-cost digital imaging analysis (DIA) system fot the quality assessment of wheat and barley using commonly available equipment. It also explores the capability of such a system to provide rapid and accurate assessments.
- Description: Master of Applied Science by research
Innovation and capacity growth in mental health promotion : Working with the past
- Authors: Crouch, Alan
- Date: 2006
- Type: Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The field of practice addressed by this Portfolio of works is mental health promotion in the context of survival of extreme, organized, armed violence and associated repression. Studies were undertaken in two historical and geo-political settings – Cambodian refugees in Australia post 1979 and Bulgarian post World War II concentration camp survivors after the fall of communism in 1989. The portfolio reports on original image-based research in mental health promotion, using discussions by focus groups composed of genocide and repression survivors. The discourse developed by each group following reflection on a set of photographs from respective conflict periods was used to explore meaning-making within that survivor group.
- Description: Doctor of Health Promotion
- Authors: Crouch, Alan
- Date: 2006
- Type: Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The field of practice addressed by this Portfolio of works is mental health promotion in the context of survival of extreme, organized, armed violence and associated repression. Studies were undertaken in two historical and geo-political settings – Cambodian refugees in Australia post 1979 and Bulgarian post World War II concentration camp survivors after the fall of communism in 1989. The portfolio reports on original image-based research in mental health promotion, using discussions by focus groups composed of genocide and repression survivors. The discourse developed by each group following reflection on a set of photographs from respective conflict periods was used to explore meaning-making within that survivor group.
- Description: Doctor of Health Promotion
Multiculturalism : (re) intellectualising teaching
- Authors: Edmonds, George
- Date: 2007
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Doctor of Philosphy
- Authors: Edmonds, George
- Date: 2007
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Doctor of Philosphy
Ergonomics interventions as investments in occupational health and safety : A selected series of case studies within the Australian postal corporation
- Authors: Nelson, David
- Date: 2006
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis examines and reports upon the application of ergonomics interventions to OHS-based industrial problems. The study focuses on the values of these interventions as investment opportunieties for management. A wide review of the scientific and commercial literature, personal information, observation techniques, and a selected series of seven case studies and eleven separate data-sets within the Australian Postal Corporation have been undertaken.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Nelson, David
- Date: 2006
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis examines and reports upon the application of ergonomics interventions to OHS-based industrial problems. The study focuses on the values of these interventions as investment opportunieties for management. A wide review of the scientific and commercial literature, personal information, observation techniques, and a selected series of seven case studies and eleven separate data-sets within the Australian Postal Corporation have been undertaken.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Web based regional newspapers : The role of content : A thesis
- Authors: Knox, Ian
- Date: 2002
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: The phenomenon and acceptance of electronic publishing has proliferated in the last five years due to the expansion in the use of the World Wide Web in the general community. The initial fears that newspapers would be decimated by the introduction of this technology have been proven groundless, but despite a high web presence by newspapers world wide, profitable models of cyber papers are elusive. In an online environment traditional relationships between newspaper advertising and editorial may not stand. Despite the considerable body of published literature concerning the movement of print newspapers to an online environment, little was found concerning online content. A need to re-evaluate what content and functions are considered to be desirable by print readers, in an online environment was identified as the main objective of this research. Evaluation the of user attitudes to web based newspapers provides a foundation for future research into areas such as developing effective models for profitable online newspapers. To achieve this objective, the research tools used were a content analysis, an online newspaper user survey and newspaper management personal interviews. The study looked at Victorian regional daily newspapers that also had online versions. By focussing on the regional newspapers, meaningful comparisons could be made between content, staff attitudes and readership interests. The content analysis measured the quantum and nature of the content of the print and online versions of the regional dailies during a one week period. This provided a measure of the type and source of the articles included both in print and online. Newspaper editorial staff interviews contributed a personalised view of content priorities, which was then contrasted with a web based questionnaire which measured user requirements in relation to content and interactivity. It was found from the survey that content alone would not provide a sufficient basis to build a profitable online regional newspaper site. The findings were analysed in relation to the literature, newspaper site content and editorial staff interviews. Despite regularly accessing online newspaper sites, it was found that users are unwilling to pay for the experience. Users indicated a desire for a higher level of interactivity, in addition to the content, which is currently provided, by online regional newspapers. Evaluation of user attitudes to web based newspapers provides a foundation for future research into the development of effective for profitable online newspapers.
- Description: Master of Business
- Authors: Knox, Ian
- Date: 2002
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: The phenomenon and acceptance of electronic publishing has proliferated in the last five years due to the expansion in the use of the World Wide Web in the general community. The initial fears that newspapers would be decimated by the introduction of this technology have been proven groundless, but despite a high web presence by newspapers world wide, profitable models of cyber papers are elusive. In an online environment traditional relationships between newspaper advertising and editorial may not stand. Despite the considerable body of published literature concerning the movement of print newspapers to an online environment, little was found concerning online content. A need to re-evaluate what content and functions are considered to be desirable by print readers, in an online environment was identified as the main objective of this research. Evaluation the of user attitudes to web based newspapers provides a foundation for future research into areas such as developing effective models for profitable online newspapers. To achieve this objective, the research tools used were a content analysis, an online newspaper user survey and newspaper management personal interviews. The study looked at Victorian regional daily newspapers that also had online versions. By focussing on the regional newspapers, meaningful comparisons could be made between content, staff attitudes and readership interests. The content analysis measured the quantum and nature of the content of the print and online versions of the regional dailies during a one week period. This provided a measure of the type and source of the articles included both in print and online. Newspaper editorial staff interviews contributed a personalised view of content priorities, which was then contrasted with a web based questionnaire which measured user requirements in relation to content and interactivity. It was found from the survey that content alone would not provide a sufficient basis to build a profitable online regional newspaper site. The findings were analysed in relation to the literature, newspaper site content and editorial staff interviews. Despite regularly accessing online newspaper sites, it was found that users are unwilling to pay for the experience. Users indicated a desire for a higher level of interactivity, in addition to the content, which is currently provided, by online regional newspapers. Evaluation of user attitudes to web based newspapers provides a foundation for future research into the development of effective for profitable online newspapers.
- Description: Master of Business
'And for harmony most ardently we long' : Musical life in Ballarat, 1851-1871
- Authors: Doggett, Anne
- Date: 2006
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: "The study examines two decades in the musical life of Ballarat, a regional city in south-eastern Australia. Beginning at the time of the 1851 gold rush, it covers the period in which Ballarat grew from a rough mining camp to an established city with a socially and ethnically diverse population of over 40,000 people. The thesis pursues the aim of looking at the music practices of the community in ways that will further our understanding of the significance of music in the lives of the people."--Abstract.
- Description: Doctor of Philosphy
- Authors: Doggett, Anne
- Date: 2006
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: "The study examines two decades in the musical life of Ballarat, a regional city in south-eastern Australia. Beginning at the time of the 1851 gold rush, it covers the period in which Ballarat grew from a rough mining camp to an established city with a socially and ethnically diverse population of over 40,000 people. The thesis pursues the aim of looking at the music practices of the community in ways that will further our understanding of the significance of music in the lives of the people."--Abstract.
- Description: Doctor of Philosphy
Stock market predictions based on quantified intermarket influences
- Authors: Tilakaratne, Chandima
- Date: 2007
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This research investigated the feasibility and capability of neural network-based approaches for predicting the direction of the Australian Stock market index (the target market). It includes several aspects: univariate feature selection from the historical time series of the target market, inter-market analysis for finding the most relevant influential markets, investigations of the effect of time cycles on the target market and the discovery of the optimal neural network architectures. Previous research on US stock markets and other international markets have shown that the neural network approach is one of most powerful techniques for predicting stock market behaviour. Neural networks are capable of capturing the non-linear stochastic and chaotic patterns in the stock market time series data. This study discovered that the relative return series of the Open, High, Low and Close prices of the target market, show 6-day cycles during the studied period of about 14 years. Multi-layer feedforward neural networks trained with a backpropagation algorithm were used for the experiments. Two major testing methods: testing with randomly selected test data and forward testing, were examined and compared. The best neural network developed in this study has achieved 87%, 81% 83% and 81% accuracy respectively in predicting the next-day direction of the relative return of the Open, High, Low and Close prices of the target market. The architecture of this network consists of 33 input features, one hidden layer with 3 neurons and 4 output neurons. The best input features set includes the relative returns from 1 to 6 days in the past of the Open, High, Low and Close prices of the target market, the day of the week, and the previous day’s relative return of the Close prices of the US S&P 500 Index, US Dow Jones Industrial Average Index, US Gold/Silver Index, and the US Oil Index.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Tilakaratne, Chandima
- Date: 2007
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This research investigated the feasibility and capability of neural network-based approaches for predicting the direction of the Australian Stock market index (the target market). It includes several aspects: univariate feature selection from the historical time series of the target market, inter-market analysis for finding the most relevant influential markets, investigations of the effect of time cycles on the target market and the discovery of the optimal neural network architectures. Previous research on US stock markets and other international markets have shown that the neural network approach is one of most powerful techniques for predicting stock market behaviour. Neural networks are capable of capturing the non-linear stochastic and chaotic patterns in the stock market time series data. This study discovered that the relative return series of the Open, High, Low and Close prices of the target market, show 6-day cycles during the studied period of about 14 years. Multi-layer feedforward neural networks trained with a backpropagation algorithm were used for the experiments. Two major testing methods: testing with randomly selected test data and forward testing, were examined and compared. The best neural network developed in this study has achieved 87%, 81% 83% and 81% accuracy respectively in predicting the next-day direction of the relative return of the Open, High, Low and Close prices of the target market. The architecture of this network consists of 33 input features, one hidden layer with 3 neurons and 4 output neurons. The best input features set includes the relative returns from 1 to 6 days in the past of the Open, High, Low and Close prices of the target market, the day of the week, and the previous day’s relative return of the Close prices of the US S&P 500 Index, US Dow Jones Industrial Average Index, US Gold/Silver Index, and the US Oil Index.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
A fuzzy derivative and dynamical systems
- Authors: Mammadov, Musa
- Date: 2002
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: "The purpose of this thesis is to develop and study new techniques for the mathematical modeling of dynamical systems and to apply these techniques to data classification problems. This approach is based on the notion of a fuzzy derivative. The main aim of the thesis is to examine this notion in data classification."
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Mammadov, Musa
- Date: 2002
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: "The purpose of this thesis is to develop and study new techniques for the mathematical modeling of dynamical systems and to apply these techniques to data classification problems. This approach is based on the notion of a fuzzy derivative. The main aim of the thesis is to examine this notion in data classification."
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy