Cecil A. L. Pearson

Examining the effects of internal and external team learning on team performance

The effectiveness of using team learning to improve team performance has been well documented in the literature, and this notion makes intuitive sense. However, little empirical research has been dedicated to the relationship between team learning and team performance, probably owing to the lack of a widely acceptable instrument for assessing team learning. In this study, a psychometric (validity and reliability) examination of Edmondson’s Team Learning Survey (TLS) is undertaken. This instrument was then used to examine the effects of internal and external team learning on team performance. Implications and limitations of the study findings are discussed.

Expectations and Values of University Students in Transition: Evidence from an Australian Classroom.

Reforms in the functioning and purpose of higher education during the past 2 decades have created profound changes in the expectations and values of university students worldwide. Indeed, the values of entrepreneurship, vocational relevance, and commercial success have considerably displaced the traditional expectations of knowledge acquisition and dissemination. These sea changes in the role and functioning of universities have brought about significant stress at the classroom level, where the expectation gap between instructors and students has been widening. This article explores the expectations and value gaps of students in an Australian university during a period of 2 years in two different cycles by gathering evidence in an auto-reflective postcourse narrative survey. The key findings of the study indicate an overwhelming indication toward utilitarian and pragmatic outcomes. The article suggests some pedagogical reconceptualizations in response to the inevitable conflict between what is delivered and what is valued and expected.

Differences And Similarities Of Entrepreneurial Characteristics In A Diverse Social Setting-Evidence From Australian And Singaporean Managers

Despite the growing acceptance that entrepreneurship facilitates national economic growth there has been a lack of research in diverse international contexts. This paper assesses relationships between contextual work setting properties and three personality characteristics that have been identified in the Western literature as being associated with entrepreneurial motivation. Responses from 410 Australian and Singaporean entrepreneurs and non-entrepreneurs demonstrate on the one hand there was systematic entrepreneurial variation between the two countries, but on the other hand, the influence of personal attributes on entrepreneurship were not hampered by geographic boundaries. The findings are discussed in terms of challenges for international entrepreneurship.

Do organisational reform measures impact on global mindset intensity of managers?: Empirical evidence from Indian and Chinese service industry managers

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate the strength of organisational strategy, technology intensity and entrepreneurial orientation as predictors of managerial global mindset intensity in the Indian and Chinese service industry. Design/methodology/approach - A pluralist research design that captured quantitative and qualitative data from 239 Indian and 210 Chinese indigenous managers was evaluated to test the hypothesised relationships of a conceptual model that was developed from the contemporary relevant literature. Findings - The results of the investigation demonstrate that technological intensity and entrepreneurial orientation were significant determinants of managerial global mindset intensity. Qualitative information that revealed technological intensity and entrepreneurial orientation were dominant drivers from developing and nurturing managerial global mindset intensity. Research limitations/implications - In spite of both study countries having large populations, the evaluated sample sizes were of reasonable magnitude. The evidence of indicators that strongly reform the domain of global managerial mindsets has considerable application for corporations operating in the international marketplace. Originality/value - The rising dominance of the service sector as well as the changing economic, political and social landscape are compelling organisations to more fully understand the dynamics of the dramatic shifts in managerial thinking.

Releasing indigenous entrepreneurial capacity: a case study of the Yolngu clan in a remote region of Northern Australia

A pathway for indigenous people to increase their economic independence is by developing entrepreneurial business engagements. As a strategy to reduce the significant differences between indigenous business aspirations and non-indigenous business participation the Australian Government policy of Aboriginal self-determination encourages the strengthening of partnerships between indigenous and non-indigenous business opportunities. In this paper is reported a partnership between the Yolngu of Arnhem Land and Forestry Tasmania, which is being undertaken in a remote region in the Northern Territory of Australia. This new venture, which is being conducted in an area where there are often insufficient jobs, has the potential to generate a number of mainstream career paths for indigenous people. And while the entrepreneurial project is presenting promising achievements for the Yolngu community investment in a range of managerial business competencies is critical for further development of indigenous self-determination and economic independence.

Extending business education beyond traditional boundaries: a case study in negotiated problem resolution in a remote regional indigenous community in Australia

It is widely accepted that the concepts and practices of management can only be of benefit when they are anchored to the contextual architecture of people, processes, structures, and technologies. The challenge of establishing a bridging program for providing managerial competencies to Australian Indigenous people has become a serious one for multinational mining companies. As the wings of globalization interact with the long-ignored reality of marginalized local milieu, a need for an innovative management education system has become a major imperative compelling multinational mining companies to work collaboratively with the government, educational institutions, and Indigenous communities. The article outlines a specific decision-making dilemma in an Indigenous context, while explaining the imperatives for educators, who have the challenging task of instructing potential graduates how to manage the unique contextuality of rural Australian Aboriginal communities. The article presents implications for large-scale modern multinationals as they move to geographically remote regions of the world where large number of marginalized local people need to be drawn into the workforce not only as an act of a social responsibility imperative, but also as sound business pragmatism.

Indigenous Social Entrepreneurship: The Gumatj Clan Enterprise in East Arnhem Land

Despite a continuing commitment by the Australian Federal Government to develop entrepreneurial business opportunities for Indigenous people as a strategy to reduce their socio-economic disadvantage, there is scant documentation of rigorous assessments of sustainable Aboriginal enterprises. This article delineates an Indigenous social entrepreneurial business that is gaining traction in the Gove Peninsula of East Arnhem Land of Australia. A conceptual framework focuses attention to the phenomenon of visionary leadership for fostering value creation, innovation and social capital, to create a pathway for alleviating poverty and enhancing the socio-economic environment of an Indigenous community. An appreciation of the role of existing social structures, the imperative of operating at the local level and the importance of cultural heritage are vital components in the pursuit of economic and social goals of sustainable Indigenous social entrepreneurship.

Education and employment issues for indigenous Australians in remote regions: a case study of a mining company initiative

Despite government policy and initiatives for remote areas, indigenous people are amongst the most disadvantaged and do exhibit higher levels of unemployment in the Australian community. A number of commentators have suggested that better educational opportunities for this minority group will considerably improve their socio-economic status and employment opportunities. This myth is exposed in this article, which reports evidence from an educational–vocational programme for Yolngu who are the indigenous people of East Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Australia. The Arnhem Learning Education and Regional Training (ALERT) programme is conducted, mainly at Nhunlunbuy, in partnership with Rio Tinto Alcan and the Charles Darwin University, with the primary objective of preparing indigenous people for mainstream sustainable jobs. The presented content suggests that while higher educational status is important, this sole strategy is unlikely to comprehensively address outstanding issues that are confronting indigenous people and their labour market concerns.

The determining factors of Western Australia's (WA) foreign investment in China

Despite acknowledging that the economic recovery of Australia and particularly Western Australia from one of the worst global financial downturns will be coupled with a revived Chinese economy, there is a lack of knowledge about these connections. This study evaluates business drivers of Western Australian firms to appreciate how these factors enhance Chinese business engagement. The study findings demonstrate that market size, infrastructure and business ethics were significantly associated with intention to invest in China, but labour cost was not a primary driver. And while these relationships were influenced by personal, organizational and networking attributes, greater elucidation was obtained by interviewing managers. The evidence may benefit institutions intending to increase exposure to the Chinese marketplace.

Career development, job satisfaction, and career commitment: evidence from the Singaporean hospitality industry

Trends such as a changing workforce with greater diversity, a shrinking leadership pipeline, increased globalization, and rapid technological advances are driving organizations to take proactive steps for career development and talent management. To accelerate the development of leaders, organizations must carefully select development methods and invest development dollars wisely. In fact, senior executives are continuing to push for more accountability with human resource expenditures given the rising costs of these solutions and the intensive competition for the budgets associated with them. To that end, many best-practice organizations have developed balanced evaluation criteria, up to and including return on investment, to gauge the effectiveness of leadership development programs. This case study shows how the ROI process was used to evaluate the impact of a career development initiative implemented as a pilot talent management strategy for increased efficiency in a dynamic manufacturing environment. Results showed a positive link between participants’ on-the-job application of learned skills/knowledge and desired business results. Findings from this study support research showing that successful career development efforts must be implemented with a systems view that occurs in the context of ongoing, real-time work initiatives that are closely tied to strategic business goals. Critical success factors that have implications for HR professionals seeking to develop value-added career development solutions include: beginning with a thorough needs assessment; securing support and involvement from senior management; linking efforts to strategic objectives; integrating continuous evaluation processes; involving line managers in programme design; and piloting the programme before launch.