James Warn

Workplace dimensions, stress and job satisfaction

Applied research indicates strong connections between dimensions of the work place, stress and job satisfaction. Yet, there is an absence of theory to provide conceptual understanding of these relationships. In 1999, Sparks and Cooper advocated using job‐specific models of stress as a way of developing a better understanding of the relationships. The current study adopted this recommendation and investigated a specific job context, specifically, naval officer trainees undergoing their sea training. The results indicate that a general model of stress is unhelpful in identifying the predictors of stress and job satisfaction in specific job contexts. Instead, the authors recommend identifying salient workplace dimensions rather than a broad‐brush approach when seeking workplace associations with stress.

Leadership in project management: from firefighter to firelighter

Purpose – To demonstrate two distinct leadership requirements for project managers and establish a theoretical basis for distinguishing between these two types of leadership. Design/methodology/approach – A framework linking transactional and transformational leadership qualities with project management attributes is developed. Findings – Explains how reactive decisions relating to monitoring of schedules and budgeting data of projects has received the greatest attention in the literature but this is only one aspect of project control. Project leadership that is proactive in controlling projects is more effective. Research limitations/implications – The implications of our findings are substantive. Project managers who focus on proactive leadership behaviour will be more successful in completing projects on time, on budget and to the specified standard as well as achieving the strategic purpose of the project. Practical implications – Project managers need to pay more attention to the progress of their projects and forestall any problems rather than just being reactive problem solvers. Originality/value – The paper provides a framework for establishing the linkage between proactive decisions that impact on the direction that the project is progressing and reactive decisions that solve the existing problems of project management. It is a different focus to the traditional project management leadership knowledge base.

Plagiarism Software: No Magic Bullet!.

The ready availability of Internet resources has made it easier than ever for students to plagiarize and many higher education institutions have resorted to checking essays with plagiarism detection software. Student behaviour is likely to change in response to this increased scrutiny but not necessarily in the desired direction. Internet technology facilitates a ‘cut and paste’ assembly‐line approach to essay writing that will persist despite the use of plagiarism software. It is predicted that students will resort to increased use of paraphrase in order to drop below the radar of the detection software. To illustrate this trend, samples of student essays are analysed and limitations of plagiarism software discussed. The paper concludes with suggestions for developing a coordinated institutional policy on plagiarism, and recommends that policy encompass training and educational initiatives to complement any enforcement strategy using plagiarism software.

Relationships between interest in motor racing and driver attitudes and behaviour amongst mature drivers: An Australian case study

Interest in motor racing is investigated as a possible source of influence on driver attitudes toward speeding and driver behaviour. Previous studies have identified links between motor racing and road accidents on public roads. One study found that the level of interest in motor racing was positively correlated with risky driving behaviours of young male drivers. This paper outlines a conceptual framework for investigating the association between interest in motor racing and speeding violations on public roads. A sample survey of households in Queanbeyan, NSW, was used to examine the relationship between the level of interest in motor racing and attitudes to speeding and driving violations in a group of mature drivers. Results indicate that the level of interest in motor racing is significantly related to attitudes towards speeding, controlling for age, education level and sensation seeking propensity. Higher levels of interest in motor racing are associated with higher pro-speeding attitudes. Unlike the previous research on young male drivers, there was no significant relationship between interest in motor racing and speeding violations for this study of mature drivers. The implications of the study for road safety interventions are discussed.

Intangibles in commercialisation: the case of air navigation services in the South Pacific

Purpose – To demonstrate that different approaches to commercialisation can determine the nature of intangible resources that managers can develop.Design/methodology/approach – A framework linking political strategy, financial capitalisation and business strategy is developed to analyse the management of intellectual capital in the commercialisation of air navigation services in New Zealand and Fiji. Case study evidence is organised as an intellectual capital portfolio and links are drawn to subsequent business outcomes for each organisation.Findings – Explains how key decisions about financial capitalisation and business strategy at the time of commercialisation influence the subsequent management and development of intangible resources in the organisation. Identifies how political assumptions about commercialisation can constrain or enhance subsequent management success in developing intellectual capital to pursue business growth.Research limitations/implications – The interpretations offered, although ...

Chinese immigrant entrepreneurship: Embeddedness and the interaction of resources with the wider social and economic context:

This article investigates the factors that influenced the entrepreneurial start-up businesses among Chinese immigrants who had been granted residency under three different immigration policies in Australia. These immigrant groups differed in their resources and experienced different market conditions which led to different opportunity structures and subsequent choices of entrepreneurial activities. The mixed embeddedness model was identified as being useful for analysing the factors contributing to the business start-ups of these Chinese immigrant entrepreneurs. The research contributes to the existing literature by developing a dynamic analysis of the interaction of personal resources and economic conditions in the pursuit of business ventures. Also, the intersectionality of gender, race and class is analysed in relation to the mixed embeddedness model. Importantly, this research emphasises the need to look beyond either broad cultural factors or single factors in attempting to analyse the pathways selected by immigrant entrepreneurs.

Between Two Worlds: Indigenous Leaders Exercising Influence and Working across Boundaries

Although there has been considerable commentary and debate relating to Indigenous political leadership, less attention has been given to the emergence of Indigenous leaders working to improve Indigenous prospects from within the worlds of community development, management, and administration. Based on in-depth interviews with a cohort of emerging Indigenous leaders in these situations, we found that these leaders are producing their own style of leadership, drawing on their Indigenous identity as a resource, while negotiating the policy and other demands of white Australia. The style of leadership that is emerging has its own distinctive attributes, being more relationally based than is the norm. We suggest that these differences have an important cultural dimension, but also relate to the strategic and tactical challenges of managing ‘two-ways’. We conclude that these characteristics may be difficult to recognise and reward in organisations where leadership is conceptualised in more instrumental terms.

Impact of Crew and Vessel Readiness on Mission Readiness

The measures indicating that a naval vessel is ready for a mission are currently perceived to include input and output performance indicators that relate to crew and vessel readiness. The psychological dynamics of crew behaviour, perceptions and compatibility levels on a particular vessel are ignored to a large extent in the determination of levels of mission readiness. This paper reviews the performance indicators used in the military in terms of readiness to achieve the desired outcome of mission readiness. It explores the importance of including the neglected area of crewing dynamics at a psychological level to determine the level of mission readiness, as well as the changing dynamics that impact strongly on the sustainability of mission readiness.

Factors Influencing the Turnover of Skilled Personnel: A Case-study*

Measures taken to improve productivity are likely to involve an increased investment in human capital—that is, in the development of the skills, knowledge and experience of the employee. Personnel turnover can represent a loss on this investment and, in the case of some highly skilled employees, turnover can even jeopardize the functioning of the organization. The Aus tralian Army is examined as a case-study of turnover trends because it is an organization that is not able to replace personnel easily due to the unique nature of their military knowledge and experience, and can suffer a loss of capability if the turnover of skilled personnel is too high. Turnover in the Army was found to be related to the unemployment rate and salary level. These associations are consistent with other research, but still of significance since the Army culture with its emphasis on intrinsic motivation was expected to lead to a different pattern of turnover behaviour. The result has implications for human resource policy regarding employee skill development and the retention of skilled employees.