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This paper documents firm mark‐ups and competition in Australia, and their impact on productivity, using administrative data. I find that mark‐ups increased by around 5 per cent since the mid 2000s, less than previously documented for Australia and slightly less than documented for the average advanced economy. While part appears to reflect technological change, part appears to reflect an increase in market power. This increase appears to explain part of the slowdown in productivity growth observed in Australia over the past decade, by slowing the efficient reallocation of resources from low productivity to high productivity firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In health insurance markets with regulated competition, regulators face the challenge of preventing risk selection. This paper provides a framework for analyzing the scope (i.e., potential actions by insurers and consumers) and incentives for risk selection in such markets. Our approach consists of three steps. First, we describe four types of risk selection: (a) selection by consumers in and out of the market, (b) selection by consumers between high- and low-value plans, (c) selection by insurers via plan design, and (d) selection by insurers via other channels such as marketing, customer service, and supplementary insurance. In a second step, we develop a conceptual framework of how regulation and features of health insurance markets affect the scope and incentives for risk selection along these four dimensions. In a third step, we use this framework to compare nine health insurance markets with regulated competition in Australia, Europe, Israel, and the United States., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the challenges confronting Christian-based organisations operating in the employment services quasi-market in Australia. It focuses on the tensions that arise for these organisations as they endeavour to deliver services that reflect their distinctive mission and values, while remaining competitive in an environment characterised by the typical market values of commercialism, competition and compliance. Design/methodology/approach – The data on which this paper is based has been derived from 48 semi-structured interviews with church leaders, senior managers and frontline staff in four Christian-based organisations. Findings – The paper demonstrates that the Christian-based organisations under consideration are constrained in their ability to deliver a distinctive and holistic mission. The pressure to survive has resulted in these organisations emulating the business practices of others considered to be more successful in the field. Research limitations/implications – This paper draws attention to the commercialisation that has occurred within Christian-based organisations delivering privatised employment services. As markets are formed in other welfare areas, further research opportunities will present to examine how Christian-based organisations respond to the pressures that arise in these fields. Practical implications – The findings from this study raise significant questions for Christian-based organisations. The particular dilemma being whether they should accept government funding in circumstances where their mission is likely to be compromised. Originality/value – This paper serves to highlight, that despite their intentions to deliver a distinctive mission, Christian-based organisations are indistinguishable from other organisations delivering privatised employment services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the implications of the second sentence in Tudor Harts statement about inverse care – that its operation was strongest when exposed to market forces. In the Australian context, we briefly review some available evidence for inverse care in three groups – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and those living in remote and socioeconomically disadvantaged areas. We then discuss the extent to which these examples can be attributed to the operation of supply-and-demand within Australia's hybrid fee-for-service system in general practice. Our analysis suggests disparities in workforce supply and the ability of disadvantaged groups to seek preventive and proactive care are critical factors. These, in turn, suggest the need to fund general practice to be responsible for proactive and preventive care of disadvantaged population groups alongside broader structural reforms in workforce, education and taxation. This paper examines the implications of the second sentence in Tudor Harts statement about inverse care – that its operation was strongest when exposed to market forces. Examples of inverse care can be found in the disparities access to primary health care in Australia, which can be attributed to both supply-and-demand factors in Australia's hybrid market model of health care. Correcting these requires changes to the funding and workforce models, as well as specific actions at the service and community level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the impact of The Australian on Canberra from its first issue on 15 July 1964 to the move to Sydney on 18 March 1967. It covers the acquisition of the Territorial; the change of ownership of Federal Capital Press to the Fairfax organisation; the battle with the Canberra Times for dominance in the local market; the impact of the influx of journalists on a previously static news scene; their impact on Press Gallery reporting; and the impact of more penetrating reporting on the public service. These themes are developed against the background of a city enjoying a burst of development. The article draws on the author's experience as a journalist with the ABC in the Press Gallery in Canberra in the 1960s, as a contributor to The Australian, as a writer/editor for Maxwell Newton, as a citizen and as honorary secretary for the Canberra Day Celebrations 1964. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of product market competition on dividend payout and share repurchases in Australia in which a full dividend imputation system has been in place since 1987. Design/methodology/approach: Panel data estimation with industry and year-fixed effects is employed to examine the role of industry competition on dividend payout and share repurchases. The paper uses a sample of ASX200 non-financial firms, including 4,272 observations over the period 1992–2015. To address the endogeneity problem, the authors utilize the event of Australia–United States Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA), which became effective on 01 January 2005, and perform a difference-in-difference analysis. Findings: The authors find that firms operating in competitive markets are likely to pay more dividends and repurchase more shares to reduce agency costs. The positive relation between industry competition and dividends is stronger among firms where the CEO and the Chairman of the Board are the same person and among firms with higher market-to-book ratio and higher standard deviation of stock returns. The study results are robust when the authors account for the impact of franking credit on dividend payment. In the difference-in-difference analysis, the authors find strong evidence of a casual relation that product competition drives changes in dividend policy. Practical implications: The findings are consistent with the notion that intense product market competition can mitigate agency conflicts between managers and shareholders and with the information signalling explanation of market competition. As such, regulators may want to introduce policies that encourage more market competition (e.g. market deregulation) to enhance market efficiency. Originality/value: This study incorporates product market competition in explaining the firm payout policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, STEM education plays an essential role in the economic growth and competitiveness of nations. This systematic review was aimed to reveal research trends in STEM education over the last 10 years. A total of 336 studies published in the Journal of Science Education and Technology, Research in Science Education, Journal of Science Teacher Education, International Journal of Science Education, Journal of Research in Science Teaching, and Science Education were selected for analysis. The time span was limited to the period between 2011 to late 2020. All sample papers were then examined to capture the latest research trends and status regarding STEM education that included the number of papers by year, research types, countries' rank, and the number of authors. To collect data, the formula proposed by Howard et al. [1] was employed to determine the most productive countries in terms of STEM education scholarships. Findings revealed that STEM education has garnered greater attention and it grew rapidly within this period. The most frequent research type used in STEM education were quantitative studies. In addition, the US, Australia, and the Netherlands were the most productive countries in STEM education research. During these ten years, most papers published in selected journals were written by three authors. This indicates that STEM education is an attractive topic to explore collaboratively by researchers and educators around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australia’s several major mining booms since the 1840s have impacted positively on national economic growth and non-trivially on the competitiveness of other sectors of its economy. This paper shows the latter to be consistent with economic theory only when sectoral policy developments are taken into consideration. It reveals several features that make the sectoral composition of Australia’s economy unusual. One is that the manufacturing share of GDP was unusually high until protectionism was phased out from the 1970s. Another is that the farm sector continued to enjoy a strong comparative advantage despite mining booms and high rates of assistance to import-competing manufacturers. Also, the agricultural and services sectors’ shares of GDP remained fairly constant rather than diverging during 1860-1960. The paper concludes by drawing out implications for future policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on Australian development firms in the console and mobile games industry in order to understand how small firms in a geographically remote and marginal position in the global industry are able to relate to global firms and capture revenue share. This paper shows that, while technological change in the games industry has resulted in the emergence of new industry segments based on transactional rather than relational forms of economic coordination, in which we might therefore expect less asymmetrical power relations, lead firms retain a position of power in the global games entertainment industry relative to remote developers. This has been possible because lead firms in the emerging mobile devices market have developed and sustained bottlenecks in their segment of the industry through platform competition and the development of an intensely competitive ecosystem of developers. Our research shows the critical role of platform competition and bottlenecks in influencing power asymmetries within global markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the melamine milk scandal in 2008, China's global imports of dairy products soared, especially after FTAs had been established with Australia and New Zealand. The dairy products of the two countries have a unique competitive trading advantage in the Chinese market. However, at a time when Chinese consumers are increasingly dependent on imported dairy products, a succession of whey protein scandals affecting New Zealand's dairy products in 2013 had a negative psychological impact on Chinese importers and consumers, and this even affected the import status of New Zealand dairy imports to the Chinese market. The present paper, based on the United Nations Comtrade Harmonized System, studies the role of Australia and New Zealand in China's dairy market. It calculates the trade competitiveness index, revealing the relative competitive advantages of Australia and New Zealand, and investigates the impact of the dairy products from these countries on China's imports from the rest of the world across six dairy sectors in the period 1992⁻2017. We find that, under the food safety laws, the relative dairy import prices, milk scandals, and Free Trade Agreements, together with the competitive advantages of Australia and New Zealand, had a varied impact on the corresponding Chinese dairy imports across the relevant sectors in the context of China food safety laws after the melamine milk scandal. These findings acknowledge Australia and New Zealand's competitiveness in the international dairy trade, and also lead to suggestions regarding their competitiveness and sustainable development in the Chinese market.

This paper examines the efficiency consequences of bank mergers and acquisitions with particular reference to the ‘four pillars’ policy preventing mergers among the four major banks. Using data envelopment analysis, the technical efficiencies of banks operating in Australia over the period from 1983 to 2001 are estimated. A second-stage regression is used to evaluate ex-post efficiency performance of banks involved in mergers and acquisitions. The empirical results demonstrate that for the time being mergers among the four major banks may result in much poorer efficiency performance in the merging banks and the banking sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To describe the establishment of a cross‐border and multi‐university collaboration in rural Australia to mitigate potential competition, maximise Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training (RHMT) Programme investments and regional health workforce outcomes. Context: Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training programme investments have enabled the establishment of 19 Australian University Departments of Rural Health (UDRH) and 17 Rural Clinical Schools. The importance of these investments is acknowledged. However, in regional settings, due to limited clinical placement and training opportunities, there is potential for heightened competition between universities who are operating within shared geographical footprints. Competition between universities risks focusing RHMT programme activity on individual reporting requirements and activities, in preference to: regional needs; existing community–university relationships; and place‐based approaches to health workforce development. Participants: A rural New South Wales and Victorian RHMT‐funded departments, collectively known as the Sunraysia Collaboration. Approach: Strategic and operational processes, structures and actions underpinning collaboration formation and relationship consolidation will be described. Co‐design methodologies employed to collectively define collaboration vision and aims, governance framework and guiding principles, reporting structures and co‐contributions to teaching, research and service will be discussed. Collaboration sensitivity to the social, cultural, relationship and economic connectedness within the region and existing health workforce flows will also be explored. Conclusion: The Sunraysia collaboration demonstrates one approach towards mitigating potential competition between RHMT Programme funded universities within rural and remote Australia. The collaboration is an exemplar of co‐design in action providing an alternative approach to address RHMT Programme parameters and regional needs whilst supporting rural‐remote health workforce training and education innovations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The red meat value chain in Australia is undergoing a rapid change due to globalisation, a highly competitive meat market and increased production efficiency and flexibility. This paper aims to investigate how beef producers can increase supply chain performance (SCP) flexibility by improving supply chain practices. A model was developed and hypotheses were formulated based on the literature review of agri-food supply chains. A survey questionnaire was distributed to beef producers in Australia and the results of stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that performance flexibility was significantly influenced by the supply chain practices: customer relationships and information quality (IQ). Given these findings, beef producers should focus on customer relationships and IQ in order to achieve enhanced flexibility in their SCP. The paper discusses the implications and current practices in beef cattle farming industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, Australia and New Zealand have pursued two different routes of labour market reform. New Zealand opted for a radical experiment in the deregulation of industrial relations and other areas. Australia pursued a co-operative and co-ordinated approach to reform within the centralized arbitral system. Both reform initiatives were designed to stimulate improvements in organizational performance and cost competitiveness. In this paper, we argue that there are three main types of strategies that management can use to reduce labour cost and improve performance: productivity-enhancement, costminimization and work-intensification strategies. We argue that the former is a long-term sustainable strategy whereas the latter two are negative short-term strategies that may have deleterious longer-term effects. This paper reports the results of a cross-national survey in New Zealand and Australia into the extent of adoption of these management strategies. The results are presented by industry, employment size, mode of operation and countries as a whole. The research findings indicate that New Zealand's decentralization has encouraged a higher degree of employer experimentation with both positive and negative workplace change strategies, especially in the private sector. Australia's more centralized system limited the use of cost-minimization strategies but not productivity-enhancing strategies in the public and not-for-profit sector. The research found evidence of work intensification in both countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore how a heterogeneous range of water efficiency responses were driven across a field of seven water consuming organisations in Australia at a time of acute drought conditions into the late 2000s. Design/methodology/approach – Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a range of individuals from 2008 to 2010. Findings – A loosely coordinated range of drivers motivated pervasive water efficiency responses in two of the seven case organisations. Would-be leaders sought to invoke a water efficiency field, and champion nascent logics and theorisation in order to gain some competitive advantage. There was little sense among others of any normative, mimetic or coercive pressure to adopt homogeneous practices. While the field lacked effective champions for change, an institutionalisation of novel water efficiency practices continued across the field into 2010. Research limitations/implications – Further research could investigate how water efficiency responses continued to develop or decline into the 2010s, and how such practices integrate with the management of other sustainability issues (including carbon). Practical implications – Global water resources are subject to increasing supply constraints. This paper responds by exploring how the institutionalisation of water efficiency change can be driven across a field of organisations. Originality/value – Relatively little is understood about “institutionalization” as an unfinished process. This paper responds by contributing an understanding of how institutional logics developed, and how theorisation for water efficiency progressed in the context of water scarcity in Australia in the late 2000s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper engages with the issue of growing tensions in Australian retail planning between centres policy and competition policy. Centres policies, including restrictions on supermarket locations, have long been viewed by many retail planners as key to the maintenance of Main Street viability and vitality. More recently, advocates of competition policy have suggested existing centres policies are anti-competitive, and have argued for a more 'flexible' approach to centres development. Against this backdrop, the broad aim of the paper is to explore how more relaxed controls on supermarket locations might affect Main Street viability and vitality. Two town centres are examined, each associated with different degrees of regulation and characterised by different levels of competition. The effects of these differences on the viability and vitality of the respective centres are explored through analysis of the movement patterns of 148 tracked pedestrians, along with various land use and built form factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Trade Practices Act 1965 was widely criticised as being weak and unproductive. It was a significantly watered-down version of the original Bill overseen by Garfield Barwick. Although the final form of the Act was perceived as ineffective at the time, it is now viewed as an important step towards a national competition policy and a precursor to the opening up of the Australian economy. This paper outlines the economic, political and social background to the introduction of the legislation. We specify some of the factors that explain why its creation caused controversy and its importance in initiating change in Australians' attitudes towards collusive behaviour and economic protectionism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Riverina region of New South Wales has a history of co-operative forms of production and consumption. This paper focuses on three Rochdale rural consumer co-operatives in this region. While the paper argues that marketing the co-operatives in terms of their community links and democratic structure was important to their success over many years, it was not sufficient to ensure survival. Co-operatives found it necessary to highlight their competitive prices and the quality of their goods. They were vulnerable to changes in the rural economy that led to a decline in the local population. Their survival also depended on the quality of their management, with poor investment decisions and recruitment practices undermining profitability. Generous credit policies also undermined the co-operatives financially. By comparing the three co-operatives and their communities, this paper aims to develop a more sophisticated approach to explaining the survival and demise of Rochdale consumer co-operatives in rural Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article argues on the success of any new criminal regime in discouraging serious cartel conduct in Australia, including support from the government, business sector and general public. It provides insights into the impetus for the criminalization initiative of the country on cartel conduct and discusses practical consequences for the effectiveness of the future regime. The author also highlights the need for caution in assuming the success of the anti-cartel law enforcement.

This paper estimates a simultaneous-equation model of wages and prices for Australia, underpinned by a competing claims framework of imperfect competition. Two separate co-integrating relationships for wages and prices are identified by imposing the economic hypotheses implied by the theory. The steady-state relationships for wages and prices are then embedded in a parsimonious, dynamic wage-price model. The final model is both simple and parsimonious and able to describe the process of wage and price inflation in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper documents differences in the levels and growth rates of manufactured exports across the Australian states and territories over the period 1989-1990 to 2000-2001 and then re-interprets these differences using shift-share analysis. Our results suggest that the relative changes in state exports of manufactured goods have been substantial and seem in large part due to state-specific characteristics that impact on state competitiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the debate on R&D policy in Australia via an analysis that compares the level of R&D in Australia to a cross-section of countries. Using survey data from the Global Competitiveness Report and economic data we find that R&D levels are consistent with expectations given business attitudes, the property rights regime and economic characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Total quality management (IQM) is widely recognised as an enabler for performance improvement in the construction industry. This paper presents empirical findings from eight contracting organizations that have adopted TQM practices in response to competitive and environmental pressures. Using the NIES show To model developed by the Australian Government's National Industry Extension Scheme, the paper describes pragmatic considerations. Case study findings reveal that when implementing TQM, contractors must align their organizational culture with the objectives of their TQM program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews the evolution and significance of the Trade Practices Act for the development of competition policy in Australia. The paper also discusses the role of the ACCC in the enforcement of competition law and speculates on future challenges facing the ACCC in this role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approaches to the study of knowledge management (KM) strategies from within the management and information systems (IS) literature have traditionally relied on a resource-based view (RBV) of sources of competitive advantage. Recent studies on young, high-technology firms have highlighted that in practice these types of businesses also acquire competitive advantage through interfirm relationships involving knowledge sharing and strategies based on industry structure involving knowledge blocking. This research highlights potential limitations to the RBV of KM and suggests the need for a more comprehensive framework to explore KM business practices among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Drawing on strategic manag&ggrave;ement theories of relational and industry-based sources of competitive advantage this paper presents a conceptual model that aims to encapsulate the range of potential KM strategies that may be deployed by SMEs. Leveraging current research into KM strategies amongst biotechnology SMEs, the model suggests ways in which the current approaches to KM may be modified and extended to more accurately reflect KM strategies deployed by SMEs within the Australian biotechnology industry. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to address some knowledge gaps in the family entrepreneurship literature, examining the cases of seven Western Australian family firms with various degrees of export involvement, including no involvement. In this process, the study incorporates the resource-based view of the firm (RBVF).Design/methodology/approach Face-to-face and telephone interviews conducted with firm co-owners and one manager of seven family firms. Content analysis and word association were employed to analyse the data gathered.Findings The interviews revealed the significance of various key resources regardless of firms’ extent of export involvement. Indeed, alignments with the RBVF emerged, with firms’ strategies resting on valuable, rare, perfectly immobile and non-substitutable resource attributes. More lucrative consumer markets, diversifying, product recognition and minimising the impact of domestic competitors were main reasons to export. In contrast, rising costs, unfavourable currency exchanges or mediocre previous experiences were motives for discontinuing exports. Nonetheless, building on their resource foundation, non-exporting firms’ strategies focussed on strengthening their involvement in the domestic market, perceived as a valued alternative.Originality/value The academic literature identifies various knowledge gaps concerning family firm entrepreneurship, including research focussing on family firms’ internationalisation process. By addressing this under-researched area, the study provides an element of originality and value. In addition, despite Western Australia’s proximity to neighbouring markets, limited contemporary research on family firms has been conducted in this state; hence, the study provides an original component. Finally, the study seeks to refine the RBVF in the context of family firm research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contributes to the literature on the changing nature of work and employment by focussing on the commercial and residential segments of the construction industry in one Australian state. Three key drivers of change in work and employment are identified and discussed: a changing competitive environment, technological advances in building methodologies and materials and a series of workforce-related issues. The findings are analysed through a theoretical lens which allows for a characterization of the nature, direction and extent of change in the industry. This combination allows for a characterization of the nature, direction and extent of change in the industry. Using interviews with key industry informants we identify and highlight reconfigurations of work and employment. A key finding of the study is that while technological advances are likely to give rise to some form of job destruction and deskilling, current developments are following an evolutionary rather than discontinuous trajectory of change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Industry Commission's 1995 study of the growth and revenue implications of Hilmer and related reforms has been influential in the debate over microeconomic reform. In addition to reform of Telstra, Australia Post, the Federal Airports Corporation, the Civil Aviation Authority, state electricity, gas and water authorities, and rail, road and port authorities, the Commission examined a broad-ranging program including competitive tendering for the provision of public services, deregulation of the building industry and a move to self-regulation of industries such as meat processing. The Commission estimated that the implementation of these reforms would result in a 5.5 per cent increase in GDP. In this paper, the Commission's analysis is subjected to a detailed critique. It is argued that most of the estimated productivity gains are overoptimistic, representing upper bounds to possible achievement rather than likely outcomes. Furthermore, it is argued that the dominant flow-on effects of microeconomic reform will be negative, arising from the fact that at least some of the workers directly displaced by reform will be permanently displaced from the employed labour force. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to examine whether the presence of advisory directors affects firm discretionary accruals (DACC), a widely used proxy for financial reporting quality. The authors argue that the advisory director weakens the board monitoring role and impairs the firm financial reporting quality by increasing DACC. Design/methodology/approach: The sample consists of listed firms on the Australian Stock Exchange from 2001 to 2015 using 7,649 firm-year observations. The authors perform descriptive statistics, regression and propensity score matching analyses to examine the research hypothesis. Findings: The research evidence that firms with a higher presence of advisory directors have more DACC, indicating poor financial reporting quality. Furthermore, the authors categorize the DACC and find that the firm has higher income-increasing DACC in the presence of higher advisory directors. The findings are robust concerning endogeneity issues. Research limitations/implications: The research evidence that firms with a higher presence of advisory directors have more DACC, indicating poor financial reporting quality. Furthermore, the authors categorize the DACC and find that the firm has higher income-increasing DACC in the presence of higher advisory directors. The findings are robust concerning endogeneity issues. Practical implications: The research contributes valuable insights for regulators and policymakers seeking to comprehend the implications of firms using more advisory directors. Additionally, the authors recognize the potential significance of the findings for the institution of directors, as they can provide a nuanced understanding of the specific roles played by advisory directors in organizational dynamics. Originality/value: While the extensive body of literature on corporate governance and financial reporting quality has been well-established, a noticeable void exists in academic research delving into the relationship between advisory directors and DACC management. This study seeks to fill this gap, making a distinctive and original contribution to the existing literature on corporate governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work discusses the results of a pilot project performed in 2013–14 within the framework of the Asian Leadership Project international comparative study, which continues research of school leadership in Europe and America since years 2006–2008. Alongside with Russia, the pilot project also included Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. After analyzing statistical reports on the Russian Federation as a whole, as well as on Moscow and Krasnoyarsk Krai in particular, we created a profile of an average school principal and identified their specific features across regions (age, sex, years of experience, competencies, etc.). Upon investigation of decision-making styles (A. Rowe's Decision Style Inventory) applied by school principals in Moscow and Krasnoiarsk and by award winners in the School Principal professional competition, we found that contextual factors and personal and professional attitudes of school principals have considerable effects on school leadership style. This paper also discusses changes in school leadership styles over recent decades, managerial methods used by Russian school principals, and similarities and differences between school leadership practices in Russia and Canada. The report describes the concept and design of a future large-scale study of these issues. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, we propose that multiculturalism can serve as an effective public policy tool to enhance a nation's competitiveness, in an era characterized by financial crises, globalization, immigration, and changing demographics. Specifically, we articulate how multiculturalism and strategic tolerance of differences can promote socioeconomic mobility for individuals, and act as the 'glue' that binds immigrants and host country nationals together. We also demonstrate how multiculturalism can attract skilled talents necessary for nation building. Immigrants who retain their ties with their countries of origin (home countries) can serve as natural trade links for their countries of residence (host country) and contribute to a reverse 'brain flow' rather than a brain gain/drain for the countries of residence/origin. We conclude by explicating that immigrants can be a source of competitive advantage for countries when a multiculturalism policy is in place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policy analysts have devoted considerable time to examining the problem of the policy implementation gap, with one important strand in the literature following Michael Lipsky's work on street-level bureaucracy and discretion. In this paper, we aim to contribute to the literature concerning shifts in government/third sector organisation contractual arrangements and whether they constitute a significant (post-neoliberal) development in policy implementation. Using a case study of contracted government services in Australia, we revisit the conception of discretion to reflect on the impact of these changes and document their implications for the use of discretion in management and front-line worker practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When the Australian Trade Practices Act 1965 came into force on 1 September 1967 it was vehemently opposed by business as it threatened to reveal the extent of their anti-competitive arrangements. Yet by the time the Act was replaced by stronger legislation in 1974, most firms had accepted that collusion and price fixing were undesirable and that they had to compete. Using newspapers, parliamentary debates, archival records, and the Secret Register of trade agreements introduced by the 1965 Act, this paper examines the transformation of attitudes to competition in the Australian business community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a lack of awareness among Australian and New Zealand medical practitioners about how competition law applies to them. In this article, basic legal issues relating to interaction between medical practitioners (which all medical practitioners should be aware of) are discussed. The New Zealand Ophthalmologists Case and some relevant Australian and United States cases are analysed. Three key areas of competition law (of relevance to medical practitioners) are identified as being important and relevant. In conclusion, medical practitioners must be able to distinguish between legal and illegal activities; and guidelines outlined in this paper provide some clarification.

Over the past decade or more Australia amongst other jurisdictions has experienced substantial reforms to auditing regulation in an effort to boost public confidence in the auditing profession. This paper aims to examine whether these changes in the Australian regulatory environment for audits have (a) provided enhanced confidence in reported financial data, (b) impacted audit costs and (c) not limited competition in the market for audit services. Using qualitative interview data, this study reports on the perceptions of auditors, auditing standard setters and regulators in relation to the CLERP 9 reforms to the Australian auditing regime in the later part of the 2000s. A theoretical framework is developed to evaluate whether these reforms are substantive enough in nature to effect public confidence in reported financial data and market competition in audits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the short-run and long-run performance of Australian cross-listed firms relative to their industry rivals. The role of share trading liquidity and firm visibility in explaining abnormal returns is also investigated. In the short run, an abnormal return of 1.91% for cross-listed firms is found at announcement, while no significant abnormal returns is found for rivals on the event day. For the long-run analysis, only rival firms (especially for rivals of the non-market leaders) experience significant abnormal returns, which are negative. Cross listing into NEW ZEALAND and other countries induces a more negative impact on rivals than the UK. Lastly, liquidity is found to be a determinant of the short- and long-run abnormal returns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The efficiency of regulation of public health risks has been questioned on the grounds that the costs of regulation may outweigh the benefits. There are strong arguments that risk management is best left to the market place, where individual consumers can make the trade-off between risk and the forgone benefits of reduced consumption of hazardous products. The paper reviews the economic arguments for the regulation of health risks and the use of safety standards., Results: There are five key arguments for regulation of public health risks. Consumers misperceive the hazards of products and therefore take more risks than they would if fully informed. The provision of information has certain public goods characteristics (it is non-rival). There may be economies of scale in collecting, providing and disseminating information that is costly to acquire. The private decision maker may not be the person bearing the whole risk, exposing others to risk e.g. children. If public policy has chosen to provide public finance for health care it may be efficient to discourage risk taking by individuals even if that risk taking is optimal from the individual's perspective., Conclusion: There are arguments for public intervention to reduce private health risks and regulation of risk is a legitimate tool to achieve the socially optimal level of risk in certain circumstances. Private subjective assessment of risk may not capture the full social benefits of risk reduction. Regulation by safety standards however may fail to capture the full range of concerns about risk, including avoiding catastrophe, taking personal control of risk, and a distrust of expert opinion.

This article examines the current state of economic relations that the United Kingdom has with New Zealand and Australia, in light of the former's decision to leave the European Union.  Although there are prospects for future trade between these countries post-Brexit based on the three countries' current comparative advantages, perhaps the greatest scope is for greater trade in services along with greater investment flows.  Trade in food produce would be affected by changes in trade policy post-Brexit but other goods such as forestry, mineral and manufacturing products would be more affected by changes in general economic conditions and the relative competiveness of the industries in international markets. Already these aspects of trade are important and are expected to grow and develop over time.  Much of the future negotiations between the three countries will take up a range of issues associated with investment and the trade in services and much of the future prospects for growth in trade might depend on the success of these negotiations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to examine whether the most recent changes in universities have destroyed the institution by removing the keystone of its intellectual structure. Transubstantiation, in catholic theological theory, explains that the essence of the bread and wine offered in the Mass are turned by words into the body and blood of Christ while the external appearance is unaltered. It is suggested here that the essence of the university has been similarly transformed by the words of economic rationalism, economic competition and business greed. The critical element of academic independence, the right to follow where ideas lead and to speak without fear or favour has been eliminated because the state and the great companies find it an impediment to their concept of public value. In a short essay on a wide topic, my approach must be rather arbitrarily selected and presented without much qualification. Because this is an Australian publication the focus is on Australian traditions and their origins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The platform on which the Labour government came to power in Australia in November 2007 included a policy of setting a national wastewater recycling target of 30% by the year 2015. A similar target-based approach was followed by the solid waste recycling industry in Australia the policy of which focused on supply and did not adequately acknowledge the price competitiveness of the product and its demand. This paper highlights the lessons from the solid waste recycling industry and applies them to the water recycling sector. A sound water pricing regime that reflects the true costs of water and a competitive water industry is offered as a better policy alternative to setting recycling targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than a century elapsed between Australia's first legislative attempts to modify anticompetitive behaviour (the Australian Industries Preservation Act 1906) and its most recent efforts to criminalise price fixing ( Trade Practices Amendment (Cartel Conduct and Other Measures) Act 2009). After a burst of activity in the first decade of Federation, the intervening years saw only sporadic interest by governments to promote competitive markets, with limited impact until the late 1960s. This paper assesses the first period of Australia's attempts to promote competition. It traces the political, economic and social environments of anticompetitive business behaviour in Australia from 1901 up to World War I. We suggest that Australia's initial forays into regulating cartels were motivated more by protectionist aims than by efforts to increase competition, which in part also explains the next half-century of legislative apathy towards anti-competitive legislation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Before 1980, strong demand existed in Australia for the economics degree. Since then, competition from programs in business and management has increased. Student preferences have shifted from university and secondary economics. Economics enrollments have declined in both sectors. The authors analyze these trends and assess economic education publications by Australian economists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- Two of the most sought after properties in today's dynamic and competitive manufacturing environment are labour flexibility and effective teamworking. This is due in no small part to the growth of modern manufacturing philosophies which strongly advocate the need for both teamwork and flexibility. This paper aims to explore the impact of two labour flexibility strategies (functional flexibility and intra-cell flexibility)on teamwork in a cellular manufacturing environment. Design/methodology/approach -- Using a revised input/process/output (IPO)team effectiveness model a questionnaire was designed and a case study undertaken at a large Australian manufacturer. The knowledge, skills, and ability (KSAs)gained from job rotation (flexibility)was quantitatively tested against team processes and team performance. Findings -- It was found that functional flexibility had an overall stronger, significant effect on the five team processes tested (communication, conflict resolution, problem solving, goals and performance, tasks and planning)than did intra-cell flexibility. In regards to output (team performance)functional flexibility performed better in areas such as customer delivery, inventory holdings and quality, while intra-cell flexibility performed better in the area of absenteeism. An inconclusive result was obtained for the fifth output measure, efficiency rate. Research limitations/implications -- The study was conducted at a single organisation, which limits the generalisation of the outcomes, therefore broader research on the area is recommended. Practical implications -- The study provides evidence that the individual benefits of both functional flexibility and teamworking may be enhanced while being practised concurrently. With labour flexibility and teamwork being key factors in most modern organisations, the practical implications are much wider than the field of manufacturing. Originality/value -- Individually, the literature offers much on teamworking and flexibility but studies exploring the combined effects of these two important elements are rare, especially in the field of manufacturing. The present paper fills some of the gaps [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic theory suggests that competitive pressures will impact on organisational efficiency. In recent years, universities in Australia and New Zealand have faced increased competition for students. The aim of this paper is to explore the efficiency of Australian and New Zealand public universities and to investigate the impact of competition for students from overseas on efficiency. Output distance functions are estimated using panel data for the period 1995-2002 for Australia and 1997-2003 for New Zealand. The results show that competition for overseas students has led to increased efficiency in Australian universities. However, competition for overseas students appears to have had no effect on efficiency in New Zealand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regulatory scholars have increasingly observed that it is not only public regulatory agencies and official enforcement action that motivate and enforce businesses' compliance with the law; in many situations, certain third parties may have greater capacity and power to motivate and enforce compliance with the law than do official regulatory agencies. This paper examines the extent to which businesses' worries about, and perceptions of pressure from, various third parties influence their internal compliance management activities and moral commitment in relation to complying with the objectives of competition and consumer protection law. Using data from a survey of 999 large Australian businesses, we find that businesses worry a lot about the reactions of a range of third parties including customers, shareholders, employees, and business partners to non-compliance. We find little evidence that these worries have much impact on what businesses actually do. However, perceptions of risk of complaints do influence what they do. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyses the competitive process and performance behaviour of Japanese manufacturing between 1985 and 1997. Technological changes, international competition and reducing barriers in domestic and international markets are playing a significant role to speed up the performance behaviour in Japanese manufacturing. Scale economies, product differentiation and openness of the economy are used in explaining profit behaviour of manufacturing firms. Findings are compared with existing studies from Japan as well as from other developed countries such as Australia and the USA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The level and nature of competition in supermarket retailing in Australia has been hotly debated as a policy issue in recent times. The creeping acquisitions of smaller groups by Coles and Woolworths have led to several investigations amid claims that consumers will be disadvantaged by the growth of the two big chains. Yet little convincing evidence has been found to support these assertions. Although on occasions the big two may have used their power vertically to squeeze suppliers, consumers have experienced highly competitive retail markets. In this paper, it is argued that it is market conduct, not structure, that should be the prime focus of regulatory and policy interest, and that recent corporate activity may lead to a third force in supermarket retailing in Australia that could not only ensure continued competitiveness in the industry, but could also help to constrain the successful exercise of vertical market power by the two big chains. Accordingly, it is argued that intervention as a general policy in supermarket retailing would not be socially efficient, at least not until a wide range of objective and quantitative assessments have been carried out on the operation of the supermarket sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of ‘scientific’ racism and social Darwinism in white colonial nations in the late nineteenth century ensured that indigenous peoples were regarded as an alien ‘other’ to national identities based on racism and progress. This outlook gradually changed over time with the aid of socio-historical understanding developed by indigenous and non-indigenous revisionist historians, academics and activists, which sought to explain past and present indigenous/settler relations by placing white colonial nation-states within a critical account of colonialism and racial discrimination. As white settler nations gradually began to accommodate a plurality of ethnic cultures and in that sense become more multicultural, politicians sought to construct national identities based on the imagery of ‘harmonious multiculturalism’. In settler societies, such as Canada and Australia, a significant political obstacle to this was the continued disquiet of indigenous populations. The emerging post-colonial challenge for politicians in such societies was to find a way to include indigenous people in the cultural fabric of the nation which would seem fair and appropriate and therefore serve a legitimising function for the settler state. Recently the now popular peacemaking language of ‘reconciliation’ has been the preferred rhetorical device for this endeavour in Canada and most notably in Australia.1 The aim of this paper is to outline why two dominant understandings of reconciliation as an outcome that have emerged from post-conflict reconciliation processes would be inappropriate goals for a process concerned with genuinely legitimising an internal colonial situation.2 It begins with a general introduction to the concept of reconciliation, discusses the context-specific problems with the dominant understandings and concludes by suggesting an approach to reconciliation which would genuinely decolonise an internal colonial situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Managing NPD is a difficult balance between committing resources for on-going development of products and screening out potential products that have little to add to the competitiveness of the firm. Food manufacturers require an understanding of the drivers of successful new product development at the program level to ensure that a continuous stream of successful products is available. This paper reports the results of a study designed to uncover various program level factors that drive NPD success in the context of the Australian food manufacturing industry. The results demonstrate that NPD performance is driven by a number of factors including: market orientation, strong cross-functionality, adequate resource allocation, strategic planning, and management support and involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Satisfied customers are vital to creating and maintaining a sustainable advantage in the highly competitive business environment that applies today. Other forms of competitive advantage are easily lost, or copied by competitors. Consequently, customer satisfaction and service quality have been of considerable interest to researchers and practitioners alike over the last two decades, and a substantial body of formal academic work has emerged to address these issues. However, comparatively little work has been done to date in studying what managers of businesses actually do in practice to measure, and consequently manage, their customer satisfaction and service quality, and there has been even less work done on international differences in perceptions of these attributes. This paper reports the results of a comparative study of managers' perceptions of their customers' opinions of service quality in Australia (as an example of a developed country, 318 responses) and Vietnam (as an example of a country in transition from central control, 49 responses). [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]