Correlating vehicle forces and track profile

A research project was conducted at Queensland University of Technology on the relationship between the forces at the wheel-rail interface in track and the rate of degradation of track. Data for the study was obtained from an instrumented vehicle which ran repeatedly over a section of Queensland Rail's track in Central Queensland over a 6-month period. The wheel-rail forces had to be correlated with the elements of roughness in the test track profile, which were measured with a variety of equipment. At low frequencies, there was strong correlation between forces and profile, as expected, but diminishing correlation as frequencies increased.

Employer branding : strategic implications for staff recruitment

In many developed economies, changing demographics and economic conditions have given rise to increasingly competitive labour markets, where competition for good employees is strong. Consequently, strategic investments in attracting suitably qualified and skilled employees are recommended. One such strategy is employer branding. Employer branding in the context of recruitment is the package of psychological, economic, and functional benefits that potential employees associate with employment with a particular company. Knowledge of these perceptions can help organisations to create an attractive and competitive employer brand. Utilising information economics and signalling theory, we examine the nature and consequences of employer branding. Depth interviews reveal that job seekers evaluate: the attractiveness of employers based on any previous direct work experiences with the employer or in the sector; the clarity, credibility, and consistency of the potential employers’ brand signals; perceptions of the employers’ brand investments; and perceptions of the employers’ product or service brand portfolio.

AFM study of forces between silicon oil and hydrophobic - hydrophylic surfaces in aqueous solutions

An investigation has been made of the interactions between silicone oil and various solid substrates immersed in aqueous solutions. Measurements were made using an atomic force microscope (AFM) using the colloid-probe method. The silicone oil drop is simulated by coating a small silica sphere with the oil, and measuring the force as this coated sphere is brought close to contact with a flat solid surface. It is found that the silicone oil surface is negatively charged, which causes a double-layer repulsion between the oil drop and another negatively charged surface such as mica. With hydrophilic solids, this repulsion is strong enough to prevent attachment of the drop to the solid. However, with hydrophobic surfaces there is an additional attractive force which overcomes the double-layer repulsion, and the silicone oil drop attaches to the solid. A "ramp" force appears in some, but not all, of the data sets. There is circumstantial evidence that this force results from compression of the silicone oil film coated on the glass sphere.

Capabilities for strategic infrastructure asset management

Infrastructure organisations are operating in an increasingly challenging business environment as a result of globalisation, privatisation and deregulation. Under such circumstances, asset managers need to manage their infrastructure assets effectively in order to contribute to the overall performance of their organisation. In an external business environment that is constantly changing, extant literature on strategic management advocates a resourced--�]based view (RBV) approach that focuses on factors internal to the organisation such as resources and capabilities to sustain organisation performance. The aim of this study is to explore the core capabilities needed in the management of infrastructure assets. Using a multiple case study research strategy focusing on transport infrastructure, this research firstly examines the goals of infrastructure asset management and their alignment with broader corporate goals of an infrastructure organisation. It then examines the strategic infrastructure asset management processes that are needed to achieve these goals. The core capabilities that can support the strategic infrastructure asset management processes are then identified. This research produced a number of findings. First, it provided empirical evidence that asset management goals are being pursued with the aim of supporting the broader business goals of infrastructure organisations. Second, through synthesising the key asset management processes deemed necessary to achieve the asset management goals, a strategic infrastructure asset management model is proposed. Third, it identified five core capabilities namely stakeholder connectivity, cross-functional, relational, technology absorptive and integrated information management capability as central to executing the strategic infrastructure asset management processes well. These findings culminate in the development of a capability model to improve the performance of infrastructure assets.

Health law : scope, sources and forces

• For the purposes of this chapter, “health law” encapsulates regulation of the medical and health professions, the administration of health services and the maintenance of public health to the extent that it is connected to the provision of health services. • There are diverging views as to whether health law can be regarded as a discrete “area of law”. • Health law draws on other areas of law such as tort law, criminal law and family law. It is also draws upon other disciplines, most notably medical and health ethics. • Social and economic forces have influenced the development and direction of health law, and these forces may become even more influential as the century develops. • The increasingly globalised world has implications for Australia’s health systems and raises questions and creates commitments in respect of the international community. • Technological developments, including in respect of treatment, diagnosis and information management, create ongoing challenges for health law. • Patient rights, human rights and consumerism are increasingly key drivers in the development of health law. • Health law is significant to contemporary Australian society because of the gravity of the topics that fall within its ambit, its social relevance to so many aspects of human existence and endeavour, the important role it plays in protecting the vulnerable, and the extent to which it engages with fundamental principles of justice.

Distribution of forces during fulcrum bending radiographs on adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients

At the Mater Children’s Hospital, approximately 80% of patients presenting with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis requiring corrective surgery receive a fulcrum bending radiograph. The fulcrum bending radiograph provides a measurement of spine flexibility and a better indication of achievable surgical correction than lateral-bending radiographs (Cheung and Luk, 1997; Hay et al 2008). The magnitude and distribution of the corrective force exerted by the bolster on the patient’s body is unknown. The objective of this pilot study was to measure, for the first time, the forces transmitted to the patient’s ribs through the bolster during the fulcrum bending radiograph.

Strategic infrastructure asset management : a conceptual framework to identify capabilities

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual framework that can be used to identify capabilities needed in the management of infrastructure assets. Design/methodology/approach – This paper utilises a qualitative approach to analyse secondary data in order to develop a conceptual framework that identifies capabilities for strategic infrastructure asset management. Findings – In an external business environment that is undergoing rapid change, it is more appropriate to focus on factors internal to the organisation such as resources and capabilities as a basis to develop competitive advantage. However, there is currently very little understanding of the internal capabilities that are appropriate for infrastructure asset management. Therefore, a conceptual framework is needful to guide infrastructure organisations in the identification of capabilities. Research limitations/implications – This is a conceptual paper and future empirical research should be conducted to validate the propositions made in the paper. Practical implications – The paper clearly argues the need for infrastructure organisations to adopt a systematic approach to identifying the capabilities needed in the management of strategic infrastructure assets. The discussion on the impact of essential capabilities is useful in providing the impetus for managers who operate in a deregulated infrastructure business landscape to review their existing strategies. Originality/value – The paper provides a new perspective on how asset managers can create value for their organisations by investing in the relevant capabilities.