The impact of union presence and strategic human resource management on employee voice in multinational enterprises in Australia

In this article, we examine the use and character of employee voice mechanisms of foreign-owned multinational enterprises operating in Australia, as well as the influence of a strategic human resource management approach and union presence. Findings indicate that foreign-owned multinational enterprises are high-level users of the full range of employee voice mechanisms, with the exceptions of use of employee suggestion schemes, trade union recognition and the use of joint consultation committees across all sites. Using logistic regression analysis, findings show that trade union presence, a strategic human resource management approach, greenfield site and country of origin impact the employee voice approach adopted. High trade union presence is associated with an indirect employee voice approach. A low trade union presence is associated with a direct or a minimalist approach to employee voice. Moreover, a strategic human resource management approach is associated with both direct and dualistic approaches to employee voice. Implications are drawn for theory and practice. © Australian Labour and Employment Relations Association (ALERA) SAGE Publications Ltd, Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore and Washington DC.

Adaptive Measurement-Based Policy-Driven QoS Management with Fuzzy-Rule-based Resource Allocation

Fixed and wireless networks are increasingly converging towards common connectivity with IP-based core networks. Providing effective end-to-end resource and QoS management in such complex heterogeneous converged network scenarios requires unified, adaptive and scalable solutions to integrate and co-ordinate diverse QoS mechanisms of different access technologies with IP-based QoS. Policy-Based Network Management (PBNM) is one approach that could be employed to address this challenge. Hence, a policy-based framework for end-to-end QoS management in converged networks, CNQF (Converged Networks QoS Management Framework) has been proposed within our project. In this paper, the CNQF architecture, a Java implementation of its prototype and experimental validation of key elements are discussed. We then present a fuzzy-based CNQF resource management approach and study the performance of our implementation with real traffic flows on an experimental testbed. The results demonstrate the efficacy of our resource-adaptive approach for practical PBNM systems

Design and Implementation of a Measurement-Based Policy-Driven Resource Management Framework For Converged Networks

This paper presents the design and implementation of a measurement-based QoS and resource management framework, CNQF (Converged Networks’ QoS Management Framework). CNQF is designed to provide unified, scalable QoS control and resource management through the use of a policy-based network
management paradigm. It achieves this via distributed functional entities that are deployed to co-ordinate the resources of the transport network through centralized policy-driven decisions supported by measurement-based control architecture. We present the CNQF architecture, implementation of the
prototype and validation of various inbuilt QoS control mechanisms using real traffic flows on a Linux-based experimental test bed.

Capability Curve Based Enhanced Reactive Power Control Strategy for Stability Enhancement and Network Voltage Management

Reactive power has become a vital resource in modern electricity networks due to increased penetration of distributed generation. This paper examines the extended reactive power capability of DFIGs to improve network stability and capability to manage network voltage profile during transient faults and dynamic operating conditions. A coordinated reactive power controller is designed by considering the reactive power capabilities of the rotor-side converter (RSC) and the grid-side converter (GSC) of the DFIG in order to maximise the reactive power support from DFIGs. The study has illustrated that, a significant reactive power contribution can be obtained from partially loaded DFIG wind farms for stability enhancement by using the proposed capability curve based reactive power controller; hence DFIG wind farms can function as vital dynamic reactive power resources for power utilities without commissioning additional dynamic reactive power devices. Several network adaptive droop control schemes are also proposed for network voltage management and their performance has been investigated during variable wind conditions. Furthermore, the influence of reactive power capability on network adaptive droop control strategies has been investigated and it has also been shown that enhanced reactive power capability of DFIGs can substantially improve the voltage control performance.

A web-based telemedicine system for low-resource settings 13 years on: insights from referrers and specialists

Background: One way to tackle health inequalities in resource-poor settings is to establish links between doctors and health professionals there and specialists elsewhere using web-based telemedicine. One such system run by the Swinfen Charitable Trust has been in existence for 13 years which is an unusually long time for such systems.

Objective: We wanted to gain some insights into whether and how this system might be improved.

Methods: We carried out a survey by questionnaire of referrers and specialists over a six months period.

Results: During the study period, a total of 111 cases were referred from 35 different practitioners, of whom 24% were not doctors. Survey replies were received concerning 67 cases, a response rate of 61 per cent. Eighty-seven per cent of the responding referrers found the telemedicine advice useful, and 78% were able to follow the advice provided. As a result of the advice received, the diagnosis was changed in 22% of all cases and confirmed in a further 18 per cent. Patient management was changed in 33 per cent. There was no substantial difference between doctors and non-doctors. During the study period, the 111 cases were responded to by 148 specialists, from whom 108 replies to the questionnaire were received, a response rate of 73 per cent. About half of the specialists (47%) felt that their advice had improved the management of the patients. There were 62 cases where it was possible to match up the opinions of the referrer and the consultants about the value of a specific teleconsultation. In 34 cases (55%) the referrers and specialists agreed about the value. However, in 28 cases (45%) they did not: specialists markedly underestimated the value of a consultation compared to referrers. Both referrers and specialist were extremely positive about the system which appears to be working well. Minor changes such as a clearer referral template and an improved web interface for specialists may improve it.

A balanced polymorphism in biomass resource allocation controlled by phosphate in grasses screened through arsenate tolerance

The response of arsenate and non-tolerant Holcus lanatus L. phenotypes, where tolerance is achieved through suppression of high affinity phosphate/arsenate root uptake, was investigated under different growth regimes to investigate why there is a polymorphism in tolerance found in populations growing on uncontaminated soil. Tolerant plants screened from an arsenic uncontaminated population differed, when grown on the soil from the populations origin, from non-tolerants, in their biomass allocation under phosphate fertilization: non-tolerants put more resources into tiller production and down regulated investment in root production under phosphate fertilization while tolerants tillered less effectively and did not alter resource allocation to shoot biomass under phosphate fertilization. The two phenotypes also differed in their shoot mineral status having higher concentrations of copper, cadmium, lead and manganese, but phosphorus status differed little, suggesting tight homeostasis. The polymorphism was also widely present (40%) in other wild grass species suggesting an important ecological role for this gene that can be screened through plant root response to arsenate.

Life Cycle Assessment guidelines for the sustainable production and recycling of aggregates:The Sustainable Aggregates Resource Management project (SARMa)

The mining/quarrying industry is a sector of industry where there are very few Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) tools, and where the role of LCA has been poorly investigated. A key issue is the integration of three inter-dependent life cycles: Project, Asset and Product. Given the unique features of mining LCAs, this Note from the Field presents a common methodology implemented within the Sustainable Aggregates Resource Management (SARMa) Project (www.sarmaproject.eu) in order to boost adoption of LCA in the aggregate industry in South Eastern Europe. The proposed methodology emphasises the importance of resource efficiency and recycling in the context of a Sustainable Supply Mix of aggregates for the construction industry. Through its adoption, aggregate producers, recyclers, and governmental planners would gain confidence with LCA tools and conduct consistent and meaningful life cycle analyses of natural and recycled aggregates. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Advances in the Design of the Oyster Wave Energy Converter

This short paper, structured in 3 distinct sections will touch on some of the key features of the Oyster wave energy device and its recent development. The first section discusses the nature of the resource in the nearshore environment,
some common misunderstandings in relation to it and its suitability for exploitation of commercial wave energy. In the second section a brief description of some of the fundamentals governing flap type devices is given. This serves to emphasise core differences between the Oyster device and other devices. Despite the simplicity of the design and the operation of the device itself, it is shown that Oyster occupies a theoretical space which is substantially outside most established theories and axioms in wave energy. The third section will give a short summary of the recent developments in the design of the Oyster 2 project and touch on how its enhanced features deal with some of the key commercial and technical challenges present in the sector.