Reshaping the worldview: case studies of faith groups’ approaches to a new Australian land ethic

This study aimed to highlight the praxis of various mainstream and alternative faith traditions in Australia with relation to environmental sustainability issues. A mixed methods approach (surveys, interviews, site visits) was used to investigate the levels of awareness and involvement of faith communities on issues including biodiversity protection, water conservation, energy efficiency, waste management and cultural property heritage. The aim of this chapter is to highlight a theme of integration (or lack thereof) that arose out of the interviews which formed a critical part of the participants’ worldview. A brief overview of the relationships of attitudes and behaviours to environmental issues and the importance placed on values and worldviews is provided. Individuals from 40 faith groups participated in the study; in this chapter, individuals and case studies from ten different groups are highlighted. These range from the conventional, mainstream Christian traditions to alternative Christian and Eastern traditions as well as the new age movement. The study found that mainstream traditions were making important attempts at integrating their worldview into appropriate environmental management strategies; however, the impact was marginal overall. The lesser known and alternative traditions, however, were at a significant leading edge of integrating praxis; yet, because these traditions are viewed with an element of suspicion, their efforts were marginalized by members of other faiths and the public. Thus, there are several points of convergence and divergence that faith traditions have with regard to environmental sustainability.

Early recognition of ipilimumab-related autoimmune hypophysitis in patients with metastatic melanoma: case studies and recommendations for management

Ipilimumab is a human anti-CTLA-4 monoclonal antibody recently approved for the treatment of advanced melanoma. Stimulation of T-cell activity unmasks antitumor activity, but can cause immune-related adverse events. Autoimmune hypophysitis is of particular importance because its presentation can be subtle but life threatening. We present two cases where early recognition of ipilimumab-related autoimmune hypophysitis led to timely intervention and low subsequent morbidity, without compromise of antitumor effects. We provide recommendations for detection and management of this potentially life-threatening complication of ipilimumab.

Implementation of innovative technologies in small-scale construction firms: five Australian case studies

Purpose - The users of construction technologies such as builders and trades people have been acknowledged as sources of potentially important innovations. These innovations may be in the form of safer, less labour intensive, or cheaper methods and processes. The purpose of this paper is to assess whether the Australian construction industry is providing an environment where user-based innovation is being supported and implemented. Design/methodology/approach - An explorative study was undertaken to provide an insight into actual experiences of the implementation of user-based innovation. The data were collected through faceto- face semi-structured interviews providing case studies on multiple aspects of the implementation of innovative construction technologies. The cases involved a cross section of advances, including product, tool, and system technologies. Findings - The main motivation behind developing the technologies was problem solving. The associated industries of manufacturing and retail, as well as consultants within the construction industry present the greatest barriers to implementation. Originality/value - This research provides a better understanding of the factors that are preventing the successful implementation of user-based innovative construction technologies in small firms.

Managing intragroup conflicts in construction project teams : case studies in Sri Lanka

Conflict is intrinsic to individuals, teams and organisations. Due to the unique and complex nature with various parties, conflict is inevitable in most construction projects. According to the general management literature, three distinct types of intragroup conflicts can be identified: task, process and relationship conflicts. However, very little consideration has been given in the literature addressing the three types individually in a construction project team setting. Therefore, this study has explored the existence of types of intragroup conflicts and their management in this context. This research was approached through case studies of six construction projects, which were operating under the traditional procurement method in Sri Lanka. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with three distinct participants from each team. The findings revealed that both process and relationship conflicts offer disruptive effects to construction projects and teams, while task conflicts offer positive effects when they exist at low levels. Based on the most critical sources identified within the cases, suggestions are offered here to construction project team managers on how to manage intergroup conflicts proactively. Since the research is based on six case studies on traditional procurement arrangement in Sri Lanka, further research is required to generalise the findings across different contexts.

Developing family businesses through ongoing learning: case studies of Chinese urban and rural family businesses under market-oriented reforms

This study advances organisational learning research by exploring how and why learning patterns differ between different family businesses at different layers of China’s marketoriented transformation. The focus is the locational difference, namely the separate urban and rural environments and outcomes. Combining case studies and in-depth interviews, the study investigated how family businesses interact with their institutional environment and consequently build learning patterns. Learning initiatives undertaken by relevant and motivated family members are found to reflect a dynamic process involving personal learning, business growth, and business innovation. Family conflicts and business growth were also found to impact learning in family businesses. Implications for organisational learning are discussed at the end of the paper.

Governance in rural communities: the case of Victoria

State and federal government policies for rural areas have encouraged local people and organizations to play a greater role in the provision of their local services. This emphasis on local participation has been described as a shift from ‘government’ to ‘governance’. However while there is an emerging research around small towns in Australia there is very little known about the processes of community governance. This paper focuses on local development groups in small towns in rural Victoria that have emerged or have been reconstituted with a broader community focus following municipal amalgamations. The basic aim of this paper is analyse to what degree these local community development groups can be regarded as constituting a form of community governance and the implications this has for democracy and accountability in small rural areas. The paper begins with a discussion of community governance as it represented in the literature. We then analyse ten case studies from across Victoria in the light of the changing political context.

Understanding e-democracy: government-led initiatives for democratic reform

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) offer opportunities for greater civic participation in democratic reform. Government ICT use has, however, predominantly been associated with e-government applications that focus on one-way information provision and service delivery. This article distinguishes between e-government and processes of edemocracy, which facilitate active civic engagement through two-way, ongoing dialogue. It draws from participation initiatives undertaken in two case studies. The first highlights efforts to increase youth political engagement in the local government area of Milton Keynes in the United Kingdom. The second is Iceland’s constitutional crowdsourcing, an initiative intended to increase civic input into constitutional reform. These examples illustrate that, in order to maintain legitimacy in the networked environment, a change in governmental culture is required to enable open and responsive e-democracy practices. When coupled with traditional participation methods, processes of e-democracy facilitate widespread opportunities for civic involvement and indicate that digital practices should not be separated from the everyday operations of government. While online democratic engagement is a slowly evolving process, initial steps are being undertaken by governments that enable e-participation to shape democratic reform.