Family generation, leadership and performance : the role of outside directors in Indian family firms

This paper addresses the presence of outside directors in family firms in India examining the generation of the firm and years of operation. Aspects of corporate leadership such as family member as CEO, as well as the CEO's role in a founding family firm, are considered in relation to financial performance. The findings show that outside directors do not significantly increase firm performance of family firms demonstrating their ineffective monitoring role. Contrary to studies from developed economies, more established family businesses in India outperform founding firms. Overall the study demonstrates that corporate governance issues related to Indian family firms differ from the findings from more developed economies. This finding has implications for further governance reforms in emerging economies.

Effect of CHO ingestion on exercise metabolism and performance in different ambient temperatures

Two series of experiments were conducted to examine the effect of ingesting beverages with differing carbohydrate (CHO) concentrations and osmolalities on metabolism and performance during prolonged exercise in different environmental conditions. In series 1, 12 subjects performed three cycling exercise trials to fatigue at 70% ·VO_2peak in either 33°C(N = 6) (HT1) or 5°C (N = 6) (CT). Subjects ingested either a 14% CHO solution (osmolality = 390 mosmol·l^-1) (HCHO); a 7% CHO solution (330 mosmol·l^-1) (NCHO) or a placebo (90 mosmol·l^-1) (CON1). In series 2, six subjects performed the same three trials at 33°C (HT2), while ingesting either NCHO, a 4.2% CHO solution (240 mosmol·l^-1) (LCHO) or a placebo) (240 mosmol·l^-1) (CON2). Plasma glucose was higher (P < 0.05) in HCHO than NCHO, which in turn was higher (P < 0.05) than CON1 in both CT and HT1. Plasma glucose was lower (P < 0.05) in CON2 compared with NCHO and LCHO in HT2. The fall in plasma volume was greater(P < 0.05) in HCHO than other trials in both CT and HT1 but was not different when comparing the three trials in HT2. Exercise time was not different when comparing the trials in either HT1 or HT2 but was longer(P < 0.05) in NCHO compared with HCHO, which, in turn, was longer(P < 0.05) than CON1 in CT. These data demonstrate that, during prolonged exercise in the heat, fatigue is related to factors other than CHO availability. In addition, during exercise in 5°C a 7% CHO solution is more beneficial for exercise performance than a 14% CHO solution.

An empirical examination of feedback : user control and performance in a hapto-audio-visual training environment

Utilising advanced technologies, such as virtual environments (VEs), is of importance to training and education. The need to develop and effectively apply interactive, immersive 3D VEs continues to grow. As with any emerging technology, user acceptance of new software and hardware devices is often difficult to measure and guidelines to introduce and ensure adequate and correct usage of such technologies are lacking. It is therefore imperative to obtain a solid understanding of the important elements that play a role in effective learning through VEs. In particular, 3D VEs may present unusual and varied interaction and adoption considerations. The major contribution of this study is to investigate a complex set of interrelated factors in the relatively new sphere of VEs for training and education. Although many of the factors appears to be important from past research, researcher have not explicitly studied a comprehensive set of inter-dependant, empirically validated factors in order to understand how VEs aid complex procedural knowledge and motor skill learning. By integrating theory from research on training, human computer interaction (HCI), ergonomics and cognitive psychology, this research proposes and validates a model that contributes to application-specific VE efficacy formation. The findings of this study show visual feedback has a significant effect on performance. For tactile/force feedback and auditory feedback, no significant effect were found. For satisfaction, user control is salient for performance. Other factors such as interactivity and system comfort, as well as level of task difficulty, also showed effects on performance.

An investigation on asset allocation and performance measurement for unit trust funds in Malaysia using multifactor model : a post crisis period analysis

This study examines the pattern of asset allocation and the performance of unit trust in Malaysia over the post crisis period by using risk-adjusted performance measures and multi-factor model from the year 2000 to 2004. Evidence from the statistics suggests that an active asset allocation strategy had been observed among Malaysian fund managers during the post Asian financial crisis. It is also suggested that investment allocation in equity remained a dominant vehicle for investment and asset allocation. Findings from multifactor model suggest that all funds of different objectives registered positive alphas except for income funds, with growth funds being among the top. While balanced funds registered highest diversification effectively, diversifying away about 70%-80% of unsystematic risk, the momentum factor is not among the important elements to explain unit trust performance in Malaysia.

Privatization and performance : the case of four Australian financial institutions

This paper investigates the performance after privatization of institutions in Australian banking and insurance. Privatization was anticipated to improve firm performance in Australia and elsewhere, yet findings are mixed. A comparative institutional approach is taken to analyzing firm performance in the longer term which allows for further structural change. A CAMEL analysis of performance before and after privatization events is undertaken for four privatized institutions, two each from banking and insurance sectors. These are matched with private peer institutions. Privatized institutions are found to perform quite similarly to private peer institutions both before and after privatization.

Effect of coagulants on the fouling and performance of ultrafiltration (UF) membranes

The combined coagulation and ultrafiltration (UF) system (C-UF system) is an advanced technology to treat natural organic matter (NOM) present in water. Traditional coagulants — prehydrolyzed inorganic coagulants, organic coagulants and composite coagulants were chosen to treat synthetic water containing humic acid (HA) in order to find an efficient coagulant that could remove NOM from the water effectively. The fouling, removal efficiency of UF and the chlorine decay in the permeate were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the coagulants. The initial UV254 absorption of the tested water samples were from 0.208 to 0.234, and the UV254 after coagulation was from 0.05 to 0.184. The UV254 did not increase after coagulation. Since the humic acid used was soluble, the initial turbidity of the tested water samples were very close to zero. The turbidity increased after coagulation, as the coagulants react with humic acid to form micro-flocs, which cannot be removed fully by sedimentation. The results showed that polyferric chloride could not remove humic acid efficiently during coagulation process, but removed the humic acid well when used in the C-UF system. Moreover, for polyferric chloride and UF system, the concentration of organic compounds in permeates were minimal indicating very low levels of disinfection by-product formation, if chlorinated.

Capturing dance : using motion capture analysis to enhance dance creation and performance

Opening keynote address.

Atom probe tomography as a tool to advance steels design and performance

Development of modern steels consisting of complex or nano-scale microstructures with advanced properties requires in-depth understanding of the mechanisms responsible for their microstructure/property relationships. The evolution of microstructure during processing is often associated with various changes taking place at atomic level. These include solute distribution between phases as a result of phase transformations, formation of atmospheres at dislocations, clustering and precipitation phenomena due to various thermo-mechanical processing schedules and/or heat treatments. Atom probe tomography (APT) is invaluable tool for gaining insight into events at atomic scale determining the steel properties. This technique also contributes to the fundamental understanding of phase transformations, which is essential for nano-scale engineering of modern steels and optimization of their performance. In this work application of APT to study solute segregation, clustering and precipitation in TRIP steels and nanostructured bainitic steels after isothermal heat-treatment and after thermomechanical processing will be discussed.

Youth literacy development through applied learning and the national curriculum

The introduction of a national curriculum into Australian schools coincides with an increasing body of research emphasising the importance of completing Year 12 or its equivalent if young people are to achieve successful transitions beyond school. This research is reflected in Australian government policy targets to achieve secondary school completion rates to at least 90% by 2015. State governments across the country have also embraced these targets, with some states already achieving above this level thanks to innovative curriculum and pedagogical initiatives that are more attuned to applied ways of learning.

In this chapter we examine the challenges faced by school leaders and teachers as they re-conceptualise approaches to youth literacy development through applied learning pedagogy. We begin by exploring definitions and applications of applied learning and examining the relatively recent growth of applied learning in secondary schools. We discuss the impetus for using applied learning approaches to literacy development and consider the challenges manifest in the day-to-day professional practices of secondary school teachers who use applied learning to engage young people who may otherwise leave school early. We conclude by exploring tensions emerging from the use of applied learning approaches to youth literacy development in Australia and the new demands created by a national curriculum.

Embodied choreography and performance of gender

Norms of fitting embodied behaviour for males and females, as promoted in Australian public arenas of popular culture and the everyday, disempower and marginalise those not inclined to embody in gendernormative and heteronormative ways.

This thesis engages with concepts of embodiment as meaning the manner of physical deportment in which a physical practice is performed, and with concepts of gender as social constructions of femininity and masculinity. It investigates the demands and implications of dominant norms of gender embodiment for those whose embodied inclinations do not fit comfortably with such dichotomous models. It interrogates gender inequitable machinations of education and performance arts disciplines by which educators and arts practitioners train, teach, choreograph, and direct those with whom they work, and theorises ways of broadening personal and social notions of possible, aesthetic, and acceptable embodiment for all persons, regardless of biological sex or sexual orientation.

This research is grounded in two major qualitative methods of enquiry. First, through an autoethnographic lens, it focuses on the impacts that social constructions of masculinity have on me, both as a person in the everyday and as a performance arts practitioner/educator. Through writing, illustration, choreography, and performance, as well as interviews with 3 members of my family, I analyse the delicacy of the relationship between social control/surveillance and personal agency over my embodiment of gender. Second, through empirical ethnographic fieldwork with some 400 high school students and 160 educators and performance arts practitioners, I utilise a combination of performance, discussion, practical workshop, and avenues for anonymous response to explore the potential of the performance arts in challenging inequitable notions of gender embodiment.

My findings demonstrate that inherent ideologies in dominant discourses regarding the execution and display of feminine and masculine embodiment continue to work, overtly and covertly, as definitive and restrictive barriers to the realm of possibilities of embodied gender expression and appreciation in the everyday and in the performance arts. This thesis recommends drawing individuals’ attention to embodied gender inequities and enculturation processes, not ordinarily critiqued within mainstream society, as a key toward safeguarding the well-being of those whose embodied performance inclination is at odds with prescribed norms of behaviour. Performance arts arenas are powerful sites in which such deconstructive work can occur, both cognitively and practically. However, as this thesis explores and illustrates, performance arts practitioners/educators need to first scrutinise existing and hidden inequities regarding the embodiment of gender within their own habitus, perspectives, taste, and practices.