Determinants of member-union satisfaction in Australian amalgamated unions

The ACTU amalgamation and rationalisation strategy was successful in reducing the number of unions. However Australian union membership has plunged. The empirical research data extends the existing Australian industrial relations research in several respects and may be used as a bench-mark for future longitudinal research into Australian member-union satisfaction.

Dipole time correlation functions of the Stockmayer fluid in the microcanonical and canonical ensembles

Computer simulations of Stockmayer fluids were performed to generate dipole time correlation functions (TCF) at three temperatures and three dipole moments in both the microcanonical and canonical ensembles. The effect of Nosé constant-temperature dynamics on time-dependent quantities is discussed, and empirical results are given to show that the choice of thermal inertia parameter influences the speed with which a system moves through its phase space. The time correlation functions from the simulations were analyzed in terms of current theories for dipolar systems. A functional form is proposed to cover both the longtime and short-time behavior of the time correlation functions of dipoles. The relationship between this functional form and the dielectric function of the Stockmayer system is also discussed.

Developing negotiation decision support systems that support mediators : a case study of the Family_Winner system

Negotiation Support Systems have traditionally modelled the process of negotiation. They often rely on mathematical optimisation techniques and ignore heuristics and other methods derived from practice. Our goal is to develop systems capable of decision support to help resolve a given dispute. A system we have constructed, Family_Winner, uses empirical evidence to dynamically modify initial preferences throughout the negotiation process. It sequentially allocates issues using trade-offs and compensation opportunities inherent in the dispute.

Evolution of lactation : ancient origin and extreme adaptations of the lactation system

Lactation, an important characteristic of mammalian reproduction, has evolved by exploiting a diversity of strategies across mammals. Comparative genomics and transcriptomics experiments have now allowed a more in-depth analysis of the molecular evolution of lactation. Milk cell and mammary gland genomic studies have started to reveal conserved milk proteins and other components of the lactation system of monotreme, marsupial, and eutherian lineages. These analyses confirm the ancient origin of the lactation system and provide useful insight into the function of specific milk proteins in the control of lactation. These studies also illuminate the role of milk in the regulation of growth and development of the young beyond simple nutritive aspects.

The emergence and development of specialist courts : lessons for juvenile justice from the history of the children’s court in South Australia?

To illustrate how specialist courts have developed to manage juvenile offenders, this paper provides an overview of the history and development of the youth court in one jurisdiction, South Australia. Drawing on interviews conducted with judicial officers, the paper seeks to highlight some of the changes that have taken place since the Court’s inception, as well as how the Court currently understands its role and positioning within the broader justice and welfare systems. Key discussion points of these interviews included the Youth Court’s guiding principles and how they impact on court procedures and responses to young people in the system, as well as the challenges that limit, or create difficulties for, the effective operation of the Youth Court. It is concluded that the Youth Court system attempts to balance both welfare and justice approaches to dealing with young people, but are sometimes hindered by inadequate procedural, structural and resource-related factors – some of which exist externally to the Youth Court itself.

Using geographic information systems (GIS) to assess the role of the built environment in influencing obesity : a glossary

Features of the built environment are increasingly being recognised as potentially important determinants of obesity. This has come about, in part, because of advances in methodological tools such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS). GIS has made the procurement of data related to the built environment easier and given researchers the flexibility to create a new generation of environmental exposure measures such as the travel time to the nearest supermarket or calculations of the amount of neighbourhood greenspace. Given the rapid advances in the availability of GIS data and the relative ease of use of GIS software, a glossary on the use of GIS to assess the built environment is timely. As a case study, we draw on aspects the food and physical activity environments as they might apply to obesity, to define key GIS terms related to data collection, concepts, and the measurement of environmental features.

Incorporation of fused tetrathiafulvalenes (TTFs) into polythiophene architectures : varying the electroactive dominance of the TTF species in hybrid systems

A novel polythienylenevinylene (PTV) and two new polythiophenes (PTs), featuring fused tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) units, have been prepared and characterized by ultraviolet−visible (UV−vis) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroelectrochemistry. All polymers undergo two sequential, reversible oxidation processes in solution. Structures in which the TTF species is directly linked to the polymer backbone (2 and 4) display redox behavior which is dictated by the fulvalene system. Once the TTF is spatially removed from the polymer chain by a nonconjugated link (polymer 3), the electroactivity of both TTF and polythiophene moieties can be detected. Computational studies confirm the delocalization of charge over both electroactive centers (TTF and PT) and the existence of a triplet dication intermediate. PTV 4 has a low band gap (1.44 eV), is soluble in common organic solvents, and is stable under ambient conditions. Organic solar cells of polymer 4:[6,6]-phenyl-C₆₁ butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) have been fabricated. Under illumination, a photovoltaic effect is observed with a power conversion efficiency of 0.13% under AM1.5 solar simulated light. The onset of photocurrent at 850 nm is consistent with the onset of the π−π absorption band of the polymer. Remarkably, UV−vis spectroelectrochemistry of polymer 4 reveals that the conjugated polymer chain remains unchanged during the oxidation of the polymer.

Construction of the descriptive system for the assessment of quality of life AQoL-6D utility instrument

Background
Multi attribute utility (MAU) instruments are used to include the health related quality of life (HRQoL) in economic evaluations of health programs. Comparative studies suggest different MAU instruments measure related but different constructs. The objective of this paper is to describe the methods employed to achieve content validity in the descriptive system of the Assessment of Quality of Life (AQoL)-6D, MAU instrument.

Methods
The AQoL program introduced the use of psychometric methods in the construction of health related MAU instruments. To develop the AQoL-6D we selected 112 items from previous research, focus groups and expert judgment and administered them to 316 members of the public and 302 hospital patients. The search for content validity across a broad spectrum of health states required both formative and reflective modelling. We employed Exploratory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to meet these dual requirements.

Results and Discussion
The resulting instrument employs 20 items in a multi-tier descriptive system. Latent dimension variables achieve sensitive descriptions of 6 dimensions which, in turn, combine to form a single latent QoL variable. Diagnostic statistics from the SEM analysis are exceptionally good and confirm the hypothesised structure of the model.

Conclusions
The AQoL-6D descriptive system has good psychometric properties. They imply that the instrument has achieved construct validity and provides a sensitive description of HRQoL. This means that it may be used with confidence for measuring health related quality of life and that it is a suitable basis for modelling utilities for inclusion in the economic evaluation of health programs.

The role of the academic board in the contemporary Australian university

This research explored the role of the academic board within the context of 21st century Australian university governance. It found that academic boards did not implement all of their documented responsibilities but did perform significant unofficial roles which were perceived to greatly add value to their universities’

Developing graduate knowledge and skills for the world of work: The case of the translation curriculum in Vietnam

National and global challenges have given rise to the need to prepare Vietnamese graduates for effective adaptation to the increasingly changing professional field, their community, their society and the globalised world. The tertiary education curriculum thus needs to take into account the employment market, socio-cultural demands and students’ individual needs in order to develop highly educated populations for the world of work and for the current knowledge economy.

Based on a case study of the translation curriculum in a B.A. (Bachelors of Arts) language program, this paper addresses the mismatch between the demands of the translation employment market and the curriculum within the context of Vietnamese tertiary education. It raises a number of important issues related to the tensions between the centralised curriculum, learner-centred education, the actual demands of the employment market as well as the issue of capacity building in response to the socialist-oriented market economy and the changing workplace context in Vietnam. Implications are drawn not only for the translation curriculum, but also for the reform of the Vietnamese tertiary education curriculum as a whole, in order to enhance graduate employability.

A Response to Critique of the Refreeze Step in Lewin’s Model of Organizational Change from the Viewpoint of Organizational Behavior

Problem Statement
This paper responds to criticism of Kurt Lewin’s three step model of organizational change in increasingly turbulent environments. It explores whether the refreeze step of Kurt Lewin’s notable three step model is still applicable to organizational change processes in the age of globalisation and digitalisation.

Method
Literature review and critical analysis of applied examples are used to provide an overview of Kurt Lewin’s three-step change model. Authors’ observations and reflections are integrated in the discussion. The changing contemporary environment and the implications for the refreeze step of Lewin’s model are accordingly discussed.

Conclusions
The paper concludes that a balance of stability and movement; of discrete and emergent change; is the reality for today’s organizations, and forms the touchstone for Lewin’s formulation of change theories. Alignment is observed between notions of desired equilibrium in Lewin’s model and the contemporary underpinnings of sustainability. Technology and the modern pace of organizational change are also factors to consider. There has hence been an adaptation of his theoretical heritage that is current and sufficiently robust to withstand the criticisms of the refreeze stage.

Determinants of the frequency of contact lens wear

To characterize and discover the determinants of the frequency of wear (FOW) of contact lenses. Survey forms were sent to contact lens fitters in up to 40 countries between January and March every year for 5 consecutive years (2007–2011). Practitioners were asked to record data relating to the first 10 contact lens fits or refits performed after receiving the survey form. Only data for daily wear lens fits were analyzed. Data were collected in relation to 74,510 and 9,014 soft and rigid lens fits, respectively. Overall, FOW was 5.9±1.7 days per week (DPW). When considering the proportion of lenses worn between one to seven DPW, the distribution for rigid lenses is skewed toward full-time wear (7 DPW), whereas the distribution for soft daily disposable lenses is perhaps bimodal, with large and small peaks at seven and two DPW, respectively. There is a significant variation in FOW among nations (P<0.0001), ranging from 6.8±1.0 DPW in Greece to 5.1±2.5 DPW in Kuwait. For soft lenses, FOW increases with decreasing age. Females (6.0±1.6 DPW) wear lenses more frequently than males (5.8±1.7 DPW) (P=0.0002). FOW is greater among those wearing presbyopic corrections (6.1±1.4 DPW) compared with spherical (5.9±1.7 DPW) and toric (5.9±1.6 DPW) designs (P<0.0001). FOW with hydrogel peroxide systems (6.4±1.1 DPW) was greater than that with multipurpose systems (6.2±1.3 DPW) (P<0.0001).

Mortality and use of the auxiliary score in extensive toxic epidermal necrolysis patients admitted to an adult burns referral centre

 Background: Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is a rare but fatal condition characterised by cutaneous exfoliation of the dermoepidermal layer and mucosal surfaces. Extensive TEN with epidermal detachment >30% of the total body surface area has been associated with a high mortality. Objective: This study aims to evaluate factors associated with mortality in extensive TEN. In the absence of data to qualify scoring systems such as SCORTEN, this study also aims to evaluate the use of the auxiliary score as a tool for calculating expected mortality. Methods: A retrospective chart review of all patients presenting to our burns service with extensive TEN was undertaken. Application and evaluation of the auxiliary score was also undertaken for this patient population. Results: In extensive TEN, age and delay in admission to a burns centre were factors associated with mortality. Applying the auxiliary score to our patient population, there were no significant differences between expected mortality and observed mortality. Conclusion: Mortality was associated with age and delay in definitive treatment in extensive TEN. Whilst SCORTEN is the gold standard prognostic tool for patients with TEN, in the absence of SCORTEN values, the auxiliary score provides an alternative scoring system to evaluate expected mortality.

The role of the educational leader in long day care – how do they perceive their role?

National reforms introduced into the early childhood education and care sector across Australia have created a requirement for each service to appoint an ‘educational’ leader to provide curriculum direction to ensure that children achieve quality care and education to lead to positive outcomes. Leadership in the early childhood has often been contested and complex, but the addition of a new leadership for building pedagogy and practice has created additional complexities. This paper reports the findings of a small-scale qualitative research study investigating how a small number of educational leaders working in long day care settings in urban Australia perceive their role. The study identified that these educational leaders came to the position unwillingly and felt poorly prepared and supported to meet the challenges presented.