Beyond codes of ethics : an integrated framework for stimulating morally responsible behaviour in organisations

This paper contributes to the study of ethics programmes by the building of a theoretical model for implementing an ethics programme and examining the application of this model to an actual implementation case study. Ethics programmes aim at stimulating ethical behaviour in the organisation and assisting employees to act in a morally responsible way. It is proposed that for an organisational ethics programme to be effective, five dominant conditions are necessary: awareness of formal organisational goals and corresponding informal norms; suitable procedures for decision making; correct distribution of resources; presence of necessary skills; and personal intentions for ethical behaviour. Following detailed discussion of each condition, and with reference to an actual case example, the conditions will be further developed and supplemented with suggested organisational activities that could be used to support these conditions.

Spurious precision : variability in procedural validity of diagnostic procedures in psychotic disorders and implications for research and treatment

Very few studies have quantified the level of agreement among alternative diagnostic procedures that use a common set of fixed operational criteria. The authors examined the procedural validity of four independent methods of assigning DSM-III-R diagnoses of psychotic disorders. METHOD: The research was conducted as a satellite study to the DSM-IV Field Trial for Schizophrenia and Related Psychotic Disorders. The setting was the National Health and Medical Research Council Schizophrenia Research Unit's Early Psychosis Prevention and Intervention Centre, which focuses on first-episode psychosis. Consecutively admitted patients (N = 50) were assessed by independent raters who used four different procedures to determine a DSM-III-R diagnosis. These procedures were 1) the diagnostic instrument developed for the DSM-IV field trial, 2) the Royal Park Multidiagnostic Instrument for Psychosis, 3) the Munich Diagnostic Checklists, and 4) a consensus DSM-III-R diagnosis assigned by a team of clinician researchers who were expert in the use of diagnostic criteria. RESULTS: Concordance between pairs of diagnostic procedures was only moderate. Corresponding levels of percent agreement, however, ranged from 66% to 76%, with converse misclassification rates of 24%-34% (assuming one procedure to be "correct"). CONCLUSIONS: These findings have significant research and clinical implications. Despite the introduction of operationally defined diagnoses, there remained an appreciable level of differential classification or misclassification arising from variability in the method of assigning the diagnostic criteria rather than the criteria themselves. Such misclassification may impede neurobiological research and have harmful clinical effects on patients with first-episode psychosis.

Sentencing pathways for offenders in Victoria : clinical influences and considerations

This portfolio aims to review aspects of the sentencing of violent offenders under Victoria's criminal justice system. Focuses on a critique of current legislation, the way the rights of special needs offenders are acknowledged and enshrined in law, how these provisions are expressed in practice, and the clinical factors that contribute to, and influence, the dispositions individuals receive.

Investigation into the design and development of the Toad Interactive Multimedia Program (TIMMP) and its use by first year biology undergraduates learning dissection procedures and in situ functional anatomy

Investigates how first year biology undergraduates learn dissection when they have access to such interactive multimedia technology. Related design and developmental factors were evaluated in relation to how they helped students learn the content in the multimedia program. Through the use of interactive technology students can learn at their own pace without the need for actual animal dissection.

Financial liberalisation in Vietnam : impact on loans from informal, formal and semi-formal providers

This paper commences with an overview of the Vietnamese financial sector and a survey of the main reforms to this sector implemented since the late 1980s. A descriptive analysis is then provided, which compares some key characteristics of pre- and post-financial reform borrowing and savings activities using the Vietnam Living Standard Surveys of 1992/93 and 1997/98.

Australia's informal venture capitalists : an exploratory profile

In Australia, as elsewhere, finding and acquiring equity capital is one of the major problems facing start-up or growing entrepreneurial ventures. The informal venture capital market, comprising high net worth non-institutional private equity investors (or 'business angels') provides risk capital directly to new and growing businesses and has been shown to be considerably more significant than institutional providers as a source of finance for entrepreneurial businesses. Building upon research undertaken internationally, this study generated and evaluated data resulting from an investigation of 36 carefully screened Australian business angels. It focused upon three primary research questions: (i) Who are Australia's informal venture capitalists (business angels)? (ii) How do they behave? (iii) What are their investment criteria? The study initiates Australian angel research into the developing international continuum of informal venture capital research and can serve as the generator of empirically testable hypotheses for future research and theory development.

The seraphim profile of Australia's business angels : a survey of the identifying characteristics, behaviour patterns and investment criteria of informal venture capitalists in Australia

In Australia, as it is all over the world, finding and acquiring equity capital is one of the major problems facing entrepreneurs who are starting or growing entrepreneurial ventures. The informal venture capital market, made up of high net worth non-institutional private equity investors (or 'business Angels') provides risk capital directly to new and growing businesses and has been shown to be considerably more significant than institutional providers as a source of finance for entrepreneurial businesses. Building upon and comporting with Angel research undertaken overseas, this study generated and evaluated data resulting from an investigation of Australian business Angels which focused upon three primary research questions: (i) Who are Australia's Informal Venture Capitalists (Business Angels)? (ii) How do they behave? (iii) What are their investment criteria? Analysis of answers resulting from the in-depth survey of 36 carefully screened respondents produced a detailed portrait, summarised and depicted in twelve key graphs. Together, the graphs form a descriptive construct - the 'Seraphim Profile' - which articulates Australian business Angels' identifying characteristics, patterns of investment behaviour and investment criteria.

An exploratory survey of Australia's informal venture capitalists : a predicate to theory building in the context of international angel research

In Australia, as it is all over the world, finding and acquiring equity capital is one of the major problems facing entrepreneurs who are starting or growing entrepreneurial ventures. The informal venture capital market, made up of high net worth non-institutional private equity investors (or ‘business Angels’) provides risk capital directly to new and growing businesses and has been shown to be considerably more significant than institutional providers as a source of finance for entrepreneurial businesses. Building upon and comporting with Angel research undertaken overseas, this study generated and evaluated data resulting from an investigation of Australian business Angels which focused upon three primary research questions: (i) Who are Australia's Informal Venture Capitalists (Business Angels)? (ii) How do they behave? (iii) What are their investment criteria? Analysis of answers resulting from a survey of 36 carefully screened respondents produced a descriptive profile, depicted in twelve key graphs, of Australian Angels' identifying characteristics, patterns of investment behaviour and investment criteria. The study initiates Australian Angel research into the developing international continuum of formal Angel research and can serve as the generator of empirically sensible hypotheses for future research and theory development.

An exploratory investigation of informal venture capitalists in Singapore

The paper presents a tentative profile of Singapore’s informal venture capitalists (business angels) resulting from case analysis of 29 investee businesses. The inquiry closely referenced the research designs of previous international studies of business angels, but with due regard to the cultural distinctions of Western and Singapore societies, developed its own methodology and survey instrument. While application of inferential statistical techniques is not possible, results of the investigation find their value in their ability to underpin structured hypotheses for future research and the challenge they deliver to traditional ways of thinking about capital provision to new ventures in the Singapore environment.

Criminal processes and investigative procedures : Victoria and Commonwealth

This book is designed to be a useful and practical tool for both students and legal practitioners alike. In addition to focusing on the recently enacted Criminal Protective Act 2009, this text also highlights other key aspects of the criminal processes.