Game theory applications in natural resource management : review of evidence, problems and potential

Game theory is a rapidly advancing approach to structure and understand complex management problems in the natural resources sector in both the developed and developing countries. Many natural resource problems are complex due to common property and public goods characteristics. Despite these limitations many researchers have used game theory to analyze water shed management, irrigation water management, grazing land management, and managing other ecological resources. The prisoner’s dilemma game has been widely used. The work of Runge shows that collective action is feasible if a critical mass of people can cooperate. The use of game theory is hindered by lack of information, paucity of empirical applications and the lack of interest by policy makers who wish quick answers to critical policy issues. The potential still remains high for game theory to be productively used both in developing and developed countries.

Integrating farm production and natural resource management in Tasmania, Australia

This paper reports on the social learning from a project aimed to increase the knowledge and capacity of a group of farmers in Tasmania, Australia, to reduce the impacts of intensive agriculture on soil health and waterways, and to optimise the efficient use of on-farm inputs. The plan-do-check-review cycle adopted in this project required the farmers to assess current management practices, identify where to make changes, implement changes and monitor for improvements. The success of the project was due to careful attention to social processes as well as technical input. The combination of group activities with individual mentoring and one-to-one advice was key to the success of this project in enabling farmers to undertake on-farm action.

There is value in social learning that included developing relationships, using one-to-one contact and group workshops together with expert input when working with farmers to tackle some difficult and complex interrelated natural resource management and production issues. Sufficient time must be allowed for the process of facilitating good practice in natural resource management, particularly when addressing systemic environmental impacts. Practical operational recommendations are presented on communication, feedback, focus of activities and meeting content, as these will be useful to other project officers and facilitators working with farmer groups.

Building social capital in groups : facilitating skill development for natural resource management

Analysis of the experiences of four farmer groups set up to learn how to jointly manage local natural resource issues shows that the groups are going though two simultaneous processes. One builds technical competency in natural resource management and the other is the underpinning social process that allows the groups to make decisions and work collectively, which builds social capital. Natural resource management practitioners and farmers are practical people. They are likely to be more comfortable with a process that develops monitoring tools and benchmarks for natural resource management than a process of group development and social capital formation. Yet the two are intrinsically linked. This paper reflects on and analyses the experience of establishing and working with farmer groups as they go through a process of identifying environmental issues, setting and monitoring environmental benchmarks and identifying and implementing sustainable farming practices to meet the benchmarks.

Two questions emerged from the analysis. First, how do the four groups compare to other measures of effective natural resource management groups? Second, what are the characteristics of the groups that make them more or less effective and what has occurred in the groups (either before or during this project) to make them more or less effective? Social capital emerges as a key determinant of group effectiveness. Social capital is most effective when it comprises a balance of bonding and bridging networks, and includes shared values in relation to the purpose of the group.

Policy makers and extension workers need to understand the link between the two simultaneous processes occurring as people come together in groups to define and implement best practice at a local level, and how to use knowledge of social processes when designing the more concrete process of developing and implementing best practice monitoring and benchmarking with groups. An understanding of how people build social capital as they work in groups will assist with designing and facilitating group projects in a range of contexts, not only natural resource management.

Patient safety ethics and human error management in ED contexts part I : development of the global patient safety movement

In recent years there has been increasing recognition internationally that health care is not as safe as it ought to be and that patient safety outcomes need to be improved. To this end patient safety has become the focus of a world-wide endeavour aimed at reducing the incidence and impact of preventable human errors and related adverse events in health care domains. The emergency department has been identified as a significant site of preventable human errors and adverse events in the health care system, raising important questions about the nature of human error management and patient safety ethics in rapidly changing environments. In this article (the first of a two-part discussion on the subject) an overview of the incidence and impact of preventable adverse events in ED contexts is explored. The development of a ‘culture of safety’ in other hazardous industries and the ‘lessons learned’ and applied to the health care industry are also briefly examined. In a second article (to be presented as Part II), some of the ethical tensions that have arisen in the context of implementing patient safety processes and their possible implications for ED contexts are explored.

Patient safety ethics and human error management in ED contexts Part II : Accountability and the challenge to change

In recent years there has been increasing recognition internationally that health care is not as safe as it ought to be and that patient safety outcomes need to be improved. To this end, patient safety has become the focus of a world-wide endeavour – endorsed by the World Health Organisation – to reduce the incidence and impact of preventable human errors and related adverse events in health care domains. The emergency department has been identified as a significant site of preventable human errors and adverse events in the health care system, raising important questions about the nature of human error management and patient safety ethics in rapidly changing environments, of which the Emergency Department is a prime example. In Part I of this article series, an overview of the incidence and impact of preventable adverse events in Emergency Department contexts and the development of the global patient safety movement was presented. In this second article brief attention is given to examining some of the ethical tensions that have arisen in response to the patient safety movement and their possible implications for Emergency Department contexts and staff.

Overseas Chinese as expatriate managers in China : is their recruitment a solution to cross-cultural management problems for multinationals operating in China?

The rapid economic development has gravitated businesses into the Chinese market. It’s entry into the World Trade Organization in 2001 made her an even more formidable player in the global economy and direct foreign investment surged. Yet it is acknowledged that for the foreign investor in China, cross-cultural issues create difficulty at every level, from the intercultural level relating to communication and negotiation, to the organizational level relating to decision making, human resource management practices, corporate legal institutions and dealing with governments. Western multinationals have considered the advantages of posting overseas Chinese, from Southeast Asian countries, Taiwan Hong Kong and etc. But has this policy been successful? In terms of language expertise and cultural literacy this would seem to be a good strategy, yet organizational case material contradicts this in reality. Overseas Chinese, while sharing some elements of Chinese culture with mainland Chinese, the Confucian heritage and other aspects such as language, diet, etc, nevertheless have different world views and values and behave differently from mainland Chinese in areas critical to business management. As a survival strategy, overseas Chinese often developed dual identities operating simultaneously. For many of them, for political and historical reasons, they have had to adapt to the local culture or even hide their own ethnicity in order to survive. On the other hand, the mainland Chinese are different in the sense that their behaviour has only had to be Chinese, but overlaid with this has been the experience of participating in a communist political environment for decades, which has left its mark on mainland Chinese culture. On the basis of this, in the current business environment in China confusion, difficulties and conflict may occur for the overseas Chinese. This paper aims to provide insights of the cultural differences between the overseas Chinese and mainland Chinese. It provides evidence that overseas Chinese are not often favoured by the local Chinese. This problem has yet to be researched in depth within international business and international management studies. It draws the attention to issues on how to manage the local Chinese.

People management challenges to multinational companies in Asia

This book discusses the contextual factors such as cultural and institutional settings that impact on effective people management practices in Asia. The challenges of multinational companies (MNCs) in the particular areas of attraction and retention, training and career development of the local skilled labour workforce are analyzed using the data of 529 MNCs in six Asian countries (namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand). The degree of challenges varies by country and sector. This book draws conclusions from the empirical research stating that cultural and institutional theories, as well as the convergence and divergence theses can explain at best, partially, reasons behind the different outcomes of people management or human resource management (HRM) practices across MNCs in different operations in the region.

Strategic people management of coal mining firms in Central Queensland

Purpose – This paper aims to propose a conceptual framework to explore the link between strategic human resource management (SHRM) and firm performance of the coal mining companies in Central Queensland (CQ), Australia.

Design/methodology/approach – The paper reviews literature relating to the process and issues of transforming human resource practices and industrial relations of the coal industry in Australia for the past decade. Theoretical development and empirical studies on the SHRM-performance linkage are discussed. Based on the literature review, the paper develops an integrated model for testing the relationship between SHRM and firm performance in the context of CQ's coalmines and proposes a number of research propositions.

Findings – Three perceivable outcomes are likely derived from application of this framework in the field. First, a testing of the linkage between strategic HRM and firm performance in the coal industry, using an integrated approach, would complement the empirical deficiency of treatments on the prior SHRM models. Second, data at firm level could be collected to develop a better understanding of how the adoption of strategic HRM practices in coal companies can affect firm performance. Third, the extent of flexibility practices, use of contractors and associated management practices could be identified.

Originality/value – The coal industry is central to economic development of regional Queensland. The industry contributes substantially to GDP via employment, investment and product export. An exploration of the impact of SHRM on the coal industry will likely result in identifying some best practices that could be potentially adopted in the wider business community to foster regional economic development in Australia and worldwide.

A new vision of management : full potential management model

This paper establishes the Full Potential Management (FPM) Model based upon the social model of disabilities coupled with principles of diversity management and disability-oriented human resource management. Despite the fact that the concept of management was once envisioned as having 'value to society ' by improving the quality of life through efficient practices (Rimler, 1976), management literature has narrowly defined management as a means to gain increased productivity and achieve organizational goals, thus overlooking the social formation and implementation design for a better life (Diener & Seligman, 2004; Small, 2004; Whitley 1989). Based upon the diversity literature, we propose that social-oriented diversity management principles and practices are the key to transforming management concepts from achieving organizational potential to achieving social aims that maximize the potential and quality of life of each person.

Towards more integrated natural resource management in Victoria : possible elements of an integrated state-wide policy framework

There is a growing recognition of the complexity of environmental issues and acceptance of the value of more integrated approaches to address them. Evidence of progress with the development of more integrated approaches is however less clear cut. Within this context, this paper explores how a more integrated approach 10 natural resource management at a state government level could be progressed. Using recent experience in Victoria as a focus, this paper provides an overview of environment and natural resources issues confronting the State. highlights why integration is an important element of any response. and outlines the current policy and organisational context. Possible elements of a state-wide policy framework for more integrated natural resource management across a state government organisation are also outlined and discussed.

East and West, past and present : rekindle old principles for new management practices

This paper explores the sayings and stories of the ancient Chinese philosophers Guanzi, Hanfeizi, Xunzi and Yanzi. Their way of ruling the state and managing the people are analysed and discussed in line with thoughts from the mainstream and modern Western management gurus, such as Warren Bennis, Peter Drucker, Mary Parker Follett, Douglas McGregor, Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Elton Mayo, and Jeffrey Pfeffer. Striking similarities call for addressing key issues in human resource management. East and west thinkers across 3000 years are identified. The principles-based ruling and management were found difficult to be taken seriously in ancient times as it is today. However, these principles must be rekindled to protect organisations and the world from mischievous behaviour that has caused much human suffering.

The value of oral history in natural resource management : the Balcombe Estuary Reserve, Mount Martha, Victoria

This study investigates the benefits of using oral history as a tool for the sustainable management of estuaries. Twenty-two semi-structured interviews were conducted to generate oral history records for the Balcombe Estuary Reserve, a small estuary in a periurban zone on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria. These interviews establish a more complete picture of changes in land use and ecological change to the estuary since European settlement of the area, and document community values. The interviews were followed with a survey to further explore management issues in the area. Use of oral history was found to be an effective approach to assist holistic estuarine management, especially when complemented by other sources of information.