Can virtual world property be considered a digital good?

What types of goods should be considered digital goods? This paper discusses the question of whether virtual property, such as items available in virtual world environments like Linden Lab’s Second Life and Blizzard’s World of Warcraft, should be considered a valid digital good. The makeup of a virtual property items are explored in this paper and their key features compared and contrasted with that of digital goods. Common examples of digital goods include: electronic books, software, digital music and digital movies. These goods are considered a tangible commodity, that is they have an unlimited supply and secondly they are in a digital/binary form (a sequence of 1’s and 0s’). When looking at why a virtual property items should be included in the category of ‘digital goods’, it is important to consider how items in a virtual world come to exist and how the availability of these items are often controlled by publishers and developers. The aim of this paper is show that digital goods should not be limited to the traditional views such as electronic books, software, music and movies; but in fact the term ‘digital good’ should also include the active market of virtual property
items.

Need to know : lessons from Sino-Australian business negotiators on the importance of guanxi, emotions and generational differences in Chinese negotiation behaviour

The forces of globalisation over the last few decades have created opportunities for intemational business as never before, whilst leaving no organisation immune to competition. With the Global Financial Crisis impacting the world economy, the BRIC economies as a group - Brazil, Russia, India and China, have steadily benefited from continuing growth in 2008 and 2009 (Bhattacharya, Hemerling and Waltermann,2010). Despite China being a key international trading partner for Australia, the number of successful joint ventures and negotiations between the two countries remains limited. A closer examination of the international business interactions between Australia and China is thus urgently needed. When negotiating with the Chinese, Western managers may not always be aware of what they are really negotiating for. To be successful, they have to be equipped with the 'specialised knowledge', a form of 'tacit or implicit knowledge', which comes with experience (Nonaka, 1994, Pavesi, 2003) in communicating and negotiating with their Chinese counterparts. The Chinese way of business negotiation can challenge the logic of Western business thinking. This, coupled with possible generational differences or changes in the Chinese business counterpart's way of doing business, means we must try to understand the business communication and negotiation process from not only the Western but also the Chinese perspective. In particular, in addition to the contextual (Phatak, & Habib, 1996; Risberg, 1997), social (Ghauri, & Fang, 2001), and cognitive factors (George, Gareth, & Gonzalez, 1998) focused on by past researchers, the intangible aspects of negotiation must also be considered. These include trust, reputation, relationship quality (guanxi in the case of the Chinese), and the moods and emotions that shape the processes and outcomes of communication and negotiation (Griffith, 2002; Hartel & Ma, 2006; Ma & Hartel 2005; and Zhao & Krohmer, 2006). This paper reports on a qualitative investigation of the communication processes occurring in negotiations between Australian and Chinese managers and entrepreneurs. The examination is based on a theoretical framework looking at emotions and culture from an affective events theory (AET) perspective. Both interview and focus groups techniques were used. Findings identified guanxi, core to relationship development and maintenance in Chinese culture, together with emotions as major determining factors of negotiation outcomes. Findings also suggest there are generational differences in attitudes among Chinese managers with Gen. X and Gen. Y placing a different emphasis on guanxi in business. These findings suggest that the popular advice to people doing business in China is out of date.

Engaging in collaborative R&D : an international case study of cross-sector collaboration

This paper examines cross-sector engagement by drawing on a case study of a successful R&D project which involved an Australian Cooperative Research Centre (with CSIRO as a partner), and the eyecare products company Ciba Vision. This project resulted in the market launch of an extended wear contact lens, a break-through product. The engagement process moved through two phases. In an initiation phase, partner reputation and the potential for complementary resources were important in the partnering decision. In an engagement phase, the partners built a relationship and focused on the tasks to be completed. In doing so, they made a number of credible commitments to the venture (most notably to jointly assign project intellectual property between the public and private sector partners), developed a trusting relationship, adopted a disciplined and effective project management approach, learned the capability for cross-sector collaboration management, and put much effort into fostering communication to facilitate team building and the task focus. The management approach taken lead to a positive experience of the project among the partners, and this was positively associated with tangible project outcomes. Such collaborations may persist across projects, but in a disengagement phase negotiations on the conditions of exit may be required. It is concluded that to build a successful cross-sector collaboration requires interpersonal engagement within and across the organizations involved.

From neuroprogression to neuroprotection : implications for clinical care

• Bipolar disorder follows a staged trajectory in which persistence of illness is associated with a number of clinical features such as progressive shortening of the inter-episode interval and decreased probability of treatment response.

• This neuroprogressive clinical process is reflected by both progressive neuroanatomical changes and evidence of cognitive decline.

• The biochemical foundation of this process appears to incorporate changes in inflammatory cytokines, cortisone, neurotrophins and oxidative stress. There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that these markers may differ between the early and late stages of the disorder.

• The presence of a series of tangible targets raises the spectre of development of rational neuroprotective strategies, involving judicious use of current therapies and novel agents. Most of the currently used mood stabilisers share effects on oxidative stress and neurotrophins, while novel potentially neuroprotective agents are being developed. These developments need to be combined with service initiatives to maximise the opportunities for early diagnosis and intervention.

Climate change and heritage : responding to the crisis

Climate change poses a major threat to heritage of all kinds. Yet much of the work so far on climate change and heritage replicates aspects of the global heritage system, tending to emphasise a European perspective and focusing on the preservation of tangible heritage. We call for a broader understanding of climate change, particularly as it affects heritage in the developing world, especially that of indigenous peoples and small Island states. This is also a call for political engagement by heritage practitioners. We argue that in the struggle against climate change heritage practitioners can make a worthwhile contribution by arguing for a de-commodified form of heritage practice emphasizing the involvement of local communities and recognition of their cultural resources; that resists being coopted into economic growth strategies unless they supplant other forms of unsustainable development; that focuses on heritage as an alternative way of viewing resources and their use.

Unbearable pressures on paradise? : Tourism and heritage management in Luang Prabang, a world heritage site

This article critically appraises and evaluates tourism strategies and heritage management in Luang Prabang, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, a Unesco-designated ‘world heritage’ city. Luang Prabang is widely regarded as one of the most significant heritage cities in Southeast Asia. The city is renowned for its Buddhist and royal culture and also its historic vernacular Lao, French, and Lao-French architecture. The city earned world heritage status in 1995, but since that time the boom in in-bound Asian tourism has put pressures on Luang Prabang’s authenticity and, for some, called into question the validity of its world heritage status. This article examines these substantial and wide-ranging pressures and argues that the growth in tourism and the treatment of Luang Prabang’s heritage are symptoms of broader regional processes of political and economic change, including the expansion of Chinese and Korean investments and the growth of intra-regional tourism. The authors argue that it is unreasonable to expect traditional heritage management mechanisims, including the world heritage listing, to be able to cope with the pressures on sites like Luang Prabang. The very least that is required, the authors contend, is an expanded understanding of the context in which heritage places sit, and the authors make a case that the cultural landscapes approach, combined with explicit concerns for intangible heritage and poverty alleviation, must be at the core of any strategy for long-term protection of the city’s cultural values.

Implanting sustainability in business strategies : CSR, ethics or the law

This paper elucidates the conundrum faced by Australian businesses in developing ‘sustainable’ business strategies that are acceptable to a multiplicity of stakeholders. A content analysis of the web pages for leading Australian companies indicates that there is little tangible evidence that sustainable business practices are being implemented. The authors propose several directions for research into substantive issues between ethical behaviour, corporate social responsibility and environmentally sustainable behaviour for businesses. Each of these areas is developing research in relative isolation. However, we argue that this paradigmatic divide is limiting the opportunities for research to provide real insight into seemingly intractable problems.

User satisfaction in sustainable office buildings : a preliminary study

Energy efficiency was first mandated for commercial buildings in 2006 in Part J of The Building Code of Australia (BCA) and regulators are already implementing increased measures in 2010 (ABCB 2010). Further increases will follow as part of the co-ordinated effort to reduce building related greenhouse gas emissions. The introduction of the Energy Efficiency Disclosure Bill 2010 will establish a national scheme to promote the disclosure of information about the energy efficiency of office buildings as well as further highlighting the need for efficiency. Increased energy efficiency in the form of insulation, energy efficient light fittings, sophisticated Building Management Systems (BMS), micro-generation such as solar and wind turbines all result in measurable quantifiable reductions in operating costs for owners and tenants. However convincing all building owners about the sound business case for adopting sustainability measures has not been fully realised. To-date the adoption of cutting edge sustainable buildings in Australia is restricted to a few industry leaders, such as Investa and ISPT in Victoria for example. Sustainable building owners and tenants often benefit from reduced operating costs during the building lifecycle although the ‘intangible’ effect on businesses (e.g. employee productivity) is uncertain. This aspect has not been accurately quantified and has not been included as part of the measurement of sustainability in buildings.

This study will allow property stakeholders, including government policy-makers and investors/developers, to better understand the optimal type and level of sustainability to be incorporated into the built environment. In addition this knowledge will enable policymakers to make more informed decisions with regards to the likely impact of the legislative measures they propose in respect of sustainability and buildings in The Building Code of Australia (BCA) and other relevant legislation.

A modern audience for the ancient mysteries of the occult : the evolution of Rudolf Steiner's esoteric architecture

In today’s secular society, occult conceptions of architecture may seem somewhat anachronistic, but at the turn of the twentieth century the bourgeoisie, alongside society’s artistic and intellectual elite, were enthusiastically embracing a myriad of esoteric doctrines and mystical impulses. One of the most prominent and enduring examples of this cultural phenomenon is to be found in Rudolf Steiner’s quasi-philosophical system of Anthroposophy. As a path of spiritual development based on ancient mysteries of the occult, Anthroposophy offered people the belief that there existed a way out of the chaos and meaninglessness of modern industrialised society. Steiner used the medium of architecture as a way of repackaging the occult’s venerable secrets into a tangible, material form that made their hidden message more readily accessible to his contemporary audience. While he was striving towards creating a totally new architectural language appropriate to the modern age, he perceived architectural style as an evolutionary process that revealed its spiritual content in a particular way in every epoch. As such, Steiner made free use of historical and mythological precedents as archetypal references in his work, thus giving his architecture a genealogy that has, until now, remained largely undefined. By investigating Steiner’s indebtedness to ancient temples and the architecture of the baroque, a greater understanding of his architectural heritage is made possible, which not only helps to locate him within the cultural milieu of his day, but also within the broader context of architectural history. A spiritual thread runs through this history that demonstrates that Steiner’s architecture is not as idiosyncratic as it may initially seem, though whether his work represents an original step forward in the development of modern architecture, or is merely a hangover of nineteenth century eclecticism, must also be considered in order to determine the architectural value of Steiner’s esoteric ideas.

Knowledge management culture, strategy and process in Malaysian firms

Malaysia is one of the leading countries in Asia that are at the forefront in the development of a knowledge-based economy (KBE). The Malaysian government has been making substantial investments in both physical and technological infrastructure to facilitate knowledge-intensive economic activities. Foreign and local firms in Malaysia are encouraged to take advantage of the opportunities brought by the emerging KBE. However, little is known as to how firms in Malaysia respond to this new trajectory of economic development. In particular, there is paucity in the literature as to how Malaysian firms manage knowledge in their organizations as they strive to achieve sustainable competitive performance. Little is known as to how and why firms in Malaysia develop and manage their intangible and knowledge-based resources as they operate and respond to the modern knowledge-based competitive economic arena. This paper examines a type of organizational culture that supports and promotes knowledge management (KM) within firms in Malaysia. The paper argues that KM-oriented culture shapes the overall KM strategy of firms, which consequently shapes the organizational process required to manage the firm's knowledge-based resources. The study uses survey data from a sample of 153 firms from Malaysia. Structural equation modelling was used to develop and test the measurement model of KM-oriented culture, KM strategy and KM process of the sample firms, as well as the structural model of their hypothesized relationships. The results show that firms with high level of KM-oriented culture demonstrated well-defined KM strategies. Firms that implemented well-defined KM strategies also reported that they have better KM processes in place. Building a KM-oriented culture within the organization is a pre-requisite to the implementation of any KM systems in Malaysian firms. Successful implementation of KM strategies, processes and the supporting technological infrastructure depends on whether organizational members consider KM as a norm within the firm. The study's focus on the linkages between KM-oriented culture, strategy and process in the context of Malaysian firms contributes to a more nuanced understanding of KM among firms in the Asian context in general, and in the Malaysian context in particular.

Perceptions of corporate social responsibility amongst immigrant entrepreneurs

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the understanding of the term corporate social responsibility (CSR) by Sri Lankan immigrant entrepreneurs in Australia. It also seeks to investigate the importance the entrepreneurs place on CSR, their understanding of stakeholders, the types of CSR activities undertaken by them, and the issue of social capital.

Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with Sri Lankan entrepreneurs based in Victoria, Australia.

Findings – The interviewees were aware of the term CSR but, nevertheless, had different interpretations of its meaning. However, CSR was considered important and all the interviewees were, in some way, involved in CSR activities and also had a good understanding of the importance of their stakeholders. Findings also highlighted the significance attached to social capital by the entrepreneurs such as informal relationships and trustworthiness which build the intangible attributes of CSR. The present findings can be attributed to immigrant entrepreneurs behaving partly to adapt to the host country, by changing their beliefs, values, traditions and partly by being influenced by their home country culture as found in the extended part of this current study.

Research limitations/implications – This paper addresses gaps in the fields of both CSR and immigrant entrepreneurship literature. However, the small sample size is a limitation and further research is required in order to generalize the findings.

Originality/value – It is important to have an understanding of the interpretation of social responsibility amongst immigrant entrepreneurs. Despite the steadily growing number of Sri Lankan immigrant entrepreneurs and their potential impact on the Victorian and Australian socio-economic context, this area remains under-researched. This paper addresses this gap in the literature and makes an attempt to provide insight into this area that can be used as a catalyst for future research.

Overcoming inconsistencies in placement assessment : the case for developmental assessment centers

Placements are integral to many university courses and to increasing student employability skills. Nevertheless, several complications, such as the assessment of placement experiences which often go against the principles of procedural justice, may limit placement effectiveness. For example, procedures are not applied uniformly across students; and evaluations of intangible qualities are susceptible to biases. As a result, effort and learning can be compromised. This paper advocates the use of developmental assessment centers to help solve these shortcomings. Developmental assessment centers are often used in organizations to evaluate capabilities of individuals and to facilitate development. Participants complete a series of work related and standardized tasks. Multiple raters then utilize a systematic approach to evaluate participants on a range of competencies, and consequently present constructive feedback to facilitate learning. Therefore, developmental assessment center principles match the key determinants of procedural justice and thus overcome many problems with traditional placement assessments.

Personality and the effort-reward imbalance model of stress : individual differences in reward sensitivity

The Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) model comprises both situational components (i.e. effort and reward) and a person-specific component (overcommitment). The aims of this study were to investigate the role of theoretically and historically linked personality variables (i.e. overcommitment and Type A personality) within the ERI model and to expand and extend the ERI model by investigating the contribution of individual reward components to both psychological (i.e. psychological distress) and attitudinal (i.e. affective commitment) employee strain indicators. A total of 897 police officers from a large Australian police agency participated in the study. The results provided no evidence of an interaction effect of effort or reward with overcommitment. The Type A variables did, however, make significant contributions and were involved in a number of interactions, suggesting that the person-specific component of the ERI model could be extended with the Type A personality profile. The findings also suggest that the esteem component of reward has the greatest relevance to employee outcomes, although tangible aspects of reward are more likely to act as a buffer of perceived work demand.

Preliminary insights from a multiple case study on process modelling impact

Process modelling – the design and use of graphical documentations of an organisation’s business processes – is a key method to document and use information about business processes in organisational projects. Still, despite current interest in process modelling, this area of study still faces essential challenges. One of the key unanswered questions concerns the impact of process modelling in organisational practice. Process modelling initiatives call for tangible results in the form of returns on the substantial investments that organisations undertake to achieve improved processes. This study explores the impact of process model use on end-users and its contribution to organisational success. We posit that the use of conceptual models creates impact in organisational process teams. We also report on a set of case studies in which we explore tentative evidence for the development of impact of process model use. The results of this work provide a better understanding of process modelling impact from information practices and also lead to insights into how organisations should conduct process modelling initiatives in order to achieve an optimum return on their investment.