Mothering in the freelance film industry: case studies in the postproduction film industry in Melbourne, Australia

This paper examines the dynamic relationship between work and life through the experiences of three mothers seeking to realise careers in the freelance film industry in Melbourne, Australia. The women were part of a larger sample of postproduction workers who were surveyed on their responses to technological change in the postproduction freeelance film industry but were out of the industry having children during the first wave of technological change. The paper examines qualitative data from these women and later longitudinal data in order to understand the limits of equal opportunity in an uneven playing field.

Victorian local government reforms 1992-1999, revisited: implication for trade unions

Between 1992 and 1999 the Victorian State Government, Led by Jeff Kennett, set about implementing the most extensive public sector reform program ever witnessed in Australia, part of which involved significant changes in the organisation and operation of Local government. Although Local government had traditionally been 'the blind spot' in governmental arrangements, within three years of assuming office Local government had undergone major structural and operational change. This paper revisits this period by examining four elements of the reform agenda including the factors driving the reform, the Kennett government's approach to Local government reform, the expected outcomes sought by this government, and the policies implemented in Local government to achieve the expected outcomes. The paper identifies a number of implications for trade unions arising from this reform agenda and concludes that further investigation is warranted in this area.

E-Governance in Australian local government: spinning a web around community?

Local government in Australia is under pressure to modernize its structures in the new public management environment, as well as respond to  increasing demands from its local electorates for better delivery of services and greater levels of participation in the democratic process. This article analyzes local government’s response to these pressures through its use of information communication technologies (ICT) to execute its broad range of tasks. I begin by discussing e-governance in the light of Chadwick and May’s (2003) three basic models of interaction between the state and its citizens: managerial, consultative, and participatory. Using data collected from an analysis of 658 local government Web sites in Australia together with existing survey research, I analyze the extent to which local government sites fit into the three models. The article then concludes with a discussion of the issues and problems faced by local government in its attempt to develop e-governance, as both an extension of its administrative as well as democratic functions.

Online marketing by local government in Australia and the United States

The study reported in this paper involves a comparison audit of local government websites in two states of Australia with county and city level government in two states of the United States of America, using the Marketing Readiness of Website Indicator (MRWI). The hypothesised more highly rated Web use in marketing by United States local government relative to Australian local government (LGA) is not supported. Californian counties, NSW and Victorian LGAs generally employ the Web in a more capable manner in marketing than Californian cities and Alabama counties and cities.

Fostering deep and elaborative learning and generic(soft) skill development: the strategic use of case studies in accounting education

It is vital that accounting educators take responsibility for the development of students' generic (soft) skills in conjunction with, discipline-specific skills. Research indicates that the typical learning styles of accounting students are not suited to the acquisition of generic skills. In this paper learning theory is used to provide a framework to support the use of case studies as a tool to promote appropriate learning styles and thereby enhance generic skill development. The paper details a number of strategies that may be implemented with case studies to achieve these goals. The implications for accounting educators, which are significant, are discussed.

Stakeholders and strategic planning in non-profit organisations : case studies in complexity and conflict

The experiences of two Australian non-profit member-benefit associations as they attempt to develop strategic plans are explored, with emphasis on the influence of the many stakeholders in this process. We conclude that
corporate strategic planning is a complex, conflict-ridden, and largely
unsuccessful process in non-profit member-benefit associations because of the number and commitment of stakeholders. Therefore we suggest that future research should focus on clarifying whether such corporate management techniques are actually appropriate for all non-profit organisations, and, if they are, how non-profit organisations can best manage the process, taking into account the values and needs of stakeholders.

Reflective practice in teacher education : learning from case studies of environmental education

This book is focused on ten action research and evaluative case studies in environmental education carried out by teacher educators and teachers. The case studies range across five European countries: Austria, Hungary, Italy, Sweden and Switzerland. They are followed by cross-case comparisons which explore issues emerging from the documented reflective practice: aims of environmental education in the educational policy context of the countries, their relationship to the disciplines and the traditional knowledge transmission position, the role of action research approaches for innovation and reflection, and institutional conditions of collaboration in teacher education. This international case study project is research based in adopting professional development approaches that are informed by action research principles. It represents examples of innovation that challenge established practice in schools and teacher education institutions. It provides study material for all who attempt to describe, change and improve their own education practices and who want to adopt an action research approach to professional or program development.

Aboriginal art market : intellectual property case studies

The Indigenous Art Market: Intellectual Property Case Studies project is a national study aiming to gain an overview of how intellectual property issues intersect with the Indiegenous artists and the Indigenous art market in Australia. The initiative comes from the Deakin University Centre for Leisure Research Management with funding from the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS