Gender influences on the work-related stress-coping process

The increasing incidence of occupational stress is recognized as a global phenomenon that is having a detrimental impact on both individuals and organizations. This study aims to identify whether men and women adopt different stress and coping processes when subjected to stress in a work context. A total of 258 workers of various professions (males = 106, females = 152) participated in the study. Results indicated that men and women differ in their stress and coping processes, forming two very distinct groups and adopting specific process models when encountering a stressful situation at work. Limitations and implications from this study are discussed.

Strategic technology management : case study development in innovative building products

National and international competition demands that Australian organisations become more competent at making the strategic technological decisions that impact their future in the international business economy. A new subject unit, Management of Technology is now offered in the popular Master of Project Management and Master of Business Administration programs at the Queensland University of Technology. This cross-disciplinary subject provides students with a theoretical foundation and practical tools to improve the efficiency and competitiveness of technically-oriented organisations. Applied case studies—shown to be the most appropriate mode of learning for mature-age students—form an integral component of the teaching program. In the first offerings of this subject during 1995 and 1996, American case studies were used. QUT has now supported the development of Australian case study packages for technology management through its Teaching and Learning Grants Scheme. The first case developed—Inland Oil Refiners’ Microstill Project—was completed in early 1996. A newly developed case—Automated Door Opening System for Wheelchair Access—is currently being completed. This case (comprising case study documentation and video presentation) tracks a cross-disciplinary product development driven by legislative and community pressures. It also reinforces the importance of personal relationships in the technology and business development that has taken this young Brisbane-based company from its embryonic beginnings on the Queensland Cultural Centre in 1994 to a national and export-focussed organisation in 1997. This paper reviews the need to develop Australian case material in Management of Technology, discusses the case study documentation and supporting video developed, and application of the case study approach in this teaching initiative in QUT’s Master of Project Management and Master of Business Administration programs.

Participation index : improved measure of transport related social exclusion?

Although transport related social exclusion has been identified through zonal accessibility measures in the recent past, the debate has shifted from zonal to individual level measures. One way to identify disadvantaged individuals is to measure their size of participation in society (activity spaces). After reviewing existing literature, this paper has found two approaches to measure the activity spaces. One approach is based on the time-geographic potential path area (PPA) concept. The size of the PPA has largely been used as an indicator to the size of potential activity spaces and consequently individual accessibility. The limitations of the PPA concept have been identified in this paper and it is argued cannot be applied as a measure of social exclusion. The other approach is based on individuals’ actual travel activity participation called actual activity spaces. The size of actual activity spaces possesses a good potential measure of social exclusion. However, the indicators to measure the size of actual activity spaces are multidimensional representing the different aspects of social exclusion. The development of a unified approach has therefore been found to be important. This paper has developed a participation index (PI) using the different dimensions of actual activity spaces encountered. A framework has also been developed to operationalise the concept in GIS. The framework, on the one hand, will visualize individuals’ actual travel behaviour in real geographic space; on the other hand, it will calculate the size of their participation in society.

Work-related road risks and legal liabilities : report for the Redland City Council

Workplace serious injuries and deaths due to unsafe work practices are a substantial health and socioeconomic burden to the community, particularly in industries such as construction, agriculture and fishing, and transport and storage. Some 2000 individuals die each year from work-related causes and tens of thousands of individuals incur permanent disabling work-related injuries and the direct (e.g., medical & legal) and indirect (e.g., lost productivity) cost to the Australian economy has been estimated between $32 billion and $57 billion annually. A common cause of workplace injuries and deaths is occupational driving and work-related fatal road crashes comprise between 23 and 32% of work-related fatalities each year. A major safety concern across the various industry groups therefore involve deaths and injuries associated with work-related driving. However, while organisations emphasise safety practices in most spheres of the workplace they often neglect work-related driving and lack appropriate policies to enhance safe driving practices.

Parliamentary inquiry into alcohol-related violence

Alcohol consumption has been a popular leisure activity among Australian since European Settlement. Australians currently consume 7.2 litres per capita pure alcohol and Australia in regards to alcohol consumption is ranked as the 22nd highest country of 58 countries. Although the alcohol industry has provided leisure, employment and government taxes, alcohol use has also become associated with chronic health problems, crime, public disorder and violence. Drunken and disorderly behaviour is commonly associated with Pubs, Clubs and Hotels, particularly in the late night entertainment areas. Historically, drunkenness and disorderly behaviour has been managed by measures such as floggings, jail and treatment in asylums. Alcohol has also been banned in specific areas and restrictions have applied to hours and days of operation. In more recent times alcohol policies have included extended trading hours, restricted trading hours and bans in some Aboriginal communities in order to reduce alcohol-related violence. Community and business partnerships in and around licensed premises have also developed in order to address the noise, violence and disorderly behaviour that often occurs in the evenings and early mornings. There is an urgent need for the government to be more robust about implementing effective alcohol control policies in order to prevent and reduce the harmful effects of alcohol.

Perioperative mortality after hemiarthroplasty related to fixation method : a study based on the Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry

Background and purpose: The appropriate fixation method for hemiarthroplasty of the hip as it relates to implant survivorship and patient mortality is a matter of ongoing debate. We examined the influence of fixation method on revision rate and mortality.----- ----- Methods: We analyzed approximately 25,000 hemiarthroplasty cases from the AOA National Joint Replacement Registry. Deaths at 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, and 1 year were compared for all patients and among subgroups based on implant type.----- ----- Results: Patients treated with cemented monoblock hemiarthroplasty had a 1.7-times higher day-1 mortality compared to uncemented monoblock components (p < 0.001). This finding was reversed by 1 week, 1 month, and 1 year after surgery (p < 0.001). Modular hemiarthroplasties did not reveal a difference in mortality between fixation methods at any time point.----- ----- Interpretation: This study shows lower (or similar) overall mortality with cemented hemiarthroplasty of the hip.

Experimental investigation on extruded snack products from rice and Mung bean : optimization of parameters

Experiments were undertaken to study effect of initial conditions on the expansion ratio of two grains in a laboratory scale, single speed, single screw extruder at Naresuan University, Thailand. Jasmine rice and Mung bean were used as the material. Three different initial moisture contents were adjusted for the grains and classified them into three groups according to particle sizes. Mesh sizes used are 12 and 14. Expansion ratio was measured at a constant barrel temperature of 190oC. Response surface methodology was used to obtain optimum conditions between moisture content and particle size of the materials concerned.

Fleet safety : risk reduction for work related vehicle use

Research has demonstrated that driving a vehicle for work is potentially one of the most dangerous workplace activities. Although organisations are required to meet legislative obligations under workplace health and safety in relation to work related vehicle use, organisations are often reluctant to acknowledge and address the risks associated with the vehicle as a workplace. Recent research undertaken investigating the challenges associated with driver and organisational aspects of fleet safety are discussed. This paper provides a risk management framework to assist organisations to meet legislative requirements and reduce the risk associated with vehicle use in the workplace. In addition the paper argues that organisations need to develop and maintain a positive fleet safety culture to proactively mitigate risk in an effort to reduce the frequency and severity of vehicle related incidents within the workplace.

Correlation of the expression of human kallikrein-related peptidases 4 and 7 with the prognosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma

Background Very few articles have been written about the expression of kallikreins (KLK4 and KLK7) in oral cancers. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine and report on their prognostic potential. Methods Eighty archival blocks of primary oral cancers were sectioned and stained for KLK4 and KLK7 by immunohistochemistry. The percentage and the intensity of malignant keratinocyte staining were correlated with patient survival using Cox regression analysis. Results Both kallikreins were expressed strongly in the majority of tumor cells in 68 of 80 cases: these were mostly moderately or poorly differentiated neoplasms. Staining was particularly intense at the infiltrating front. Patients with intense staining had significantly shorter overall survival (p < .05). Conclusion This is the first observation on the patient survival influenced by kallikrein expression in oral carcinoma. The findings are consistent with those for carcinomas at other sites, in particular the prostate and ovary. KLK4 and/or KLK7 immunohistochemistry seems to have diagnostic and prognostic potential in this disease.