Forming a joint venture project team for multi-discipline engineering services in Australia

Joint venture design teams are formed to combine resources and expertise in order to secure multi-discipline engineering design services on major projects. Bringing together resources from two ordinarily competing companies to form one joint team is however challenging as each parent company brings to the project its own organisational culture, processes and team attitudes. This study examined the factors that impact on forming a successful joint venture project team. Three critical areas were identified from an extensive literature review; Joint Venture Arrangements, Parent Companies and Forming the Team; and a survey was conducted with professionals who have worked in joint venture project teams in the Australian building industry in order to identify factors that affected successful joint venture team formation, and the common lessons learnt. This study reinforced the importance of three key criteria - trust, commitment and compatibility - for partner alignment. The results also identified four key lessons learnt which included; selecting the right resources, enabling a collaborative working environment by way of project office, implementing an independent Joint Venture Manager, and allocating work which is best for project with fees reflecting risk where risk is disproportionate.

The Marulan data sets: multi-sensor perception in a natural environment with challenging conditions

In this paper we present large, accurately calibrated and time-synchronized data sets, gathered outdoors in controlled and variable environmental conditions, using an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), equipped with a wide variety of sensors. These include four 2D laser scanners, a radar scanner, a color camera and an infrared camera. It provides a full description of the system used for data collection and the types of environments and conditions in which these data sets have been gathered, which include the presence of airborne dust, smoke and rain.

A probabilistic framework to monitor a multi-mode outdoor robot

This paper presents an approach to autonomously monitor the behavior of a robot endowed with several navigation and locomotion modes, adapted to the terrain to traverse. The mode selection process is done in two steps: the best suited mode is firstly selected on the basis of initial information or a qualitative map built on-line by the robot. Then, the motions of the robot are monitored by various processes that update mode transition probabilities in a Markov system. The paper focuses on this latter selection process: the overall approach is depicted, and preliminary experimental results are presented

Competing together : assessing the dynamics of team-team and player-team synchrony in professional association football

This study investigated movement synchronization of players within and between teams during competitive association football performance. Cluster phase analysis was introduced as a method to assess synchronies between whole teams and between individual players with their team as a function of time, ball possession and field direction. Measures of dispersion (SD) and regularity (sample entropy – SampEn – and cross sample entropy – Cross-SampEn) were used to quantify the magnitude and structure of synchrony. Large synergistic relations within each professional team sport collective were observed, particularly in the longitudinal direction of the field (0.89 ± 0.12) compared to the lateral direction (0.73 ± 0.16, p < .01). The coupling between the group measures of the two teams also revealed that changes in the synchrony of each team were intimately related (Cross-SampEn values of 0.02 ± 0.01). Interestingly, ball possession did not influence team synchronization levels. In player–team synchronization, individuals tended to be coordinated under near in-phase modes with team behavior (mean ranges between −7 and 5° of relative phase). The magnitudes of variations were low, but more irregular in time, for the longitudinal (SD: 18 ± 3°; SampEn: 0.07 ± 0.01), compared to the lateral direction (SD: 28 ± 5°; SampEn: 0.06 ± 0.01, p < .05) on-field. Increases in regularity were also observed between the first (SampEn: 0.07 ± 0.01) and second half (SampEn: 0.06 ± 0.01, p < .05) of the observed competitive game. Findings suggest that the method of analysis introduced in the current study may offer a suitable tool for examining team’s synchronization behaviors and the mutual influence of each team’s cohesiveness in competing social collectives.

A pilot study exploring Australian general practice nurses roles, responsibilities and professional development needs in well and sick child care

Aim Explore practice nurses' (PNs) role in child health and development, and advising parents about child health issues. Background Introduction of the four-year-old child health check into general practice in 2008 placed additional responsibilities on PNs in child health and wellness. This study explores their readiness to expand their practice into this area. Design Integrated mixed method design, self-report survey. Method A purpose-developed questionnaire explored demographics, child health roles and responsibilities, difficulties encountered, professional development needs, barriers and facilitators, and professional development activities undertaken in the past year. Surveys were posted to 218 PNs in one rural Division of General Practice (DGP) in Queensland, Australia; 29 responded. Results PNs reported a significant role in well and sick child care (93.1%) though few had a paediatric/child health background (14.3%). Roles included immunisations (92.3%), child health checks (65.4%), general child health and development (26.9%), asthma (23.1%), feeding (15.4%), fever (11.5%), settling/sleeping (11.5%). PNs were interested in learning more about (81.5%) and incorporating more child health into their practice (81.5%). Professional development in childhood growth and development (80.0%), health and illness (60.0%) and advising new mothers (20.0%) was needed. Conclusions PNs play a substantial role in child health, are unprepared for the complexities of this role and have preferred methods for undertaking professional development to address knowledge deficits. Implications for practice PNs are unprepared for an advanced role in child health and wellness. Significant gaps in their knowledge to support this role were identified. This ever-expanding role requires close monitoring to ensure knowledge precedes expectations to practice.

Starting small : a staged approach to professional development in gifted education

One of the potentially far reaching recommendations of the Senate Inquiry of 2001 was to fund professional development for teachers of gifted children under the Australian Government Quality Teacher Program (AGQTP). This funding was made available to all sectors of schooling and led to a number of initiatives to address the shortcomings in gifted education identified in the Senate Report. This paper reports on the initiatives undertaken by one sector over an eight-year period. The initiative began with a commitment from the sector to provide professional development in gifted education and later required that sector to address gifted education in their school renewal planning. A professional development program was planned and implemented in stages drawing on the AGQTP modules. However, teachers were encouraged to pursue an active role in instigating their own professional development priorities and needs. Thus, teachers within an action research framework collaboratively designed, implemented and reflected on projects which progressively expanded over a three year period. Initial projects focussed on their own teaching or context. In the second year of the three-year-cycle projects expanded to include colleagues. Finally, in the third year teachers assumed a leadership role in their schools or district and mentored other teachers beginning the program. The paper presents both qualitative and quantitative data on the experiences of the participating teachers and the long term impact on the capacity of the jurisdiction to provide enhanced opportunities for gifted children.

Professional conversations : a collaborative approach to support policy implementation, professional learning and practice change in ECEC

In 2012, Australia introduced a new National Quality Framework, comprising enhanced quality expectations for early childhood education and care services, two national learning frameworks and a new Assessment and Rating System spanning child care centres, kindergartens and preschools, family day care and outside school hours care. This is the linchpin in a series of education reforms designed to support increased access to higher quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) and successful transition to school. As with any policy change, success in real terms relies upon building shared understanding and the capacity of educators to apply new knowledge and to support change and improved practice within their service. With this in mind, a collaborative research project investigated the efficacy of a new approach to professional learning in ECEC: the professional conversation. This paper reports on the trial and evaluation of a series of professional conversations to support implementation of one element of the NQF, the Early Years Learning Framework (DEEWR,2009), and their capacity to promote collaborative reflective practice, shared understanding, and improved practice in ECEC. Set against the backdrop of the NQF, this paper details the professional conversation approach, key challenges and critical success factors, and the learning outcomes for conversation participants. Findings support the efficacy of this approach to professional learning in ECEC, and its capacity to support policy reform and practice change in ECEC.

MUVE-ing pre-service teachers into the future

This paper discusses our experiences of integrating a Multi-User Virtual Environment (MUVE) called Quest Atlantis into a pre-service secondary science education unit. The use of educational MUVEs as teaching tools is accelerating, so it is crucial that pre-service teachers develop some expertise with these and related technologies. We outline the processes we followed in embedding Quest Atlantis into the content and assessment of the unit, the results of this initiative and its implications for integrating MUVEs and other ICTs into teacher education programs. Challenges such as limited time and expertise, demands of a busy teaching program, and the need for continuous specialist support need to be overcome for sustainable integration of MUVEs and related technologies into preservice teacher education. This is particularly important given the potential of preservice teachers as change agents in schools, and the imperatives of the ICT-related National Professional Standards for Teachers and the Australian Curriculum.

A profile of Australian travel journalists' professional views and ethical standards

Despite significant changes in mainstream journalism in recent decades, journalistic fields beyond the news have been little explored. In an attempt to contribute to a deeper understanding of such fields, this article examines the role perceptions of 85 Australian travel journalists. By viewing travel journalism as a distinct field of practice that is affected by a unique mix of influences, this study identifies five dimensions of practitioners’ role perceptions. These relate to travel journalists’ views of themselves as Cultural Mediators, Critics, Entertainers, Information Providers and Travellers. In addition, the study examines in some depth the ethical standards of travel journalists. Determinants of these views and standards are explored. The study argues that, in light of travel journalists’ increasingly important role in reporting about foreign places, more remains to be done to promote travel stories that show a deeper understanding of other cultures and which contain a more critical appraisal of destinations.

Does gender determine journalists' professional views? A reassessment based on cross-national evidence

Research into journalism and gender to date has found somewhat contradictory evidence as to the ways in which women and men practice journalism. While some scholars claim that women have inherently different concepts and practices of journalism and that this has led to a feminization of journalism, others have found little evidence to suggest that men and women differ significantly in terms of their role conceptions. While numerous studies have been conducted into this issue around the world, few have taken a truly comparative approach. This paper presents results from a large-scale comparative survey into gender differences in journalists’ professional views in 18 diverse countries around the world. Results suggest that women and men do not differ in any meaningful ways in their role conceptions on neither the individual level, in newsrooms dominated by women, nor in socio-cultural contexts where women have achieved a certain level of empowerment.

Comparing professional identities, attitudes, and views in public communication : a study of Chilean journalists and public relations practitioners

Public relations (PR) practitioners’ and journalists’ professional views and attitudes toward each other have been a subject of academic inquiry during the past decades; however, much of this research has focused on Europe and North America. In other regions of the world, for example in Latin America, historical developments and social understandings have led to slightly different conceptualizations of PR and journalism. Using Chile as a case study, this paper reports the results of an examination of Chilean journalists’ and PR practitioners’ professional conceptions. While both groups tend to have somewhat similar views of media relations and see themselves as part of the same profession, there are also important differences which are most likely based on professional socialization processes rather than educational backgrounds or sociodemographic and work related variables. Implications for contextually grounded approaches to the study of PR and journalism are highlighted.

Cultural forces in journalism : the impact of cultural values on Māori journalists’ professional views

Social system-level analyses of journalism have tended to focus on political and economic influences, at the expense of other factors, such as the role that culture and cultural values play in shaping journalists' professional views and practices. This paper identifies cultural values as a particularly fruitful area for providing a more nuanced analysis of journalism culture. It examines this issue in the context of in-depth interviews with 20 M?ori journalists from Aotearoa New Zealand. The study finds that Indigenous journalism in that country is strongly influenced by M?ori cultural values, such as showing respect to others, following cultural protocols, and making use of culturally-specific language. Cultural limitations are also identified in the form of the social structures of M?ori society, and journalists' strategies in working around these are discussed. The paper highlights the implications a renewed focus on cultural values can have for the study of journalism culture more broadly.

Mediating orientation and self-expression in the world of consumption : Australian and German lifestyle journalists' professional views

Despite having experienced rapid popularity over the past two decades, lifestyle journalism is still somewhat neglected by academic researchers. So far mostly explored as either part of wider lifestyle programming, particularly on television, or in terms of individual sub-fields, such as travel, fashion or food journalism, lifestyle journalism is in need of scholarly analysis particularly in the area of production, based on the increasing importance which the field has in influencing audiences’ ways of life. This study explores the professional views of 89 Australian and German lifestyle journalists through in-depth interviews in order to explore the ways in which they engage in processes of influencing audiences’ self-expression, identities and consumption behaviors. The article argues that through its work, lifestyle journalism is a significant shaper of identities in today’s consumer societies.

Moulding them in the industry's image : journalism education's impact on students' professional views

Long-running debates over the value of university-based journalism education have suffered from a lack of empirical foundation, leading to a wide range of assertions both from those who see journalism education playing a crucial role in moulding future journalists and those who do not. Based on a survey of 320 Australian journalism students from six universities across the country, this study provides an account of the professional views these future journalists hold. Findings show that students hold broadly similar priorities in their role perceptions, albeit to different intensities from working journalists. The results point to a relationship between journalism education and the way in which students' views of journalism's watchdog role and its market orientation change over the course of their degree – to the extent that, once they are near completion of their degree, students have been moulded in the image of industry professionals.

Voltage regulation, power balancing and battery storage discharge control by smart demand side management and multi-objective decision making

A novel intelligent online demand side management system is proposed for peak load management. The method also regulates the network voltage, balances the power in three phases and coordinates the battery storage discharge within the network. This method uses low cost controllers with low bandwidth two-way communication installed in costumers' premises and at distribution transformers to manage the peak load while maximizing customer satisfaction. A multi-objective decision making process is proposed to select the load(s) to be delayed or controlled. The efficacy of the proposed control system is verified through an event-based developed simulation in Matlab.