GST legislation plus 2004

Provides a comprehensive set of GST and related legislation in easy- to-read layout, plus extensive history notes and annotations. Includes annotations to Australian GST rulings, section-by-section overviews, defined term locators and relevant overseas case precedents.

Highlights from the tennis Australia heritage collections : mini-exhibition in the player cafe, Rod Laver Arena

Summary : This 'mini-exhibition' arose as an opportunity to showcase recent acquisitions as well as established holdings of significant items of tennis related heritage within the Tennis Australia Heritage Collections. In general, the Collections have two main strengths, and the mini-exhibition was designed to communicate these. The first strength is the ability to show the evolution of tennis technology and practices over time, from the beginnings of modern tennis in the 1860s, to today. This evolution is a result of tennis being influenced by changes in the wider world, such as the Industrial Revolution. The second strength of the Collections is in showing the impact and influence of tennis on society. Many items in the Collections are evidence of the immense and enduring popularity of the sport across the world. The Collections contain many beautiful, rare and fascinating items of decorative arts, fashion, literature and social history which feature tennis as a motif. These items show the reverse influence - the deep impression tennis has made outside of the sport itself.  This mini-exhibition focuses on these two themes. Some displays focus on the first theme. They demonstrate the evolution of tennis racquets, tennis balls, instructional publications and other tennis related equipment over the past century and a half. Other displays focus on the second theme. There are cases which examine tennis' influence upon global popular culture, in board games, fashion and decorative arts from around the world.  The mini-exhibition includes items from the U.s, U.K., Germany, France, Austria, Japan and Australia, demonstrating the global phenomenon that tennis quickly became, and showcasing the international scope of the Collections.  Each case contains text panels listing the objects and their specifications, and panels providing contextual information about the display. The miniexhibition is expected to be on display until November 2009. A case-bycase breakdown of objects, with images and a layout map follows.

Energetics of interlimb coordination

While the traditional dependent variables of motor skill learning are accuracy and consistency of movement outcome, there has been increasing interest in aspects of motor performance that are described as reflecting the ‘energetics’ of motor behaviour. One defining characteristic of skilled motor performance is the ability to complete the task with minimum energy expenditure (Sparrow & Newell, 1998). A further consideration is that movements also have costs in terms of cognitive ‘effort’ or ‘energy’. The present project extends previous work on energy expenditure and motor skill learning within a coordination dynamics framework. From the dynamic pattern perspective, a coordination pattern lowest on the 11KB model potential curve (Haken, Kelso & Bunz, 1985) is more stable and least energy is required to maintain pattern stability (Temprado, Zanone, Monno & Laurent, 1999). Two experiments investigated the learning of stable and unstable coordination patterns with high metabolic energy demand. An experimental task was devised by positioning two cycle ergometers side-by-side, placing one foot on each, with the pedals free to move independently at any metronome-paced relative phase, Experiment 1 investigated practice-related changes to oxygen consumption, heart rate, relative phase, reaction time and muscle activation (EMG) as participants practiced anti-phase, in-phase and 90°-phase cycling. Across six practice trials metabolic energy cost reduced and AE and VE of relative phase declined. The trend in the metabolic and reaction time data and percent co-contraction of muscles was for the in-phase cycling to demonstrate the highest values, anti-phase the lowest and 90°-phase cycling in-between. It was found that anti- and in-phase cycling were both kinematically stable but anti-phase coordination revealed significantly lower metabolic energy cost. It was, therefore, postulated that of two equally stable coordination patterns, that associated with lower metabolic energy expenditure would constitute a stronger attractor. Experiment 2 was designed to determine whether a lower or higher energy-demanding coordination pattern was a stronger attractor by scanning the attractor layout at thirty-degree intervals from 0° to 330°. The initial attractor layout revealed that in-phase was most stable and accurate, but the remaining coordination patterns were attracted to the low energy cost anti-phase cycling. In Experiment 2 only 90°- phase cycling was practiced with a post-test attractor layout scan revealing that 90°-phase and its symmetrical partner 270°-phase had become attractors of other coordination patterns. Consistent with Experiment 1, practicing 90°-phase cycling revealed a decline in AE and VE and a reduction in metabolic and cognitive cost. Practicing 90°-phase cycling did not, however, destabilise the in-phase or anti-phase coordination patterns either kinematically or energetically. In summary, the findings suggest that metabolic and mental energy can be considered different representations of a ‘global’ energy expenditure or ‘energetic’ phenomenon underlying human coordination. The hypothesis that preferred coordination patterns emerge as stable, low-energy solutions to the problem of inter-and intra-limb coordination is supported here in showing that the low-energy minimum of coordination dynamics is also an energetic minimum.

Complexity of data rich architectural environments

This research focused on developing a detailed understanding of current organisational interactions and information flows in a construction industry based field study of a refurbishment projects of a 100 year old warehouse building. From this, conclusions are then drawn regarding the application of information and communication technologies (ICT) to the industry.

Design and optimization of LNA topologies with image rejection filters

An important problem in designing RFIC in CMOS technology is the parasitic elements of passive and active devices that complicate design calculations. This article presents three LNA topologies including cascode, folded cascade, and differential cascode and then introduces image rejection filters for low-side and high-side injection. Then, a new method for design and optimization of the circuits based on a Pareto-based multiobjective genetic algorithm is proposed. A set of optimum device values and dimensions that best match design specifications are obtained. The optimization method is layout aware, parasitic aware, and simulation based. Circuit simulations are carried out based on TSMC 0.18 um CMOS technology by using Hspice.

Event effectiveness : analysing the perceptions of key stakeholders of the Lexmark Indy 300/champ car event, Gold Coast.

The present study assessed the perceptions of the Lexmark Indy 300/Champ Car Event’s key stakeholders namely, spectators, volunteers and paid workers, as part of an evaluation tool for its managers. We developed a model, which included visible, interaction and management elements that we proposed influenced the perceptions and experiences of stakeholders relating to the event effectiveness, strengths, weaknesses and improvements. Specifically, we used a modified version of Preble’s (2005) six-step multi-stakeholder assessment approach to examining the perceived overall effectiveness of the event. Fifty stakeholder interviews were conducted on-site and their opinions were content analysed. The key findings of the study were that the majority of the stakeholders perceived the event to be effective. Spectators perceived the strengths to be interaction components, and weaknesses and improvements to be visible elements such as track layout. Volunteers perceived strengths to be management related, but also noted that these were weaknesses and needed improvement. Lastly, Paid workers perceived interaction elements to be both strengths and weaknesses, and suggested that management elements could be improved. Important implications for similar motoring events were suggested.

Distraction and interaction in academic workspaces

This research investigated workspace satisfaction for academics and compared this with published results from commercial workers. Results show that academics are not satisfied with their workspace, and indicate that academics require different types of workspaces to commercial workers.

A controlled analysis of professionals' contemporaneous notes of interviews about alleged child abuse

Objective : The current study investigated (under optimal conditions) the accuracy and completeness of professionals’ contemporaneous written notes of child abuse interviews.
Method : Participants included 107 experienced child abuse investigators who were all trained to adhere to best-practice interview guidelines and who routinely took notes as records of interviews. The interviews documented for this study were read live for 15 min duration, and at a pace of 2.2 words (on average)/s. The professionals’ notes of the interviews were analyzed for completeness and accuracy. Key outcome measures were the prevalence and discernability of the questions (i.e., whether the structure of questions was recorded accurately) as well as the child responses.
Results : Despite the omission of 39% of abuse-related details, recording of content details was clearly prioritized over interviewer questions. This was revealed irrespective of the measure of note taking quality or the quality of the interview being recorded. Of the various layout styles employed, scrutiny of interviewer questions was maximized by: (a) using symbols or spacing to delineate questions and responses, (b) capturing the first two words of a question, and (c) using abbreviations.
Conclusions : Although note taking could potentially improve with further research, training and instruction, this form of documentation does not provide full scrutiny of the interview process, even under optimal conditions.
Practice implications : Electronic recording is strongly recommended for all interviews, especially considering global concerns about interviewers’ adherence to best-practice interview guidelines. If notes continue to be used as a record of interview, further research and training are urgently warranted to improve note taking competency.

“… what lies behind a brownstone front”

After entering the nondescript door to her building, ordinary Oliver Reed follows Irena Dubrovna as she ascends the ornate stairs that lead to her front door. He hovers at the foot of the stairs, and rhetorically admits: “I never cease to marvel at what lies behind a brownstone front.” Behind each façade lies something hidden. What lies hidden from Oliver Reed in Cat People (1942) are the dormant stories waiting behind each door. This article is based on my presentation at the 2009 Double Dialogues Conference, Hidden Stories, held in Melbourne, December 2009. In the Conference presentation, the early scenes from Cat People were screened with the film sound interspersed with my commentary. This article uses still frames from the film, descriptions from the original screenplay (in courier font) and the storyboard layout for a DVD commentary.

Business analytics and competitive advantage : a review and a research agenda

Business analytics has the potential to deliver performance gains and competitive advantage. However, a theoretically grounded model identifying the factors and processes involved in realizing those performance gains has not been clearly articulated in the literature. This paper draws on the literature on dynamic capabilities to develop such a theoretical framework. It identifies the critical roles of organizational routines and organization-wide capabilities for identifying, resourcing and implementing business analytics-based competitive actions in delivering performance gains and competitive advantage. A theoretical framework and propositions for future research are developed.

Customer analytics managers' views about market research

Data based on survey responses from online questionaire directed at Customer Analytics managers in the United States. Respondents recruited were mainly in CRM, customer data warehouse or CA roles.

Success was measured on several items asking respondents to compare the success of their organisation with others in their industry on measures such as profitability and new product development. Items about the integration of MR and CA were included. These talked about effectively combining CA and MR for the purpose of identifying new markets and new segments as well as reducing churn.