Using the personal wellbeing index in Lao PDR : issues of equivalence

Lao PDR is one of the 50 countries included in the International Wellbeing Group study which uses Cummin's (2001) Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI) to draw cross-national comparisons of subjective wellbeing. Lau, Cummins & McPherson (2005) found a statistically significant difference in PWI scores between Australian & Hong Kong. They ask whether this is a real reflection of lower quality of life in Hong Kong or whether there exists a cultural response bias which predisposes the Hong Kong population to be less willing to admit to high levels of satisfaction in the seven domains of the index. If the difference reflects cultural response bias, what factors contribute to that bias & how common is this phenomenon in the countries of South-east Asia & IndoChina? The paper addresses these questions with particular attention to Lao PDR where responses to the PWI from both urban & rural populations suggest a similar reticence about expressing high levels of satisfaction. The paper explores the sources of resistance to reporting positive subjective wellbeing & what adaptations may be needed to the Index to allow for such bias.

SME owners at personal financial risk

Phillip Kemp's article ("Increase will stifle ambition", Opinion, March 3) highlighted two main issues related to the small business sector, namely financial risk and its collective role in the employment of the Australian workforce.

Choice: personal stories about abortion

Abortion has been available in Australia since the early 1970s and several generations of women have freely accessed abortion in that time. And yet it seems that talking openly about it remains one of the last taboos. The program attempts to break through that barrier and, in doing so, contribute to the ongoing debate that continues to surround this highly contentious issue. Director, Don Parham has built the narrative of The Choice around six stories with people from diverse backgrounds and various ages. These people share their most intimate thoughts about what it was like to be suddenly confronted with an unwanted or unplanned pregnancy. Their stories reveal the varied and complex circumstances in which people struggle to work through their options and make, what is, for most, a difficult choice.

Trusting relationships and personal acquaintance : implications for business friendships

Friendship is very often a component of business relationships. Organisations frequently have relationships with their suppliers, customers and collaborators that could be described as 'friendly'. However, there is little comparative evidence concerning the extent to which business friendships resemble true social friendships. This article illustrates some differences that may exist between social and business friendships, with particular reference to the extent that interpersonal relationships are trusting, and are based on the nature of personal acquaintance. This means that managers need to understand the differences between business and personal friendships and adjust the type of interactions they, and those who report to them. have with customers, suppliers, collaborators, and the like. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The utility of the personal wellbeing index intellectual disability scale in an Australian sample

Background Subjective wellbeing (SWB) in people with intellectual disabilities has been the focus of increased interest in the identification of support needs and as an outcome measure for interventions and service delivery evaluations. It is therefore important to conduct further research in this area, and to develop appropriate scales to measure SWB.

Methods A new scale, the Personal Wellbeing Index-Intellectual Disability (PWI-ID) was administered to 114 adults with mild (n = 82) or moderate (n = 32) level ID in Victoria, Australia.

Results The PWI-ID demonstrated good reliability and validity. A comparison of the findings with previous research indicates that participants' SWB levels are within the normative range, and are similar to those reported by the general population.

Conclusions The results support the notion that individuals with ID do not experience life quality lower than normal, which can be explained theoretically by the Theory of Subjective Wellbeing Homeostasis. The use of the PWI-ID may ultimately assist in ensuring that the needs of people with ID are being met and inform the planning and delivery of congruent resources and services.

Friendships under strain : the work-personal life integration of middle managers

Middle managers in today's organisations have reported experiencing longer working hours and intensified work regimes. These increased pressures, in turn, have led to growing difficulty in addressing the integration of their work and personal lives. In an exploratory study of the daily workplace experiences of Australian middle managers and the impacts on their personal lives, one of the key themes to emerge was respondents' concerns about the negative effects on their friendships. This paper discusses middle managers' recognition of the value of friendships for their wellbeing, and the resultant anger and sadness reported at the strain on these relationships due to competing time demands. The significant role that friendships play in alleviating some of the stresses of work demands, while concurrently being impeded by these same demands, is an important issue for organisations to consider. These findings indicate the need for middle managers to truly have an ability to engage in activities - and friendships - which will aid them in their working lives. The study also indicates a need for further investigation into the development and maintenance of friendships for both middle managers and other groups of employees.

Freedom of political communication, public officials and the emerging right to personal privacy in Australia

In recent times Australian courts have demonstrated a willingness to fashion a right to personal privacy at common law. The Australian Law Reform Commission has noted this impOt1ant development and said it was likely to continue in the absence of legislative action in the area. The aim of this article is to outline a theoretical framework to underpin and inform the development of this emerging right - howsoever framed - and the extent to which it is possible for the law to provide meaningful privacy protection to public officials under the Constitution.