Enhancing student learning in the workplace through developing the leadership capabilities of clinical supervisors in the nursing discipline

The purpose of this project was to build the leadership capacity of clinical supervisors in the nursing discipline by developing, implementing and systematically embedding a leadership model into the structure and practice of student supervision. The University worked in partnership with three major metropolitan hospitals in Queensland to develop a framework and professional development program incorporating leadership and clinical supervision. The Leadership and Clinical Education (LaCE) program consisted of two structured workshops complemented by individual personal development projects undertaken by participants. Participants were supported in these activities with a purpose-built website that provides access to a wide variety of information and other learning resources. Quantitative and qualitative evaluations indicated that the approach was highly valued by participants, as it promoted useful peer dialogue, sharing of experiences and personal development in relation to assisting leadership development and student learning in the workplace. The LaCE program provides an ideal springboard for introducing the development of welltrained leaders into the clinical workplace. The resources developed have the potential to provide ongoing support for clinical supervisors to improve the learning of undergraduate nursing student. The challenge will be to achieve continued innovation within clinical education through sustainable leadership programs.

Breast cancer stem cells and epithelial mesenchymal plasticity : implications for chemoresistance

Tumour heterogeneity is a key characteristic of cancer and has significant implications relating to tumour response to chemotherapy as well as patient prognosis and potential relapse. It is being increasingly accepted that tumours are clonal in origin, suggestive of a tumour arising from a deregulated or mutated cell. Cancer stem cells (CSC) possess these capabilities, and with appropriate intracellular triggers and/or signalling from extracellular environments, can purportedly differentiate to initiate tumour formation. Additionally through epithelial mesenchymal plasticity (EMP), where cells gain and maintain characteristics of both epithelial and mesenchymal cell types, epithelial-derived tumour cells have been shown to de-differentiate to acquire cancer stem attributes, which also impart chemotherapy resistance. This new paradigm places EMP centrally in the process of tumour progression and metastasis, as well as modulating drug response to current forms of chemotherapy. Furthermore, EMP and CSCs have been identified in cancers arising from different tissue types making it a possible generic therapeutic target in cancer biology. Using breast cancer (BrCa) as an example, we summarise here the current understanding of CSCs, the role of EMP in cancer biology - especially in CSCs and different molecular subtypes, and the implications this has for current and future cancer treatment strategies.

The impacts of FOREX fluctuations on construction business performance : an organisational capabilities perspective

Construction projects are a high risk business activity. When undertaking projects in an international context, it is further complicated by the risk of fluctuations in the foreign exchange rates (FOREX). Construction business performance is affected by these fluctuations. They affect progress and cause delays, which in turn create problems for subcontractors, namely cost overruns, disputes, arbitration, total abandonment and litigation. FOREX fluctuations also cause the price of raw materials to increase, leading the cost overruns. Managing FOREX risk is critical and past research have focused on the need for adequate insurance, careful planning and management, and foreign exchange futures hedging to overcome issues that have been caused by the FOREX risk. Analysis of FOREX risk in international construction business usually focused only on issues at the project level. There is currently lack of understanding of Organisational Capabilities (OC) to manage the impacts of FOREX risk, which when examined, are seen in isolation. This paper attempts to bridge the gap by discussing the impacts of FOREX fluctuations on the international construction business. The focus is on the OC perspective and the need to develop OC framework to mitigate the risk in sustaining construction business performance.

Five-level current-source inverters with buck-boost and inductive-current balancing capabilities

This paper presents new five-level current-source inverters (CSIs) with voltage/current buck-boost capability, unlike existing five-level CSIs where only voltage-boost operation is supported. The proposed inverters attain self-inductive-current-balancing per switching cycle at their dc front ends without having to include additional balancing hardware or complex control manipulation. The inverters can conveniently be controlled by using the well-established phase-shifted carrier modulation scheme with only two additional linear references and a mapping logic table needed. Existing modulators can therefore be conveniently retrofitted for controlling the presented inverters. By appropriately coordinating the inverter gating signals, their implementations can be realized by using the least number of components without degrading performance. These enhanced features of the inverters have already been verified in simulation and experimentally using a scaled-down laboratory platform.

Graduate careers in journalism, media and communications within and outside the sector : early career outcomes, trajectories and capabilities

This chapter addresses the radical paucity of empirical data about the career destinations of journalism, media and communications graduates from degree programs. We report findings from a study of ten years of graduates from Queensland University of Technology’s courses in journalism, media, and communication studies, using a ‘Creative Trident’ lens to analyse micro individual survey data. The study findings engage with creative labour precarity discussions, and also assertions of creative graduate oversupply suggested by national graduate outcome statistics. We describe the graduates’ employment outcomes, characterise their early career movements into and out of embedded and specialist employment, and compare the capability requirements and degree of course relevance reported by graduates employed in the different Trident segments. Given that in general the graduates in this study enjoyed very positive employment outcomes, but that there were systematic differences in reported course relevance by segment of employment and role, we also consider how university programs can best engage with the task of educating students for a surprisingly diverse range of media and communication-related occupational outcomes within and outside the creative industries.

International virtual networking capabilities and firm performance: A study of international entrepreneurial Australian SMEs

The Internet is a critical resource for a new generation of small and medium sized enterprise. Specifically, the Internet is important for small entrepreneurial firms in pursuing international opportunities through increased digital integration. As such, the Internet has been identified as a key enabler of international entrepreneurship (Reuber & Fischer, 2011). By facilitating international business for many entrepreneurial SMEs, the Internet has the ability to increase the quality and speed of communications, lower transaction costs, and facilitate the development of international networks. Although the Internet has been found to play a pivotal role in the creation of international relationships and is a mechanism for the creation of international growth opportunities in SMEs (Mathews & Healy, 2008), the role of the international entrepreneurial decision-maker in the development of international virtual networks for leveraging opportunities in internationalisation remains unclear. The findings of this research indicate that developing an ‘international virtual network capability’ forms an important part of the firm’s resource and more specifically dynamic capability base, which is just one component of a firm’s resource bundle that builds towards successful internationalisation via an Internet platform.

Achieving superior SME performance : overarching role of marketing, innovation, and learning capabilities

While most studies examine the effect of marketing, innovation, and learning capabilities (often separately) on performance, this study develops a unified model to investigate the combined effect of these capabilities on performance. This study further examines the complementary effect of these capabilities on performance. This study draws on the resource-based view theory to examine 171 manufacturing SMEs. The findings suggest that marketing, innovation, and learning capabilities are positively related to SME performance. In addition, these capabilities interact with one another to create great synergy in achieving SME performance.

Externally oriented capabilities and corporate entrepreneurship : institutional and managerial contingencies

This research adopts three different theoretical lenses- the attention-based view, institutional perspective and network theory- to investigate the effect of externally oriented capabilities (absorptive capacity and networking capabilities) on corporate entrepreneurship. Based on an Australian and Iranian sample of mining equipment, technology and service providers, this thesis provides new understanding of why some firms are able to generate higher levels of corporate entrepreneurship than others and opens new directions for more capabilities-oriented research in corporate entrepreneurship. In particular, this research provides new insight into how entrepreneurial management, institutional context and external knowledge search breadth shape the relationship between externally oriented capabilities and corporate entrepreneurship.

Specialist versus generic models of psychiatry training and service provision for people with intellectual disabilities

Background  Models of service provision and professional training differ between countries. This study aims to investigate a specialist intellectual disabilities model and a generic mental health model, specifically comparing psychiatrists’ knowledge and competencies, and service quality and accessibility in meeting the mental health needs of people with intellectual disabilities. Method  Data were collected from consultant and trainee psychiatrists within a specialist intellectual disabilities model (UK) and a generic mental health model (Australia). Results  The sample sizes were 294 (UK) and 205 (Australia). Statistically significant differences were found, with UK participants having positive views about the specialist intellectual disabilities service model they worked within, demonstrating flexible and accessible working practices and service provision, responsive to the range of mental health needs of the population with intellectual disabilities, and providing a wide range of treatments and supports. The UK participants were knowledgeable, well trained and confident in their work. They wanted to work with people with intellectual disabilities. In all of these areas, the converse was found from the Australian generic mental health service model. Conclusions  The specialist intellectual disabilities model of service provision and training has advantages over the generic mental health model.

Digital image watermarking: its formal model, fundamental properties and possible attacks

While formal definitions and security proofs are well established in some fields like cryptography and steganography, they are not as evident in digital watermarking research. A systematic development of watermarking schemes is desirable, but at present their development is usually informal, ad hoc, and omits the complete realization of application scenarios. This practice not only hinders the choice and use of a suitable scheme for a watermarking application, but also leads to debate about the state-of-the-art for different watermarking applications. With a view to the systematic development of watermarking schemes, we present a formal generic model for digital image watermarking. Considering possible inputs, outputs, and component functions, the initial construction of a basic watermarking model is developed further to incorporate the use of keys. On the basis of our proposed model, fundamental watermarking properties are defined and their importance exemplified for different image applications. We also define a set of possible attacks using our model showing different winning scenarios depending on the adversary capabilities. It is envisaged that with a proper consideration of watermarking properties and adversary actions in different image applications, use of the proposed model would allow a unified treatment of all practically meaningful variants of watermarking schemes.

Examining the critical interplay of knowledge acquisition and integration capabilities in service innovation-based competitive advantage in project oriented service firms

While past knowledge-based approaches to service innovation have emphasized the role of knowledge integration in the delivery of customer-focused solutions, these approaches do not adequately address the complexities inherent in knowledge acquisition and integration in project-oriented firms. Adopting a dynamic capability framework and building on knowledge-based approaches to innovation, the current study examines how the interplay of learning capabilities and knowledge integration capability impacts service innovation and sustained competitive advantage. This two-stage multi-sample study finds that entrepreneurial project-oriented service firms in their quest for competitive advantage through greater innovation invest in knowledge acquisition and integration capabilities. Implications for theory and practice are discussed and directions for future research provided.

Educating the creative citizen : design education programs in the knowledge economy

The shift in the last twenty years from an industrialised economy to a knowledge economy demands new modes of education in which individuals can effectively acquire 21st century competencies. This article builds on the findings and recommendations of a Knowledge Economy Market Development Mapping Study (KEMDMS), conducted in Queensland, Australia. The study was conducted to identify the value of design education programs from primary school through to the professional development level. This article considers the ability of design education as a framework to deliver on the 21st century competences required for the three defining features of the creative knowledge economy – Innovation, Transdisciplinarity and Networks. This is achieved by contextualising key findings from the KEMDMS, including current design education initiatives, and outlining the current and future challenges faced. From this, this article focuses on the role of the tertiary education sector as the central actor in the creative economy in the development of generic design/design education capabilities. Through the unpacking of the study's three key observation themes for change, a holistic design education framework is proposed, and further research directions are discussed.

Developing graduate TPACK capabilities in initial teacher education programs: Insights from the Teaching Teachers for the Future Project

There is increased accountability of initial teacher education (ITE) programs in Australia to develop Graduate teachers who are better prepared. Most ITE programs have been designed using Pedagogical Content Knowledge. Informed by the growing Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) research, this journal article suggests that ITE programs need to develop Graduate teachers who have the TPACK capabilities to use technologies to support teaching and student learning. Insights from the research and evaluation of the Teaching Teachers for the Future (TTF) Project, which was guided by the TPACK conceptualisation, are provided. The TTF Project, which involved all Higher Education Institutions providing ITE programs in Australia, drew upon the TPACK conceptualisation. The TTF Project research and evaluation included the development and administration of a TTF TPACK Survey and the implementation of the Most Significant Change Methodology. Key findings resulting from the employment of these methodologies are summarised to provide guidance to inform the improvement of ITE programs to develop Graduate TPACK capabilities.

Dynamic capabilities and performance : an empirical study of audiovisual producers in Europe

This study tests Teece’s conceptualization of dynamic capabilities in the context of small and medium sized firms competing in creative industries, i.e. the European audio-visual production industry. This industry is characterized by immature and evolving markets where firms’ dynamic capabilities are expected to lead to superior innovative performance. Using survey data from audio-visual producers in ten European countries we find that both sensing and seizing capabilities have a positive effect on firms' innovative performance. The effect however, is curvilinear and positive effects appear only when capabilities overcome a threshold level.