Investigation of the value chain for creative products : a phenomenological study of the perceptions of music intermediaries

During the past decade, innovative digital technology and Internet marketplaces have created a variety of 'phenomena' of businesses, media and institutions considered to be important interaction channels in the music industry, along with an influx of Peer-to-Peer services such as Napster, and Kazaa shifting the business models of major music labels and distributors. Considering the Australian Music Association reported an annual retail turnover of approximately $300 million in 1992 and later in 1999, an increase in figures reported at $396.8 million with the inclusion of music DVD sales, the notion of value-adding to a music product emerges as a profitable venture at each length of the music industry's value chain. In spite of this, Australian studies have often overlooked the underlying perceptions, fears and ideas of those working within the value chain, especially regarding the impact of new technology on their roles. This paper identifies the perceptions of various intermediaries within the Australian Music Industry, identifying common themes and viewpoints amongst the study's participants. Consequently, the paper concluded that the perception of value in the music industry is somewhat influenced by a variety of factors, including music knowledge, communication and dependence on intermediaries to name a few. Common themes were revealed throughout the study include the perception of competitive advantage, new opportunities from new technology and the notion of defining a gimmick versus Value-Adding emerged as indicative of adding value from the study participants.

"Your job no longer exists!" from experiences of alienation to expectations of resilience - a phenomenological study

We have entered the age of the contingent or temporary worker, the consultant and the subcontractor. Workers are expected to be pliable and tractable; to “fit in.” Being made redundant is also an area where modern workers are expected to be flexible and resilient. However, when these so-called “flexible” workers are told their job no longer exists, the accompanying sense of rejection and alienation can be excruciating. Stories of being made redundant were collected during an exploratory, qualitative study, using Heideggerian phenomenology as the methodological vehicle to capture the lived experiences of those affected. Focused, in-depth interviews were conducted with the ten respondents; nine men and one woman. The stories shared suggest that being made redundant is an alienating experience with respondents sharing feelings of powerlessness, shock, betrayal, shame and social isolation. Unfortunately, those having experienced redundancy were also not as resilient as is routinely assumed. They did not “bounce back” unchanged, but reported significant negative outcomes including fear for the future, underemployment, family disruptions and an erosion of trust. Recommendations are made orienting organisations towards a more human process of redundancy.

Registered nurses` lived experience of advocacy within a critical care nuit: a phenomenological study

Anecdotally, it has often been expressed by registered nurses (RNs) working within critical care environments that they are patient advocates. However, to date, little systematic research has been undertaken to validate this assertion. Thus this project, which explored the lived experience of RNs working within a critical care unit in a country area of Australia, was conceived.

The five participants of this study were all Division 1 RNs possessing a critical care certificate and a minimum of 4 years' nursing experience. Through their participation in an in-depth audiotaped interview they revealed a wealth of experiences and ideas about their involvement as patient advocates. The results of this research indicate that the phenomenon of nurse advocacy is a multi-faceted process and embraces many kinds of activities that nurses engage in on behalf of their clients.

The findings of this study indicate that some of the participants' experiences are congruent with elements of advocacy contained within the nursing literature and statements of professional nursing bodies. However, there are some findings in this study that are not consistent with available literature. For instance, these participants markedly reject the notion that advocacy is an inappropriate concept for nurses, despite suggestions in the literature that this is an inappropriate role. Instead they wholeheartedly embrace this role, asserting it as central to their practice. Further, although the literature identifies potential controversies regarding enactment of the role of advocacy, the participants of this study are silent on these matters. It is not known what this silence implies and, in light of the study findings, it is recommended that nursing organisations, theorists and clinicians consider whether it is worthwhile to more clearly confirm the nature and role of advocacy within Australian nursing.

Drawing on a Foucaultian genealogy to consider the constructions of psychopathology and sexualities in young people

This paper employs genealogical strategies to analyse examples from our own research in education relating to the construction of psychopathology and sexualities. We consider the application of four angles of scrutiny, discontinuity, contingency, emergences and subjugated knowledges (Foucault 1977, 1980, 1988). We explain the four angles of scrutiny and consider how these can be used to produce research practices commensurate with Foucaultian inspired genealogical strategies. For instance, we argue that subjugated knowledges form a critical component of the four angles of scrutiny. We propose that through their subjugation, these knowledges offer a different perspective to dominant knowledges on sexuality and psychopathology. It is our argument that it is precisely via this subjugation that these types of knowledges offer valuable perspectives to the construction of young people. Furthermore, highlighting contingency, discontinuity, emergences and subjugated knowledges makes for provocative moments, both substantively and methodologically, in the task of qualitative analysis.

Phenomenological inquiry into the experience of web project managers

The advent of the Internet and the World Wide Web has been instrumental in bringing about the growth in the implementation of web-based information systems (WBIS). Such systems are designed with the aim of improving productivity, data accuracy, and the reduction of paperwork and administrative overheads. Moreover, unlike their conventional non-web-based predecessors, the WBIS are commonly aimed at users who are casual and untrained, geographically distributed and non-homogenous. The dissemination of WBIS necessitates additional infrastructure support in the form of a security system, workflow and transaction management, and web administration. WBIS are commonly developed using an evolutionary approach, whereby the version of the application, acquired from the vendor, is first deployed as a pilot, in order to gather feedback from the target users before the evolutionary cycles commence. While a number of web development methodologies have been proposed by existing research, there is a dearth of empirical evidence that elucidates the experiences of project initiators in pursuing the evolution of web services, a process that undoubtedly involves dealing with stakeholder issues. This research project presents a phenomenological investigation of the experiences of project managers with the implementation of web-based employee service systems (ESS), a domain that has witnessed a sharp growth in Australia in recent times. However, the project managers’ rich, multidimensional account of their experiences with the implementation of ESS revealed the social obstacles and fragility of intra-organizational relationships that demanded a cautious and tactful approach. Thus, the study provides a socio-organizational perspective to web projects in contrast to the functionalist paradigm of current web development methodologies. The research also confirms that consideration of the concerns of stakeholders by project managers is crucial to the successive cycles of ESS evolution. Project managers address stakeholder concerns by pursuing actions that are aimed at encouraging ESS usage, but at the same time, such actions can have consequences necessitating subsequent iterations of system enhancement and improvement. Finally, the research also discovered that despite the different socio-political climate prevalent in various organizations, in which ESS are being implemented, the experiences of project managers in dealing with stakeholder concerns can be captured and independently confirmed in terms of their perceived relevance and usefulness in problem-solving within the application domain.

Phenomenological investigation of e-value chains from Australian music stakeholders perceptions

This thesis establishes that the way music consumers perceive value has been significantly altered because of their virtual 'inclusion' in information systems processes. The results identified factors influencing the value perception and value-adding processes, providing industry stakeholders with an understanding of customers' judgements, perceptions and their sense of value.

Conquering and coping with the "Big C" : a phenomenological study of exceptional cancer survivorship

A study of the healing journeys of cancer survivors. The research questions were: "Do cancer survivors have anything in common?" "Is there such a phenomenon as cancer survivorship?" Ten exceptional survivors were interviewed in depth and their stories were analysed for themes. These themes were Overcoming issues of commitment, challenge, control, caring and confidence. The thesis also explores the issues of obstacles to survivorship. These were couses, costs and controversies. The conclusion is that healing journeys will never be prescriptive but that they will always be possible.

A phenomenological study of the lived experiences of registered nurses seconded to perform clinical teaching

This phenomenological study explores the clinical teaching experiences of registered nurses seconded from a large metropolitan hospital. The study is based on a conceptual framework encompassing the notion of role, learning and teaching.

Taking neuroleptic medications as embodied experience : a hermeneutic phenomenological study

This hermeneutic phenomenological study focuses on the question: What is it like to take neuroleptic medications for schizophrenia, and what is the meaning of this experience?

Differentiating three conceptualisations of the relationship between positive development and psychopathology during the transition to adulthood

The transition to adulthood is characterised by both great potential for positive change and a relatively high incidence of problem outcomes. A multidimensional model of positive development during the transition to adulthood (at 19-20 years) has recently been proposed. However, an unresolved question regarding the nature of positive development during this time is how best to conceptualise its relationship to psychopathology. We drew on data from 1158 participants in the Australian Temperament Project, a large longitudinal community-based study that has followed young people's psychosocial adjustment from infancy to early adulthood. Using structural equation modelling, we compared three models reflecting different conceptualisations of the relationship between positive development and psychopathology. The results suggest that positive development and psychopathology are best modelled as separate but correlated constructs. Hence, development in one domain is likely to influence the other, although separate and specific developmental pathways are also likely to be operating.

Rape : psychopathology, theory and treatment

Whether treatment programs are effective at rehabilitating rapists is yet to be determined empirically. From a scientist–practitioner perspective, treatment should be based on an empirical understanding of rape and rapists, and evidence-based knowledge of treatment outcome with rapists. In this paper we comprehensively review the characteristics of rapists, etiological features implicated in the commission of rape, and relevant treatment outcome research. We pay particular attention to contemporary knowledge about the core vulnerabilities and features required to understand and treat rapists effectively, and, where possible, highlight similarities and differences between rapists, child molesters and non-sexual violent offenders. We use an epistemological framework to (a) critique the various etiological accounts of rape available and (b) help guide professionals' use of such knowledge in both treatment design and evaluation. Gaps in the understanding of rapists' characteristics and etiological features are highlighted, as are discrepancies between current knowledge and treatment approaches. We conclude by highlighting areas for future research and practice innovation.

A hermeneutic phenomenological investigation of business and IT alignment

The maximum potential potential alignment between business and IT is constrained by the mutually interacting factors of communications, shared understanding, trust, use of an appropriately scaled project and risk management methodology, distributed business ownership of all its processes and a pervasive IT ownership of every technology-enables business process.