The adjustment of leadership styles in intercultural workplace – some evidences from the multinational construction companies in Hong Kong

This study investigates the existence of intercultural adjustment in the multicultural construction workplaces by examining the leadership orientations (task-/people-orientation), communication and conflict resolution skills (high/low-context culture), and power relationship styles (high/low power distance) of local Chinese and the British expatriate project managers in the multinational construction companies in Hong Kong. A sample of project managers (N = 40) and their subordinates (N = 61) were surveyed using the structured questionnaires. Statistical techniques (independent-samples t-test, and Pearson correlation analysis) were employed to evaluate the data. The results revealed a number of interesting findings. First, it was found that both project manager groups equally considered the importance of task performance and interpersonal relationship. The results of correlations analysis provide support for the linkages of the length of working abroad with the change in task/people orientation for Chinese and expatriate managers. The analysis revealed that those Chinese managers who have the longest length of time living or working in Western countries tended to measure higher on task-orientation. Similarly, those British expatriate managers who have the longest period of working in Hong Kong tended to be less task-orientated. Second, local Chinese managers were found to be more confrontational when they strongly disagree with their team members than their British expatriate counterparts. It would appear that stress from project deadline which increase the directness and terseness in communication acts, and retain the composure of project managers in dealing with the subordinates. Finally, our findings show that there is significant difference between local Chinese and British expatriate managers in their power relationship with subordinates. This implies that although the intercultural adjustment might influence perceptions of local and expatriate managers, some dominant deep-rooted cultural values and beliefs are still not easily altered. Conclusions are presented along with suggestions for future studies.

School students and part-time work: Workplace problems and challenges.

This paper uses data from a large national project on student-working to examine problems and challenges for school students working in part-time jobs. While literature has identified some potential problems and challenges, and some potential difficulties can be extrapolated from the nature of a young teenage workforce and the nature of the workplaces, these were largely absent in the two companies researched because the companies already had policies in place that addressed the potential problems. Some suggestions are made about how problems and challenges could be avoided in a wider range of adolescent workplaces.

Electronic workplace surveillance and employee privacy : a comparative analysis of privacy protection in Australia and the United States

More than a century ago in their definitive work “The Right to Privacy” Samuel D. Warren and Louis D. Brandeis highlighted the challenges posed to individual privacy by advancing technology. Today’s workplace is characterised by its reliance on computer technology, particularly the use of email and the Internet to perform critical business functions. Increasingly these and other workplace activities are the focus of monitoring by employers. There is little formal regulation of electronic monitoring in Australian or United States workplaces. Without reasonable limits or controls, this has the potential to adversely affect employees’ privacy rights. Australia has a history of legislating to protect privacy rights, whereas the United States has relied on a combination of constitutional guarantees, federal and state statutes, and the common law. This thesis examines a number of existing and proposed statutory and other workplace privacy laws in Australia and the United States. The analysis demonstrates that existing measures fail to adequately regulate monitoring or provide employees with suitable remedies where unjustifiable intrusions occur. The thesis ultimately supports the view that enacting uniform legislation at the national level provides a more effective and comprehensive solution for both employers and employees. Chapter One provides a general introduction and briefly discusses issues relevant to electronic monitoring in the workplace. Chapter Two contains an overview of privacy law as it relates to electronic monitoring in Australian and United States workplaces. In Chapter Three there is an examination of the complaint process and remedies available to a hypothetical employee (Mary) who is concerned about protecting her privacy rights at work. Chapter Four provides an analysis of the major themes emerging from the research, and also discusses the draft national uniform legislation. Chapter Five details the proposed legislation in the form of the Workplace Surveillance and Monitoring Act, and Chapter Six contains the conclusion.

Cyberbullying : the new face of workplace bullying?

While the subject of cyberbullying of children and adolescents has begun to be addressed, there has been less attention or research on cyberbullying in the workplace. Whilst male-dominated workplaces such as manufacturing settings have been found to have an increased risk of workplace bullying, the prevalence of cyberbullying in this sector is not known. This exploratory study investigated the prevalence and methods of face-to-face bullying and cyberbullying of males at work. One hundred and three surveys (a modified version of the NAQ-R1), were returned from randomly selected members of the Australian Manufacturing Worker’s Union (AMWU). The results showed that 34% of the respondents were bullied face-to-face, and 10.7% were cyberbullied. All victims of cyberbullying also experienced face-to-face bullying. The implications for organisations of their “duty of care” in regards to this new form of bullying are indicated.

Smart buildings for healthy and sustainable workplace: scoping study report

Deficiencies in the design and operation of office buildings can give rise to high social, environmental and economic (triple bottom line) costs. As a result, there are significant pressures and incentives to develop ‘smart building’ technologies that can facilitate improved indoor environment quality (IEQ), and more energy efficient operation of office buildings. IEQ indicators include lighting, ventilation, thermal comfort, indoor air quality and noise. In response to this, the CRC for Construction Innovation commissioned a six-month scoping study (Project no. 2002-043) to examine how different technologies could be used to improve the ‘triple bottom line’ for office buildings. The study was supported by three industry partners, Bovis Lend Lease, Arup, and The Queensland Department of Public Works. The objective of the study was to look at the history, trends, drivers, new technologies and potential application areas related to the operation of healthy and efficient office buildings. The key output from the study was a recommendation for a prototype system for intelligent monitoring and control of an office environment, based on identified market, technical and user requirements and constraints.

Transformational learning in the workplace

Although transformative learning theory remains one of the most influential theories in the field of adult education, studies on fostering transformative learning, particularly in groups and in the workplace, remain sparse. This article summarises some evidence of transformational learning that influenced changes to practice, processes, and the organisational culture in a case study. It is based on a cohort of 12 worker-learners enrolled in a Graduate Certificate in Education (Executive Leadership) course offered by an Australian university (Queensland University of Technology). Data for this article were drawn from interviews with 10 participants, a focus group with 6 of them, their assessment presentations, and reflective notes of the course facilitators. Also included here are the effects on transformational learning of Taylor’s five elements of work-based learning design, Fuller and Unwins’ features of expansive learning, and Billett’s workplace pedagogies.

Optimising learning in the workplace

There are three bodies of research that suggest ways in which learning in the workplace can be optimised. The first is evident in the emergent literature endorsing the need to include workplace pedagogies as useful epistemological tools for learners. It is now widely recognised that the workplace provides various pedagogies that facilitate and support learning.

University and workplace culture : lifelong learning in nursing students

Lifelong learning in nursing is an essential if the individual is to remain a competent professional. It becomes apparent that whilst the university culture is supportive of the concept or lifelong learning, the workplace culture is not. Students are discouraged from challenging the norms despite a collaborative partnership that promotes lifelong learning.