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This paper sets out to test the claim made in the lean production literature that the lean production system is universally applicable. The proponents of the lean production model insist that it will supersede both mass production and... more
This paper sets out to test the claim made in the lean production literature that the lean production system is universally applicable. The proponents of the lean production model insist that it will supersede both mass production and specialised batch production; but this paper argues ...
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This paper explores the theoretical implications of empowered self-management as a teamwork design concept. It explores the multiple definitions of empowerment and self-management that have been used in the design of work teams and it... more
This paper explores the theoretical implications of empowered self-management as a teamwork design concept. It explores the multiple definitions of empowerment and self-management that have been used in the design of work teams and it attempts to locate empowered self-management within the relevant traditions of work design. The paper provides a critical appraisal of empowered self-management as a team design
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ABSTRACT This paper examines the outcomes of occupational licensing in a set of large, intermediate skill occupations in the land transport industry. The paper explores the significance of licensing systems in these occupations and finds... more
ABSTRACT This paper examines the outcomes of occupational licensing in a set of large, intermediate skill occupations in the land transport industry. The paper explores the significance of licensing systems in these occupations and finds that land transport drivers are licensed for conformance and that conformance licensing systems are very different to those of the high skill licensing systems extant in the professions. Conformance licensing places little emphasis upon the development of skill and expertise and the regulatory institutions of the occupation have no role in skill development. Occupations licensed for conformance are regulated by heterogeneous, external institutions that are concerned with the enforcement of minimum task standards of performance to avoid harm and loss. Conformance licensing does not create an occupational monopoly and there is little evidence of high returns to license holders in conformance occupations.
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This report documents research undertaken on behalf of the Australian National Training Authority Research Advisory Council (ANTARAC) into what makes a workplace an effective learning environment and what role training plays in creating... more
This report documents research undertaken on behalf of the Australian National Training Authority Research Advisory Council (ANTARAC) into what makes a workplace an effective learning environment and what role training plays in creating that environment. A number of workplaces were ...
ABSTRACT This paper examines the durability of teamwork within firms by looking at the relationship between the evolution of quality management programmes and the development of teamwork. Four case studies of Australian manufacturing... more
ABSTRACT This paper examines the durability of teamwork within firms by looking at the relationship between the evolution of quality management programmes and the development of teamwork. Four case studies of Australian manufacturing firms with a long experience of teamwork are presented. The paper reports that firms use a great variety of teamwork practices and that they develop ensembles of teamwork practices, which become institutionalised within the firm. The paper advances the proposition that the observed durability of teamwork is underpinned by the institutional stretch of ensembles of teamwork practices. The ability of management to rearrange ensembles to accommodate new management initiatives and new management practices is critical to the durability of teamwork.
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Research Interests:
This paper examines the durability of teamwork within firms by looking at the relationship between the evolution of quality management programmes and the development of teamwork. Four case studies of Australian manufacturing firms with a... more
This paper examines the durability of teamwork within firms by looking at the relationship between the evolution of quality management programmes and the development of teamwork. Four case studies of Australian manufacturing firms with a long experience of teamwork are presented. The paper reports that firms use a great variety of teamwork practices and that they develop ensembles of teamwork
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Research Interests:
ABSTRACT The past decade of training reform in the Australian automotive industry has been driven by Government and enterprise plans for the restructure of the industry. These plans have emphasised changes to manufacturing practices and... more
ABSTRACT The past decade of training reform in the Australian automotive industry has been driven by Government and enterprise plans for the restructure of the industry. These plans have emphasised changes to manufacturing practices and work practices, as the way to revitalise the manufacturing sectors of the industry. The provision of workplace training has been a significant factor in the implementation of these plans and development of a training system with distinctive industry features has been one outcome of this programme of industry restructuring.
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Research Interests:
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This article examines the micro politics of organizational change by presenting the results of a long-term case study of complex technological change in an automotive manufacturing firm. The article focuses on the political contest around... more
This article examines the micro politics of organizational change by presenting the results of a long-term case study of complex technological change in an automotive manufacturing firm. The article focuses on the political contest around the generation of legitimate knowledge within the change program. The article discusses managerial strategies of knowledge appropriation and employee strategies of resistance to such appropriation.
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This paper examines the development of an antecedent model of social partnership, the social “accord” employed by the Labor Government in Australia during the period 1983-1996. The specific focus of the paper is upon the implementation of... more
This paper examines the development of an antecedent model of social partnership, the social “accord” employed by the Labor Government in Australia during the period 1983-1996. The specific focus of the paper is upon the implementation of the Training Reform Agenda (TRA) in Australian manufacturing. The TRA was designed to provide for the upskilling of existing employees and the enhanced
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ABSTRACT The development of voluntary networks of firms has been proposed as a way of stimulating employer demand for vocational training in more liberal market economies. The emergence of market-based training networks is seen to lead to... more
ABSTRACT The development of voluntary networks of firms has been proposed as a way of stimulating employer demand for vocational training in more liberal market economies. The emergence of market-based training networks is seen to lead to greater inter-firm cooperation, resource sharing and facilitate employer collective action to address labour market needs. This study examines the evidence for the existence of voluntary training networks in five Australian industries. The study finds that these training networks supply limited amounts of training, most of which is non-formal. These networks are primarily developed for the dissemination of the tacit knowledge and skills needed for the exploitation of new technology. These networks have few linkages to the vocational training system and have a limited capacity to contribute to the development of transferable skills that address employers’ labour market needs.
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Vocational education and training (VET) in Australia has been widely deregulated as the country has moved to an employer-led VET system. This deregulated system has seen a growing emphasis on more job-specific and firm-specific forms of... more
Vocational education and training (VET) in Australia has been widely deregulated as the country has moved to an employer-led VET system. This deregulated system has seen a growing emphasis on more job-specific and firm-specific forms of training. This article explores these developments by examining the training of frontline team leaders in Australia’s automotive industry. The article finds that the automotive
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This paper highlights the role of design and designers in the creation of visual artefacts as boundary objects to be used to facilitate social problem solving. Many problems in human service systems can only be solved by purposive action... more
This paper highlights the role of design and designers in the creation of visual artefacts as boundary objects to be used to facilitate social problem solving. Many problems in human service systems can only be solved by purposive action amongst the stakeholders of the system but each stakeholder has only a partial view of the system. Boundary objects that present a multi-‐stakeholder perspective can facilitate problem solving by creating representations of the system that are meaningful to all stakeholders. In this study we used sensemaking (often a textual practice) and visualisation to create a high complexity representational artefact to enable shared understandings of an occupational rehabilitation system.