Australia has more than two million registered businesses, and at least equally that number of actual places of work. These range from one and two person workplaces to groups of 100 people plus. These…
Australia’s poor leadership record must be addressed if we want to improve productivity.
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Over the last decade, Australia has experienced a productivity slump. Our long-term productivity growth ranks well below the OECD average, and significantly below that enjoyed by leading economies. However…
The idea that everyone wants leadership and wants to be led is a popular one, especially among corporate CEOs, but how true is it? Recent political events in Ukraine and Thailand should focus business…
Can anger in the workplace be beneficial?
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Anger has traditionally been considered an emotion to be avoided at work as it is often linked to a lack of personal control. Anger at work is often seen as unprofessional; an uncontrolled response linked…
Straight-laced no more, the Zappos office is getting a makeover.
TechCocktail
Imagine a company without managers, structure or even job titles. Sounds like a fantasy of some anarchist collective? Think again, the Las Vegas-based online shoe retailer Zappos which is entirely owned…
Research shows channeling the best ideas into new products takes a systematic process.
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Innovation pays, and the benefits are even greater when organisations develop “systematic innovation” capability, according to a recent study by The University of Melbourne and the Australian Institute…
AusMake pursued Corporate Social Responsibility in a number of technical ways that supported its economic goals.
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Recent discussions have explored the ways Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) might work in the interest of business. Countless academic articles have also celebrated the connection between positive…
Human resource managers will often shy away from hiring overqualified employees, but research shows that they can be an asset.
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Overqualified workers are often seen as the pariah of human resources but these employees can be a constructive or a destructive influence on your business, depending on the way they are managed. In my…
Using social media to screen job candidates is a common practice, but recruiters should be wary of the pitfalls.
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Social media has definitely changed the game for job-seekers and recruiters. Traditionally, HR recruiters placed an advertisement, sifted through the responses, and interviewed the shortlisted candidates…
From hire to liar: honesty is not always the best policy in workplace negotiations.
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Negotiations, by their nature, tempt individuals into an ethical slide. Even the most principled negotiator would consider it acceptable to withhold some information from an opponent, just as a self-protective…
No dearth of talent here… but Australia could learn from the Olympics how to attract the best global skilled workers.
Last year, thousands of athletes from hundreds of countries competed in the London Olympics. The International Olympic Committee had no difficulty attracting the world’s leading sporting talent because…
There are vast opportunities for firms to improve productivity at the enterprise level.
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Commentators are urging government and others to do whatever they can to improve productivity in Australia because it is a key driver of prosperity, living standards and national wealth. While recent reports…
Aesthetics are becoming increasingly important in the modern workplace.
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Looks matter, both in our social and working lives. We want to look good and our employers expect us to look good, or at least want us to look a particular way. This requirement is a double-edge sword…
In today’s world, businesses have to find new ways to tackle wicked problems.
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Obesity. Climate change. Brain drain. Tax havens. War in Afghanistan. All have been described as “wicked problems”. UC Berkeley scholars, Rittel and Webber, coined the term in 1973 when they were reacting…
Toyota’s decision to escort redundant workers off-site using security guard caused “undeserved harm” and may also have undermined morale and potentially affected productivity.
AAP
UPDATE: Workers for transport company 1st Fleet were handed redundancy notices when they arrived for work this morning, after the company ceased trading. Are we seeing something of this same attitude recently…
The way tourism companies in the Blue Mountains engage in corporate social responsibility changes depending on whether they are owner-managed or not.
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“Corporate social responsibility” (CSR) isn’t just a term used by blue chip corporations to give them a more caring image. It’s a principle being adopted by thousands of small and medium-sized tourism…
Thinking outside the box will help managers get the best out of their employees.
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If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it. Therefore, managers need a formal, cascading set of KPIs (key performance indicators), KPTs (key performance targets), and annual performance reviews to keep…
People all around the world feel powerless. This has left our institutions ineffective.
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To what extent are we encouraged to think of ourselves as free and self-determining individuals, whilst in reality being restricted both overtly and insidiously by our institutional frameworks? If this…
Small-business owners need to recognise the particular needs of their staff and customers.
AAP
Why do some small firms survive and prosper, while others don’t? When you put this question to a business consultant, academic or even an experienced business person, their biases show immediately. The…
Emergency services workers face high levels of stress in their jobs.
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The holiday period can be a stressful time for many of us, even when we do have time off work. Many people will work over the holidays, and be called into difficult or tragic situations, particularly our…