Southern Cross Business School

Development and validation of the consumer disillusionment toward marketing activity scale

Simon J. Pervan et al. — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 21:25:14 PDT

This study examines disillusioned consumers. The theory proposes that this is a group learning to lower their expectations of firm integrity and who, to avoid being let down, ignore marketing activity directly from the firm. This kind of exchange orientation develops as a response to consistent failure in perceptions of firm integrity. The research includes six studies, including over 600 adult consumers, to outline the development and validation of a measure of consumer disillusionment toward marketing activity. Completing the process provides a valid and reliable four-item measure. In addition, the study includes the assessment of the nomological validity of the construct. The nomological validation includes using cue utilization theory to predict that disillusioned consumers favor advertising that provides evidence of verifiable integrity. The validation experiment uses print advertising containing high and low verifiable integrity stimuli. Results confirm the theory with disillusioned consumers focusing less on the firm as source of information. Further, these consumers respond more favorably than non-disillusioned consumers to third party endorsers who serve to verify the firm's attempts to show integrity.

Trends in introductory programming courses in Australian universities: languages, environments and pedagogy

Raina Mason et al. — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 21:15:24 PDT

This paper reports the results of a study of 44 introductory programming courses in 28 Australian universities, conducted in the latter months of 2010. Results of this study are compared with two censuses previously conducted during 2001 and 2003, to identify trends in student numbers, programming language and environment/tool use and the reasons for choice of these, paradigms taught, instructor experience, text used and time spent on problem solving strategies in lectures and tutorials. Measures of mental effort experienced during the solution of novice programming problems were also examined.

Exploring the perceived influence of safety management practices on project performance in the construction industry

Eddie WL Cheng et al. — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 20:59:53 PDT

Although safety management is known to be vital to construction projects, very few studies have solicited views from construction practitioners about their perceptions of which safety management practices (SMPs) are important to construction projects and related to project performance. An empirical study was undertaken in Hong Kong in order to shed more light on this topic. In the study, the importance levels of 15 popular SMPs and five project performance criteria were rated by 232 respondents. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted, and three SMP categories – information, process, and committees – were extracted. Of these three categories, safety management process was perceived by the construction practitioners as being the most important, followed by safety management information and committees. Moreover, the effect of the three SMP categories on a composite project performance variable was tested using hierarchical regression analysis. Results indicate that the “information” and “committees” categories were associated with project performance positively and significantly. One of the major conclusions of the study is that the construction industry has paid relatively less attention to safety management committees, which were empirically analyzed as having a strong perceived impact on project performance. In order to improve project performance, construction companies should promote the criticality of safety management committees.

Research-led teaching in accounting education

Anja Morton — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 23:10:49 PDT

This paper calls for a scholarly approach to accounting education to widen each graduate’s perspectives beyond current practice. The meaning of scholarship in teaching is briefly discussed and there is a focus on discipline based research in the accounting curriculum. The paper argues that true scholarship in accounting education cannot be achieved unless all students of accounting are exposed to the multiple paradigms that currently make up the totality of intellectual thinking in financial accounting. Further, indoctrination of students into “accounting think” must be avoided. Curriculum content related to accounting theory topics is likely to be highly selective across business schools. This paper draws on the literature related to the scholarship of teaching and educational psychology, to argue for an inclusive and transparent approach to the teaching of accounting epistemology.

Survey of the coverage of financial statement analysis in Australian business degrees

Anja Morton et al. — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 20:33:54 PDT

The ability to use ratios to analyse financials statement is a skill many bachelor of business graduates will need in their workplace. Not surprisingly, therefore, a survey of the structures and subject content of related degrees offered by Australian universities revealed that they all include a topic in financial statement analysis in one of the compulsory first year core subjects. This survey also revealed that in the vast majority of universities financial statement analysis was not covered further in any other subject. As educators of future managers we have an obligation to provide our students with the opportunity to learn the latest, simple yet significant, financial statement analysis ratios and to ensure they are aware of the limitations related to their use. In 1992, Carslaw and Mills found that U.S. intermediate accounting texts did not cover cash flow ratios. In this paper we also report the results of a survey of the financial statement analysis chapters of Australian introductory accounting and finance textbooks to determine the extent to which: 1. the ratios recommended in them are consistent; 2. they include cash flow ratios; and 3. they include ratios commonly used in company annual reports and those used in a sample of web based services. The results revealed that while all textbooks cover traditional ratios such as the current ratio, return on equity, debtors and inventory turnovers, earnings per share and various versions of the debt ratios, there is considerable variance across books related to all other ratios. Coverage of cash flow ratios was also found to be highly inconsistent and inadequate. Other ratios, such as the net debt to equity ratio and net tangible asset backing, were also found to be missing.

A method for measuring excessive environmental regulatory burden in the Australian rail industry

Tania von der Heidt et al. — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 14:31:11 PST

For the Australian rail industry, environmental regulation is a regulatory hotspot causing suboptimal rail operations and business performance. Attempts to measure the cost of regulatory burden are few, more so given the conceptual and practical challenges. This article employs the prism of environmental regulation pertaining to the Australian rail industry to recap the concept of regulatory burden and evaluate possible measurement tools for costing regulatory burden. Existing models of regulatory cost measurement are adapted and applied to priority areas of dysfunctional environmental regulation across Australia. By drawing on results from a pilot study, the suitability of the methodology for quantifying an industry’s regulatory burden is assessed. The article should be of interest to managers and regulators striving for more equitable and efficient regulatory approaches.

Learning and teaching beyond four walls: choosing autoethnography to report the case

Stephen Rowe — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 21:36:50 PST

This paper explains the choice of autoethnography to report PhD research underpinning the individual historical case study that is my career in a volatile higher education sector for the period 1986-‐2009. A critical and reflexive lens was applied to examine the archival material that is my office. It contains detailed records accumulated from ordinary, everyday academic activities across this period (and beyond). I am in the privileged position of having taught the same subjects, in the same institution, across that period. I have moved from teaching small classes face-‐to-‐face on a single campus to teach and support student learning entirely online for more than 200 students across seven different campuses (including externally). To borrow from the conference call for papers, this change demonstrates the way my institution fits the ‘dominant values of standardisation and emphasis on an audit-‐based culture’. It is argued that autoethnography provides the power to tell how I have managed my career by (re)examining the detailed archival data collected by virtue of feeding the audit-‐based culture. The (re)examination of the archive is used to offer the ‘principled exposure’ called for by Gilroy about how I re-‐imagined the space/place of my ordinary, everyday scholarly activities by devising approaches resisting standardisation and strongly respecting standards. The archival evidence is used to challenge the sectoral rhetoric of how scholarship is recognised. Paradoxically, and embarrassingly, my subject expertise is auditing.

Adoption and penetration of synchronous audiographic web conferencing at an Australian university

Keith Sloan et al. — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 21:10:27 PST

Moving beyond four walls: a fully online delivery model

Stephen Rowe et al. — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 20:40:19 PST

As educational technologies evolve and become available they create opportunities and challenges for university teachers. Once potential improvements are identified they often need to be implemented incrementally and carefully evaluated. The separate and specific benefits to teaching staff, enrolled students and the institution need to be recognised. Audiographics is an established teaching technology that has evolved with the spread of the Internet and improvements in compression technologies. This case study describes the central role of a Web-Based Audiographic product Elluminate Live! ® in the evolving online structure for an undergraduate auditing course in a degree program at a regional Australian university. The design of a fully online delivery model integrating a rich suite of asynchronous and synchronous tools offering increased flexibility for students to engage with learning resources is reported. The design also caters for an increase in academic staff time available for increased support of student learning.

Designing an educational sim environment: critical success factors

Allan Ellis et al. — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 20:09:25 PST

Few educators ever have the chance to design and manage an online environment that replicates the educational, social, support and administrative elements of their University. Recent developments in virtual world platforms such as Second Life now makes this possible. Designing and building a virtual university demands knowledge of a new range of concepts, issues and skills specifically relevant to virtual environments and immersive learning settings. A case study of the vision, strategies and processes used to design, build and commence operation of a virtual campus is presented. A checklist of critical success factors is presented as a guide to others attempting to use this powerful technology to extend the reach and effectiveness of their university. The conference presentation will include an in-world tour of the features of the virtual campus and a demonstration of its interactive features.

Building flexibility into student assessment: a longitudinal review

Stephen Rowe et al. — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 19:48:56 PST

Universities are under increasing pressure to provide flexible learning environments that allow for increased student choice and in so doing provide for more individualized, independent learning. Data is presented from an 7 year longitudinal review of the use of asynchronous discussion forums in an undergraduate auditing course. Analysis of these data shows that students are capable of taking responsibility for their own learning by taking advantage of the flexibility offered in relation to the choice of assessment tasks offered. Patterns of choice indicate a significant proportion of students choose to complete tasks earlier rather than later and those students choosing earlier completion tend to attain higher marks for the assessment.

Can one size fit all? using web-based audiographics to support more flexible delivery and learning

Stephen Rowe et al. — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 21:29:51 PST

As educational technologies evolve and new technologies become available they create opportunities and challenges for university teaching staff. Once potential improvements are identified they often need to be implemented incrementally and carefully evaluated. The separate and specific benefits to teaching staff, enrolled students and the institution need to be recognised. Audiographics is an established teaching technology that has evolved with the spread of the Internet and improvements in compression technologies such as particular VoIP. This case study describes the central role of a current web-based audiographic product (Elluminate Live!) in the evolving online structure for an undergraduate auditing course in a degree program at a regional Australian university. The ability for staff and students to engage with the rich suite of synchronous teaching and learning tools as well as the ability to record session interaction for later playback are presented as key benefits for improved flexibility in staff teaching and access to student learning opportunities

Enhancing the convenience and flexibility of student learning options: using recorded audiographic Web conferencing sessions

Stephen Rowe et al. — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 20:51:30 PST

This paper provides data to support the popular current contention that universities need to, and can provide students with more flexible access to resources and learning options by taking advantage of the rapid rate of adoption of online technologies. The data presented relates to the access and downloads of recordings of sessions conducted and captured using one such currently available audiographic Web Conferencing technology at a regional Australian university. The technology enables recording of a full range of session interactions, including voice, whiteboard and slides. Data is presented to identify the pattern of use in all courses and for a single undergraduate Auditing course. The patterns of use are discussed showing support for arguments that students have been quick to adopt the technologies, due to the convenience and flexibility offered by anytime, anywhere access. The power of being able to record synchronous interaction for asynchronous use is highlighted

Regional industry diversity and its impact on regional unemployment

Stephen Mason et al. — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 20:48:09 PST

The national averages index and Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Census data (2001 and 2006) were used to explore links between industrial diversity and unemployment for ABS, statistical districts (SDist) of New South Wales (NSW). This study found that in 2001 and 2006 Port Macquarie was the most specialised economy and Tamworth the most diverse. Unemployment rates however, varied in terms of rank. In 2001, Coffs Harbour had the highest unemployment and Dubbo the lowest. In 2006, Lismore had the highest unemployment and Albury – Wodonga the lowest. The study found that the nexus between greater industrial diversity and lower unemployment, per the commonly held view in the literature, was somewhat supported. While all SDists in NSW experienced a decline in unemployment rates between 2001 and 2006, the SDists with greater diversity, appeared to have lower unemployment rates on average. Correlation analysis supports this conclusion, although caution should be exercised given a variety of factors influence unemployment outcomes.

Overcoming both the tyranny of distance and the tyranny of proximity through use of online technologies in business education

Jill Phillips et al. — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 20:32:16 PST

Student's first experiences with a Web conferencing system: preliminary findings

Peter Vitartas et al. — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 20:07:50 PST

This paper presents the preliminary results from 15 personal interviews with early users of a Web-based conferencing program that has been used to deliver lecture content in a business school at an Australian university. While initial experiences ranged from apprehension to being relaxed about the new technology the students' comments about its use were enlightening. External students in particular reported being more connected and engaged with the lecturer and colleagues and enjoyed being able to “listen-in”. Support by lecturers and clear information on the use of the technology were identified as critical in the success of the program.

Student adoption of web based video conferencing software: a comparison of three student discipline groups

Peter Vitartas et al. — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 16:58:08 PST

This paper asks the question – how do differences in year of study and subject studied affect the likelihood of students adopting a new learning environment? Data from a study of students’ intention to adopt a Web conferencing environment is examined by the subjects in which they were enrolled. The results show that students’ perceptions of using the environment, as measured by a self-efficacy scale and motivation were related however there were few differences between the cohorts in other factors that influenced their intention to adopt the new environment.

From single tool to complex teaching and learning toolkit: audiographics comes of age

Stephen Rowe et al. — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 16:17:02 PST

Three stages can be identified in the evolution of audiographic technologies. Over the last two decades staff at Southern Cross University have made use of this technology during each of its developmental stages. In 2005 and 2006 the School of Commerce and Management successfully introduced and adopted one of the new stage three software products, Elluminate Live! In 2007 the University purchased a site licence allowing unlimited university wide use. To understand and assist in the uptake of this new generation of audiographics, this paper identifies and maps features against traditional teaching and learning practices. The capabilities actually extend what is now possible in the classroom and with far fewer resources. The potential to make meaningful positive responses to long standing calls for a shift in learning and teaching to a more student-centred paradigm away from an instructor focused one has never been more attainable.

An investigation of the behavioural intention of students to use a Web conferencing environment

Peter Vitartas et al. — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 15:56:08 PST

Universities are making increased use of the Web and various information technology programs to expand the flexibility and improve efficiency of their teaching and learning environments. Personality factors and motivation have been found to impact on the use and adoption of information technology innovations. A model of behavioural intention is developed consisting of trait anxiety, achievement goal orientation and self-efficacy. A structural model is tested using a one-step approach and a solution identified. Behavioural intention was identified by a persons' self-efficacy of using a Web conferencing environment which in turn were identified by three components of achievement goal orientation. Trait anxiety was found to be related to ability-approach goal orientation and ability-avoidance goal orientation.

How the Web has changed lecturing: going the full circle

Stephen Rowe et al. — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 15:39:54 PST

New educational technologies often appear with a fanfare of publicity that soon dies away once the next new technology appears. Seldom is the impact of an individual technology tracked and assessed over time. The World Wide Web was originally conceived as an aid to help physicists share knowledge via electronic copies of papers and reports. Its capabilities were soon recognized by the wider educational community and some of the most exciting and widely accessed early Web sites were built by educational institutions. Over the last two decades Web technologies have undergone substantial technical evolution while at the same time educators have continued to recognize and exploit what the Web has to offer as an evolving educational technology. Changes in university lecturing over the last two decades are compared and contrasted with developments in Web technologies and a case history, based upon a small regional university, is presented. It is proposed through personal reflection that while it might appear that educators have gone the “full circle” and simply arrived back at where they started it is suggested that the use of the Web in lecturing has had a deeper impact and has in fact transformed the role in a variety of ways.