Since the late 1980s, research on post-industrialized economies shows that the boundary between work and family is increasingly becoming blurred. The continuing evolution of e-technology allows work for some to be done anywhere, anytime. This article examines the degree to which e-technology has transferred work into the home lives of academics…

This report examines the link between human resource management practices and innovation. It is based on a conceptual framework in which "human resource stimuli measures"--work organisation, working time, areas of training and creativity--feed into innovative capacity or innovation. Of course, having innovative capacity does not…

This document was produced by the authors based on their research for the report "Building the Capacity to Innovate: The Role of Human Capital," and is an added resource for further information. This document contains the following appendices: (1) Survey methodology; (2) Synopsis of the literature; (3) Interview questions; and (4) Survey…

This article is concerned with the under-representation of Indigenous workers in mainstream childcare services and the associated problem of the under-representation of Indigenous children in such services. Specifically, it focuses on workforce issues that serve as barriers to both attracting and/or retaining Indigenous staff. The research methods…

A study of employment practices in unionized workplaces received 1,579 responses indicating that organizations tend to cut employees without considering the long-term costs and implications. Smaller workplaces were less likely to have had reductions in the workforce. (JOW)

The debate about work-family relationships must focus on the nature of family life, the place of women in the new economy, the needs of children, and the future of an aging population. Because the workplace has limited capacity to meet work-family needs, partnerships with government services are needed. (JOW)

Analysis of Australian and U.S. data suggests key features likely to characterize high-performance workplaces: adoption of global best practices, leveraging of knowledge as a competitive tool, emphasis on translating workers' tacit knowledge for use, need for functional and numerical flexibility of the labor force, and a shift from labor relations…

A discussion of the changing relationship between college faculty, the institution, and society concludes that, although the context of the interactions between them is evolving and faculty are shifting from a collegial to a managerial mode, there is little change in the formal conditions of academic employment. (MSE)

The role of workplace literacy and numeracy education in the introduction of new workplace practices was examined in a case study of a local council in New South Wales, Australia. Two researchers worked over a 6-week period to interview the manager, 2 team leaders, and 15 team members involved in the introduction of competitive maintenance and…

Leading-edge firms (LEFs)--at the forefront of their industry in terms of growth or market share--may influence skill development through diffusion of technology, products, or practices and use of market power to set standards or change customer businesses. Study of LEFs can identify the type and mix of skills needed in the industry. LEFs are…

Through a set of five detailed case studies of individuals representing the new conditions of un/employment, a research project generated new information and knowledge about effective communication skills, often referred to as generic and transferable, for people engaged in so-called new ways of working. These three research questions were…

The quantitative relationship between factors previously identified as affecting the extent and intensity of training within organizations was explored through a survey of companies in Australia's entertainment and process manufacturing sectors. A self-completion questionnaire was mailed first to a sample of 446 companies across Australia (112 of…

This book contains nine papers that were presented to the Sociology and Social Policy section of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. The first paper, "Introduction: Work and Employment in the 1990s" (Richard Brown), puts work and employment in a historical context and examines how globalization of the economy has…

Research on Australian organizations in five industry sectors--building and construction, food processing, electronics manufacturing, retailing, and finance and banking--has identified these three key drivers of enterprise training: workplace change, quality assurance, and new technology. Operation of the training drivers is moderated by a range…

Until the 1970s, social norms dictated that women provided care for their families and men were employed for pay. The rapid increase in paid work for women has resulted in an untenable model of work and care in which all employees are assumed to be unencumbered with family responsibilities and women who care for their families are dismissed as…