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What drives monetary policy in post-crisis East Asia? : interest rate or exchange rate monetary policy rules
No full textThis paper estimates a simple small open macroeconomic model to analyse the effectiveness of monetary policy rules (MPRs) where either the nominal interest rate or the nominal exchange rate is the policy instrument. The aim is to ascertain which of those MPRs are best suited for a selection of inflation targeting economies of Asia. Normally, one would associate inflation targeting with interest rate rules but it is thought that, due to fear of floating, exchange rate rules may well be more effective given the openness of these economies. It is found that interest rate rules seem to better reflect the prevailing policy regime than exchange rate rules. It is also found that stronger relationships pertaining to the interest rate rules are found in the case of Korea and Thailand than for Indonesia and the Philippines. Exchange rates appear to be very influential in determining the value of the nominal interest rate but not in a policy sense.
Life on the edge : housing experiences in three remote Australian indigenous settlements
No full textThis analysis of housing experiences and aspirations in three remote Indigenous settlements in Australia (Mimili, Maningrida and Palm Island) reveals extreme liveability problems directly related to the scale and form of housing provision. Based upon field visits to each of the settlements and extensive interviews with residents and local housing and community officers, the paper analyses two aspects of living in such housing conditions at two spatial scales, the layout of the settlement and the design of individual houses. The failings at both scales are shown to be the fault of a dysfunctional housing system that is only recently being addressed.
Mood change and perception of workload in Australian midwives
No full textInvestigations of mood and workload in health care settings have focussed primarily on nurses and junior doctors. Given the critical shortfall in the Australian midwifery workforce, and the specialised nature of midwifery as an occupation, it is important to understand how mood and workload are experienced by midwives. Twenty midwives (18F, 2M) in an Australian metropolitan hospital completed logbooks assessing daily fluctuations in subjective mood and workload. Participants also provided information about history of psychopathology and sleep quality. Results revealed that midwives were relatively stable in terms of mood but did experience increased fear and decreased happiness when at work. Further, workload factors significantly predicted mood at work. Specifically, when participants felt that their work was more demanding and frustrating and required more effort, or when they felt that they could not accomplish all that was expected, mood was negatively influenced. This supports the connection between workload and negative mood change in healthcare. Given the potential for mood to influence a multitude of functions relevant to safety, performance and psychosocial wellbeing it is important to understand the factors which influence mood, particularly in light of the current shortfall in the Australian healthcare workforce.
Early stages of growth of plasma polymer coatings deposited from nitrogen- and oxygen-containing monomers
No full textUltrathin functional coatings deposited by plasma polymerization have utility in nano- and microtechnologies, however, until now very little has been reported to validate the widely held view that these coatings can be deposited onto any type of substrate, without substrate influence. In order to ascertain the role of the substrate in the early stages of plasma growth we address the growth rate and chemistry of plasma polymer coatings from two nitrogen- and two oxygen-containing monomers during the first stages of deposition onto gold and onto thiol MUA-coated gold surfaces. SPR thickness measurements and XPS analyzes indicate the substrate must be taken into account when ultrathin plasma polymer coatings are used for surface modification and we speculate on why this should be so.
Finger printing of mixed contaminants from former manufactured gas plant (MGP) site soils : implications to bioremediation
No full textCompetitive advantage through good Guanxi in the marine industry
No full textGuanxi, a Chinese term, which means special relationships or business connections, has been known to be a prerequisite in doing business successfully, especially in China. Today, this term is quite widely known and not only prevalent in China but is a universal phenomenon. This paper reports research on the study of competitive strategies in the marine industry in Singapore, China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and how good Guanxi could be an important competitive strategy. Guanxi can aid a distinctive strategic positioning in China's competitive environment, and thus it can become an important ingredient in business strategy. But it requires a careful strategy and implementation plan of its own that needs to be aligned with the firm's business strategy; like it must be managed before it becomes a liability. A good understanding of Guanxi is thus crucial for Western firms intending to succeed in business in China.
Domestic violence in rural Australia
No full textThese stories show women's creativity, agency, heartache, and survival when experiencing, coping with and responding to domestic violence and show why it is important to provide a complex analysis of the relations between gender, power, and 'rural culture'.