Thesis report

The research reported herein has demonstrated that pervious pavements can be introduced as a sustainable stormwater management initiative and as a key Water Sensitive Urban Design feature to deliver numerous benefits to the environment. The outcomes from the study will be useful in designing environmentally friendly car parks, pedestrian paths, light traffic drive ways, sporting grounds and public areas in the future.

244p runthenight05 01-03-2023 10 3   Download

This research project explores the effectiveness of an auditory display prototype for the sonification of internet \(c{o_2}\) emissions to a small user group within their office context. To date, methods do not exist for the reporting of this information to users of personal computing while they perform simple internet enquiries. Underpinning the theoretical development of this project is a focus on auditory displays guided by the concept and forms of auditory displays, together with the auditory perception elements to be considered in their design.

122p runthenight05 01-03-2023 4 2   Download

The broad objective of research reported here was to develop a multi-publishing workflow for student atlases.

162p runthenight05 01-03-2023 5 3   Download

This thesis explores the problem of wasteful fashion consumption in light of the current need for individuals to develop a sustainable way of living. The Agenda 21 report from the Rio Earth Summit (1992) determined that sustainable consumption is an issue to be addressed in terms of resource conservation, waste reduction and a reduction of production pollutants. To date, in Australia, there are no policies or strategies in place to reduce wasteful consumption from the consumer’s perspective and it is this research and policy deficit that this thesis research addresses.

127p runthenight07 01-03-2023 14 3   Download

This thesis reports research on analysis of the variance of surface electromyogram (sEMG) for healthy participants and people suffering with Lower Back Pain (LBP) when they are walking and running. SEMG signal recorded when the participants were walking and running on a treadmill. The strength and duration of the muscle activity for each heel strike were the features.

129p runthenight07 01-03-2023 9 3   Download

The focus of this thesis was to study the chemotaxonomic relationship of selected southern Australian marine brown algae of the genera Cystophora and Sargassum. Consequently, this resulted in the isolation and structure elucidation of six new terpenoids from two southern Australian marine brown algae Cystophora moniliformis and Sargassum fallax together with 10 previously reported natural products. As a result of the re-isolation of these known secondary metabolites, updated and complete structural characterisation data could be provided for the first time for 7 of these compounds.

132p runthenight07 01-03-2023 7 3   Download

Epigenetic defects (gain or loss of DNA methylation) of the human ICR1 11p15 domain result in two opposite foetal growth disorders (BWS and SRS) depending on which parental allele is affected. A few deletions within ICR1 have been reported in familial BWS cases with ICR1 gain of methylation, however the mechanism(s) of the DNA methylation defects at ICR1 remains largely unknown in most BWS and SRS patients.

83p runthenight07 01-03-2023 9 3   Download

This thesis examines the strategic and potentially legitimising nature of voluntary environmental reporting. First, the thesis examines the relationship between emission levels on the National Pollutant Inventory and the quantity of total voluntary environmental disclosures, voluntary emission disclosures and positive voluntary environmental disclosures in annual reports. Second, an examination of changes in the quantity of disclosures discussing compliance with the National Pollutant Inventory and/or disclosures concerning pollution emissions is undertaken.

218p runthenight04 02-02-2023 2 2   Download

A major feature of public sector accounting reform has been the replacement of conventional cash-based accounting with accrual accounting. Even though accrual accounting is a regular practice in the private sector, little is known about the way in which these practices are diffused throughout large and complex public sector organisations. This thesis relies on Rogers’ (1983) Diffusion of an Innovation Theory (DOI) to explore the diffusion of accrual accounting across the three-tiered (Central - Provincial - Local) government of Sri Lanka.

254p runthenight04 02-02-2023 8 3   Download

This thesis focuses on four constructs of perceived adverse impacts of climate change, perceived anthropogenic causes of climate change; perceived policy effectiveness, and feasibility to explain Australian public support for mitigation policies. The study draws from major theories in the field such as the Theory of Planned Behaviour, Risk Perception Theory, the Extended Parallel Process Model, and Social Dilemma literature.

216p runthenight04 02-02-2023 4 2   Download

This research is comprised of three interrelated stages of a broader study of the climate change-related corporate governance disclosure practices of Australian companies. The first stage of the study investigates the climate change-related corporate governance disclosure practices of five major Australian energy-intensive companies over a 16-year period (from 1992 to 2007). The five companies are BHP Billiton, Caltex, Origin Energy, Rio Tinto and Santos Limited.

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The research reported here addresses the question of what is required to engage stakeholders to create effective change. It is a case study of one organisation, Melbourne Water, which is located in Victoria, Australia. The research is undertaken using a qualitative, action research framework and a systems psychodynamic perspective. Volunteer participants participated in one-on-one interviews and focus groups. The data is also generated through organisational observations and reflection utilising the methods of supervision and journaling.

210p runthenight04 02-02-2023 6 2   Download

In this thesis, three inter-related research issues have been explored within the context of the textile and garments industry of Bangladesh. This industry in Bangladesh has gained negative media publicity and Western concern over the use of child labour, poor working conditions, health and safety issues, and human rights and other labour-related issues for years.

313p runthenight04 02-02-2023 7 3   Download

This thesis is presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the College of Business, RMIT University. It includes five scientific papers which have been submitted and are currently under review or accepted for publication in targeted journals. These papers comprise one conceptual paper and four empirical papers.

259p runthenight04 02-02-2023 7 3   Download

The International Accounting Standards require entities to report useful and accurate information, enabling shareholders and others to make informed investment decisions. This research investigates the array of factors that influence the investment decision-making of shareholders in the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET). The research employed a mixed research methodology that combines quantitative and a qualitative analysis to obtain empirical data on the factors that impact on Thai shareholders investing in large asset-based industries in the SET.

355p runthenight04 02-02-2023 5 2   Download

This thesis examines the elements of career growth that influence and shape organisational commitment and job satisfaction in the context of a ‘closed’ government agency in Malaysia. While a number of studies report empirical research in the private sector, as yet there has been little research published on this in the public sector. To address this research deficiency, a mixed methods approach was employed in this study.

323p runthenight04 02-02-2023 7 3   Download

The research "Social and environmental reporting practices of the gambling industry: an Australian perspective" explores the corporate social and environmental disclosure (CSD) practices of Australian gambling companies to understand what information is reported in CSDs, and why. The first part of the study performs an analysis of the two gambling companies; annual reports (1995-2009) to investigate the changing trend of the CSDs.

272p runthenight04 02-02-2023 4 2   Download

Those living with disadvantage suffer from higher rates of chronic conditions and multimorbidities. Little work has been done to investigate how this cohort experience patient-centred care and what their outcomes might be. This study showed that as a result of a short course of treatment clients experienced better levels of health and wellbeing and decreased levels of pain and disability. Interview data suggest that this may be due to a combination of therapy, setting and relationships formed within that setting.

177p runthenight04 02-02-2023 4 1   Download

The aim of this study is to investigate the nature, extent and determinants of risk information disclosed, using the context of corporate reporting in Malaysia. Key management personnel and controlling shareholders are chosen as the two types of players expected to influence corporate risk disclosure decisions. In terms of key management personnel, this study draws on upper echelons theory to develop hypotheses about the effects of demographic and other background influences of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chair of Audit Committee (CAC) on corporate risk disclosure.

289p runthenight04 02-02-2023 7 2   Download

This thesis is comprised of eight chapters. Following this introductory chapter, Chapter 2 provides a summary of literature relating to OHS accountability and examines issues relating to OHS performance management. Chapter 3 presents a review of stakeholder, legitimacy and institutional theory literature. The research method employed is discussed and justified in Chapter 4. Chapter 5 presents the results of the stakeholder survey and in doing so describes stakeholder demand for OHS disclosure.

312p runthenight04 02-02-2023 8 3   Download