Kerry Brown - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Books by Kerry Brown

The business environment across the globe is today characterised by three primary governance arra... more The business environment across the globe is today characterised by three primary governance arrangements - bureaucracies, markets and networks. For organisations operating within each of these business contexts the terms of engagement in regard to negotiation are different.

Rather than starting from a broad ‘how to’ approach or a specific cultural interface, Negotiating the Business Environment looks at governance arrangements within the business environment and at how such governance arrangements impact on how negotiation occurs.

Uniquely, it takes into account the context in which negotiations take place.

Negotiating the Business Environment demonstrates how responding to business style in negotiations can effect successful outcomes.

It include strong pedagogy including: key terms, key points, further reading lists, case studies, and end of chapter questions.

Papers by Kerry Brown

Abstract—Cities around the world have set ambitious emissions reduction targets. They are promoti... more Abstract—Cities around the world have set ambitious emissions reduction targets. They are promoting public transport in order to reduce urban pollution from the transportation sector. Cleaner and less polluting city transit buses are paramount if cities are to attain their ambitious emissions reduction targets, as transit buses are high usage vehicles that operate in heavily congested areas where air quality improvements and reductions in public exposure to harmful air contaminants are critical. Decision to invest in a new bus is based on the cost, technology and emission standards. Frequent changes in the emission standards and evolution of bus technology adds to the uncertainty in decision making. A bus has a life expectancy of about 20 years – during its lifespan if the emission standards change and the bus can no longer satisfy the requirements then it has to be phased out or upgraded to comply with the emission requirements – which costs money and time thus leading to financial...

This paper, which stems from qualitative research undertaken by the CRC for Construction Innovati... more This paper, which stems from qualitative research undertaken by the CRC for Construction Innovation in the context of the development of a Guide to Best Practice for Safer Construction in the Australian construction industry, investigates the communication relationship between the client, designer and constructor, and identifies the conditions under which effective communication takes place. Previous research has made little headway with respect to putting into practice strategies that have the potential to improve communication between the client, designer and constructor. This paper seeks to address this ongoing problem. From analysis of client, designer and constructor interviews that form part of industry-selected case studies reflecting excellence in OHS, best-practice tools that have the potential to enhance multi-party communication between the client, designer and constructor are presented. This research also informs the development of workable implementation

2008 First International Conference on Infrastructure Systems and Services: Building Networks for a Brighter Future (INFRA), 2008

Major infrastructure assets are often governed by a mix of public and private organizations, each... more Major infrastructure assets are often governed by a mix of public and private organizations, each fulfilling a specific and separate role i.e. policy, ownership, operation or maintenance. However, it is increasingly problematic to maintain separate and distinct governance arrangements for each of these functions due to their criticality to achieving social outcomes such as supply of water, power and transport and their interdependency in terms of risk management. The success of long term asset management is therefore becoming reliant on coalitions of organizations and groups working in a co-coordinated and collaborative way to deliver services. Yet, it is unclear how to conceptualize these networks of relationships and to determine the types of entities and arrangements that will best contribute to successful collaborative governance. Stewardship theory is revisited to provide a lens through which asset management governance can be examined. It is argued that the concerns of the community in regard to the long-term sustainability of infrastructure assets from environmental, accountability, strategic and business perspectives may be well served by a renewed conceptualization of stewardship theory.

Topics in Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality, 2014

This chapter focuses on identifying and analysing the elements of Strategic Management for infras... more This chapter focuses on identifying and analysing the elements of Strategic Management for infrastructure and engineering assets and asks: what are the considerations and implications for adopting and implementing an integrated strategic asset management framework? We contend that corporate governance, policy, objectives and strategy as well as interagency collaboration should be considered as elements in a ‘staged approach’ to understanding how assets are managed within organisations. This will allow for a more comprehensive framework for engineering asset management that considers social and contextual elements. Asset governance details the policies and processes needed to acquire, utilise, maintain and account for an organisation’s assets. It stems from corporate governance principles and defines the management context in which engineering asset managementis implemented. This will be examined to determine the appropriate relationship between organisational strategic management and strategic asset management to further the theoretical engagement with the maturity of strategy, policy and governance for infrastructure and engineered assets. The chapter draws on a document analysis of corporate reports and policy recommendations in terms of infrastructure and engineered assets. The chapter concludes that incorporating an integrated asset management framework can promote a more robust conceptualisation of public assets and how they combine to provide a comprehensive system of service outcomes

Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering, 2014

The purpose of this paper is to review existing knowledge management (KM) practices within the fi... more The purpose of this paper is to review existing knowledge management (KM) practices within the field of asset management, identify gaps, and propose a new approach to managing knowledge for asset management. Existing approaches to KM in the field of asset management are incomplete with the focus primarily on the application of data and information systems, for example the use of an asset register. It is contended these approaches provide access to explicit knowledge and overlook the importance of tacit knowledge acquisition, sharing and application. In doing so, current KM approaches within asset management tend to neglect the significance of relational factors; whereas studies in the knowledge management field have showed that relational modes such as social capital is imperative for effective KM outcomes. In this paper, we argue that incorporating a relational approach to KM is more likely to contribute to the exchange of ideas and the development of creative responses necessary to improve decision-making in asset management. This conceptual paper uses extant literature to explain knowledge management antecedents and explore its outcomes in the context of asset management. KM is a component in the new Integrated Strategic Asset Management (ISAM) framework developed in conjunction with asset management industry associations (AAMCoG, 2012) that improves asset management performance. In this paper we use Nahapiet and Ghoshal's (1998) model to explain antecedents of relational approach to knowledge management. Further, we develop an argument that relational knowledge management is likely to contribute to the improvement of the ISAM framework components, such as Organisational Strategic Management, Service Planning and Delivery. The main contribution of the paper is a novel and robust approach to managing knowledge that leads to the improvement of asset management outcomes.

POLICY DOMAINS The state and the market have long been recognized as the key modes of social orga... more POLICY DOMAINS The state and the market have long been recognized as the key modes of social organization underpinning democratic society. However, the failure of these governance modes to solve complex public problems meant that new ways of working had to be devised. As a result, networks and the network governance mode have come to the fore. While inextricably inter-related, each of these three modes is underpinned by differing operating frameworks which are grounded in contrasting rule systems, moral orders and rationales and each requires different actors, institutional arrangements and strategies. As a result of adopting and utilizing these differing approaches, the current policy arena is comprised of aspects of all three governance modes. However, not only do these modes stand alone, they often appear in cross-cutting, hybrid governance forms. This situation leads

Superannuation has risen to prominence as the vehicle for providing workers with additional retir... more Superannuation has risen to prominence as the vehicle for providing workers with additional retirement income, supplementing the government-provided age pension. In Australia, the union movement spearheaded a move in 1986 to include superannuation as part of social wage considerations in National Wage Cases. The stated objective of the Labor government in supporting superannuation was to improve the retirement incomes of low-income earners. As women comprise a large portion of those earning low incomes, the effect on women will be significant. This article analyses the gender implications of the shift to provide retirement incomes through a private sector-based superannuation system rather than the utilising the welfare system to provide a government-provided age pension. The existing superannuation system has been criticised for creating inequalities for low-income earners and generally entrenching inequity for low income groups. This contention is considered in the article.

This is the accepted version of this article. To be published as: This is the author’s version pu... more This is the accepted version of this article. To be published as: This is the author’s version published as:

Water, 2021

Water services—including urban water supply, wastewater, and stormwater services—are essential to... more Water services—including urban water supply, wastewater, and stormwater services—are essential to society and critical for protecting human health and the well-being of communities. Goal 6 of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) recognizes this importance and aims to “ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.” Despite progress, the UN reports billions of people still lack water and sanitation services. Many governments around the world face the challenge of balancing between investment in new assets, programs, and services and providing the required funding for repair and replacement of existing water assets. This paper argues infrastructure asset management establishes a foundational framework for the system of operations, management, and importantly, governance of assets to deliver services. An enabling environment for asset management, in addition to supporting the delivery of services, also contributes to meeting publ...

Although the aviation industry is an integral component of regional economic development, aircraf... more Although the aviation industry is an integral component of regional economic development, aircraft noise complaints have become an increasingly contentious issue. This raises the significant question of how airports can better position themselves as socially responsible drivers of regional economic development. This study examines airport-regional community relations in one of the fastest growing airports in Australia—the Gold Coast Airport. The contributions of this paper are two-fold. First, it demonstrates the analysis of social barometers such as media reports and community attributes that can generate useful insights for airport management. Second, it highlights the need for proactive airport social responsibility measures to address the issue of aircraft-noise in a

The Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre is an independent economic and social research organisation ... more The Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre is an independent economic and social research organisation located within the Curtin Business School at Curtin University. The Centre was established in 2012 through the generous support of Bankwest, a division of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. The Centre's core mission is to deliver high quality, accessible research that enhances our understanding of key economic and social issues that contribute to the wellbeing of West Australian families, businesses and communities. The Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre is the first research organisation of its kind in Western Australia, and draws great strength and credibility from its partnership with Bankwest, Curtin University and the Western Australian government. The Centre brings a unique philosophy to research on the major economic issues facing the state. By bringing together experts from the research, policy and business communities at all stages of the process-from framing and conceptualising research questions, through the conduct of research, to the communication and implementation of research findings-we ensure that our research is relevant, fit for purpose, and makes a genuine difference to the lives of Australians, both in WA and nationally. The Centre is able to capitalise on Curtin University's reputation for excellence in economic modelling, forecasting, public policy research, trade and industrial economics and spatial sciences. Centre researchers have specific expertise in economic forecasting, quantitative modelling, micro-data analysis and economic and social policy evaluation. The Centre also derives great value from its close association with experts from the corporate, business, public and not-for-profit sectors.

Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, 2020

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of personal and inter-firm networks and ... more Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of personal and inter-firm networks and the elements that contribute to the formation and management of these networks for regional small businesses. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 small business owners located in regional areas. Findings The findings highlight key characteristics of regional small business owners’ networks. Findings indicated that participants relied strongly on their personal networks for business purposes. This study shows that while personal networks adapted and changed into informal inter-firm networks, weak-tie relations within inter-firm networks were unlikely to develop into close personal networks. Novel findings also include a preference for “regional interactions” and included regular collaboration with local business competitors. Although the participants used social media to manage their business through personal networks, results confirmed there was ...

International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, 2020

PurposeThis paper extends entrepreneurial ecosystems theory by testing how aspects of the local b... more PurposeThis paper extends entrepreneurial ecosystems theory by testing how aspects of the local business environment affect individual entrepreneurs' ability to translate their personal resources into firm performance.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 223 business owners across Australia. Moderation hypotheses were tested using multiple hierarchical regression and confirmed with the Preacher and Hayes (2004) bootstrapping method.FindingsThe results show that business owners' psychological capital, social capital and entrepreneurial education directly affect their individual firm performance. These positive relations are moderated by specific aspects of the business environment, such that they are stronger when the environment is more favorable.Originality/valueThis study puts individual business owners back into entrepreneurial ecosystems theory and explains how they can make the most of their personal resources, suggesting a complex interplay where one siz...

Reliability Engineering & System Safety, 2017

The issue of safety and longevity of engineering assets is of increasing importance because of th... more The issue of safety and longevity of engineering assets is of increasing importance because of their impact when disasters happen. This paper addresses a literature gap by examining the role of workplace relationships in employees' safety behaviour, and builds on the Resilience Engineering (RE) framework by examining some organisational culture factors affecting how employees behave. A Social Exchange framework is used to examine the impact of supervisor-employee relationships, employee commitment to safety practices, and the type of maintenance culture upon employees' commitment to safety and safety outcomes. Survey data from 284 technical and engineering employees in engineering asset management organisations within Australia were analyzed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). Effective employee relationships with management and a proactive maintenance culture were associated with employee commitment to safety culture and safety outcomes. The findings provide empirical support for embedding an effective organisational culture focused on a proactive maintenance approach, along with ensuring employees are committed to safety processes, to ensure safety outcomes and also asset longevity. One study contribution is that good safety outcomes do not develop in a vacuum; instead they are built on effective workplace relationships. Therefore, SET helps to explain the forming of effective safety culture.

Resumen Este artículo examina los efectos de los tratados regionales de libre comercio en la acti... more Resumen Este artículo examina los efectos de los tratados regionales de libre comercio en la actividad comercial internacional. El análisis estima modelos gravitacionales de comercio que sirven para evaluar el posible impacto del CAFTA-RD en el comercio exterior de Puerto Rico y los Estados Unidos. Los efectos estimados del CAFTA-RD para Estados Unidos son invariablemente modestos. En el caso de Puerto Rico, los efectos son considerablemente más importantes, aunque todavía algo pequeños. La inclusión de la República Dominicana en el Tratado, sin embargo, es crítica en estos últimos resultados.

Public Management Review, 2015

Abstract Research and practice have observed a shift towards service-oriented approaches that dep... more Abstract Research and practice have observed a shift towards service-oriented approaches that depend on input from citizens as co-producers of services. Yet in the delivery of public infrastructure the focus is still on managing assets rather than services. Using a Policy Delphi approach, we found that although experts advocate service-centric approaches guidelines and policies lack a service-centric perspective. Findings revealed a range of impediments to effective stakeholder involvement. The paper contributes to co-production and new public governance literature and offers directions for public infrastructure decision-makers to support and reconnect disengaged government–citizen relations, and determine ways of understanding optimal service outcomes.

Management Decision, 2015

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of organisational business acume... more Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of organisational business acumen and social network structure on the earnings and labour precarity experienced by creative industry workers. Design/methodology/approach – Results from a survey that collected data from a random sample of 289 creative workers are analysed using structural equation modelling. Mediating effects of social network structure are explored. Findings – Results support the qualitative findings of Crombie and Hagoort (2010) who claim that organisational business acumen is a significant enabler for creative workers. Further, social network structure has a partial mediating effect in mitigating labour precarity. Research limitations/implications – This exploratory study is novel in its use of a quantitative approach to understand the relationship between labour and social network dynamics of the creative industries. For this reason, developed scales, while robust in exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, warrant f...

Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering, 2014

Uniquely, it takes into account the context in which negotiations take place.

Negotiating the Business Environment demonstrates how responding to business style in negotiations can effect successful outcomes.

It include strong pedagogy including: key terms, key points, further reading lists, case studies, and end of chapter questions.

2008 First International Conference on Infrastructure Systems and Services: Building Networks for a Brighter Future (INFRA), 2008

Topics in Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality, 2014

Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering, 2014

Water, 2021

Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, 2020

International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, 2020

Reliability Engineering & System Safety, 2017

Public Management Review, 2015

Management Decision, 2015

Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering, 2014

Journal of Facilities Management, 2014

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore and compare the asset management policies and p... more Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore and compare the asset management policies and practices of six Australian states – New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania – to improve understanding of the policy context to best shape policy focus and guidelines. Australian state-wide asset management policies and guidelines are an emergent policy domain, generating a substantial body of knowledge. However, these documents are spread across the layers of government and are therefore largely fragmented and lack coherency. Design/methodology/approach – The comparative study is based on the thematic mapping technique using the Leximancer software. Findings – Asset management policies and guidelines of New South Wales and Victoria have more interconnected themes as compared to other states in Australia. Moreover, based on the findings, New South Wales has covered most of the key concepts in relation to asset management; the remaining five ...

Work time spread across the entire week, rather than the conventional five day working week, has ... more Work time spread across the entire week, rather than the conventional five day working week, has meant that workers are now less able to utilise longer stretches of recreation time especially in gaining access to a full two-day break over a weekend. This paper explores the issues contributing to workers' acquisition of longer recreation time. It seeks to determine the effects of this acquisition on the quality of working and non-working time for the employee through a study of work-life balance in the construction industry. It finds that weekends are more important to achieving work-life balance than shorter days over a six-day week when working long hours. Further, 'personal time' is a key element in achieving satisfactory work-life balance for employees, and this type of 'time' is often forgone in trying to integrate the necessary and desired non-work activities in the shorter time available to workers.