Henson, Sam 

Beyond start-up: Regional SMEs transitioning to growth (currently under examination)

Degree: PhD

Title: Beyond Start-up: Small and Medium Enterprises Growth, Transitions and Replication

Overview: Within the Australian economy, approximately 95% of businesses can be categorized as small. Most of these firms exhibit marginal growth characteristics, with only a minority of fast growing, small firms generating the majority of employment growth in the small business sector. International data, whilst varying by country and by industry, indicate that approximately 70% of long-term employment created from new ventures is generated by only 10% of these new firms. Whilst the causes of small business failure have been extensively researched, growth has not. This research proposes to develop a model based around replication, knowledge transfer and resource stickiness, to explain the growth of firms beyond start-up. This research, through the development of appropriate models, will help inform public policy and private strategies, particularly in regional Australia where SMEs contribute the bulk of private sector employment.

Principal Supervisor: Professor Julian Lowe

Associate Supervisor: Dr Steve McEachern

Tuck, Jackie 

Managing community relationships and reputation: Sustaining competitive advantage in the mining industry (currently under examination)

Degree: PhD

Title: Managing community relationships and reputation: Sustaining competitive advantage in the mining industry

Overview: How important is an organisation's stakeholder and community reputation in determining its financial performance and corporate sustainability? This project examines the issues posed by this question as it relates to the mining industry, and analyses at the firm level, strategies that may enhance a company's community reputation through sustainable mining and development practices, and simultaneously create shareholder value.
The project contributes to knowledge by enhancing an understanding of:

• How the reputation and track record of mining companies, particularly at exit, influence their costs, speed of access to future sites and overall corporate sustainability.
• How strategies at a local level can be developed to ensure cost effective reputation management.
• How corporate citizenship in general is managed at an operational and strategic level.
• How stakeholder relationships can be valued and measured.

This research addresses what is currently one of the most important issues for the mining industry worldwide. Can mining be managed in such a way that economic benefits are achieved but the host communities achieve sustainability?

Principal Supervisor: Professor Julian Lowe

Associate Supervisor: Dr Steve McEachern