Australian Public Sector Research Articles

VP33 Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy For Treating Achalasia: A Rapid Review

Introduction:The best available research and funding policy evidence regarding the regulatory status, patient selection criteria, safety, clinical effectiveness, and financial impact of peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) for the treatment of achalasia was synthesized for statewide decision making for a South Australian local health network.Methods:A comprehensive systematic search of twenty-three gray literature sources and three published literature databases for international evidence was conducted, based on a priori inclusion criteria. The methodological quality of the included studies was critically appraised. Data extraction and synthesis were conducted in narrative form.Results:Short-term safety and clinical data from very low-level studies showed that POEM appears to be a relatively safe and clinically effective endoscopic treatment for esophageal achalasia, compared with laparoscopic Heller myotomy (LHM). One primary safety concern consistently highlighted by the literature was gastroesophageal reflux (GER) after POEM, since no anti-reflux procedure is involved. Operative time and length of hospital stay for POEM were comparable with LHM and potentially favor POEM. The comparative long-term outcomes for the POEM procedure are not known. No studies have investigated the cost-effectiveness of POEM. Conflicting findings were reported on whether POEM is cheaper or more expensive than LHM. POEM is a technically challenging procedure with a substantial learning curve. Patients who undergo POEM may require postoperative surveillance and testing to evaluate procedural success and to identify potential complications. Current literature showed limited analysis and systematic elucidation of an optimal patient group that may best benefit from POEM.Conclusions:The POEM procedure should be carried out at an experimental or trial level only, with strict auditing of results. POEM procedures should ideally be performed at institutions where an adequate level of surgical and critical care backup is available to provide expert care should complications arise. Monitoring of patient outcomes, including symptom improvement, is recommended for clinical assessment and reporting to determine future adoption in the South Australian public health sector.

Scenarios for Change Management Models of the Audit Process of the State Audit Office of Vietnam

The audit process of the State Audit Office of Vietnam (SAV) is inadequate in several ways. This may have a negative influence on the quality and effectiveness of the performance of the SAV. Changing the SAV audit process is thus a strategy that has the potential to contribute significantly to the SAV development. The purpose of this paper is to develop scenarios for change management models of SAV’s audit process in order to identify the most possible scenario which represents the most advantageous and positive features of the change model of SAV audit process. This paper presents literature underpinning the identification of the key driving forces involved in shifting SAV’s audit process and document review to be employed during the research. The research has identified and assessed four different but plausible scenarios based on the major drivers of systems and social forces combined with international auditing standards. The Australian public sector auditing model, which may portray to some extent the characteristics of scenario 1 (international auditing standards and technology-driven system), represents the most desirable prospect. It is expected that this research will contribute to the development of an effective audit process for SAV which serves as a mechanism to ensure the transparency, and effectiveness of public sector expenditure.

Determining the optimal cut-off scores for the Workplace Bullying Inventory.

Over the past two decades, there has been considerable research into workplace bullying. One area that remains poorly developed is a tool with the capacity to accurately differentiate between exposed and unexposed employees. To determine optimal cut-off scores for the Workplace Bullying Inventory (WBI) that accurately classify cases of exposure to workplace bullying. Secondary analysis of data collected from Australian public sector employees ( n =2,197) was conducted. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used with a minimum sensitivity of 80%, to determine those scores on the WBI that corresponded with the highest accuracy of the tool to distinguish cases from non-cases. The results suggest using a cut score of 29 from the total score on the WBI (possible range: 18-90). When compared to a sum-score from a single dichotomous self-report variable, the cut-off score estimated a more conservative bullying rate. The single-item rate was potentially inflated by misconceptions about what constitutes bullying in the workplace. Employing validated cut-off points for exposure provides an objective threshold for establishing exposure to workplace bullying. The results of the analysis provide a more rigorous approach to quantifying exposure to workplace bullying, in a tool that has been designed and tested in the nursing workforce. This is the first such tool with empirically-derived, discriminant accuracy. It is common for nurse researchers to employ sum-scores from single items to identify exposure to workplace bullying. By providing reliable cut-off points for exposure, this study offers standardised, diagnostic accuracy for researchers, clinicians and managers.

Tackling gender diversity at senior organisational levels: A road map for women's advancement

Female representation at senior organizational levels continues to lag well behind male representation. There is evidence of a positive relationship between female representation at a senior level and female representation at the level immediately below; the trickle-down effect. The effect has been identified in the Australian public sector, with increases in female executive representation leading to increases in female representation in the executive feeder group. Organizations can initiate a trickle-down effect by appointing women to senior roles, but how do they support the effect and then accelerate it? We interviewed 13 senior managers from within an Australian public service. We use the women’s advancement literature, focusing on first- and second- generation bias, as a framework for investigating the policies and practices designed to overcome barriers to women’s advancement. We compare the policies, practices, accelerators and decelerators in the service to determine the mix that best supports and accelerates the trickle-down effect. We found policies and practices within the public service are generally ad hoc and target first- generation gender bias, but not the more subtle second-generation bias. We propose a list of practices organizations can adopt to support and accelerate the trickle-down effect.

Gender diversity from the top: the trickle‐down effect in the Australian public sector

Organisational strategies to achieve gender diversity have tended to focus on ‘bottom‐up’ approaches such as mentoring or leadership training. We investigate an alternative ‘top‐down’ approach: the trickle‐down effect. We integrate theories from the psychology and management literatures to hypothesise a positive relationship between female representation at two levels. Data from 20 departments in an Australian public service were collected for the period 2002–2012. Female executive representation in 1 year had a positive impact on female representation in the executive feeder group in the following year. The trickle‐down effect was strongest in the first 2 years, but still significant after 5 years. We investigated two moderators, department size and gender diversity target. The effect was stronger in large departments. Surprisingly, the gender diversity target strengthened the trickle‐down effect only when female executive representation was under 15%. Our finding of a trickle‐down effect suggests public sector departments should consider appointing women to senior roles as a top‐down strategy for increasing organisational gender diversity.

Converting values awareness to values enactment through frame-of-reference training

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate whether values enactment could be increased through frame-of-reference (FOR) training configured around values prototyping and behavioural domain training for managers within an Australian public sector organisation.Design/methodology/approachEmployees from an Australian public sector organisation were studied to ascertain the effect of values training and development via a three-way longitudinal design with a control group.FindingsThe findings indicate that FOR training can increase employee values enactment clarity and, thereby, have a positive impact upon organisational values enactment.Practical implicationsThe application of FOR training constitutes a new approach to supporting the development of employee values clarity, which, in turn, can support the achievement of organisational values enactment. Through FOR training, employees can learn to apply organisational values in their decision-making and other behaviours irrespective of whether they are highly congruent with their personal values.Originality/valueEmpirical research into values management is limited and there is a lack of consensus to what is needed to create a values-driven organisation. The article shows that FOR training can be a beneficial component of a broader human resource strategy aimed at increasing organisational values enactment. With reference to the resource-based view of the firm, it is argued that values enactment constitutes a distinctive capability that may confer sustained organisational advantage.

Building employability through graduate development programmes

PurposeGraduate development programmes are a well-established strategy for recruiting graduates into the sector at the start of a lifetime public service career. There are indications, however, that public sector careers are becoming less secure and less long term in keeping with overall career trends across all sectors, a trend that has seen the emergence of employment contracts based on employability rather than job security. The purpose of this paper is to explore a graduate development programme offered by a state-based Australian public sector organisation to identify the extent to which it reflects and supports the shift to an employability-based contract from the perspective of programme participants.Design/methodology/approachSemi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 participants from three intakes of a public sector graduate development programme. Data were analysed through identification of first- and second-order themes as well as cross-case comparison.FindingsFindings indicate that the one-year development programme partially supports an employability-based contract. The organisation could not promise ongoing employment and job security but did assist participants to develop skills and competencies for the future through its formal training and development programme. Work unit support for employability was, however, much more variable and depended to a large extent on line managers.Research limitations/implicationsThe study was conducted in a single organisation and only included current and past programme participants who were still employed in the public sector.Practical implicationsThe success of the programme was largely dependent on job placement and level of line manager support. Addressing these areas through better programme design and management can support the development of future leaders through opportunities for enhanced employability.Originality/valueThe study extends current research on employability by exploring how a public sector organisation provides support for graduates in a developmental programme from a participant perspective.

Effectiveness of the development and implementation of Australian public sector management and financial reforms: E = MC2

The current Australian public sector reforms consultations commenced in 2010. The legislative basis for the reforms—the PGPA Act—was passed in June 2013, and commenced operation on 1 July 2014. Since then, considerable time and effort has been put into implementation of the performance framework involving extensive finance regulations, instructions, guidance, and co-operation and feedback on shared experience and practice, including shared arrangements within and outside the public sector. Questions have been raised about the relationship between administrative process and outcomes, particularly about the changing relationship between the public, private and third sectors of the economy. This article examines the likelihood that the framework being put in place will achieve the reform’s objectives.

Green public procurement implementation challenges in Australian public healthcare sector

This study investigates challenges of implementing green public procurement (GPP) in Australian public healthcare sector. Through an extensive literature review it develops a framework of GPP implementation that incorporates five challenge-categories and sixteen challenges. The problem is structured as an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) based multi-criteria decision-making model. The AHP-based structured interviews are conducted with the health-procurement executives to collect data and information. The results of the analysis reveal that the key challenge-categories of green health procurement are related to government, NGO and public issues, and organisational green issues. The most critical challenges found are lack of legislation on green procurement, senior management support for green, government incentives for green purchase, and lack of financial support. Some of the least important challenges identified are green preferences in purchasing, understanding of green policy, availability of green product supplier, and collaboration with supplier. The most critical challenges are mainly strategic, whereas, the least important challenges are operational in nature. An insight into the criticality of the challenges and a clear understanding of their decision-making domains could assist public health institutions devising strategies and policies on green procurement.

Accounting for biodiversity in Australia

PurposeThis paper aims to respond to recent calls by Jones (2014) and Jones and Solomon (Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 2013) for more studies on biodiversity accounting and reporting. In particular, this paper explores biodiversity reporting of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA), an Australian public sector enterprise.Design/methodology/approachThe paper uses content analysis of MDBA’s published annual reports over the period of 15 years (1998-2012). Archival data (from different government departments) are also used to prepare natural inventory model.FindingsThe paper finds that although specific species, such as flora and fauna, and habitats-related disclosures have increased over the time, such information still allows only a partial construction of an inventory of natural assets, using Jones’ (1996, 2003) model. However, unlike prior studies that find lack of data availability to be the main impediment for operationalising biodiversity accounting, the abundance of biodiversity data in Australia makes it comparatively easier to produce such a statement.Research limitations/implicationsInformed by the environmental stewardship framework, the results of this paper suggest that the disclosures made by MDBA are constrained potentially due to its use of traditional accounting mechanisms of reporting that only allow tradable items to be reported to stakeholders. An alternative reporting format would be more relevant to stakeholder groups who are more interested in information regarding quality and availability of water, and loss of biodiversity in the basin area rather than the financial performance of the MDBA.Originality/valueAlthough there are a growing number of studies exploring biodiversity reporting in Australia, this paper is one of the earlier attempts to operationalise biodiversity (particularly habitats, flora and fauna) within the context of an Australian public sector enterprise.

Explaining the information systems auditor role in the public sector financial audit

This paper addresses the research questions, “What is the role of the IS auditor in supporting the financial audit?” and “What key determinants affect that role?” through the development of an explanation theory for the role of the IS auditor in the public sector financial audit. Results are based on semi-structured interviews with 55 senior auditors and IS auditors. These auditors worked in ten practice offices in the Australian, Canadian, New Zealand and United Kingdom public sectors. We manually coded 23 interview transcripts and used the Leximancer tool to extend this coding to the remaining transcripts through automated text analysis. The analysis allowed the identification of relevant “common statements” representing the prominent and shared perceptions of the IS auditor role amongst these auditors. These common statements provided a basis for the development of an initial explanation theory. One new construct presented in this theory is the practice office's “IS audit emphasis”, which represents the practice office's emphasis upon the relationship between the IS auditor role and the audit team. The explanation theory provides a richer description of current audit practice regarding the IS auditor's role in public sector financial audit than currently exists. Consequently, this research provides insights for those involved in the education and training of auditors by developing a foundation for a more complete understanding of the IS auditor role.

Public Sector Reforms and New Public Management: Exploratory Evidence from Australian Public Sector

This study is about the exploration of public sector reform agendas in the context of New Public Management initiatives in Australia. Australian public sector has been adopted as the field for investigation. The purpose of this study is to understand how new public management ideals become embedded in the new financially and managerially oriented Australian public sector which may be a learning for public sector in Southeast Asia. Evidence supported that the Australian Public Sector has operated within the context of a range of reformed government policies, strategies and laws. The primary catalyst of reforms in Australia was generated by government regulatory policies. It is also evident that the Australian Public Sector had made changes in their structure and operation to achieve cost-efficiency, budget accountability and an improved customer focus in service delivery. The research also demonstrates that implementation of reforms initiatives are the functions of New Public Management in the key areas of financial management. These findings are consistent with the view that changes to the Australian public sector promoted managerial accountability and a culture of performance.

Institutional entrepreneurship and management control systems

Purpose This study aims to explore how management control systems (MCS) compliment institutional entrepreneurship. It provides a case illustration of how the Vice Chancellor (VC) as an institutional entrepreneur used MCS to bring about a change in an Australian public sector university in anticipation of an externally imposed research assessment exercise. Design/methodology/approach This case study gathered qualitative data through key informant interviews (including deputy VCs, research managers, executive deans and heads of departments) and a review of university and other electronic policy-related documents. Findings The study contributes to an understanding of the external environment that drives university leaders to become institutional entrepreneurs, and what they precisely do to facilitate the internal dynamic change in line with political demands. Research limitations/implications Being a single case study, care should be taken in generalizing the findings. However, it raises significant issues that deserve further attention, for example, the impact of change on the working life of academics. Practical implications The research study identifies the proposed imposition of a research assessment exercise as an enabling condition under which an institutional entrepreneur could promote and activate a new vision. It provides useful insights for other universities operating in the rapidly changing environment. Originality/value In identifying the way institutional entrepreneurs bring about change by promoting a vision and operationalizing it through MCS, the research study extends literature on institutional entrepreneurship MCS and organizational change.

The impact of rationing of health resources on capacity of Australian public sector nurses to deliver nursing care after-hours: a qualitative study.

Australia, along with other countries, has introduced New Public Management (NPM) into public sector hospitals in an effort to contain healthcare costs. NPM is associated with outsourcing of service provision, the meeting of government performance indicators, workforce flexibility and rationing of resources. This study explores the impact of rationing of staffing and other resources upon delivery of care outside of business hours. Data was collected through semistructured interviews conducted with 21 nurses working in 2 large Australian metropolitan hospitals. Participants identified four strategies associated with NPM which add to workload after-hours and impacted on the capacity to deliver nursing care. These were functional flexibility, vertical substitution of staff, meeting externally established performance indicators and outsourcing. We conclude that cost containment alongside of the meeting of performance indicators has extended work traditionally performed during business hours beyond those hours when less staffing and material resources are available. This adds to nursing workload and potentially contributes to incomplete nursing care.

Bargaining over Australian public service cuts: Do forcing strategies work?

AbstractAlthough a Labor government fiscal stimulus had helped Australia weather the 2008 global financial crisis, budget deficits increased, and the public service was targeted for economies. The Liberal/National (Coalition) opposition won office in 2013, promising public sector cuts. In this context, the Walton et al. concept of a forcing strategy helps analyse the 2014–2016 bargaining round in the Australian Public Service. A forcing strategy involves three negotiating processes: distributive bargaining to achieve concessions in pay and working conditions, the structuring of attitudes to heighten animosity between the negotiating parties, and the management of internal differences to minimise intragroup conflicts. The Liberal/National (Coalition) government adopted elements of these approaches, requiring Australian Public Service agencies to reduce a range of employment conditions to justify pay increases. Interactions between Australian Public Service management and the principal Australian Public Service trade union, the Community and Public Sector Union became increasingly hostile over the course of the bargaining round. In addition, internal differences emerged between the Australian Public Service Commission, which oversaw the bargaining process, and individual Australian Public Service agencies. We consider the efficacy of this forcing strategy in light of the potential for the Community and Public Sector Union to mobilise its membership to resist such an approach to pay negotiations.

Nexus between preventive policy inadequacies, workplace bullying, and mental health: Qualitative findings from the experiences of Australian public sector employees.

Public sector organizations have been shown to have high levels of workplace bullying, despite widespread adoption of zero-tolerance policy. Given the level of harm that stems from bullying, it has been suggested that it might be one of the most serious problems facing modern organizations. The qualitative findings from a large cross sectional study of public servants in Australia are reported in the present study. The results highlight palpable mental distress and illness stemming from exposure to workplace bullying. This distress was exacerbated by failures in prohibitive workplace procedures. Reporting bullying through formal organization processes did not lead to resolution of the problem; it instead highlighted feelings of powerlessness and mistrust. In light of the findings, we suggest that an alternative discourse is required, one that gives attention to enhancing employee resilience and self-healing behaviours to the emotional trauma of workplaces. Organizations might be better placed investing resources in fostering the resilience and emotional intelligence of their workforce, rather than continuing to invest resources in prohibitive policies that fail to address the problem. Employees should be supported to prioritize responsibility for their own mental health, rather than an overreliance on organizational responses.

Australian public sector information: a case study into information practices

AbstractThere is much rhetoric and policy in democratic governments concerning the need for public access to government information, and in Australia this access is deemed to be the default position. Such policies run parallel with trends for disseminating this information almost exclusively on departmental and government agencies’ websites. This article uses a case-study approach to examine a particular government department’s compliance with the regulatory environment and to explore why a particular set of government documents, mandated to be available at a government department website, appeared not to be there. The research demonstrates not only the need for a coherent set of information practices within government departments and based on best practice, but highlights the importance of national libraries’ preservation initiatives such as the Australian Government Web Archive.

Leadership and thriving behavior as predictors of safety climate in public sector of two countries

The study used survey questionnaires to investigate the links between transformational leadership, thriving behaviour, and safety climate within the Australian and Indonesian public sectors. Data f...

Innovation in Public Sector Management Control Systems in the Context of New Public Management: A Case of an Australian Public Sector Organization

This study is about the exploration of innovative management control systems in the context of New Public Management (NPM) initiatives. NPM initiatives created the changes to the structure and processes of public sector organizations with the objective of getting them to run better. A government department in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) has been selected as the field for investigation. This study draws on a single theoretical perspective, Giddens’s structuration theory to understand the management control systems evolved in the researched organization. Qualitative research methodology is applied to obtain a better understanding of the phenomena. Case-based research method is used in developing a complete understanding of the relative role of controls in the management of organizational performance. In this study, it is argued that the researched organization has adopted various management control tools to improve its performance and demonstrate transparency and accountability. Some of the control tools it has adopted are the innovations in the public sector. It appears from the case that these adopted management control tools forced the researched organization towards better performance supporting the rationale of adopting New Public Management practices.

Subsidiarity in the Australian Public Sector: Finding Pragmatism in the Principle

The principle of subsidiarity, commonly understood as the view that authority should be exercised by the lowest level of government competent to do so, is a key concept in understanding and reforming Australian federalism. In this article, we explore the way in which citizens with experience working in government react to the principle, and highlight that those with experience at different levels of government approach and value subsidiarity differently. Based on mixed‐methods evidence, we propose that a pragmatic, problem‐oriented approach to federalism and subsidiarity may cut through these differences, and allow policymakers to come together under a unified understanding of subsidiarity.