Research topics and projects

OpportunityFour Summer VRES positions specifically for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander QUT Business School students working on an immersive research project. This research will allow students to better understand the role of research and its role as an effective approach to developing solutions to complex problems.Key details$2,000.00 honorariumflexible-delivery under academic supervision (set your own days)independent or group-based delivery experience80-100 hoursno prior research experience requiredKey Benefitswork closely with academics and the QUT Business School Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Groupprofessional …

Centre/School

QUT Business School

The synergies between dialogue and engagement are providing new areas for research. In particular there is interest in how the unique characteristics of dialogue (Kent and Taylor, 2002) can be understood in relation to the concept of engagement. Dialogic engagement has particular significance for the not-for-profit sector, which has a close historical connection to clearly and overtly ethical forms of communication.This proposed study seeks to articulate the dimensions of dialogic engagement in the not-for-profit sector; and to use these dimensions …

Centre/School

School of Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations

Study levels

PhD

Master of Philosophy

One of the arguments of creating shared value is that organisations can look to grow their business by looking at the dynamics of their cluster, instead of just their industry. For example, while a hotel operator is in direct competition with other hotels in the same region, all of the hotels are influenced by what is happening in the region on a larger scale, such as the quality of the local airport, restaurants, attractions and crime.While working with competitors and …

Centre/School

School of Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations

Study levels

PhD

Master of Philosophy

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is widely considered standard business practice, with many understanding CSR to be a stakeholder-driven construct (i.e. CSR is influenced by organisational stakeholders). This would suggest that organisations need to engage with stakeholders to determine what is or is not a socially responsible behaviour.This thesis would test the Devin & Lane (2014) conceptual model of engagement to determine how CSR engagement occurs in practice.Please note: This topic illustrates the type of projects these supervisors are interested in. …

Centre/School

School of Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations

Study levels

PhD

Master of Philosophy

Creating shared value is the new buzzword in management literature, and is positioned as the new corporate social responsibility. This project seeks to explore how engagement is used to create and shape an understanding of organisational shared value.Please note: This topic illustrates the type of projects these supervisors are interested in. Given the background of the supervisors, this topic takes a public relations perspective that is based on communication and relationships. It is not attached to a funded project.Required skills …

Centre/School

School of Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations

Study levels

PhD

Master of Philosophy

Engagement is considered a necessary part of organisational practice. While stakeholder demands for authentic engagement may address stakeholder-held views of perceived organisation-stakeholder power deficits, understanding how power dynamics impact the process and outcomes of engagement is not well understood. This research responds to this gap in knowledge.Please note: This topic illustrates the type of projects these supervisors are interested in. Given the background of the supervisors, this topic takes a public relations perspective that is based on communication and relationships. …

Centre/School

School of Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations

Study levels

PhD

Master of Philosophy

The trend to a more socially inclusive and responsive form of organisational decision-making reflects an increasing belief that engaging a community for specific programs can lead to better organisational and social outcomes.While community engagement has strongly featured in government public relations and communication practice, a recent trend noted in marketing communication practice is to incorporate the broader concept of social or community engagement as a key communication strategy. There is little evidence in the literature to provide clarity to this …

Centre/School

School of Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations

Study levels

PhD

Master of Philosophy

Engagement is a key concept in contemporary public relations theory and practice. Much of the current literature focuses on the operationalisation of engagement in a specific organisation or group of organisations within a single practice context. However, there are multiple practice contexts, and little research has been carried out to identify similarities and differences between the operationalisation of engagement across these areas.This study will compare and contrast the conduct of engagement across practice contexts, and analyse the significance of any …

Centre/School

School of Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations

Study levels

PhD

Master of Philosophy

Engagement offers organisations an ethical mechanism to respond to organisational-stakeholder power imbalances and enhance corporate governance in the interests of wider society. Stakeholder demands for authentic engagement may address stakeholder-held views of perceived organisation-stakeholder power deficits. Challenges exist, however, for corporate managers to provide relevant information and become responsive to the diverse stakeholder interests (Johnston, 2016). This study seeks to understand, document and theorise the characteristics of 'successful' engagement.Please note: This topic illustrates the type of projects these supervisors are …

Centre/School

School of Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations

Study levels

PhD

Master of Philosophy

The Australian Accounting Standards Board (AASB) Exposure Draft: ED270 - Reporting Service Performance Information placed mandatory annual performance reporting for nonprofit organisations on the national agenda. The exposure draft specifically noted the need for nonprofit organisations to achieve service performance objectives and impact, and provide this information in a way that's useful for accountability and decision-making purposes.While reporting outputs and outcomes is relatively unproblematic, reporting impact is both very important and difficult. Impact evaluation narratives require stakeholder engagement, qualitative analysis …

Centre/School

School of Accountancy

'Engagement' describes practices an organisation undertakes to build stakeholder relationships and respond to the social opinion environment. These practices build on individual-level engagement to facilitate stakeholder and community connection, participation, and involvement across and within organisational boundaries and stakeholder networks. This study seeks to understand the role and characteristics of digital technologies in enabling engagement.Please note: This topic illustrates the type of projects these supervisors are interested in. Given the background of the supervisors, this topic takes a public relations …

Centre/School

School of Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations

Study levels

PhD

Master of Philosophy

Research has shown that many participants in tax exploitation schemes are given advice to invest by financial advisors and tax professionals. Traditionally, it has been the participants in tax exploitation schemes who bear the risks associated with the investment and who are subjected to significant financial penalties when the schemes are proven ineffective. The designers and promoters of the schemes (financial advisors and tax professionals) have not been subject to penalties, except in unusual circumstances.Research activitiesThis project will examine the …

Centre/School

School of Accountancy