Research

Research Activity

Life Cycle Evaluation and Management of Customer Relationship Management Systems

Professor Peter Love, Professor Craig Standing and Professor Zahir Irani (Brunel University, UK)
ARC Discovery

Customer relationship management (CRM) is a comprehensive business and marketing strategy that integrates technology, process and business activities around the customer.

Effective CRM is assumed to lead to bottom line benefits for the organisation. Advances in information and communication technologies have provided an effective platform to deliver electronic CRM functions.

Despite widespread agreement that CRM can have a direct and indirect impact on customer satisfaction, loyalty, sales and profit, the significance of e-CRM and its features in influencing customer satisfaction has not been well researched.

Specific objectives of the research are to: identify the factors used by managers to justify the implementation of CRM applications; develop dynamic performance measures to be used for evaluating CRM throughout its life cycle; and develop a CRM life cycle evaluation model.

Alcohol in pregnancy: Health promotion for health professionals

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Professor Nadine Henley, Professor Carol Bower and colleagues at the Institute for Child Health Research
Healthway Intervention Project Grant

Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) and Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FA SD) describe a range of effects that can occur in an individual whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy.

The effects may include physical, mental, behavioural, and/or learning disabilities with possible lifelong implications. Alcohol consumption in pregnancy and its effects, and FAS in particular, have received limited attention in Australia.

Many health professionals are not well prepared to provide guidance to women about alcohol consumption and its effects in pregnancy and FAS. The objectives of this research are to provide West Australian health professionals with best practice health promotion material for advising women on alcohol consumption during pregnancy and its effects and to increase the proportion of West Australian health professionals who provide advice to women consistent with NHMRC guidelines for women who are pregnant or might soon become pregnant.

Online training and Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs)

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Professor Beth Walker, Associate Professor Susan Stoney, Dr Beverley Webster, Associate Professsor Rowena Barrett (De Montfort University, UK), Tara Smith and the Department of Education and Training
ARC Linkage Grant

It is widely recognised that training and education are effective ways to reduce small business failure. Current training delivery methods for small business owners tend to be static and do not address the real needs of new owners, which centre on just-in-time business specific skills development.

One method that has been suggested to overcome the time pressures for small business owners is to deliver training online. However, it is evident that small business owners and managers have different understandings of online training and therefore the current models of delivering training online may in fact not be the most suitable to address specific needs.

This research will explore the appropriateness of this training method for small business owner/managers and will develop a framework of appropriate training delivery.

Managerial Expertise in the Wine Industry: Implications for Rural Development

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Associate Profesor Beth Walker, Professor Alan Brown, Professor Marilyn Clark-Murphy, Professor Stephen Charters, Nicole Davis and the Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation (GWRDC)
Faculty Grant

Rapid growth in the wine industry over the past 20 years reflects the overall growth in small business ownership in Australia. However the industry is becoming increasingly competitive with consumption in domestic and traditional export markets reaching capacity.

The objectives of the research are to explore the managerial expertise of winery owners and managers and to identify the managerial skills training needs relevant to this industry and the implications for rural development.

The outcomes will be the development of management training strategies and programs aimed specifically at the wine industry, together with an analysis of wine industry managerial expertise, resulting in academic publications.

More research activity.

Publications

SAFE and FEMARC Working Papers Series

International Journal of Business Studies

Research Courses

2008 Business and Law Research Brochure (PDF 2.48Mb)

2008 Business and Law Research Course Guide (PDF 2.48Mb)

Undergraduate

Postgraduate

Centres

Centre for Applied Social Marketing Research (CASMR) - Director: Professor Nadine Henley.
The Centre for Applied Social Marketing Research is based within the School of Marketing, Tourism and Leisure. Social marketing involves the application of commercial marketing principles and other social change techniques to achieve socially desirable goals. It is used primarily in health, safety and conservation contexts to inform government policy and influence individual behaviours.

China-Australia Business Research Centre (CABRC) - Director: Dr Xueli (Charlie) Huang.
Based within the School of Management, CABRC conducts business-oriented research relating to mainland China. Established in 2007, the centre's research activities currently focus on strategic management, sustainable development, human resource management and international business.

Finance, Economics, Markets and Accounting Research Centre (FEMARC) - Director: Professor David Allen.
Formerly known as The Finance and Capital Market Research Group, the name of the centre was changed in 2001 to Finance, Economics, Markets and Accounting Research Centre (FEMARC) to better reflect the diverse range of research activities which take place within the School of Accounting, Finance and Economics.

The Sellenger Centre for Law, Justice and Policing Research - Director: Dr Pamela Henry.
The Sellenger Centre is the liaison, and research and development centre for the School of Law and Justice. The Sellenger Centre is focused upon providing the services of research, education, training, development and advice to ensure excellence in the delivery of justice, security and law enforcement. It is positioned to continue and expand on its work with local, national and international organisations involved in the industries associated with the delivery of justice and security.

Small and Medium Enterprise Research Centre (SMERC) - Director: Professor Beth Walker. SMERC is based within the School of Management and is recognised nationally and internationally for research in the small and medium enterprise domain that produces outcomes of significant value to academe and practice. SMERC has developed strong links with industry associations, the business community and government through support of, participation in, and facilitation of SME activities.

Centre for Retirement Incomes and Financial Education Research (CRIFER) - Co-Directors: Associate Professor Paul Gerrans and Professor Marilyn Clark-Murphy.
CRIFER was established in July 2009 and builds on an existing research in the area of superannuation/retirement savings and financial literacy. The Centre is based within the School of Accounting, Finance and Economics.

Office of Research and Higher Degrees

Associate Professor Paul Gerrans,
Acting Associate Dean Research and Higher Degrees

The Office assists researchers and administers research activities in the Faculty.