Director: Mr Chris Viney
Management committee: Professor M Skully and Mr M Vincent
The mission of the Australian Banking Research Unit (ABRU) is to function as a link between the department and the finance sector to enhance banking research and ensure the growth of banking education and its relevance to the community.
The achievement of ABRU's objectives and goals will be through industry-based seminar programs conducted in conjunction with dominant industry players; applied research in partnership with the industry; specialised programs utilising guests of significant importance and relevance to the industry; executive programs; conferences of an applied industry nature and through the development of the department and its research into the financial sector.
For more information telephone (03) 9903 2585 or email Chris.Viney@BusEco.monash.edu.au.
Director: Professor Graham Peirson
The Centre for Research in Accounting and Finance provides organisations in the private and public sectors with access to a research facility, and is available to undertake commissioned research projects. The centre promotes a range of related services in all the discipline areas covered by the Department of Accounting and Finance: financial accounting and reporting; management accounting; business finance; auditing; banking; risk management and information systems.
The centre undertakes a range of other activities including workshops, professional development and in-house training courses, publication of books, monographs and research materials, preparation and distribution of software, preparation of technical material and advice and publication of workshop and professional development papers.
For more information telephone (03) 9905 2477.
Director: Mr Kevin Tant
Associate director: Mr Roger Love
Established at a cost of a million dollars, the David Syme Treasury Dealing Centre (DSTDC) provides educational facility options that are essential to maintaining pace with the rapidly changing business environment. The DSTDC has a computer-based simulated dealing room which replicates Australia's financial institutions.
The system integrates real-time financial data and a back-office assessment bringing together market information, development of strategies, communication and profitability. Market information is conveyed on one screen and multi-landline telephones are used to ascertain views about the expected outcomes from other participants - the Reserve Bank of Australia, banks, brokers and corporations.
The centre aims to enhance research in banking and finance, especially in the treasury related area; to pursue sponsorship which will promote research and to become self funded through the provision of specialist training courses to the banking and finance industry practitioners in the areas of treasury operations and management, domestic money market operation and foreign exchanges, synthetics, equities, portfolio and investment management, financial modelling and economic forecasting techniques.
In conjunction with the above the centre aims to attract distinguished scholars and policy makers from within Australia and overseas to participate in research and conferences and to engage in consultancy activities utilising the expertise of the members of the centre.
For more information telephone (03) 9903 2386 or (03) 9903 2090.
Director: Mr Jeff McLean
The Australian Systems Thinking and Organisational Learning Group (ASTOLg) was formed in 1993 to bring together a variety of related activities in the Department of Management at Caulfield campus. The overall aim of ASTOLg is to promote awareness of, and application of systems thinking and organisational learning theories and processes, to improve the on-going performance of organisations and communities as instruments for achieving enhanced economic and society goals. The group is largely self-funding and aims to generate funding to support its research and other activities.
Current research activities include the development of `learning organisations'; modelling of corporate strategy and chaotic behaviour, and the regulation of public utilities. The group is aiming to establish a number of cooperative learning clusters consisting of private and public sector organisations interested in sharing their learning and being involved in collaborative research. It also has a large and growing number of external individuals and organisations that subscribe to a range of services including a newsletter, regular seminars and workshops, networking opportunities and an annual conference. With generous support from the Myer Foundation a number of prominent national and international academics and practitioners visit the group each year.
Executive short courses are offered both publicly and on an in-house basis. Applied research and consultancy to organisations is also available. For more information telephone 9903 2608. Email: Jeff.McLean@BusEco.monash.edu.au.
Director: Associate Professor James Sarros
The Leadership Research Unit (LRU) was established in 1992. The unit is the focus within the department for leadership research and development activities, both for academic and industry-specific purposes.
The LRU publishes the Leadership Report Quarterly (LRQ), a newsletter that addresses key leadership research initiatives in an easy to read, accessible fashion. The LRQ is sponsored by Ward Howell International and its subscription base is both national and international. The LRU is also engaged in promoting visits by international academics to the university for the purposes of stimulating research and development in leadership activities. Other leadership ventures include cross-cultural research with colleagues in the USA on a range of topics, the publication of leadership case studies, and contributions to major reviews of leadership research activities over the past few years.
The LRU is responsible for stimulating leadership programs not only in the academic world but also the business community. Some of the more recent include a major interview survey of Australia's leading chief executives, in conjunction with Ward Howell International. For more information telephone (03) 9904 4278 or email James.Sarros@BusEco.monash.edu.au.
Director: Professor Amrik Sohal
The unit provides research opportunities for staff members and students of the Department of Management in all aspects of quality management, including total quality management (TQM) and manufacturing/operations management. The unit has developed a unique partnership between the Department of Management and business enterprises in Victoria. These enterprises provide opportunities for staff and students to carry out research work on-site, enabling the sharing of information and ideas. The development of Australian case studies relating to quality management and manufacturing/operations management is a vital part of this activity. Current research projects include: impediments to the adoption of quality management in Australian industry; planning for new technology in Australian and New Zealand industries; production/operations executive quality and manufacturing performance; critical success factors and impediments to the implementation of industry strategic plans.
Professor Sohal is editor of a journal associated with the unit, entitled Asia Pacific Journal of Quality Management.
The Quality Management Research Unit also offers executive short-courses in quality management, both on-campus and on-site, and undertakes on-site research and consultancy.
For more information telephone (03) 9903 2033 or email Amrik.Sohal@BusEco.monash.edu.au.
Executive director: Dr Alan Treadgold
Advisory board: Mr P Sheppard, Chairman (Sheppards Footwear), Mr P Davis (Bunnings), Ms M Paidoussi (Portmans), Mr D Robertson (Tuckerbag), Ms D Bray (Country Road), Mr E Deysel (Australia Post), Mr D Threlfall (Target), Mr A Howard (Coles Myer) and Professor P FitzRoy (Monash University)
The centre is an international provider of management education, training, development and research specifically tailored to meet the needs of the retail industry. The Retailers' Council of Australia endorses ACRS as the Industry's centre of excellence.
The centre's major activities include the provision of a wide range of management development and retail courses offered both publicly and in-house. These comprise: store management; retail buying; advanced retail buying; advanced retail negotiations; strategic planning and management in retailing; ACRS Diploma in Retail Studies; and senior executive retail study tours overseas.
The centre undertakes research studies which have included reports on offshore retailing, retail change in Asia and supply chain management and the development of industry cases for teaching and management training.
Centre faculty contribute to Monash degree courses, supervise postgraduate students, publish extensively and present at teaching retail conferences worldwide.
The centre maintains close links with the retail industry and is substantially funded by industry.
For more information telephone (03) 9903 2455.
Director: Ms Alice de Jonge
Management committee: Ms A Doraisami, Ms A Scally, Ms K Wong
The Asian Business Research Unit (ABRU) was an initiative of the former Syme Department of Banking and Finance to foster and give further impetus to the university's growing interest and expansion into the Asia-Pacific region. It supports the department's programs involving teaching and research activities in the area of international trade, international business and Asian-Pacific business. ABRU aims to develop a strong profile in industry by fostering economic and trade links with the fast-growing Asia-Pacific rim countries.
The long-term goals of the ABRU are to establish firm continuing relationships with key educational and research organisations throughout the region. This will be accomplished through the hosting of international graduate researchers and visiting scholars, the organisation of international conferences and through a research and seminar series.
For more information telephone (03) 9903 2587.
Director: Mr Andrew McNicol
Management committee: Mr R Guest, Mr W Gumley and Mr C Viney
The David Syme Taxation Research Unit (DSTRU) was established by the former Syme Department of Banking and Finance with a mandate to develop the taxation profile of the department. The unit's objectives are achieved through the promotion and development of taxation research; the provision of industry seminars and professional training on current taxation issues and by linking the department with both professionals involved in taxation issues and the taxation industry.
DSTRU is self-funded, generating revenue through the sale of publications and delivery of executive programs and seminars to industry professionals.
For more information telephone (03) 9904 4349.
Executive director: Ms Jo-anne Fisher
The Centre for Electronic Commerce (CEC) is a unique electronic commerce services organisation in Australia, combining the strengths of industry professionals with the academic infrastructure of the School of Business and Electronic Commerce, in establishing a national and international nucleus of expertise and education in the field of electronic commerce.
The CEC focus is to assist industry and government to benefit from the use of electronic commerce (including such areas as EDI, electronic banking and electronic mail) by providing a comprehensive and highly qualified range of independent consulting, training and research services helping managers, enterprises and communities come to terms with the business focus of electronic commerce technologies.
CEC clients include a number of Australian State governments, the Commonwealth Government, large private sector organisations, industry associations and small to medium business. The consulting and training staff of the CEC are experienced business professionals qualified in planning, strategy, implementation and ongoing management of applications of electronic commerce. Their work is complemented by the teaching and research staff of the School of Business and Electronic Commerce. Whilst the central office is located at the Gippsland campus, many CEC consultants are geographically independent of the centre itself, being located in major capital cities, electronically linked to Gippsland in a true application EC technology.
For more information telephone (03) 9902 6508 or email joanne.fisher@buseco.monash.edu.au.
Co-directors: Associate Professor Gerald Burke (Faculty of Education, Monash University), Dr Phillip McKenzie (ACER), Professor Leo Maglen (University of Melbourne) and Professor Chris Selby Smith (Department of Management, Monash University)
This is a cross-faculty and cross-institutional centre. The centre's main purpose is research in the economics of education and training in Australia. The centre was established because of the need for more coherent and sustained research in the field.
The centre formalises links between researchers in different departments at Monash University and at the Australian Council for Educational Research.
The centre is a designated national voctational education and training centre under the Australian National Training Authority, the only one so far given this distinction.
For more information telephone (03) 9905 9157.