This article reports on the development of a short questionnaire to measure work engagement--a positive work-related state of fulfillment that is characterized by vigor, dedication, and absorption. Data were collected in 10 different countries (N = 14,521), and results indicated that the original 17-item Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) can be…

Purpose: Despite the increasing attention of organizational commitment in the management literature, most studies predominantly focus on full-time workers in traditional work settings. This paper examined the antecedents of organizational commitment among casual academics working in the tertiary education sector in Australia.…

Developed school versus benchmark comparison reports based on groups of easily comparable school types for Queensland, Australia schools. The state benchmark for each set of comparable schools estimated how easy it was, on average, for members of the benchmark group (parents or students) to endorse each of the School Opinion Survey Likert-scale…

Describes the efforts of a group of young women who, drawing on the support of community organizations, established a catering service that provides a low cost, culturally diverse range of foods in an area where that option was not previously available. Discussion focuses on starting the company, dealing with competition, and job satisfaction. (CH)

Despite the benefits of employee participation in decision making, it is not widespread. Making it work requires commitment, job security, training, access to information, communication channels, goal setting, flat organizational structures, and financial reinforcement. (SK)

The job knowledge and performance of 23 Australian ecotour guides were systematically observed and compared with client satisfaction ratings. Client satisfaction was quite high, and evaluators gave the guides high scores on content and knowledge. However, scores were lower on certain aspects of communication and interpretive skills and were poor…

Purpose: This paper reports on the adaptation of an existing interpretive and critical research methods course in nursing for postgraduate student health professionals in a School of Population Health and Clinical Practice. Methods: A cyclical approach of inquiry, reflection and planning was undertaken by the teaching team to make changes to the…

This paper describes an investigation of Australian early childhood teachers' sustainment in their profession, focussing on those factors which enhance professional commitment, job satisfaction and occupational motivation. Utilizing qualitative methodology this study also identified key factors early childhood teachers consider crucial to…

Discusses the results of a workplace survey of Australian library workers. Topics include age profile; pay issues; enterprise bargaining; unionization; casualization of the profession, including the consideration of part-time positions; attitudes to change, including job satisfaction; and professional security. (LRW)

In response to the high rate of suicide among aging people, this study investigated sense of belonging as a predictor of reasons for living in an aged sample. A community sample of 104 Australians aged 61 to 95 years completed The Reasons for Living Inventory and The Sense of Belonging Instrument. Results indicated that a higher sense of belonging…

Examining an aggregated sample (N=8800) of residents who responded to one of 16 surveys undertaken in Prince George, British Columbia in the period from November 1997 to February 2005, it was found that satisfaction with the quality of life of unemployed residents is lower than that of residents with Aboriginal backgrounds and that satisfaction…

This paper provides an update on the 1998 findings from an Australian longitudinal study begun in 1991 and titled the Life-Patterns Project. Based on 1,430 returns of the questionnaire and interviews of a sub-sample of 100, it examines implications of patterns beginning to emerge as participants enter their mid-twenties and reassess their…

This document reports on the nature of Australian beginning teachers' entry into the teaching profession and examines, among other questions: (1) procedures adopted to ease teachers into employment; (2) sources of information concerning their new teaching situations; (3) planned induction activities and their value; (4) matters of teacher concern;…

Investigates concept of stability in study of work values. Australian students were assessed, using work-values lists in Grade 12 and 2 1/2 years later. Of the work values assessed only independence and intellectual stimulation increased in importance. Surroundings decreased. Further theoretical and methodological refinement of stability is…

Foreign students (n=709) at 10 Western Australia universities were surveyed for their opinions of 5 quality dimensions of educational services: tangibles, reliability, empathy, assurance, and responsiveness. It was found that students who had been longest in Australia, and students from Singapore and Malaysia had the most negative views about…