Changing/Emerging Research Programs

As part of promtiong the active research culture at the University of Canberra the roles and principles for selection of research programs are deliberately flexible to adapt to changing interests, personnel and environments for governance research.  The major research themes first establised in 2007, modified and expanded through the Institute's strategic planning in the latter half of 2009, are 'working titles' that  serve as a starting point to a more detailed deliberation within the program teams.

New Research Projects

In addition to its ongoing research programs, the Institute has started two new research projects and is further developing two collaborative research projects aimed at supporting teaching on the ANZSOG Executive MPA.

The Institute has recently been commissioned to coordinate a research project entitled ‘The Public and the Courts’ for the AIJA; a review of (UC Vice-Chancellor) Stephen Parker’s seminal report in this area.

Mark Evans has also been awarded a grant of $700,000 by the West Asia and North Africa (WANA) Forum to conduct a three year comparative research project on ‘Social Cohesion in the WANA region’.

The first comparative project on ‘Delivering public value in Comparative Perspective’ would be a lesson-drawing exercise with the aim of finding high quality examples of public value programming in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the US. The research team will include Professor John Alford (ANZSOG, Melbourne) and Professor Mark Moore (Harvard). This project would also link into the ANZSOG Case Program.

The second project will emerge from the Local Government Centre for Excellence research programme and would have the working title ‘Policy Implementation at the local scale – the Case of Australia’. The focus here would be on providing action-based research on policy implementation; identifying implementation gaps and reviewing problem-solving strategies with key practitioners.

Risk Governance

The Institute is developing a research agenda to be undertaken in conjunction with the Australian Risk Policy Institute (ARPI). Areas of potential research have been identified but all are dependent upon having a better understanding of what is currently being undertaken in the name of Risk Management.  In conjunction with Dr. Jenny Job, the Research Coordinator for ARPI, the Institute is planning a multi-staged research programme through 2008/9.

Initially we will undertake a qualitative programme of study which will explore what are the current Risk Management practices, processes and systems across a range of organisation.  During this study we will explore not only the practical aspects of risk management at different levels of organisations, but also what are the attitudes to risk management and, in particular, how it affects innovation. Depending upon the findings, a survey and further study will be developed in 2009 in order to develop appropriate risk and innovation strategies.  If you are interested in being involved in this research, or hearing more about it, please contact research@governanceinstitute.edu.au.

Several significant risk policy papers and media releases are nearing completion including:

• Governments Fail the Boomers Test
• Risk Management and Creativity
• Consumer Risk
• Risk Management Regulatory Environment
• Risk Management Definitions

Copies of papers prepared by or inconjunction with ARPI are available on the website www.arpi.org.au.