Talk of a ‘two speed economy’ was prevalent in Australia in the first half of 2010. The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry argued against a significant increase in the minimum wage on the basis that most minimum wage earners were employed in the ‘slower’ sectors of the Australian economy, where employers could not afford increased employment costs. This article considers the recent Fair Work Australia wage decision in the context of the argument that Australia has a ‘two speed economy’. Using earnings and employment data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, we find that it is possible to identify significantly different patterns to the earnings outcomes experienced within specific sections of the Australian economy. There are some clear ‘tracks’, particularly between men and women in the private sector. The data suggest that the recent minimum wage decision will play an important role in countering labour market inequities, particularly those that are evident in Australia’s gender pay gap. Further work remains to be done, however, and the forthcoming equal remuneration case will provide a further opportunity for Fair Work Australia to contribute to gender pay equity in Australia.

Managers seeking to respect local normswhen operating in cross-cultural settings may encounterethical dilemmas when faced with values that potentiallyconflict with their own. The question of whose ethics orvalues should be applied or whether a set of universal ethicalnorms should be developed often confronts managersin their international business dealings. This articleexplores the findings from a qualitative research study thatexamines critical ethical dilemmas confronting Australianmanagers in their international business operations andtheir responses to those dilemmas. For Australians managersin this study, bribery emerged as the major ethical dilemmaconfronting them in their international operations.

Recognizing gender as a social construction, in this article we explore the complex, and in many ways contradictory, 'doing' of gender on regional development boards in Australia. While the number of women on these boards has risen over the past decade, the overwhelming sense of these organizations is one of homogeneity. The individuals on these ministerially appointed boards are awarded institutional privilege. Their roles provide them with status and benefits and their membership positions them as leaders within the (masculine) hegemony. This space is not, however, uniformly masculinized. With the limited resources at their disposal and little public recognition of their roles, the boards have limited agency. These poorly resourced boards are populated by women and men board members, while vested with important titles, are relatively powerless and are expected to undertake duties and display behaviour that is more consistent with a feminized role. The doing of gender can also be seen in the primacy of the economic over the social in regional development, where the economic is strongly associated with creating employment, especially in industries where men have traditionally dominated, rather than in the more feminized domains of services. This doing of gender points to the persistence of conservative gender patterns reinforcing a masculinized model of business. The contradiction here is that while they subscribe to this masculinized model, they are unable to deliver on outcomes because they do not have direct control over resources.

The value added contribution of this article is twofold. Firstly, this article advocates that Board members, Directors and Managers must have a clear understanding that the mental models of employees and themselves influence the effectiveness of strategies implemented within an effective Corporate Governance (CG) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) framework. Secondly, this article uses data collected and findings from participants in Australia and South Africa regarding the factors (from their mental model) that retain them in their organisation as one example of how Board members, Directors and Managers could explore the mental models of their employees regarding retention and then develop strategies (within a CSB framework) based on a solid CG foundation.

This research explores the influence of culture, measured by the two dimensions of GLOBE's study (In Group Organization and Power Distance), in the ehtical decision-making process. It also examines the relationship among compnents of the process. A sample of 236 managers from Malaysian large organizations was collected, and Partial Least Square based on Structural Equation Modelling technique was used to test the expected relationships. Results confirm the influence of in-group collectivism on the ethical decision-making process follows a sequential process. From a theoretical perspective this study provides valuable insight to evaluate the validity of existing theory as proposed in the literature. From a practical perspective the study provides useful recommendations for organizations to develop policies and programs to encourage ethical behaviour. Although this study focuses on Malaysian context, it helps global marketers to increase their knowledge of cultural differences and become more sensitive to them.

Purpose – There is a small but growing body of empirical research examining benefits of corporatesocial responsibility (CSR) beyond traditional, accounting-based financial benefits. To extend thisbody of research in contexts outside of Europe and the USA, the purpose of the present paper is toempirically examine three potential benefits of demonstrating CSR: reduced employee turnover;increased customer satisfaction; and improved reputation.Design/methodology/approach – The paper collected data on latent constructs through a surveyof chief executive officers across a spectrum of industries in Australia. Confirmatory factor analysisassessed psychometric properties of the constructs, while regression analysis was used to examineposited hypotheses.Findings – The findings suggest that firms engaging in CSR can benefit in ways beyond a purebottom-line outcome. First, due to exhibited fairness, socially responsive activities appear to be ameans toreduce employee turnover. Second, by meeting justice needs of customers, CSR is likely to increasecustomer satisfaction. Lastly, CSR activities provide visible signals from which stakeholders infer variouspositive characteristics of firms, thus creating an avenue to increase overall firm reputation.Practical implications – Firms can choose to do nothing with respect to their social responsibilitiesto doing much. While proactively engaging in CSR is not without opportunity cost, the results of thispaper suggest executives should not dismiss CSR altogether.Originality/value – Value from this paper is derived in three ways: relying on non-financialdependent variables, it supplements limited CSR research conducted in this stream; the data andimplications drawn come from Australia, thereby adding needed international insight into the benefitsof CSR; and the paper supplements financial-driven theories used in CSR research by focusing onemployee justice perceptions, equity, and signaling theories.

This paper introduces the concept of Corporate Psychopaths as ruthless employees whocan successfully gain entry to organizations and can then get promoted within thoseorganizations to reach senior managerial and leadership positions. What little empiricalresearch currently exists supports the view that Corporate Psychopaths are morecommonly found at senior levels of organizations. This paper presents further empiricalevidence that supports this view. It discusses how, in a quantitative sample of 346 whitecollarworkers, in 2008, research using a psychopathy scale identified greater levels ofpsychopathy at more senior levels of corporations than at more junior levels. The papergoes on to propose that this is a universal issue that can pose various ethical problemsfor corporations because of the ruthless, selfish and conscience-free approach to life thatCorporate Psychopaths have. Other ethical issues are to do with their moral accountabilityand with the problems associated with the possibility of screening employees forpsychopathy. The paper reviews the literature on psychopathy and concludes that whilelimited in their possible actions in more collectivist societies. However, the global spreadof western, individualistically oriented corporations may pose a threat to any collectivistsocieties in which they operate.

extending discussions about decision-making, re-allocation of resources, communication strategiestheir responses to the changing environment, there are significant practical and theoretical outcomesfrom an exploratory study. Theoretically, it has identified a deeper understanding of how organizationsrespond to, and manage, change in times of uncertainty; it complements existing literature byextending discussions about decision-making, re-allocation of resources, communication strategiesit contributes to extant literature on the change process and, potentially, assists in the development ofa framework to inform the completion of successful change events. Practically, it is significant thatparticipating organizations receive aggregated data that help identify elements of successful changepractices that can be implemented to assist managers. The paper comprises two parts; the first highlightsrelevant literature which provides the context for subsequent discussion and in the second partthe research methodology, findings and overall conclusions are discussed.

Purpose - Using the strategic orientation concept of Miles and Snow, the purpose of this paper is to test is differences in levels of corporate social responsibility (CSR) exist between prospectors, defenders, analtzers and reactors. Design/methodology/approach - the method included a purpose-designed survey sent to CEOs. To explore differences in CSR and strategy types, one-way ANOVA with contrast effect analysis was used. Findings - The results suggest that differences in levels of CSR do exist between strategy types. Prospectors and defenders in CSR and strategy types, one-way ANOVA with contrast effect analysis was used. Research limitations/ implications - This paper suggests that while institutions appear to be placing increasing demands on firms to demonstrate socially responsible behavior, not all firms demonstrate CSR equally. How firms approach competetive markets and the characteristics that shape how they adapt to the environment - or strategic intervention - appears to be a factor that explains differing levels of CSR. Practical Implications - Firms' strategic orientation might be important to the demonstration of CSR; therefore, understanding the internal dynamics and characteristics of different strategy types will afford managers a better understanding of strategies that are needed to more effectively engange in CSR. Originality/value - The value of the paper rests in exploring, for the first time, if differences in CSR exist between Miles and Snow strategy typology/ The current study puts forth statistical evidence that differences do exist, thus building on a rich body of research aimed at understaning the impact strategic orientation on organizational outcomes.