Developing a Measure of Industrial Relations Climate

This study aims at devising a set of scales for measuring the climate of industrial and labour relations within organization

Geographic patterns of koala retrovirus genetic diversity, endogenization, and subtype distributions

Koala retrovirus (KoRV) subtype A (KoRV-A) is currently in transition from exogenous virus to endogenous viral element, providing an ideal system to elucidate retroviral–host coevolution. We characterized KoRV geography using fecal DNA from 192 samples across 20 populations throughout the koala’s range. We reveal an abrupt change in KoRV genetics and incidence at the Victoria/New South Wales state border. In northern koalas, pol gene copies were ubiquitously present at above five per cell, consistent with endogenous KoRV. In southern koalas, pol copies were detected in only 25.8% of koalas and always at copy numbers below one, while the env gene was detected in all animals and in a majority at copy numbers above one per cell. These results suggest that southern koalas carry partial endogenous KoRV-like sequences. Deep sequencing of the env hypervariable region revealed three putatively endogenous KoRV-A sequences in northern koalas and a single, distinct sequence present in all southern koalas. Among northern populations, env sequence diversity decreased with distance from the equator, suggesting infectious KoRV-A invaded the koala genome in northern Australia and then spread south. The exogenous KoRV subtypes (B to K), two novel subtypes, and intermediate subtypes were detected in all northern koala populations but were strikingly absent from all southern animals tested. Apart from KoRV subtype D, these exogenous subtypes were generally locally prevalent but geographically restricted, producing KoRV genetic differentiation among northern populations. This suggests that sporadic evolution and local transmission of the exogenous subtypes have occurred within northern Australia, but this has not extended into animals within southern Australia

Accessing a Sustainable Work Life: Work Patterns, Work-Life Balance and Inequality

The paper begins by examining what a more sustainable work life would look like for employees and communities. In terms of work arrangements, one aspect involves the amount of commuting required, and the prospects for expanding work schedules that require travel to and from work on fewer days. This could be achieved either by longer individual shifts (completing weekly contractual hours in fewer days) or by some work being undertaken from home. The evidence for the extent to which these work arrangements (compressed working and telecommuting) are becoming more widespread, is assessed. While both work practices show signs of continued growth, a number of obstacles are identified that are currently hindering more rapid development. Among these, particular attention in the paper is given to the unequal access that is evident within organisational hierarchies, such that more senior levels have greater access to determine their start and stop times, and to work part of their time from home, compared to their lower level counterparts. The promotion of more equal access, involving overcoming managerial reluctance to extending the flexibility of lower level employees, will be an important element in developing more sustainable work patterns in coming years

Accessing a sustainable work life: Work Patterns, Work-Life Balance and Inequality

The paper begins by examining what a more sustainable work life would look like for employees and communities. In terms of work arrangements, one aspect involves the amount of commuting required, and the prospects for expanding work schedules that require travel to and from work on fewer days. This could be achieved either by longer individual shifts (completing weekly contractual hours in fewer days) or by some work being undertaken from home. The evidence for the extent to which these work arrangements (compressed working and telecommuting) are becoming more widespread, is assessed. While both work practices show signs of continued growth, a number of obstacles are identified that are currently hindering more rapid development. Among these, particular attention in the paper is given to the unequal access that is evident within organisational hierarchies, such that more senior levels have greater access to determine their start and stop times, and to work part of their time from home, compared to their lower level counterparts. The promotion of more equal access, involving overcoming managerial reluctance to extending the flexibility of lower level employees, will be an important element in developing more sustainable work patterns in coming years