Enabling organizational change – leadership, commitment to change and the mediating role of change readiness

There has been little empirical analysis on the complex relationship between leadership, change readiness and commitment to change in the context of Asian countries. In this paper, we propose a research model to analyze the interrelationship between leadership, change readiness and commitment to change using the partial least square technique. Results of the study suggest that leadership positively and significantly affect change readiness but not commitment to change. Consequently, change readiness is found to significantly affect commitment to change. In other words, change readiness is found to mediate the relationship between transformational leadership and commitment to change. This may suggest that the influence of leadership is a sequential process affecting change readiness, and in turn, the commitment to change as opposed to the conventional belief that it affects both change readiness and commitment to change simultaneously. The implication of the study is further discussed

How are Australian higher education institutions contributing to change through innovative teaching and learning in virtual worlds?

Over the past decade, teaching and learning in virtual worlds has been at the forefront of many higher education institutions around the world. The DEHub Virtual Worlds Working Group (VWWG) consisting of Australian and New Zealand higher education academics was formed in 2009. These educators are investigating the role that virtual worlds play in the future of education and actively changing the direction of their own teaching practice and curricula. 47 academics reporting on 28 Australian higher education institutions present an overview of how they have changed directions through the effective use of virtual worlds for diverse teaching and learning activities such as business scenarios and virtual excursions, role-play simulations, experimentation and language development. The case studies offer insights into the ways in which institutions are continuing to change directions in their teaching to meet changing demands for innovative teaching, learning and research in virtual worlds. This paper highlights the ways in which the authors are using virtual worlds to create opportunities for rich, immersive and authentic activities that would be difficult or not possible to achieve through more traditional approaches. © 2011 Brent Gregory, Sue Gregory, Denise Wood, Yvonne Masters, Mathew Hillier, Frederick Stokes-Thompson, Anton Bogdanovych, Des Butler, Lyn Hay, Jay Jay Jegathesan, Kim Flintoff, Stefan Schutt,Dale Linegar, Robyn Alderton, Andrew Cram, Ieva Stupans, Lindy McKeown Orwin, Grant Meredith, Debbie McCormick, Francesca Collins, Jenny Grenfell, Jason Zagami, Allan Ellis, Lisa Jacka, Angela Thomas, Helen Farley, Nona Muldoon, Ali Abbas, Suku Sinnappan, Katrina Neville, Ian Burnett, Ashley Aitken, Simeon Simoff, Sheila Scutter, Xiangyu Wang, Kay Souter, David Ellis, Mandy Salomon, Greg Wadley, Michael Jacobson, Anne Newstead, Gary Hayes, Scott Grant, Alyona Yusupova

The role of the free beta subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin in human malignancy

Detection of an elevated level of placental derived β-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin hormone (hCGβ) in blood or urine is used clinically for the confirmation of pregnancy. Ectopic production of hCGβ is also seen in some cancers where it can be associated with aggressive and metastatic disease, as well as resistance to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Measurement of hCGβ, or its metabolic product β-core fragment, in serum, ascites, urine and tumour tissue, shows potential as a diagnostic and/or prognostic biomarker for some cancers. Studies in model systems have shown that elevated levels of hCGβ may increase the tumorigenic behaviour of cells by activating oncogenes and increasing proliferation, migration and invasion. The potential tumorigenic role of ectopic hCGβ has identified it as an immunotherapy target for some non-trophoblastic cancers. We discuss cancer-associated functions of hCGβ, its value as a biomarker for diagnosis, management and prognosis, and its potential as a therapeutic target

Online profiling and privacy: an exploratory study amongst Australian websites

Abstract not available

In search of excellence in leadership in India: characteristics of high performing managers

Abstract not available

Nurses' Provision of Parental Guidance Regarding School-Aged Children's Postoperative Pain Management: A Descriptive Correlational Study

10.1016/j.pmn.2014.03.002Pain Management Nursing16140-5