The University of Western Australia

Dr Donella Caspersz

Lecturer
Management and Organisations

Contact details

Address

Management and Organisations
The University of Western Australia (M261)
35 Stirling Highway
CRAWLEY WA 6009
Australia

Phone

6488 2927

Fax

6488 1004

Email

donella.caspersz@uwa.edu.au

Qualifications

BAppSc(SW) Curtin, GradDipCareerEd E.Cowan, MIR PhD W.Aust.

Biography

Donella Caspersz currently lectures in International Management, Asian Business and Employment Relations at the undergraduate and postgraduate level at the University of Western Australia Business School. Donella began her work career in the non government sector before working for the WA State Government as a policy advisor in multicultural and ethic affairs and trade. Donella returned to study at UWA to complete her masters and subsequently her PhD.

Donella has a lengthy history of engagement in community affairs that range from being involved in policy development as a member of the Western Australian Women’s Advisory Council to more recently being invited to join the Disability Services “Future Visions’ Reference Group and a similar ‘think tank’ on women’s policy issues. However, Donella has also been involved in practical applied projects such as Chair of the WA Curriculum Council Business Management Education Course Advisory Committee and Chair of the WA Family Business Awards Panel.

Since joining the University as an academic, Donella has developed an active research programme that has governance as its umbrella. Donella has pursued this broad research interest in three fields: in education through researching aspects associated with managing student teams (both face-to-face and virtual modes); family business and worker representation organisations.

Donella has published a number of refereed conference proceedings in forums including the Higher Education Research Society for Australasia (HERDSA), Australian New Zealand Academy of Management, Family Research and Enterprise Conference and the Australian Sociological Association. Donella is a co-author of the HERDSA Managing Student Teams Guide and has published in Journal of Industrial Relations and Economic and Social Democracy.

Apart from honours supervision, Donella is currently supervising a PhD candidate examining the model of relational governance in family business, a DBA candidate examining the significance of culture on succession in Chinese Family Business and a PhD candidate examining the effects Australian Competition Policy on a select number of industry sectors.

Key research

Governance: managing student teams, family business and aspects of worker representation

Publications

Recent Publications

Book Chapter (Commercial)

Gillan, M.P., Lambert, R.V., Caspersz, D.M., Biyanwila, S.J. 2006, Prospects of a Counter-Movement to Radical market Politics in Australia in WorkChoices: The New Industrial Relations Agenda, Pearson Education Australia, Sydney

Journal Article (Schol Refereed Journal)

Todd, P.A., Caspersz, D.M., Sutherland, M.J. 2006, 'Employers' Choices in Workplace Regulation: Individual Agreements', The Journal of Industrial Relations, 48, 4, pp. 507-521.

Caspersz, D.M. 2006, 'The 'Talk' versus the 'Walk': High Performance Work Systems, Labour Market Flexibility and Lessons from Asian Workers', Asia-Pacific Business Review, 12, 2, pp. 149-161.

Full Refereed Conference Publication

Caspersz, D.M. and Lambert, R.V. Creating an Active Society and Counter-Movement: the YR@W campaign, The Australian Sociological Association 2009 Annual Conference, Canberra, Australia, TASA, The Australian Sociological Association, pp 1-13 (2009)

Caspersz, D.M., Lambert, R.V. and Will, T. Recovering an Optimism of Agency: Multi-scalar Organizing in the Triton Dispute, The Australian Sociological Association 2009 Annual Conference, Canberra, Australia, TASA, The Australian Sociological Association, pp 1-12 (2009)

Cornejo, G., Eveline, J and Caspersz, D (2008) ŒWomen in the Legal Profession: The Impact of Male Networks and Work-Family Balance on the Career Advancement of Women Lawyers to the Partnership Level in Private Law Firms¹, Engendering Leadership Conference, UWA, July 21-24.

Caspersz, D.M., Skene, J.A., Wu, M.T.W. 2006, 'Managing cultural diversity in student teams: A proposed conceptual framework', Critical Visions: Thinking Learning and Researching in Higher Education, Milperra, New South Wales, 29, pp. 73-80.

Gillan, M.P., Caspersz, D.M. 2005, 'The introduction of Good Faith Bargaining in Western Australia: Policy Origins and Implications for Collective Bargaining', AIRAANZ (Association of Industrial Relations Academics of Australia and New Zealand) Conference 2005: Reworking work, Sydney, Australia, 1, pp. 221-229.

Caspersz, D.M., Skene, J., Wu, M. 2005, 'Principles and Guidelines in Managing Student Teams', Teaching and Learnng Forum 2005, Murdoch University, Western Australia, pp. N/A.

Caspersz, D.M., Skene, J., Wu, M. 2005, 'Student Teams: A Core Strategy in Business Education Programmes', Enterprise Education for the 21st Century, http://www.asiaentrepreneurshipjournal.com/sydneyconference.html, 1, 2, pp. N/A.

Todd, P.A., Caspersz, D.M., Sutherland, M. 2004, '"Out with the Individual Agreemetns, in with the Collective Bargaining... Did Someone Forget to Tell the Employers?": Employers' Responses to the Changes in Western Australia's Regulatory Framework', 18th AIRAANZ Conference, Queensland, Australia, 2004, pp. 525-534.

Other Noteworthy Papers

D Caspersz & S Prott, 2007. Enhancing Managerial Effectiveness in Family Business Using FORUM, paper presented to Small Business Development Conference, 28-31st October, 2007, Burswood Entertainment Complex, Perth WA.

D Caspersz, 2007.Temporary Migration into Australia: Reviewing Labour Issues. 12th International Metropolis Conference, 8-12 October, 2007. Melbourne, Australia. http://www.metropolis2007.org/wednesday1.php.

D Caspersz & Kailis. G. 2005. No Family is an Island – what about your other employees? Family Business – The Competitive Edge. FBA One Day Event. Royal Perth Yacht Club. Perth.

Funding received

Kavanagh, M., Caspersz, D., Sargeant, L, 2008, Business Education in the 21st Century: Examining the antecedents and consequences of student team virtuality. Australian Learning & Teaching Council. Funds Approved: $ 145, 000

Gillan, M & Caspersz, D, 2004, Evaluating The Role Of ‘Good Faith Bargaining’ On Bargaining Processes And Outcomes: The West Australian Case.

Caspersz, D 2002, 'Human Resource Practices in Family Business: A Western Australian Study', UWA Research Grants Scheme, Funds Approved: $11,273.00.

Caspersz, D., Skene, J & Wu, M, 2001, The Antecedents of Student Readiness to Work in Teams, CATL Grant for Flexible Teaching and Learning, Funds Approved: $9, 156

Memberships

International Sociological Association
Australian Sociological Association
Family Business Australia

Honours and awards

Recipient of Henemann Award for Best PhD Thesis in Industrial Relations

Teaching

MGMT3341 International Management
IREL1101 Foundations in Employment Relations
BUSN7661 Research Methodology
IREL1102 Australian Employment Relations

Current external positions

Reflecting Donella’s interests, she is currently an editor for AUCEA e-journal (Australian Universities Community Engagement Association), a member of the WA chapter of the Family Business Australia committee and chair of the WA Family Business Awards programme; Donella is co-convener of the Work and Labour Studies Thematic group for the Australian Sociological Association and is also on the committee for Research Committee 44 (Labour Studies) of the International Sociollogical Association.

Within the University, Donella has been the Treasurer of RC44, Labour Studies Group of the International Sociological Association; and UWA SIFE Faculty Advisor; UWA Senate Representative, UNICARE.

Donella has been and is currently a Member, Faculty Ethics Committee; Member Faculty Teaching & Learning Committee; Honours Coordinator, Management, Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations

Current projects

Industrial Relevance
Kavanagh, M., Caspersz, D., Sargeant, L, 2008, Business Education in the 21st Century: Examining the antecedents and consequences of student team virtuality. As with previous research on student teams, the findings from this will be relevant to industry as well.

Links with Industry
Caspersz, D 2002, 'Human Resource Practices in Family Business: A Western Australian Study', UWA Research Grants Scheme, Funds Approved: $11,273.00.
As a result of engagement in this area Donella has supervised two honours theses examining aspects of governance in family business and am currently supervising a PhD and DBA candidates who are also examining aspects of governance in family business.

Collaborations with Other Institutions
Kavanagh, M., Caspersz, D., Sargeant, L, 2008, Business Education in the 21st Century: Examining the antecedents and consequences of student team virtuality. Australian Learning & Teaching Council. Funds Approved: $ 145, 000
Kavanagh is A/P at USQ and Sargeant is A/P at university of Melbourne

Research profile

Research profile and publications