Momentum

Keeping you up-to-date on the latest business thinking, research insights and expert opinion. Subscribe to get Momentum updates delivered straight to your inbox.

Subscribe

Pages

  • Game-changing technologies offer huge benefits for society, such as a vaccine for COVID-19, but bringing them to market can be a long and arduous journey. New research suggests ways to overcome the barriers.
  • In the wake of the devastating bushfires, the challenge is not just to replace the burnt-out properties but also to rebuild the businesses and economy these communities rely on, which tourism plays a vital part in.
  • Innovation is the holy grail for today’s businesses – the hidden force that helps them adapt to changing demand, drive sustained growth and dominate their markets. So why are some companies able to continually reinvent themselves and stay at the forefront of their industry when others struggle to keep up?
  • Business model innovation can allow companies to transcend the competition and dominate their industry. However, not all innovations are created equal. Here is some advice on how to press the reset button.
  • Is the digital hospital roll out helping to improve patient care, or is it a waste of public money? A report by UQ Business School expert offers an independent verdict.
  • An economist is returning to his roots to explore ways to help smallholder family farms to innovate, improve productivity and increase family income.
  • Innovation has never been more important or moved so fast. Here Professor Mark Dodgson, an internationally renowned innovation expert from The University of Queensland (UQ) Business School, outlines the latest thinking on innovation, based on current research and insights from the technology revolutions in the past.
  • It’s blamed for pushing up property prices and squeezing out locals, yet Airbnb and similar platforms could offer potential community and economic benefits too. Should Australia follow American cities and regulate short-term rentals?
  • Facebook offers new ways to communicate in a crisis. Research reveals how to use it effectively.

Pages

  • Change is coming. Corporations are having to rethink their business model and build resilience to incorporate sustainable business strategies. However, 'going green' can also offer competitive advantages for organisations, fueling new product and market opportunities.
  • Major sporting events cost millions, but their impact is often confined to the host city. New research has revealed how other areas can be winners too.
  • Cost overruns are threatening investment in the oil and gas industry. Does this mean a shift overseas? If companies focus on innovation, collaboration and deepening competitive capabilities, Australia's energy industry can continue to compete globally.
  • While companies in general have been slow to embrace sustainability, some corporates and smaller companies have placed it at the heart of their business and are now using it to develop new markets and secure their long-term future. Others can follow their example by starting with a few simple steps.
  • The increase in extreme weather indicates that climate change is already here, yet so far there has been little discussion of how it will affect business. The Climate Resilient Organization, a new book by Dr Martina Linnenluecke and Professor Andrew Griffiths of UQ Business School, considers what actions companies can take. In this interview, Dr Linnenluecke explains why they need to adapt and build their resilience.
  • Working with local communities is different to dealing with other types of customers or stakeholders. However the ability to engage with them and win their support is a valuable skill that offers opportunities to generate both profit and social value, says social entrepreneurship expert Dr Lance Newey.
  • The carbon tax, the cost of raw materials, lobbying from environmentalists: the pressure on business to be environmentally responsible is intense. But can sustainable development – the combination of economic growth and ecological balance – be a business reality? UQ Business School’s Professor Peter Clarkson asks under what circumstances business can turn green practice into profit?
  • Recent research emerging from the UQ Business School shows that companies large and small are finding innovative and unique responses to the challenges and broader issues of sustainability and climate change.
  • This month the Green Buildings Council of Australia launches the pilot Green Stars – Communities initiative, an independent, national scheme that aims to certify the sustainability of community level projects. Associate Professor Clive Warren at UQ Business School, an expert in green building rating in the commercial office space, asks: who needs a green star rating and how do we know what it’s worth?

Pages

Pages

  • Even though we interact with some form of artificial intelligence (AI) every day, a new report from UQ Business School researchers discovered two-thirds of Australians don’t trust AI systems. This raises the question: What does this mean for the future of Australian businesses?
  • Most people say they care about their personal information being shared online. However, a much smaller percentage of people actually take the necessary actions to preserve their privacy. Dr Ivano Bongiovanni discusses why actions don’t always match beliefs when it comes to data.
  • Insider trading comes in two main forms: arguably legal and clearly illegal. But, as with drugs in sport, it’s hard to tell when arguably legal ends and clearly illegal begins. Associate Professor Barry Oliver sheds light on new research how some CEOs are walking a thin line when it comes to insider trading.
  • There is growing evidence and concern that the algorithms and data underpinning AI can produce bias and ethical injustice. Associate Professor Sarah Kelly discusses the governance and data management considerations necessary to ensuring the ethical implementation of AI.
  • As Australia readjusts to drastic measures announced by the Federal Government to close many businesses for the next few months, food delivery workers have become an essential service to an isolated population. But little thought has been given to this front line workforce, who are putting themselves at risk, without basic employee rights.
  • Game-changing technologies offer huge benefits for society, such as a vaccine for COVID-19, but bringing them to market can be a long and arduous journey. New research suggests ways to overcome the barriers.
  • Non-humans are moving into frontline roles. But would you really want to work with a robot – and can they offer long-term value to a business? New research helps leaders prepare for the future workforce.
  • Platforms like Airbnb are reshaping traditional employment models and opening up new opportunities – but do they really offer the freedom they promise or are they a threat to workers’ rights?
  • From introducing robots in the workplace to persuading humans to work alongside them, leaders need to prepare for the brave new world ahead. But what skills will be most important for leaders as these technologies develop?

Pages

  • There’s a long list of corporate scandals that have damaged public trust in respected businesses. Research suggests that corporate wrongdoing is often due to ‘ethical blind spots’ rather than wilful misconduct.
  • Despite a series of suicides by high-profile chefs, conditions have not improved in Australian restaurant kitchens according to one UQ Business School researcher who is exploring ways to create change.
  • It is one of the fastest growing entertainment industries, yet esports lacks regulation and governance, leaving it open for unethical practices and risky behaviours. Although esports is fast becoming mainstream, it still operates in a world of its own, where none of the usual rules apply.
  • A new, high-value asset is being traded on global markets. Described as ‘the new oil’, data has powered the growth of digital giants like Amazon, Google and Facebook by allowing them to target customers more effectively and boost sales. Companies need to develop a more ethical approach or face a backlash, says UQ Business School data expert Dr Ida Someh.
  • Corporate scandals are often blamed on a couple of ‘bad apples’ in the ranks of management, but they are usually indicative of a larger fault in the system. Research shows how to avoid them by designing organisations with trust embedded in the foundations.

Pages

Pages