International Research Alliances

The Faculty of Business and Economics' international linkages include comprehensive research and academic alliances. The Faculty is currently undertaking research in a number of key areas, collaborating with a wide variety of partners in Australia and overseas. Our alliances with key institutions and government organisations in Asia, Europe and North America mean that Monash University is taking part in leading research collaboration and knowledge exchange.

Vietnam - Securities Research and Training Centre Hanoi

The Department of Accounting and Finance recently signed a MoU with the Securities Research and Training Centre (SRTC) in Hanoi under which they will collaborate in providing professional executive training programs in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. It builds on an existing relationship which is focused on delivering executive training programs to Vietnam’s securities and financial markets and enables a channel for information and data exchange between the two parties

United Kingdom - Accounting and Finance Academics Receive ARC Discovery Grant

Professor Robert Faff and Dr Balasingham Balachandran from the Department of Accounting and Finance have teamed up with Professor Michael Theobald from the University of Birmingham, UK, to obtain an ARC discovery grant on “Asset pricing, signal type and overconfident investors” (2006-2008). As part of this grant, they extend the Heinkel and Schwartz (1986, Journal of Finance) signalling model in their work titled “Rights offerings, take-up, renounce ability and underwriting status”.

China - Chinese Corporate Governance

The Faculty received an Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Research Grant for collaborative research with China’s Ministry of Finance, focusing on improving corporate governance in China’s 166 largest central enterprise groups. Monash University researchers are Professor On Kit Tam (project leader), Professor Gill Palmer and Professor Jayne Godfrey. The three-year project will assess the corporate governance and firm performance of these conglomerate companies that dominate China’s strategic sectors of the economy; and will produce research publications and high level policy advice.

China - Research funding from Natural Science Research Grant Committee of China

A joint research project between Nanjing Agricultural University, Professor Wang Kai, and the Faculty of Business and Economics, Professor On Kit Tam, has been established with funding from Natural Science Research Grant Committee of China. Research will focus on comparative corporate governance of key Chinese enterprises in the agricultural supply chain.

Romania - Public-Private Partnerships

Professor Ken Coghill, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Management is leading collaborative research in planning and implementing public-private partnerships with Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies in Romania

China - Renmin – Monash ACES Ph.D program

Monash University with Renmin University offers students the opportunity to spend six months of their candidature in the Department of Economics at Monash University. During this period they receive guidance from a Monash supervisor and have access to Monash research facilities.

China - CHALCO (Aluminium Corporation of China Limited)

The Department of Management's Associate Professor Cherrie Zhu and ??? are developing an executive training program for Chalco Australia which plans to invest $3 billion in Australia.

United States - ACREW Receives Research Grant

Associate Professor Anne Bardoel (ACREW) and Professor Helen De Cieri (ACREW) will conduct a comparative study of work/life strategies in Australian and U.S.organizations with the Society for Human Resource Management Research Foundation (USA).

Turkey - Australia Germany Joint Research Co-Operation Scheme

Three academics from the Department of Management received a $25,000 grant from the Go8/DAAD - Australia Germany Joint Research Co-Operation Scheme for a project entitled Diversity and Social Protection among Turkish Residents in Germany and Australia. Dr Wendy Smith, Dr Ingrid Nielsen and Professor Gary Bouma received the grant for a research network partnership with Professor Claudia Derichs of the Department of Political Science, Institute for Social Science, Hildesheim University. Hildesheim is in the Ruhr industrial area of Germany which has a higher concentration of Turkish guest workers.

UK - Asset Pricing, Signal Type and Overconfident Investors

Dr B Balachandran, Professor R Faff and Professor M Theobald (Birmingham) are conducting a study focussing upon potential biases in the price formation process. In covering three major equity markets, the project will provide important guidance for the design of regulatory policies on corporate disclosure by both Governments and Stock Exchanges. Given the increased need for funded superannuation/pension schemes, an increase in the confidence in capital market processes will benefit the development of successful funded schemes.

Privatisation, Regulation and Institutional Structures Of Airports: An International Study

Professor P Forsyth is conducting research into the regulation and institutional structure of international airports. Airports are typically locational monopolies possessing strong market power - abuse of this is controlled by public ownership, regulation or not-for-profit operation. All these pose problems for achieving economic efficiency while meeting environmental standards. Design of efficient regulation, and the Australian experiment with price monitored private airports, will be analysed. Using data from Australian and overseas airports, the performance of airports operating under the alternative systems will be evaluated, enabling an assessment of performance and privatisation; a comparison of private, public and not-for-profit systems; and pointing out how better governance options can be designed.

China - The Social and Business Implications of Extending China's Social Security System

Professor RL Smyth, Professor CT Nyland, Associate Professor JC Zhu, Dr GG Ramia and Dr G Davies received anARC Linkage Project grant  to conduct a study of China's Social Security System with industry partner Shanghai Municipal Labour and Social Security Bureau (SBLSS). SBLSS has introduced regulations that extend social security coverage to employees (including migrants) resident and/or working within the municipality of Shanghai but outside the city limits. These regulations are part of a reform program that aims to develop a comprehensive and sustainable social security system that will provide coverage to all of China's population; and one that draws on Australia's experience with social security management. The Bureau has asked Monash University to partcipate in assessing the reforms which is a research opportunity offered to no other body of scholars inside or outside China.

China - Business Social Protection Behaviour in China

Professor CT Nyland, Professor RL Smyth and Dr JC Zhu with Shanghai Municipal Labour and Social Security Bureau (SBLSS). Employer social protection behaviour is an under-researched field because analysts are seldom able to attain adequate enterprise data. SBLSS will provide relevant information on the revealed behaviour of 5000 firms per year for three years. This research will assist China to operationalise its decision to model its emergent social security system on the Australian security regime and will assist Australia's financial community to capture the opportunities made available by this development.

Australia - The Social and Economic Security of International Students in the Global Education Market

Professor CT Nyland, Professor SW Marginson, Dr GG Ramia and Mr M Gallagher are conducting research into the social and economic security of international students. Social and economic security is a prime factor the decision by international students to study in Australia. It is also central to the long term trajectory of Australian exports. In the international education market, security issues have assumed greater importance and urgency as during 2003 Australian universities lost half of their prior price advantage over US universities via appreciation of the Australian dollar. Given that the educational product itself is little different to that of the USA and the UK, differentiation on the basis of student security is likely to be crucial. Yet so far there has been no academic research on student security, and a limited policy focus only on selected aspects.

USA - Economic Modelling for Australian and the USA

Professor P Dixon with industry partner Productivity Commission, are conducting a project that involves a fundamental overhaul of MONASH, a university database. A widely used detailed dynamic model of the Australian economy, the creation of MONASH-USA for the United States; and several model-based Australia/US comparisons. MONASH's database and parameters will be updated, and its theoretical specification improved. MONASH-USA will be an advance over existing US models and will generate policy results of interest both in the United States and Australia. MONASH-USA will have an excellent database and is likely to produce insights on parameter estimation. These will be applicable in Australia. Together, MONASH and MONASH-USA will facilitate comparative studies of technology and labour-market performance.