Knowledge@ASB: Teamwork Optimisation

Managers are role models for smart phone use – and new research from the Australian School of Business shows always-on cultures are hampering productivity, effectively turning workers into "human pinballs" as they bounce from one distraction to the next with no time to think. Setting a poor example for technology use can send employees down the fast path to burnout, with ambitious staffers particularly at risk of over-engagement. While some individuals are turning off communication devices or leaving them in the office, switched-on organisations are pre-emptively tackling the issue.

Executives and managers confront a barrage of distractions from the big picture. As the speed of change and communication in global business generates incessant opportunities and threats, a clear corporate strategy is more vital for long-term business success than ever. Smart organisations know where they are heading and why. Some even divest profitable operations just to stick to their plans. Doug Stace, a strategy expert at the Australian School of Business, highlights why strategy must be a day-to-day concern and not only an annual planning event.

There's no training manual for how to manage multigenerational workforces. Yet a new study from the Australian School of Business covering four generational cohorts in five countries shows significant differences in work values exist between age groups. Members of Generation Y may be technologically adept, but their focus on leisure strongly conflicts with Traditionalists' and Baby Boomers' hard-work ethics. Adaptability is required all round. Some companies are actually leveraging generational differences. And when initiatives are designed to appeal to the "work-is-not-my-life" young ones, often more seasoned colleagues also opt to get with the program.

Not-for-profit organisations often thrive on the strength of volunteers so understanding what drives people to give time and effort free of charge is vital. Typically, volunteering is considered a selfless, empathetic activity, but quite often the "me" factor is at play. A new study from the Australian School of Business shows the motivations of volunteers vary greatly between age groups and indicates the need for not-for-profits (NFPs) to profile their volunteer bases to understand where gaps exist. Self-interested volunteers can work well, as long as the NFP knows how to wrangle them.

The collapse of a number of financial planning firms in recent years has dented consumer confidence in financial advisers, but changes are afoot. The government has tackled conflicts of interest with its Future of Financial Advice reforms and the Australian Securities and Investment Commission has proposed a national exam as an industry qualification. Moves to lift educational requirements for financial planners had already been signalled by the industry. This year, the Australian School of Business (ASB) commenced degree courses in financial planning and has responded to an approach from Tim Steele, director of AMP's Horizons Academy, which trains and licenses that company's financial planners. Under a new agreement, eligible graduates from AMP's Horizons program will be able to gain academic credit towards further study at the ASB. Steele recently spoke with Knowledge@Australian School of Business.

When a quarter of your workforce is heading for the door, it's time for some serious strategic thinking. One Australian organisation is tackling the outflow of thousands of mature-age workers by 2015 with a series of policy changes and initiatives that not only glean vital information for the employer, but also improve the prospects for wannabe retirees. However, a one-size-fits-all policy approach will not be effective in all cases, warn researchers from the Australian School of Business. And collecting data on the intentions of a growing number of mature-age workers and their effect on the workplace is proving complicated.

A new inquiry into the activities of Australia's central bank subsidiary, Securency, has brought the prevalence of bribery in international business dealings back into the spotlight. Demands for "grey money" are commonplace when negotiating deals in many developing nations. While multinational boards may place a high emphasis on ethics, often it's their people on the ground who are left with the risky business of tackling the grey areas to get deals over the line. It's time for a public airing of this cross-cultural no-go zone, says international management professor Andrew Kakabadse. Major global third sector organisations, including the United Nations, need to open the debate so corporate board members can take their heads out of the sand.

Is the end really near for the euro zone as in-fighting escalates among European leaders over strategies to bail out debt-stricken economies and strengthen the banking system? Should Greece default on its debts and quit the European Monetary Union to contain political and social unrest, the contagion effect looks set to be global. Those who believe the Greeks should be left to go it alone fail to understand the wider punishing effects, warns Wolfgang Buehler, a professor at the Australian School of Business who has extensively analysed the crisis. While the fallout may be dire for European unity and international trade, in its bitter lessons are clues for a better way forward.

As tax time looms, many Australians are gathering evidence of deductible spending to file a personal income tax return post June 30, with their hopes pinned on receiving even a small sum back. However, in the UK and New Zealand,"wage slaves" and others with comparatively simple tax affairs are spared the need to fill in a return at all.Ten inquiries have looked into simplifying tax returns over the past two decades, but Australia's policymakers have held back. Jason Kerr, a researcher at the Australian School of Business, finds strong evidence for a hybrid system that would entrust taxpayers to do the right thing.