News from Victoria University

Management speak holds clues to deception

e5101308 — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:01:22 +0000

The language used by company CEOs and top-level management – particularly the tone and choice of words in financial reports – holds clues to possible deceptive conduct, according to research.

In a paper just published by the Journal of Business Ethics, Professor Russell Craig, Head of Victoria University's School of Accounting and Finance, and his colleagues Tony Mortensen (University of Canterbury) and Shefali Iyer (Deloitte, NZ), argue that reports and letters written by fraudulent company bosses contain distinctive linguistic tendencies.

The researchers used as their case study the Indian multi-national Satyam, which collapsed in 2009 after company chair Ramalinga Raju confessed to extensive deception, in the order of $US 1 billion, relating to company earnings and assets.

Drawing on research into the common markers of deceptive communication, as well as software designed to quantitatively trace linguistic patterns and trends, they found that that Raju's choice of words was consistent with patterns used by those engaged in deception.

In particular, the researchers noticed the following linguistic 'alarm bells' in the five annual report letters preceding the company's collapse: a shift from first person singular pronouns (I me, mine) to plural pronouns (we, us, ours); a dominant positive tone; a tendency to use positive emotion words; and a pronounced reluctance to use numerical terms.

The researchers argue that these linguistic signals should serve as warning signs to auditors and regulators, and that systematic analysis of language, and not just numbers, should become routine in auditing processes.

While the methods demonstrated by the researchers would not automatically identify deceptive conduct, they could provide a useful warning signal of the need for closer investigation of a company's affairs.

"Changes to current risk assessment processes appear to be justified in view of the fact that neither Satyam's auditors nor market regulators identified or suspected that a major fraud was being committed," the researchers said.

“Our findings point to the desirability of encouraging the monitoring of letters to shareholders by senior executives for signs of possible corporate distress or improper or unethical behaviour. Such monitoring could be conducted routinely by auditors as part of their assessment of business leadership risk... They could also be used by credit rating agencies and financial analysts as part of their risk assessment procedures."

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Professor Russell Craig

Head of school

Contact faculty, school or department:

School of Accounting and Finance, Victoria University

0478 409 619

Russell.Craig@vu.edu.au

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China’s best at Victoria Law School

e5101308 — Wed, 16 May 2012 06:09:06 +0000

A Victoria University PhD student has been awarded for his academic and research achievements by the Chinese Government.

The Outstanding Self-Financed Student Abroad prize went to Victoria Law School 3^rd year PhD student Yongqiang Li in a ceremony at the Chinese Embassy in Toorak, May 15. He was one of 38 Chinese PhD students in Australia to be recognised.

Li’s PhD is on governance, regulation and performance of small corporations in Australia. Supervised by Professor Anona Armstrong AM and Professor Andrew Clarke, Li has already co-published a research report, three journal articles and more than a dozen conference papers, including one paper published in Economics Letters.

“This recognition for me as a Chinese research student studying abroad and recognition for Victoria University’s excellence in research training and supervision is a great honour,” Li said.

Li said the award had spurred him on and would hopefully open doors to him and his team.

“It’s given me more confidence with my research, which provides enormous impetus for me to finish my thesis on time and to optimise our research impacts,” he said. “Also, as awardees are recorded into the Chinese national talent system it establishes a bridge for our team to collaborate on research projects with Chinese partners, opening more doors.”

Li is an Australian Postgraduate Awardee (Industry) (APAI) actively involved to an ARC Linkage Project on developing a responsive regulatory system for small corporations in Australia.

Professor Anona Armstrong AM

Professor of Governance

Contact faculty, school or department:

Victoria Law School

9919 6155

anona.armstrong@vu.edu.au

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Student Barometer survey - have your say and win

e5101555 — Tue, 15 May 2012 06:36:58 +0000

Make a prize-winning comment

Complete the Student Barometer survey to tell us about your experience at Victoria University (VU), and you could WIN 1 of 3 spectacular prizes:

iPhone 4S 16GB OR Galaxy S II i9100 - the winner can choose which model they prefer
A $200 VISA debit card
A WiFi Kindle Touch

Students will also go into a national draw by i-graduate for all participating Australian Universities to win $1000 cold hard cash.

Don't miss out on this important opportunity to tell VU what it is doing well and what it needs to improve.

The Student Barometer is part of a worldwide benchmarking process, independently administered for VU by i-graduate.

Complete the survey now!

What difference does it make?

Over 6000 students completed the Student Barometer survey in 2008 and again in 2010. As a result there have been many improvement to the student experience, including facilities upgrades and more support to make life at uni better for students. More improvements are listed at www.vu.edu.au/competitions.

Survey results

Just like we did for the 2008 and 2010 surveys, results will be analysed and compiled into a report that will be posted on the competitions page of our website.

Your name and email address are removed so that responses are anonymous. Your views will be treated in strictest confidence and will not be identified by i-graduate when providing results to VU.

Complete the survey now!

See also

'See also' internal links:

Competitions and surveys

'See also' external links:

https://survey.euro.confirmit.com/wix4/p933215246.aspx?ins=100122&rort=r Student Barometer Survey site

http://www.i-graduate.org/services/international-student-barometer-and-student-barometer/ Student Barometer information on the i-graduate website

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Banking on climate change

e5101308 — Tue, 15 May 2012 07:04:00 +0000

Banks should be made front and centre in government climate policy to promote corporate responsibility and encourage capital flow to alternative energy markets, according to research by a Victoria University academic.

Lecturer in Law and research associate to the Center for Strategic Economic Studies, Megan Bowman, said the banking industry made decisions with indirect climate consequences every day and was well placed to enroll other corporate actors in greenhouse gas mitigation efforts.

“The day to day activities of banks – financing, lending, investing and advising – bring them into direct contact with large corporations that are not only responsible for fossil fuel distribution and intensive carbon emissions, but also for renewable energy and clean tech initiatives,” Ms Bowman said. “However, to date, the role of the banking industry in helping to mitigate climate change has garnered little attention by academics or policymakers.”

In a recent article in the International Journal of Global Energy Issues Ms Bowman calls for government-regulated financial incentives to “nudge the banking industry in the right direction” towards investment in clean and renewable technology.

“These incentives could take the form of tax breaks or guarantees, for example, mechanisms that offset upfront investments in clean tech in order to make it attractive. They need to be stable and long term in order to encourage private funding and business activity in renewable and clean tech sectors,” Ms Bowman said.

“In this way, incentives can enlarge these markets to enable deployment of alternative energy sources on a similar scale to that of fossil fuels.”

Banks had the reach, influence and financial firepower to unleash mature green technologies globally in the same way they had previously supported the internet and cellular networks, she said.

“But right now they also have competing business case reasons to keep supporting fossil fuel-related initiatives. That needs to change; and it won’t happen on its own,” she said. “As a whole, the banking industry is only just beginning to understand the risks and opportunities of climate change for banking business so now’s the time for well-designed incentives to make those options more attractive, more quickly.”

Since the 2008 global financial crisis, intense scrutiny has been directed at how banks do business and social pressure has increased around the world for ‘responsible’ banking practices.

“Regulation that incentivises capital into clean tech and renewables markets marries the banking industry’s business case motivations to ‘make money’ with recent heightened corporate and social sensitivities for banks to ‘make good’,” she said.

Ms Bowman is currently undertaking a PhD on this topic.

Megan Bowman

Research Associate

Contact faculty, school or department:

Centre for Strategic Economic Studies, Victoria University

(02) 6125 0537

Megan.bowman@vu.edu.au

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Preparing for your exams

e5017700 — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:26:50 +0000

Preparing for your exams means more than studying. You also need to make sure you know when and where your examination will be held and who you can turn to for help. Here is some important information that can help.

Examination information

Exams are held at the Melbourne Showgrounds. Check your MYVU Portal to view the exam timetable for your courses.

To access your personal exam timetable:

Select My details tab from the main menu
In Exams channel, select Examination details link
Select Your timetable

Search for an exam by subject:

Select My details tab from the main menu
In Exams channel, select Examination details link
Enter the subject code (eg. ABC1111)
Click search and enter on the search result

Special and Supplementary exams for Semester 1 will be held at the St Albans campus.

How can I get there?

Whether you are taking public transport or driving to your exams, the exams our website can help with directions and parking information. Please note that if driving, entry to the Showgrounds by car has been changed and is now via gate 5 in Langs Road, and for pedestrians via Gate 4 in Langs Road. Visit the Getting to Your Exam page for further details.

What else do I need to know?

Can I bring a dictionary to the exam? What if I’m a few minutes late? Have a read through the exam rules and regulations to make sure you’re prepared.

Results

Higher Education results are scheduled to be displayed on MYVU Portal on Monday 9 July 2012.

TAFE results are scheduled to be displayed on MYVU Portal on Monday 23 July 2012.

For further information:
ASK A QUESTION: www.vu.edu.au/askvu
PHONE: +61 3 9919 6100
VISIT: STUDENT SERVICE CENTRE

Student support

It is worth remembering that there are people you can speak with if you are struggling to complete your assessment on time, are considering a change in course or if you just need someone to talk to.

If you want to speak with a learning support person to get some ideas for success with your exams and how to prepare for exams, you can book an individual consultation on 9919 4744. You can also look and ask for online help on the social learning support site, SNAPVU. On this site you can search for resources about exams and exam preparation, read the blog posts from other students on exam-taking, or even post questions or comments to the forum and start a conversation.

Counselling services can help you work on strategies and skills for the exam period and how to cope with exam anxiety. We have developed these videos to help you with preparing for exams and what to do if you get anxious during an exam

Coping with anxiety leading up to exams

Read the transcript of coping with anxiety leading up to exams video

Coping with anxiety during exams

Read the transcript of coping with anxiety during exams video

There will be a counsellor present at the Showgrounds during the examination period who can assist you should your require it. Counsellors will keep “drop-in” times that can only be booked on the day should a situation arise where you require assistance. Naturally, make any appointment sooner rather than later.

Special Consideration

If you have had your course work or assessment hampered by illness of other serious causes to a substantial degree at any time during the semester, you can apply for special consideration. Applications can be supported by your own doctor, non-VU counsellor, police report, death certificate, letter from religious leader, Statutory Declaration, as well as by a VU counsellor.

Be prepared for your exams

See also

'See also' internal links:

Examinations

Access to the MyVU Portal

'See also' external links:

myvuportal.vu.edu.au MyVUPortal

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Crowdsourcing during crisis

e5101308 — Mon, 07 May 2012 03:08:02 +0000

The Kony video hype has come and gone but a lesser-known part of that campaign continues – one using online crowdsourcing technology to map crimes allegedly committed by the Lord’s Resistance Army.

According to Victoria University Visiting Professor Pompeu Casanovas and Visiting Research Fellow Dr Marta Poblet it is just one example of crowdsourcing data being organised for crisis mapping, which more than any viral video campaign is changing how we respond to crisis and war.

“This crisis mapping based on extracting relevant information from tweets, Facebook updates, SMSs, satellite maps and online videos is revolutionising the way humanitarian organisations operate,” Dr Poblet said. “The information is real-time, open access and so more rapidly available than ever before.”

It has proven so effective that aid agencies, governments, media and even the United Nations have requested the services of large volunteer and technical communities involved in crisis mapping to coordinate responses to the Libyan and Syrian conflicts, as well as natural disasters in Australia, New Zealand and Japan.

Dr Poblet volunteers with one such voluntary global network called The Standby Task Force and explained how it worked:

“If an organisation’s request meets our activation criteria we set up a web platform and our teams start monitoring social media for specific information on the crisis: requests for help from victims, videos of what’s happening, SMSs or tweets from local responders and so on,” she said. “We categorize and verify this information then collate and map it in what’s called a “mash-up”, from which real-time situation reports can be generated.”

These ‘deployments’ normally last two to four weeks, after which time the platform is handed over to whoever originally requested it.

Those who have requested the service so far include the UNHCR, World Health Organisation, Amnesty International USA and ABC Australia.

“What they find so helpful with this crowdsourced approach is the immediate real-time information from on the ground – it is available faster than governments can provide it and is available whether or not aid agencies and media can gain access,” Dr Poblet said.

The technology had facilitated the emergence of a significant new form of social networking, she said.

“In an emergency the first responders are those on the ground in the neighbourhood, now there is a second type of neighbour also there on the scene immediately – a digital neighbour,” she said.

Dr Poblet said it was also transforming the way traditional aid organisations operated.

“The very large traditional organisations with long experiences in humanitarian work have their own protocols that can make them a bit slower to act but even they are starting to open up to this,” she said. “Increasingly they are acting as partners and The American Red Cross has even set up its own platform to monitor and analyze social media in real-time.”

Professor Casanovas said crowdsourcing technology was revolutionising not just aid work but politics too, with the Constitution of Iceland being debated via crowdsourcing of the country’s 320,000 citizens.

“It’s a revolutionary process for direct democracy and a new challenge for the rule of law,” Professor Casanovas said.

The researchers from Spain’s Autonomous University of Barcelona are in Australia working with Victoria University’s Professor John Zeleznikow in the School of Management & Information Systems, Faculty of Business & Law. Professor Casanovas is on a Salvador de Madariaga scholarship to develop a research program on technology and relational law.

Dr Marta Poblet, Professor John Zeleznikow and Professor Pompeu Casanovas

Professor Pompeu Casanovas

Visiting Professor

Contact faculty, school or department:

School of Management & Information Systems, Victoria University

0452 559 576

pompeu.casanovas@uab.cat

Dr Marta Poblet

Visiting Research Fellow

Contact faculty, school or department:

School of Management & Information Systems, Victoria University

0452 559 577

marta.poblet@uab.cat

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Victoria University wins school of rock prize

e5101308 — Thu, 03 May 2012 04:44:04 +0000

Victoria University students have taken out a global music industry award for best CD by a campus record label.

The Potential Unlimited 4 CD features Passport for Amy, Forest City Lovers and other emerging local bands. It was produced by Victoria University Bachelor of Business students working directly with the bands, selecting tracks for the CD and developing strategies for its marketing, publicity and distribution.

The US-based Independent Music Awards announced on May 3 that the CD was the best in the world produced by a campus record label.

Victoria University music industry lecturer Adrian Marchesani said his students had been finalists in the category for the past 3 years – the only non-US group to do so – but the win announced on May 3 in the US-based Independent Music Awards meant they were now the first non-US group to win since their time in the competition.

“It’s a pretty good achievement considering we’re up against American campus record labels that have been around for 30 years,” Mr Marchesani said

He said the project provided valuable experience for students entering the music business as well as a platform for budding groups to build their profile.

“Our students now have an international reputation from which to leverage off as they set out in the music industry,” he said.

Judges for the awards included Keith Richards, Tom Waits and Tori Amos. Entries came from the United States, Canada, France, Israel, Australia, Mali, Ukraine, Egypt, Norway, Colombia, Taiwan and the UK.

Victoria University provides one of Australia’s only Bachelor of Business degrees focusing on the music industry. For the full track listing and to hear Potential Unlimited 4 visit www.amusicdegreethatrocks.vu.edu.au/

Adrian Marchesani

Music industry lecturer

Contact faculty, school or department:

School of International Business, Faculty of Business & Law, Victoria University

9919 4073

Adrian.Marchesani@vu.edu.au

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Understanding arthritis better

e5101308 — Tue, 01 May 2012 03:34:58 +0000

Better arthritis treatment could be one step closer with research showing muscle inflammation outside joints as much to blame for discomfort and poor mobility in sufferers as inflammation of the joint itself.

Knee arthritis treatment has focussed on relieving knee joint inflammation but researchers from Victoria University, La Trobe University, Warringal Hospital and St Vincent’s Hospital found muscle inflammation outside the joint in those suffering knee osteoarthritis, meaning that treatment may need changing.

Researchers from Victoria University's Institute of Sport, Exercise & Active Living Dr Pazit Levinger and Dr Itamar Levinger explained muscle inflammation was a body’s natural reaction to injury or infection but lead to muscle wastage when prolonged. For those with knee arthritis this muscle wastage can result in less capacity to perform daily activities.

“With the better understanding of changes in muscle function coming out of this study we will be able to target exercise and drug therapy more effectively to keep this population active and increase their quality of life for longer,” Dr Itamar Levinger said.

The Arthritis Australia sponsored project based on previous findings published in the Arthritis and Rheumatism journal will now test healthy 55- to 80-year-olds as a control group to see how the muscle function behaves in those without knee osteoarthritis.

For this next phase researchers are seeking participants to attend Victoria University’s Footscray Park campus twice: First to assess their fitness and strength and second for a resting muscle biopsy. Blood cholesterol and sugar levels will also be tested and made available to participants.

“Those who participate in this next stage of research will learn more about their fitness level and muscle strength as well as helping us develop better treatment for those suffering knee osteoarthritis,” he said.

For more information on participating in this study contact Dr Itamar Levinger at Itamar.levinger@vu.edu.au

Researcher inspects a knee joint

Dr Itamar Levinger

Researcher

Contact faculty, school or department:

Institute for Sport, Exercise & Active Living, Victoria University

0413 481 104

Itamar.levinger@vu.edu.au

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Submissions are open for Offset 2012, Creative Arts Journal

e5102256 — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 02:53:35 +0000

Offset, Victoria University's student produced creative arts journal is calling for submissions for its 2012 edition.

Offset celebrates the people, culture, history and languages of Melbourne's West.

Create something around this theme whether it be:

Prose
Poetry
Photography
Art
Multimedia or
Music

In addition to appearing in the journal, published submissions will be showcased at the inaugural Offset creative arts festival, to be held at the Footscray Community Arts Centre on the 19th, 20th and 21st of October, 2012.

So put something together and send it in!

Submission guidelines can be found on the Offset website and you can keep up to date with all things Offset on our Facebook page.

Contact details: offset@students.vu.edu.au

Offset creative journal cover

See also

'See also' external links:

http://www.offsetjournal.com/ Offset journal

http://www.facebook.com/OffsetArts Offset on Facebook

Alison

9919 8745

offset@students.vu.edu.au

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Mapping the flood

e5101308 — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 06:53:45 +0000

Melbourne will suffer more frequent and severe floods as stormwater drains struggle to cope under climate change, according to Victoria University engineers.

Dr Nitin Muttil of the Water Resources Group in the School of Engineering and Science at Victoria University said old drainage infrastructure in many Melbourne suburbs couldn’t cope with the intense rainfall that’s becoming more frequent.

“The current council infrastructure in many areas can simply not handle what is coming,” Dr Muttil said.

Rainfall trends indicate total rainfall in southeast Australia is decreasing, but extreme events are becoming more intense, leading to more frequent and destructive flash floods in recent decades. Recent examples include Melbourne’s summertime storms of the last two years, which resulted in widespread flash flooding.

Dr Muttil and his team have entered an agreement with the City of Greater Dandenong to identify and map at-risk areas based on topography, drainage capacity and future rainfall projections for the next 20 - 50 years.

He said other local councils were also interested in the research as a tool to plan upgrades to drainage infrastructure identified as at risk.

Dr Muttil said it was not only climate change but also urban sprawl that was making the city more prone to flooding because rainfall does not seep into the ground in urban areas like it does in rural areas.

“Instead it goes straight into gutters and drainage systems where it travels through catchments many times faster than it would if falling on a rural area,” he said. “This leads to more severe flash flooding.”

This project is part of ongoing research into the impacts of climate change on urban drainage systems, and rainfall trends and water resource management within the Yarra River catchment.

(note: raindrop image courtesy of Pfly on Flickr)

Dr Nitin Muttil

See also

'See also' internal links:

Water Resources

Dr Nitin Muttil,

Water Resources Group Deputy Leader

Contact faculty, school or department:

Faculty of Health, Engineering and Science, Victoria University

9919 4251

nitin.muttil@vu.edu.au

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