New opportunities for research collaborations within universities are explored through reflection on a recent collaboration between an academic researcher, the library and the eResearch Centre at a regional Australian university. Such opportunities arise from significant changes to the research landscape, including increased emphasis on open access publication of research outputs and the growth of eResearch capabilities. The latter has resulted in increases in data size and complexity and provides opportunities for collaboration across research institutions. This article reflects on the dynamics and assesses the outcomes of a collaboration formed during an externally funded open research data project. This project and a precursor project are briefly described, together with the specific contribution of each collaborator. Collaboration dynamics and the reasons for project success are assessed, as are implications for future research practice. Outcomes from eResearch collaborations may provide broader benefits to universities, as well as rewards to academic researchers.

The range of roles and activities undertaken by peak union bodies has recently been conceptualized by Ellem and Shields. This article uses their framework to discuss industrial agency in an Australian regional peak union council. An examination of two locally significant industrial campaigns using historical data specifically considers the impact of the industrial identity developed within the particular locale. These campaigns support the proposal that regional peak union council agency is determined by the geographic and social relationships resulting from local industrial history. In addition, in order to achieve successful outcomes for campaigns, even over local issues, forms of agency should be flexible and operate across scales. This article concludes that extending the Ellem and Shields framework to include more explicit consideration of locale and specific industrial identity as a mediating factor enables a greater understanding of not only the possible roles and functions of, but also those developed in practice by, regional peak union bodies.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract