Student topics

Since the last decade, there have been intense debates over whether executive compensation contracts are set optimally for interest alignment between management and shareholders. As Jensen and Murphy (2010) noted, the real problem of compensation is 'not how much you pay, but how'. While there is an agreement that performance-based pay can influence corporate investment decisions, the evidence is less clear on how and to what extent such a link is established. The real interest of this study is to …

Study level

Master of Philosophy

Faculty

Faculty of Business and Law

School

School of Accountancy

Philanthropy (defined here as structured giving through organisations such as foundations) is growing strongly and expected to benefit significantly from the intergenerational transfer of wealth in the coming decades. The accountability of philanthropy is a vital discussion, as criticism grows internationally of the lack of transparency, particularly for wealthy philanthropists who use their retained influence over donated and taxpayer-subsided funds to pursue their individual interests and influence public policy. There are current calls for a national blueprint or strategy for …

Study level

Master of Philosophy

Faculty

Faculty of Business and Law

School

School of Accountancy

Research centre(s)

Australian Centre for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies

According to faultline theory, imposing board diversity criteria on corporate board can split the board into subgroups, which negatively impact on board performance by reducing effective communication between directors, instigating frictions and negative group dynamics. The role of the company secretary has been found to be pivotal in managing information blows and brokering meaningful relationships between board members. Company secretaries are therefore in a key position to provide insights into what can potentially cause frictions on boards and offer guidance …

Study level

Master of Philosophy

Faculty

Faculty of Business and Law

School

School of Accountancy

Crowdfunding provides a unique opportunity to acquire financial resources online and is often used by entrepreneurs aiming to finance a project or a venture by parties. These investors make their funding decision based on the crowdfunding campaign entailing a textual description and a video pitch. This research seeks to determine which financial information should be included in the campaign, how this information should be presented, and how it affects the judgment and decision making of the potential investors. Detailed insights …

Study level

Master of Philosophy

Faculty

Faculty of Business and Law

School

School of Accountancy

It is common that companies routinely retain compensation consultants to provide guidance in setting executive pay packages. Most importantly, they offer recommendations about formulating appropriate compensation contracts for top management. Research shows that the size and structure of CEO compensation packages significantly affect firm performance (known as pay-for-performance) and, in particular, excessive CEO compensation is associated with the destruction of shareholder wealth. It is, therefore, interesting to investigate whether the use of compensation consultants actually benefits shareholders (e.g. improve firm …

Study level

Master of Philosophy

Faculty

Faculty of Business and Law

School

School of Accountancy

This topic examines the NFP sector, in particular, indigenous organisations and the risk associated with incidents of fraud. As funding to these organisations is limited, a fraudulent event can have dire consequences on employees as well as impact future funding opportunities. Scant attention has been paid to the NFP sector in relation to fraud risk management. The study will help to address this.If you are interested in researching this topic as part of a Master of Philosophy (Accountancy), and you …

Study level

Master of Philosophy

Faculty

Faculty of Business and Law

School

School of Accountancy

The flight path design and community engagement practices associated with Brisbane Airport have long been criticised for prioritising profit over community wellbeing, leading to excessive aircraft noise pollution. These issues have now amounted to a federal Senate Inquiry and an investigation by the Commonwealth Ombudsman.This PhD research project aims to explore the dynamics between Brisbane Airport and the affected residential communities across more than 220 suburbs, drawing inspiration from a similar study conducted into the social engineering practices of Schiphol …

Study level

PhD, Master of Philosophy

School

School of Design

Research centre(s)

Digital Media Research Centre
Design Lab

This PhD project addresses the significant issue of misleading noise data in the context of residential communities exposed to aircraft noise pollution. Despite efforts by authorities to provide noise exposure forecasts and information based on the Australian Noise Exposure Forecast (ANEF) approach, many communities feel misled by the noise contours presented to them. Experiences from previous major development projects at Australian airports have shown a range of problems with relying solely on the ANEF as a noise information tool as …

Study level

PhD, Master of Philosophy

School

School of Design

Research centre(s)

Design Lab

Supercapacitor is a promising energy storage device with advantages of high power density, fast charging/discharging rate and long cycling life. However, the energy density of supercapacitor is relatively low as compared to that of other devices such as lithium-ion battery. To improve the energy density, new electrode materials including graphene and metal oxides have been explored for supercapacitor electrodes.Two-dimensional (2D) heterostructures recently offered a compelling solution to enhance the performance of supercapacitors by combining more than one components into a …

Study level

PhD

School

School of Mechanical, Medical and Process Engineering

As demand for Australian-made products increases, a new type of entrepreneur has emerged. Daigous, or purchasing agents, serve as important ‘middlemen’ – connecting Chinese customers with Western brands. Daigou have become a paradox. They have been associated with ‘unorthodox’ behaviours such as stockpiling highly sought after products, for example, they have previously created market-wide shortages of infant formula. On the other hand, Daigou are increasingly enacting opportunistic behaviours, boosting demand for premium Australian products such as, cosmetics, skincare and vitamins.Recently, …

Study level

PhD, Master of Philosophy

School

School of Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations

Climate change poses an unprecedented global challenge, and its impact is profoundly felt at the local level. The pressing need for effective adaptation strategies requires a nuanced understanding of how local governments navigate and integrate policies at various administrative tiers. Our research project delves into the pivotal question of how local governments align with regional, state, and national climate change adaptation policies, offering a crucial lens into the challenges and opportunities that emerge at the intersection of policy and planning.This …

Study level

Honours

School

School of Architecture and Built Environment

Bus stops are crucial touch points for a public transport system, and have the potential to impact human health and wellbeing, as well as rider experience. As a ubiquitous aspect of the urban fabric within a city, bus stops impact the character and function of the streetscape and their design can impact people’s experiences within the public realm. Yet their role in shaping everyday places is usually neglected and is under researched. In addition, with increased temperatures and extreme weather …

Study level

PhD, Master of Philosophy, Honours

School

School of Architecture and Built Environment