Franchising: Fighting back against a few bad apples

Franchising is a crucial sector for the Australian economy, but the poor behaviour of a handful of firms is casting a blight on the whole sector.

Asian-Australians still face discrimination

New research finds that many Asian-Australians experience discrimination in the workplace, limiting their opportunities to move into senior leadership positions.

Graduates warned off unpaid “job” adverts

While undergraduates who undertake internships as part of their degree are under regulation by an academic supervisor, recent graduates are routinely exploited by unscrupulous employers offering ‘jobs’ with no payment.

Is empathy good for business?

Being able to put yourself in the shoes of your customers and colleagues is a crucial advantage in business, but too much empathy can also have unintended consequences.

That Instagram post may cost you more than you think

We don’t really know how social media posts are being used or evaluated by banks. We need greater transparency around exactly how our data will be used and the ability to challenge decisions.

Improving the finance sector for all Australians

Trust in our financial services has been shaken by scandals, but in a new white paper, FinFuture, researchers show how the system can be reformed to protect citizen’s financial well-being.

Age diversity is good for business

The social consensus around the value of productive ageing has not been reflected in business practices, and so fresh approaches are required: a report from the recent GAP Roundtable identifies the biggest barrier to mature-age employment.

The myth of female multi-tasking

Women may have more to juggle in terms and work and family, but they performed no better than men in a new study investigating different types of multitasking.

Workers are getting shortchanged by employers

The theft of wages and benefits from low paid and vulnerable workers is on the rise and companies and bosses should be called out and punished accordingly.

Australian firms remain ill-prepared to tackle modern slavery

New research from the University of South Australia finds that Australian businesses are ill-prepared for mandatory modern slavery reporting.

Our obsession with performance is changing our sense of self

Work already affects many people’s sense of self-worth, but now new research confirms that it’s not only what we do, but how good we are at it, that affects how we see ourselves.

Lessons from successful family businesses

A new book, Family Business Success Stories, describes the journeys of eight Australian families who have led their businesses through more than 100 years and a total of 39 generations.