Inducing knowledge sharing in teams through cost-efficient compensation schemes

A natural challenge for firms seeking to implement knowledge management systems is accounting for the interplay of incentives among workers and supervisors. This paper studies this interaction, focusing on the dynamics arising from joint projects, task evaluation, and knowledge sharing, in the framework of a game-theoretic model. We identify conditions under which a firm can minimize the costs of implementing an incentives-based system for knowledge sharing, taking into account the firm’s ability to monitor individual performance. We show that an employer in our framework has a stronger incentive to monitor tasks when relative-performance pay is small and when higher-paid agents are more likely to generate new knowledge.     

Decolonising and globalising English studies: The case of English textbooks in West-Bengal, India

The paper examines the changing status of English studies through English textbooks in contemporary West-Bengal, India. The texts are marked by the cross-currents of the post-colonial impulse to discard the English literary canon, the acceptance of the historical role of English literature in the Bengal Renaissance, and the new demand for English language proficiency in a globalising India.     

Expectations and experiences of off-campus PhD students in Australia

This study describes research examining the expectations and experiences of PhD students undertaking a PhD in off-campus research institutes and hospitals that are affiliated with an Australian research-intensive university. Much of our knowledge of the expectations and experiences of PhD students in Australia stem from those that undertake research training in the classical university structure and that progress towards research training directly from their undergraduate studies. However, increasing numbers of research higher degree students are based in off-campus research institutions, which are becoming increasingly fertile training grounds for research higher degree students in the sector. While participants’ experiences and expectations were largely consistent with our current understanding of the Australian PhD experience, many reported a perceived lack of support programmes. Workload and time commitments, pressure to produce results and their off-campus location potentially conspire to reduce access to on-campus support services offered by the university. Opportunities therefore exist for student advisors, service providers and university leaders to increase accessibility to academic development programmes and pastoral care, including both online and off-campus provision as appropriate, to enhance the PhD experience for this growing cohort of students.     

Beyond Brownian Motion: A levy flight in magic boots

In recent times, it has become quite common in the scientific community to observe molecular aggregates which travel at times like Tom Thumb wearing his magic boots. This requires an understanding of theories going beyond the familiar Brownian Motion (BM).