Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1971. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

This thesis is concerned with the life and career of Sir Philip Baxter (1905-1989), particularly during the period following his arrival in Australia from England in 1950. But the thesis is not a conventional biographical study in terms of either the sources used or its guiding themes. Instead, my subject's values and attitudes are portrayed as reflections of a 'conservative style of thought', a concept developed by Karl Mannheim. This approach, centred on close readings of key texts, permits a deeper understanding of a figure who polarised opinion over a long career as Chairman of the Australian Atomic Energy Commission, and as Vice-Chancellor of the University of NSW. My picture of Baxter draws significantly on the Archives of the University of NSW, which provided the bulk of my primary sources, such as correspondence files, typescripts of articles and talks, newspaper clippings, official documents and personal memorabilia. This material is a substantial but curiously unrevealing source for Baxter's life. Although I rely largely on written material, on several important occasions I refer to discussions I had with Baxter's children, colleagues and students. Insights thereby gained into Baxter's childhood reading, and the circumstances of the composition of his play, The Day the Sun Rose in the West, profoundly influenced my portrayal of Baxter. Throughout, I argue for an appreciation of the significance of such material, even though in a more conventional study of an engineer/administrator it would be thought of only marginal interest. In Baxter's case, certainly, careful interpretation of such material enables the construction of a compelling portrait of the man despite the unrevealing primary records and the still often fervently partisan personal recollections of those who knew him. My major conclusion is that previous characterisations of Baxter as a cold war warrior of the post-war period in Australia have failed to appreciate the complexity and coherence of his attitudes and philosophy. Secondly, I demonstrate that the notion of a 'conservative style of thought' captures that complexity as evidenced in the many facets of Baxter's career and interests.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of New South Wales, 1999. / Also available online.

This research investigates the specific labour market dynamics that underline the shortage of engineers in the Petrochemical Industry in South Africa. The central argument of this dissertation is that an understanding of a skills shortage requires a distinct knowledge of the internal and external nature of each labour market in which the shortage is being experienced. This dissertation develops a critique of the neoclassical perspective which dominates current analysis of skill shortages. While it is important to understand the external labour market, it is equally important to consider the internal labour market to better identify and understand the specific dynamics that underline a skills shortage in an organisation and industry. Using Engen Refinery as a case study, this dissertation focuses on an in depth examination of the experiences of engineers working at the Refinery. The findings reveal that the dynamics that underline the skill shortage of engineers in the Petrochemical Industry in the South African context are manifold. Skill shortages are a consequence of dynamics in both the external and internal labour market; these I argue are interrelated. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

Text in English / The purpose of this study was to explore the work-life balance experiences of female engineers as they progress through various career life stages. Research has demon-strated that female engineers experience unique challenges as a result of gendered norms within male-dominated occupations, with changing life-roles, needs and ex-pectations across the various career life stages, impacting how they negotiate and perceive work-life balance. A qualitative research approach was followed using a her-meneutic phenomenology paradigm that employed a multiple case study approach consisting of semi-structured interviews with nine female engineers across three career life stages. The findings of the study confirmed current research into work-life balance, highlighting that work-life balance needs and expectations are different across the lifespan and are particularly affected by the changing nature of the work role within the lives of female engineers. Companies should consider changing their organisational culture to acknowledge the needs of female engineers in both family and work domains. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.Comm. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)