This is a legacy site. This website presents information on projects that were completed by CPOW (The Centre of People, Organisation and Work) located within RMIT in the past. The new CPOW website is currently under-development.
Our communities, workplaces, governments, labour markets and public policy are rapidly changing in response to seismic shifts in political, economic, environmental, technological and organisational landscapes. CPOW aims to advance positive social change by examining the positive and negative effects of these changes, which are not evenly distributed. CPOW explores themes of fairness, equity and justice by asking:
- Who participates?
- How do they participate?
- Who benefits – who loses?
Through rigorous inter-disciplinary research conducted in multiple settings, CPOW examines the impact of these changes on people, communities, industry, populations and regions. Researchers from a variety of disciplines explore leadership, collective representation and management of people in the workplace as well as the wider economic, political, technological, social and cultural environment in which organisations operate.
CPOW focuses on such issues as skills and human resource development, gender and diversity, and the links to effective outcomes. The latter include financial, operational, and organisational sustainability, employee commitment, as well as economic and employee wellbeing. Moreover, CPOW researchers explore the dimensions of social change with reference to power relations and the exercise of these relations in contemporary society.
Read about our Research Capabilities
“A major goal is to develop innovative policies and programs for business, government, and community.”
CPOW’s research offers new ways of framing problems and provides solutions that harness the benefits of change while highlighting and minimising its most harmful effects, particularly on diverse, vulnerable, and marginalised people and communities. CPOW’s research speaks to policy makers, employers, and civil society organisations at local, national and international levels.
