The Conversation
The Conversation is an independent channel of information, analysis and opinion – sourced from the rich expertise of the university and research sector. Professionally edited by journalists, The Conversation offers news, views and analysis on the big issues of the day, as well as the latest research and breakthroughs. https://theconversation.com
Latest from The Conversation
Every January, offices quietly reset. New planners appear on desks. Fresh notebooks open in meetings. To-do lists look neater, ambitions clearer. There is a shared sense that this year, things will be different. And yet, by February, many of those planners sit half-used. The motivation that felt so real just weeks earlier fades. This pattern…
Once, if you wanted to buy romance novels you had to know where to look. Some small outlets stocked paperback romances, as well as department stores like Big W in Australia and Walmart in the United States. So did some bookstore chains, but romance wasn’t usually front and centre. In 2025, things have changed: romance…
The 1980s are remembered for many things including power suits, the Ford Falcon and the long lunch writes Dale Boccabella, associate professor of Taxation Law at UNSW. The last was thanks to a generous interpretation of tax law as it applied to food and entertainment at “business meetings”. Bosses could deduct the cost of lunch…
Even if you’ve no idea how the business model underpinning franchises works, there’s a good chance you’ve spent money at one. Franchising is essentially a strategy for cloning a branded business by replicating proven management and business systems. McDonald’s, KFC, Pizza Hut, Dominos, and Taco Bell are prominent multinational examples. But franchising isn’t limited to…
Once, borrowing money to make a purchase was a relatively tedious process, not a spur-of-the-moment thing. True, some stores offered lay-by plans that would let you pay for goods in instalments. But if they didn’t, and you didn’t already have a credit card, you’d have to go to a bank and apply for one. That…
It’s never been easier to stay connected to work. Even when we’re on leave, our phones and laptops keep us tethered. Many of us promise ourselves we won’t check emails during our break. But we do. Being away from the workplace, and even in a new location, is often not enough to detach psychologically. We…
Should young people be paid less than their older counterparts, even if they’re working the same job? Whether you think it’s fair or not, it’s been standard practice in many industries for a long time. The argument is that young people are not fully “work-ready” and require more intensive employer support to develop the right…
Cash usage has fallen off a cliff in Australia, but the federal government says it must have a future. So, it’s going to mandate one. The Australian government will require businesses to accept cash for essentials such as groceries and fuel. Some (yet to be determined) small businesses will be exempt. According to Treasury, losing…
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has delivered his second budget with a heavy focus on cost-of-living relief for Australians who are struggling due to persistently high inflation and rising interest rates. While Chalmers says the economy should continue to create jobs and unemployment is expected to remain historically low, inflation remains the top economic concern, write…
You’ve probably heard about the ‘great resignation‘ which saw large numbers of people resigning from their jobs in the US in 2021 and 2022. We didn’t see resignations over and above what is normal in Australia. However, we did see workers resisting the post-COVID return to the office. To better understand these trends, we…
