PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the effect that a prospective pathway college affiliated to a large comprehensive university in Sydney may have on the university's reputation. In particular, the association of reputation with preference for a pathway college, brand awareness and the opinion of college brand are examined.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey was conducted in metropolitan Sydney, Australia, and produced 501 questionnaires responses. A correlation study was used to analyse the relationship between variables of preference for college, perceived reputation, brand awareness and opinion of college brand.FindingsThe community reacted positively to a prospective college by agreeing that its merit is in providing a second chance for disadvantaged students and added to the diversity profile of the university. Reputation predicted brand awareness, preference for the college and the opinion of the college brand. Teaching quality of the college is found to be the most important factor to enhance the reputation of the university as well as brand.Originality/valueThe paper explores the difference and relationship between reputation and brand awareness in a higher education context and how this influenced students' decisions. This knowledge has useful implications for higher education management practice.

New approaches to complement vaccination are needed to combat the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and stop COVID-19 related deaths and medical complications. Human beta defensin 2 (hBD-2) is a naturally occurring epithelial cell derived host defense peptide that has antiviral properties. Our comprehensive in-silico studies demonstrate that hBD-2 binds the site on the CoV-2-RBD that docks with the ACE2 receptor. Biophysical measurements confirm that hBD-2 indeed binds to the CoV-2-receptor binding domain (RBD) (K D ∼ 2μM by surface plasmon resonance), preventing it from binding to ACE2 expressing cells. Importantly, hBD-2 shows specificity by blocking CoV-2/spike pseudoviral infection, but not VSVG mediated infection, of ACE2 expressing human cells with an IC 50 of 2.8 + 0.4 μM. These promising findings offer opportunities to develop hBD-2 and/or its derivatives and mimetics to safely and effectively use as agents to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection.

The Sydney Olympics held in September 2000 provided an opportunity to monitor the planning of transport provision for the world's greatest sporting spectacular. As the single largest major event, the pressures on a city's transport system are enormous, as witnessed by the previous Games in Atlanta and Barcelona. This paper takes a value-chain approach to assess transport performance as a crucial element in the delivery of the Sydney Olympic Games. We begin with a brief overview of strategic value, highlighting some generic aspects of value chains followed by the transport delivery system that came to the fore as signi®cant`drivers' in the value chain. This is followed by a summary of the eectiveness of the buses, trains, taxis, roads and the airport. A more detailed look is provided of the private bus sector where the problems leading up the opening of the Games received a great deal of media attention. The paper concludes with two stories, one good, one not so good, about transport and the Olympic Games.

The purpose of this article is to examine the nature of work design in relation to flexible work scheduling (FWS), particularly in respect to participation by women and men. There is a paucity of research evidence on this topic. Work design, essentially an artefact of enterprise culture, is constructed by the social rules of place, distance and time. Work practices that assume that work tasks are only conducted in the workplace during standard work time in the proximity of co-workers and managers do not, in the main, support FWS. While there is no significant evidence in this study that women and men perceive the barriers differently when considering taking up the option to engage in FWS options, the study addresses the reasons for this using a large survey of the Australian workforce. This article concludes that it is time to redefine these critical work design dimensions, in relation to existing power structures, in order to inject real flexibility into the workplace.

Examines the relationship of managerial strategy and organizational commitment among drivers working in the private bus industry. Investigates the dimensions of managerial strategy and organizational commitment. Data were collected by survey questionnaire. Demonstrates that managerial strategy plays a key integrative role in generating organizational commitment among bus drivers. Decentralized authority, participative management, and resource adequacy were the most relevant factors in the development of organizational commitment. Found that employees felt blocked in using their initiative, experienced a power distance between managers and drivers, and were not recognized for non‐driving activities. Suggests that managers and supervisors need to look at structures and processes which encourage participation and decentralized authority so that employees maintain involvement in their organizations.