Chaos + Collaboration = Culture Change: Venturing into Joint Ventures

By Christine Knox.

Published by The International Journal of Knowledge, Culture and Change Management

Format	Price
Article: Print	$US10.00
Article: Electronic	$US5.00

The Whyalla (South Australia) based Spencer Gulf Rural Health School, formed in 2001, consists of a Rural Clinical School and a University Department of Rural Health which provides undergraduate education to nurses, allied health professionals and medical students. With that, comes the optimism that all South Australian regional areas will benefit from easier access to the attraction and retention of rural doctors and other health professionals in the future. Funded by the Australian Government's Department of Health and Ageing, the School is a joint venture between the University of Adelaide and the University of South Australia which forms the basis for effective governance of the School by the two University partners. This paper looks at the culture change and intense collaboration that was required to bring this joint venture to fruition along with the mystique, mayhem and absolute chaos that was encountered along the way. I will take you on a journey of working with two Universities, two budgets, two enterprise bargaining agreements, two finance systems, two legal sections, two human resource departments, two sets of reporting requirements, and eventually, two Heads of School representing diverse operational disciplines, all of which occurred prior to the formation of the Joint Venture Agreement. I will discuss with you the impact upon the two Universities of the Agreement, and the success stories that followed from its inception in 2005. A significant achievement - with a light hearted approach.

Keywords:	Collaboration, Culture Change, Trust, Universities, Joint Venture

The International Journal of Knowledge, Culture and Change Management, Volume 7, Issue 7, pp.11-16. Article: Print (Spiral Bound). Article: Electronic (PDF File; 520.401KB).

Christine Knox

Executive Officer, Faculty of Health Sciences (University of Adelaide), Division of Health Sciences (University of South Australia), University of Adelaide / University of South Australia, Whyalla, South Australia, Australia

Christine Knox has been the Executive Officer of the Spencer Gulf Rural Health School since 2001, witnessing and being an active participant in the strategic management of change that the School has undergone since its inception in 2001. Her current role is to manage all human and other resources, finances and administrative operations of the Spencer Gulf Rural Health School, including two campuses and nine regional learning centres. Christine has over 15 years experience in senior strategic management roles including strategic management positions in the South Australian health and transport industries, and in the South Australian public and private sectors in the consultancy field. She was named Whyalla Businesswoman of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is an Associate Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management and a certified practitioner in Human Resources Management recognised by the Australian Human Resources Institute. Christine holds a Master of Business (Administrative Management) from the University of South Australia and has qualifications in public sector management through the Flinders University of South Australia. She has a strong interest in the ageing workforce and its impacts upon Australian society.

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