Research and Consultancy

Professors Paul and Paula Swatman, often working together, sometimes independently, have decades of experience as researchers and research leaders in a broad range of organisational and information systems areas. Our research has been extensively funded by Governments and commercial, administration and non-profit sector organisations across Australia and Europe; and it has resulted in more than 300 publications in books, journals and conferences. 

Throughout our academic careers, we have also managed extensive consultancy programmes, typically linked to our research programmes.  In this, we were influenced by colleagues and friends who held Chairs at German Universities where it is common for professors to establish both internal (within the university) and external (independent of the university) institutes of consultancy and applied research.  Although this was and remains less common in Australia, we have found that it allows research concepts to be trialled in the field, the generation of more flexible funding of research and research assistance, research students to gain real-world applied research experience and it forms an industrial experience base to inform teaching programmes. 

An early mentor (Bob Galliers) once advised us that the secret to building a career in academe is to focus on things which repay you in at least three ways (which might include, for example, generating publications, helping to pay for a doctoral scholarship for an assistant, providing a “teaching case”, offering a client a “result”).  We have both taken and applied that advice and we have passed the idea on to our students and colleagues.

Major areas of our research expertise and experience include:

  • Information Systems Strategy,

  • Information and Knowledge Management,

  • Requirements Engineering

  • ICT-enabled Organisational Change — specialising in the non-profit sector,

  • eBusiness and eGovernment,

  • Diffusion of Innovation,

  • The Digital Divide,

  • Supporting professional teamwork

  • Research Ethics.

Although we are now (at least) semi-retired, you can review our research careers and access our published work:

Paula (whose retirement is rather more virtual than real) continues to consult professionally as well as to volunteer in a number of capacities within the local community.  Paul’s retirement is more complete – he now runs the farm, grows and cooks the majority of our food, manages the airfield and flies – though he does occasionally still consult from time to time.