ICSSS Conference

The 3rd International Conference on Sciences and Social Sciences was held at Rajabhat Mahasarakham University, Maha Sarakham in Thailand. One of our colleagues from Phetchaburi Rajabhat University strongly recommended me to participate in this lively inter-disciplinary conference. Certainly, I took her idea and  see this international conference as our first opportunity to discuss our project on mining and international development in Mekong with international academic community in Mekong region. Another reason to participate in this conference, the keynote speaker, Prof. Jira Hongladarom, is one of the most inspiring academics whom I have been following since my university time. 

When I arrived Rajabhat Mahasakham University, I felt like home since the organiser team members and a number of Professors from the University warmly welcomed me anywhere I went, from the airport to Rajabhat campus. The conference is truly an international conference.... not only in its form, but also the quality of presenters and participants from over 10 countries!

The President of the University, Assoc.Prof. Somchai Wongkasem, welcomed us at the opening ceremony of the conference on 18 July 2013. Nothing was better than his warm and sincere welcoming speech to all delegates. His interpretation of the conference theme, research and development for sustainable life quality, is extremely interesting. I can 'feel' his enthusiasm in the promotion of academic regional development by education from early to life-long education.

The keynote speaker, Prof. Jira Hongladarom, started the conference conversation by discussing his ideas on development by focusing upon roles of various social stakeholders in South East Asia. More importantly,  he firmly believes that universities must work with the real world concept, not a mere ivory-tower style, if  the reality of development is expected. Sustainability! Sustainability! Sustainability! This term clearly is the heart of this conference.I recorded an interesting part of his and love to share it with you here.

An interesting aspect of the conference is the opening ceremony. I have been to many places in my life and time as an academic. However, the opening of this conference is truly unique!! The lively dance of ASEAN and sustainability development, which was well performed by students from the dramatic arts department from Rajabhat Mahasarakham University. Entertaining and Educative!!

Through out this conference, I met and discussed various aspects of  development research with a number of delegates from Indiana State University, Arizona State University, Florida Atlantic University, the National University of Laos, Massey University, University of the Philippines, Mahasarakham University, and Vinh University from Vietnam. Again, we seem to focus on how to integrate our ideas and resources for the concept of research in sustainability and community development.

I presented 2 papers at the conference, focusing on mining and development and corporate social responsibility from mining companies in Mekong region. Our AusAID project was presented and well-received by the international participants. The focus on criticisms of mining in Asia was among management and social development academics from Vietnam and the USA. The concept of mining and development was not a brand new idea here. However, participants were very keen to share their experiences on this important issues. If you need to read a full paper on mining and development in Mekong from the conference, please click here.  I also presented the second paper on CSR in Vietnam and Cambodia and the full paper can be accessed here.

 Apart from the quality of international papers, I must admit that the integration of ideas from sciences and social sciences was the key features of this conference. Issues on management of resources, community and environmental development,and disaster management were discussed with sensation. Sustainability is an issue that interfaces with sciences, economics, culture as well as other social and environmental consequences of economic and technological activities. This conference clearly confirms that researchers need to integrate resources and ideas from different disciplines if we need to clearly understand complex issues of sustainability.

I would like to thank the organisers of the conference for this wonderful event and I look forward to participating in the next ICSSS conference.

Overview

Mining and Equitable Employment for Women in Lao PDR and Thailand

Overview

Mining is one of the key industries in many countries. The mining sector has considerable potential to improve quality of living, help reduce poverty, accelerate human development, promote economic growth, and support progress towards the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals (MDG). International mining can also generate economic and social opportunities, directly through employment of workers, through taxes, rents, community development, royalty payments and social responsibility programs, and indirectly by contributing to economic growth and private sector development.

Management of mining impacts in developing countries, however, can be complex and challenging for all stakeholders. Extraction of natural resources such as mining is limited within a particular geographical area. Often its activities are conducted in or near communities and have direct or indirect impacts on community resources, capabilities and well-being, thus leading to a state of poverty, violent behavior, and resentment by communities towards businesses, and other forms of human deprivation such as water and air pollution, land access, farming and toxicity.

Moreover, mining has long been a male-dominated industry, which women continue to be underrepresented in leadership positions. In order to achieve substantive gender equality, and the economic benefits of women in leadership, we need to understand how to increase the representation of women, and how to strengthen the pipeline of female talent in the mining industry, particularly in the developing countries.

Project Objectives

This project aims to investigate issues on socio-economic impacts of international mining industry on women in two developing countries in South East Asia, Laos and Thailand. With current rapid growth in mining development in Laos and Thailand, aid agencies want to understand more about how the activities of mining companies' affect women, particularly in regard to employment opportunities, gender equity, and health and safety issues.

Furthermore, this project will explore relationships among members of mining community, local government agencies, international organizations, and women association in Laos and Thailand, and factors contributing to success in empowering women and girls in the mining community. Key questions for this research project include:

1) In what ways are mining workplaces providing equitable employment for women?

2) What are the social and economic development impacts, particularly in rural areas, of women’s engagement in the mining industry?

3) What changes in policy and practice could be taken by the mining industry to support gender equity and safeguard women stakeholders?

Potential Outcomes

This project is a blend of academic and developmental research. The outcomes of the project will potentially lead to development in policies and practices for women in mining community in Laos and Thailand. Potential outcomes from this project include:

1) Reports for Policy Makers (including AusAID) in governance and International Mining;

2) Reports for Mining Community ;

3) Reports on Socio-Economic Impacts of the Project;

4) Public Seminars;

5) Conference Presentations and Publications;

6) Academic Publications in Community Development, International Management, and Asian Studies;

Country for Research

Lao PDR, Thailand

Research Partners

This project is supported by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) through AusAID Development Research Award Scheme 2012 (ADRAS).

AusAID's Mining for Development

Mining for development is one of the key developmental themes from AusAID. This project is funded by AusAID (through AusAID Development Research Awards Scheme- ADRAS) and it aims to investigate soci-oeconomic impacts of the mining on women and girls in Lao PDR and Thailand.

This clip from AusAID will give you a clear overview on why mining for development becomes one of the priorities, and to what extent can 'good management' promote long-term development and sustainability in all communities.

Project Team

Dr. Nattavud Pimpa

Natt is a senior lecturer in international business at the School of Management, RMIT University. He is interested in corporate social responsibility by multinational corporations in South East Asia, Mekong region and South America. He is also interested in education and development for poverty alleviation in Asia.

Dr. Timothy Moore

He currently heads the Nossal's International Health Education and Learning Unit. He has spent most of the past two decades in South-East Asia focusing on refugee health and HIV prevention. He has worked in the NGO, government, private and UN sectors, most notably with MSF in Hong Kong, WHO in Indonesia (harm reduction), the Burnet Institute in the AusAID-funded Asia Regional HIV/AIDS Project, and more recently as Program Coordinator for the Thailand Burma Border Consortium’s program with refugee partners from Burma.

Associate Professor Christopher Ziguras

Christopher Ziguras's research focuses on international and comparative education, particularly in the Asia Pacific region. He has written widely on cross border higher education and international dimensions of education and training policy. He is currently is Deputy Dean, Learning & Teaching, International in RMIT’s School of Global, Urban and Social Studies and is a Board Member of the International Education Association of Australia.

Ms. Brigitte Tenni

Brigitte is a public health practitioner with focus and expertise in HIV & AIDS strategic planning, programming, capacity building, social research and monitoring and evaluation. She has particular interest and experience in HIV with relation to sex work and IDU, drug policy, treatment preparedness, advocacy, gender, the greater involvement of people living with HIV & AIDS (GIPA), youth and access to medicines. Before joining the Nossal, Brigitte worked for a Thai PLHIV network coordinating advocacy efforts with regard to GIPA and access to medicine campaigns in addition to providing technical assistance to the regional training initiative and managing capacity building and care and support projects.

Dr.Pimrawee Rochrungsat

Pimrawee is the Vice president of Phetchaburi Rajabhat University in Thailand. she is interested in community-based tourism, capacity building for community, and management of international tourism industry.

Women in Male-Dominated Industries

In 2010, the Australian Human Rights Commission examined the key reforms required to achieve gender equality in Australia in a report entitled Gender Equality Blueprint 2010.

Promoting Women in Leadership: Key to Success

In 2010, the Australian Human Rights Commission examined the key reforms required to achieve gender equality in Australia in a report entitled Gender Equality Blueprint 2010.

The report sets out recommendations in five priority areas which significantly affect both the public and private lives of women and men. One of the priority areas identified is promoting women in leadership.

The report actively promotes the importance of women’s representation in decision-making roles in the community, government and business sectors. In addition to the evident need for substantive gender equality, research has confirmed there are a number of advantages in promoting women in leadership:

Narrowing the gap between male and female employment rates will boost GDP in Australia by 11%.[1]

Minimising the gender productivity gap, for example, by increasing the number of women in leadership positions, will boost the level of economic activity in Australia by 20%.[2]

Economic incentives such as these will have flow-on effects for wider society including to address the problem of pension sustainability, thereby reducing the dependency ratio, lifting household savings rates and increasing tax received by the government.[3]

In virtually all sectors of Australia’s paid workforce, women continue to be underrepresented in senior leadership positions. In some industries, women are underrepresented at all levels of the organisation. These are known as ‘male-dominated industries’.

With this in mind, the Commonwealth Office for Women has funded the Australian Human Rights Commission to identify mechanisms for improving women’s representation and leadership in male-dominated roles in male-dominated industries.

Some backgrounds

Despite a healthy pipeline of female talent, women continue to be underrepresented in senior leadership positions in Australia. The Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA) reports that in 2011 over 33% of managers in reporting companies were women[4]. However, in these same organisations, less than 8% of executive managers were women[5]. The pipeline of women narrows dramatically the more senior the level in the organisation.

In male-dominated industries, including mining, construction and utilities, not only are women underrepresented in executive manager roles, they are also underrepresented in junior and mid-level positions. For example, in 2011 EOWA reported[6] that women represented only:

13% of managers in mining (and only 15.1% of total employees)

16% of managers in construction (and only 11.8% of total employees)

16% of managers in utilities (and only 22.6% of total employees)

To achieve substantive gender equality, and the economic benefits of women in leadership, Australia needs to increase the representation of women, and to strengthen the pipeline of female talent within these industries.

Source: http://www.humanrights.gov.au/publications/women-male-dominated-industries-2012

International Mining: Development?

Australian mining industry: development or detriment?

Mining is one of the most sensitive industries, due to its economic and environmental impacts. Clearly, it is significant to Australia. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), total industry gross value added of the mining industry increased by 21% over the period 2005–06 to 2009–10. More importantly, the mining industry's contribution to Australian GDP was 8.4% in 2009–10. In the period 2006–07 and 2010–11, the value of exports from the mining industry more than doubled.

The growth of Australian mining industry is evident. We, however, still question the roles of mining multinational corporations (MNCs) from Australia in the host countries, mostly developing nations in South East Asia, Africa and South America. The dialogue on the relationship between social and economic conditions and international mining activities is ongoing and robust. Current debate on the contributions of mining MNCs from Australia, in the form of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the host countries, is one of the most critical issues of government and international business.

Described as an 'almost truism', CSR by most Australian mining MNCs is perceived as a set of taken-for-granted ideas within society or institution but requires further attention among stakeholders in international mining industry.

It might be fair to claim that Australian mining MNCs in developing countries contribute to economic growth and, perhaps, better quality of life. However, we still wonder if mining MNCs can really do something 'better' to improve some chronic socio-economic conditions, such as poverty, equity or health, in the host countries.

Mining MNCs often operate in areas of developing countries which are characterized by limited governmental presence, a high incidence of poverty, a lack of basic social infrastructure, and other social and political problems. Financial assistance from mining MNCs alone to such countries – some $2.5 trillion has been provided in the last 50 years – has often not helped the neediest of citizens. In fact, it may have worsened their plight by sustaining corrupt or otherwise inefficient governments which contribute to their misery, by leaving nations with mountainous debt.

Clearly, Australian mining companies have the unmatched power and competence to work with various other stakeholders on socio-economic issues in the host countries. Increasingly world opinion, as well as the inclinations of their own managers and staff, urges Australian mining MNCs to use that power more effectively and fairly. However, mining MNCs lack a vehicle to make that transition in a sustainable and legitimate way. From the international business perspective, their involvement in development issue is limited due to a lack of clarity regarding their role, and the absence of detailed exploration of the links between socio-economic issues and Australian mining companies. There is an acute absence of research at the level of mining community in terms of the role Australian mining business can perform in social issues such as child labour, prostitution and human trafficking, corruption or poverty alleviation.

A study by a research team at RMIT University pointed that it is critical for Australian mining MNCs to engage with local and international stakeholders in the host countries prior to the execution of business strategy to 'contribute' back to the local community. We, however, learn that not all Australia companies do well when they try to engage with local stakeholders.

Occasional interaction with the local communities and stakeholders, persistent reliance on International Governmental Organisations (IGOs), Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), and considerable autonomy by Australian mining MNCs in the allocation and decision-making of various social projects in developing countries have lead to the failure to identify committed partners, engage them in authentic dialogue, and learn from each other. Several poverty alleviation programs conducted by Australian mining companies have degenerated into global 'charity' rather than serving to build local and sustainable community entrepreneurship development and fail to support long-term development among groups such as women, minorities or different religious groups.

In terms of social groups that Australian mining MNCs need to understand how they operate, it also includes a number of informal groups such as housewives group, influential families in the local villages, or religious leaders in the community. Some of them control the economic and political situation of the local community. They also play significant roles in supporting, promoting or demoting the contributions from Australian mining MNCs. Therefore, Australian companies must understand what role to play in different circumstances and cultural and managerial contexts.

Although it is technically difficult and time-consuming to revolutionize from business strategy to developmental strategy, we can argue that international mining industry can drive social change through their business operations. With political and technical support from various local and international stakeholders in international business, Australian mining industry will be able to act as a key change agent in some socio-economic problems in the host countries. I believe that is how Australian business should behave.

** The orginal version of this paper was published in Online Opinion at this link