Researcher

Dr Fiona Buick

Keywords

strategic human resource management

public sector management

organizational culture

performance management

change management

well-being

flexible work

Fields of Research (FoR)

Public administration, Public sector organisation and management, Human resources management

SEO tags

Public services management

Public Services Policy Advice and Analysis

Management

Biography

Dr Fiona Buick is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Business at UNSW, Canberra. My research identifies key people management challenges within public sector organisations and how to address them. In particular, how to improve human resource practices and processes to build capacity and achieve desired outcomes.

Specific areas of focus so far have been organisational culture, performance management, middle manager capability development,...view more

Dr Fiona Buick is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Business at UNSW, Canberra. My research identifies key people management challenges within public sector organisations and how to address them. In particular, how to improve human resource practices and processes to build capacity and achieve desired outcomes.

Specific areas of focus so far have been organisational culture, performance management, middle manager capability development, machinery of government changes, employee well-being, and hybrid working.

I was the lead on the ANZSOG / ACT Public Service research project "Flexible working in the Australian Capital Territory Public Service" (see https://anzsog.edu.au/news/how-public-services-can-meet-employees-preference-for-flexible-work/). I was also the lead on the National Disability Research Partnership work on disability research capacity (see https://www.ndrp.org.au/research-capacity).

I obtained my Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Management, Masters of Human Resource Management, Graduate Diploma in Employment Relations and a Bachelor of Applied Psychology, all from the University of Canberra. Prior to commencing my PhD, I worked as a human resource practitioner in the Australian Public Service and Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation.

I am available to supervise Higher Degree by Research (HDR) candidates, particularly PhD candidates.

My Grants

2021-22: ANZSOG funded project, Flexible Working in the ACTPS ($97,445.94)
2022: National Disability Research Partnership, Disability Research Capacity in Australia: Where Do We Need To Be and How Can We Get There? ($51,235.23)
2021: National Disability Research Partnership, Disability Research Capacity Definitions and Frameworks ($10,000)

My Qualifications

PhD in Management, University of Canberra (2012)
Masters of Human Resource Management, University of Canberra (2007)
Graduate Diploma in Employment Relations, University of Canberra (2001)
Bachelor of Applied Psychology, University of Canberra (2000)

My Awards

2022 Recipient of the Richard A. Swanson Research Excellence Award, prestigious award sponsored by The Academy of Human Resource Development:
- Blackman, D., Buick, F., Johnson, S., Rooney, J. and Ilahee, N. 2021. Using system traps to understand and potentially prevent human resource development intervention failure. Human Resource Development Quarterly. DOI: 10.1002/hrdq.21434. Impact Factor: 4.077; SNIP: 1.738. .
2019 Awarded the Best Article of 2019 in the Review of Public Personnel Administration:
- Blackman, D., Buick, F., O’Flynn, J., O’Donnell, M. and West, D. 2017. ‘Managing expectations to create high performance government’. Review of Public Personnel Administration. DOI: 10.1177/0734371X17701544. Impact Factor: 6.047; SNIP: 2.837.
2016: Recipient of the Louis Brownlow Award presented to the authors of the best PAR article by a practitioner in 2016:
- Buick, F, Blackman, D, O’Flynn, J, West, D, & O’Donnell, M, 2016, ‘Effective practitioner-scholar relationships: Lessons from a co-production partnership’, Public Administration Review, 76(1): 35-47. DOI: 10.1111/puar.12481
2013: Recipient of the Carlo Masini Award for Innovative Scholarship and the Charles H. Levine Best Conference Paper for the Public and Nonprofit Division:
- Blackman, D., Buick, F., O’Donnell, M., O’Flynn, J. and West, D. 2013. ‘Managing Expectations to Create High Performance Government’. Academy of Management Proceedings. Lake Buena Vista (Orlando). 9-13 August. [Peer-reviewed].

My Research Activities

I contribute to the overall performance of the Capability stream of the Public Service Research Group. My contributions are as follows:

Leading the Flexible working in the ACTPS project (funded by ANZSOG)
Leading the Disability Research capacity work (funded by the NDRP)
Working on a project on well-being in a Division of a large APS department
Undertaking research into machinery of government changes, both in the APS and Australian public sector more broadly
Continuing to publish from previous research projects, including the Strengthening the Performance Framework project (see https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2275681) and Middle Management Capability project

My Research Supervision

Supervision keywords

change management

strategic human resource management

organizational culture

qualitative methods

collaboration

public sector management

Areas of supervision

I have supervised seven Higher Degree by Research candidates to completion. These topics have spanned a range of areas, including my areas of expertise and those outside my discipline (where I contribute methodological expertise). My aim is to help develop the capabilities of candidates so they become independent researchers who have a solid grasp of their topic area and qualitative research.

I am keen to primarily supervise candidates who undertake research into human resource management, public sector management, organisational culture, capability development and change management.

My Engagement

In the media:

Weeratunga, V., Glennie, M., Tani, M. and Buick, F. 2022. Public sector organisations aren’t ready to unleash the power of data. Mandarin. 17 March. https://www.themandarin.com.au/184394-public-sector-organisations-arent-ready-to-unleash-the-power-of-data/

ANZSOG. 2022. How public services can meet employees’ preference for flexible work, 7 October. https://anzsog.edu.au/news/how-public-services-can-meet-employees-preference-for-flexible-work/. Article promoting a research project I led.

ANZSOG. 2021. ANZSOG funds research into how the public sector can support flexible working, 21 September. https://anzsog.edu.au/news/anzsog-funds-research-into-how-the-public-sector-can-support-flexible-working/. Article promoting a research project I led.

Carey, G. and Buick, F. 2019. What Do Morrison’s Changes to The APS Mean for Public Servants And Policy? Australian Institute of International Affairs, https://www.internationalaffairs.org.au/australianoutlook/what-do-morrisons-changes-to-the-aps-mean-for-public-servants-and-policy/.

Podcasts:
Blackman, D. and Buick, F. 2022. Public Sector Perspectives podcast: Wellbeing in the public purpose sector. IPAA Victoria Podcast. Public Sector Perspectives podcast: Wellbeing in the public purpose sector — IPAA Victoria

Webinars:

Contributed to The boundaries between Australian disability services and prisons (with Mindy Sotiri, Caroline Doyle, Shannon Dodd, Sophie Yates and Helen Dickinson)

Contributions to reviews:

Blackman D; Dickinson H; Gardner K; Buick F; Johnson S; Olney S. 2018. Submission to the Independent Review of the Australian Public Service. Public Service Research Group, School of Business, UNSW Canberra.

My Teaching

I am interested in how organisations can optimise their success through more proactive, systematic and strategic people management; this underpins my teaching which currently covers Developing Organisational Capability (ZBUS8316) and Workforce Planning (ZBUS8317).

I am also the key contact for our Master of Workforce Planning program.

I have previously taught a range of human resource management courses, including: