In youT view, what are the most useful applications of HRIS? 8 What are the likely challenges or problems for AUStTatian organisations that are considerin the use of infoTmation technology for HRM purposes? 9 Does information technology enhance or conflict with the role of HR managers as strate it business paTtners? MANAGING FOR PERFORMANCE The perils of downsizing Over the last 10 years, Australia's higheT education sectoT has experienced a period of great pros erit , Much of this growth has been attributed to the revenue generated from international student enrolments which doubled between 2002 and 2009, It is estimated that international higher education students contributed $9.6 billion to the Australian economy in 2009. However, in 2010, the growth in international students fell markedt , The downturn was attributed to several macro-tevet factors including changes to the international student visa regulations and the Generalskit!ed Migration Program; the increase in the value of the Australian dollar which has made Australia a more expensive destination for international visitors; and increased competition for international students from the Us, UK and some Asian countries. Australia's reputation as a 'safe' destination for international students has also been questioned, with some acts of violence being perpetrated on Indian students in recent times. At the same time, the Federal Government announced significant changes to the wa s that universities are funded, with the introduction of the Higher Education Support Amendment (demand driven funding system and other measures) Bill 2011. Under this policy, universities are now funded based on student demand and from 2012 universities received funding for the number of places they offer in each disciphne, based on student and in dustr demand. And, student demand for courses is also changing. MOTe students are opting to commence de rees in the fields of health, particularly dentistry, with a growth in applications of 502cy nursing (11/9'.) and medicine (65%) natural and physical sciences (38.2%): and engineering (389'.). Other fields of study recorded a decline in demand with applications for information technology falling by 61 per cent, management and commerce b 15 er cent and agriculture by 18 per cent For the vice chancellor of a large Australian university, these marked changes in the exteTnat environment of the higher education sector posed significant challenges for university workforce Iannin and inaria ement. With student numbers contracting, the university could not sustain current staffing levels in the medium to 10n -term Moreover, the mix of academic and administrative staff was riot right. ACcoTdin to benchmarkin studie th t compared this university to similar institutions in Australia, the university had too inari administrative staff a d needed to adopt more effident management and administrative structures. Also, with the chan in references of students, some academic units were understaffed because demand for their courses was increasing. More students required more teaching staff. Conversely, in some of the faculties where student demand for courses was fallin there was an over-supply of academic staff The Human Resource Department of the university implemented a series of initiatives to reduce the number of administrative staff across the university and to address the oversupply of academic staff in some faculties. After consultation with key stakeholders, including the union, the director of human resources jin ternented a votuntar redundancy scheme, where staff could nominate to end their employment with the universit and receive some level of compensation for the loss of employment, The vice chancellor and the director agreed that a ro rain of voluntary redundancies was the best option. The main advantage of this form of downsiz;n was that it afforded employees some level of control over their severance from the organisation, and universit inaria ers in a be able to use the process to 'manage out less productive employees, But a significant problem resulted from the downsizing initiative. The university lost a number of valuable staff, who had intimate know!ed e of the universit and its processes. Internationally recognised scholaTs were taking up voluntary redundandes and finchn new 'obs Human resource planning and human IesDurce information systems 237 continued238 MANAGING FOR PERFORMANCE Building human resource management systems at other institutions with ease. One staff member who was teavin the or an is t' ' ' and then I'll start at a new university .., I have standing offers from universities 11 th ' At the end of the 3-month application period, an insufficient number of st ff h d I' d f redundancy scheme. So, the director implemented a program of targeted redunda , h ' were nominated and retrenched. The director held many information sessions for d d ' ' staff, explaining the budget difficulties the university was experiencing and justifyin the ino e t d ar redundancies. But the director did riot anticipate the impact of these 'ob losses on th t ff h university. Deans across the university reported a fail in the productivit and t' 't f , job satisfaction and general disquiet among employees' At a weekt forum with th h , expressed their concerns. One staff member said, "People work really hard in this lace, d f in ? you're 00 longer needed? Ijust don't care about this place anymore' Another staff in b dd d, ' ' do my work and go home ... I need this job, so I don't want to ask for an thin ext h .,. because I might be the next to got Other staff lamented, 'This place 'ust isn't the ' ' ' worried that they might tap me on the shoulder next, and I can't lose in ' b' O d ' ' , angered by the whole process, said, 'It's just typical ... you reduce the number of st ff, b t th amount of work to be done. So, I have to work a lot harder to keep this lace t' k' I. A marketing department added, All the negative publicity is hurting the universit 's r t t' ' h h I Sunrccs: Adnprcd from N. NICNcil. unpwith 511