Assistive technologies, such as robots, have proven to be useful in a social context and to improve the quality of life for people with dementia (PwD). This study aims to show how the engagement between two social robots and PwD in Australian residential care facilities can improve care quality. An observational method is adopted in the research methodology to discover behavioural patterns during interactions between the robots and PwD. This observational study has undertaken to explore the improvement arising from: (1) approaching social baby-face robots (AR), (2) experiencing pleasure engaging with the robots (P), (3) interacting with the robots (IR), and (4) interacting with others (IO). The findings show that social robots can improve diversion therapy service value to PwD through sensory enrichment, positive social engagement, and entertainment. More than 11,635 behavioral reactions, such as facial expressions and gestures, from 139 PwD over 5 years were coded, in order to identify the engagement effectiveness between PwD and two social robots named Sophie and Jack. The results suggest that these innovative social robots can improve the quality of care for people suffering from dementia.

Social isolation is one of the most common consequences of older people with dementia, especially for those who live at their own dwellings alone due to limited access to social activities. Research relating to the use of social robots in aged care has increasing attention to facilitating the support to care services for older people with dementia. Particularly less attention has focused on the applicability of social robots in home care services. This paper aims to study the engagement and robot experience of older people with dementia while interacting with a social robot named Betty in the context of home-based care. This paper contributes to the research relating to care service embedded robots by expanding the knowledge regarding longitudinal research in home based care, while there is limited long-term study in this context. The results show that social robots are evident to be able to engage with older people with dementia at home. Consequently, designing social robots in a social context is desirable. While the robots enabled service for the human partner within the social context is possible, there is a need to underpin the concept of personhood to realize personalization of services and its contents to suit individual preferences.

This study investigates the relationships between two factors in knowledge management: knowledge-based dynamic capabilities and knowledge worker productivity. The study examines the moderating effect of organizational culture (i.e. adaptability, consistency, involvement and mission) on the relationship between the factors. We collected a unique survey data from 303 respondents from 41 research institutes and R&D centres in Australia and tested the model using structural equation modelling. The results suggest that all three knowledge-based dynamic capabilities can enhance perceived knowledge worker productivity, but knowledge acquisition capability has a stronger correlation with knowledge worker productivity. We also found significant moderating impacts of traits of organizational culture on several relationships. The model has significant implications for management and demonstrates that strengthening knowledge capabilities and understanding the influence of organizational culture will enhance the response of professional service firms to environmental complexities. Further implications for management include the increased utilisation of capacity to create and develop new knowledge, combine internal and external knowledge, and enhance knowledge worker productivity.

This research focuses on the adoption and acceptance of social assistive technologies (ATs) in the aged care context where carers provide care services to older adults. This research develops and validates a conceptual model adapted from existing technology acceptance and adoption models and theories. The moderating effects of perceived risk were also investigated to indicate how carers adopt and accept social ATs in aged care facilities. This research was undertaken using a mixed methods study combining a qualitative approach (Study 1: carer observations, focus groups and interviews) and a quantitative approach (Study 2: structural equation modelling). We observed 13 carers over 2 years using social ATs and carried out three focus groups and 15 interviews with carers. A quantitative survey was then distributed among 302 carers in Australia to collect quantitative data. Less attention was paid to the adoption of social ATs in aged care. This research provides empirical evidence showing how social robots as social ATs can facilitate technological innovation acceptance and adoption within aged care from the perspective of carers.