Keith Thomas is a senior lecturer in leadership and management and an experienced teacher and facilitator of management education and development. He previous teaching appointments include The Chinese University of Hong Kong, (CUHK) University of New South Wales (Australia Defence Force Academy campus) and the Graduate School of Management, La Trobe University. Keith has also taught overseas extensively with secondments to China, Malaysia and Vietnam. He specialises in teaching organisational behaviour, leadership and developing people and high performance organisations.
Keith is a graduate of the Royal Military College and the Joint Services Staff College and a Visiting Fellow at the Defence Leadership & Ethics Centre, in Canberra.
He is also a White Ribbon Ambassador and a member of the Australasian Centre for Human Rights and Health (ACHRH).
Publications
Books
Bergin A., and Thomas, K., (2017), Communities and Governments can come together to counter violent extremism, APPS Policy Forum - Asia & The Pacific Policy Society
Bergin A., and Thomas, K., (2017), Building community resilience to counter violent extremism, APPS Policy Forum - Asia & The Pacific Policy Society
Thomas, K., & Zhou, C. (2012). A Handbook for Teaching in Higher Education, The Chinese University
Principal Author, (2002). Australian Army Leadership Handbook, Combat Arms and Development Centre, Army, Puckapunyal, Victoria, Australia.
Thomas, K. (Ed) (1997). The Revolution in Military Affairs: Warfare in the Information Age, Australian Defence Studies Centre, University of New South Wales, ISBN: 0 7317 0421 5
Refereed book chapters
Suyatno, B., Armstrong, A. and Thomas, K. (in press). ‘Determinants of Whistleblowing Intention in an Indonesian Government Organization’. In: Anona Armstrong, (Ed) Governance of Whistleblowing: Just Do It. Tup Research, Melbourne, Australia
Suyatno, B., Armstrong, A. and Thomas, K. (2017) ‘Barriers to Whistleblowing Intentions And Reporting Channel Preferences’, In: Goran Kozina, Laura Juznik Rotar, Daniel Tomic (Ed) Economic and Social Development 19th International Scientific Conference on Economic and Social Development. Varazdin Development and Entrepreneurship Agency, Varazdin, Croatia; Victoria University, Melbourne Australia; Faculty of Management University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland; University North, Koprivnica, Croatia pp.115-128.
Thomas, K., & Lok, B. (2015). Teaching Critical Thinking: An operational framework. In Davies, M and Barnett, R., Palgrave Handbook of Critical Thinking in Higher Education, US (New York) division of Palgrave.
Thomas, K., (2013). Using programme-level student feedback: The Chinese University of Hong Kong. In S. Nair and P. Mertova (Eds.). Enhancing Learning and Teaching through Student Feedback in Social Sciences (83-109), Woodhead Publishing, Cambridge, UK
Thomas, K., & Walker, A. (2011). Life at the sharp end. In C. Millar, & E. Poole (Eds.), Ethical Leadership: the global perspective: Vision, theory and practice (pp. 93-108). UK: Palgrave Macmillan.
Thomas, K. (2009). Changing Step: Realigning one’s life and work choices. In C. Denholm, & T. Evans (Eds.), Beyond Doctorates Downunder (pp. 82-89), Camberwell: ACER Press.
Thomas, K. (1997). The RMA - Wrestling with mythology. In K. Thomas (Ed), The Revolution in Military Affairs (129–154). The Australian Defence Studies Centre, University of NSW.
Refereed journal articles
Thomas, K.T (2018), Bridging social boundaries and building social connectedness: through youth leadership development, Equality, diversity and inclusion: An international journal (accepted for publication May 2018)
Thomas, K.T. & Purcell, A.J (2018), Local Government Audit Committees: A behaviour framework to effective audit committee performance, Australian Accounting Review (accepted for publication 1 Nov 2017) – AJG 2015 ranking 2
Suyatno, B, Armstrong, A & Thomas, K. (2015), 'Whistleblowing And The Indonesian Tax Department: A Framework For Analysis', Journal of Business Systems, Governance & Ethics, vol. 10, no. 3.
Thomas, K.T. & Purcell, A.J (2015). Public Sector audit committees: A behavioural reflection, Journal of Law and Governance, Vol 10, No 1, 88-95
Thomas, K.T., Wong, K.C. & Li, S (2014). The Capstone Experience: Student and Academic Perspectives, Higher Education Research & Development, Vol. 33, No 3, 580-594
View the full list of Keith's publications in Victoria University's Institutional Repository.
Conference presentations
Suyatno, B., Armstrong, A. and Thomas, K. (2015) Whistleblowing and the Indonesian Tax Department: A framework for analysis (research-in process). Paper presented to the 29th Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management Conference: Managing the Peak, University of Otago, 2-4 December 2015.
Suyatno, B., Armstrong, A. and Thomas, K. (2015) Whistleblowing and the Indonesian Tax Department: A Framework for Analysis (Research in Process). Paper presented to the European Business Ethics Network Research Conference 2015: Philosophical Foundations of Business Ethics, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark, 1-3 October 2015.
Thomas, K., Avram, S., & Wilhelm, N (2015). Leadership development in the not-for-profit sector: exploring pedagogies to build adaptive capacity, British Academy of Management, University of Portsmouth, 8-10 September 2015.
Nicholson, G., Thomas, K., & Griffin, J (2015). Succession Planning: A cross-cultural study of Vietnamese family owned business in Australia, British Academy of Management, University of Portsmouth, 8-10 September 2015.
Teaching responsibilities
Co-ordination
Course Co-ordinator
- BMMA/ BMMM Master of in Business (Management)
- BMIR Master of Business (Industrial Relations/ Human Resource Management)
Unit Coordinator
- BMO6506 Work and Organisation Systems
- BMO 6050 Art and Practice of Leadership
- BBA8901 Contemporary Issues in Business and Research
- BMA6511 Strategic Management and Business Policy
Teaching
- BMO6506 Work and Organisation Systems
- BMO 6050 Art and Practice of Leadership
- BBA8901 Contemporary Issues in Business and Research
Supervision
- Eight PhD/DBA students
- Two Master’s thesis
Doctoral study topics include: Social and economic costs of e-waste disposal & recycling practice (Pakistan); Corporate social responsibility – beyond rhetoric to impact (in Saudi); Success factors in supporting women entrepreneurs (in Saudi), Government policy and entrepreneurial behaviour in an immigrant community (ECOWAS – West Africa) and Acquisitions in Local Higher Education Registered Training Organisations (Australia).
Research grants
United We Stand, a strength based model and Family Violence in the South Asian CALD Community, co-director in partnership with the Australasian Centre for Human Rights and Health Inc.
Community Grants Hub
3 October 2017
$47,240 (GST exclusive)
Leading Prevention Project – Mutual Cultural Respect in support of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities Families in a consortium with the Australasian Centre for Human Rights and Health Inc., the International Society of Krishna Consciousness, and Jhoom Bollywood Dance School
DSS grant
$30,500 in 2017-2018
$15,040 in 2018-2019
Evaluation of the Somali Community and Youth Leadership Development Program; Department of Premier and Cabinet, Victoria
Evaluation grant
Evaluation of the Dual Identity Leadership program; Scanlon Foundation, Melbourne Australia
Development grant
$20,000
Professional membership
- Co-Director, Primary Prevention Family Violence Program, in partnership with the Australasian Centre for Human Rights and Health
- Graduate, Australian Joint Services Staff College
Industry experience
25 years' military service
Awards
- Australian Bravery medal (1976)
- Australian Defence Forces Service medal (1992, 1997)
- Commissioned officer in the Royal Australian Signal Corp, Australian Army (1976)
- Graduate, Australian Joint Services Staff College, Weston Creek, Canberra (1994)
- Member Editorial Advisory Board (EAB), The Learning Organisation (2011)
Portfolios
Areas of expertise
- Leadership and community development
- staff development and teaching innovations in higher education and in embedding learning support into the curriculum
![Keith Thomas](https://www.vu.edu.au/sites/default/files/staff_pictures/keith-thomas.jpg)