In The Loop - The Newsletter of the Australian Business Foundation

AGM Forum 2006

Mark your diary now for the Foundation’s Forum that follows the Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, 29 November. Starting at 5 pm, the Forum will feature Dr Thomas Barlow, author of The Australian Miracle, speaking  this time on the topic of ‘Reinventing Innovation’. For more information about Thomas, see www.barlowadvisory.com

Influencing the Influencers

The Foundation continues to disseminate its groundbreaking research and fresh intelligence to key decision makers in business and government, most recently in two submissions to the Federal Government.

The first Foundation submission, to the Productivity Commission’s Study into Public Support for Science and Innovation, pointed out that the defining characteristic of national competitiveness is the presence of firms that are continually transforming in response to consumer demand. So competitive economies are defined by demand-led innovation and uneven development (rather than a steady state of growth from ‘given’ inputs and preferences). In contrast, Australia’s public support for science and innovation appears wrongly biased towards a supply-side push for greater commercialisation. While science and technology are important, they should not be promoted at the expense of forging deliberate and purposeful links between all actors in Australia’s innovation system.

In a submission to the Industry Statement of the Minster for the Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources, the case was put for creating industry programmes at company level. The Foundation also called for measures that support the revealed competitive advantage of Australian enterprises, industry clustering and the ability of resident firms to engage in global markets.

Take Up of the Foundation’s Intelligence

The Foundation has also been sought out for our expertise by the national media in two recent interviews. The core issues were the importance of viewing innovation as a broad set of transformative practices (which may or not involve technological change) and the significant role that governments can play as: a demanding customer; a sophisticated and responsible regulator; and a catalyst for industry clustering and local firms’ participation in global production chains. The interviews were:

• Interview of Narelle Kennedy by Geraldine Doogue for ABC Radio National programme Saturday Extra
  (19/8/06). Narelle was interviewed along with Professor Eric von Hippel, Head of the Innovation and
  Entrepreneurship Group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Listen to interview
• Interview of Narelle Kennedy (along with other experts) in a feature article by Jane Searle in the Business
  Review Weekly entitled Innovation: Reality check required (27/8/06).

Our Sponsors

The Australian Business Foundation is principally sponsored by its founder, ABL State Chamber - the eminent industry organisation.

The Foundation is also delighted to have major corporate sponsorship from:

• Westpac

These prestigious firms are thought leaders, and we are pleased to work with them to advance knowledge and debate about the future prosperity and growth of Australian business.

The Last Word

A big welcome to the new members who have joined the ABF membership community since the last issue of In The Loop. Feel free to forward this newsletter on to your colleagues and associates.

Many thanks to those members and friends who completed our annual member survey. Your insights, comments and suggestions have been most helpful in developing and building a more interactive membership. Your thoughts and suggestions are welcome any time - please feel free to contact us.

Remember that this newsletter is not only the primary communication between ABF and its valued membership, but is also an instrument for members to interact with each other. The Foundation encourages its members to use this forum to contribute to the knowledge network that is the ABF membership community.

If you or your organisation is working on a product, service, research project or event that furthers new thinking on Australia's business competitiveness, innovative capacity and opportunities from a knowledge-basedeconomy, please contact us and we will spread the word!

Comments, questions, suggestions, please contact us:

Australian Business Foundation
Locked Bag 938
North Sydney NSW 2060
Ph: (02) 9458 7342
Fax: (02) 9929 0193
foundation@australianbusiness.com.au
www.abfoundation.com.au

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Disclaimer
This publication is intended to provide general information for the benefit of members of Australian Business Foundation Limited (ABN 56 067 381 999) and should not be relied upon in place of specific legal or professional advice. While all care has been taken to ensure that the information contained in this publication is true and accurate no responsibility or liability is accepted by Australian Business Foundation Limited or its staff for any claim which may arise from any person acting in reliance on the information set out in this publication.