Dear all ABF members,
Just to say I really enjoyed Professor Enright's presentation about how globally (or regionally) integrated Sydney has been. His findings bring us fresh insights and ideas for further research in the regional development area. Thinking about one particular point of his conclusion - ie. the low involvement of Australian universities as knolwedge source for MNE's strategies -, maybe this could be an important issue for further investigation, since one strong comparative advantage Sydney has for MNEs is the 'management, marketing skills and customers-oriented services'. So, we could think about WHERE such skills come from? Maybe they're highlly associated with Australian universities, particularly with Business schools, and, if this is true, maybe universities here might have an important role in creation of strategic skills and knowledge to MNEs and local business...anyway, hope I could bring some contribution for further discussions. Thank you so much for the warm reception! Best, Eliane Franco (UNSW, Visiting Fellow from Brazil)