A comparative study of knowledge transfer systems and their contribution to knowledge transfer and diffusion, innovation and socioeconomic transformation. This project will contribute to the national priority goal of promoting an innovation culture and economy by providing knowledge with which to improve institutional arrangements for research commercialisation for the purpose of enhancing business innovation and ensuring that publicly fund research results in commercial and social benefits. The ....A comparative study of knowledge transfer systems and their contribution to knowledge transfer and diffusion, innovation and socioeconomic transformation. This project will contribute to the national priority goal of promoting an innovation culture and economy by providing knowledge with which to improve institutional arrangements for research commercialisation for the purpose of enhancing business innovation and ensuring that publicly fund research results in commercial and social benefits. The research is of particular benefit to regional and rural communities because it adopts a novel system level design which explores the role of KTSs in socioeconomic transformation and across sectors and regions. It therefore moves beyond prior studies which have focused on high technology sectors and regions.Read moreRead less
Social sustainability of emerging environmentally sensitive industries: a case study of oyster aquaculture on the South Australian Eyre Peninsula. The Eyre Peninsula oyster aquaculture industry has grown rapidly over the last 15 years and an assessment of the factors affecting its long-term sustainability is urgently required. The project will consider aquaculture in relation to social, natural and economic systems, extending the Capitals Framework of assessing rural sustainability developed by ....Social sustainability of emerging environmentally sensitive industries: a case study of oyster aquaculture on the South Australian Eyre Peninsula. The Eyre Peninsula oyster aquaculture industry has grown rapidly over the last 15 years and an assessment of the factors affecting its long-term sustainability is urgently required. The project will consider aquaculture in relation to social, natural and economic systems, extending the Capitals Framework of assessing rural sustainability developed by the Association of Social Science in Australia. The study combines quantitative and qualitative data in order to assess changes in the stocks of community capital as oyster aquaculture develops. A key aim of the research is to inform the development of policies and governance structures in Australian aquaculture management.Read moreRead less
The high cost of financial insecurity: exploring the role of the 'fringe economy' in the lives of low-income Australians. The national benefit from this research has a number of dimensions. The first is to draw the community's attention to the high costs and charges associated with fringe lenders in Australia and the economic and social consequences of accessing these services. The second benefit relates to establishing what sorts of financial products and regulatory measures would offer low-inc ....The high cost of financial insecurity: exploring the role of the 'fringe economy' in the lives of low-income Australians. The national benefit from this research has a number of dimensions. The first is to draw the community's attention to the high costs and charges associated with fringe lenders in Australia and the economic and social consequences of accessing these services. The second benefit relates to establishing what sorts of financial products and regulatory measures would offer low-income Australians a better outcome. A number of states in Australia have recently introduced legislation to limit the interest rates charged by pay-day lenders. The study is very timely in that it offers an opportunity to monitor the impact of these new regulatory measures and consider opportunities for further reform.Read moreRead less
Economic modelling for Australia and the USA: forecasts, policy analysis and comparative studies of technology and labour market adjustment. This project involves: a fundamental overhaul of MONASH, a widely used detailed dynamic model of the Australian economy; the creation of MONASH-USA for the United States; and several model-based Australia/US comparisons. MONASH's database and parameters will be updated, and its theoretical specification improved. MONASH-USA will be an advance over existing ....Economic modelling for Australia and the USA: forecasts, policy analysis and comparative studies of technology and labour market adjustment. This project involves: a fundamental overhaul of MONASH, a widely used detailed dynamic model of the Australian economy; the creation of MONASH-USA for the United States; and several model-based Australia/US comparisons. MONASH's database and parameters will be updated, and its theoretical specification improved. MONASH-USA will be an advance over existing US models and will generate policy results of interest both in the United States and Australia. MONASH-USA will have an excellent database and is likely to produce insights on parameter estimation. These will be applicable in Australia. Together, MONASH and MONASH-USA will facilitate comparative studies of technology and labour-market performance.Read moreRead less
Advancing the Ecological Footprint for Application to Policy Development. To be effective, policies that promote Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) must operate at many levels. For example, it is of little consequence if individual consumers are empowered to achieve greater sustainability but the capability of corporations and governments to do so remains limited. Our carefully chosen industry collaborations will ensure that effective environmental policy development can be implemented a ....Advancing the Ecological Footprint for Application to Policy Development. To be effective, policies that promote Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) must operate at many levels. For example, it is of little consequence if individual consumers are empowered to achieve greater sustainability but the capability of corporations and governments to do so remains limited. Our carefully chosen industry collaborations will ensure that effective environmental policy development can be implemented at the global, national, state and corporate level. This will allow us, as a nation, to better protect the resources upon which the environment and the economy rely. This research will also allow Australia to be a world leader in the implementation of sustainable development.Read moreRead less
Network dynamics and field evolution: hubs, clusters and interorganisational ties in biotechnology. The study will support a robust biotechnology industry in Australia, which delivers economy-wide benefits and provides employment for local life scientists. Although Australia has a long history of innovation and achievement in the life sciences, commercial benefits in the field have often been harvested elsewhere. Australian governments are making substantial investments in biotechnology, includi ....Network dynamics and field evolution: hubs, clusters and interorganisational ties in biotechnology. The study will support a robust biotechnology industry in Australia, which delivers economy-wide benefits and provides employment for local life scientists. Although Australia has a long history of innovation and achievement in the life sciences, commercial benefits in the field have often been harvested elsewhere. Australian governments are making substantial investments in biotechnology, including education and training, directed towards developing the local industry. The proposed study will make these investments more informed, facilitating fine-grained development of public policy and industry strategy.Read moreRead less
Evaluating Research Policy in Australian Broadacre Agriculture - Accounting for Interactions between the Beef, Sheep Meat, Wool, and Grains Industries. This project studies the returns from R&D investments in Australia's broadacre agricultural industries and equity in the funding of these investments. The contribution is to explicitly recognise the interaction across cattle, sheep and cropping enterprises, while past analyses have been single industry approach. Econometric models of multi-output ....Evaluating Research Policy in Australian Broadacre Agriculture - Accounting for Interactions between the Beef, Sheep Meat, Wool, and Grains Industries. This project studies the returns from R&D investments in Australia's broadacre agricultural industries and equity in the funding of these investments. The contribution is to explicitly recognise the interaction across cattle, sheep and cropping enterprises, while past analyses have been single industry approach. Econometric models of multi-output profit function for Australian broadacre agriculture and demand systems involving these products are estimated. A multi-industry equilibrium displacement model is developed to simulate the incidence of both costs and returns of agricultural R&D, with cross-industry interaction recognised. The project is likely to contribute to the way agricultural research is administered and funded in Australia.Read moreRead less
Innovation in Australia: Measurement, performance, systems, dynamics and change. This project will produce a comprehensive, integrated analysis of Australia's national innovation system. Through a combination of recent theoretical and conceptual insights and robust empirical analysis the partners will address one of the most pressing issues confronting Australian industrial and research policy. The project will analyze the changes occurring in Australia's innovation system and the drivers beh ....Innovation in Australia: Measurement, performance, systems, dynamics and change. This project will produce a comprehensive, integrated analysis of Australia's national innovation system. Through a combination of recent theoretical and conceptual insights and robust empirical analysis the partners will address one of the most pressing issues confronting Australian industrial and research policy. The project will analyze the changes occurring in Australia's innovation system and the drivers behind them. It will examine the inter-relationships in the development of the innovation system and particular important industrial clusters within it. It will study the impact of globalization, and will compare Australia's innovation system and performance with that of Finland and Canada.Read moreRead less
The Impact of Commercial Funding on Research Team Effectiveness in Health and Medical Research. The Health and Medical Research Sector has seen an increase in collaborations between public and private industry sectors. Consequently, research teams, essentially the functional units that carry out the research, may be funded from commercial and/or non-commercial sources. This project will investigate the impact of commercial funding on research teams. This ground breaking study will be of great va ....The Impact of Commercial Funding on Research Team Effectiveness in Health and Medical Research. The Health and Medical Research Sector has seen an increase in collaborations between public and private industry sectors. Consequently, research teams, essentially the functional units that carry out the research, may be funded from commercial and/or non-commercial sources. This project will investigate the impact of commercial funding on research teams. This ground breaking study will be of great value in the development of research commercialisation policies in Universities, Research Institutes, companies and Government. Its analysis of team effectiveness will assist to identify those characteristics that enhance the performance of research teams, which will have beneficial effects to those who work in them, and ultimately to those who depend on the results of their efforts.Read moreRead less
Maximising diffusion of innovative products on public infrastructure projects: A qualitative management study of open innovation systems. Australia's infrastructure in water, energy, health, education, transport and communication is the platform for our future prosperity and growth. In response to an identified deficit, Australian governments are embarking on major investment programs. Our ability to deliver these programs efficiently and effectively relies heavily on the promotion of innovation ....Maximising diffusion of innovative products on public infrastructure projects: A qualitative management study of open innovation systems. Australia's infrastructure in water, energy, health, education, transport and communication is the platform for our future prosperity and growth. In response to an identified deficit, Australian governments are embarking on major investment programs. Our ability to deliver these programs efficiently and effectively relies heavily on the promotion of innovation in the delivery phase. This study contributes to this major challenge by identifying how diffusion of innovative products can be maximised on infrastructure projects, focusing on knowledge flows within open innovation systems. The study will provide tools to optimise delivery of a world-class and integrated infrastructure network to meet Australia's future social and economic needs.Read moreRead less