From the cochlear implant, otherwise known as the bionic ear, to the medical application of penicillin, Australia actually has a rich history in science research and development (R&D). In fact, a new report by the Australian Academy of Science reveals that over the past twenty to thirty years, scientific advances have contributed to an estimated $330 billion of Australia’s economic growth. As the report reveals, this figure represents about a quarter of the national economy. Furthermore, the report found the […]
Certainly, the Australian government has been keen on innovation, as embodied in its announcement of its National Innovation and Science Agenda in December. However, is our workforce ready for an innovation overhaul as we embark on the ‘ideas boom’ in 2016? According to Randstad’s World of Work Report, based on 14,000 employees and employers from across Asia-Pacific, the biggest issue for the region’s businesses was the lack of talent that was required to expedite the innovation process. In fact, nearly a […]
Certainly, Australia’s colonial and federal history, its geographical isolation, huge landmass and small population have profoundly influenced the country’s industries, technologies and research institutions. This resource-rich history lead to what is more commonly known as the ‘mining boom’. In light of this, Australian industrial research and development (R&D) in the second half of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries was largely focused on the agriculture and mining industries. Whilst industry in Australia is historically a ‘user’ rather than a ‘creator’ of technology, […]
Innovation, aside from being coined as the blueprint for success by the Turnbull government, can greatly benefit the local economy. Recently, Bloomberg released their US Innovation Index which added proof to the link between education, research and innovation. Out of the fifty states, Massachusetts was crowned the top state for innovation in 2015. Prompting the question, what can Australia learn from the innovative state? Increasingly, it has been noted that firms draw upon their environment to innovate. For instance, research […]