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Leading innovation and entrepreneurship in the Australian red meat industry
Christine Raward
Meat & Livestock Australia, Southern Cross University, Lismore NSW
Abstract
The dynamic and often hostile competitive landscape of the twenty-first century has created significant threats to existing patterns of successful competition. A review of the extant literature and research about innovation and entrepreneurship identifies their importance to ensuring corporate vitality and wealth generation in today's global economy.
For over one hundred and fifty years the foundation of Australia's prosperity has been from resource-based industries such as agriculture and mining. While the changes in the world economy clearly require a much broader range of globally competitive industries to sustain Australia's strong economic position, the older more traditional industries must also undergo rapid transformation if we are to retain our world leadership status.
This paper presents the preliminary findings of a research study that is aimed at improving innovation and entrepreneurship in the Australian red meat industry. A comprehensive understanding of the contextual framework in which innovation and entrepreneurship occur within the industry is articulated. In addition, a model for conceptualising and improving enterprise innovation capability has been developed and is being tested via an action research intervention methodology.
The paper concludes by proposing an integrated framework for the delivery of innovation services that, it is considered, has broader application to the Australian food industry.
Keywords
case study, innovation, entrepreneurship, export, primary resources, red meat industry
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