CSIRO and Australian innovation: A business commentary
Narelle Kennedy
Chief Executive, Australian Business Foundation, North Sydney NSW
PP: 203 - 214
Abstract
The Australian Business Foundation's view of the role of CSIRO in Australia's innovation system is predicated on a shift in perception about what constitutes innovation. Innovation is the smart application of knowledge to transform businesses, driven by market and customer demands, not just by the commercialisation of intellectual property from science and research.
This re-interpretation, based on the Foundation's own research, and its adoption necessitates a shift in Australia's innovation policy from the current emphasis on increasing the supply of science and research to one that supports the 'demand pull' of business engagement with customers and markets. This wider angle on innovation policy maximises the benefits to Australia in terms of productivity and economic development. It also serves to expand, not diminish, CSIRO's role as a catalyst for Australian innovation.
Keywords
innovation, research and development, business transformation, knowledge economy, technology, policy, commercialisation
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