Directions for Industry Policy in Western Australia within the Global Knowledge Economy: Sustainable Prosperity through Global Integration
01 Mar 2002-
TL;DR: In this article, the authors argue that globalisation and the transition to a knowledge-based economy are driving a transformation of the nature and structure of the world economy and that the response of existing industries will be as important as the creation of new industries, and will give rise to many new business opportunities.
Abstract: The starting point for this study is the fact that globalisation and the transition to a knowledge-based economy are driving a transformation of the nature and structure of the world economy. The rise in the knowledge intensity of economic activities and the increasing
globalisation of economic affairs are driving pervasive change affecting every industry, firm, individual and region. This transformation is not a matter of one or two technologies or industries. Nor is it just another way of emphasising the ICT revolution or any particular new technology, such as biotechnology. These are all important, but they are not the whole story. Knowledge generated on a global basis is being applied to all industries, and many existing industries are very advanced. For example, the Australian mining industry is a global leader in innovation
and development. The response of existing industries will be as important as the creation of new industries, and will give rise to many new business opportunities. In seeking to understand emerging trends, much of the contemporary literature emphasises the systemic nature of relationships and activities in the economy. The systemic approach
recognises a whole range of non-market linkages that are central to the economic system (such as organisational and institutional persistence, cooperation, alliances, information exchange and mutual dependency), as well as the role of organisations other than firms. This systemic character is of three main forms. One is the persisting influence of past events on present and future outcomes (path dependence). The second is the complex linkages
between many different institutions and organisations at a given point of time, such as those that determine the level of innovation (the innovation system). The third is the linkages between the various aspects of a complex system involved in the creation, production and
distribution of a product, or a set of products (the product system). Recognition of this systemic character has many important implications for policy. They include the need to focus on a region’s innovation system and on the positioning of its firms within global product systems. This systemic character also implies that, however urgent and transformative it is, change must be evolutionary, with a progressive strengthening of the organisations, institutions and systems supporting regional growth.
The major elements in the global knowledge economy all impact on the choices made by firms about where to locate their activities. These impacts may weaken the position of many economies. Indeed, the new technologies have made possible the consolidation of particular
aspects of the product system in preferred locations on a global basis. This has led to the ‘hollowing out’ of peripheral regions in many important respects.
Thus a central challenge facing many economies is to use the increased access to global markets and information sources that the new economy makes possible to offset the impact of global consolidation on the structure of their economies.
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigate the external environment in France and Australia as one of the drivers for Australian wine sector success and investigate the role of market orientation, strategic orientation, innovative and entrepreneurial environment orientation, constraining legislation, industry infrastructure usage, industry plan support, and interorganizational collaboration as factors differentiating the two countries.
Abstract: Purpose – The success of the Australian wine industry is well documented. However, there have been few comparative studies of the reasons for this success as compared to Australia's main competitors. Most of the anecdotal evidence and trade publications focus on “value for money” and fruit‐driven wines, without looking at how the Australian wine businesses operate. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the external environment in France and Australia as one of the drivers for Australian wine sector success.Design/methodology/approach – In‐depth interviews with two French and two Australian wineries and a review of the literature led to a series of hypotheses about the role of market orientation, strategic orientation, innovative and entrepreneurial environment orientation, constraining legislation, industry infrastructure usage, industry plan support, and interorganizational collaboration as factors differentiating the two countries. An online survey of wineries in the two countries resulted in a sa...
61 citations
01 Jan 2010
TL;DR: In the context of the Western Australian Public Sector, the authors revealed information culture as complex, systemic and reflexive, and the key findings of this study led to the development of a model for information culture in the public sector, and a definition which reflected the systemic, complex and multidimensional nature of information culture.
Abstract: Information can be found in government departments in many forms. It exists, for example, as performance indicators, statistics, economic analysis, policy advice, political know-how or opinions. Using information is a daily and oft repeated activity in government departments. Information is central to the achievement of outcomes and the delivery of services. It is critical to the government’s success in the information economy. It is central to the development of products and services. It supports policy making and it underpins accountability. Government departments are built on the generation and use of information that is relevant to the largest of all customer groups, the citizens. Even though information is all-pervasive in government departments, how government departments relate to information, what value they ascribe to it, and how their attitudes about information influence their behaviours towards information, is not well understood.
The focus of this study was the values, attitudes, beliefs and behaviours which government departments in the Western Australian Public Sector exhibited towards information. That is, it investigated information culture. While there has been considerable research in the area of organisational culture, there is limited evidence of the study of information culture, particularly in the public sector. The abstract nature of information culture and the limited research mean that the concept is not widely acknowledged or appreciated. What constitutes information culture, its influence on an organisation, and the potential benefit of a high performing information culture are unresolved issues in the study of information culture.
In the context of the Western Australian Public Sector, this study revealed information culture as complex, systemic and reflexive. Intricate and influential relationships with organisational culture, information management and information use were identified. The key findings of this study led to the development of a model for information culture in the public sector, and a definition which reflects the systemic, complex and multidimensional nature of information culture.
This was a qualitative study within an interpretivist paradigm. Case study method was employed with the Western Australian Public Sector, in particular those departments which delivered services directly to the citizens, being the single case. The key participants were drawn from the public sector and academe. Interviews with best practice organisations and those who had undertaken research previously into information culture added to the richness of the data collection.
28 citations
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