Since the first comprehensive survey of innovation in Australian manufacturing in 1994, there has been a shift in the nature of the Australian economy towards a more service oriented economy. This has resulted in discussions in the community about the role of manufacturing in the Australian economy of the future.
The ABS’s 2003 Survey of Innovation in Australian Businesses was the second comprehensive survey of business innovation and covered businesses in 12 ANZSIC industry divisions, of which manufacturing is one. This has presented us with an opportunity not only to gain an overview of the patterns of innovation in Australian manufacturing in 2001-2003, but it has also presented us with an opportunity for the first time to gauge how manufacturing is performing relative to other industry sectors in Australia. Innovation has become a focus of policy attention because of the recognition that it confers a competitive edge to businesses and thus contributes to a nation’s economic growth in the medium and long term.
This paper, which was presented by the former Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources, presents an analysis of innovation in Australian manufacturing in 2001-2003 using micro-level data from the ABS’s 2003 Innovation Survey.