ICT Innovation and Economic Wellbeing James Shaw General Manager, Strategy Branch

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ICT Innovation andEconomic
WellbeingJames ShawGeneral Manager, Strategy
Branch
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Outline

• the role of ICT in economic wellbeing
• Government action
• recent DCITA research
• the role of EII in innovation strategy

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ICT is a general purpose technology

• while initially disruptive, it has unlimited uses
• it improves efficiency and transforms
  organisations
• it also opens up whole new activities
• it will soon be fundamental to all economic
  activity

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Government Action

• A wide range of government departments and
  agencies have an interest in ICT and innovation
• DEST Coordinating Committee on Science and
  Technology, E-Research program
• ICT skills issues
• DCITA, DEST, DITR, ARC building critical mass in
  ICT RD
• ARC ICT research training a priority
• Treasury tax treatment of RD

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DCITAs Role

• to foster development of the ICT industry
• to support the development of the information
  economy

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DCITAs ICT Industry Activities

• industry development aspects of government ICT
  procurement
• SME development
• engagement and investment by multinationals
• leading edge ICT research
• innovation in, and diffusion of, ICT
• ICT skills development
• NICTA

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DCITAs Information Economy Activities

• the demand side
• broadband penetration, online security, critical
  infrastructure
• Strategy Branch
• key drivers of the information economy
• ICT impact on productivity growth
• information economy statistics
• e-business standards and programs
• emerging markets and issues

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Strategy Branch Research

• impacts of ICT on business performance and
  productivity
• ICT and microeconomic reform as productivity
  drivers
• impact of ICT has been understated
• manufacturing 56 to 80 percent
• services 59 to 78 percent
• more reports in preparation

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Achieving Value From ICT (2005)

• comprehensive survey of business ICT use
• management practices are crucial
• being ICT aware
• being persistent about utilising ICT
• being open to organisational change

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Next Steps

• research findings are being publicised
• further reports forthcoming

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The Role of Research

• transforming technology research into practical
  applications
• developing partnerships with potential users
• participating in the strategic innovation dialogue

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Questions

• james.shaw_at_dcita.gov.au
• [phone]