Industrial capabilities and productivity in Victoria: Part I – The company survey
Melbourne Institute Working Paper No. 12/03
Date: May 2003
Author(s):
Abstract
This paper presents the main findings from a study of six industrial capabilities in leading Victorian sectors. The capabilities included manufacturing, design, information and communications technology (ICT), biotechnology, environment technologies and business services. Eighty-eight companies and organisations were interviewed for the study. We found that the main requirements for the successful creation of a capability was the ability of the company to recruit and retain the best graduates from universities and technical schools, the ability to offer training to these graduates and the ability to financially support high and consistent levels of R&D over time. The main requirement for the successful use of a capability was effective company networking, conducive work cultures, supportive government regulations and the provision of complementary specialised training.