Simone Annis is currently working with our Associate, Julian Webb from Creeda Projects on an evaluation of the Canberra Innovation Network. This project is due for completion by the end of November.
Economic and tourism studies
We have prepared economic and/or tourism strategies for many towns, Councils and regions across the country including Eurobodalla Council 2013, Cooma Monaro Shire 2013, Young Shire Council 2011, Bega Valley Shire 2010, RDA Southern Inland 2010 and many others. We have also worked together on retail and commercial vibrancy issues with Mudgee and Forster-Tuncurry.
We offer different approaches to economic strategic planning, tailored to suit the needs of each community. For some areas, like Young Shire, we combined economic profiling and analysis with extensive community consultation across the Shire as the basis for preparing a comprehensive Economic Development Strategy. In Cooma-Monaro we prepared a quantitative economic profile and situation analysis and then facilitated six strategic planning sessions of the Shire’s Economic Development Taskforce to prepare an Economic Development Strategy to put to Council. A similar process worked very well in Benalla, activating the newly established Economic and Tourism Advisory Committee and resulting in a detailed and achievable work plan for Council’s small economic development team. In Eurobodalla we prepared shire-wide and local socio-economic updates which were presented at open forums by Kim. Facilitated discussion in the forums led to local issues and responses – which were collated by Council into an update Economic Development Plan.
Business Incubator Studies
As a team of passionate advocates for action we enjoy working on implementing initiatives to capture economic opportunities and stimulate business growth – in addition to doing the research. For example we have completed dozens of small and medium business support facility and ‘business incubator’ feasibility studies across Australia and overseas. The most recent of these was our feasibility and business planning work for a pilot scale food processing facility in northeastern Tasmania. We have also gone well beyond studies, however, and in the early 2000s we won funding from the Federal Government and set up and ran a high technology business commercialisation facility (Epicorp) in the ACT which provided intensive business support and a substantial investment seed fund. Uni of Tassie, CSIRO and Defence.
Evaluation of the Aborignal Employment Straegy Service
Evaluation of the Aboriginal Employment Strategy (AES), a wholly Indigenous owned recruitment, group and registered training service which aims to facilitate Indigenous employment opportunities throughout Australia by building relationships with Corporate Australia. We conducted the economic outcomes and business model viability components of the evaluation, in a team led by Instinct and Reason Pty Ltd, in 2012.
Buisiness Advisory Review
In 2012 Kim and Amanda worked for the Tasmanian Department of Economic Development to review their business advisory services – Enterprise Centres Tasmania and Business Mentor Services Tasmania. We interviewed a wide range of stakeholders including providers, users and local government, to recommend some changes to the way the program was delivered.
Tasmania food processing fesability study
In 2013 Kim and Amanda led an international team to prepare a feasibility study and business plan for a shared use food processing facility in northern Tasmania. We researched food production and processing activities in the region and interviewed and surveyed a wide range of operators (farmers, manufacturers and researchers) to understand market demand for pilot scale food production facilities in the region. We worked with Gael Deighton from the Foodbowl in New Zealand to determine a location and services design to deliver the right mix of services at 4 locations. The project was instigated by a joint group from the Uni of Tasmnia, CSIRO and the Department of Defence.
Small business futures workshop
Small Business Futures: See what’s over the business horizon workshops for Mackay Chamber of Commerce (following popular workshops on the same theme in 2009 and 2011).
Business planning
We are currently updating our website to include summaries of recent projects. In the 2012-2013 year produced business Plans for renewable energy coordinators and multi-party Renewable Energy Roundtables for Southeast NSW, Hunter Valley, Central West and New England Northwest regions.
