Centre for Industry and Innovation Studies

Welcome

Welcome to the Centre for Industry and Innovation Studies (CInIS) Research Group, one of the University of Western Sydney’s eleven research groups. The group is also supported by the College of Business at UWS.

CInIS conducts research and analysis of all aspects of innovation and industry competitiveness in Australia. The Group contributes to public policy debates relating to industry development strategies both in Australia and internationally and it provides industry with organisation-focused research on innovation and improvement. The primary element of all CInIS research is the analysis of the dynamics of innovation.

Innovation is increasingly being recognised as the key driver of organisational improvement and growth, in all sectors and in both public and private organisations.

Overall the research program at CInIS is built around two key themes:

• Research, science and innovation policy, conducted at the level of the economy, and covering issues such as institutional capacity building for knowledge transfer and knowledge based industry and economic development,
• Innovation, technology management and continuous improvement in manufacturing and service sectors, conducted at the level of the organisation, and including issues concerned with performance, entrepreneurship and the maintenance of competitive advantage through environmentally responsible development.

Both of these themes are enacted through a strongly engaged research agenda. Research projects are undertaken in a variety of industry sectors, including the manufacturing, healthcare, information and communication technology (ICT) and education and training sector. Four specific research program areas under these overarching themes categorise the range of individual CInIS research projects undertaken by CInIS members.

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Areas of Expertise

CInIS has four key program areas, building upon a solid base of prior and continuing research. The following provides a brief description of each program area.

Click here to see full details of current CInIS projects being undertaken now and those recently completed.

Innovation Policy - Knowledge based economic and industrial development

This research program examines how universities, industry, business and non-government organisations can more effectively engage and the policies and programs that facilitate higher levels of engagement. It examines the processes for knowledge transfer between higher education, government, business and the community and the ways in which the creation of knowledge in an academic context can be transferred and translated for adoption, application and use in practical settings, in business and in non-government organisations.

The research will involve a consideration of the range of policies and programs adopted by Australian Federal and State Governments, and national and provincial governments in other countries, to promote regional economic development, and the impact of such initiatives; and examine the contribution and impact of knowledge created in publicly funded research agencies and higher education institutions to industrial innovation.

Technological Innovation - Emerging technologies, technology diffusion and industrial innovation

This research program explores the role of emerging technologies such as information technology, biotechnology and nanotechnology in enabling innovation in industries where Australia has traditionally enjoyed a competitive advantage. The research focuses on the way in which 'old economy' businesses have adopted and applied information technologies through the value chain and how this has enhanced value creation.

The research will examine the factors that influence decisions regarding the way growing firms manage growth and deliver results through combinations of 'make or buy' in relation to critical functions, including design and development, manufacture/production, marketing and selling, support and infrastructure. It will also examine the implications for management, organisation, education, and the acquisition and retention of workplace skills.

Managerial Innovation - management capacity and capabilities for innovation performance

This research program aims to identify the specific management capacities and capabilities that are most closely associated with successful innovation and business success in Australia generally and the Western Sydney region in particular. capacities to make decisions under pressure, leadership and creativity are sought-after higher level management skills that are raely considered in management training programs.

Current research as well as courses and programs in innovation focus on product development and commercialisation processes; little attention is given to the key role of general management in driving and enabling innovation performance. Specifically this research will identify, recommend and where necessary, deliver education programs designed to build management capacities and capabilities in the relevant industries and appropriate firms to executive and general management.

Service Sector Innovation - Innovation and performance improvement in service and support industries

The main purpose of the research is to identify how innovation and performance improvement in the service and support sectors creates value and wealth along industry value chains and can assist these industries respond to changing social and demographic contexts - both nationally and internationally. The research will focus on industries that are significant for Western Sydney.

Examples of service sector innovation projects are:

• The Healthcare Services Sector, including healthcare management research, is of major importance to Western Sydney - and will become more so as the demand for and technology relating to healthcare services and technology expands. In addition, dynamics in and between professions within the healthcare sector are particularly complex.
• The Transport and Logistics Industry has a key role in the provision of goods and services to the end consumer. Performance improvement and innovation within this service-based industry is becoming increasingly important as markets become global, competition requires greater efficiency and complex products require international networks of firms for production.
• Innovation in the Creative Industries has increasing relevance to manufacturing and service industries through the growing importance of creativity as an essential component of innovation, particularly radical or discontinuous innovation. The increasing contribution of this sector to national and regional worth is also recognised.

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Locations

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More Information