Attachment 1: Approach to the study

Research for the study commenced with a desktop review of the Australian and overseas literature on ICT utilisation and innovation in manufacturing, and its impacts on business performance, business transformation and production processes. This was followed by a series of interviews with non-ICT manufacturing companies that examined:

the scope of ICT use in the firm in business processes, production processes and through incorporation in products and services.
the extent to which ICT technologies, components (including software) and services are being developed for sale and/or for incorporation in the company's core product and service offerings, or in production processes.
how, and the extent to which, ICT has facilitated productivity improvements.
how ICT has transformed the company's product and service offerings, and production processes.
the impact of the ICT-induced transformation on the firm’s competitive advantage.
the key factors that either drive or inhibit manufacturers to incorporate ICT into their products or production processes (eg the adequacy of infrastructure and ICT skills).
the relationships between the firm and its Australian and overseas suppliers of ICT and the contribution of these relationships to facilitating and developing the above ICT-related activities.
the relationships between the firm and its key Australian and overseas customers and the contribution of these relationships to facilitating and developing the above ICT-related activities.

The interviews formed the basis for preparation of company profiles.

The industry sectors and manufacturing firms consulted during the study are listed below. Profiles of ICT in many of these companies were prepared for use in the study. Some of the companies have agreed that the study notes may be made available on request to the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts or from Dr John Howard from Howard Partners.

Sector	Company	Type of business
Food, beverages and tobacco	Arnott’s Biscuits	Biscuit manufacture
	Australian Meat Holdings	Meat packer and exporter
	Fosters Brewing	Manufacture and distribution of alcoholic beverages
	Simplot	Manufacture and sale of frozen and canned food products
Textiles, clothing, footwear	Bonds Clothing	Clothing manufacture and distribution
Wood and paper products	Amcor Australasia	Container and fibre packaging
Printing publishing and recorded media	Fairfax Business Media	Business publications
Printing publishing and recorded media	Snap Printing	Print production
Chemicals and petroleum products	Orica Mining Services	Initiating systems, ammonium nitrate, bulk explosives, packaged explosives, blasting services
	Orica Chemicals	Manufacture, import and marketing of a large range of chemicals
	Orica Consumer Products	Decorative coatings, wood care and powder coatings
Metal products	B&D Doors	Manufacture of electronically operated and controlled doors
	Bluescope Steel	Fully integrated steel making manufacture
	Prowler Proof Doors	Manufacture of security screen doors
Machinery and Equipment	Boeing Hawker de Havilland	Manufacture of aircraft components with expertise in carbon fibre composites
	Whittley Marine	Fibreglass power boat building
	Robert Bosch Australia	Manufacture and distribution of a wide range of automotive and consumer products
Machinery and equipment – Medical	Proteome Systems	Technology; discovery and diagnostics
Machinery and equipment – Medical	Vision BioSystems	Manufacture of invitro diagnostic equipment and reagents – mainly for export
Other manufacturing.	Coringle Furniture	Furniture manufacture
	Zuster Furniture	Specialised design furniture manufacture
	Olex Cables	Cable Manufacture

In addition to the companies listed above, discussions and consultations were held with a number of industry associations and organisations. These included

Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Australian Electrical and Electronic Manufacturing Association
Australian Industrial Research Group
Australian Industry Group
Australian Information Industries Association
CITECT
CRC for Intelligent Manufacturing
CRC for Welded Structures
CSIRO ICT Centre
CSIRO Manufacturing & Infrastructure Technology
Intelligent Manufacturing Systems (IMS) Secretariat
Meat and Livestock Australia
QMI Solutions (formerly The Queensland Manufacturing Institute)
Software Engineering Australia (National) Limited
Warren Centre for Advanced Engineering
Welding Technology Institute of Australia.

These organisations provided valuable insights into the adoption, application and use of ICT in Australian manufacturing industry.

The study team also contacted software suppliers and services providers to the manufacturing sector. In addition, Australian and state government departments and agencies with an involvement and/or interest in manufacturing were also consulted.

The study also involved review of policy development, research papers, reports and monographs on ICT in manufacturing. These reports are included in the bibliography in Attachments 2.

Back to 6 Concluding comment | Table of Contents | Forward to Attachment 2: List of Abbreviations

Document ID: 29018 |
Last modified: 5 February 2008, 10:28am