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Jobs in Our Regions
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- Target Audience
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- Background
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- Content
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- Contact Details
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Target Audience
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Government Agencies at all levels, involved in Regional and/or Small Business Development
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Regional Communities seeking supportive information and strategies for their own regional development activities
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Small Business owners and Small Business Organisations seeking supportive information and strategies for local business development activities
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Researchers, and academics interested in regional and small business development
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Background
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This publication reports on an initiative of the Council of Small Business Organisations of Australia in collaboration with the Federal Government Department of Transport and Regional Development. The project's initial premise was that decision makers in regional Australia lack accurate and timely small business information on which to base supportive policy. This is clearly a substantial omission given that, as this report outlines, most activity in regional Australia is small business activity, and that nationally, small business employs around half the Australian workforce and accounts for around 40% of the national GDP.
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The report draws upon analysis of interviews and surveys carried out in four pilot regions in 1998. It describes the context of, and forces impacting upon regional small business. Thus it draws a picture of the key factors which can contribute to the success or failure of regional communities.
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Content
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Chapter 1 Small business in regional economies outlines the present status of regional small business. It is recognised that many small businesses are performing well, but face major constraints from government policy at all levels, which is failing to keep pace with the changing regional contexts.
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Chapter 2 Information identifies that lack of information inhibits both government and local business initiatives. While government lacks timely, accurate information required to make sound policy decision, regional small businesses lack information about government programs and priorities, and their local economy, population, trends and networks. On both counts this compromises the effectiveness of regional development programs.
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Chapter 3 Constraints on small business growth and development outlines the regional and external factors that contribute to small business competitiveness. These factors are discussed under three headings:
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demand constraints
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with particular reference to population, income and employment fluctuations, and purchasing patterns, all often driven by larger business corporations' decisions
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supply constraints
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including access to infrastructure, information, financial services, and raw materials; and
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employment and local training needs
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which considers why many small businesses fail to take on employees even in periods of growth.
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Chapter 4 The regional retail small business sector takes a closer look at this important regional business sector, and the impact of changes to retail activity in recent times. The report suggests the need for a vision for the local retail sector, to increase confidence, reduce uncertainty, and ensure retail developments do not simply redirect existing turnover but increases local demand.
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Chapter 5 Retraction of services and regional small business concentrates on the devastating effects that centralisation of key services can have on regional economies and raises the question whether the overall cost to the nation of these negative effects outweighs the benefits to the individual agencies. Some opportunities to mitigate the effects of loss of services are discussed and the need for further research in this area is outlined.
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Chapter 6 Regional economic self-reliance and resilience draws on information from the National Institute for Economic and Industrial Research and outlines the main determinants of regional health and resilience, based upon our understanding of regional small business. Economic transition is a necessary outcome of external economic shocks, and a region's response to this process will depend upon its resilience, and the policy approach adopted by governments. Three different policy responses are discussed in this chapter and the role of government considered.
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Chapter 7 Successful small business development strategies outlines the broad range of strategies available to strengthen small business. The strategies are discussed in relation to the four core issues identified in this report:
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information;
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regional small business retail sector;
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retraction of services; and
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government programs.
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Responsive policy and activity at all levels of government are of central importance.
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Fred Argy outlines in the foreword to this publication, that this report fills an important gap. It identifies information gaps in the regional small business context, it highlights the main determiners of economic resilience; and it reminds governments of the proactive, catalytic and co-ordinating role they can play in improving the competitiveness of regional small business.
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Contact Details
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If you would like to purchase copies of this report please fill in our online order form.
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