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Home-based business
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Back-yarders and Front Runners
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Client Need: There has been little quantitative research on Australia's fast-growing home-based businesses. Three separate agencies shared a need to identify key characteristics, impediments to growth and training needs of home-based businesses: the Department of Workplace Relations and Small Business, the ACT Government and the three Sunshine Coast Councils. The project's public report, Back-yarders and Front Runners, Home-Based Business in Two Australian Regions, was launched by Minister Mal Brough on 7 April 2000.
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SES played the major role in this project, Australia's first large-scale examination of home-based businesses. The project was managed by the Canberra Region Enterprise and Employment Development Association in conjunction with the Home-Based Business Association of the Australian Capital Region, with funding from all three levels of government - the Commonwealth, the ACT and three councils. The project covered the Australian Capital Region and the Sunshine Coast.
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In Phase One some 867 home-based businesses returned surveys focused on business history and prospects, barriers to expansion, and training and information needs. The survey analysis highlighted the diverse characteristics of home-based businesses and yielded key policy directions for each level of government on the kinds of support services most needed.
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The survey work was complemented in Phase Two with a series of public seminars, focus groups and facilitated 'peer learning synergy groups' to help participating home-based businesses lift their performance. Evaluation of the synergy groups showed that the concentrated peer learning approach is very effective with home-based businesses - boosting growth and employment prospects. Follow-up work is underway in both regions.
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Click here to view an online version of The Back Yarders and Front Runners report.
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Home-based business in Queensland
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Client Need: Queensland's Department of State Development identified home-based businesses as a policy priority area for 2000-2001. SES partnered with CREEDA Projects and Cedar Consulting to undertake a comprehensive state-wide survey of the State's home-based businesses - their growth needs and policy issues - and developed concepts for a range of support products.
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The survey took place in late 2000, with responses from over 600 home-based businesses in seven regions in the State. The survey results were examined further in a series of focus groups in South-east Queensland. The results of this primary research were used as the basis for development of a range of support products for use by the Department.
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Accelerating home-based business growth in the ACT Region and Adelaide
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Client Need: The ACT Government and the Marion and Onkaparinga City Councils wanted to develop active programs of support for home-based businesses. In both regions funding was provided by the Federal Government's Regional Assistance Program, complemented by funding from local sources. SES partnered with CREEDA Projects to undertake skills needs assessments and develop a growth acceleration program specifically for home-based businesses.
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The projects began with surveys of home-based businesses in the two regions, followed by series of seminars on low-cost marketing and financial management. The surveys and seminars helped identify sizeable pools of home-based businesses in each region interested in participating in a growth program.
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As at May 2001 these projects are moving from the skills need assessment stage to implementation of the growth program. The accelerated growth program draws on reviews of the characteristics of micro-business entrepreneurs and sound understanding of the types of learning environments most suitable for this challenging group. In the current phase of the projects, facilitators in each region will be trained and suitable participants selected. Delivery of the programs will begin in late May.
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