Enterprise Connect is an Australian Government program supporting eligible Australian small and medium businesses to improve their performance. With a national network of Centres and a team of around 100 highly skilled Business Advisers and Facilitators, Enterprise Connect helps Australian businesses develop the skills, knowledge and capabilities needed to improve their competitiveness and productivity and to maximise their growth potential. Services include Business Reviews delivered at no charge to businesses, grant assistance to implement recommendations flowing from the Business Review, and a range of innovation services tailored to individual business requirements. Enterprise Connect services a wide range of industries including manufacturing, resources, tourism, clean technology, defence, creative, printing and publishing, and food processing.
A range of tailored services are available to businesses located in capital cities, major regional centres, and in rural and remote Australia.
Business Review
The Enterprise Connect Business Review is a successful business diagnostic service.
Enterprise Connect has delivered over 5000 Business Reviews. Overall, 87 per cent of clients indicated they gained benefit from the Business Review in
- productivity or efficiency
- higher sales
- greater profitability
- increased proportion of sales from exports.
On average, clients implement five Business Review recommendations in areas such as:
- staff management/human resources
- business strategy
- quality control and workplace health and safety
- production
- marketing
- market research.
Tailored Advisory Service
After completing a Business Review, clients may apply for Tailored Advisory Service funding to help implement recommendations flowing from the Business Review.
Researchers in Business
Breaking down the cultural divide between business and research institutions, Researchers in Business supports the placement of researchers from universities and public research agencies into businesses to help develop new ideas with commercial potential.
Enterprise Connect provides funding up to $50000 to engage a researcher for between two and 12 months with Researchers in Business grants.
Leadership21
Leadership 21 is a nine month leadership course developed specifically for owners and managers of small and medium businesses.
The course covers strategic planning, financial analysis, managing business growth, change management, innovation, decision making, vision and communication. Participants receive practical tools, for immediate use, and one-on-one coaching, enabling them to work on the business rather than just in the business. Over 160 participants have benefited from the Leadership 21 course so far, participants reporting significant improvements in business and individual leadership performance following the course. Continuous Improvement Program
Enterprise Connect established the Continuous Improvement Program for businesses with a commitment to change. Through this extended engagement, clients and their Business Advisers work together to embed change and achieve improvements in productivity and competitiveness.
Results
Since its creation in 2008, Enterprise Connect has assisted over 17000 businesses and achieved the following results:
- 96% of clients implemented business improvement recommendations made by Enterprise Connect.
- For every recommendation implemented by clients utilising program support, businesses implemented another four themselves.
- 83% of clients acknowledge Enterprise Connect helped them increase productivity or efficiency.
- On average at a business level, Enterprise Connect clients experienced labour productivity growth of 5% in the financial year following a Business Review and approximately half our clients experienced growth of at least 3%. This is particularly significant when you note, excluding mining and utilities, labour productivity grew by only 1.7% annually in the seven years to 2011.
- Of those clients experiencing labour productivity decline when seeking assistance through Enterprise Connect, 11% move to labour productivity growth within 12 months after a Business Review.
Further information
Visit enterpriseconnect.gov.au
or call 131 791.
Statistics from the 2011 Enterprise Connect Client and Non-Client Survey Printable version (PDF 460KB) |
|