NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR
MANUFACTURING MANAGEMENT
Annual Report 2000-01
The National Institute for Manufacturing Management: Smartlink was formed in June 2000, and came into operation on 1 July 2000. This report covers activities up to 30 June 2001.
This annual report provides a corporate profile of the National Institute for Manufacturing Management and Smartlink activities.
A PDF version is also available, for printing.
Partners
AMC - Advanced Manufacturing Centre, Sydney
·
Promotion and support of Graduate Certificate
ABL - Australian Business Ltd, NSW
·
Promote and host seminar series
City of Playford
·
Promote and host seminar series
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu & ABL SA
·
Cluster program for SME’s
Family Business Australia
·
Research initiatives
Inner West BEC
·
Promote and host seminar series
Innoven
·
Promote Graduate Certificate
LNQ - Learning Network Queensland
·
Promotion and delivery of Graduate Certificate
·
Host seminar series through audiovisual conferencing
Manufacturing Society - Vic, SA and WA
·
Promote and host seminar series
NABEC - Northern Adelaide Business Enterprise
Centre
·
Promote and host seminar series
PD-net
·
Present 4 seminars in NSW/ACT series
SACFM - South Australian Centre for Manufacturing
·
Promote and host seminar series
Western BEC
·
Host seminar
National Seminar Program
In the year to 30 June 2001 Smartlink conducted 37 events in the National Seminar Program, with 6 speakers at 8 locations. The program included 2-hour seminars, workshops and round table meetings. Some speakers only gave one or two presentations, but the Smartlink Fellows, Umit Bititci and Oded Shenkar each gave more than 10 presentations during their two weeks stay. Among the speakers in 2000/2001 were:
| Rick Delbridge | Professor, Cardiff Business School | Aug |
| Dr Harry Burley | Melbourne University | Nov |
| Dr Christoph Meier | Managing director, CCSO Switzerland | Feb |
| Mark Birkinshaw | NSW Business Development Manager, PD Net | March |
| Dr Umit Bititci | Director, Centre for Strategic Manufacturing | April |
| Professor Oded Shenkar | Ford Professor of Global Business Management, Ohio State University | May |
Seminar Sites
| ACT | Canberra |
| NSW | Gosford, Newcastle, Parramatta, Wollongong |
| Qld | 50 sites through Learning Network Queensland |
| SA | Adelaide, Woodville, Hindmarsh |
| Victoria | Melbourne, Geelong |
Professional development
The industry-proven graduate program for experienced managers from the University of South Australia is now available online through Smartlink. A wide range of subjects are available, and Smartlink will provide on-the-ground support where a group of enroll in a common program. Local centres have been established in Sydney at the AMC and through LNQ in Queensland.
Board Members
Under the constitution, National Institute for Manufacturing Management has an industry-led board. The board met twice during the year. Its members at 30 June 2001 were:
· Jon
Hodson: Director, Manufacturing Innovation, Invetech.
·
Meredith Hue: DSTO.
·
Don Swincer: Executive Director, The Business Centre.
·
Chris Bridges-Taylor: Managing Director, B&R Enclosures.
·
Professor Robin King: PVC, Division of IT Engineering and Environment,
UniSA.
·
Professor Kevin O’Brien: PVC, Division of Business and Enterprise, UniSA.
·
Geoff Page: Head, School of International Business, UniSA.
·
Howard Harris: Director, National Institute for Manufacturing Management.
Applied Research
A review of management capabilities of Australia’s SME manufacturers was completed in September 2000. This useful report is available on the website and for sale. After an intensive review of available tools, a questionnaire has been developed for the series of management capability surveys which began in June and will continue over the next 12 months.
The attractiveness and effectiveness of various forms of business support is being investigated in conjunction with the SA Dept of Industry & Trade and Family Business Australia, and a number of projects look at the way in which advanced manufacturing techniques and modern management methods are diffused in SMEs.
Live on the web
Smartlink’s website www.smartlink.net.au makes programs accessible across Australia. Over 73% of those who attended Smartlink event have access sufficient to watch a 1-hour presentation. The website carries reports of Smartlink seminars, copies of presentation and live on-line events. An email update is now available through: smartlink-L@business.unisa.edu.au
Evaluation Highlights
Industry input is important to Smartlink - the
programs are needs driven. The evaluation activity has shown that 39% of
participants expected to make productivity improvements as a result of the
seminars, 94% would attend other Smartlink events, and on the whole
participants found the seminars material highly applicable. The Smartlink
Forum has been developed as a tri-partite tool involving participants,
presenters and educational/technical experts in a structured way to evaluate
individual events.
What is Smartlink?
Smartlink aims to enhance the management capability of small and medium sized enterprises in Australia’s manufacturing sector.
Smartlink the National Institute for Manufacturing Management, is a joint industry-university initiative, working through existing regional, professional and industry networks to encourage life long learning and ensure that programs are industry-led.
Technology and management come together in Smartlink, to meet today’s needs and to prepare Australian managers for the competitive challenges of the global marketplace.
The initial focus of our national programs is on lean & agile manufacturing, people management, the supply chain, innovation and the management of networks & collaboration.
Developing Key Programs
· National seminar program, in capital cities and regional Australia
· Management Development programs in manufacturing management available on-line with local support, leading to University awards
· Informative website: http//www.smartlink.net.au
· Developing new programs in partnership with industry groups
Making modern management techniques accessible to SME's
· Involving users, providers, industry and government in regular evaluation
· Developing a template to convert world best practice to local SMEs circumstances
· Evaluating diffusion techniques
· Improving the uptake of manufacturing management in SMEs through industry-based research
Network development
· Supporting regional, professional and industry associations
· Expanding the network
· Using modern technology to reach Australia’s manufacturers
The establishment of Smartlink is supported by AusIndustry’s Technology Diffusion Program.
Contacts
For more information visit our website www.smartlink.net.au (here) or email info@smartlink.net.au or contact one of the staff members below.
Postal Address:
Smartlink, National Institute for Manufacturing Management
The University of South Australia
GPO Box 2471, Adelaide, South Australia, 5001
Dr Howard Harris
Director
Phone: 08 8302 0821
Email: howard.harris@unisa.edu.au
Pamela James-Martin
Program Coordinator
Phone: 08 8302 5125
Email: pamela.james-martin@unisa.edu.au
Chris Pryor
Program Manager
Phone: 08 8302 0172
Email: christopher.pryor@unisa.edu.au