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Economic Reform Must Include Industrial Transformation
Australia’s productivity woes stem from more than tax or regulatory inertia. As Emeritus Professor Roy Green argues, decades of industrial decline, underinvestment in research, and a failure to embrace strategic transformation have left the economy exposed to global shocks and wage stagnation. Green outlines a pragmatic agenda for industrial renewal—joining up policy, innovation, and workforce development—to secure Australia’s economic future.
Roy Green
Jul 24, 20257 min read


The Integration Imperative: Building Innovation Districts That Work
Successful innovation districts achieve integration across four critical domains: placemaking that treats public spaces as economic infrastructure, economic development based on systems thinking, commercial frameworks that align public and private interests, and governance institutions with clear mandates and adequate resources.
Cities should treat innovation district development as a complex system requiring integration across multiple domains and timeframes.

Dr John H Howard
Jul 17, 20257 min read


Thinking in Public: Australia’s Missing Innovation Policy—Will It Ever Be Found? A new book from the Acton Institute for Innovation
At a time when the language of innovation is everywhere yet the architecture for delivering it is so often absent, the need for honest, grounded, and practical thinking is urgent. The goal of this book is not to predict the future, but to inform and provoke those with the responsibility and agency to shape it.

Dr John H Howard
Jun 30, 20252 min read


Behind the Buzz: How Innovation Ecosystems Deliver Value—and How to Measure It
In today’s constrained fiscal environment, governments are rightly asking hard questions. Why should public funds support innovation districts and precincts unless there is clear evidence of productivity uplift, industry renewal, or public benefit?
This Insight explores the economic, industrial, and civic value of innovation ecosystems. It argues for a shift in focus—from short-term outputs to long-term productivity gains. It also offers a practical framework for measuring wh

Dr John H Howard
May 22, 20259 min read


The Role of System Integrators in Innovation Ecosystems
John H. Howard, 15 April 2025 This Insight explores the growing significance of innovation ecosystems in driving economic transformation...

Dr John H Howard
Apr 15, 20259 min read


The Innovation Imperative–Critical Dimensions for Effective Policy Design
This policy insight evaluates the current state of innovation policy through a multidimensional lens that complements existing frameworks.

Dr John H Howard
Apr 8, 20258 min read


The NSW Innovation Blueprint 2035: What Does it Actually Deliver?
What does the NSW Innovation Blueprint 2035 actually commit to? This analysis examines the strengths and gaps in the state's innovation stra

Dr John H Howard
Apr 6, 20256 min read


Can the Strategic Examination of R&D Solve 2025's Innovation Challenges
Australia has research excellence—now it's time to strengthen innovation ecosystems, financing, and pathways to adoption, application & use.

Dr John H Howard
Feb 25, 20258 min read
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