Beyond the Threshold: Investing in Women-led Small and Growing Businesses

This collaborative research project was designed to address the need for greater depth, insight, and clarity on the problems of underinvestment in Women-led Small and Growing Businesses (WSGBs), including those led by younger women (18-35 years old). It is an intentionally exploratory process intended to foster collaboration among ANDE members while also contributing to the existing body of knowledge and identifying areas for further exploration, study, and action. The research recognizes that women entrepreneurs are not a homogenous group, and attempts where possible to make distinctions based on other socioeconomic and demographic factors, as well as to acknowledge the variance in preferences even among those narrower groups

Economic Complexity Unfolded: Interpretable Model for the Productive Structure of Economies

Economic complexity reflects the amount of knowledge that is embedded in the productive structure of an economy. It resides on the premise of hidden capabilities - fundamental endowments underlying the productive structure. In general, measuring the capabilities behind economic complexity directly is difficult, and indirect measures have been suggested which exploit the fact that the presence of the capabilities is expressed in a country's mix of products. We complement these studies by introducing a probabilistic framework which leverages Bayesian non-parametric techniques to extract the dominant features behind the comparative advantage in exported products. Based on economic evidence and trade data, we place a restricted Indian Buffet Process on the distribution of countries' capability endowment, appealing to a culinary metaphor to model the process of capability acquisition. The approach comes with a unique level of interpretability, as it produces a concise and economically plausible description of the instantiated capabilities

Can Malaysia escape the middle-income Trap ? a strategy for Penang

How can Penang upgrade and diversify its economy? This paper addresses this question using a number of methodologies that have been developed for assessing competitiveness and identifying the direction of future industrial evolution. The results show that although Penang was successful in attracting foreign direct investment to the electronics industry, this has not translated into a deepening of industrial capabilities or the nurturing of innovation capacity in Penang. No large Malaysian firms in Penang have taken the lead in innovation and there is little new entry by local firms, despite incentives provided by local and national governments are generous. Universiti Sains Malaysia, the principal university in Penang, is contributing through provision of skills, and it is beginning to multiply university industry linkages. However, the university’s research activities are too limited and too diffuse to significantly initiate innovation by local industry. Under the current circumstances, and given its relatively small size, Penang will have to try much harder to strengthen its competitive advantage in its most important industry -electronics- through actions that build research capital. It will also have to increase its efforts to develop the potential of other value-adding activities, such as medical services and tourism. A strategy focused on localization economies is likely to be the most feasible option.Technology Industry,Tertiary Education,E-Business,ICT Policy and Strategies,Agricultural Knowledge&Information Systems

Bridging the digital divide for hard-to-reach groups

Boeltzig and Pilling identified specific groups of people who typically are not connected to the Internet and examined the circumstances of each - rural, poor, disabled, seniors, and ethnic minorities. They focused on how these groups of people, such as homebound individuals, could benefit most from using online government services. They also identified technical as well as social barriers that limit access. Their recommendations are aimed at both increasing access for these targeted groups and increasing use by individuals in the targeted groups. They also provide valuable recommendations aimed at service or application providers who have a major role in increasing both access and accessibility. The case studies resulted in insights and lessons that are broadly applicable. Based on the case studies, the authors offer recommendations that are practical and serve as useful guides to practitioners and policy makers at all levels of government

Impact Australia: investment for social and economic benefit

DEEWR, in collaboration with JBWere, has developed a report that establishes a foundation for understanding impact investing in the Australian context: what it is, why it matters, what is happening here and what could or should happen. The report showcases examples in Australia and internationally of people harnessing capital markets to: support community prosperity; encourage vibrant culture; and contribute new solutions for issues of exclusion and sustainability. This report provides a foundation for understanding impact investing in the Australian context: what it is, why it matters, what is happening here and what could or should happen. It has been informed by insights and experience from the field in Australia that acknowledge the challenges and opportunities ahead and enliven a vision for the future. What if the growing interest, energy, and passion are not harnessed around clear and common purpose? What if there is not sufficient focus and leadership to create the structures to support a coherent body of practice, prioritise activity to demonstrate efficacy and build critical mass? Realising the potential for impact investing is not a given. It is a strategic challenge requiring leadership, collective action and development of practice across sectoral boundaries. A concerted, energetic response to the call to action could deliver significant benefit for Australia and the region; a failure to answer could be a significant opportunity missed. Pursuing innovations for social and economic benefit The distinguishing feature of impact investing is the intention to achieve both a positive social, cultural and/or environmental benefit and some measure of financial return. Financial return distinguishes impact investing from grant funding; intentional design for positive benefit to society distinguishes it from traditional investments. Impact investing has emerged against a backdrop of longer term global trends. Interest and activity are evident and growing across the world. Fundamentally, this is about expanding the total pool of economic and social value, not redistributing what already exists. Impact investment is already having a positive effect globally in catalysing new markets and encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation for the benefit of society. Impact Investing in Australia Impact investing is happening in Australia today, although the term is not yet in mainstream use. Case studies showcasing what impact investing deals in Australia look like and who is participating are included in the report. Even more significant than the innovation and impact evident in the early Australian transactions are indicators of activity from different actors in the market place and across a range of sectors which echo the international developments. Australia has not yet seen a concerted focus on developing the field, yet foundations for increasing the scale and scope of impact investment are in place. International commentators visiting Australia have remarked on the signposts. The potential extends beyond the domestic market, to what can be done from Australia, particularly in the Asian region. The imperative now is to translate interest into action, and fragmented activity into a more coherent practice for impact investing in the Australian context

Connecting the Dots: Leveraging Social Network Analysis to Understand and Optimize Collaborative Dynamics Within the Global Film Production Network

In recent years, the global film industry has observed a notable surge in international cooperation and cross-border investments. However, a comprehensive overview of these collaborative investments within the industry is lacking. This study employs social network analysis to delve into the possibilities that lie in collaborative efforts and joint investments within the film sector. The research constructs a network of 150 countries based on shared creative elements in their film productions, comprising over 7800 interconnected links. Employing measures of centrality, certain pivotal nations such as the United States, China, and England emerge as influential nodes, showcasing a strong potential to steer industry growth through collaborative engagement. Through a more detailed exploration involving community identification, distinct clusters centered around thematic commonalities that have converged through joint creative endeavors become evident. For example, the "Global Thrill Seekers" community focuses on action films, whereas the "Cultural-Social Cinema Group" addresses worldwide cultural and social issues. Each of these communities presents distinctive perspectives for international cooperation and the collaborative creation of content. This analysis significantly enhances our understanding of the global film network's structure and dynamics, while concurrently highlighting promising pathways for future investment and collaborative initiatives. The research underscores the critical role of leveraging social network analysis methodologies to optimize informed decision-making concerning collaborative investments, thereby paving the way for anticipatory outcomes. This study not only contributes insights but also serves as a model for investigating data-centric participation within the creative industries

Evaluating the Accuracy and Quality of Microgreens Training Materials Available on the Internet: A Content Analysis

Microgreens are the young, edible seedlings of various vegetables, spices, herbs, and considered as the intermediate stage of sprouts and mature greens, suggesting microgreens may share similar food safety risks with both of these produce. Even though there are no known outbreaks due to contaminated microgreens, multiple product recalls have been reported, indicating food safety risks associated with microgreens should not be underemphasized. A recent national survey of the U.S. microgreens industry reported that almost half of growers (48.3% of 176) learned to grow microgreens by viewing websites and videos on the internet.1 However, it is unknown whether the content related to growing microgreens is grounded in scientific evidence and clearly presented. The aim of this research was to conduct a content analysis to determine the accuracy and quality of existing microgreens training materials available on the internet. Microgreens training materials were collected using two popular search engines – Google and YouTube. Three coding manuals were created to evaluate included artifacts. One was used to determine the accuracy of the content and was based on FDA Food Safety Modernization Act – Produce Safety Rule (FSMA PSR). The other two manuals were used to determine the quality of Google and YouTube artifacts. Three trained coders contributed to the coding process. Each artifact was coded independently by two coders for accuracy and quality. A total of 223 artifacts (i.e., 86 Google and 137 YouTube) were selected for the analysis. The accuracy results revealed that both online sources had minimally covered the food safety principles in the FSMA PSR. Several areas were completely unaddressed, such as water testing, worker training, environmental monitoring, and record-keeping. Additionally, several important areas were minimally covered (e.g., the water source, worker health and hygiene, pest control, and risks from animals), or were not sufficiently addressed with accurate details (e.g., the treatment of grow medium and proper environmental/storing conditions), which gave very limited food safety information to the microgreens growers. In addition, some of the reported food safety information gave unclear recommendations, such as the parameters of the sources (i.e., grow medium/water/seeds); or conflicting opinions across artifacts, such as the requirement of washing microgreens, cleaning and sanitization methods, seed treatment methods, and waste management. The Google and YouTube quality scoring systems resulted in a mean quality score of 15.81 and 22 of a maximum score of 28, respectively. The most common deficiency observed across all artifacts was it was unknown if the content developers were subject matter experts. In addition, further quality improvements were noted in Google artifacts, such as using relevant images, meeting accessibility requirements, and providing learner assessments. The quality of YouTube artifacts could be improved by varying visual and auditory components and by using time stamps. Our findings can inform and guide existing and future microgreens training contents