The Australian Intellectual Property Toolkit for Collaboration (the IP Toolkit) assists businesses, researchers and research organisations with their collaborations. It is designed to simplify and improve the use and management of what is often one of the most valuable outputs of collaboration, intellectual property (IP). Key points What is IP? How is it different in […]
Co-operatives and agricultural co-operatives: what’s the difference? On the surface, co-operatives might appear like any other business – commercially successful, productive and profitable. What sets them apart and makes them a better way to do business for farmers? Find out six important differences. Key points What is the co-operative business structure? What are the benefits
All co-operatives, regardless of their size or type, need a business plan. A business plan helps clarify the activities for the co-operative and identifies the logistics, resources and finances needed for it to be successful. All co-operatives should be able to prepare forecast financial statements that identify how the co-operative will fund its first year
Any new business or community initiative should be monitored from the beginning to assess the value of changes, demonstrate return on investment over time, and provide insight into where strategic changes can be made to further enhance value. One key difference of collaboration evaluation compared to more traditional evaluation is the combined focus on the
Effective collaborative leadership draws on unique elements of the collaborative process. Leaders set an example for new ways of interacting and are able to tap into members’ strengths. Leaders also keep a watchful eye on the groups’ processes and monitor progress. This approach differs from ‘being in charge’ and ‘directing’, which are the focus of
Working together in new ways necessitates good management, even before the group is formalised. This means ensuring you have the right conditions and strong relationships. While collaboration in business can take many different forms and structures and be at any stage of development, at the heart of any successful collaboration are the people and their
Collaboration aims to include multiple stakeholders in a collective conversation, to develop a broader understanding of the problem and solutions and to find ways forward to achieve shared goals. This big-picture approach enables groups that might not have previously worked together – and might even have been in opposition or competition – to join forces
Collaborations can bring cross-sector and inter-organisation benefits but they can also create complexity for member organisations. New challenges need to be weighed against business-as-usual practices. Forming a collaboration does not necessarily solve all the problems. Shifting the way your organisation functions is not easy. In effective collaborations, individuals or businesses give up some autonomy, they
Collaboration is only one of several forms of working together. While collaboration can deliver results beyond what could be achieved alone, it can be challenging to implement and therefore is not an appropriate approach for every situation. Collaboration can help if your aim is to: reduce duplication and overlap, access limited resources, create or expand
Agriculture is a complex sector, with multifaceted challenges but also exciting opportunities. Emerging products and markets, shifting supply and labour demands, climatic changes, new technologies and more competitive globalised supply chains are just some of the conditions farmers, fishers and foresters face in Australia today. This complexity often means that there is often no clear
