•    Resources and energy
•    ICT and emerging technologies
•    Health
•    Sustainable development

These areas capture the multidisciplinary nature of the University’s research programs, which are accessible across all of its four academic faculties – Science and Engineering, Health Sciences, Humanities and Business.

RESOURCES AND ENERGY
Curtin’s pragmatic approach to international linkages demonstrates how China’s emergence as a science and engineering powerhouse naturally complements Australia’s leading role in energy resources production and related research. In particular, Curtin’s new partnerships with Chinese research institutions demonstrate confidence in the ability of the two nations to lead in the development of new, ‘green’ energy technologies.

During 2009, Curtin’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Jeanette Hacket visited China to establish formal research linkages in the area of energy research. The first of the agreements reached was with the Institute of Process Engineering within the prestigious Chinese Academy of Sciences. The two institutions will jointly undertake research in areas such as biomass and coal gasification, carbon capture and storage, and the development of fuel cells.

Another key achievement of Professor Hacket’s visit to China was the establishment of the Curtin–Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) Joint Research Laboratory for Coal and Biomass Utilisation, which unites the Curtin Centre for Advanced Energy Science and Engineering (CCAESE) with the State Key Laboratory of Coal Combustion at HUST.

The Joint Research Laboratory is progressing projects that focus on harnessing new (biomass) energy sources, and developing technologies to reduce emissions from coal combustion. One of the biomass projects focuses on advanced biomass co-firing in conventional coal-fired power stations. The project is being funded under the Australia–China Special Fund for Science and Technology Cooperation, established by the Federal Government and China’s Ministry of Science and Technology.

These collaborations will greatly contribute to the development of advanced clean coal and biomass technologies in Australia and China.

CURTIN RESOURCES AND CHEMISTRY PRECINCT
Curtin’s leading role in resources and energy research is also clearly demonstrated by the new Curtin Resources and Chemistry Precinct at the University’s Bentley Campus. The $116 million development is funded by Curtin, BHP Billiton, ChemCentre (WA’s flagship chemical science facility) and both the Federal and Western Australian governments.

During 2009, Curtin research teams have been relocating to the precinct, and will soon be utilising its advanced laboratories. These include the Nanochemistry Research Institute, the WA Organic and Isotope Geochemistry Centre, the Curtin Water Quality Research Centre, and the WA Corrosion Research Group. ChemCentre has also relocated to the precinct, adding to the hub of expertise for collaborative research. Ultimately, more than 200 professional scientists, engineers and staff will occupy state-of-the-art facilities for chemistry and energy-related research.

Further endorsement of Curtin’s research capabilities in resources and energy-related fields was seen recently with the announcement of the Cooperative Research Centre for Deep Exploration Technologies. Curtin’s involvement in the CRC will be through its Centre for High Definition Geophysics, where research focuses on developing new seismic technologies to detect mineral resources.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Sustainable development is a strategic priority for Curtin, and renewable energy is one area in which the University continues to strengthen its research contribution.

Reflecting this, the Federal Government recently awarded Curtin $2.5 million to investigate the sustainable production of high quality second-generation transport biofuels from mallee biomass. The program will be conducted at the Curtin Centre for Advanced Energy Science and Engineering (CCAESE), which is one of 16 centres under the research umbrella of the Australian Sustainable Development Institute (ASDI) at Curtin.

Curtin was the only WA university to receive funding from the Government’s $15 million Second Generation Biofuels Research and Development Program, and it confirms the University’s role – and that of the CCAESE specifically – in the development of renewable energy sources that reduce CO2 emissions.

ICT AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES
Curtin has continued to build impressive capabilities in radio astronomy, and develop advanced projects for the highly coveted international Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project.

Through the Curtin Institute of Radio Astronomy (CIRA), the University is positioning radio astronomy as a science and technology strength for WA. CIRA is jointly led by Premier’s Research Fellow Professor Steven Tingay (astrophysics and technical astronomy research) and Professor Peter Hall (engineering research and industry collaboration), who is the only Chair in Radio Astronomy Engineering in Australia.

In August, WA Premier Colin Barnett launched the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) in Perth – a $100 million joint venture funded by the WA Government, Curtin and The University of Western Australia, with CSIRO and iVEC as collaborating partners. ICRAR’s leadership team, drawn from both universities, includes Professors Tingay and Hall.

Complementing the ICRAR initiative, the new Pawsey Centre for High-Performance Computing and SKA Science was launched in September by the Federal Minister for Science and Innovation Kim Carr, at Perth’s Technology Park, adjacent to Curtin’s Bentley Campus.

The $80 million Pawsey Centre is funded under the Government’s Super Science program. At the launch, Senator Carr emphasised the Pawsey Centre’s focus on radio astronomy that will help demonstrate Australia’s readiness to host the SKA, and its close linking “with the leading-edge Australian SKA Pathfinder radio-telescope being built in WA as a precursor to the SKA project”.

At CIRA, Tingay and Hall are now coordinating several key pathfinder radio telescope projects; foremost among these is the Murchison Wide-field Array (MWA). Resulting from a major collaboration between Australia, the US and India, the MWA will survey the entire sky at a far greater speed than existing instruments, and reveal new information about the Universe and its radio phenomena.

The development of next-generation information and communication technologies remains an area of exciting opportunities for researchers.

For example, an inspirational collaboration between WA’s Main Roads authority and two Curtin research teams will realise a next-generation traffic management and control system. The project involves the Digital Ecosystems and Business Intelligence Institute (DEBII), the Planning and Transport Research Centre (PATREC) and Main Roads WA.

DEBII’s research expertise lies in determining how to process and utilise data, and how best to derive meaning and provide context to information. Technical innovations being designed and developed by the DEBII team for the project are considerable, and will exploit the capabilities of the next-generation internet, known as the ’Web of Things’.

The new devices will collect traffic data, via compact sensors implemented through programmable logic arrays, encapsulated and deployed as monitors. Each will have an IP address, providing it with a logical location aligned with a geographical location (supplied by GPS), and therefore have the flexibility to be either stationary or mobile monitors. Relevant data will then be transmitted wirelessly to monitors at Main Roads’ control centre. Benefits for road-users will be reduced congestion, a shortened travel time, a safer road environment, and less pollution as result of vehicles being on the road for less time. The Australian Research Council is supporting the research with a three-year Linkage Project grant.

HEALTH
Chronic conditions now dominate health-care spending in Australia. Accordingly, health research must look closely at preventative care and long-term health maintenance. To address the issue, Curtin has established an integrated health research institute – the Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute (CHIRI).

CHIRI’s programs respond astutely to the shifting health care patterns of ageing populations, and of societies that suffer from chronic illnesses such as diabetes, obesity, cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

Curtin is providing more than $60 million for new infrastructure, and research programs for evidence-based solutions to contemporary health challenges. CHIRI’s outstanding capabilities are drawn from respected research groups in the Faculty of Health Sciences. These include the Centre for Research into Ageing, Centre for Developmental Health, Centre for International Health and the National Drug Research Institute.

EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH
These examples demonstrate Curtin’s commitment to providing outstanding opportunities for researchers seeking to engage in and advance both academically rigorous and internationally relevant research. This commitment attracts many high-calibre researchers to Curtin’s centres and institutes, and enhancing the University’s vibrant research culture that is characterised by dedicated research staff, their programs, and our partnerships.

•    Resources and energy
•    ICT and emerging technologies
•    Health
•    Sustainable development

These areas capture the multidisciplinary nature of Curtin’s research programs, which are accessible across all of the University’s four academic faculties – Science and Engineering, Health Sciences, Humanities and Business.

THE AUSTRALIAN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE

Curtin recently launched its new multi-million dollar Australian Sustainable Development Institute (ASDI). Sustainable development is becoming increasingly important to individuals, communities, business and industry, and policy-makers at all levels. Recognising this, Curtin has stepped up its commitment to sustainable development as a research priority.

Combining the resources and brainpower of 16 research centres, ASDI’s programs will target issues associated with climate change, resource scarcity and population growth. ASDI comprises a range of expertise necessary for high-impact and interdisciplinary research in environmental, social, economic and governance areas. ASDI’s research capabilities are more comprehensive than any other sustainability institute in Australia – and include the highly regarded Curtin University Sustainability Policy Institute that was established in 2008.

Guided by the Chair of ASDI Mr Keith Spence (formerly Woodside’s Executive Vice-President, Enterprise Capability) Curtin will be a major research provider in sustainable development, providing the best possible scientific and policy advice to government, industry and the wider community.

RESOURCES & ENERGY

Curtin’s leading role in resources and energy research is clearly demonstrated by its most important initiatives: the Resources and Chemistry Precinct.

The Resources and Chemistry Precinct is funded by Curtin, BHP Billiton, ChemCentre (WA’s flagship chemical science facility) and both the Federal and Western Australian governments. Advanced laboratories are being outfitted for research teams preparing to move into the $116 million development during 2009. These include the Nanochemistry Research Institute, the WA Organic and Isotope Geochemistry Centre, the Curtin Water Quality Research Centre, and the WA Corrosion Research Group. ChemCentre will relocate to the precinct this year, adding to the hub of expertise for collaborative research across these disciplines. Ultimately, more than 300 professional scientists, engineers and staff will occupy the Precinct’s state-of-the-art facilities for chemistry and energy-related research.

Curtin’s research capabilities in resources and energy-related fields are well utilised by industry. Expertise within the WA Corrosion Research Group, for example, is in demand by oil and gas companies that require solutions in the assessment and control of corrosion. For that reason, Woodside Petroleum and Chevron Australia have jointly funded a Chair in Corrosion Research at Curtin.

Curtin’s capability to establish partnerships with major international companies is further illustrated by the Rio Tinto Centre for Materials and Sensing in Mining, which is undertaking strategic research for optimising open-pit mining operations.

Excellent prospects for industry-supported projects are also found in minerals exploration and processing. The Centre for High Definition Geophysics, for example, is developing new seismic technologies to detect mineral resources. The mining industry also maintains high demand for innovations in hydrometallurgy that enable the viability of low-grade ores or untapped mineral deposits.

ICT & EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES

The International Year of Astronomy is an ideal time to commend Curtin’s Institute of Radio Astronomy for the pace of its progress and achievements on major international projects.

The December launch of the Curtin Institute of Radio Astronomy (CIRA) was a highlight for the University. Combining physics and engineering in the field of astronomy, CIRA became the first cross-disciplinary research centre of its kind at an Australian university – and demonstrated Curtin’s determination to position radio astronomy as a science and technology strength for Western Australia.

CIRA is jointly led by WA Premier’s Research Fellow Professor Steven Tingay (astrophysics and technical astronomy research) and Professor Peter Hall (engineering research and industry collaboration), who is the only Chair in Radio Astronomy Engineering in Australia.

Tingay and Hall have been capacity-building Curtin’s expertise in radio astronomy since joining the University within the past two years. CIRA will soon have about 25 researchers focusing on the development of pathfinder technologies for the proposed international €1.5 billion Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project.

Australia’s case for hosting the SKA project has been strengthened by the Federal Government’s budget announcement that $80 million will be allocated to a new Australian National Centre for SKA Science to be established in Perth. This follows a recent $20 million investment by the WA Government into the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR). Hall and Tingay are Deputy Directors of ICRAR, which is an equal joint venture between Curtin and UWA that is focused on technical astronomy, science and engineering aspects of the SKA.

Tingay is also Project Manager for the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) project under development at the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory. The MWA will be a completely new type of radio telescope. Rather than an array of dishes, the MWA will be a configuration of ‘tiles’ each consisting of 16 antennas. The project is a major international collaboration between a number of US, Indian and Australian research teams.

Curtin’s advances in radio astronomy demonstrate the University’s ability to identify progressive research areas, and embark on strategies for research forays into areas of opportunity.

The development of next-generation information and communication technologies remains an area of exciting opportunities for researchers. Curtin maintains excellent research programs in pattern recognition, spatial science, wireless telecommunications, e-business and digital ontologies.

The Institute for Multi-sensor Processing and Content Analysis, for example, undertakes cutting-edge research that continually attracts industry and government funding. In collaboration with Digital Technology International, new technologies that were developed in projects supported by the Australian Research Council are now being deployed in intelligent systems that improve industrial efficiency and enhance security in complex environments such as public transport.

At Curtin Business School, research in ICT and emerging technologies is also intensifying. In particular, the Digital Ecosystems and Business Intelligence Institute (DEEBI) is advancing novel technology infrastructure, including web services, new ontologies in data mining, text mining and cyber security. DEEBI’s work is in demand in areas as diverse as commerce, transport communications, logistics planning, mining, healthcare and education.

HEALTH

Chronic conditions now dominate health-care spending in Australia. Accordingly, health research must look closely at preventative care and long-term health maintenance. To address the issue, Curtin is building a bold, integrated and relevant health research institute – the Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute (CHIRI).

CHIRI’s programs respond astutely to the shifting health care patterns of ageing populations, and of societies that suffer from chronic illnesses such as diabetes, obesity, cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

Curtin is providing more than $60 million for new infrastructure, and research programs for evidence-based solutions to contemporary health challenges. CHIRI’s outstanding capabilities are drawn from respected research groups in the Faculty of Health Sciences. These include the Centre for Research into Ageing, Centre for Developmental Health, Centre for International Health and the National Drug Research Institute.

EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH

These examples demonstrate Curtin’s commitment to providing outstanding opportunities for researchers seeking to engage in and advance both academically rigorous and internationally relevant research. This commitment attracts many high-calibre researchers to Curtin’s centres and institutes. The University’s vibrant research culture is continually enhanced by the quality of its researchers, programs and partnerships.

Curtin understands that high-impact research is multidisciplinary in nature, and it promotes collaborative projects that will contribute to the sustainable environmental, economic and cultural development of communities worldwide.

The BioCube: “The social and economic impact of this could be phenomenal, not to mention the massive reduction in the carbon footprint”

One of the first grant recipients under the Climate Ready program, the Biofuel Partnership’s BioCube project delivers valuable biodiesel resources on-site in developing countries – at no cost to the environment.

The BioCube – developed by Gold Coast-based company The Biofuel Partnership – is a fully integrated, compact biodiesel processor half the size of a shipping container. It can be thought of as a community’s own green fuel station, capable of providing 300 to 400 people with a sustainable source of affordable clean energy.

The company’s technical director, and BioCube inventor, Sandy Kelly, says the BioCube is aimed at developing communities in the Tropics. However, it is also ideal for remote areas struck by natural disaster, as it is small enough to be lifted by helicopter.

“The BioCube costs approximately 1% of a mid-sized refinery, takes a fraction of the space, and is highly energy-efficient,” Kelly says. “It uses its own biodiesel to operate and processes feedstock at rates equivalent to much larger refineries.”

Socio-economic impact

Kelly came up with the idea for the BioCube while living in southeast Asia. He recognised small communities – and the environment – throughout the developing world would be far better off if farmers could refine their own biofuel crops in situ, instead of exporting them, and then importing the processed fuel.

“I saw that the social and economic impact of this could be phenomenal, not to mention the massive reduction in the carbon footprint,” says Kelly, a marine engineer and entrepreneur who has lived in the Philippines for the past 20 years.

“For instance, East Timor has a reservoir of crude fossil oil sitting in the seabed,” he continues. “The oil is tapped and shipped to Singapore for refining and then returned to East Timor. There is a net outflow of precious cash resources.”

Trials and challenges

After two years of trials and challenges, the first BioCubes were manufactured in 2009 in Victoria by the Australian arm of German engineering group, EDAG, ready for export to countries in Oceania, Asia, India, Africa and the Americas.

The Biofuel Partnership has raised more than $1 million through the Australian Small Scale Offerings Board Limited, and has a six member management team with expertise in engineering, business and marketing, and brand management.

The company was one of the first recipients of funding under the Australian Government’s Climate Ready program. The company was awarded a $500,000 dollar-fordollar grant in early 2009.

The company also claimed the ‘R&D Tax Concession’ while developing the BioCube, which incorporates four ‘innovations’ (see below).

Invaluable assistance

Inventor Sandy Kelly, the Biofuel Partnership’s technical director, with the BioCube

Laurence Baum, the company’s commercial director, says receiving the Climate Ready assistance has been “invaluable”.

“Capital raising is always a big issue for a start-up company, and you either need investors with deep pockets, or venture capital assistance,” he explains. “One of the problems with venture capitalists is they tend to stymie innovation because their agenda is to turn a short-term profit, rather than the excitement of the invention itself. “Being able to leverage assistance from AusIndustry provided valuable funding, and gave private investors confidence in us because they know that the Climate Ready application is a rigorous process, and the Australian Government must have confidence in us and our internal processes.

“As well, the R&D Tax Concession, through the R&D Tax Off set, gave us a $190,000 tax credit for the $1.5 million we spent developing the BioCube. This is a considerable amount for a small, start-up business.”

Sustainable feedstocks

The BioCube can run on a variety of feedstocks, but The BioFuel Partnership had ethical concerns about using traditional food sources such as palm oil and soya bean. “We researched different plants, and narrowed our list to three sources, of which jatropha and coconut constitute 80% of our interest,” Kelly says. “Jatropha can prosper on marginal soil that wouldn’t sustain most food crops and it also permits inter-cropping so that farmers can benefit from a continuous yield. Waste coconut is almost a nuisance crop in some places, and provides an inexpensive feedstock source.”

The Biofuel Partnership conducted field trials of jatropha in The Philippines and in Papua New Guinea, and applied to AusIndustry for a provisional certificate for proposed overseas research and development (R&D) activities. This meant they were able to claim a 125% tax concession under the R&D Tax Concession.

The innovations

The BioCube runs continuously and produces 2,000 litres of diesel in 10 hours. All parts have been designed to be easy to use and service.

The intellectual property includes:

• an oil expeller incorporating a number of unique features;
• a hydraulically-driven mixer that uses straight cut gears to stimulate mixing, and high temperatures to enhance molecular activity;
• a filtering device christened ‘the Cauldron’ that allows the glycerine to settle while separating off excess methanol; and
• ‘the Chantrelle’, a device that uses the thermal energy of the fatty acid methyl ester and the movement of air to remove any remaining methanol.

“The BioCube is extraordinarily effective as even the by-products can be used as fertiliser or even as high nutrition biscuits for refugees,” says inventor Sandy Kelly.

Another unique aspect of the BioCube is its business model. “We identified that a further aspect of the BioCube lay in changing the business model from that currently employed by the biodiesel processor manufacturers,” Kelly says.

“The Biofuel Partnership developed a ‘cradle to grave’ approach by supplying all chemicals within a distributor network – a philosophy currently unique within the industry.”

Website: www.biofuelpartnership.com

Toshiba's Mark Whittard

Toshiba’s Mark Whittard sees no reason why eco-efficiency, technical performance and style cannot coexist in his company’s products.

1. Why is Toshiba so committed to making its products energy efficient?

Companies and consumers will continue to invest in green technology and energy-saving devices over the coming months. With consumer sentiment on the rise around the environment, people are increasingly more interested in finding out practical things they can do to reduce their environmental impact.

Since the 1990s, Toshiba has been a global leader in meeting environmental challenges through innovation. Toshiba believes the key challenge today is achieving environmental sustainability while supporting the projected population and economic growth worldwide during the next several decades.

Toshiba offers one of the most comprehensive environmental solutions of any global company because of its ability to enhance eco-efficiency in both its energy services and electronic products worldwide. Eco-efficiency is defined by Toshiba as a measure of the environmental impact of a business process or product relative to its value. The company plans to continue growing its business while mitigating its environmental impact as well as the impact of society at large.

The goal of Environmental Vision 2050 is to improve the eco-efficiency of all Toshiba’s business processes and products by a factor of 5 by 2025 and by a factor of 10 by 2050, when compared with 2000, which will allow people to “lead rich lifestyles in harmony with the Earth.”

Toshiba aims to make Environmental Vision 2050 a reality by pursuing two complementary approaches: the Energy Approach, which seeks the best energy mix for a stable supply of reliable energy and climate change mitigation, and the Eco Products Approach, which focuses on creating Earth-conscious products based on an overall assessment of customer value and environmental impacts.

These approaches are paired with two actions: Eco Process, which seeks to minimize environmental impacts throughout business and production processes, and Eco Program, a concerted effort to tackle environmental solutions in collaboration with Toshiba stakeholders.

Energy efficient products are just one piece of the overall Toshiba environment strategy and proof of our commitment to our customers to responsibly deliver savings in energy consumption.

Today all of Toshiba’s notebook computers meet or exceed global energy star compliance

2. How is Toshiba contributing in addressing the problem of environmental sustainability?

Toshiba Corporation recently announced an ambitious upward revision of its goal to reduce global carbon dioxide emissions. The initial target has doubled and is now 117.7 million tons of CO2 emissions in FY2025. The new target is equivalent to almost twice Tokyo’s annual emissions.

The company intends to achieve these reductions by eliminating 82 million tons through elements of its Energy Approach and 35.7 million tons of CO2 emissions through more energy-efficient products as part of its Eco Products Approach.

Plans for Toshiba’s Energy Approach include deploying high-efficiency thermal power plants combined with carbon capture and storage, focusing on safe and efficient nuclear power generation, working to advance the efficiencies of power transmission networks, and promoting commercialization of new energy sources.

As one of the world’s largest and most innovative manufacturers, we are convinced that environmental considerations need to be built into every Toshiba product and process, from design and development though to manufacturing, usage and recycling.

3. What impact does Toshiba’s environmental focus have on its products?

Toshiba is leading innovation in mobile computing technology and is leading the charge to preserve the global environment. When it comes to building our award-winning products, we believe less is more. We minimise waste and use recycled materials wherever we can, while constantly looking for ways to reduce energy consumption. Our own recycling programs keep discarded technology from entering landfill, as does our devotion to worldwide environmental initiatives.

Eco-conscious products start with their design, and Toshiba is committed to designing products with minimal environmental impact. Underlying Toshiba’s efforts to create eco-products is its “Factor T” indicator, which enables Toshiba to quantitatively clarify the degree of eco-efficiency improvement compared with previous models. In addition to increased energy efficiency, Toshiba is moving toward the wider use of recycled resources and plant-derived resources in raw materials as well as shifting to the use of fewer materials for containers and packaging. The company also promotes the green procurement of products, parts and components, processed materials and raw materials with a 22-point check list for suppliers. To make it easier for its customers to identify environmentally-conscious products (ECP) that meet the company’s most stringent standards, Toshiba is featuring a new “Excellent ECP” mark.

Striving for optimum customer benefit with minimal environmental impact, the Eco Products Approach includes assessing and reducing the environmental impacts of Toshiba products throughout the product life cycle, from design and manufacturing to logistics and end of life. Key elements of this initiative include recycling, reducing or eliminating potentially harmful substances and creating more energy-efficient products.

In an industry first, Toshiba’s Portégé R600 ultra-portable notebook was ranked the worlds ‘greenest’ notebook according to a recent Greenpeace survey: “The Green Electronics Survey 2008”.

The annual survey, which evaluates the greenest electronic products on the market, scores Toshiba as the highest for the elimination of hazardous chemicals in its Portégé R600 notebook – beating all other manufacturers and winning the notebook category.

The Portégé R600, the world’s lightest fully-featured notebook, has restricted the use of hazardous chemicals such as cadmium, mercury and lead from batteries and other components. The ultra- portable notebook also features the option for a Solid State Drive (SSD) as a storage medium, which results in low energy consumption and long battery life, further reducing its environmental impact.

With the ongoing growth of the PC market, Toshiba also remains committed to notebook recycling. Toshiba’s E-cycle initiative is a program offering businesses and consumers the ability to do the right thing and divert their pre-loved Toshiba Notebooks from landfill.

Locally (ANZ), Toshiba ensures that Notebooks are disposed of in accordance with best environmental practice and government guidelines. By partnering with professional waste management companies such as MRI Australia, we offer an innovative refurbishment, remarketing and recycling program for customers.

4. Will Toshiba’s reputation for innovation suffer under its environmental goals in the midst of a global financial crisis?

During periods of global economic instability and uncertainty, such as the one we are now witnessing, history shows us that conservatism increases in both business and everyday life. This conservatism usually pushes companies to opt for a blatant decrease in R&D and innovation activities for fear of risking valuable profit. However, and using history once again as a guide, companies that have remained committed to innovation during challenging times have also witnessed continued success thanks to a flow of fresh ideas delivering cost effectiveness, productivity gains, valuable tools and differentiated products and services that further enhance their reputation in the market.

When budgets are tight and reservations to adopt new practices and products are strong, innovation in business typically suffers. However, organisational change to help bring about business improvement does not need to be rapid nor radical. Well-managed change in practices leads to sustained growth and development in the longer term.

Positive and measured change now will affect success in the future and Toshiba actively promotes this approach during the good and the bad times. More than 130 years in the business of innovation tells us this is a winning strategy.

Website: www.isd.toshiba.com.au