@AuManufacturing Conversations

@AuManufacturing Conversations with Brent Balinski is a regular interview program, bringing you discussions with the men and women who are contributing to a critical part of the economy -- one that leads private sector R&D investment, employs well over a million Australians, and is just plain important to have around, as we’ve all been reminded in recent years. We hope to capture something of the variety to manufacturing, its place in the nation, its changing nature, and some of the personalities within it. From the boutique to the billion dollar, if it's manufacturing and it's Australian, then it likely matters to us. This podcast is an extension of the @AuManufacturing news and analysis website and the community around it, and aims to complement what's written online at www.aumanufacturing.com.au.

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@AuManufacturing Conversations

Episode 100 -- Associate Professor Dilupa Nakandala from Western Sydney University’s School of Business

September 30, 2024 • @AuManufacturing • Season 3 • Episode 21

In this episode of @AuManufacturing Conversations, we hear from Dilupa Nakandala, Associate Professor at Western Sydney University’s School of Business, about her research and her new policy paper, Recharging SME manufacturing in NSW: Opportunities for government to boost adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies.

Episode guide

0:38 – Background. Studied as an electrical/electronic engineer, worked in various roles at IBM World Trade Corporation (the first female engineer at the company) before moving into academia in 2007.

2:22 – Why SME manufacturers became a research focus.

4:24 – The policy insights paper on challenges faced by manufacturing SMEs in technology adoption released by the James Martin Institute, where Nakandala is the inaugural Policy Fellow.

5:31 – Barriers to adoption are multidimensional. Here are a few of them.

7:30 – Data collected from SMEs through several studies, including on resilience benefits – both operational and supply chain resilience – from adopting advanced technologies.

9:44 – Two policy proposals from the paper to help companies get exposed to, learn about, and benefit from new technologies. Firstly, an industry secondment program placing experts from larger enterprises in smaller companies.

11:47 – Secondly, a technology leasing program for smaller companies.

13:03 – International examples of what good looks like.

14:59 – Some thoughts on jargon and buzzwords from vendors.

16:45 – Industry 4, Industry 5, Industry 6…

17:58 – There’s work to be done to change the industry’s image. Attracting tech-savvy youngsters depends on it.

Further reading

Recharging SME manufacturing in NSW: Opportunities for government to boost adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies, published by the James Martin Institute for Public Policy.

New research looks at how to boost tech adoption at SME manufacturers

People on this episode

Brent Balinski

Host