Managing research: lessons from Australia.

RESEARCH, Development and Extension plans are crucial to effective use of industry resources and need to be developed through interactions between researchers, extension officers and industry participants to ensure that the plans effectively address industry needs. This paper describes a consultative process with the Queensland sugar industry to identify their views of the products and services offered by BSES Limited and how those views were used to shape BSES’ strategic plan. A three-stage process was used. In stage 1, BSES established a framework for the study. Stage 2 was a qualitative phase, involving an independent consultant working with millers and growers through one-toone interviews, or through focus groups of cohorts of 8–12 people. These discussions considered the participants’ general perceptions of BSES and the value it delivers to industry, current funding of BSES, future funding solutions, and how these options could be implemented. Stage 3 was a quantitative survey of 400 Queensland cane growers conducted by consultants using a computer-assisted telephone interview process. Questions covered the awareness and value of BSES services, funding principles, support for increasing the service fee, general attitudes to change and innovation, and general demographics. The study identified five issues critical to successful R,DE succession planning; external funding; commercialisation of R,DE and change management. BSES’s strategic plan sees the company contributing to the goal of an internationally competitive and environmentally sustainable sugarcane production system for the reliable supply of raw sugar and diversified products from Australia. It defines seven high-priority actions that must be undertaken to achieve the goal and groups these under three delivery vehicles. The paper then describes the key lessons that the authors (with a total of over 50 years of R,D&E management) have learnt in managing the industry based R,D&E program conducted by BSES. Introduction A comprehensive and well-thought-out Research, Development and Extension (R,D&E) plan is crucial, if significant resources are to be used effectively and be directed at the high-priority needs facing any industry. It is important that this R,D&E agenda be set through the strong interaction of researchers, extension officers and industry participants. A focus on realised outcomes (or benefits) for the industry is required, rather than concentrating on areas of researcher interest, industry ‘wants’ (contrasting with ‘needs’), or availability of funding.