New book flies flag for regions as building blocks for national goals
Published on 10 January, 2013
A CQUniversity researcher has helped produce a new book which flies the flag for regions as 'building blocks' to achieve national goals.
Dr Susan Kinnear co-edited Regional Advantage and Innovation - Achieving Australia's National Outcomes with Kate Charters and Dr Peter Vitartas.
Dr Susan Kinnear pictured with her new book
LINK HERE for more details on the book
"The book argues that focusing on regional innovation and development offers significant benefits to a nation as a whole," Dr Kinnear says.
She says the book is aimed at students as well as 'pracademics' - those professionals working at the interface between academia and regional development practice.
The compilation uses Australian case study examples to demonstrate how regional areas are uniquely well-placed to contribute to national goals in innovation, infrastructure provision, water and food security, environmental sustainability, industry diversification, healthy and liveable communities, and natural disaster preparedness and response.
Authorship is drawn from a balance of leading practitioners and academics.
The book contains several contributions by CQUniversity authors: one chapter was written by Dr Amanullah Maung Than Oo and his colleagues G.M. Shafiullah and Dr Salahuddin Azad, all of the Power Engineering Research Group; Ian Ogden, an adjunct with the Institute for Resource Industries and Sustainability co-wrote one chapter with Dr Kinnear, and also wrote one of his own; and Susan developed three other chapters as well as being the lead editor.
Case studies are contextualised by an analysis of regional advantage literature, discussion on the regional policy implications and lessons, and commentary around the key trends and drivers for innovation and regional advantage in Australia.
German publisher Springer has released the book through its Physica -Verlag company.
* Dr Kinnear is Leader of the Sustainable Regional Development Program within CQUniversity's Centre for Environmental Management. Kate Charters is a director of Management Solutions Queensland while Dr Peter Vitartas is Deputy Head (Teaching and Learning) of the Business School at Southern Cross University.