8166.0 - Summary of IT Use and Innovation in Australian Business, 2015-16  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 15/06/2017   
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  • Business Use of Information Technology and Innovation in Australian Business
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BUSINESS USE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION IN AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS


ABOUT BUSINESS USE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY STATISTICS

Key indicators of business use of IT include: internet access; the use of broadband; web presence; social media presence; and internet commerce (i.e. the placing and receiving of orders via the internet).

Detailed information on these indicators can be found via the Downloads tab.

BUSINESS USE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY - SUMMARY

Business Use of Information Technology, selected indicators(a) - 2013-14 to 2015-16
2013-14
2014-15
2015-16
Estimated number of businesses(b) '000
757
776
799
Businesses with(c):
internet access %
94.7
94.8
95.3
web presence %
47.1
48.6
50.1
social media presence %
30.8
34.0
38.2
Businesses with internet access(c):
broadband as the main type of connection %
99.2
99.2
99.3
Businesses that:
placed orders via the internet %
56.0
55.7
57.0
received orders via the internet %
33.2
33.8
36.8
Internet income(d) $b
266.8
285.5
321.4
(a) Proportions are of all businesses in each output category.
(b) Business counts are provided for contextual information only. Refer to Explanatory Notes 20 and 21.
(c) As at the end of the reference period, 30 June.
(d) Refer to Explanatory Notes 16 and 17.


§ For the first time, a web presence was reported by more than half of all Australian businesses (50%).
    § By industry, Arts and recreation services had the highest proportion of businesses with a web presence (76%), while the Agriculture, forestry and fishing industry had the lowest proportion of businesses with a web presence (12%).

    § More than a third of Australian businesses had a social media presence (38%). The highest proportion of businesses with a social media presence was recorded in the 200 or more persons employed range (81%) followed by businesses with 20 to 199 persons employed (63%).

    § During the year ended 30 June 2016, over half of all businesses placed orders via the internet (57%).

    § The proportion of businesses that reported having received orders via the internet was 37%, with income obtained from these orders totalling an estimated $321 billion.


    INNOVATION IN AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS - SUMMARY

    Summary of innovative activity in Australian business, selected indicators(a) - 2013-14 to 2015-16
    2013-14
    2014-15
    2015-16
    Estimated number of businesses(b) '000
    757
    776
    799
    Businesses that introduced any new or significantly improved(c):
    goods or services %
    24.1
    19.3
    22.4
    operational processes %
    17.9
    15.6
    19.1
    organisational/managerial processes %
    21.7
    17.4
    22.6
    marketing methods %
    20.3
    16.5
    19.7
    Businesses that introduced innovation (innovating businesses) %
    42.5
    38.2
    43.1
    Businesses with innovative activity that was(c):
    still in development(d) %
    24.7
    21.2
    24.1
    abandoned %
    8.4
    7.7
    6.7
    Businesses with any Innovative activity (innovation-active businesses) %
    48.3
    45.0
    48.7
    (a) Proportions are of all businesses in each output category.
    (b) Business counts are provided for contextual information only. Refer to Explanatory Notes 20 and 21.
    (c) Businesses may be counted in more than one category.
    (d) As at the end of the reference period, 30 June.


    § The proportion of businesses that were innovation-active (i.e. those that undertook any innovative activity) in 2015-16 was 49%.

    § Manufacturing, Retail trade and the Arts and recreation services industries had the highest proportion of innovation-active businesses, all at 58%.

    § Overall, 43% of businesses introduced at least one type of innovation with organisational/managerial processes (23%) the most common type of innovation introduced.

    § Almost one in four businesses had innovation still in development (24%) as at 30 June 2016. New or significantly improved marketing methods was the type of innovation that was most likely to still be in development (12%).

    INQUIRIES

    Further information about these and related statistics is available from the ABS website www.abs.gov.au, or contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070.