8166.0 - Summary of IT Use and Innovation in Australian Business, 2010-11 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 26/06/2012   
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MEDIA RELEASE
26 June, 2012
Embargoed: 11.30 am (Canberra time)
87/2012

Australian businesses connecting with the internet

Australian businesses received online orders worth $189 billion in the twelve months to 2010-11, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

This includes orders received from Australian households, businesses and government, as well as orders received from overseas customers.

This is up from $143 billion in 2009-10 and represents a 32% increase.

Over half of Australian businesses (51%) reported placing orders via the internet, a nine percent increase from 2009-10.

The proportion of businesses that reported receiving orders via the internet increased by 13% to 28%. Half or more of the businesses in the wholesale trade and manufacturing industries reported receiving orders online (52% and 50% respectively). The retail industry came in sixth place (35%).

Businesses reporting a web presence increased from 40% to 43%. Nearly all large businesses had a web presence (97%), compared to one-third of micro businesses.

Innovation in Australian business
Just under 40% of Australian businesses reported some form of innovative activity in 2010-11.

Large businesses were more than twice as likely to undertake innovative activity than micro businesses (66% compared to 30%).

Over half of all businesses in Wholesale trade industry reported being innovation-active, the highest of any industry.

Further information is available in Summary of IT Use and Innovation in Australian Business(cat. no. 8166.0).

Media Notes:
  • Micro businesses are businesses that employ four employees or less.
  • Innovation-active refers to businesses which have undertaken any innovative activity including any of the four types of innovation (new or significantly improved goods or services, operational processes, organisational/managerial processes, marketing methods) and/or work on the innovation was still in development at the end of the period, and/or abandoned during the period.
  • When reporting ABS data, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or ABS) must be attributed as the source.