As a prosperous city, Melbourne will help its businesses grow through identifying priority sectors and enterprises and ensuring they receive appropriate information, services and support. Melbourne will also facilitate business connections and access.
Future Melbourne 2008

Overview

Collaboration was identified as a way that Melbourne could support its existing businesses. Ways that this could occur included professional networking between businesses and between sectors, and a more flexible approach to the use of inner city office and working spaces.

There was significant overlap between this Priority and Priority 3.3. Attractive for New Business, and Priority 4.1. Generating Innovation from Knowledge.

Summary of ideas (total 38 statements)

Supporting business by increased collaboration and sharing (15 statements)

Many people stated that businesses operating in Melbourne could be better supported by increased sharing of resources and ideas. It was proposed by several people that collaboration between businesses could be facilitated by the creation of hubs, which, as in Priority 3.3, could be online, purpose-built, or in existing public or business spaces. People used words, such as, ‘innovation hub’, ‘one-stop-shop for businesses’, and ‘entrepreneurial precinct’ to explain their vision for the sharing of ideas.

Several ideas related directly to the more flexible use of existing space in the city, as a way to support businesses. Some people stated that the shared-use of existing space would assist businesses operations. The creation of a ‘multi-company work hub’ was one idea that was supported in several conversation comments.

Propose that offices be set up around Melbourne City in the suburbs that would be available for workers and companies to use instead of commuting to City.

Supporting business with services and information (9 Statements)

Protecting and supporting small businesses was seen as important by several people. Individual comments identified support to existing businesses in the form of financial investment, incentives, and the provision of childcare.

Brief supportive statements (14 Statements)

Many short statements were made that were generally supportive of business development, and Melbourne being economically prosperous. This is one of those statements, which is similar to many others.

That Melbourne is a vibrant and beautiful city that is economically prosperous.