Strategic Planning, Facilitation & Regional Development
Keston Economics works with a range of public and private sector clients to develop and implement regional development and business planning strategies, implementing tools such as cluster analysis, weighted criteria options assessment and priority matrices, economic modelling and cost benefit analysis, forward planning financial viability assessment, stakeholder consultation and analysis, community and industry surveying, funding availability review and access. Project examples are provided below.
On behalf of the Great Southern Development Commission (GSDC), Keston Economics investigated the needs, challenges, and options associated with the current worker accommodation shortage throughout the Great Southern region.
Work included survey development, delivery and interpretation alongside two dedicated stakeholder workshops with all eleven regional local government authorities; as the Housing the Workforce Working Group (HtWWG). Information was collected from these LGAs to help inform the strategy and complement survey outputs.
A long list of initiatives and projects was defined and reduced through weighted criteria assessment and a priority matrix approach. Weighted criteria were determined in collaboration with GSDC and the HtWWG. The detailed report has been completed, including a clear set of prioritised initiative and project actions. Keston Economics continues to work with the GSDC and HtWWG to create a condensed (streamlined) road map to summarise key findings of the broader report and associated actions.
As part of Tourism WA's National Park Tourism Experience Development program, Keston Economics were engaged to develop a business plan to determine the most viable options for development of for Adventure Freak mountain bike tour products throughout Western Australian national parks, with an initial focus on the Perth and Peel regions. Six different tour operational models were investigated as part of the planning exercise.
Keston Economics developed a number of targeted tools for the extraction and interpretation of options, including:
One Degree Advisory, Biddington Research, CSS Strategic, and Keston Economics were engaged by the Mid West Development Commission (MWDC) in September 2022 to study the economic impact of the region’s astronomy, space and defence economy to provide an objective assessment of future related economic opportunities. The study was one of four related investigations being undertaken by the MWDC.
The consultant team supported one another to develop the overarching report, with Keston Economics' role to model the economic benefits to be derived from the presence of astronomy, space and defence activity in the region, including current and prospective direct and indirect dollar value and job creation.
Pivot engaged Keston Economics to undertake a business plan with the purpose of assessing the viability of the NDIS funding the operations of the Community Hub and being a sustainable source of income into the future.
The investigations were driven by two core factors: (i) the lack of available support services for persons with complex needs (e.g. released prisoners and general community members suffering from more than one critical need, such as financial, relationship, mental health, drug and alcohol, accommodation, etc.); and (ii) the potential to lose a high value contract that underpins Pivot's operational and financial performance due to government restructuring over the next three to five years. Only 27.6% of persons in the Great Southern with a significant disability are supported by the NDIS. Under moderate growth projections (Australian Department of Social Services), there is an unmet demand for Capacity Building Supports of at least 360 and up to over 1,000 people in the region.
The business planning methodology included a review of existing operations (organisational, operational and financial structure and early success of the trial Community Hub program), market identification and specification (client needs and level of complexity in the region, general context of core disadvantage in the region, and Great Southern service provision - supply vs demand), and investigations of growth opportunity (Pivot development and expansion options, organisational model options, and operational / financial model options). These foundations culminated in drawing several conclusions and recommendations, and establishing an action plan for future Pivot directions.
Following external review of the financial models from Lincolns Albany, the Pivot board unanimously agreed to adopt the recommendations made in the strategic business plan.
Working on behalf of the Great Southern Development Commission, Keston completed a Strategic Economic Development analysis for the Great Southern region of Western Australia.
The Great Southern, in common with regions across Australia, faces a number of key opportunities, challenges and threats over the coming decade that require responses at all levels of government, industry and the community. To help inform these responses, the analysis aims to help guide strategic investment by government and the private sector and to improve planning.
The analysis was intended to provide overarching strategic guidance to inform actions that would build upon the economic strengths of the region and to respond to the opportunities for, and threats to, the economy.
Economic development is about harnessing the natural, industry and community resources and opportunities to stimulate sustainable economic activity.
Among other issues, the analysis considered.
This study assessed a number of emerging energy options in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, including:
The study aimed to assess these options in terms of their respective costs, benefits and, in particular, risks. A multi-criteria approach was used, which provided the basis for balancing the pros and cons of such diverse projects, with differing outputs. A tool was developed for ranking the options across four different broad criteria:
Impact of the National Anzac Centre as a Major Cultural Attraction (2015)
This research report was commissioned by the City of Albany to investigate the impacts of the National Anzac Centre (NAC) as a major cultural attraction to Albany and the surrounding region. Heritage and cultural tourism is one of the largest and fastest-growing global tourism markets in Australia and the development of heritage and cultural assets is a means for creating comparative advantages for tourism destinations such as Albany.
The research focused on the economic impacts to Albany and the region, though the core roles of the NAC in remembering, respect, dialogue, public participation, preserving history and education are also recognised.
The findings of the research were that the NAC is providing an economic benefit to Albany, and the wider region, principally through attracting visitors from outside of the region who then spend money in the region that otherwise would not occur. The principal economic benefits were quantified as part of the study.
The Katanning Economic Development Strategy (KEDS) drew on strategic work undertaken as part of the SuperTowns program to define a strategy to harness natural, industry and community resources and opportunities to stimulate sustainable economic activity.
To do this, the KEDS examined the economic opportunities and challenges for Katanning within the context of the broader vision for the community, to identify the directions the town should try to develop its economy, and the strategies that will enable it to do so.
The novelty in the study arises from the continuous consideration of economic implications of each dimension of prior work (particularly the Katanning SuperTowns Growth Plan), the identification of key gaps in prior work (and there are a number of significant gaps despite the breadth and depth of that work), and most importantly, the design of a set of complementary economic development strategies that will enable Katanning to achieve its economic and broader vision.
The KEDS addressed Economic, Sustainability and Societal objectives for the town and its surroundings, recognised the key challenges over the coming decades, including: population growth and demands on housing, amenities and infrastructure, an ageing population, environmental concerns, including climate change, water shortages and dry-land salinity, globalisation and tackling social issues.
The KEDS was developed through background research and analysis and through consultation with the Shire and industry. From this, the strategic and tactical responses required to address issues were identified.
Other Strategic Activities
Keston has been involved in a number of other regional strategic development activities and initiatives, including but not limited to:
Our head office is located in Albany, Western Australia. We also have offices in Sydney, Australia, and Oxford, UK.
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