Industry, science and resources portfolio

Table 2.2: Performance information for outcome 1 Detailed performance information is presented in the CSIRO Annual Report 1999-2000 (pp 36-102). The six performance indicators, against which performance is reported, are:

1. The shift of resources in accord with priority decisions over the triennium (the change in total resourcing of research directed to each of the output groups and component Sectors);

This indicator measures CSIRO's shift of resources in line with changing priorities as determined in consultation with Government, Sector Advisory Committees and CSIRO customers in the public and private sectors.

1. 
   External earnings (amounts and sources of external earnings for research and related services); This indicator reflects the demand for CSIRO's research and services consistent with its mission.
   
2. 
   CSIRO publications (the number of patents, reports and other publications annually; quality assessment through citation analysis on a five-yearly basis);
   

This indicator is used to assess primarily CSIRO's contribution to, and hence ability to access, the world's knowledge base.

4. Training (the number of research students supervised or co-supervised by CSIRO staff);

This indicator reflects CSIRO's contribution to the development of the skills base of Australia and its own staff.

5. Customer satisfaction (measured by customer feedback and repeat business); and

This indicator relates to CSIRO's responsiveness to the needs of customers with whom the Organisation has a contractual arrangement.

6. Adoption and impact of CSIRO outputs (evidence of the uptake of research results and advice together with estimates of the consequent economic, social, environmental or policy impacts).

This indicator assesses the significance or impact of CSIRO's work. The indicator looks at examples ­within each output group - of practices, instruments, products and processes developed by CSIRO and adopted by users in industry, government and the community, or changes in user practice in response to policy advice provided by CSIRO.

Taken together, these performance indicators provide information on CSIRO's effectiveness in contributing to achievement of the government outcome, and on performance in relation to the price, quantity and quality of outputs. This is illustrated in the following table.