Business Research & Insights

This article first appeared in the Australian Financial Review. By Alexandra Cain.

Strong performance in the emerging technology sector shows how NAB is helping to create a robust industry ecosystem and deliver on what it takes to make it as a new digital business.

From moving to paperless to rethinking talent strategies, digital transformation will be different for every legal practice.

The breathtaking pace of cyber attacks in a constantly evolving threat landscape needs an even faster shift in thinking for today’s business leaders.

To prosper in today’s very different working environment, professional services firms should look to master an ‘anywhere operations’ model. Here’s what that looks like in practice.

After the fanfare of the opening statements and commitments, the second week at Glasgow meant bridging divides to reach a consensus deal in extra time as the Paris 2015 ambitions start to take flight.

Lower costs, simpler processes and more scope for growth… just some of the benefits your small business might see from embracing the latest tech solutions.

Healthcare stands on the cusp of a technology-driven revolution. And Australia is already taking its first steps into this exciting new future.

Sustainable practices are driving much of the innovation that’s changing the face of Australian agriculture. Here’s what that evolution looks like in practice.

Digitalisation is enabling more aspects of our world to connect.

Immediate access to cash for Australian businesses through a PayPal and NAB collaboration.

Unleashing the transformative power of agtech could help our farmers meet the $100 billion target government has set the industry – but they’ll need a lot of support.

As law firms continue to look for ways to stay competitive amid digital disruption, the need for their own innovative technology is greater than ever. But what to invest in?

It’s never been cheaper and easier to upgrade the digital side of doing business. Use this expert guide to choose where to prioritise your IT spending.

The effects of COVID-19 will be felt for years and cut across all prisms of life as we know it. What does Australia’s National Outlook look like now?

Over recent months, every organisation has had to adapt and innovate to find new ways of doing business.

Calling today’s tech leaders and future disruptors. Nominations are now open for the Deloitte Technology Fast 50.

The COVID-19 pandemic is set to accelerate the shift to the digital economy, expanding the relatively new asset class of digital infrastructure.

By unleashing the power of big data, artificial intelligence is helping businesses supercharge their performance.

Its population is under nine million but Switzerland has topped world innovation for nine years running. Why?

The ASX is moving to a blockchain-based system that will unlock efficiencies for the entire financial services industry.

A financial system that has taken centuries to evolve will change dramatically in the next few years.

In a rapidly evolving technology landscape, corporate finance teams have a range of options to improve efficiency, productivity and security with bank communication.

Venture capital is too important for investors to ignore as it occupies an increasingly large part of the global economy and provides opportunities not available elsewhere, experts told the 2019 Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia.

In October 2019, National Australia Bank hosted a Round Table with emerging lenders to share their experiences on the journey to bank securitisation funding and beyond.

As the end of year approaches, we’d like to recognise how our corporate and institutional clients are making a difference, in Australia and around the world.

Doing it differently. Aussie businesses owners open up about what needs to change in their sector.

Technology has already revolutionised back offices at superannuation funds and wealth management businesses, and is soon to transform customer service as well.

More than mere high-tech toys, drones are being put to work by businesses around the world in a multitude of ways.

High-tech trends that will change the way you do business. Three Australian ICT leaders share their thoughts.

How sustainable farming methods are helping Australian farmers maintain the value of their natural assets over the long term.

Thanks to video conferencing, onerous trips to the hospital to seek medical advice may be drawing to a close.

There’s one factor above all others that can help lift a nation’s productivity growth and boost its prosperity and living standards according to a recent report by CSIRO, NAB and 20 other organisations. That factor is technology adoption.

There is an increasing expectation that blockchain will play a major role as a future economic driver.

Digitisation, healthcare services and collaboration are transforming many pharmacies into community health hubs. We look at four key changes and opportunities to expect in the year ahead.

As 2018 draws to a close, we’d like to share some of the achievements of our Corporate and Institutional clients over the past year.

The digital economy has given rise to its own infrastructure needs, and investors are paying attention.

For corporates with a growth agenda but no formal credit rating, the bond market is providing a new avenue for capital.

Business innovation levels rebound; leadership pivotal to growth.

An ‘e’ prefix tends to indicate a technological leap forward, and that’s certainly the case for ‘eHealth’. It’s helping patients manage their own health and changing their relationship with healthcare providers. So, where does that leave your bottom line? NAB’s Cameron Fuller examines the impact of technology and contemplates potentially profitable new business models.

Biometric authentication is being rolled out across various industries – and the possibilities feel endless.

With 1.2 million visitors injecting $10 billion into the Australian economy each year, and almost one third of our international students now coming from China, Chinese custom is big business. Alibaba Australia’s MD explains Alipay.

Heading overseas isn’t the only way to grow your business. Here are five ways to consider pumping up your revenue on home ground.

Melbourne-based start-up Culture Amp is flying high after raising $36 million. So how did they manage it?

The trends reshaping health and the future implications for the Australian marketplace.

Chatbots are ready to answer questions 24 hours a day – a big plus when you’re talking health or finances. Dana Bradford, senior research scientist at CSIRO, and NAB’s head of innovation Jonathan Davey discuss how conversations with machines could make life easier.

The grandeur of Australia’s wool industry is visible in the huge old wool stores standing tall all over our cities. Moses & Son’s Martin Moses wants Australian wool to rise again – and says the next generation of sheep farmers has the power to take on the world.

Fond childhood memories combined with a holiday hitch inspired Justin Hales to create Camplify, the fast-growing caravan-sharing startup proving a winner in Australia and now taking on the UK.

The race is on to cut costs and save lives. As a nation, we have an impressive history of healthcare innovation – but what of the future? And what’s our place in the race to find new, cost-effective ways to diagnose, treat and prevent illness?

What will the new year bring in the world of business trends? Whether it’s health or agriculture, hyper local advertising or self-trained artificial intelligence, NAB has one eye on the (crystal) ball.

Passion, persistence and cash flow… hipages co-founder David Vitek shares his formula for turning a shoestring start-up into a profitable business.

A shopfront to the world: how Amazon’s arrival could spell opportunity for Australian retailers.

Turning IP into profitable products: WA start-up Wangle Technologies has the lucrative network security market in its sights.

NAB’s Mark Todd and a panel considered the future of fintech and the implications for investment at the KangaNews-NAB Fixed Income Beyond the Institutional Sector Summit.

Research trials on two Northern Territory mango farms are investigating the potential of high resolution satellite imagery combined with fruit-scanning guns to improve productivity and farm efficiency.

How is biogas powering a cleaner future for farming?

We’re already living in smart cities. The challenge facing Australia is how to ensure our cities deliver the best possible living and working environments in the future.

Digital transformation on a shoestring opens options for residents, frees up staff and provides big benefits for Brimbank City Council, an organisation focused on delivering for its community.

A new partnership between Monash University’s Food Innovation Centre and China’s largest food processing organisation, COFCO, is aimed at helping Australians better understand the Chinese retail environment.

Robots as a Service could provide the benefits of robotics without the upfront costs. Technology futurist Shara Evans discusses the potential for increasing production and reducing costs.

Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales on why he’s good at failure, the need to protect information integrity and what he’s about to launch next.

Australia has the talent and the willing investors, so what’s holding our agtech sector back? SproutX General Manager Sam Trethewey discusses a new accelerator program and national co-working space network that could put us on a par with the world’s great innovators.

If you want your marketing messages to have stronger impact and engagement, it might be time to consider gamification.

Digital economy opening new opportunities for successful careers.

How the Internet of Things will revolutionise farm productivity.

How can satellites help to combat rising global pesticide usage?

Rich Gilmore left school hoping to become a wealthy stockbroker, before a trip to an African mangrove forest opened his eyes to saving the environment. “It was a life changing experience for me to see scientists and volunteers out in the field solving other people’s problems…”

How farmers, environmentalists and investors are working together to save the Murray-Darling Basin.

Why is sustainable soil management so vital to our survival?

Clare and Keith Mugford have one defining philosophy that’s been pivotal to Moss Wood's export success over the last 30 years: dedication to absolute quality, from soil to bottle.

Big data could help level the playing field for small- to medium-sized farmers. The Australian Farm Institute’s Mick Keogh and Precision Agriculture’s Andrew Whitlock discuss the opportunities and how to make the most of them.

Cultivating fruit that’s sweet in taste, colour and consistency has positioned 2PH as a citrus market leader that can set its export price.

It’s 26 years since Michelle Melbourne experienced a ‘sliding doors moment’ that set her on the path to founding Intelledox, now a global software firm.

Technology has been a boon for farmers but it can also make them vulnerable to a cyber attack. NAB’s Chief Information Security Officer Andrew Dell and Beyond Technology’s Greg Spencer reveal the best strategies for cyber security.

Aglive has developed a unique digital traceability platform to connect farm to food and unlock the value of food safety compliance for farmers.

A host of new domain name extensions are providing health practitioners with new branding and search marketing opportunities, as well as creating a level of trust and credibility for the overall sector.

We talk to one of the developers of the CancerAid smartphone app that helps doctors to personalise their support for cancer patients.

Vision Australia has come up with an innovative approach to fundraising – equipping Ambassador Seeing Eye Dogs with Tap and Pay devices.

Nicholas Negroponte of MIT Media Lab shares on the future of technology.

The peak representative body for Australia’s physiotherapists is using social media as a valuable tool to engage and benefit its members, but also to boost awareness of the profession and its role in the community.

The realisation that so many Australian school children are completely oblivious about where their food and fibre comes from prompted a South Australian mother to create the George the Famer app.

A denial of service (or DoS) attack is designed to disrupt a website in order to prevent legitimate users from accessing it. The attackers ‘flood’ the website with many connection requests, far too many for the website to handle, and as a result the website is knocked offline.

The Brosnans used innovative technology to create a 1,300-sow piggery that’s efficient, humane and powered by electricity generated from pig manure and other waste products. We look at how they’re leading the way with their sustainable, whole-of-farm approach.

SMEs need to be especially vigilant in taking steps to protect themselves from cyberattacks, particularly considering a Symantec report finding that in 2014, 60 percent of all targeted cyber attacks globally focused on SMEs.

Continuous improvement is fundamental to business success. Training and management consultant Derek Stockley explains how leading by example and creating the right culture can engage and motivate your employees as well as generate new ideas.

Many of the great companies in technology were started by partnerships. Wozniak says when you have great ideas you need some other people to ripple it off, and at least one key friend who believes in it.

Apps are making sophisticated technology available to small businesses for little or no cost. Darnelle O’Brien, Director of The K.I.S.S Marketing Agency, discusses their benefits and shares her top 10 suggestions for places to start.

Farmers are using drones to collect information on everything from germination patterns to hail damage. Peter Birch, who operates a drone for farmers around Australia, discusses their value and the role they’re likely to play in the future.

Cloud computing can reduce practice costs and increase efficiency but, as yet, only a minority of general practices have embraced the technology. Dr Nathan Pinskier and NAB’s cloud computing expert Tim Palmer discuss the benefits, current limitations and the potential for change.

2015 could be a good year for smaller businesses. Dean Pearson, NAB’s Head of Industry Analysis, looks at opportunities sector by sector, suggests ways to make the most of them and explains how technology is helping to level the playing field for SMEs.

While many are divided over Generation Y, these young people can bring unique benefits to your business. Futurist, demographer and social commentator Mark McCrindle explains how, and shares his tips on how to make them valuable members of your team.

With a skilled workforce of blind and vision-impaired employees, the Royal Society for the Blind Industrial Services in South Australia has carved out a reputation for providing efficient, cost effective and high quality packaging and assembly services to a range of businesses.

The World in Gala Dinner evening, inspired by The Economist's annual The World In... publication, returned to Sydney last night. China Business Editor and Shanghai Bureau Chief, Vijay V Vaitheeswaran, shared the publication’s key predictions for 2015.

The World in Gala Dinner evening, inspired by The Economist's annual The World In... publication, returned to Sydney last night. Daniel Franklin, Executive Editor of The Economist and Editor of 'The World In…', shares his annual collection of forecasts for the year ahead.

From satellite navigation to controlled traffic zonal tillage, David Cox is at the cutting-edge of precision farming. He explains how he uses technology to reduce costs and increase efficiency on his North Queensland sugarcane farm and how he’s now helping other farmers do the same.

The Winter edition of Talking Shop covers a range of topics designed to help your business prepare for a successful festive season including keeping your business safe, accepting UnionPay and harnessing the power of Facebook. There’s also tips for making the switch to PIN.

Social media can help you grow your business, deliver advice from international experts, even provide practical ways to help fix your tractor – but how do you know where to start? Digital strategist Tim Gentle explains how to develop a strategy for making the most of online opportunities.

Technology changes quickly, so it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and out of touch. But, as Chief Executive Officer of Tech Coach HQ, Megan Iemma explains, the secret to feeling in control and making the most of technology is taking it one ‘byte’ at a time.

Facebook can be good for business, but many business owners aren’t sure how to use it effectively. Steve Hibberd, co-founder of Tiger Pistol, discusses ways to make the most of Facebook by getting your message to the right people, as well as a special offer for NAB Business customers.

Robots are on the march. Most of them work on assembly lines, building cars, making electronic devices and processing food, drugs and chemicals. But robots are spreading beyond the factory - a trend that will accelerate in 2014.

Software and services firms will have a good year in 2014 according to The Economist Intelligence Unit. Software spending by businesses and government will rise by 6.2%, while the canny consultants who explain how to use the stuff will enjoy revenue gain of 5.7%.

The internet has always been the enemy of music executives, facilitating piracy, denting cd sales and encouraging people to download single songs instead of buying them by the dozen. But it will give executives something to sing about in 2014.

More than $1trn will be spent on hardware, including telecommunications gear, in 2014 with tablets expected to grow by 40%, according to The Economist Intelligence Unit. Salespeople, executives and even doctors will find ever more uses for portable screens.

There’s been a lot for Aussie businesses to talk about recently, from shoes to defence contracts - Australian and global markets appear to be bursting with opportunities. Here's a selection of business insights to help you uncover the opportunities across all business sectors in 2014

Australians have now installed more than two million small-scale renewable energy systems, the Clean Energy Regulator has confirmed, providing a strong indication that investment in small-scale renewable energy continues to flourish in Australia.

Smartphones and tablets are old news. The New Year promises tantalising prospects when it comes to new technology and innovation. Business Spectator explores the top five new technologies set to send pulses racing in 2014.

The 2011 Agricultural Census reveals an evolving sector - in terms of both farm and farmer. With bigger farms and more sophisticated owners to contend with, service providers need to prepare for a new and challenging landscape.

Telehealth could provide many Australians with easier access to healthcare, monitor chronic illnesses more effectively and assist the ageing population. Dr James Freeman (pictured) founded GP2U to remove logistical obstacles to the uptake of telehealth, but other challenges remain.

30 years ago, Rushel Farm was a bare and uneven block of dirt. Today, Russell and Helen Chapman head a family concern selling over 550,000 cartons of capsicums, melons and mangoes every year. They’re also August’s featured family in the NAB Agribusiness Calendar.

The Winter edition of Talking Shop has a new look in addition to the usual insights from industry experts on the latest security, technology and industry developments. We look at how to generate more sales, how to reduce the risk of online fraud and more.

According to the 2011 Census, the Health Care and Social Assistance industry is now Australia’s biggest employer. The Australian Healthcare & Hospitals Association’s Andrew McAuliffe discusses increasing demand, unequal growth and opportunities for innovation.

The NBN will make it possible for more employees to work anywhere - could that be good for your business? Dr Yvette Blount, Research Coordinator of Macquarie University’s Anywhere Working Research Network, discusses the benefits and obstacles you might want to consider.

Sophisticated criminal gangs are putting Australian businesses at risk by attempting to take over their computers, stealing security information such as passwords and using these to siphon money from their bank accounts. Learn how you can help protect your business.

Accepting payments on the go is vital for some small businesses success. This week as featured on Kochie’s Business Builders, Cindy Batchelor from our NAB Small Business Banking team presents our top tips to getting paid quicker and easier on the go. Watch Cindy’s tip.

How eHealth ready is your business? Dr Mukesh Haikerwal, Chair of the World Medical Association is leading a team of clinicians to roll out eHealth for the National E-Health Transition Authority (NEHTA). Here, he talks you through the eHealth basics.

From grants to farming apps, read our review on what’s happening in the agribusiness sector.

Use of social media in business is skyrocketing globally, yet few local GPs are capitalising fully on this trend. Here’s how to boost your professional presence online.

To respond quickly to online customer queries, artificial intelligence is increasingly being used by businesses, from retailers to publishers. My CyberTwin CEO, Liesl Capper-Beilby (pictured), explains this trend.

Cloud computing can slash costs and drive productivity. Google’s Stuart McLean explains how.

We profile Australia’s largest tendering website, ServiceSeeking.com.au, co-founded by Jeremy Levitt (pictured), which has year-on-year revenue of 129 percent.

Keeping up to date with technological advances can produce significant efficiency benefits for Australia’s agribusiness sector. From knowing when to update equipment to staying abreast of computerised farming techniques, technology management’s integral to an agribusiness plan.

You can’t manage it if you can’t measure it. But how do you get your reporting systems to accurately portray what you really need to know?