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THE value of online orders to Australian-based businesses surged 25 per cent to $237 billion last year according to figures released by the Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
The estimate comes from orders which are received from Australian households, businesses and government, as well as orders received from overseas customers.
ABS assistant director of the Innovation and Technology Statistics Branch, Lesley Martin, says there has also been an increase in the proportion of businesses placing orders via the internet, up from 51 per cent in 2010-11 to 55 per cent in 2011-12.
"We found that 47 per cent of businesses reported that they had undertaken innovative activity during the year ended 30 June 2012," says Martin.
"Larger Australian businesses have led the charge with innovation. Three quarters of these businesses introduced, developed and/or abandoned some type of innovation during 2011-12.
"Also, large businesses were twice as likely to report the introduction of innovation than businesses with 0 to 4 persons employed," Ms Martin said.
The number of businesses that reported the introduction of at least one type of innovation has increased from 33 per cent of businesses in 2010-11, to 41 per cent of businesses in 2011-12.
"Most businesses reported that they had introduced a new organisational or managerial process," says Martin.
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