The Desert Knowledge CRC works closely with small business in desert Australia.

In order to provide meaningful outcomes to desert business the Desert Knowledge CRC has established a Core Project, Desert Businesses.

The Desert Businesses project seeks to understand how small businesses and small business networks can more effectively deliver livelihoods for desert people based on natural and cultural resources and on service delivery, in ways that are environmentally sound and socially appropriate.

Desert Businesses research will focus on three streams:

• an audit of the work and business situation in Desert Australia to determine business-readiness and determine the needs of Desert Australia in relation to small to medium enterprise (SME) development
• an analysis of the impacts of businesses on the community and the local economy to determine multiplier effects of businesses and identify high impact areas for investment
• action research relating to business aspects of other core projects and SMEs emanating from the two streams.

The project will identify critical success factors and business models that are more appropriate and culturally sensitive to Aboriginal entrepreneurs and suited to Desert Australia. The targeted outcomes are new micro and small businesses initiated based on new models of investment and understanding of the key success factors in encouraging entrepreneurial activity in Desert regions of Australia.