Icon in Crisis The Reinvention of CSIRO

An insider's account of the transformationand recovery from potential ruinof Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), this book details how the iconic research agency reinvented itself through its National Flagship Initiative. In 2001, facing the threat of funding cuts and potential loss of reputation, the CSIRO set out to achieve the changes necessary for its survival, wrestling with nearly every aspect of its identity and culture, and this record tells the story of the dramatic, successful program that brought together the nation's greatest minds to tackle some of its biggest challenges, including water, energy, and the future of food. The frank and unflinching account documents the result of the biggest shake-up in the organization's history: extra funding and the highest accolades at the Prime Minister's Awards for Excellence in Public Sector Management. The true story of a national agency's struggle to find its way in a changing political and financial environment proves to be a fascinating read and is sure to appeal to managers, strategic planners, and academics.

Ron Sandland is the former deputy chief executive of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the foundation chair of the National Flagship Initiative oversight committee. Graham Thompson is the former general manager of the National Flagship Initiative implementation office and the designer of the initiative’s essential systems and processes.