Professional Services

Services is the largest and fastest growing sector of the South Australian economy. 

The diversity of the sector enables South Australian businesses to leverage off an existing strong manufacturing base to increase product and services exports.

Companies operating in South Australia’s professional services sector offer world-class technical, business and professional expertise.  Business activities include:

• scientific research
• technical services - e.g. architectural, consulting and engineering
• design services
• accountancy and legal services
• computer services
• marketing and business management services
• business process outsourcing
• employment services.

With its booming mining, defence and environmental sectors, South Australia offers excellent business and investment opportunities for companies providing professional services to local and international markets.

Opportunities exist for investors to enter joint ventures with successful South Australian companies seeking national and international expansion.

Output

• Services contributed $37.4 billion (57.7%) to Gross Value Added in 2007-08.¹

Exports

• $2.0 billion services exports in 2008-09.²
  

Employment

• 550,500 people employed in the services sector during the year to August 2009, or 69.6% of the State total.³

Workforce Information Service

Number of businesses

• 94,038 services sector businesses at the end of 2006-07.⁴

Research and development

• $203 million spent on services industry research and development in 2007-08, or 22% of the State total.⁵

Geographic focus

• Professional services businesses are concentrated in Adelaide and regional centres.

Case studies
BioBin
RADlogic
vivoPharm 

Industry groups
Industry groups participating in the services sector in South Australia are represented by, but not limited to, the following organisations:  
Association of Consulting Architects Australia
Association of Consulting Engineers Australia
Australian Computer Society
Australian Institute of Management
Australian Marketing Institute
Business SA
CPA Australia
Engineering Employers Association South Australia
Institute for Charted Accountants in Australia
Law Society of South Australia
Australian Services Roundtable
Council for International Trade and Commerce
Design Institute of Australia
Institute of Management Consultants

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian National Accounts: State Accounts, Catalogue 5220.0, spreadsheet 1 and 5, www.abs.gov.au

2. Australian Bureau of Statistics, International Trade in Services, Catalogue 5368.0.55.003 and 5368.0.55.004, spreadsheet 1, www.abs.gov.au

3. Australian Bureau of Statistics, Labour Force, Catalogue 6291.0.55.003, spreadsheet 5 and data cube E06_aug94, www.abs.gov.au

4. Australian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, including Entries and Exits, Catalogue 8165.0, www.abs.gov.au

5. Australian Bureau of Statistics, Research and Experimental Development, Businesses, Catalogue 8104.0, www.abs.gov.au

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