Neville Norman

A powerful and provocative speaker committed to increased understanding of how the economy actually works, making facts and figures come clear and alive

Professor Norman is living proof that economics is NOT "dismal". He is an experienced academic teacher and researcher, business consultant and analyst, media and video performer and public speaker in over 5000 addresses to business and community groups in over 30 countries.

He is an experienced academic teacher and researcher, business consultant and analyst, media and video performer and public speaker in over 5000 addresses to business and community groups in over 30 countries. International Economist and Communicator, Prof. Norman is recognised as one of Australia's foremost economists, business commentators and consultants. An arresting and humorous communicator with the rare talent for presenting all manner of economic related subjects in a way that everyone can understand, he is a regular economics and business commentator on radio, television and newspapers. Using a blend of expert facilitation skills, his exceptional business knowledge and expertise, Prof. Norman has facilitated both short-term and long-term programs for many of Australia’s Senior Management teams. For over twenty-five years Professor Norman has been working with companies and Governments to develop clear, consistent and relevant views of the future. The list of consultancy projects working with significant companies and organisations attest to this. Prediction, Scenario Assessment, Feasibility Studies; Professor Norman works in all these areas, as he explains "...sometimes we are looking ahead to a future that in central dimensions we cannot really influence; but our work with policy makers such as health-promotion bodies relates directly to how actions can change the future. Every business decision or economic or social policy action is taken to impact on the future or to respond to somebody's assessment of it. You cannot keep the future out of what you are doing." Neville Norman graduated from The University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Commerce (First Class honours) in 1967 before going on to obtain a Master of Arts (first class honours, also from Melbourne), in 1969. In 1973 he received his PhD from Cambridge University. While at Cambridge Neville was supervisor in international economics and microeconomic theory and was a class master in economic statistics and research associate in the Department of Applied Economics. Neville joined the Department as a Lecturer in 1973, was promoted to senior lecturer in 1976 and Reader in 1984. He is involved with Media Economic Commentaries, the Business Council Economics Committee, and the Committee for Economic Development of Australia and the General Motors Australian Advisory Council. He is a member of the Editorial Board of the Competition and Consumer Law Journal and is Investment Advisor to the Transport Accident Commission of Victoria. He is Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Melbourne (since 1992); Member: Cambridge-Australia Trust (since, 1992; Chairman 1998-2001); Foundation Member of the General Motors (USA) Australian Advisory Council (since 1979), Law Council of Australia Trade Practices Committee; and President of the Economic Society of Australia (2004-7). Economic advisor/consultant to many companies, financial institutions and Government bodies; Patron St Paul’s Cathedral (Melbourne) Restoration Committee (since 2003). Awarded Australian Centenary Medal April 2003. Qualifications: Bachelor of Commerce (First-class Honours Degree) and Master of Arts (First-class Honours Degree) at the University of Melbourne and of MA and Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Cambridge. Several University and College exhibitions, distinctions and awards. Full Blues in Athletics at Cambridge, 1971-73. Prof Norman has published a large number of books and academic articles and reports in the areas of industry regulation, patents and trade practices; the economic analysis of trade protection and international economics; and the economic analysis of taxation and e-commerce; property valuation and investment advice; health promotion evaluation. Widely sought as a speaker on economic affairs at business meetings and in the media. Economic Forecasting: 7 gold medals in The Age economic forecasting survey 2000/2001, with first places in growth, business investment, exchange rates, US growth. People say, "You cannot possibly predict the future". WRONG! We may not be able fully to foretell it, but prediction means making meaningful statements about events and influences ahead. That we can and must do, for effective business and personal planning. This is because the future grows out of the present, because we can watch how the present and past evolved - that was once a future we sought to predict! And because there are patterns in human conduct, economic events and even government behaviour. HIS METHOD:1. Seek the main ingredients of the future/forecasting that are relevant to the purpose or client. Focus on three main sets of future influences: ¨Demographic¨ Economic¨ Social. THE DEMOGRAPHIC ANGLE: “Almost every relevant thing begins and ends with human issues and concerns."Even in relatively short periods of up to five years ahead, the DEMOGRAPHIC variables can be vital in such areas as housing demand, traffic use and Australia's recent radical slowdown in population growth and increase in ageing have direct implications. THE ECONOMIC ANGLE Without taking materialistic considerations to extremes, it must be conceded that economic factors drive many decisions - to purchase, to vote, to work, to save, form businesses and families - each of which has further business and social implications. THE SOCIAL ANGLE Over longer periods, habits, customs and attitudes undergo change. How we work and live, take leisure, move, vote, shop, raise children and do business undergo change, sometimes radical change. We have studies on this, focusing on our time allocation and behaviour. This is integrated with our prognoses. Sociological information is often collected by sample survey and is sometimes less reliable and less frequently available than directly financial or economic data. It is often possible to identify broad sociological changes but to exaggerate the intensity or speed of these - eg. Outsourcing by households and businesses, the tendency to work individually by electronic rather than immediate physical association. We believe is a realistic treatment of social change - many powerful advocates can lure audiences in panic or undue attention by exaggerating the pace of change; others do even more damage by ignoring it.

Presentations:

Topics:
• Economic Forecasting
• Futurist
• Media
• Legal Affairs
• Demographics