The impact of Government policy on business innovation. In nations around the world, developing innovative ideas and taking them to market successfully is an important determinant for economic growth and sustainability. “In the age of globalisation and the knowledge economy, production of knowledge, particularly localized tacit knowledge, is viewed as a valuable regional asset” (Kitagawa, 2004: p 836). How the relevant governing authorities support or hinder the chances of success in these areas will therefore be of interest to each nation concerned. While the USA has broadly been seen as a leader in the area of innovation (Ibata-Arens, 2008), the model for governance and policy-making in the USA may not be the same, or even appropriate, to other parts of the world. One of the challenges for any policy maker will be to reflect on the context in which the policy comes to life. Consider, for instance, the differences between the culture, technical skills and historical base between the USA, UK and Australia. Each of these nations has different challenges and each one develops and supports policies within a cultural, technical and historical context different from the other. The USA is geographically vast and houses the two wealthiest universities in the world in Harvard and Austin. UK is far more compact geographically and yet has strong diversity of culture within a relatively small area. Australia is one of the most remote nations in the world, home to a relatively small population with a vast amount of land, and yet, against tough global competition, it has produced a thriving wine industry. This paper compares the different innovation policy outlooks of the USA, UK and Australia and, through this analysis, a number of common trends transpire. This suggests that there are a number of support measures which policy makers from other countries could consider. Moreover, by considering the development of policies supporting innovation and entrepreneurship within...