the sharp recession from 1982 to 1983. Thus, it was founded with high expectations and backed by a dynamic and coordinated Trade Commissioner Service. In terms of its international impact, Austrade is held to an extremely high standard for the prospective economic growth it has garnered through opportunities; especially for a small nation such as Australia. Mascitelli (2015) writes that at the time of its establishment only 137 out of 1327 staff were Trade Commissioners, outlining the fact that it has become a blueprint for developing commissions under limited resources and personnel as well as being absent from a sprawling bureaucracy. Before Lindsay MacAlister (who was a former GE Australia Manager) was appointed as the Managing Director of Austrade, most of the employees that were in the main civil servants had limited or no business understanding. Her appointment marks a significant change in the commission's culture. However, there have been difficulties in managing Austrade in that its "effectiveness depends on the closeness of the working relationship between government – basically the trade minister – and the organisation's leadership" (Adams, as cited in Chung and Mascitelli, 2017, p. 419). Schedvin (2008) references the environment within which the Trade Commissioner Service operated changing fundamentally and permanently in the 1970s as a sign of the inevitable shift that Austrade similarly experienced. Industry focus Facilitating investment, particularly within industries of potential growth lies at the forefront of what Austrade is widely known for. An era of globalisation which has shifted many developing economies' primary industry (a notable example is China which transitioned from agriculture to manufacturing) has meant a focus on developing competitive industries is advised as a key growth model for any modern economy. Chung and Mascitelli highlight Austrade's unique and dynamic role in the Australian context due to its position of being a government agency that works alongside businesses with the aim of developing their international competitiveness. Historically, this relationship is considered rare due to the changing government policy stances regarding how much export orientated activity it should undergo. The broader objective of Austrade is to enable service exporters to thrive in a volatile global economy. This often involves helping remove external barriers that prohibit international expansion and initiating long term trade agreements or exchange programs. There are many export sectors that Austrade pools its resources toward from mining to education. From a historical perspective, Downey (2005) details the process of nurturing