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motion of ICTs usage by SMEs as an enabler of Valu.. (ICT-VN)
motion of ICTs usage by SMEs as an enabler of Value Networks
(ICT-VN)
Start date: Dec 31, 2009,
End date: Dec 30, 2012
PROJECT
FINISHED
All around Europe regions have implemented different strategies to promote Information Society in SMEs convinced about the ICTs usage benefits to favour business sector. Those actions have contributed to the widely use of e-business as an opportunity for SMEs growth. ICT-VN want to go one step further and introduce a new challenge on information society promotion policies for SMEs. Todays business environment tend toward more networked forms of organization and ICTs development is one of the main drivers to facilitate interactions and value networks creation.The project relies on the cooperation among 10 partners, from 9 countries willing to increase the impact of regional strategies for the Information Society and ICT promotion and development in SMEs in order to promote networking and contribute to the improvement of their regional economic competitiveness. New strategies will focus on three key sectors: agrifood, commerce/services and tourism.Partnership is composed bypublic bodies mandated by their regional authorities complementary in the field of information society, regional development and business and innovation sector: LP: (Spain) Navarra Fundación Dedalo para la Sociedad de la Información. P2: (Greece) Regional Development Sector, R.A. Computer Technology Institute. P3 (Italy) Emilia Romagna ERVET Economic Development Agency L.t.d. P4: Malta Communications Authority.P5: (Denmark) Agro Business Park. P6: (Belgium) TeleRegions Network. P7: (Slovenia) RDA of Northern Primorska Ltd Nova GoricaP8: (Hungary) West-Transdanubian Regional Development Agency.P9-P10: (Ireland) West business and Innovation Center and Border Regional AuthorityThe activities will develop in 36 months structured in 3 components:Two transversal components C1:Management and coordination and C2: Communication and Dissemination.C3 represents the core element of the project including seven phases:1. Identification of good Practices and experiences (10 per region)on IS promotion in SMEs 2. Exchange of experiences among regions. 3.Selection and Description of Transferrable Good Practices ( 5 per region) 4. Best Practices selection, study and Evaluation (1 per region) following a common methodology. 5. Training sessions and study visits to the selected good practices 6. Development of 1 Regional Transfer Plan per region. 7. Development of practical guides: "Guide of good Practices" and "Transfer Handbook of Good Practices".The main expected results are 20 interregional events, 243 participants, 80 good practices identified, 8 ICT regional policies adressed and 20 staff members with increased capacity. Achievements: The main obstacles in the development of the Information Society faced by national and European regions today, are two: the user's lack of knowledge and the slow take-up of ICTs in remodeling processes and practices within enterprises, specially SMEs.ICT-VN looks for ICT promotion but focuses on a specific target group: European SMEs, and an innovative target policy : ICTs as a tool for collaboration and creation of Value Networks to develop competitive advantage. ICT-VN project is developed by 10 partners from 9 different EU countries: Spain, Greece, Italy, Malta, Denmark, Belgium, Slovenia, Hungary and Ireland. It looks for the promotion of ICTs usage by SMEs as an enabler of Value Networks, identifying good practices in regional policies and transferring them across the participating Regions, to improve competitiveness in the Companies, focusing on SMEs in agrifood, tourism and services sectors. ICT-VN project was officially launched on a Kickoff Meeting which took place in Spain in May 2010 so partners have been working on project activities for 26 months so far. On an initial step the objectives, scope and sectors of the Good Practices Research were defined. Following a common methodology partners have identified and described 80 good practices -10 per region- at policy level that have helped SMEs from the targeted sectors to go digital. During the 1st Exchange Seminar in Greece (September 2010) partners exchanged their GPs identified and a selection of 40 most suitable -5 per region- was done. Selection criteria were used such as: ICT Application, Value Network potential, Innovation, Results, SMEs application, Budget, Transferability. Partners worked on the detailed description of those GP selected focusing on its transferability following an agreed methodology. Stakeholders and key regional actors were invited to the 2nd Exchange Seminar held in Italy (December 2010).60 participants exchanged on the GPs. After the exchange, at regional level stakeholders selected the most interesting and suitable GP according to regional priorities and needs from among those presented in Italy to be transferred to the region. So 8 Best Practices, 1 from each participating region and covering the 3 targeted sectors were selected. The selected 8 policies were deeply studied based on an evaluation: a SWOT analysis, a cost/Benefit analysis, an Impact analysis (Inputs/Outputs) as well as the identification of areas for improvement.The 3rd Exchange Seminar (Denmark September 2011) hosted 8 training sessions where stakeholders from the importing and exporting regions as well as technical staff from the partners exchanged practical information and doubts were clarified. During the 1st semester 2012 bilateral study visits were organized where regional stakeholders involved on the GP transfer visited the GP in situ and has the opportunity to meet the stakeholders involved in GP management.From the information collected during the training sessions, study visits and different exchanges, each region has established a Regional Transfer plan for the transfer of a selected GP: I-Kraft ( From Denmark to Navarra),Videoguides of Viana (From Navarra to Denmark), Bank of Tourism potencials (From Goriska Slovenia to Emilia Romagna Italy), Spesa Pronta (From Emilia Romagna Italy to Goriska Slovenia)Agrasz on line (From West Transdanubian Hungary to Western Greece), Prof-ELP (From Western Greece to West Transdanubian Hungary), WebCheck (From Border Ireland to Malta), Trolley Mania (Form Malta to Border Ireland).All the project outcomes will be collected and published through two project guides: Guide of Good Practices and Transfer Handbook of Good Practices that will be presented at a Final Seminar to be held in Brussels where project results will be widespread.Further information about the project is available at project internet www.ict-vn.eu