Promotion of innovation in the SMEs The role of the SME's networks for the diffusion of the innovati

1
Promotion of innovation in the
SMEs The role of the SME's networks for the
diffusion of the innovation

• Serge Zarembowitch
• Banska Bystrica
• 3 avril 2006

2
Different kinds ofinnovation

• Global view of innovation

Technological Intelligence (Technological
innovation, Innovation in products, Innovation
in processes, in services)
Processus Of innovation
Organisational Intelligence (managerial
innovation)
Economic Intelligence (Commercial innovation,
Packaging innovation)
3
Need for innovation among SMES
? Difficulties and expectations are focused on
the stages preceding and following innovation,
rather than on innovation itself
4
Main obstacles from innovation for SMEs
Source Innoways, enquête auprès de 300 PME.
2004.
5
How can firms be encouraged to
innovation ?

• Starting a policy of innovation in behalf of
  networks
• Innovation can be spread by networks of firms
• Different levels of partnership.

6
Networks in the Loire area

• 4 levels
• Local clubs (small area) ACCTIFS(99),
  CLEO(77), GIER(147), ERF(30)
• Local clusters (departemental level) MECALOIRE,
  LOIRE NUMERIQUE, POLE DES TECHNOLOGIES MEDICALES,
  IFB 42 (Wood).
• Competitive clusters (regional level) VIAMECA,
  SPORTALTEC, TECHTERA, MINALOGIC.
• Institutional Networks Chamber of Commerce in
  Saint Etienne, CEEI, Professional Syndicates
  (Metallurgy,)

7
How do these networks contribute to boosting
innovation among SMEs?

• 1) From sentitization
• 2) to the boosting of innovation

8
Sensitizing Actions Clubs in Loire
Exchanging
Information Meetings

• Meeting other creators and managers so as to
  benefit from the experience of others
• Improving one's circle of acquaintances in a
  convivial and cooperative atmosphere

• Promoting new practices. (ICT).
• Sharing commercial informations
• ( exportations )

Using collective projects/ to meet the needs of
the firms. Meeting business needs.

• Sensitizing firms to innovating plans the first
  stage of innovation/ the first step towards
  innovation

9
Sensitizing ActionsInstitutional activities

• CCI St Etienne / CEEI Loire / Présence Rhône
  Alpes
• Being a connector Connecting firms to the
  global supply of innovation helping firms to
  find financial means to fund their innovating
  projects ("the days of innovation")
• Providing training Being the visible and
  readable way of firms, in order to help them
  complete their plans of innovation diagnosting
  their needs before implementing a plan of
  assistance (four days of training one day of
  guidance/assistance within the firm)
• Providing access to information sensitizing,
  spreading information and advice on how to
  achieve good innovation (CCI conference on
  training)

10
CONTRIBUTION

• Awaking the interest
• Bringing selective informations
• LIMITS
• Few enterprises come to action most of them
  were already involved in innovation before
• Necessity of stimulation for the others

11
Stimulation Actions Local clusters pro
innovation activities

• Connecting firms providing them together
  access to markets that are not accessible to
  single firms, because of their size or of their
  skills..
• Giving them access to new problematics, such as
  innovation.
• Organising meetings and collective actions
• Activities conducted by the network leading to
  the emergence of strategic topics linked with
  innovation.
• Meeting the demand linked with these innovating
  stakes.
• ? Boosting and assisting innovation the stages
  preceding and following innovating projects

12
Contribution of Local Clusters

• SME often make plans on the short-term
• When it is on its own, a firm rarely has enough
  time or money to elaborate middle-term plans
• Networks can help them planning on a longer term
• Technological evolution
• Searching for information
• Analysing the market
• Studying competitiveness

to shift from a short-term to a long-term
perspective.

• Networks enable SMEs
• to adopt innovating strategies

13
Limits of Local Clusters

• Insufficient financial means of SMES to invest in
  the new technologies
• Lack of economic leaders of enough important size

14
Stimulation Actions Competitive Clusters
Their role is to connect the industrial sector
with the RD and the Training poles, in order to
strengthen technological cooperation. Coaching
research plans for major innovations, planned on
the long-term.

• Concern essentially the major companies
• Local clusters have to be associated

15
CONCLUSION

• The role of territorial authorities is to
• Improve the territorial offer
• Favor the transfer of the competences
• Support the collective actions
• Manage the relations between these networks and
  the economic leaders
• Develop the territorial economic intelligence

16
ORGANISATION OF INNOVATION ON THE TERRITORY

TERRITORIAL OFFER

• Formation
• INITIAL FORMATION
• ALL ALONG THE LIFE

• Technological plat forms
• MECHANICAL
• OPTICAL

• Services platforms
• LOGISTIC
• DIGITAL
• DESIGN

• Research
• PUBLIC LABORATORIES
• PRIVATE LABORATORIES

SPEED
COMPETENCES TRANSFER PROCESS PUBLIC/PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIP
TERRITORIAL ECONOMIC INTELLIGENCE
LEADERS COMPANIES
SFIES NETWORK
MARKET
KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY
17
The innovation

•  An idea is an innovation once its
  implemented 
• Rosabeth Moss Kanter et James
  Utterback
•  The invention is the moment when the discovery
  takes place whereas the innovation is the moment
  when its spreading becomes possible
• Thierry GAUDIN,
  L'écoute des silences