Building the Knowledge Transfer Network: the Platform for Cooperation

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Building the Knowledge Transfer Network the
Platform for Cooperation

• FINAL REPORT

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PRESENTATION OUTLINE

• Framework of the report
• Highlights of the current reality
• Main conclusions about the networking capacity
  and abilities
• Highlights of the concept of KTN
• Stakeholder groups of KTN
• Model of KTN
• Network management
• Strategic
• Operational
• Necessary improvements and follow up to finish
  the work

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Results of the WP2
Results of the WP4 WP2
Results of the WP2
Results of the WP3
Results of the WP2 WP3
Results of the WP3 WP4
Results of the WP3 WP4
Results of the WP3
Results of the WP3
Results of the WP5 WP4
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• WP2 had acquired information about the situation
  in the Hanse Passage regions
• Final report
• presents more detailed data summary of the
  current situation
• raises importance to assess both - the regions
  as separate players as well as evaluate the
  network environment as a common ground of the
  activity
• considers access to resources ( technology,
  know-how and funding) as a shared platform of
  Hanse Passage regions that potentially can
  provide opportunities to benefit from each other
  by exchanging experiences of good case practices
  and transferring a valuable knowledge

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GPD/head in Hanse Passage regions
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Unemployment rate in Hanse Passage regions
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Number (approximate) of Research and technology
organizations
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Number of scientists in Hanse Passage regions
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Number of graduate spin outs start-ups and
number of patent applications
- call for attention to the regions where the
data is not available - to reconsider the value
of keeping the record and track of this
information
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Number of Universities
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• Diverse base of access to know-how technology
  within the regions, totally
• 57 universities in all the regions
• 150 thousand scientists
• 459 graduate start ups and spin-offs initiated
  annually
• 107 Research and technology organizations
  identified totally in all the regions etc.
• The strongest leadership - Lower Saxony - within
  the key indicators, like number of scientists,
  number of universities, funds spent on RD by
  universities, patent applications and also the
  number of graduate start ups and spin offs
• - the specific platform of know-how and
  technology development players has been
  identified that could be targeted first to be
  involved in the network activities.

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- Networking capacity is referred in the report
as networking abilities and current networking
practice. - WP2 identified relevant networking
organizations and activities already existing in
the regions - WP4 identified best case practices
in the region that underlines the level of the
networking

• Final report
• - highlights of the current networking practice
  by profiling every region in terms of
• major regional activities for stimulating the
  networking culture
• identifying the variety of organizations that
  have concentrated number of companies around
  them and thus can support and facilitate the
  business networking
• - Summarizes the key features to emphasize the
  current ability of networking derived from the
  regional best case practice

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• Figure of number of BICs and incubation
  facilities
• Leadership - Lower Saxony (BICs are the same that
  offer Incubation facilities).
• - Flevoland and Haute Normany regions do not have
  any Business and Innovation Centres
• - Kurzeme region - incubation facilities are not
  yet available (few initiates are on the way)

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ROLE OF KTN strengthening the capacity and
capability of the regional innovation environment
to stimulate the open innovation activity by
means of extensive and effective networking as
locally as internationally
CORE WORK of KTN facilitation of the networking
and knowledge transfer, which will involve full
set of related services as those regarded to
the exploitation of research results as well as
business problem solving issues.

• CONCEPT OF KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER
• The concept of knowledge will include both
  perspectives
• the regional development and innovation system
  approach (technology transfer)- meeting the
  demand of SMEs (business development problem
  solving)

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THREE LEVEL APPROACH

• The first level - the basic network
• WHO founders organizations with a
  responsibility of regional development
  (municipalities, regional governments etc.)
• ROLE initiators for the whole KTN creation
  process and further key coordinators of activity
  of the KTN.

• The second level
• WHO intermediary organizations (technology
  transfer organizations, business incubators,
  consultancies and others)
• ROLE the actual facilitators of the knowledge
  transfer .

• The third level- knowledge users and providers
• WHO actual target group organizations that
  will directly benefit from the activities and
  networking provided by the KTN (companies,
  clusters, universities etc.)
• ROLE performing knowledge transfer providing
  and taking advantage of it.

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Informal style of network operations - No
duplication of existing or emerging schemes,
continuous opportunity generation, lowering the
role of strict control
Effectiveness - Existing schemes should be
enforced, popularized - existing opportunities,
synergy effects, learning opportunities
Subsidiarity principle - transparency,
tailor-made services packaging, peer-reviewing
processes, ongoing emerging initiatives by
various partners
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Transnational institutional capacity building
principle - membership of relevant professional
associations networks

• Financial sustainability principle
• Responsibility of regional public organizations
  acting as KTN initiators
• Search for European funding

Growth oriented management principle - Acting as
door openers for other partners in the
network.
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Cross-relational and relationship specific
network management tasks
Cross relational tasks- mainly related to the
whole network management. Includes planning,
organizing, staffing and controlling, which is
widely used functions in general management The
relationship specific tasks - activities to
establish a single relationship. Includes
initiation, exchange/transfer, and coordination.
(Ritter,Gemunden, 2003)
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Coordination underlying initiatives
A. The Charter - statutes, management issues,
decision making principles, organizational
matters, code of conduct, roles, responsibilities
etc
B. The knowledge platform. design the
organizational means to enable keeping record of
instruments, tools, innovation circles methods
for innovation management and document case
studies
C. Strategic outlook. For the 2007-2013 timeframe
and a subsequent business plan
D. Alignment with the key European policy
documents (Cohesion policy 2007-2013, EU
Innovation Policy)
E. Consistent management means (a strategy and
marketing plan based on convergence of IRC BiC
strategies for 2007-2013)
F. Information and knowledge sharing.
international versions of web-based services that
can be syndicated to enable mutual signposting
door opener, sharing knowledge, blogging
networking, joint calendar of events .
H. Shared internet platform. The network
executive will maintain a trans-regional portal
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KTN management board representatives of
regional development organizations (e.g.
municipalities, agencies and other public
organizations)
Accreditation mechanism accreditation mechanism
for new applicants of the Hanseatic Innovation
Support Structures based on pre-set
membership-criteria should be proposed
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Internet platform for feeding and stimulating
the knowledge transfer within the network
Networking guide- tools and instruments for the
use to develop successful networking. Will be
available for any individual organization within
the network to improve its networking competence
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Questions to consider for drawing explicit model
of KTN

• Will KTN be considered after launching as
  organic network or created and high
  maintenance network?
• A. Industrial network approach argues that
  networks just are, which highlights that it is
  more about the ability to manage and coordinate
  the opportunities that are organically evolving
  by demand of target audience
• B. Other approaches consider network as something
  that can be and should be created - that would
  involve stronger focus on planning and pushing
  certain networking topics and opportunities by
  the KTN initiators (regional development
  organizations) that are considered of a higher
  regional importance.

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Questions to consider for drawing explicit model
of KTN

• In case A
• allows to leave the single focus on internet
  platform with interaction features
• Necessary to agree upon the communication flows
  to ensure updated and open environments among
  regional actors

• In case B
• Necessary to consider strong central
  organization of network management involving
  representatives of all involved regions
• Necessary to draw systematic means (finances,
  meetings, communication mechanisms etc.) of
  management (considering different physical
  locations)
• Need to propose explicit roles
  responsibilities division plan among partners to
  ensure the continuous maintenance and
  coordination of KTN
• Need to introduce official cooperation contracts
  to formally tie the first and second level KTN
  partners and ensure commitment

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- In order to enable the activities and value of
KTN both cases require to consider the promotion
plan of KTN .