RITTS SCENIC SALZBURG Experiences, Results and Followup Processes

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RITTS SCENIC SALZBURG Experiences, Results
and Follow-up Processes

• NAC Information Day
• Wroclav, Oct. 20, 2003
• Christian Salletmaier (Land Salzburg, AT)

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Does Geography Matter?
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Salzburg - Key Information

• Surface 7.154 km2
• Inhabitants 520.000
• Unemployment rate 4,9
• Gross regional product (GRP) per inhabitant
  31.000 Euro
• Contribution per sector
• Agriculture 6,6
• Industry 25,5
• Services 67,9

• High qualification of employees
• Central location
• High standards of infrastructure (traffic,
  technology, telecommunications, etc)
• Above-average soft factors (culture, landscape,
  leisure, quality of life )

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Why a Strategy for Innovation and Technology
Transfer?

• Low Degree of Industrialisation
• Low level of RD activities
• No technical university
• Many small and very small enterprises, few medium
  and large enterprises, hardly any flagships
• Change of location factors
• Intra-regional disparities

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The ObjectivesChange of Innovation Policy
Setting

• Improvement of Situation of SMEs
• Development of efficient co-operation structures
  between firms, firms and RD institutions
• Intensifying RD Activities
• Retention of skills
• Growth of Competitiveness
• by
• Development of Clusters and Networks
• Improvement of consultancy services for
  innovation and technology transfer
• Streamlining and improving Funding instruments

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The Process

• Expert panel to define sectors to be developed
• SWOT analyses for sectors and for innovation
  services
• Mixed work groups to define strategies
• Discussion with stakeholders
• Safeguard of financial support for innovation
  activities
• Implementation of management capacity (clusters)
• Development of new funding instruments
• Set-up of project steering groups
• Negotiations with institutions

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Wood Processing IndustrySmall Scale Tradition
Meets Global Market

• Traditional economic sector
• High importance in regional economy
• Small scale firms
• Low production depth
• Lack of production chains
• University of Applied Sciences for Wood
  Processing - highly qualified workforce on
  various levels (www.fh.holztechnikum.at)

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Wood Cluster New Objectives for a Traditional
Sector ...

• Development of SME networks

• Information and Communication

• Qualification and knowledge- management

• Co-operation with other regions

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Wood Cluster ... Networks for Market Challenges

• Development of SME networks
• More than 20 networks of companies
• Exploiting potential production chains
• Export management for specific products

• Information and Communication
• Development of website as communication platform
• Workshops and training courses on current
  developments/issues in wood

• Qualification and knowledge- management
• Qualification modules
• Pooling of experts
• QC

• Co-operation with other regions
• Establishment of networks across German
  border
• Austrian Wood-Net (Holz-Netz)

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Digital Media IndustryAn emerging sector with
potential

• Fragmented and small structured sector
• No leading companies - multinationals not
  integrated - no regional network of small firms
• Small regional market - weak regional demand
  (poor knowledge of sector)
• International market too big for small
  enterprises
• University of Applied Sciences important as
  regional node (www.fh-sbg.ac.at)
• Highly qualified workforce
• Content provider culture and tourism to be
  integrated
• Proximity of Munich opportunity and threat

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Digital Media Cluster Exploiting the Potentials
...

• Development of SME / RD- networks / sub-clusters

• Information and Communication

• Qualification and knowledge- management

• Co-operation with other regions

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Digital Media Cluster ... for Future of Digital
Media Sector

• Development of SME / RD -networks / sub-clusters
• www.giscluster.at
• film location guide
• www.etourismcenter.at

• Information and Communication
• Development of website as communication platform
• Workshops and training courses on current
  developments/issues in digital media

• Qualification and knowledge- management
• KM review
• Pooling of experts
• e-norm

• Co-operation with other regions
• www.it-region.net
• www.euregioatlas.com
• ACCREDITS www.europeandigitalmedia.com

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Innovating the InnovatorsInnovation- and
Technology-Transfer Services

• The Situation (Analysis based on 600 companies,
  dozens of interviews and experts workshops)
• Overlapping and duplication of institutions,
  organisations, programmes and projects
• Low transparency of services
• Unknown (acronyms) organisations
• Low degree of specialisation
• Little co-ordination
• Strong demand for soft-factors
• Innovation-problems do not refer to technology
  but to institutional, managerial and financial
  questions

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Innovation-Services Is less more?

• Objectives and Strategic Options
• Straight ways to best services Reduction of
  overlaps and duplications
• Demand-oriented approach Two methods to create
  innovation support
• Harmonisation of services and target groups by
  development of specific institution for each
  services needed
• Upgrading services
• Increase of quality of services Co-ordination of
  institutions and structures

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ZISCenter for Innovation and Location Services
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Expectations Meet Results

• Intensifying co-operation between RD
  institutions and firms
• Increase of RD intensity of SMEs
• Growth of existing SMEs
• Stimulation of new SMEs
• Growth of regional export quota
• Retention of skills
• Reinforcement of industrial sector in alpine area

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Current and Future Issues

• Three years after the end of the RITTS-project
  the process is proceeding, e.g.
• Governance of Innovation
• Development of sector strategies (food, ...) and
  company/company-RD networks
• Innovative Actions Programme (ERDF)
• Specific support for networks in rural area
• Development of new funding instruments to support
  innovation
• Integration in European Network Activities
  (Accredits, Café)
• Review of regional Economic Development
  Perspectives

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Key Words for Success!

• Passion, patience
• Networks
• Ideas, inspiration
• Flexibility
• Financial support
• Commitment of stakeholders

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Thank you very much

• christian.salletmaier_at_salzburg.gv.at
• www.salzburg.gv.at/regional