Ale Pekrek, EPMA

1
Ale Pekárek, EPMA
The INTEBRE initiative Step by step
implementation model to incorporate public and
private actors of a rural region in real
eBusiness research and innovation clusters.
2
The Background

• EPMA non-profit agency, co-founded in 2004
• by the Czech Region of Vysocina for support of
  European project cooperation. Partner for 6FP,
  7FP - IST, Leonardo II, eContent projects
  (eGovernment, eParticipation, eBusiness, PSI
  re-use, Digital Literacy),
• Working in some European networks as eris_at_
  -European Regional Information Society
  Association, established with the ECs support,
  under Belgian Law in 1998 (now 37 member regions
  and one corporate member).
• Objective to support regional economic and
  social development through innovative information
  society strategies and initiatives, research,
  awareness rising, networking etc.

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Vysocina region

• Total Area (km2)
• 6.796 (5th of 14 regions)
• Number of Population
• 511.645 (11th of 14 regions)
• Number of Municipalities
• 704
• Average Number of Population per Municipality
  726 (the least of regions)
• Population Density
• 75 inhabs/km2
• Average Age of Population 39,2

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Vysocina region

• Regional specifications
• Highlands though highest peak is 850 m above
  sea only
• Natural and agricultural region in industrial
  country
• High share of small enterprises and self-employed
  farmers
• The innovative region as the image among other
  Czech regions

Prague?
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Vysocina eBusiness

• High share of micro and small enterprises (see
  table below)
• app. 5 of micro SMEs received order via Internet
  in 2006
• app. 2,5 of micro SMEs using IT system for
  managing received or placed orders in 2006
• Mission Promotion of eBusiness in micro
  SMEs community of Vysocina

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eBusiness initiatives in Vysocina region

• Focused rather on providing of basic ICT
  education for employees of SMEs than on gaining
  of real eBusiness skills
• Lack of partners for eBusiness promotion on
  regional level (potential partners are Regional
  Authority and Chambre of commerce)
• EPMA realized several EU funded initiatives in
  Vysocina (e.g. SYNEBIS - Reinforcing synergies
  between public policies in support of e-Business
  for SMEs or PEARDROP - Promoting Digital
  Business Ecosystem), but the real impact has not
  been very high, as regional public policy-makers
  still dont think of eBusiness promotion among
  SMEs as any level of regional development
  priority
• INTEBRE initiative as an example of direct
  transfer of eBusiness solution for micro SMEs

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INTEBRE a simple ideawith direct impact

• INTeractiv eBusiness between Regions an
  interregional project funded by DG Enterprise and
  Industry, relatively short (January September
  2008), 4 partners (2 Spanish, 2 Czech)
• Main objective has been to transfer existing
  eBusiness solution (regional OS based multishop
  B2B and B2C platform for micro SMEs) from La
  Mancha region to Vysocina region, together with
  extended promotion of eBusiness co-operation and
  partnership among micro SMEs in Vysocina.
• In this case, a simple idea has brought direct
  benefits
• A regional, ready-to-use e-marketplace for micro
  SMEs in Vysocina, together with eBusiness
  strategy training
• A significant acceptance from the side of SMEs,
  regional policy-makers and public due to tangible
  projects output and regional media promotion
• E-shop maintenance skill (do it yourself) seems
  to be an important link between basic ICT
  knowledge and understanding of complex eBusiness
  systems or strategies.

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E-comercia.cz
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Step by step implementation model

• Two kinds of regional EU funded initiatives
• 1. Influencing of regional policy decisions and
  strategies to achieve a better life in region
• - greater impact if successfully
  implemented into regional concepts, but
  that is often unfeasible because of political
  priorities
• 2. Bottom - up approach with tangible
  outputs and direct benefits to end users
• - limited impact, but usually well accepted
  by end users and public. Prosperous actions
  may influence regional policy decisions, too.
• Both approaches are important and can easily
  co-exist.

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Step by step implementation model

• Both approaches are important and need to exist
  parallelly.
• additionally, EPMAs experience with
  implementing of eBusiness initiatives in Vysocina
  region shows that step by step implementation
  model might be an suitable method where people
  trust only in things they can touch and
  understand.

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Conclusions

• SMEs targeted eBusiness initiatives in rural
  regions should use more bottom-up approach and
  practical examples, less academic or political
  debate
• Innovation and research clusters in key
  development areas of Vysocina may arise from
  targeted co-operation of key regional players,
  but there must exist an interest and a will
  this is the most difficult task to perform!
• One of important component of step-by-step
  implementation model is general promotion of
  partnerships and co-operation, as this does not
  work very well in Vysocina, due to the 40 years
  of commanded co-operation

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thank you for your attention

• remarks welcome.

• Ale Pekárek,
• EPMA