Cluster Platforms Integration Possibilities

Cluster PlatformsIntegration Possibilities

Rainer SträterDaniel Guedes

ACTION OBJECTIVES

• identify integration possibilities

• discuss possibilities

• propose an integration model

AGENDA

• introduction

• history of Brazilian and EU cluster platforms

• lessons learned

• structure of Brazilian and EU cluster platform

• integration possibilities

• potential timeline

• discussion

• next generation collaboration and knowledge management

CLUSTER PLATFORM GOALS

observatorykn

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nage

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comm

unication

& collaboration• communication & collaboration

• knowledge management

• observe clusters

INTEGRATION BENEFITS

• access to people’ s knowledge across borders

• access to market (suppliers, customers and partners)

• expand the boundaries of cluster networks

CLUSTER PLATFORM HISTORIES

US Cluster codes and performance measures by Porter

US cluster codes are translated to Europe cluster codes by Ketels, Lindkvist and Sölvell

EU-10 cluster mapping

EU-27+4 cluster mapping and launch of ECO version 1

ECCP version 2 (under discussion)

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Future

ECO version 2 and ECCP version 1 are launched

Discussions started

Conceptual definitions

Technical definitions

Development, pilot project, tests, training and launch

deployment of EAD platform, publish indicators

ecommerce platform

LESSONS LEARNED

• have a clear understanding of the target group (e.g. surveys)

• start the platform with limited key features and enhance continuously in small steps

• only launch well tested features to avoid disappointed users

• provide an easy to understand user navigation (KISS)

• avoid redundant content

• the quality and actuality of information, including user and organization profiles is crucial

• do not underestimate the initial and ongoing marketing effort

CLUSTER PLATFORM STRUCTURE BRAZIL

APL Portal BDN

• present maps and profiles of clusters, cluster organizations, support institutions and local governments

• cluster products

• clusters development plans

• news & announcements

• documents

• calendar events

• good practices

• user profiles

• communities of clusters, interest groups and staff (GTP)

• discussion boards

• blogs

• wikis

• documents

• bookmarks

• activities

APL Network

• data of clusters, cluster organizations, support institutions, local government

• surveys forms and data

• KPIs, statistical data

• provide data for APL Portal

CLUSTER PLATFORM STRUCTURE EU

clusterobservatory.eu clustercollaboration.eu

• mapping of clusters and cluster organisations

• catalog of users, organizations, networks, sectors and regions

• scoreboard

• trainings (classroom)

• calendar, wiki and library

• mapping of cluster organizations and cluster members

• communities of cluster organizations and special interest groups

• cluster and user profiles

• calls and tenders

• projects (EU and international)

• matchmaking events

• offers and requests

• good practices

• training

PLATFORM STRUCTURE EU

restricted accesspublic access

clusterobservatory.eu clustercollaboration.eu

public accessrestricted access

communitiesinterests groups

communitiescluster organizations

INTEGRATION POSSIBILITIES

• cross platform mapping of cluster organizations

• cross platform public activities/news exchange

• cross platform search

• linking blog entries

• cross platform contact list

• following users across platforms

• cross platform community activities / news exchange

• cross platform communities

• benchmarking

CROSS PLATFORM MAPPING OF CO

integration approach

• Brazilian cluster organizations will be visible on the European cluster platform and vice versa

• selecting a cluster organization will present the name and a link to the profile of this cluster organization

• the link will redirect to the profile located at the original platform or at the homepage of the cluster organization

CROSS PLATFORM ACTIVITIES EXCHANGE

CROSS PLATFORM SEARCH

integration approach

• structured search results from both platforms

• results are ordered by relevance

• results are transparently tagged with the national flag to indicate the origin

• the proposed integration technology is based on open and worldwide standards called OpenSearch

LINKING BLOG ENTRIES

integration approach

• connecting blog entries is possible today (no implementation is required)

• there seem to be a lack of understanding how to use the powerful linking of blog content

• create a very simple tutorial explaining the usage of links between blog entries

CROSS PLATFORM CONTACT LIST

FOLLOW USERS ACROSS PLATFORMS

CROSS PLATFORM COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES

CROSS PLATFORM COMMUNITIES

BENCHMARKING

• the existing European clusterobservatory platform does provide cluster information based on number of employees until 2009

• access to this data is not restricted (public available)

• the observatory information is presented on an google map with advanced filtering possibilities

• a technical integration of cross country data is less challenging than the harmonization of the underlying “key performance indicators”

• at this point in time an integration of the two observatory platforms is not recommended

BENCHMARKING

• the complexity of providing up to date and reliable data about clusters is driven by:

• defining regional key performance indicators that allow international benchmarking as well

• keep underlying data up to date

• establish a successful incentive program that motivates the cluster managers to provide valuable data about their cluster (crowd souring)

SUMMARY

• a number of integration possibilities have been identified and (technically) analyzed

• the technical implementation could start immediately

• we propose to involve the users/cluster managers on the corresponding national collaboration platforms to prioritize the integration possibilities by voting the most valuable feature

• based on our lessons learned we recommend to start with a small number of features and implement additional integration possibilities step by step

• initiate the harmonization of “key performance indicators” for an international benchmarking

iterative integration approach

POTENTIAL TIMELINE

the implementation phases comprises the specification, development and testing

implementation

the review phase verifies the user acceptance and optimizes the

implementation if required

review user acceptance

INTEGRATION CHALLENGES

• considerable integration and development effort

• Increased total cost of ownership / maintenance costs

• impact on platform evolution due to increasing complexity

DISCUSSION

NEXT GENERATION

• online translation as already available from Google

• enhanced collaboration functionalities like:

• virtual conference rooms,

• audio/video conferences

• shared working

• synchronization of user profiles with existing social networks (esp. LinkedIn and Xing)

NEXT GENERATION

• online translation as already available from Google

NEXT GENERATION

• enhanced collaboration functionalities (virtual conference rooms, shared working)

NEXT GENERATION

• synchronization of user profiles with existing social networks (esp. LinkedIn and Xing)

Thank You

Rainer Sträter

rainer.straeter@web.de

Daniel Guedes

daniel.guedes@gmail.com

THE END

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