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VERITEThe network within the debate on innovation

Nicos Komninos, URENIO

VERITE Kick-off Meeting

Thessaloniki, 29-30 November 2001

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Innovation has become a key- element of development

The Lisbon European Council (2000)• Political goal: Europe should become the most competitive

and dynamic knowledge-based economy of the world within the next decade

The 6th Periodic Report EU Regions (2001)• Indicator of regional competitiveness:

GDP/Population=GDP/Employees *Employees/Population• Four main factors: (1) Structure of economic activity, (2)

Regional accessibility, (3) Innovation activity, (4) Skills /education of the labour force.

VERITE is about innovation

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VERITE is about the innovation gap (data 2001)

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Innovation is a glocal process involving R&D, TI, companies, regions

Innovation is a local process linked to particular localities / environments which enhance innovation:

• Technopoles• Tertiary districts• Regional innovation

systems• Smart cities and virtual

local communities

VERITE is about organizations and regions

Innovation is a global process linked to global corporations and R&D Labs

• Role of multinational companies

• First-class R&D institutes

• International R&D flows

• But located in a few islands of innovation

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VERITE is follow-up of (1) INNOREGIO: Dissemination of innovation development technologies

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and (2) OnLiVirtual network of EU technology parks

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Working assumptions of VERITE

A. Fundamental knowledge development processes sustain innovation

B. To these processes correspond specific IMTs Technology watch: benchmarking, economic intelligence,

foresight Technology transfer: skills transfer, technology clinics New knowledge into products: product development,

creativity, new model products, creation of prototypes  Industrial informatics: co-ordination of knowledge /

information processes (MRP/ ERP, BPR) Knowledge sharing: networking, improvement of supply-

chains, stock management, outsourcing

VERITE is a discussion / dissemination forum

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Linkages between fundamental innovation processes

Technology watch: Identification of needs Identification of trends Identification of promising

technologies Foresight

Technology transfer: Transfer of skills Transfer of best practices to

firms and organizations Demonstration Patents and licensing

New product development Creativity processes

Renewal of production processes Application of industrial informatics

Renewal of organization Supply chain management

In house

R&D

VERITE working assumptions

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R E S E A R C H A N D T E C H N O L O G I C A L

D E V E L O P M E N T R e s e a r c h i n s t i t u t e s U n i v e r s i t y r e s e a r c h R & D i n l a r g e c o m p a n i e s I n n o v a t i v e S M E s

I N N O V A T I O N F I N A N C E V e n t u r e c a p i t a l f u n d s T e c h n o l o g y i n c e n t i v e s R & D p r o g r a m m e s

B U S I N E S S S E R V I C E S – P R O D U C T

D E V E L O P M E N T P r o v i s i o n o f

a d m i n i s t r a t i o n , p r o d u c t , p r o d u c t i o n , a n d q u a l i t y s e r v i c e s

Σ ύ μ β ο υ λ ο ι ε π ι χ ε ι ρ ή σ ε ω ν

T E C H N O L O G Y C O -O P E R A T I O N N E T W O R K S

L o c a l n e t w o r k s a n d c l u s t e r s

I n t e r n a t i o n a l t e c h n o l o g y c o - o p e r a t i o n

S u p p l y c h a i n s

T E C H N O L O G Y T R A N S F E R

C o - o p e r a t i o n b e t w e e n u n i v e r s i t i e s a n d c o m p a n i e s

T e c h n o l o g y b r o k e r a g e S p i n - o f f s

T e c h n o l o g y w a t c h : I d e n t i fi c a t i o n o f n e e d s I d e n t i fi c a t i o n o f t r e n d s I d e n t i fi c a t i o n o f p r o m i s i n g

t e c h n o l o g i e s F o r e s i g h t

T e c h n o l o g y t r a n s f e r : T r a n s f e r o f s k i l l s T r a n s f e r o f b e s t p r a c t i c e s t o

r e g i o n a l fi r m s a n d o r g a n i z a t i o n s D e m o n s t r a t i o n

N e w p r o d u c t d e v e l o p m e n t C r e a t i v i t y p r o c e s s e s

R e n e w a l o f p r o d u c t i o n p r o c e s s e s A p p l i c a t i o n o f i n d u s t r i a l i n f o r m a t i c s

R e n e w a l o f o r g a n i z a t i o n S u p p l y c h a i n m a n a g e m e n t

I n h o u s e R & D

INNOVATION is a three-level process: Firm/ Cluster/ RIS - Transformation of knowledge to products and technologies

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Functions Organisations involved

Typical Practices -IMTs

Research and Development

University Labs Research institutes Technology providers Company R&D

departments

1. R&D management 2. Technology watch 3. Technology forecast 4. Creativity development 5. IPR management (Patents)

Innovation finance

Venture capital funds Commercial banks Technology transfer

funds Regional development

funds

6. R&D financing schemes 7. Technology assessment 8. Product assessment

Technology transfer

Science and tech parks Innovation centres Liaison offices Industrial and

technology bureau Technology brokers Consultants

9. Technology audit 10. Benchmarking 11. Technology brokerage 12. IPR management (Licensing,

Copyright) 13. Technology clinics

New product and process development

Manufacturing companies

Companies in the service sector

14. Product design / development 15. Product cycle management 16. Business process re-

engineering 17. Quality management 18. CAD-CAM 19. MRP II

I N N O V A T I O N

Optimisation of inter-firm relations

Manufacturing and service companies

20. Value analysis 21. Supply chain management 22. Outsourcing 23. Just-in-Time delivery 24. E-Commerce

Some practices accelerate innovation processes

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Innovation Management Techniques and Technologies

IMTs for R&D Technology watch Creativity R&D management Marketing of innovation Innovation audit and action plan

IMTs for product/ process development

Product design and development Business process reengineering Management of quality Decision support systems Material requirement planning /

ERP CAD

IMTs for technology transfer Technology audit Benchmarking Technology evaluation Technology licensing Technology clinics

IMTS for networking Value analysis Supply chain management Outsourcing

E-commerce

VERITE focus

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1. The innovative (knowledge-creating) company2. The innovative (learning, intelligent) region3. The fundamental innovation processes

Technology watch Technology transfer Product development Co-ordination of flows inside the company / organization Knowledge sharing along the supply chain

4. IMT as facilitators of above knowledge-creating processes5. Innovation processes at a virtual level and corresponding IMTs6. The geography of innovation and knowledge-creating

processes: regional/ national/ EU/ global dimensions

Major themes of discussion (to add)

VERITE

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Key for success

High profile workshops / conferences on innovation processes

• Review of literature• State-of-the-art methods and

technologies• Contribution from key-

researchers and R&D centres• Demonstration of methods and

technologies• Foresight dimension. What to

expect in coming years• Practical dimension for

companies and regions

Strong regional dissemination

• Target group• Electronic dissemination• Database including

articles and reports• Internet / open discussion

group• Portal of IMT providers/

services in Europe

VERITE

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DELIVERABLES

5 High level European conferences

3 Internet based tools Database of articles on

innovation management Discussion group Portal of IMT providers

Dissemination material Brochure

NewsletterCollective book

TASKS• To organize the discussion on

innovation processes, knowledge-creating companies and intelligent regions (conferences)

• To enlarge the discussion using virtual environments for IMT (portal of providers, discussion group, articles database)

• To organize the dissemination of IMTs at the regional level

• Promote joint projects on innovation processes and IMTs development and application

Deliverables of VERITE

VERITE