VERITE
The network within the debate on innovation
Nicos Komninos, URENIO
VERITE Kick-off Meeting
Thessaloniki, 29-30 November 2001
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VERITE is about innovation
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.
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VERITE is about the innovation gap (data 2001)
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VERITE is about organizations and regions
Innovation is a glocal process involving
R&D, TI, companies, 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
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
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VERITE is follow-up of (1) INNOREGIO:
Dissemination of innovation development technologies
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and (2) OnLi
Virtual network of EU technology parks
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VERITE is a discussion / dissemination forum
Working assumptions of VERITE
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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 supplychains, stock management, outsourcing
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VERITE working assumptions
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
In
h
o
us Renewal of production processes
e Application of industrial informatics
R
&
D
Renewal of organization
Supply chain management
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INNOVATION is a three-level process: Firm/ Cluster/ RIS
- Transformation of knowledge to products and technologies
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RESEARCH AND
TECHNOLOGICAL
DEVELOPMENT
Research institutes
University research
R&D in large companies
Innovative SMEs
Technology watch:
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
Identification of needs
Identification of trends
Identification of promising
technologies
Foresight
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INNOVATION FINANCE
Venture capital funds


Technology incentives
R&D programmes
In house R&D
Technology transfer:


Transfer of skills
Transfer of best practices to
regional firms and organizations
Demonstration

TECHNOLOGY
TRANSFER
Co-operation between
universities and
companies
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
Technology brokerage
Spin-offs
New product development
Creativity processes
Renewal of production processes
Application of industrial informatics
Renewal of organization
Supply chain management
BUSINESS SERVICES –
PRODUCT
DEVELOPMENT
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TECHNOLOGY COOPERATION NETWORKS
 Local networks and
clusters
 International technology
co-operation

Supply chains

Provision of
administration, product,
production, and quality
services
Σύμβουλοι επιχειρήσεων

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Some practices accelerate innovation processes
Functions
I
N
N
O
V
A
T
I
O
N
Organisations involved
Typical Practices -IMTs
Research and
Development
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University Labs
Research institutes
Technology providers
Company R&D
departments
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Innovation
finance

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Venture capital funds
Commercial banks
Technology transfer
funds
Regional development
funds
6. R&D financing schemes
7. Technology assessment
8. Product assessment
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
Manufacturing
companies
Companies in the
service sector
14. Product design / development
15. Product cycle management
16. Business
process
reengineering
17. Quality management
18. CAD-CAM
19. MRP II
Manufacturing and
service companies
20. Value analysis
21. Supply chain management
22. Outsourcing
23. Just-in-Time delivery
24. E-Commerce
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Technology
transfer
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New product
and process
development

Optimisation
of inter-firm
relations
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
R&D management
Technology watch
Technology forecast
Creativity development
IPR management (Patents)
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VERITE focus
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 technology transfer
Technology audit
Benchmarking
Technology evaluation
Technology licensing
Technology clinics
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 networking
Value analysis
Supply chain management
Outsourcing
E-commerce
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VERITE
Major themes of discussion
(to add)
1. The innovative (knowledge-creating) company
2. The innovative (learning, intelligent) region
3. 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 processes
5. Innovation processes at a virtual level and corresponding IMTs
6. The geography of innovation and knowledge-creating
processes: regional/ national/ EU/ global dimensions
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VERITE
Key for success
High profile workshops /
conferences on
innovation processes
• Review of literature
• State-of-the-art methods and
technologies
• Contribution from keyresearchers 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
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VERITE
Deliverables of VERITE
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
5 High level European
conferences
3 Internet based tools
 Database of articles on
innovation management
 Discussion group
 Portal of IMT providers
Dissemination material
Brochure
Newsletter
Collective book
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