OY ALUEKEHITYS RD
Regional Development Ltd
INFO 2/99
_________________________________________________________________________________________
According to international opinion, Finland has highly advanced information technology and logistics know-how, and a good reputation for reliability. Finland can offer valued-added services to Northern Europe in these and other fields.
Assisted by development teams and regular discussion forums for Northern Europe, conditions could be created for the necessary bolstering of marketing output, and the development of new activities in important sectors.
These findings are from a Finnish future development project, which consists of a national Delphi method group and an international survey group. The aim of the research has been to identify potential clusters, and to develop their international support capabilities into know-how centres in Finland to serve Northern Europe. Particular research emphasis has been placed on the viewpoint of SMEs (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises).
In Finland, the Delphi group consists of four regional committees from East, West, North, and South Finland. Leaders of provincial councils and EEDCs (Employment and Economic Development Centres) are represented, along with at least an equal number of entrepreneurs from different fields, and other business operatives. The international survey group members interviewed were business and trade representatives from Russia (4), the Baltic countries (4). Germany (1), the Netherlands
(1), Britain (1), and Sweden (1). Three interview sessions were held with the Finnish Delphi group, and one to date with the international survey group.
DEVELOPMENT CLUSTERS
According to the international group , Finland should develop its strengths particularly in the following clusters: telecommunication, mechanical wood processing and forest industries, system development, environmental construction, energy and electronics, transportation and logistics services, tourism, and social well-being.
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
East
West
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
1
2
3
4
FOREST
Mechanical forest industry 9
Graphic industry
METAL
8
10
11
ENERGY
BUILDING
ENVIRONMENT
TRANSPORT
5 Electronic 12 WELFARE
6 TELEKOMMUNICATION 13
7 ENGINEERING
Medical
14 Welfare technology
15
16
17
18
19
Welfare services
FOOD
SOFTWARE PRODUCTION
DATA PROCESSING SERVICES
TRAVELLING
Northern European market and SME interest in Finnish development clusters. Graded according to results of international survey (1 = no interest, 7 = extremely interested).
The Finnish group also emphasized the development of software and content-production clusters, and metal industry clusters.
STRENGTHS AND OPPORTUNITIES AID DEVELOPMENT
According to the international group, EU and EMU membership, trading experience with Russia, and its geographical position all help to support Finland’s development as a business centre for Northern
Europe. The excessively low profile of Finland’s intermediary role between East and West, future developments in Russia, and choices made by other countries are seen as drawbacks.

Finland has highly advanced data technology and logistics know-how, and a good reputation for reliability. However, the international group saw poor marketing of these strengths as a hindrance to unification between East and West.
According to the Finnish Delphi group, the Northern Dimension project and raw material resources in neighbouring areas are opportunities that support development.
BUSINESS CO-OPERATION CALLS FOR SUPPORT SERVICES DEVELOPMENT
Finland’s most important support services for the promotion of business co-operation in Northern
Europe are financial services, know-how centres, development projects and logistics services.
7
6
5
4
3
2
East
West
1
M ar ke t i nf o
C om pa ny
n et wo rk
Ed uc at io n
Pr od uc t d ev el op m en t
R es ea rc h
”K no w ho w ce nt er
”
Fi na nc in g se rv ic es
D ev el op m en t p ro je ct s
Lo gi st ic s se rv ic es
Interest in development of Finnish international support services for Northern European business co-operation. Graded according to results of international survey.(1 = no interest, 7 = extremely interested).
SUPPORT FOR BUSINESS CO-OPERATION IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND LOGISTICS
Business co-operation development is particularly relevant in the information technology and telecommunications fields. Co-operation should also be increased in the wood processing, energy and environment industries, and construction fields.
P lanning
M etallurgy
Info rmatio n techno lo gy and teleco mmunicatio ns
Fo restry
Energy and enviro nmentpro tectio n
B uilding
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Interest shown elsewhere in Northern Europe in business co-operation with Finnish clusters (1 = no interest, 7 = extremely interested).

Inform ation tecnology and s afety
Integrated s ea, air, railway and road trans portation
Dis tribution
Tariff-free warehous ing
Warehous ing s ervices
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Interest shown elsewhere in Northern Europe in Finnish transportation and logistics service content (1=no interest, 7 = extremely interested).
PROJECT TO CONTINUE
General Training
The project will continue with realization of a communications plan including, for example, a training and information folder for regional training in Finland. An overall review acts as a basis for discussion on chosen themes.
Further Training
More specialized training will aim at supporting project realization. Groups can either be trained for the
Delphi method, or individuals working in organizations trained for specific requirements in their own field.
Internet WWW-forum
From August onwards, more information will be available on the EED Centres’ own web pages
(http://www.te-keskus.fi/rdmarketinfo). Discussion topics will include specific project areas and themes.
Further training plans will be finalized together with the present stage’s final report in autumn 1999.
Comments and suggestions on the training plans can still be made via the www address mentioned above.
IE 3,6
NO 4,3
SE 8,8
DK 5,2
NL 15,4
GB 58,1
DE 81,4
FI 5,1
EE 1,5
LV 2,7
LT 3,7
BR 10,4
PL 38,5
RU 148,0
Itäinen Eurooppa
Läntinen Eurooppa
Maatunnus ja asukasluku miljoonina
MapInfo -kuva
Teemu Kinnunen / Oulun Viatek
Oy
The area of Northern Europe surveyed includes: Scandinavia, Russia, the Baltic countries, Belarus, Poland, Germany, the
Netherlands, Britain, and Ireland.
For more information, please contact:

Mr. Heikki Savolahti, Finpro, tel. + 358 204 695 344

Mr. Kai Karsma, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Trade Dept. tel. + 358 9 160 3671

Mr. Veijo Kavonius, Ministry of the Interior, Regional Development Dept., tel. + 358 9 160 4506

Mr. Pauli Tiainen, Finnvera Oyj, tel. + 358 20 460 3256

Mr. Osmo Kuusi, Government Institute for Economic Research tel. + 358 9 70 371
 Mr. Yrjö Myllylä, Oy Aluekehitys RD Regional Development Ltd. tel. + 358 9 813 7707.

Web pages: http:// www.businessfinland.net www.te-keskus.fi/ www.vn.fi/vn/ktm; www.intermin.fi; www.finnvera.fi www.exports.finland.fi;www/vatt.fi