Services and expertise in the field of regional strategies and innovation
The objective of the services in the area "Regional Strategies and Innovation" is to provide public and private decision-makers with strategic and process know-how and skills, which they need for the development and implementation of new and successful innovation strategies. In this way we aim to contribute to the improvement of the efficiency and effectiveness of RTDI policies and strategies in both, the public and private sectors. The employment of strategic policy and management tools (SPI tools) plays thereby a crucial role: these tools generate strategic knowledge, contribute to the mobilisation of stakeholders within regions, clusters, or enterprises, facilitate consensus-building and thus, lead to informed, broadly accepted and endorsed decisions.
Our expertise:
Application of strategic policy and management tools
SPI tools such as innovation audit, benchmarking, good practice analysis, foresight, technology watch, technology assessment, technology roadmapping and evaluation are among the core competences of Steinbeis-Europa-Zentrum. The application of these tools can provide comprehensive and forward-looking strategic information, facilitates consensus-building among participants, and in this way supplements traditional measures in the field of economic promotion and innovation management.
Our services:
Steinbeis-Europa-Zentrum supports decision-makers, who wish to successfully master the challenges of policy formulation and strategic planning. Based on our expertise in the field of SPI, we design and guide tailored processes, which provide our clients with the insights needed to develop and implement forward-looking strategies. Please do not hesitate to contact us!
Strategic policy counselling (development of forward-looking strategies in the public sector)
The public sector faces significant challenges such as coping with the demographic change, the global competition, the climate change or the shortage of natural resources. To approach and master these challenges, SEZ advices public decision-makers on how to develop forward-looking strategies, especially in the field of RTDI. In this way, public calls can be met for more transparency and participation in investment decisions as well as efficient and targeted employment of public funds.
Development of Regional Innovation Strategies (RIS)
SEZ helps new EU-member states, associated countries and other regions develop strategies for the optimal design and implementation of their regional RTDI policies and programmes. SPI tools such as regional foresight and technology assessment play thereby an important role.
Support for "Open Innovation" strategies and systemic RTDI policies
The strategic use by companies of their business environment to increase internal innovative capacities (the so called “Open Innovation” strategy) challenges traditional RTDI policies. Hence, SEZ on the one hand, advices enterprises on how to develop and implement their open innovation strategies, and on the other hand, assists policy-makers in developing appropriate responses to this in terms of RTDI policies at the European, national or regional levels.
Support for regional clusters
SEZ assists regional decision-makers and cluster-managers in the development of tailored cluster strategies and the implementation of cluster-related support measures. Furthermore, SEZ supports trans-regional learning processes and the integration of regional, national and European cluster activities.
Future management in enterprises
SEZ helps companies develop medium- to long-term strategies with the objective to leverage opportunities, innovations and market perspectives for growth. The strategy process encompasses, e.g. a series of workshops during which, knowledge internal to the enterprise is supplemented with information on relevant global trends and developments. In the end, a vision for the enterprise is discussed and defined, and concrete options for action are developed.
Promoting entrepreneurship
SEZ raises awareness for entrepreneurship at the European level, and supports entrepreneurial initiatives of women in technological fields. To realise this, SEZ carries out supporting measures, documents good practices in entrepreneurship and disseminates these at regional, national and European events. In addition, SEZ facilitates linking initiatives from Baden-Württemberg to the Europe-wide networks in this field.
Counselling on EU-funding programmes for SPI-exercises
EU-programmes such as the 7th Framework Programme for Research, the CIP and the Structural Funds offer extensive opportunities to carry out projects involving the application of SPI tools. Thus, SEZ offers project applicants from Baden-Württemberg as well as from other European regions support for the development of project proposals, by taking into account relevant EU-programmes and their priorities, potential partners as well as possible application fields for strategic policy and management tools.