InnoSuTra Programme to develop Innovation Management Platform for SME's
By James Donlon, April 25, 2008
As part of its role in fostering and facilitating innovation in new enterprise, WESTBIC are currently involved in a European Programme called InnoSuTra to develop and update a platform to encourage SME’s to become innovative. The Programme is a Leonardo da Vinci Innovation Transfer Project.
Background to the project
In 2005 a practical Guide to Support Innovation in SMEs was developed by the European project InnoSupport. Its content covered subjects which are part of the innovation process and more than 1000 registered users from over 50 countries around the world have accessed the online guide. More than 10.000 web pages refer to www.innosupport.net.
InnoSuTra continues with this predecessor project by updating and extending the content of the guide. The chapters of the guide will be structured in a quick and easy to use format and will service goal-oriented information needs in the working process.
The guide will be improved using more media elements that support and motivate learning. The chapters will include examples, checklists and instructions for implementing innovative practices.
An online community enabling the exchange of knowledge and experiences among the users will also be offered and will include:
• ‘Innovation Rooms’ for exchange of ideas to solve problems within a closed user group
• Space for user generated content (knowledge, experiences, hints, additional resources) using web 2.0 technologies like wikis, blogs etc
The contents will be available in English, German, Spanish, Greek, Bulgarian, Hungarian and Latvian.
Target Group
The project addresses specialists and executive staff, human resource managers, staff responsible for product and process development and construction design in small and medium enterprises who need to know the basics of a successful innovation practice.
The guide is also geared at addressing the needs of students, marketing and service personnel, management consultants – everybody who is interested in innovation management issues.
The project commenced in November ’07 and piloting of the platform will begin in September of this year. See www.innosutra.net for more information.
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