epsilon Initiative documents
epsilon Initiative documents |
| Final Reports of the Epsilon Pilot Sites | |
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The majority of Epsilon projects have now published their final reports. Executive summaries are available on the Epsilon web site, on projects pages. Jump to projects |
| Epsilon Workshop Proceedings | |
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The Epsilon Workshop was held in Versailles, France, on 10 and 11 February 2000 with around 80 participants. Welcomed as a great success, this workshop has been an opportunity to improve the understanding of the issues related ICT awareness raising, intermediaries role in ICT-base support activities, relationship-building and networking , the use of best practices, etc. Results and impact of the EPSILON projects on economic and regional development have been discussed as well as their performance assessment methods and tools and the way they develop business models in view of sustainability. |
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The IS Ñ INDUSTRY reference document | |
| Download English |
DGIII/A has
been working for several months on the relationship
technology-competitiveness-employment, and in particular
on the industrial impacts of the information society.
This work has identified a lack of understanding of the
strategic use of information and communication
technologies in management and organisation at the top
decision-making level of companies. It has lead to the
conclusion that a specific and integrated awareness
action addressing these issues was needed, and a focused
awareness initiative using appropriate relays was
proposed in the first half of 1997. This IS Ñ INDUSTRY document describes the implementation of that proposal. It outlines an action plan for increasing awareness among senior decision makers through pilot projects which will focus on durable and reproducible mechanisms. More |
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 English (zipped) |
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| "Du village global au village local": Report on the Villard de Lans Workshop | ||
| Download (zipped) |
On March
20, 1998, the European Commission has organised the first
external validation seminar for the initiative in Villard
de Lans (near Grenoble in France). It was oriented
towards the topic "Competitivity, ICT and
awareness". The seminar was organised in three
steps: a plenary session during which the general
background was presented by Michel Coomans, head of Unit,
and Ellen Pedersen from DG III. Then, two parallel
sessions were held, based on the one hand on the
companies needs and, on the other hand, on the
"intermediaries offer". At the end of the
seminar, a discussion helped in synthesising and better
defining some notions discussed within the sessions and a
debate focused on the initiative goals and components. The document is a synthesis of main
ideas prepared by the rapporteurs of the two groups :
typology of information used by companies, lack of
targeted information, necessity of sharing experiences,
different types of networks, role of relays or
intermediaries as intermediation platforms, content and
means to raising awareness of business mangers,
cooperation and potential synergies between local and
sectoral networks. More |
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| "Industrial Clusters and Knowledge Sharing": Report on the Edinburgh Workshop | ||
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On 17-18 June 1998, the Technology
Management and Policy Programme (TechMaPP) of The
University of Edinburgh run a Workshop on Industrial
Clusters and Knowledge-Sharing Constituencies. Supported
by the European Commission's DG III, Scottish Enterprise
(SE), and West Lothian Council (WLC), it attracted the
participation of a rich mix of UK and European senior
representatives from companies, local authorities,
industrial bodies and the CEC. On the first day, the action took place in West Lothian, where a series of presentations gave detailed descriptions of different cluster processes across Europe and Scotland and highlighted the critical importance of factors for clustering processes. On the second day, two groups were organised to approach the discussion from different angles: one from the point of view of companies, the other from the point of view of agencies. The document relates to the second day and contains an aggregated analysis of the main ideas recorded by the rapporteurs of the two groups. It is divided into nine topics, including the nature of clusters, their governance, the role of IT, and the perceived role of government agencies in cluster-building. More |
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Enterprise DG publication: "Business Networks and the Knowledge Driven Economy" |
A new publication on "Business
Networks and the Knowledge Driven Economy" has been
released in November 1999. Based on a study commissioned by
Enterprise Directorate-General, it analyses the "Knowledge
Resource Networks" concept on an analytical and empirical
base, i.e. operational occurrences of business networks chosen
from six Member States and Canada. Only when illustrated by
implementation at local/regional and/or sector specific level,
knowledge networks become operational and their functions and
knowledge based services understood. This knowledge sharing
approach is already perceived as instrumental for creating a
flexible and competitive business environment.
This study has also been carried out as an accompanying
conceptual tool for the Epsilon Initiative.
EC project officer: Ellen Pedersen
- Enterprise DG
You can download the publication in PDF format in English and French.
The publication is also available at OPOCE, the
Office for Official Publications of the European Communities:
Industrial Aspects of the Information Society
"Business networks and the Knowledge-Driven Economy"
Louis Lengrand and Isabelle Chatrie
ISBN 92-828-8044-3
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DG III Publication: "ICT Investment in the Intangible Economy" |
Within the "Industrial
Aspects of the Information Society" programme, DG III/A5 has
published the results of a study commissioned to MANTOS
Consulting (Clark Eustace and Jorgen Mortensen). Adressed to the
business community, this publication describes the fundamental
changes which have taken place in the mode of corporate wealth
creation and competitivity where activities are organised on a
global sale, either directly or through a network of linkages
between economic agents specially due to the digital revolution
in ICT. Researchers have collected, filtered and analysed results
from academic, empirical and industrial studies in order to
propose a perspective on the productivity of IT investments. The
publication contains three main chapters: the changing ICT
Market; Assessing the Economic Impact; The Role of Intangibles.
The publication is available at the Office for Official
Publications of the EC (ISBN 92-828-4668-7) as well as on line. More...
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Benchmarking in Europe: study on the diffusion and utilisation of ICT and new organisational arrangements (ICT-O) |
This pilot study was one of four benchmarking of Framework Conditions projects sponsored by the European Commission (DG III) in its desire to enhance the competitiveness of European Industry. It was lead by Finish Ministry of Economics and ten European Member States participated. Wide diffusion and effective utilisation of new technologies and new organisational arrangements are considered critical for the competitiveness of industry but recent studies reveal that Europe is lagging behind in both the diffusion and utilisation of ICT-O. The primary goal of the benchmarking study is:
The study contains two parts: the first one is a "political report" including a description of the process of the study, key findings, conclusions and recommendations on the policy and frameworks issues. The second part is dedicated to selected sectors and case studies. Three sectors are thoroughly analysed: Mechanical Engineering, Textiles and clothing and Banking and Finance. The final report can be downloaded on the European site on Benchmarking. Additional information is available on the Project Web site.
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Networks of Enterprises and Local Development |
In January 1997, the OECD's Territorial Development Service (TDS) has published a report on Local Productive Systems. This publication has been prepared in the framework of the LEED Programme. This programme aims at analysing the role of aggregates and clusters of firms in the course of international competitiveness.
Part 1 of the Report is dedicated
to general studies: "learning-by-monitoring",
"learning-by-interacting: inter-firm Networks and Enterprise
support", "Regional productive Systems and innovative
milieux" etc. In Part 2, the publication looks at networking
and clustering experiences in a wide range of countries: Italy,
(local systems of SMEs and Industrial changes, Industrial
Districts), Spain (industrial organisation of local systems of
SMEs, the Valencian Region Model), United Kingdom (the Business
Links Programme, support policies in Wales), Austria (industrials
clusters), Finland (an history of networking), Netherlands (the
"Flower Growing District of Keukenhof), United States
(business clusters), Australia (networking strategies and
benefits), New Zealand and Asia.
The publication is available at OECD electronic bookshop. (OECD
Code 041996091P1 - ISBN 92-64-15312-8).
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Europe competing in the Global Economy. Reports of the Competitiveness Advisory Group |
Of critical importance is the recognition of the Competitiveness Advisory Group that Europeans from different sectors of society can and should collaborate to supplement and enhance the capacity of the Community’s innovation system and market economy. The CAG emphasised the importance of trying "to explore the potential of the information society, and avoid the risk of it turning into a new source of inequalities between firms, regions or individuals". The CAG report identify the need for a concerted European approach in the form of self-sustaining Knowledge Resource Centres. These KRCs will be linked in networks to enhance synergy and ensure a Europe-wide framework for individual experiences. These networks will facilitate information supply and demand and play a leading role in enhancing developments in the information society. For the CAG, this includes fostering business opportunities and education and training activities, diffusing solutions throughout Europe, and encouraging learning organisations. Edited by Alexis Jacquemin and Lucio R. Pench. Published by Edward Elgar Publishing Limited.
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FAIR "Constructing the Information Society" |
The FAIR project (Forecast and Assessment of the Socio-Economic and
Policy Impact of Advanced Communications and Recommendations) is
part of ACTS, established under the IV Framework Programme for EU
Research and technology development. The major focaus is on
accelerated deployment of advanced communication infrastructures
and services. The project has produced a substantial range of
Working Papers covering diversified topics, in particular the
technology clusters for electronic commerce and new business
models for SMEs. The final report has been published in February
1999.
Among the recommendations, there is the necessity to promote SMEs
Adoption of innovation:
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White Paper: " Our competitive Future, Building the Knowledge Driven Economy" |
The UK Department of Trade and Industry has published in December 1998 a White Paper which sets out the role Government and Business need to play to improve the UK's competitiveness. It contains 75 policy commitments, among which the necessity for businesses to form "collaborative partnerships with, amongst others, suppliers, customers, schools and universities to build networks and clusters of excellence to win competitive advantage". The White Paper contains an action plan with the commitment to help 1 million SMEs to acquire ICT skills. Thus, the Government wishes to "Catalyse collaboration: (…) in the knowledge driven economy, it is more important than ever that they collaborate with other businesses to improve, develop and market products through benchmarking and best practice. However, many businesses do not have the time and resources to collaborate effectively. DTI will:
The White Paper also contains a separate 32 page report on the economic importance of knowledge.
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European Survey of Information Society Projects and Actions in Europe |
ESIS is an EC-funded comprehensive information system on the development of the Information society, launched and led by the Information Society Project Office (ISPO) in February 1997. ESIS combines four categories of information: a European inventory of IS projects and organisations; the monitoring and regular analysis of new regulations and a collection of basic facts on Information Society developments; a permanent overview of public and private IS promotional activities; the mapping of the alternative networks. It has been extended in March 1999 to 25 countries from Central and Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean.
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Regional Information Society Initiative |
The Regional Information Society Initiative (RISI) is an European Commission Pilot Scheme, supported jointly by DG XVI, DG V and DG XIII. RISI aims at integrating the concept of the Information Society into regional development policies. There are 28 participating regions.The main objectives of a RISI are:
