Creating Cross Border E-Regions

Creating Cross -Border eRegions- Panel -

- 23rd Bled eConference22. June 2010

Hans-Dieter ZimmermanneSociety @ FHS St. Gallen

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Electronic MarketsFocus ThemeVol 17 (4) (2007)

Electronic Marketswelcomes proposalsfor future eRegion

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for future eRegionrelated special issues!

eRegion defined …

„As a concept, eRegion denotes Information Technology (IT)-supported initiatives that transcend traditional borders and boundaries.“

[Joze Gricar, Yao-Hua Tan, Doug Vogel, Rolf T. Wigand: 2007]

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Agenda

The past:The Electronic Mall Bodensee – Experiences

Current developments:The ArgeAlp information society resolutionThe ArgeAlp information society resolution

The EMOTIONAAL Project – An eRegion project on AAL

Conclusions

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The Electronic Mall Bodensee (EMB) – Experiences

Bottom Up development of an electronic marketplace… understood as an open agora… with a strong regional focus … covering parts three countries (Austria, Germany, and Switzerland)... by regional initiatives.... by regional initiatives.

� First electronic marketplace in Europe with a strong regional focus

First Online June 19955

The Bodensee (Lake Constance) Region

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EMB - the Pioneer

Start of project: January 1995Online: June 1995Initiated by� Regional politics� University of St. Gallen, Switzerland� University of St. Gallen, SwitzerlandSupported by� Federal and local governments in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland� Business Development Agencies� Businesses� UniversitiesIdea of an Open Agora: Platform for businesses, citizens and households, government, non-profit organizationsSupported by the EU (Interreg II)Developed in cooperation with research, politics, and industry

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EMB - Impact

But: Platform as such did not succeeds

Reasons?� Too early

� People� Technology

� Different strategies, perspectives, and motivations within the different involved regions� Bound to national political agendas� Different speeds� Different priorities� Different funding options

� No common agenda

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Information Society Initiative of the ArgeAlp

ArgeAlp: � Working Group of Alpine Countries

(Austria, Italy, Germany, Switzerland)� … represented by regions (federal states, cantons, …)� Founded in 1972

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� Founded in 1972� Main goals:

� Working on cultural, social, economic, and ecological issues� Facilitating exchange and cooperation between citizens

within the alpine regions� Strengthen the alpine regions

[www.argealp.org]

Information Society Initiative of the ArgeAlp

Resolution of the Member States of the ArgeAlp adressingthe Information Society and Infrastructure Policy (June 2009)

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Information Society Initiative of the ArgeAlp: ResolutionOpportunities� Information society options are not yet fully utilized in the alpine region� ICT is crucial to overcome distances and topographies

� … enables location independence,� e.g., services, education, workplaces

� … reduces location disadvantages

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� … reduces location disadvantages� … in order to attract people and businesses

Risks� Introduction of new technologies in alpine (rural) regions is often late or

not even available� Missing critical mass of demand

� Missing incentives for infrastructure investments� Decreasing quality of ICT infrastructures, e.g., bandwidth

� Negative reputation of regions due to lack of modern ICT infrastructures

Information Society Initiative of the ArgeAlp:Insights

� People, businesses, and administration have to be aware of the opportunities

� Need for ICT infrastructure

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� Need for information literacy

� ICT reduces location disadvantages and reduces migration

� ICT enables eCommerce platforms

� ICT enables eTourism

Information Society Initiative of the ArgeAlp: Main Recommendations

Strengthen ICT awareness

Support the Alpine region as an ICT location

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Strengthen eGovernment, eHealth, and eLearning

Information Society Initiative of the ArgeAlp : Main Measures� High prioritization within politics� Collecting and monitoring of ICT data� Benchmarking of ICT developments� Central coordination of ICT activities� Information provision about

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� Information provision about � … benefits of ICT- and eServices� … best practices� … ICT security for citizens and businesses (esp. SME)� … risks of ICT

� Creation of awareness regarding the contribution of ICT to productivity and economic development

� Development of trust in ICT

Information Society Initiative of the ArgeAlp: Main Measures� Development of an ICT support strategy

� Support of regional universities � Support of regional cooperation between universities, businesses, and adminstration� Support of business start-ups� Development of regional competence centers to give advice about ICT utilization

(e.g., eCommerce)

� Support of business networks (virtual organizations) in order to create critical

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� Support of business networks (virtual organizations) in order to create critical mass

Support of � Teleworking� eGoverment portals/ applications� eParticipation and eDemocracy solutions� eHealth applications� eLearning� Media literacy

� Encourage even smaller cities/ villages to deploy and further develop eGovsolutions

Information Society Initiative of the ArgeAlp:Follow Up Activity

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EMOTIONAAL – An European Project

Aims of EMOTIONAAL� “Realization of an integrated health and care service concepts � … for the elderly population � … of rural regions in Europe � … with the assistance of highly innovative micro-system techniques

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� … with the assistance of highly innovative micro-system techniques and nanotechnology

� … as well as the development of the telemedicine concerning � the mobile use and � AAL centre of telematics .”

[http://emotionaal.eu]

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EMOTIONAAL – An European Project

An eRegion project� driven by the demand of an aging society and soaring costs of the

health system

Not cross-border

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Not cross-border� but easily (?) applicable to cross-border regions

such as the Alpine region

Conclusions

Regional initiatives requires broad support of main players: � Government, businesses, research, …

ICT as ONE means …� supporting the defined strategy goals

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� supporting the defined strategy goals

Regional initiatives need to meet a demand of societies !

Kontakt

Hans-Dieter ZimmermannFHS St. Gallen University of Applied SciencesInterdisciplinary Research Area eSocietyc/o Institute for Information and Process Management IPM-FHSTeufener Strasse 2, 9000 St. Gallen, SchwitzerlandTeufener Strasse 2, 9000 St. Gallen, Schwitzerland

Tel. +41 71 228 7650, Mobil +41 76 220 1105hansdieter.zimmermann@fhsg.chwww.esociety.netwww.fhsg.ch/ipmwww.hdzimmermann.net, blog.hdzimmermann.net@hdzimmermann@FHS_eSociety