essenceEasy eServices to Shape and Empower SME Networks in Central Europe

Easy eServices to Shape and Empower SME Networks in Central Europe

NewsNr. 2of Essence Project

ContentsGeneral ObjectiveInternational Conference1st Knowledge Management EventOpen Call in Essence Pilot’s

essenceEasy eServices to Shape and Empower SME Networks in Central Europe

General objectiveThe ESSENCE project’s general objective is to create an ICTplatform that will help enterprises to make transport moreeffective and reduce its environmental burden, as well as toovercome current deficiencies in companies and to increasetheir productivity and competitiveness.

SMEs will be enabled to customize an individual networkcoordination model from a general collaboration frame-work. They will be free to enter and leave the system withno constraints and, while in, to select and use the eServicesof interest when wanted. ESSENCE faces these issues bydeveloping eBusiness, eNetworking and eLogistics servicesas cornerstones for competitiveness and economic develop-ment.

First of all it is essential to state eServices in general, be-cause there are several definitions existing: “The concept of e-service (short for electronic service), re-presents one prominent application of utilizing the use ofinformation and communication technologies (ICTs) in diffe-rent areas.”

However, providing an exact definition of eService is hard tocome by as researchers have been using different definiti-ons to describe eService. Despite these different definitions,it can be argued that they all agree about the role of tech-nology in facilitating the delivery of services which makethem more of electronic services. The eServices include:communication, catalogues, business network shaping –planning – operation, document management and perfor-mance evaluation, offering the promotion and intelligentuse of ICT and non-technical solutions for companies.

International Conference in BolognaOn the 30th of October 2013 the Council Hall of MalvezziPalace in Bologna (IT) hosted the International Conferenceand outlined the project ESSENCE with its contents of usingeServices within Central Europe. This conference was theconclusion of a two-day partner meeting in Bologna and avery important moment for the project and for the dissemi-nation of its contents. The objective of the project is tocreate a platform for ICT services to support regional SMEsin being more efficient and reducing costs. Simplified said:to promote innovative services for small and medium sizedenterprises, using information and communication techno-logies and supporting innovation in local economic andproductive systems.

Within the conference, several experts were referring abouttheir experiences with eServices within their work and dailylife. The conference was splitted into three parts: the firstone was about how to enforce enterprises and businessnetworks by eServices. The second part of the conferencewas about analysis and international experiences, wherespeakers from the UK, Poland and Germany were introdu-cing their know-hows and involvements. And the last partof the conference was about eServices in general includingbest practices. From ICT to web society between demateria-lization, promotion of services and e-web 2.0 user orientedsystems.

The main focus of the conference was the presentation ofthe ESSENCE eService platform. The goal of the platform isto make the supply chain of SMEs more efficient and sustai-

essenceEasy eServices to Shape and Empower SME Networks in Central Europe

nable and to ensure the access to a coordinated network of services shared with other companies. The platform must be considered both – as a point of access for different ICT services – and as a knowledge database for the contributions of SMEs. Moreover the platform provides the opportunity to discuss the development potential offered by business networks. In an economic situation like nowadays, the development increasingly depends on the ability of companies and local actors to

increase their intangible capital of skills and know-how and to re-invest in the local competitiveness in a networkperspective.

The participation in Essence project is significant for all project areas as it offers the opportunity to access a spacefor discussion and cooperation on international issuesdealing with the trends of future development platforms, e-services, networks for sharing and cooperation etc.

essenceEasy eServices to Shape and Empower SME Networks in Central Europe

Information of 1st KnowledgeManagement EventKnowledge management comprises a range of strategiesand practices used in an organisation to identify, create, re-present, distribute and enable adoption of insights and ex-periences.

The purpose of the 1st Knowledge Management Event wasto share perspectives, ideas, experience and information.During the meeting in Bologna on 29th October 2013 andin case of project ESSENCE we got an overview about 6projects with individual recommendations, conclusions, ob-servations that could be used within the project structure.

Project KASSETTS is a transport, logistics and ICT relatedproject with services, which play a fundamental role forSMEs in the Central Europe markets.

Project CLOUD aims to establish a transnational platformfor the exchange of operational activities for managingclusters in the participating countries, by encouraging thedevelopment of innovation and activation potential amongSMEs south eastern Europe.

The project CO-EFFICIENT was presented by Italian project

partners and promotes energy efficiency by means of trans-port optimisation, business document dematerialisation andevaluation of the logistic impact of planning in enterprisenetworks.

The integration of cloud computing into the daily routinesof operators and infrastructure providers in logistics is themain result of LOGICAL. It impacts an increased competiti-veness as business interoperability is facilitated and has en-vironmental benefits since the bundling of cargo is easedand sustainable modes of transport become more attractiveoptions.

One of the main activities within the CENTRA LAB (LivingLab) project is a coordinated set of transnational pilot pro-jects that build partnerships, specify ICT platforms and ser-vices, and co-design innovative approaches for issues like:Eco-tourism, Energy, Micro-SME Networks, Media & Creati-vity, Mobility, Environment & Education, Climate Change,Waste Management, Rural Development and eHealth.

Project MER is aimed at ensuring cross fertilization and ex-change of know-how with other European projects for im-proving business competitiveness and economicattractiveness of innovative industrial areas. The guide prin-ciple is that green marketing is a key tool for the promotionof innovative and highly qualified industrial areas.

essenceEasy eServices to Shape and Empower SME Networks in Central Europe

Open Call: Invitation for participation in ESSENCE pilotsWhy ESSENCE platform? To remain efficient, competitiveand energy-efficient, entrepreneurs need access to sophisti-cated e-services that global corporations use. Such systemsare usually complex and expensive.

ESSENCE offers both the promotion and intelligent use ofICT and non-technological solutions for entrepreneur’s organization and management. ESSENCE develops: (a) a comprehensive business network management frame-work covering the needs of the target entrepreneurs by al-lowing ICT models customization for different operationalconditions, (b) an eService platform as management framework servingevery single entrepreneur with preferred ICT functions fordaily business activities, and (c) the access to such eServices by a number of entrepre-neurs starting from pilot cases to behave as living successfulexamples and widening during and after the project end.

Project pilots will explore the use of customized e-servicesthat give logistics support to the individual entrepreneur.Entrepreneurs can see a chance in improving theircompetitiveness and international performance byexploiting the ESSENCE ICT network.

What are the benefits for the participating companies?■ Free to enter and leave the system with no constraints

and, ■ Gain knowledge on the use of ESSENCE Platform■ Select and use the eServices of interest when wanted.■ Customize an individual network coordination model

from a general collaboration framework.■ Co-create the ESSENCE Platform by giving back feed-

back on their actual needs

What does the ESSENCE Platform include?■ E-communication, ■ E-Catalogues, ■ Business network shaping – planning – operation, ■ E-Document management and ■ Performance evaluation,■ E-collaboration.

Project ESSENCE invites enterprises to participate inthe pilot use of ESSENCE platform and use this uniqueopportunity to gain knowledge, test the ESSENCEplatform, give feedback, and embark on new business opportunities.

Companies are invited to submit their interest for participa-tion by e-mail, ordinary mail or fax to:

Institute of Logistics and Warehousing (Wielkopolska, Poland),

Province of Bologna (Emilia-Romagna, Italy),

Institute for Transport and Logistics Foundation (ITL) (Emilia-Romagna, Italy),

S.A.T.A. Advanced Technology Application srl (Emilia-Romagna, Italy),

Aufbauwerk Region Leipzig GmbH (Leipzig-Halle, Germany),

University of Leipzig (Leipzig-Halle, Germany),

AREA m Styria GmbH (Steiermark, Austria),

SINERGIJA Development Agency (Pomurje Region, SIovenia),

ICEG RESEARCH AND POLICY Public Benefit Nonprofit Plc(Kőzep-Magyarorszag, Hungary).

ESSENCE project is implemented since July 2012 till December 2014 within CENTRAL EUROPE Programme andco-financed by European Regional Development Fund. Intotal 6 European regions are involved and the partnershipconsists of 10 partners with the Marshal Office of the Wielkopolska Region (Wielkopolska, Poland) as the Lead Partner.

Project website: http://www.essence-project.eu