INSME INTERNATIONAL NETWORK FOR SMEs INSME THINK TANK 1 st INSME Promoting Committee Meeting Milan 7-8 July 2003

WHAT IS THE INSME THINK TANK? 2 Group of experts which will provide the INSME Secretariat with innovative INFORMATION, PROPOSALS and ADVICE in order to generate new ideas about: related to innovation and technology transfer (TT) which will support intermediaries’ and SME’s competitiveness STRATEGIES POLICIES METHODOLOGIES PROJECTS PRODUCTS SERVICES... INSME THINK TANK

3 METHODOLOGY FOR THE INSME THINK TANK START-UP The INSME Think Tank will be set up by recruiting skilled persons directly known by the INSME Secretariat or INSME Members and by accepting new candidatures The INSME Think Tank Members will be independent international experts in innovation and TT The INSME Think Tank will follow a “variable geometry approach” INSME THINK TANK

4 “VARIABLE GEOMETRY APPROACH” INSME THINK TANK Approach which will allow the INSME Think Tank to:  Change its dimension and composition following the needs of a specific situation  Carry out a specific initiative so as to enable increased flexibility

5 CANDIDATE SELECTION CRITERIA Profile of INSME Think Tank Members: Proven long term experience and expertise in innovation and TT fields (i.e. innovation and TT theory and methods, policies, type of intermediaries and their management, network management, on-the-job experience, etc); Very good creative skills in suggesting brilliant and innovative ideas; Very good problem solving skills; Strong and proven team work and communication skills, in order to be able to listen, build-up and share ideas with others, so as to obtain high value added debates and proposals. INSME THINK TANK

6 PROPOSED SCHEDULE The fourth INSME Steering Group meeting (2004) Phase 3: Consolidation & Service The first Promoting Commitee Meeting July 2003 Phase 1: Design & Start-up Phase 2: Testing & Validation INSME THINK THANK DESIGN PHASE CANDITATE SELECTION PHASE KNOWLEDGE BASE SYSTEM & THINK TANK SERVICE Project start May-JuneJuly-AugSept-OctNov-DecJan-FebMar-AprMay-June ACTIVITY Jan-FebMar-Apr… Think Tank best practice analysis Think Tank Project Detail Design Prom Com Input Evalu & Select Application Collection Training Think Tank Knowledge Base System Feeding Think Tank Knowledge Service on Demand for INSME Members Think Tank Performance Evaluation Think Tank Perform. Evaluat. Method. Fine- tuning Think Tank Sessions INSME THINK TANK

INSME INTERNATIONAL NETWORK FOR SMEs THEMATIC WORKING GROUPS THEMATIC WORKING GROUPS(TWGs) (TWGs) 1 st INSME Promoting Committee Meeting Milan 7-8 July 2003

WHAT ARE THE TWGs? 8 The Thematic Working Groups (TWG) will gather INSME Members who are interested in sharing experiences on specific vertical or horizontal topics or with respect to a limited geographical area. THEMATIC WORKING GROUPS

CHARACTERISTICS OF TWGs 9 The set up is on a voluntary basis They will be characterised by a “variable geometry approach” The Groups will have a dedicated common discussion area in the portal Participants could also meet in person or via conference call when necessary The INSME Secretariat will support the coordination and TWGs activities, if needed THEMATIC WORKING GROUPS

10 TWG’s ACTIVITIES The TWG’s activities will be developed at variable speeds, recognising that each Country and geographical region has different objectives, conditions and resources. They can pave the way for launching joint INSME pilot projects among INSME Members THEMATIC WORKING GROUPS

11 TWGs WITHIN THE INSME ASSOCIATION STRUCTURE THEMATIC WORKING GROUPS INSME Think Tank ADVISORY COMMITTEE INSME ASSOCIATION GENERAL ASSEMBLY Secretary General INSME SECRETARIAT INSME BOARD Thematic Working Group 1 (e.g. on the Textile sector) Thematic Working Group 2 (e.g. for the EUMED region) Thematic Working Group 3 (e.g. “Fashion Med“) Thematic Working Group n ……….. Focal Point 1 Focal Point 2 Focal Point 3 Focal Point n President and Vice President

INSME INTERNATIONAL NETWORK FOR SMEs 1 st INSME Promoting Committee Meeting Milan 7-8 July 2003 INSME AWARD

WHAT IS THE “INSME AWARD”? 13 It is a prize which will be assigned to acknowledge the success or the importance of the activities and initiatives at international, regional, national or sub-national level undertaken by intermediaries or their networks which are Members of the INSME Association INSME AWARD

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THIS INITIATIVE? To motivate INSME Members to achieve a higher level of performance in the provision of services to SMEs To promote the visibility and diffusion of success stories 14 INSME AWARD

15 WHOM WILL THE PRIZE BE AWARDED TO? CATEGORY A: A.1 Intermediaries supplying innovation and technology transfer services to SMEs A.2 International, regional, national and sub-national networks of intermediaries which supply innovation and technology transfer services to SMEs ONLY INTERMEDIARIES AND THEIR NETWORKS THAT ARE ASSOCIATE OR FULL MEMBERS OF THE INSME ASSOCIATION WOULD BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR THE INSME AWARD ONLY INTERMEDIARIES AND THEIR NETWORKS THAT ARE ASSOCIATE OR FULL MEMBERS OF THE INSME ASSOCIATION WOULD BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR THE INSME AWARD INSME AWARD

16 WHOM WILL THE PRIZE BE AWARDED TO? CATEGORY B: B.1 Initiatives, programmes and projects carried out by intermediaries or their networks in the field of innovation and technology transfer B.2 INSME Pilot Projects ONLY INTERMEDIARIES AND THEIR NETWORKS THAT ARE ASSOCIATE OR FULL MEMBERS OF THE INSME ASSOCIATION WOULD BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR THE INSME AWARD ONLY INTERMEDIARIES AND THEIR NETWORKS THAT ARE ASSOCIATE OR FULL MEMBERS OF THE INSME ASSOCIATION WOULD BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR THE INSME AWARD INSME AWARD

CRITERIA TO ASSIGN THE AWARD 17 Intermediaries and their networks as a recognition of their remarkable efficacy in the socio-economic situation they are operating in, based on compliance with the selected requirements. Initiatives, programmes and projects carried out by intermediaries or their networks which have produced outstanding innovative results in terms of products, processes, applications, methodologies, services, networks, etc. INSME AWARD

18 THE PRIZE: WHEN and WHAT  It could be conferred either annually or biannually (to be defined)  The award could be composed of 2 types of prizes, accordingly with the category set: CATEGORY A: or or … CATEGORY B: (amounts to be defined) INSME AWARD

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