1. Salzburg 13.03.2006 ESPON project 1.2.3 Identification of Spatially Relevant Aspects of the Information Society TPG

2. Salzburg 13.03.2006 Spatial and analytical steps of proposed methodology Analytical steps Descriptive analysis Impact analysis Spatial Assessment Spatial steps Whole ESPON national & regional analysis National analysis of selected countries Regional case studies

3. Salzburg 13.03.2006 Research hypotheses Though the IS can be characterised through a number of features, they will vary between different types of regions. Even within one type of region, the features can at least partly vary due to different niches of specialisation. The development of an IS depends to a great extent on the role of the state, and on its tendency to supports the creation of adequate prerequisites for the IS. The role of human capital and adequate and flexible education systems becomes increasingly important in IS development. Backward, peripheral and other disadvantaged regions have lesser chances to catch up and accelerate growth because important prerequisites like e.g. ICT networks are lacking there. Depending on the level of economic development, regions in different geographical parts of Europe are not equally affected by the spatial impacts of the IS. Centralisation-decentralisation tendencies vary. While metropolitan regions basically are the best prepared for the restructuring towards a KBE and IS, their success varies in dependence of the persistence of structures created in the industrial society and the ability for stimulating the restructuring processes.

4. Salzburg 13.03.2006 Key findings - The composite IS index IS in Europe based on e-Europe (2004) and NRI (2005) A comparison of e-Europe and NRI indices in ESPON countries

5. Salzburg 13.03.2006 Key findings – The stages of IS development in Europe Life-cycle of the IS Level of IS activity Time

6. Salzburg 13.03.2006 Key findings – towards typologies on the IS GDP per capita LowHigh Technological dimension of the IS High High-low Peculiar IS regions High-high Top IS regions Low Low-low Restricted IS regions Low-high Potentially developing regions

7. Salzburg 13.03.2006 Key findings – national case studies results Case studies template a.Description of IS state and trends within a given country based on the set of common indicators within three categories: 1) Technological dimension 2) Economical dimension 3) Social dimension b. Analysis of policy documents related to IS development: 1)ICT related 2)R&D related 3)other relevant 6 countries delivered their country studies before SIR, Limited to descriptive part in SIR, Indicators used on regional level + main findings Appendixes

8. Salzburg 13.03.2006 Regional case studies selection Western Macedonia (NUTS 2 region) Geographically handicapped Podlaskie Voivodship (NUTS 2&3 region) Rural Rome (NUTS 3 region) MEGA Tuttlingen / Sigmaringen (NUTS 3 region) Rural (not FUA) Budapest (NUTS 2&3 region) MEGA South Moravia (NUTS 3 region) FUA Pirkanmaa (NUTS 2&3 region) Rural

9. Salzburg 13.03.2006 Next working steps – towards FR (31 th May 2006) TPG meeting – 3rd-4th March - Budapest 1.Indicators and regionalised data –updating table of data availability for whole ESPON space (29 countries) 2.Qualitative analysis –development of ESPON 1.2.3 IS index (lifecycle framework-measure different stages of IS: readiness, growth, impact; NUTS2); 3.Case studies –national case studies improvements –preparation of three questionnaires for different groups of respondents (public administration on regional level, school administration on regional level and schools, business organizations) + e-mail questionnaire (enterprises) –conducting research and developing regional case studies 4.Policy recommendations –development of policy recommendations

10. Salzburg 13.03.2006 Thank you for your attention!