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ole of the LEDAs has become increasingly important in the
innovation processes, because their proven capacities of
gathering all the local actors, stimulating and facilitating
relationships and networks for providing tailored
comprehensive services for sustainable and competitive
development (Canzanelli).
A recent thesis of the London School of Economics
(Ferrannini) investigated the role of two Balkan LEDAs of
the ILSLEDA network (Auleda, and Redasp) in the
innovation processes, and it confirmed their contributions as
animators of innovation, strengthening the governance of
systemic relationships between the local actors, whose
activities and interactions generate, import, modify and
diffuse new technologies (Morgan).
In this perspective these LEDAs (but similar
considerations could apply to the majority of the Leda of the
network) have:
• multiplied the quantity and quality of the interactions
towards innovation
• raised the awareness of the need of innovating for
competing and improving the quality of living
• provided technical assistance for innovation, financed
it, build capacities for it, and introduced it in the
territorial plans.
• channeled funds for knowledge building
Nevertheless still many weaknesses exist for fostering spread
innovation, such as:
• scarce availability of applied research and propensity
of universities to provide services and knowledge to
the local system,
• low diffusion of information and knowledge.
• lack of skills, and capacities
• scarce involvement of national governments and
academic institutions
• low cooperation among local firms are far from being
diffused, when the entrepreneurs are not linked
within clusters and value chains
• lack of links with national policies
• weak role of local media in the innovation processes
• lack of tailored financial instruments
The next challenge for the LEDAs are therefore in:
1. strengthening the local interactions through
constituting and coordinating special task forces,
including local administrations, universities and
research centres at local and national level,
entrepreneurs, representatives of civil society.
2. strengthening the R&D activities and the Universities'
capacities
3. improving the local skill, through valorizing talents,
operators, researchers, and entrepreneurs
4. stimulating and realizing tailored finance
5. enhancing knowledge building and diffusion through
emigrants, international partnerships, and scouting
and spreading existing innovations
6. promoting new infrastructure for innovation (BIC,
technological parks, etc.)
Heading for Recovery:
latest U.S. and European trends in entrepreneurship and SMEs
In February 2013, The Business Incubator magazine
and the U.S. Mission to the European Union coorganised
a panel discussion and networking lunch with
four industry experts: Kimberly Weisul (Editor-at-Large
for Inc.com), Robert Sanders (Head of International
Projects at EBN), Moraig Henderson (Deputy Director for
Policy and Communications at UNDP) and moderator,
Tom Strodtbeck (Director of International Programs at
NBIA). The panel provided valuable analysis on both
current and evolving trends that impact SMEs and
entrepreneurs around the world.
Cultural perceptions were acknowledged by the panel as
a strong influential factor. They felt that lessons should
be learned from the U.S. ‘culture of entrepreneurship’, in
order to bolster the entrepreneurial spirit both in
European countries and worldwide. In this context,
Kimberly Weisul referred to the acceptance of failure as
an insightful comparative indicator between the U.S. and
European mindsets.
With SMEs as the current driver of recovery, support to
entrepreneurship has been acknowledged as a leading
strategy for worldwide economic development. In this
perspective, the panel agreed that the capacity to reach
and support less developed regions presents a major
challenge. “Success is through inclusiveness of
marginalised communities,” stated Moraig Henderson.
The panel presented the current development of crowd
funding in the U.S. as an encouraging trend. The role of
education and mentoring were also raised by the
audience and confirmed by the panel as offering
powerful leverage. Yet, whether the solutions exist to
enhance entrepreneurs' support, the challenge is to
identify delivery mechanisms, concluded Robert
Sanders. In their closing remarks, the speakers
emphasised the necessity to support entrepreneurs and
promote the entrepreneurial spirit in our time of
economic downturn.
Reported by Flora Soyez
theNetwork
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