A Proposal for a Standard With Innovation Management System

Elissaveta Gourova, Ivan Draganov and Kostadinka Toteva
Figure 2: Basic framework for policy actions at EU level (EC, 2010a)
An EC working group considered specific action areas (Figure 2) in which the EU can play a key role,
and examined some good practices at national level related to them (EC, 2010a). On this base, EC
stressed the need ‘to help CCI develop in their local and regional environment’, and ‘to move towards
a creative economy by catalyzing the spill-over effects of CCI on a wide range of economic and social
contexts’, and considered some enablers for CCI uptake (EC, 2010b):
� New spaces for experimentation, innovation and entrepreneurship in the cultural and creative
sector;
� Better matching the skills needs of CCI;
� Access to funding.
Most EU funding programmes, unfortunately, do not consider culture as an important economic sector
with potential for growth. Culture is not linked to innovation, and not integrated under the heading
improving knowledge and innovation for growth. The Competitiveness and Innovation Framework
Programme focus generally on facilitating SMEs competitiveness and growth, however, similar to the
Seventh Framework programme for RTD, does not explicitly consider CCI as priority. There is obvious
a need to reassess the position of CCI not only in economic policy, but also in research and
innovation policy and funding mechanisms.
4. CCI in Bulgaria
4.1 CCI growth potential in Bulgaria
The CCI industry in Bulgaria comprises state and private organizations, the latter dominated by micro
enterprises. The state organizations are mainly in the area of theatre, opera, and museums, whereas
the sub-sectors of advertisement, art, design, and architecture are characterized by private
enterprises. The audiovisual sector is dominated by private organizations, among them state-owned
National Television and National Radio. An important characteristic of the CCI in Bulgaria (similar to
other countries) is the prevalence of highly-qualified employees (more then 50% with university
degrees).
The first comprehensive survey of the contribution of Bulgarian IP protected industries to the national
economy provides a short overview of the CCI in Bulgaria (WIPO, 2007). It is interesting to note that
the CCI sector is rapidly developing and in the period 2003-2005 has achieved much higher growth
rate of its gross value added (derived from the current price index) exceeding the growth rates of the
economy as a whole. The highest growth (almost triple) was experienced by motion picture and video.
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