The Innovative

The employees of the agencies of Polish voivodships
in Brussels help to make contacts; however,
there were very few Polish entrepreneurs. It is a pity
due to at least two reasons: first, our companies may
also participate in the EU programmes; they can also
participate in numerous tenders announced by the
European institutions. Second, during Open Days a
lot was said about innovativeness, good practices in
using funds by companies – and all this constitutes
priceless information for those who want to be reckoned
with on the European market.
Innovativeness is not enough
„In two years we will not talk that much about innovativeness.
Then only brands will count. The significance
of cities’ and regions’ marketing will increase.
Only those with strong identities will survive,” says
Gert-Jan Hospers, the professor of social geography
on the Twente University. During this year’s
Open Days one could feel that cities and regions
look for ideas of building their brands. Leaders on
the European map of regions involved long ago in
innovativeness and they have efficiently developed
the cooperation of science and business. Now they
look for something else. Something that could distinguish
them even more.
Creative environments are more and more frequently
engaged in this search. The newest trend
in regional development is building of the triangle:
science-business-creators. The representative of
the city of Eindhoven (the Netherlands) said that
good design is necessary for the development of innovativeness.
New products have to look modern
after all. But design was discussed in the context of
the whole creative industry. It includes, apart from
design, architectural studies, advertising agencies,
publishing houses, cultural institutions, movie and
photographic agencies, new media (the Internet), PR
agencies, companies specializing in organizations
of events. During seminars an opinion prevailed that
cities or regions will be competitive, so also highly
valued by investors, if they think and look modern,
which can happen only through the cooperation with
the creative industry. However, before it takes place,
this environment needs to be consolidated.
Creative industry
2. It consists of small companies that rarely communicate
spontaneously with one another. If so, it
is usually architects communicating with architects
and PR agencies with PR agencies. There is lack
of initiatives binding the whole creative industry.
3. The industry is too much isolated from other economic
sectors.
The best ones (the Dutch, Germans, Swedes, Austrians
and Italians) overtake in ideas how to solve
the problems. In Enschede the Centre of Science
and Media is created, in which creative companies
of technological industry, new media, design and
culture can work together on new and surprising
solutions. As the initiators of the project claim, the
Centre will grow to the size of the whole quarter
soon.
The Interactive Institute Acusticum built in Piteå
(Sweden) is a centre of research, education and
the development of enterprise in the scope of
music, media and new technologies. Its aim is to
create ideas, companies and to conduct research
in these realms. Then, the Centre of Enterprise
Development in Stuttgart issues an illuminated
„Creative catalogue” presenting the best examples
of design, advertisement, media that took place
last year. In the other part a “Creative index” has
been placed containing descriptions of creative
companies (architecture, PR, digital media, the
organization of events, publishing houses, movie,
photography, design, culture) operating in the city.
All pieces of information are issued in German and
English. „For years Stuttgart has belonged to cities
of the lowest criminality. Perhaps it is because
the citizens may realize here their most crazy and
creative ideas,” as the authors write in the preface
of the “Creative catalogue”.
It is important for Polish regions to fit in this trend.
We have always been proud of inspiration and
creativity. Or maybe supra-regional initiatives will
appear? Bigger creators’ engagement in innovative
projects will help solve the problem of low innovativeness.
This process may be additionally
stimulated by new operational programmes, above
all the OP IE and the Regional Operational Programmes
including instruments for the support of
innovativeness.
In two years we will not talk that
much about innovativeness.
Then only brands will count.
Bert Nijmeijer from Enschede (the Netherlands)
made a quick analysis of creative industry:
1. It is a dispersed and not much examined market,
so invisible for investors.
Andrzej Szoszkiewicz
Brussels
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