Clusters are individuals - VDI/VDE-IT

2.3.2.4 Instruments
Support for the development of clusters is provided by the
Arena program through grant funding and technical assistance.
Grant funding is provided for the following activities:
• Management of the development processes
• Development of meeting places and networks
• Development of strategies and analytic support
• Communication and branding
• Knowledge development
• Early phase idea and project development (pre-studies
and pre-projects)
Actual development processes as well as the establishment
and management of physical infrastructure are not eligible
under the Arena program. Funding for these activities has to
be sourced from other private and public financial schemes.
Technical assistance instruments include:
• Professional meeting places for project managers/project
partners, project meetings, workshops and study trips
• Support tools as handbook and working models
• Exchange of experience via the program’s website and in
other settings
• Advisory service for project managers including
professional consultancy (one-to-one), colleague-based
guidance and coaching
• Courses in cluster development (with other target groups)
• Alliances with other relevant services; nationally and
internationally
This professional support is organized through the program’s
“training arena”.
2.3.2.5 Results and Impact of the Program
Eighteen cluster organizations, which cover a wide array of
industries, are supported within the program. 40 In total more
than 940 companies (of which are 900 SME), 18 universities,
100 applied research institutions, 40 training and education
providers, 10 consultants/communication agencies and 50
public entities participated in 2009 in the clusters. Within
the clusters 80 R&D projects involving both companies and
research institutions/universities were supported by the program
in 2009. In the same year 1,250 additional jobs were
created by cluster members.
According to program officials the program yielded very
good results with respect to new products, processes and/
or services, growth of company turnover, growth of employment,
international activities of cluster members, skills development
of cluster members and growth of the cluster in
terms of membership (see figure below).
Growth of the cluster
(new memberships)
R&D investments of companies
4
3
2
New products, services and/or
processes
1
Skills development of cluster
members
0
Growth of turnover of companies
International activities of cluster
members
Growth of employment
0 = results are poor ==> 4 = results are excellent.
Missing values are due to the fact that there is no evidence available yet. This does not mean that there are no effects at all.
Figure 34: Results of the program that were achieved in 2009
40 For an overview of the clusters please see www.arenaprogrammet.no.
90