Eduardo Beira Research workshop “CBIRD cross border innovation research and development, IN+, Lisboa, 23 Outubro 2003 Eduardo J C Beira Professor, Departamento de Sistemas de Informação Universidade do Minho ITC and regional development. Two cases, two different strategies

Eduardo Beira Research workshop “CBIRD cross border innovation research and development, IN+, Lisboa, 23 Outubro 2003 Viewpoint Endogenous projects for regional development ITC and telecom based Consulting (design and implementation) professional view Action research academic view

Eduardo Beira Research workshop “CBIRD cross border innovation research and development, IN+, Lisboa, 23 Outubro 2003 Two very different regions and actors Minho –The west side of Northern Portugal from the sea to the mountains –Border with Galicia (Spain) Minho river is the natural border –Main cities: Braga, Guimarães, Viana do Castelo, Famalicão, Barcelos –three NUT III units: Minho-Lima, Cavado, Ave Alto Trás os Montes (High Northestearn Portugal) –The east side of Northern Portugal from the mountains to the border –Border with Castilla Leon (Spain) –Main Cities: Bragança, Chaves, Mirandela, Macedo de Cavaleiros –a single NUTIII unit

Eduardo Beira Research workshop “CBIRD cross border innovation research and development, IN+, Lisboa, 23 Outubro 2003 Minho (I) Minho –High density population –>40% pop in industrial sector Textiles, footwear, metalware,.... traditional sectors But also the largest ITC cluster outside Porto and Lisbon –Around 600 ITC companies 60 medium to large 20 nationwide operation Software and consulting –Strong high education system Specially ITC oriented and with national relevance –Close to Oporto metropolitan area –Transborder cooperation Close to Galicia autonomous community (Spain) Galicia Northern Portugal community (7 M people)

Eduardo Beira Research workshop “CBIRD cross border innovation research and development, IN+, Lisboa, 23 Outubro 2003 Minho (II) Minho –Strong enterprise community Associação Industrial do Minho (2000 associates) –Projects Creation of minhodigital.com company (22 companies) for cluster steering To promote the national wide visibility of hightech digital Minho –Minhocampusparty – the yearly nation LAN party –memTSI - memory of IT and IS in P and NP – academic study of of Minho ITC cluster Braga Valley park - new infrastructure project International cooperation

Eduardo Beira Research workshop “CBIRD cross border innovation research and development, IN+, Lisboa, 23 Outubro 2003 Alto Trás os Montes (I) Alto Tras os Montes –Low, old pop region –No industries, rural,... –Migration traditions (to Europe, to Porto and Lisbon) –Far (from Lisbon, Oporto) –Transborder region Close to Zamora (Castella Leon) Not far from Galicia –But Dramatic change in the last 20 yrs New acessibilities New infrastructures Impact of high education as population attractor –Staff –Students Strong local leaderships

Eduardo Beira Research workshop “CBIRD cross border innovation research and development, IN+, Lisboa, 23 Outubro 2003 Alto Tras os Montes (II) Alto Tras os Montes projects –callTM prototyping ITC distributed services units –call centers / contact centers –Software units Territorial marketing –Changing the perception of the region in the ITC national (and international) decision making and opinion making communities Promoters: Bragança, Macedo and Mirandela local councils (municipalities Key policy idea: need to

Eduardo Beira Research workshop “CBIRD cross border innovation research and development, IN+, Lisboa, 23 Outubro 2003 Technology issues New IP based telecom technologies create new dimensions and opportunities for regional development –Distributed multichannel contact centers No significant additional fixed investment Lower operational costs New policy requirements for telecoms ITC are strong “messangers” for region marketing ITC opportunities for both “advanced” and “peripheral” regions –But strategies need to be tuned

Eduardo Beira Research workshop “CBIRD cross border innovation research and development, IN+, Lisboa, 23 Outubro 2003 Policy issues Local and regional “social capital” issues National and regional policies issues –The issues of regional governance and models Transborder issues –Border as a “wall” versus border as a “gate” –UE driven cooperation policies

Eduardo Beira Research workshop “CBIRD cross border innovation research and development, IN+, Lisboa, 23 Outubro 2003 Links