1. ESPON project 1.2.3 Identification of Spatially Relevant Aspects of the Information Society
TPG
TPG:
Department of Social Geography and Regional Development, Faculty of Science DSGRD-UP, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic
Karelian Institute, University of Joensuu UJOE, Finland
Institute for Regional Development and Structural Planning – IRS, Erkner, Germany
Department of Planning and Regional Development DPRD, University of Thessaly, Greece
Institute of Economics of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences IE-HAS, Hungary
Department of Economics and Institutions, Faculty of Economics, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, URTV, Italy
Warsaw University, Centre for European Regional and Local Studies (EUROREG), Poland
Manchester

2. General objectives
Analysis of the Information Society from a territorial perspective – identification of information society's state and trends, typology of spatial units form the perspective of the level of development of information society, relations between traditional regional competitiveness indicators and indicators specific for information society;
Analysis of the Information Society's territorial aspects at macro-, meso- and micro-levels – effects of the information society on spatial development in different types of regions, relocation of economic activities in relation to changing transport patterns.
Formulation of policy recommendations for macro-, meso- and micro-levels – identification of possible policy initiatives supporting cohesion in terms of ICT availability and use and in accordance with the most recent understanding of Cohesion Policy (Communication from the Commission, ).
Manchester

3. Project structure Manchester 07.11.2005
WP 5: Recommendations and Dissemination of the Project results
WP 4: Analysis and Assessment of Spatially Relevant Aspects of the IS
IS Effects on Territorial Cohesion
Spatial Developments of the IS in Relation to other Territorial Developments
Correlation between Indicators
WP 2: Development of Operational Concept and Methodology
WP 1: Review of Scientific Literature
WP 0: Management & Coordination
WP 3: Data Collection
Manchester

4. Research hypotheses
Though the IS can be characterised through a number of features, they will vary between different types of regions.
Even within one type of region, the features can at least partly vary due to different niches of specialisation.
Backward, peripheral and other disadvantaged regions have lower chances to catch up and build up growth because important prerequisites like e.g. ICT networks are lacking.
Depending on the level of economic development, regions in different geographical parts of Europe are not equally affected by the spatial impacts of the IS. Centralisation-decentralisation tendencies vary.
While basically metropolitan regions are best prepared for restructuring towards a KBE and IS, their success varies in dependence of the persistence of structures created in the industrial development paradigm and the ability for restructuring.
The development of IS may depend on the level of decentralisation through which an innovative environment also in disadvantaged regions may be fostered.
The role of human capital and adequate and flexible education systems becomes increasingly important in IS development.
Manchester

5. Data availability (the results of a survey)
territorial information of IS indicators does not seem be available for the whole ESPON space.
most of information relevant for IS seems to be collected by national authorities and for country-specific purposes. This kind of data is usually non-comparable internationally.
some of national projects have taken an insight at the IS at a very small territorial level, and intertinational studies are satisfied by the comparison of regions on a country level.
Manchester

6. Spatial and analytical steps of proposed methodology
Descriptive analysis
Impact analysis
Spatial Assessment
Spatial steps
Whole ESPON national & regional analysis
National analysis of selected countries
Regional case studies
Manchester

7. Objectives of the case studies
SUCCESS
FAILURE
CRITERIA
MEGA
FUA
RURAL
HANDICAPPED Q1
GOOD PRACTICE Q3 Q2
FACTORS
NATIONAL AND REGIONAL POLICIES Q4
GOVERNANCE Q5
TYPES OF REGIONS
Q1: Why could some regions within one type of regions benefit while others are lagging behind in this respect?
Q2: What are the factors for enhancing IS in MEGAs/FUAs?
Q3: How can the disadvantaged regions possibly participate in knowledge-based economy and building the IS (examples of good practice)?
Q4: What role do the national and/or regional policies play (IS, ICT, R&D)?
Q5: What role do governance play in catch-up process (refer to ESPON 2.3.2)?
Manchester

8. National level Regional level Case studies
Description of IS spatial trends within a given country based on the set of common indicators within three categories:
1) ICT infrastructure and its use
2) ICT sector & R&D & Education
3) purpose of use
b. Analysis of policy documents related to IS development:
ICT related
R&D related
other relevant
Regional level
ENTERPRISES
HOUSEHOLDS
PUBLIC AUTHORITIES
DATA
SURVEYS
IS IDENTIFICATION
SPATIAL BEHAVIOR
COHESION
POLYCENTRICITY ?
Regional level
Research questions:
1. What is the level of development in a given region? What kind of trends can be observed in the relation to the IS development across different sectors of this region: enterprises, households, public authorities?
2. Has the IS development influenced the spatial behaviour of the most important actors in these sectors?
3. Have the changes in the spatial behaviour influenced the levels of cohesion and polycentricity?
4. What kinds of activities were undertaken by regional and local policymakers to improve cohesion and policentricity with regard to IS in the region (bottom-up approach)?
Manchester

9. Next working steps – towards SIR (January 2006)
Final selection of case studies
Preparation of the template (national parts of case studies)
Surveys relating to spatial behaviour patterns
enterprises (questionnaire and/or interviews),
households (school survey),
public authorities (questionnaire and/or interviews).
4.Next project meeting will take place on 12 December 2005 in Erkner (Germany).
MEGA
FUA
RURAL
HANDICAPPED
EU15
Italy
Germany
Finland
Greece
NMS
Hungary
Czech Rep.
Polad
Manchester