Current State of Network Development
Economic integration
The objective of the InnoRegio project is to create synergy effects for participants, to
accelerate innovation processes, and to strengthen regional economies by creating a stable
network among the actors. The positive experiences the actors gather in dealing with one
another constitute one of the main factors promoting integration: these experiences result
both from relationships of cooperation in a narrow sense and from relationships with
suppliers or clients. In many networks, strong supplier and client relationships exist alongside
cooperation among individual actors. In some cases, such relationships existed prior to
formation of the InnoRegio network, while in others, the InnoRegio network paved the way
for new relationships. The pre-existing economic interchange within five networks proved to
be particularly strong. In terms of the form and depth of the relationships, at least three of
these networks are based on regional value-added chains that had existed for a long time
previously. In seven networks, the interchange relationships play a relatively minor role. This
applies particularly to the service networks and to the research networks.
Important network effects can also result from actors’ contacts to partners outside of the
networks. Supra-regional cooperation in particular can help transfer new knowledge - or
knowledge previously unavailable in a particular region - into the network. A lack of external
relationships can endanger the network’s flexibility, while an excess of external relationships
endangers its cohesiveness. In any case, external contacts have a significant influence on
network development. The relationship between regional relationships and supra-regional
contacts is similar: 70% of the most important partners of InnoRegio participants are located
within the same region. There were few divergences from this rule: three networks
participated to an only very limited extent in cooperation, and two did not at all.
Competency requirements fully met
In evaluating the composition of the networks, no all-inclusive statement can be made. The
“optimal” structure depends much more on the partners’ individual capacities and on the
projects’ objectives and strategies. Thus, the best point of reference for the degree of a
network’s development is the assessments of its participants. On average, four-fifths of the
participants stated that they saw their networks as being complete. In four networks, more
than 90% expressed that the network was complete, and in nine networks at least one-
quarter of all participants still were seeking partners. The former networks were evaluated as
being relatively complete, and the latter were seen as urgently needing more participants.
Approximately one-third of those seeking partners would like to establish relationships with
manufacturing and service enterprises, and approximately 20% with universities and
colleges.