Regional business development
Innovation Norway will contribute to industrial development based
on regional conditions by exploiting regional advantages and
opportunities. Innovation Norway will also contribute to greater
interaction and more targeted work relating to restructuring
regionally, particularly in areas with a vulnerable industrial
structure or failure of the industrial base.
Innovation Norway's work relating to regional business development
is concentrated on three working areas:
1. Development and exploitation of regional advantages and
opportunities
Innovation Norway will contribute to local and regional business
and industrial development.
Innovation Norway’s regional offices work closely with the county
councils and county governors. Reports from the regional offices
indicate that the counties’ guidelines for the allocation of funds
for business and industrial development correspond with the
national guidelines and Innovation Norway’s priorities. There is
also a high degree of correspondence between our offices’ input in
the planning process and that which comes back as guidelines for
the funds that Innovation Norway is allocated.
2. Regional interaction
Innovation Norway will help to strengthen regional interaction
through joint projects with regional partners and participation in
regional networks and at other meeting places. The results for
each region are presented in the annual reports from the
individual regional offices.
The regions organise the work relating to regional interaction in
different ways. Innovation Norway is working closely with the
county councils and county governors and is a prime-mover in many
joint projects, networks and meeting places. The results for 2006
show greater proactivity on the part of the regional offices and
ever closer regional cooperation in many counties. The level of
activity within the initiative area “Network-based innovation”
also increased in 2006.
3. Regional restructuring
Innovation Norway will contribute to professional and targeted
restructuring work in areas with a vulnerable industrial structure
or failure of the industrial base. Regional restructuring is an
extraordinary initiative in areas where a cornerstone industry is
being run down with extensive job losses or in regions which are
facing major long-term challenges linked to the restructuring of
industry, e.g. defence-dependent municipalities.
The work will among other things contribute to the establishment
of profitable jobs and a more robust industrial structure and lead
to the municipality having a clearer role in the restructuring
work. The programme status assessment in 2006 showed that the
municipalities are consistently driving the restructuring forward
in a satisfactory way and that the work is having an effect. Åmot,
Lødingen, Hald, Innherred, Årdal and Flora are municipalities and
areas which can point to particularly good results.
The most important services that Innovation Norway provides in
connection with the restructuring work regionally is Strategic
Development Analysis, the Leader Development Programme for the
Restructuring Board, the Idea Developer, the Founder Mentor, PLP
expertise, SMB development, Young Entrepreneurs in Focus, Women in
Focus, Programme Status Assessment and Service orientation of the
municipal organisation with respect to industry.
Focus in 2007
Innovation Norway will continue its work relating to regional
restructuring. In 2007, nine new municipalities will be given
restructuring status and come under Innovation Norway’s programme.