Here are some of our ongoing and previous projects.
| YDIRE – Towards resilience in short food chains through business collaboration and digitalization – –
Funding partners – European Union – European Regional Development Fund, funding disbursed through the Regional Development of the Association of Southern Ostrobothnia Project partners – University of Helsinki Ruralia Institute, Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences |
| Project objective: Development of research and innovation activities, especially from the perspective of promoting digitalisation and achieving the goal of carbon neutrality in society.
Project funded under the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) & funding disbursed through the Regional Development of the Association of Southern Ostrobothnia Food and related activities make significant contributions to the economy of Southern Ostrobothnia, and the aim of this project is to strengthen this ecosystem by building resilience through enabling business-to-business cooperation, networks, digitalisation and sustainability. The project focuses on short food chains and local food companies, in particular to promote the co-operation and digitalisation and thereby increase their resilience in crisis situations. The project is implemented jointly by the University of Vaasa, the Ruralia Institute (University of Helsinki) and Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences (SeAMK). |
| DIKO – Developing digital capabilities in South Ostrobothnian SMEs – –
Funding partners – European Union – European Regional Development Fund Project partners – Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences |
| The main aim of the project is to develop and improve the digital capabilities of South Ostrobothnian SMEs. The top goal is to improve the competitiveness of the companies, to sustain jobs, growth and to lengthen professional careers. The project is divided into the following sub-goals: 1) the develop the strategic knowledge of SMEs from the perspective of digitalization, 2) to develop SMEs’ management of digital tools within various sub-areas of the business, 3) to develop the digital skills of entrepreneurs at the ages over 54 as well as their the ability to learn new things and 4) to improve the know-how of firms related to how to develop the digital skills of an aging personnel. The target group for the project are South Ostrobothnian micro- and small- and medium sized enterprises as well as the individuals working within these companies.
The project is divided into three work packages. In the first work package, we develop a tool for companies for evaluating digitalization and strategy. Moreover, together with six pilot-companies we carry out a series of workshops related to digitalization strategy. In this work package, we also arrange education related to the management of tools for digitalization. The second work package is related to aging and the challenges of digitalization in SMEs. In this work package, we will scan the digitalization challenges and age management for entrepreneurs over the age of 54. We will also arrange training about age management from the perspective of the development of digital skills. In the work package, we will produce a handbook to support entrepreneurs, and a guide related to age management and digital capabilities. The third work package involves communication and spreading of information. |
| STRATU – Future-oriented strategy work in South-Ostrobothnian SMEs – –
Funding partners – European Union – European Regional Development Fund Project partners – University of Tampere, Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences |
| The main goal of this project is to link the regional foresight processes of Southern Ostrobothnia more tightly with the strategy and innovation activities of SMEs in the region. The project measures are divided into four substantive work packages, which are as follows:
WP1. Mapping the future and strategic thinking of SMEs 2. |
| Eco-innovation and business potential of circular economy in South Ostrobothnia – 08/2019 – 12/2021
Funding partners – European Union – European Regional Development Fund Project partners – University of Helsinki |
| The main objective of the project is to promote the capacity of the region’s SMEs to adopt sustainable development and a circular economy way of thinking.
The objective is twofold: 1) to increase knowledge and know-how of SMEs of eco-innovation opportunities and on the one hand, contribute to the emergence of new ecological innovations and on the other hand, enhance the competitiveness of SMEs in the region. In addition, the aim is to produce concrete tools for SMEs to implement eco-innovation, and 2) to enhance firms’ capacity to introduce the circular economy business in the region. The sub-objectives of the first main objective: The sub-objectives of the second main objective: |
| TKI-GROW – Developing co-operation of RDI actors in the ecosystem of growth entrepreneurship – 03/2019 – 04/2021
Funding partners – European Union – European Regional Development Fund Project partners – Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences |
| The main objective of this project is to develop RDI actors’ co-operation and strengthen their profiles in the ecosystem of growth entrepreneurship in the area of Southern Ostrobothnia. In addition, the objectives in particular are as follows:
– To classify companies in Southern Ostrobothnia in different growth entrepreneurship categories based on the model of growth entrepreneurship, and identify firms in these different categories. The objective in long term is to develop a regional innovation cluster, which is based on the strengths and profiles of different RDI actors. This in turn has a positive impact on the ecosystem of growth entrepreneurship in the area. This strengthens the impact of RDI actions, increases the value of higher education institutes in the ecosystem of growth entrepreneurship, and enhances the possibilities for growth in SMEs. The results of the projects are as follows: a model for categorizing and identifying growth firms; a co-operation model for RDI actors in supporting the ecosystem of growth entrepreneurship in the area; identified profiles of RDI actors answering the needs of companies in different categories in growth entrepreneurship, and final publication reporting all the results of the project. |
| VERTTI – The Model for Improving Productivity and Cooperation in Company Network of SMEs – 11/2015 – 10/2018
Funding partners – European Union – European Regional Development Fund Project partners – Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences |
| The main objective of the project is to create a model for improving productivity and cooperation in company networks of SMEs. A holist model for the development of cooperation between companies is developed as the project’s main result. The model will differ from the comparable models by its focus for better usability in the context of SMEs; the business development activities have to be more agile and flexible.The main objective can be divided into three sub objectives:
1) The model for real-time measurement of performance in subcontracting network of a leader company. This enhances the network’s capability to perform in cooperation with (global) customer orientated networks. 2) The model to identify factors affecting the performance of customer orientated network. The measurement is used to analyze the weights of factors affect in the network performance. 3) The identification of new business models and revenue generation models which can be utilized in cooperative networks in modern digitalized ubiquitous society.The actions taken in the project are focusing on six participant companies. Based on the cooperative development activities in the companies, a model for improving productivity and cooperation in company netwok of SMEs is created. 1. The measurement of supplier and distribution network performance (simulation and optimization of network’s operations), 2. The measurement of different factors affecting the performance of supplier and distribution network performance (entrepreneurial orientation, market orientation, utilization of information and learning/absorptive capacity) and 3. The identification of new business models and revenue generation models. Based on the three categories, a model encompassing all three models of operation is created for improving productivity and cooperation in SME company networks.So as a conclusion, these are the results of the project: 1. Model of developing the productivity in SME company network 2. Model for measurement and development of customer orientated network including the folloging segments: • tools for understanding the analysis of current state of cooperation 3. Model for developing new business models and revenue generation models 4. A holistic model for the development of cooperative SME business networks. |