This anticipation workshop, to be held in Helsinki on 23-24 November 2006, will present the research findings of an EU-wide study commissioned by the EMCC. The study analyses the main trends and key drivers of change, as well as their impact on the structure and performance of the European Knowledge Intensive Business Services (KIBS) industry as well as their political, economical and social consequences. The event will bring together European companies, social partners, policymakers and sectoral experts. Through the use of scenario techniques and group work participants will jointly reflect on and exchange their experiences. They will also be encouraged to identify actions for further development, innovation and growth within the sector. The workshop is organised by the European Monitoring Centre on Change (EMCC) and hosted by the Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK) www.ek.fi.
Workshop focus
The knowledge economy has brought with it a competitiveness revolution that requires organisations and economies to reassess the way in which they operate. Knowledge has taken centre stage, becoming the key source of wealth generation. KIBS in turn, are central to this, basing both their own success and that of their clients on the acquisition, development, harnessing and management of knowledge. It is this knowledge intensification process that has spurred the growth and development of KIBS, making it one of Europe’s fastest growing sectors..
The aim of the workshop is to anticipate change in the sector taking, as a starting point, the main trends and drivers of change currently facing the industry . These include the continued growth of the industry, along with internationalisation, the division of labour, the demand for new and different skills, the supply of a wider range of services, polarisation among companies and increasing client involvement. KIBS are also facing an increased demand for quality as well as competition and outsourcing, both national and internationally.
Against this background, the workshop will also examine the political, economic and social consequences of these trends and changes, such as offshoring processes, the development of clusters, human resource strategies and labour market issues such as the skill gaps and training initiatives required by the industry.
The workshop is designed to encourage the social partners, companies and policymakers at all levels to jointly examine the key aspects of change in the sector through the use of scenarios which have been developed as part of EMCC research.
The use of scenarios is an established and powerful technique used for policy and strategic analysis to describe a plausible hypothesis about the future. A scenario is a coherent description of drivers, trends and events that may influence and change the subject of analysis over a given period of time. It is not a prediction but rather a tool that enables the anticipation of possible future strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
The mixed audience of company representatives, social partners, policymakers, sector analysts and researchers in the KIBS sector as well as scenario experts will offer a rich mix for productive debate and action.
Outcomes
Outcomes include:
- greater understanding of the management of change at company level in the KIBS sector;
- grasp of practical tools for anticipation in the day-to-day management of change within companies and organisations;
- better knowledge with regard to the main current issues and challenges faced by the sectoral players;
- a workshop report highlighting key issues which will be made available to participants shortly after the event and disseminated more widely through the emcc portal.
Venue
The workshop will be held in the Confederation of Finnish Industries, EK. Eteläranta 10, 00130 Helsinki, Finland
Programme
For further details on the format and topics of this workshop, please download an outline of the provisional programme.
What to do if you are interested
If you are interested in participating in this workshop, please contact Catherine Cerf at cce@eurofound.europa.eu, or express your interest online by downloading the form and sending a completed copy to Catherine Cerf or by fax (+353 1 282 6456).
Please note that the deadline for expressing your interest is 27 October 2006- confirmation of your attendance will be sent to you by 1 November 2006.
Further information on EMCC exchange events
Reports from previous exchange events, including company network seminars, are published on the emcc portal. These provide an insight into company cases and the conclusions drawn from them.