Tomas Hultgren, West Sweden Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Sweden
Martin Börjesson, West Sweden Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Sweden

Introduction:

Jan C Maier, President, Innoveras, Germany

Documentation:

Linus Dahlander, Chalmers University of Technology

Abstract/Key issues: This year the West Sweden Chamber of Commerce and Industry initiated a project to stimulate economic growth in Western Sweden. Regional growth depends on successful regional companies and on their ability to generate revenue through sales. The project aims at improving the bidding process of the regions companies towards MNC's. This is intended to be done by creating a dynamic network consisting of local companies and institutions. The core of the network is a knowledge management system, containing information on the competencies of the network´s members. This effort is supported by a wide social network in the western part of Sweden. The members of the network are selected on the basis of having unique competencies that give them a high business potential. When bidding on an offer from MNC's, selected companies and institutions from the network create a strategic alliance for the specific task. Thus the region´s core competencies would be used to effectively create business opportunities and economic growth. However, questions remain to be discussed: What kind of specific competencies in a company or an institution should and could be part in the system? What kind of problems may occur when creating the alliances and bids? How should the the network body act towards it members and the MNC's? And how select companies with the highest business potential?