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Center of Excellence 4.0 for SMEs
Published on 26 June 2018
Germany
Sachsen-Anhalt
This is the good practice's implementation level. It can be national, regional or local.
About this good practice
It is focused on typical industrial sectors in Saxony-Anhalt like for example engineering, logistics, agriculture and chemical industries. Main target of the Center of Excellence is to increase digital know-how of companies by showing them good practices, organizing workshops, providing guidelines and giving advices on optimizing internal processes, digital networking and digital business models. Also supports enterprises to identify new business areas.
The Mittelstand 4.0-Kompetenzzentrum Magdeburg (Center of Excellence for SMEs 4.0) is part of Mittelstand-Digital (Digital SMEs). Through Mittelstand-Digital, the federal ministry of economics and energy supports small and medium enterprises, and skilled crafts businesses.
Outputs:
- Convey methods for recording and depicting business processes
- Identify starting points for the digitalization of business processes
- Understanding the interactions of operational functions
- Improved ability of systemic thinking and improved understanding of the different roles within a company
- Implementation of digitalization projects
- Case studies for digitalization
The Mittelstand 4.0-Kompetenzzentrum Magdeburg (Center of Excellence for SMEs 4.0) is part of Mittelstand-Digital (Digital SMEs). Through Mittelstand-Digital, the federal ministry of economics and energy supports small and medium enterprises, and skilled crafts businesses.
Outputs:
- Convey methods for recording and depicting business processes
- Identify starting points for the digitalization of business processes
- Understanding the interactions of operational functions
- Improved ability of systemic thinking and improved understanding of the different roles within a company
- Implementation of digitalization projects
- Case studies for digitalization
Expert opinion
Digitalization continues to be a crucial aspect of SME competitiveness with many companies, especially in the more traditional sectors, facing the risk of falling behind the “innovators”. Even more, many companies might be too small to be able to afford their own ICT specialists. As such, solutions like the Center of Excellence 4.0 program that support digital skills and processes have the potential to make a considerable contribution to the continued competitiveness of SMEs. Various events have been organized and consultations have been offered to a considerable number of companies since the program started in mid-2017. The solution is transferable and could inspire policy-makers elsewhere.
Works at
Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform
Resources needed
- approx. 10 full-time employees financed over three years
- funding by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy
- funding by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy
Evidence of success
Status after the first year:
- 23 own events held
- Implementation of digitisation consultation hours at 80 medium-sized companies
- Participation in 60 events of multipliers with e.g. lectures, speeches or presentations
- More than 3,400 participants reached at own and external events
- 23 own events held
- Implementation of digitisation consultation hours at 80 medium-sized companies
- Participation in 60 events of multipliers with e.g. lectures, speeches or presentations
- More than 3,400 participants reached at own and external events
Potential for learning or transfer
It is transferrable. It is a central contact point where companies, not only from Saxony-Anhalt but also throughout Germany, can go to when there need advice and support concerning digitalization.
Due to the low number of employees many SMEs don't have their own IT department. In this case, the Center of Excellence 4.0 supported these SMEs with using ICT.
- The Center of Excellence 4.0 Magdeburg informs small and medium-sized enterprises about the opportunities and challenges of digitisation in the region.
- Qualification of employees and managers in selected areas of digitalization
- Concrete on-site support for companies, e.g. through digitisation consultation hours, implementation of small projects or convoy support
Due to the low number of employees many SMEs don't have their own IT department. In this case, the Center of Excellence 4.0 supported these SMEs with using ICT.
- The Center of Excellence 4.0 Magdeburg informs small and medium-sized enterprises about the opportunities and challenges of digitisation in the region.
- Qualification of employees and managers in selected areas of digitalization
- Concrete on-site support for companies, e.g. through digitisation consultation hours, implementation of small projects or convoy support
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
Centre for product, process and process innovation - ZPVP GmbH
Germany
Sachsen-Anhalt
Contact