FLEXWORK: Demonstrating and promoting the take-up of new ways of flexible working among outlying regions and SMEs

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 00.0340

Key words (English)

New ways of working; flexible working; cost benefit analysis; SMEs; regional development;
Economic Aspects; Information Processing; Information Systems

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: IST-2000-26367

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 5. Frame Research Programme - 1.2.2 New methods of work and electronic commerce

Short description (English)

See abstract

Partners and International Organizations (English)

Coordinator: Waterford Institute of Technology (IRL)

Abstract (English)

To facilitate the practical take-up of new ways of flexible working using technologies from within and outside IST, in outlying or technologically disadvantaged regions with special emphasis on SME's. To demonstrate to SME's in these regions how Service Deployment Templates (detailed guidelines and procedures) can enable them to make use of existing technologies and new technologies. To encourage synergy between IST technologies and organisations using the European Regional Development Fund and European Social Fund, by working with EURADA (European association of regional development agencies), ADAPT (European employment network) and Telework organisations.

The project will develop Service Deployment Templates, using SME's in developing regions in Ireland, Portugal and Eastern Europe as usage case studies. It will channel and demonstrate these Service Deployment Templates and the underlying flexible working technology directly to the users by participating in their own conferences, workshops, publications and websites. It will support all levels of flexible working technology, from application software (e.g for collaborative working and virtual meetings) to the underlying communications infrastructure, with emphasis on the use of open standards.

The project will raise the awareness among regional development agencies involved in the use of the Regional Development Fund, of new communications infrastructure technologies in which they could invest.
It will feed requirements, issues and comments back to the IST projects.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 00.0340