The SNOwMan project started in October 2017 and has collaboration between SMVs, higher education institutions and intermediaries in Denmark, Poland, Finland, Germany and Lithuania. The Interreg Baltic Sea Region finances the project. The aim of the project was to develop a tool to help small and medium sized (from five to 50 employees) owner managed production companies to create growth by taking advantage of their potential in non-technological innovation. This specific type of companies has some particular challenges, which the project has worked to overcome.
The tool developed by the project is based on the notion that smaller companies that are owned and managed by the same person have some special circumstances to work from – among other things the consideration of the family and the capital base. Because of this, the companies often have difficulties exploiting their potential for non-technological innovation. This could be developing the level of competencies of the company, establishing a board or changing focus in the marketing of the company’s products. Therefore, the tool is developed to be very flexible in order to consider the individual company’s particular circumstances.
The tool consists of a six step development process which is completed in cooperation between the owner manager and a business consultant. After an introduction, the company’s primary challenges are identified, followed by the development of a strategy and action plan, all with basis in the vision of the company. Afterwards, the operationalization of the strategy and action plan is carried out and completed with measuring and evaluating the outputs.
“6 steps for innovation is targeted counselling of smaller owner managed companies. It is very consciously established as a digital platform so business consultants in all participating countries can use the tool”, says project manager Susan Hedelin Dalum and continues: “We have, in the development of the 6 steps for innovation, used the special circumstances for smaller owner managed companies as a starting point because they are barriers for the growth of the companies. The tool is developed based on the knowledge and experiences from both Poland, Finland, Germany, Lithuania and Denmark.”
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