Integrated Cross-Sectorial Plan of Tirana-Durres Area

Role 15: Promoting funding programs that
increase competitiveness
One of the easiest ways to foster cooperation
between firms and achieve economies of
scale is by considering only proposals from
joint venture groups, even if they are in the
initial stages of cooperation.
Objectives for such funding may include:
• support towards business concentrations or
associations with complementary features of
each other;
• company consortia for the technical and
managerial services needed to train network
companies;
• consortia of small companies that serve to
develop or improve job vacancies.
Role 16: Investing in R & D clusters
Much of the advanced scientific research is
conducted in public / private universities.
Historically, they have been funded
through the curricula, but not necessarily
related to regional economies. Funds
are usually focused on publications, not
commercialization. Research in these
institutions should be promoted, driven by
the needs of the local economy and not by
the global trend in faculty development. In
such way, investments can have immediate
benefits.
Clusters can be supported by:
a. adding to the funding criteria
the importance and potential of
commercialization that scientific research
can have on the regional and local economy,
based on measurable and monitorable
results;
b. allocating more research funds in less
favoured parallel institutions.
Role 17: Encouraging the use of incubators
Incubators are already widely used
instruments for supporting new and small
business ventures, providing space and lowcost
technical and consulting services that
promote the dissemination of knowledge and
technology within clusters.
It is suggested to build them with
partnerships between the private business
and academia, where central and local
government can be coordinators and
facilitators of decision-making processes.
Role 18: Establishing technological centres
Many developed economies have invested in
technology centres as part of the regional
economic development policies. These
centres are often linked with educational
institutions and incubation centres, but there
are times when they are independent.
Focusing on local technology clusters can
stimulate innovation and simplify technology
transfer.
Role 19: Using clusters as a promotional
mechanism
Different states have used clusters to selfpropagate
as suitable places to do business
and to visit. Scotland, New Zealand, Canada,
Spain, Ireland and Italy are some of the
countries that have used clusters effectively
to promote regions with a focus on investors
and potential new clients.
The creation of these opportunities will have
to be integrated with regional development
and branding strategies, as well as national
regional policies.
Role 20: Supporting the development of
export networks
Small and medium-sized companies suffer
from lack of resources and skills / knowledge
on interaction opportunities with potential
partners and buyers in other countries to
maximize the potentials of the global market.
Governance can foster the creation of workbased
export companies in the clustered
network, with the aim of attracting skills /
knowledge from enterprises for the creation
of a regional information base that can
create a critical mass to exploit global export
opportunities. Usually the result is a forum
for collaboration / cooperation with a wider
scope than just exporting products.
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