ICT Cluster Strategy

2009-01-07T11:03:23Z

The ICT Cluster 2008-11 Strategy builds upon the Cluster strategies first developed in 2002 and subsequently updated and modified in 2005.

During the early part of 2003 the Cluster Opportunity Group (COG) commissioned SQW to conduct a consultation exercise across the region with both public organisations and the private sector. The findings of the consultation process were then validated through a series of workshops with private and public sector attendees. A copy of the subsequent report entitled "ICT Strategy and Action Plan" is available from our Document Library.

The Strategic Framework for the ICT Cluster developed in consultation with partners during 2003, guides and structures ICT Cluster activity as we work to achieve our Vision.

The Framework, shown below, identifies four key areas, or Strategic Directions, which define the prime objectives for all activities we will undertake to move the sector forwards towards the cluster goal.

The Directions are:

Community of Interest: Creating a well networked sector, with strategic co-ordination of small firms to raise competitiveness and market access and a strong reputation and credibility both within and outside the region.
Managing Transition: Effective diversification to increase the percentage of companies engaged in high value added ICT manufacturing activities and in growing services market sectors. Developing recognised competence in the application of ICT technologies to target market sectors.
Targeted Sub-Clusters: ‘Pick winners’ for a small number of niche sub-sectors, where our current assets and knowledge give the West Midlands a comparative advantage nationally and internationally.
Exercising the Knowledge Muscle: Appropriately targeted, and well disseminated, research in ICT, effective collaboration and spin-out activities resulting in leading-edge knowledge based firms in the sector. The use of our extensive knowledge resource to develop the management competence of the sector.

The above four Directions are supported by three Strategic Enablers which are the key underpinning infrastructures that will support and link activities delivered under the Strategic Directions.

The Strategic Enablers are:

Hard and soft infrastructures – Includes knowledge, facilities, infrastructure, people, business expertise and finance. A challenge for the cluster strategy will be to draw out the ICT-relevant support from infrastructures that are generally configured to work across the spectrum of industry sectors.
Data and intelligence – vital to underpin strategy and decision-making in a rapidly changing industry environment.
Active links to other sectors – ‘oiling the wheels’ for ICT firms to access the local market, whilst at the same time reaping the benefits of ICT solutions for other sectors in the regional economy.

Delivering on the Strategic Directions will require a broad range of Actions. Much progress has been made, or has already been planned, by a wide variety of delivery partners. However, there remain significant gaps which will need to be filled by new and innovative projects. Below we highlight the lead that projects established by the ICT Cluster are addressing and promoting. A full list of current projects, and more details on these projects can be found under activities on this website.

Establishment of an integrated regional IT association bringing together existing sub-regional IT associations and WM Digital.
Build a "state of the art" IT complex providing advice consultancy and high-level training to SMEs in high growth sectors.
Application of expertise in Computational Intelligence to industrial problems in optimisation, machine learning and data mining and design.
Provide awareness for ICT SMEs of latest technology developments and demonstrate business benefits of implementing IT.
Establish and support a network of photonics companies, universities and research bodies and promote the application of photonics technologies to industries in end user market sectors.
Assist development, promote and encourage take-up, increase awareness of Open Source. Become a regional and national focus for OSS developers and users.