Regional Cooperation and Innovation Activities of Small and Medium Enterprises between Danube-Basin States

by Pero Petrović, Ph.D. ^[1]

abstract of article presented at the XII International Conference "Danube - River of Cooperation" (October, 11-14 2001) and published in Danubius 1-2/2001

In regional cooperation small and medium enterprises have advantage over bigger ones. Changes in technology have bigger flexibility that leads to progress in research and development. Little enterprises are involved in step-by-step innovation.

In the field of regional cooperation the most important function of small and medium enterprises is to test, research and sometimes move limits in searching for unverified or in another way forgotten benefits for achievement of economic growth and job creation.

Regional cooperation also implies to generate experience of economic development; they are meant to be on relation knowledge - based economy.

Realization of the most relevant role of technologically-oriented enterprises in regional economic development and increased employment is related to favorable business environment, culture of entrepreneurship activities and technical infrastructure as well accessibility and approach to fundamental recourses.

Regional cooperation involves the following areas:

• Implementation of quality control
• Orientation to consumers
• Improvement of innovation capacities of enterprises
• Integration with national innovation system
• Progress of evaluation and estimate of the program of technological diffusion

[1] Research fellow at the Institute of International Politics and Economics
Address: Makedonska 25, 11000 Belgrade, SCG

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