Monday, June 16, 2008, Hotel Golf Jupiter 1, 16:00 - 17:30

Co-chairs:
Kristina Bogataj, Project Manager
Oria Computers, Slovenia
Andreja Pucihar, Assistant Professor & Head, eMarkets Laboratory
eCenter, Faculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Maribor, Slovenia

Panelists:
Flavio Bonfatti, Associate Professor
Departmentt of Informatics Engineering, University of Modena, Italy
& SEAMLESS Project Coordinator
Christian Kittl, Head         
International Programs, evolaris eBusiness Competence Center, Austria   
Andrej Mertelj, CEO           
Datalab d.d., Slovenia     
Gerhard Laga, eCenter Manager
Department Strategies, The Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, Austria

Other panelists to be indicated

Panel outline

Modern ICT enables organizations to become more efficient and effective in the local and European markets. Large organizations usually adopt modern ICT and new business models much faster than SMEs, which due to the lack of resources (human, knowledge and financial) more often stay behind. However, ICT offers many opportunities also to the SMEs. As in EU more than 99% of companies are SMEs, EU supports research and development programs in this field through different programs.

In spite of this, many national and international initiatives have also been launched with the purpose of stimulating the faster adoption of e-business by SMEs. Initiatives are focused mostly in reducing the administrative burdens, simplifying the communication with governments, awareness and knowledge creation etc…

The panelists will present various ongoing activities, projects, national and international initiatives which are aimed in stimulating the wider adoption of e-business by SMEs in a means of national and cross-border collaboration.

The panel also invites representatives from other projects, initiatives and activities in this field.