Innovation in Transport

What can be done to improve innovation in Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the transport sector? How does innovation spread into the market? What is the role of networks in promoting innovation? Which impact do European and national policy measures have on innovation?

Introducing innovative technology and processes into the transport sector has been the main object of the POSMETRANS (POlicy measures for innovation in TRANSport sector with special focus on Small and Medium sized Entreprises) project which finished in 2011. Funded by the European Commission within the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), it was coordinated by the Steinbeis-Europa-Zentrum and involved six partners from five different countries (Germany, Poland, Italy, Spain and Turkey).

Within the POSMETRANS project a survey was conducted asking experts from the research and industry, as well as experts from networks and public bodies about national and international policy measures. The POSMETRANS consortium has analysed the situation of SMEs within the transport sector especially regarding the innovation process.

Besides providing an overview over innovations in the transport sector related to SMEs in the sector of public transport, freight and logistics, the POSMETRANS handbook presents an insight into the whole transport sector. Special attention was paid to difficulties SMEs face regarding EU funding programmes, dealing with policy measures and being sufficiently represented in networks.

As a core result a list of recommendations to the European Commission was elaborated. Those recommendations will help policy makers to improve the capability of SMEs in the whole transport sector.

Robert Gohla und Jens-Jochen Roth
Compendium POlicy measures for innovation in TRANSport sector with special focus on Small- and Medium sized Enterprises
Steinbeis-Edition, www.steinbeis-edition.de
ISBN 978-3-943356-10-6
Contact:
Steinbeis-Europa-Zentrum, Robert Gohla, gohla@steinbeis-europa.de