EMERGENCE Regional Development Toolkit Goes Online

With the EMERGENCE results now available, hands-on users can access them effectively. EMERGENCE has developed tools for use by decision and policy makers, drawing on the detailed and significant results the research has generated about the opportunities and the challenges thrown up by new forms of telemediated work, or eWork.

Two of these tools work closely together: the eReadiness interrogable database, and the regional development toolkit, both of which are now available on the EMERGENCE website.

The eReadiness database makes available the results of the EMERGENCE employer survey, together with other key global statistics relating to eWork development. By selecting your region or country, you will be able to see at a glance how it scores on a range of different indicators, and compare it with other regions or countries and with EU or global averages.

The regional development toolkit is aimed at regional developers, businesses, NGOs and researchers concerned to understand and locate their region or development initiative in relation to eWork and the new economy. It works in conjunction with the database.

It might be used, for instance, by a regional development agency assessing the opportunities and threats their region is facing; by a business looking for the best location for a call centre; or by a telecentre developing a marketing plan.

The online toolkit includes:

• guidance on finding and using the key statistics and research results
• profiling the local economy and identifying its strengths and weakness
• analysing local labour markets
• developing and implementing regional economic development strategies
• identifying sources of funding for regional development initiatives.