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In order to incorporate ICT and eWork considerations fully into a regional development strategy, it is important to identify key regional actors and stakeholders (both individuals and organisations) and to ensure their participation in a network of dialogue, learning and action. This may be relatively informal, but could also be formalised as a regional steering (or umbrella) group or task force. Candidates for incorporation in such a network or group are:

• the main ICT users in the area, such as private businesses including both SMEs and any larger enterprises, the public sector, civic groups and NGOs, individuals, etc. Companies and organisations represented in the region which already implement eWork, or have a potential to do so, should be invited to join.

• the main suppliers of ICT systems: infrastructure operators, ISPs, service and application providers, equipment vendors, etc.

• the important intermediaries who can assist in bringing the interests of ICT users and ICT suppliers together. For example, relevant local, regional and national authorities, planning agencies, labour market organisations, employers’ organisations, trade unions or employee staff associations, chambers of commerce and similar, educational and training organisations, academics and researchers, consultancies, marketing specialists.

• if necessary, also ICT funders, if investment is needed and unlikely to be forthcoming from the actors already represented. (see Funding Sources)

Relevant actors could be regional representatives of national organisations, as well as those which are purely locally or regionally based. One of the purposes of such a network or group will be to build a consensus, whereby the interests of all parties can be taken into account and promoted, through the encouragement of partnerships which can work together regionally to further the aims of regional development. In this context, it is thus clearly sensible to:

• work with and through existing organisations where possible

• develop consensus, co-operation and co-ordination, at all levels including the political

• identify and harness the energy, enthusiasm and trust of local and regional champions (ie key individuals who can persuade others, provide local leadership, etc.)

• combine the skills, enthusiasm and resources of the region (bottom-up) with appropriate know-how, connections and resources outside the region (top-down).

At the outset there is a need to consider, as part of the regional development strategy:

• the roles and responsibilities of each of the actors (it may be useful, for example, to form specialised sub-groups)

• the level of ICT knowledge and understanding, both of the actors, and of the wider community where relevant, and thus the extent to which these need to be upgraded

• the level of ambition as part of a future vision of what the totality of development initiatives in the area is aiming at, how the specific ICT and eWork initiatives should fit in with this, and how in general terms it is proposed to get there

• the overall long-term agenda and the time horizon envisaged depending upon the above considerations.

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