EU Framework Funding Helps SMEs Access World-class Business Applications
The ALTERNATIVE system, developed with project partners in the UK, Greece, Germany and Austria, provides European SMEs with interactive web-based tools to assist them in understanding how Application Service Provision (ASP) can help their business. ASP companies are technology focused and, usually for a monthly fee, deliver software applications over the Internet to any number of organisations. Increasing numbers of SMEs are turning to outsourcing service providers such as ASPs, to access state of the art information technologies in order to maximise their competitive advantage, says Dr. Philip Seltsikas, Project Co-ordinator at the University of Surrey School of Management. ALTERNATIVE marks a watershed in ASP and outsourcing analysis techniques as well as the provision of tools for small and medium sized enterprises. If a company has no experience of outsourcing and ASP then utilising the ALTERNATIVE system will give them the in-depth knowledge needed to make informed decisions about ASP in relation to their business. Many factors are important when considering ASP, including financial and performance measures, as well as non-financial indicators. ALTERNATIVE uses a web-based risk assessment framework for evaluating ASP - the risks and the benefits - providing the SME with a unique vendor-neutral knowledge base, on-line interaction and decision support tools to help evaluate different application service provision (ASP) scenarios and services and assist the outsourcing decision making process. The ALTERNATIVE project is a perfect example of how European Framework funding is being used for the future benefit of small and medium sized businesses, says Peter Walters, UK National Contact Point for IST within the EUs 6th Framework Programme. SMEs create over half of Europes prosperity and we must ensure that they have access to the best help possible to enable them to compete effectively not only within Europe but on the world stage. Framework funding is the EUs main method of providing funding for collaborative research and innovation. The current Framework Programme (FP6) runs until 2006 and organisations wanting free information on how to access some of the 17.5bn available should log on to http://fp6uk.ost.gov.uk(si apre in una nuova finestra) or call central telephone support on 0870 600 6080. By using the ALTERNATIVE tools, small and medium sized enterprises will be able to identify the critical issues, risks and benefits relating to ASP use. ,The EUs Framework Programmes are the worlds largest, publicly funded, research and technological development programmes. The Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) covers the period 2002-2006 and is the European Unions main instrument for the funding of collaborative research and innovation. It is open to public and private entities of all sizes in the EU and a number of non-EU countries. It has an overall budget of 17.5 billion. Most of the budget for FP6 is devoted to work in seven priority thematic areas:,? Life sciences, Genetics and Biotechnology for Health;,? Information Society Technologies;,? Nanotechnologies and Nanosciences, Knowledgebased Multifunctional Materials and New Production Processes and Devices;,? Aeronautics and Space;,? Food Quality and Safety;,? Sustainable Development, Global Change and Ecosystems; and,? Citizens and Governance in a Knowledge-based Society. There is also a focus on the research activities of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) across all seven thematic areas. The services of FP6UK are funded by the Office of Science & Technology (OST) / Department of Trade & Industry (DTI). More information can be found on http://fp6uk.ost.gov.uk(si apre in una nuova finestra) IST Programme ,The IST Priority Thematic Area (PTA) of the 6th Framework Programme(FP6) is the largest of the seven PTAs with a budget of 3.6bn over the lifetime of FP6. The first Call for proposals with a budget of 1070m - closed in April 2003. The second Call closed on 15 October 2003 and had a budget of 525m. The 3rd Call for proposals will be announced in early June 2004 along with a Joint Call with the Priority 3 area -Nanotechnologies, Materials and Production technologies. ,
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United Kingdom