Knowledge economy forum meets in Helsinki
The forum, titled Implementing Knowledge Economy Strategies: Innovation, Life-long Learning, Partnership, Networks and Inclusion, is taking place in Helsinki on 25-28 March. The participants of the Forum consist of representatives of the World Bank, the European Commission, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the European Investment Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and the Development (EBRD) and experts of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The forum, hosted by the Finnish government, is a follow-up to the conference of Paris in 2002, where the strategic readiness of the new EU candidates, Russia and Ukraine to develop knowledge economy was evaluated. In Helsinki the experts present reports of the case studies in constructing innovation systems and development of intellectual capital. Also experiences of the life-long learning environment are on the agenda. In Helsinki the emphasis is on the implementation of the knowledge economy. Lithuania can be observed as an example on the grounds that the report concerning that particular country has been completed. Its purpose is to bring up discussion about the best means to reach the objectives.
The forum highlights the Finnish example in many ways. Finland focused on the dissemination of information, which has made it one of the fastest growing economies. Countries that have not activated changes required by the modern society seem to be stagnated in international development and competition. Siegelbaum says that Finland is a good example of a country that has transferred from a natural economy to a highly knowledge-based society. The implementation of technological knowledge has been very effective in Finland as success cannot lie exclusively on the mobile phones. The key factor to success in particular is the ability to apply the principles concerning knowledge. For instance wood industry, that is an essential branch for the country, has been able to benefit from knowledge and improve its productivity.
However, the participant countries do not aim to enter the same market with the more developed countries. For example, in the telecommunication business the competition is hard and very narrow. It is important to learn from the more developed countries, but also to find a business where knowledge then can be implemented. These industries can vary depending on the country. Poland might invest in apple production or the export of financial services and Romania in wine production. All these industries can benefit from the knowledge economy.
In the progress of the knowledge economy the role of the government is important. The participants of the forum will become familiar with the role of the government in Finland. Mr. Siegelbaum finds it a challenging question how the government can stimulate the enterprises without being too dominating but at the same time politically neutral. Kari Janhunen, the Finnish Trade Commissioner in Washington, clarifies that the meaning of the government changes during the different stages of the chain of progress. It is interesting how Finland has managed to maintain the amount of investments in the knowledge economy and the consensus even though the GDP in Finland declined heavily in the 90's. This is why the forum now takes place in Helsinki and gives the participants a possibility to have a closer look at the Finnish solutions.