Call for success stories

Background

After many high-level meetings in which problems and strategies have been discussed at macro-level of countries and large regions, it can be refreshing and inspiring to go down once in a while to the micro-level of personal stories and down-to-earth cases of real life situations. For that reason WBC-INCO.NET decided to collect success stories from the region and present them to a wider public. Partners in the project have been asked to suggest persons, projects or firms that come to mind when thinking of ´success & innovation´ - two success stories were published afterwards in WBC-INCO.NET Journal (Spring/Summer 2012): one from Albania and the other from FYR of Macedonia (page 14-15).

We also hope that WBC-INCO.NET, our project, could contribute to some of your positive experiences and we aim to collect also such stories that highlight our impact in the region.

Structure and the content of the articles

The stories do not necessarily have to be high-tech or R&D intensive, and the stories may come from researchers or entrepreneurs, but also from policy makers or project managers. Besides offering inspiration and increasing awareness the success stories can provide a qualitative contribution to the analysis of the innovation system in WBC.

Influence of WBC-INCO.NET on your success (if any)

We also would like to collect information about the influence of the WBC-INCO.NET on your work! Here are just a few questions summarising how WBC-INCO.NET might have influenced your success:

• you participated in one of our events and could later use the new connections with another institution, organisation or company and/or the information you received at the event
• you learnt about an exciting opportunity through the WBC-INCO.NET events, the portal or the newsletter
• you created a new project idea inspired by WBC-INCO.NET activities
• you used one of our articles to support research for your thesis or your project proposal
• ….

Summing up, you are welcome to send us:

1.      Your success story (influenced by WBC-INCO.NET) OR

2.      Your success story (not influenced by WBC-INCO.NET)

Suggested structure of your article (if adequate):

• Title
• Subtitle (or short description in one sentence)
• First part: Describe your success story
• Second part: What were/are the barriers and drivers of your success? Distinguish barriers/drivers: internal to the case (e.g. personal motive or lacking capacities) and external: barriers/drivers in the context of the regional innovation system in WBC.
• Third part is on message, advice, inspiration from the successful local, innovative person/firm/project etc. to a) WBC-INCO.NET b) less experienced colleagues, c) other “practitioners”, actors in the innovation system and d) policy makers. 

Formal guidelines:

• Length of the article: not limited
• Short curriculum vitae (continuous text with max. 500 characters incl. blanks)
• Photo
• Please send your contributions to office@wbc-inco.net and include the reference “Success stories” in your e-mail.

Terms and Conditions

1. WBC-INCO.NET reserves the right to make media announcements and/or publish names and photographs of participants. 
2. WBC-INCO.NET reserves the right to cancel or prolong the call at any time.
3. WBC-INCO.NET reserves the right to disqualify any articles.
4. WBC-INCO.NET decisions are final and no correspondence will be entered into.
5. WBC-INCO.NET accepts no responsibility for any costs incurred by any person participating in this call.
6. By submitting their articles, participants accept the terms and conditions.