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Tekes' Innovative Business Competence and Management programme – Liito

Copyright Tekes, Pasi Hytti

Tekes – the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation, finances and activates companies, universities, colleges and research centres in challenging research and development programmes and innovation endeavours. Tekes provides public sector research centres and private companies with integrated development programmes, which combine both financing and expert services.

The Liito – Innovative Business Competence and Management programme supported businesses in the critical evaluation and development of their business between the years 2006 and 2010. One of the Liito goals was increasing cooperation between researchers and companies.

Challenges

Liito was the first Tekes project to finance areas outside of technology development. The goal was to increase awareness of the fact that companies and research centres can also apply for Tekes funding and expert advice for developing leadership and business competence, not only for technology development.

Communications Solutions

Media communication was utilised as the primary method of spreading the news about Tekes' new role, as the main target audience was fairly broad – all Finnish companies and researchers. Business and technology media, known also as the decision makers' media, were the primary target media of the campaign.

At the first stages of the campaign Tekes Board Member (for example Bo Harald, Max Alfthan and Mikko Kosonen) interviews were offered to chosen media. Later on interviews of researchers and company representatives were pitched to the media, as the focus of the PR was shifted more towards the outcomes of Tekes-funded Liito projects.

These media communication actions were supported by press releases on topical issues throughout the project, an electronic newsletter published four times a year and the programme website at www.tekes.fi/liito .

The media was interested in covering stories about the results of companies’ development projects; however, it was soon realised that attaining publicity for Tekes and the Liito programme proved more challenging. As a solution, later interview suggestions were presented with the opportunity of an additional interview with the Liito chief or coordinator, who would offer media insight about the funding body that was enabling the interesting outcomes.

Results

A total of 30 articles covering the Liito programme were published in the Finnish press, mostly in leading business media (Kauppalehti, Talouselämä, Taloussanomat, Tekniikka & Talous, Fakta). These stories reached new target groups and raised the level of awareness of Tekes as a funding body of business and management competence programmes. They also sparked public conversation of the heightened meaning of business and management competence in global competition and the programme coordinator's opinion columns were published in both Kauppalehti and Talouselämä.