| |
"byte
local"
The Shannon region is
recognised as the second most prominent
IT region in Ireland. Opportunities exist
for enterprises in the region to draw
upon that strength. Patron projects are
one mechanism by which companies,
thinking globally, can act locally.
Patron projects involve
business transactions for the mutual
benefit of collaborating enterprises
where the exchange of knowledge and
expertise, beyond a purely financial
transaction, confers significant added
value.
Patronage is a two-way process. Many
patron projects are centred upon a
customer-supplier relationship, but
others include:-
- strategic partnerships, perhaps
in product development, process
improvement, joint marketing,
etc;
- fostering the creation of new
enterprises, typically by former
employees;
- projects focused upon learning
and the development of a learning
organisation;
- experimentation and exploration
of 'what if' scenarios using
external resources.
ShannonSoft patron projects
focus upon the provision of services, in
particular software and IT related
services, not unlike the relationship
between enterprises in a supply chain for
materials and manufactured goods.
Patron projects make business
sense for a number of reasons.
For the patron there is:
- the potential to concentrate
resources on core activities and
functions
- the opportunity to strengthen
service suppliers for longer-term
stability
- an input of fresh ideas and
perspectives from outside the
company
- experience for middle management
and technical professionals
- the opportunity for high-profile
and rewarding community
interaction.
The business rationale for the
beneficiary includes:
- access to specialist know-how and
practices in marketing, finance,
design, etc.
- the opportunity to gain
credibility through collaboration
with a reputable partner
- access to advance high-quality
information on customer needs,
market trends
- an insight into future
organisational needs for the
growing company.
A potential patron would list
all software-related tasks that are
regularly performed within the
enterprise, categorising each task for
its contribution to the core mission of
the enterprise. A specialist partner
might add value in a number of areas:-
e.g. management information systems;
internal IT and systems support (design,
R&D, CAD, networks, workflow, etc);
production-line test and QA software;
manufacturing automation, and
optimisation; software testing; and
customisation and localisation.
|
I 
