Author(s):
1. Bjørn Willy Åmo,

Abstract:
This paper contributes to the analysis of the design of regional development programs. This is a case study of the birth, life, death and afterlife of a stately development program in Norway, supporting diffusion of innovations by promoting e-business in SMEs (small and medium sized enterprises). The study utilizes stakeholder theory along with theories describing collaboration and orchestrating for developing a deeper understanding of the dynamics in the discussed case. The study shows that joint projects like regional development programs have to be designed such that the present value of the future benefits always exceeds the present value of the future effort for all stakeholders vital for the survival of the project. The study also indicate that a development program not always have one common goal which all the stakeholders agree upon. There are several stakeholders who may have different goals by playing a part in the realization of the program. The paper offers three propositions: 1. Joint projects like regional development programs have to be designed such that the present value of the future benefits always exceeds the present value of the future effort for all stakeholders vital for the survival of the project. 2. Relational power is a factor that decides which actor who gets their goals attained in a joint effort involving several stakeholders with unbalanced power relations. 3. The order of who is putting in effort and attaining goals might affect the survival and deliveries of a project. Even if some parties evaluate the results of a development program as a failure, other may have attained their goals. The lessons learned from this study may advise the designers of development programs involving several independent stakeholders. There is a lack of research examining failing development programs, investigating the reasons for it to be considered a failure. This paper shows why a development program was terminated and gives hint to how joint programs could be designed in order for the program to deliver the wanted results to all the key stakeholders.

Key words:
Regional development initiatives, development program, stakeholders, diffusion of innovations, goal fulfillment, design of development programs

Date of abstract submission:
15.11.2013.

Conference:
REDETE 2014 - Researching Economic Development and Entrepreneurship in Transition Economies