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PROJECT INFORMATION
Project name Social innovation research on coworking clusters
Acronym COWORKMed
Axis 1 “Promoting Mediterranean innovation capacities to develop smart and
sustainable growth”
Programme specific 1.1 To increase transnational activity of innovative clusters and networks
objective of key sectors of the MED area
Project website https://coworkmed.interreg-med.eu/
WP (name and number) 3.4. SWOT analysis addressing MED Cities and Territories
Activity (name and L3.4.2. Territorial SWOT analysis (Tuscany Region)
number)
Partner in charge IRIS
Partners involved IRIS
Status Draft
Distribution Restricted
Summary
Introduction ............................................................................................................... 3
1. National and regional SWOTs. A short summary .................................................... 4
Table 1. NATIONAL AND REGIONAL SWOTS. SYNOPTIC VIEW ...................................................................... 4
Table 2. STRENGHTS ...................................................................................................................................... 5
Table 2. WEAKNESSES ................................................................................................................................... 5
Table 4. OPPORTUNITIES ............................................................................................................................... 6
Table 5. STRENGTHS ...................................................................................................................................... 6
2. Transnational SWOT ............................................................................................... 7
Table 6. TRANSNATIONAL SWOT AND MOST RECURRING CATEGORIES ...................................................... 7
3. Recommendations for the final guidelines ............................................................. 8
Table 7. MATRIX OF STRATEGIC POSSIBILITIES.............................................................................................. 8
USING STRENGTHS TO EXPLOIT OPPORTUNITIES ......................................................................................... 8
USING STRENGTHS TO AVOID OR MINIMALIZE THREATS ............................................................................. 8
IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS WEAKNESSES THAT MAY PREVENT ACHIEVING OBJECTIVES ................................ 9
IDENTIFY WEAKNESSES THAT MAKE THE ORGANISATION VULNERABLE TO THREATS................................. 9
2
Introduction
1
See European Commission, Evalsed Sourcebook on Methods and Techniques,
http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/newsroom/news/2013/11/evaluation-guidance-evalsed-guide-and-
sourcebook-updates, pp. 158-164.
3
1. National and regional SWOTs. A short summary
The table below provide a synoptic view of the national and regional SWOTs (for more details,
see 3.4.1. deliverables).
Helpful Harmful
STRENGHTS WEAKNESSES
CAT Impact of the coworking concept on the labor market Lack of action in recognition of the coworking concept on the
Presence of relevant stakeholder for the region of Catalonia part of the Administration
- Cowocat Lacking in an on-line tool to encourage the communication of
Coworking spaces like hub of knowledge the values of the associative community - Cowocat
To encourage the coworking collaborative format, to
strengthen the community of communities
CRO Concentration of business entities / entrepreneurs Lack of strategy and implementing measures for the
Increasing number of professional individuals development of the economy
Welcoming startup ecosystem Insufficient cooperation with other counties in the preparation
Strong civil sector of joint development economic projects
Developed modern business infrastructure Low visibility of freelancers at market
High taxes and slow administration procedure
INTERNAL FACTORS
GR The variety of quality services offered Unclear and not well defined bureaucratic steps for setting up a
Active engagement and support from public bodies, coworking space
policymakers and other stakeholders Concentration of the vast majority of coworking spaces in the
Relatively low-cost services two biggest cities of Greece
Inactivity of some existing coworking spaces
PAC Increasing offer in response of a strong existing demand for Lack of visibility
coworking spaces and access to digital services and products Fragility of business models
Existing regional policy to support innovative third places. Synergies to be found between coworking spaces
Diversity and diversification of workplaces and services
offered
Strong connection with the entrepreneurial ecosystem
Changing needs and mentalities
TUS The current regional policy framework Age limitations in Regional regulations
Ongoing interactions between institutions and stakeholders Inactivity or weak territorial rooting of some coworking spaces
Municipalities’ sensitivity and interest for coworking Reductive approaches (‘renting offices’)
activities Polarisation of Tuscan coworking spaces
Various managing practices and offered services
OPPORTUNITIES THREATS
CAT Development of public policies for the recognition of the Current policy and economic situation
concept coworking on the part of the Administration Large companies that offer services of coworking
Integration talents with local economic activity Spaces that there are named “coworking” but they do not offer
Emergence of new concepts coworking - business factory the activity as such
There are margins of growth in market for coworking spaces
CRO EU funding opportunities for SMEs Legislative deficiency related to entrepreneurial development
Networking and cross-border cooperation Migration outflows/moving economic activities of successful
Substantial growth of coworking spaces startups abroad
Development of Crowdfunding Platforms Difficult assess to finance for freelancers
GR Financing possibilities through European and national Lack of a formal regulation for coworking spaces and the
EXTERNAL FACTORS
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In the following four tables, each one representing a specific section of the SWOT, each subject
has been classified under one of the following five, discrete, categories:
- POLICIES (highlighted in red);
- MARKET (yellow);
- MEMBERS (grey);
- SERVICES (green);
- STAKEHOLDERS (blue).
The last two (services and stakeholders) are not present among the external factors since they
deal with activities and factors involving coworking spaces activities (and as such, they are not
really external with respect to the observed framework).
Table 2. STRENGHTS
CAT Impact of the coworking concept on the labor market
Presence of relevant stakeholders for the region of Catalonia
Coworking spaces like hub of knowledge
CRO Concentration of business entities/entrepreneurs
Increasing number of professional individuals
Welcoming startup ecosystem
Strong civil sector
Developed modern business infrastructure
GR The variety of quality services offered
Active engagement and support from public bodies, policymakers and other stakeholders
Relatively low-cost services
PAC Increasing offer in response of a strong existing demand for coworking spaces and access to digital services
and products
Existing regional policy aiming to support innovative third places
Diversity and diversification of workplaces and services offered
Strong connection with the entrepreneurial ecosystem
Changing needs and mentalities
TUS The current regional policy framework
Ongoing interactions between institutions and stakeholders
Municipalities’ sensitivity and interest for coworking activities
Various managing practices and offered services
Table 2. WEAKNESSES
CAT Lack of action in recognition of the coworking concept on the part of the Administration
Lacking an on-line tool to encourage the communication of the values of the associative community
To encourage the coworking collaborative format, to strengthen the community of communities
CRO Lack of strategy and implementing measures for the development of the economy
Insufficient cooperation with other counties in the preparation of joint development economic projects
Low visibility of freelancers at market
High taxes and slow administration procedures
GR Unclear and not well defined bureaucratic steps for setting up a coworking space
Concentration of the vast majority of coworking spaces in the two biggest cities of Greece
Inactivity or weak territorial rooting of some coworking spaces
PAC Lack of visibility
Fragility of business models
Synergies to be found between coworking spaces
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TUS Age limitations in Regional regulations
Inactivity or weak territorial rooting of some coworking spaces
Reductive approaches (‘renting offices’)
Polarisation of Tuscan coworking spaces
Table 4. OPPORTUNITIES
CAT Development of public policies for the recognition of the concept coworking on the part of the
Administration
Integration of talents in local economic activity
Emergence of new concepts (coworking - business factory)
Margins of growth in market for coworking spaces
CRO EU funding opportunities for SMEs
Networking and cross-border cooperation
Substantial growth of coworking spaces
Development of Crowdfunding Platforms
GR Financing possibilities through European and national programs
Increasing number of freelancers and individual professionals
Strong local and national SMEs networks
PAC Wide majority of micro-businesses and SMEs on the territory
Rise of teleworking in enterprises and in administrations
Local authorities starting to carry coworking spaces by themselves
Transformation of work induced by digital technologies or by the apparition of new profession
TUS Tuscan socio-economic model: a polycentric system
International supply chains based on SMEs
Increasing number of freelancers and individual professionals
Increasing role of knowledge in the socio-economic system
Table 5. STRENGTHS
THREATS
CAT Current political and economic situation
Big companies offering coworking services
Spaces named as “coworking” but not really offering the activity as such
CRO Legislative deficiency related to entrepreneurial development
Migration outflows/moving economic activities of successful startups abroad
Difficult assess to finance for freelancers
GR Lack of a formal regulation for coworking spaces and the overall sector
The overall negative economic situation in Greece
Overall trend and need for professionals to minimize their operational costs
PAC Concerns about self-employment negative effects (social and economic condition of the coworkers, etc.)
A rural depopulation and a context of economic inequalities
Rarefaction of public grants
Rise of real estate prices for coworking spaces
TUS Overall trend of weakening of Tuscan SMEs
Enduring prevalence of closed (family) management styles in SMEs
Low perception of opportunities related to high skills in SMES
Freelancers’/individual professionals’ increasing job insecurity
6
2. Transnational SWOT
Table 6 shows the transnational SWOT. This SWOT has been built up by grouping topics and
items under the previously mentioned five categories (only three with regard to the external
factors). Each plus or minus beside the title of each category indicates how many territories have
listed an item falling into that specific category: the more numerous are the signs ‘plus’ (or
‘minus’), the higher the relevance of that category for Coworkmed area (for instance, five plus
mean that each partner has highlighted at least an item belonging to that category).
The categories more frequently reported in national and regional SWOTs in Coworkmed
territories are highlighted in purple (they score at least four or five plus or minus).
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3. Recommendations for the final guidelines
The final recommendations arise from the transnational SWOT and the four strategic steps as
represented in the 3x3 matrix of table 7.
Strengths Weaknesses
Opportunities Exploit opportunities Identify risks
Threats Avoid/minimalize threats Identify vulnerabilities
o Enhancing the variety of services offered by coworking spaces in order to meet the
increasing demand of actual or potential coworkers (SMEs, freelancers, professionals,
etc.)
o Enhancing territorial anchoring, by forecasting in future calls the involvement of
municipalities and local administrations interested in the clustering of skilled
independent workers
o Reinforcing civic initiatives and associations operating as promoters of new users’
communities and of independent professionals’ cooperation with local and national
authorities
o Strengthening partnerships, associative ties or networks between coworking spaces in
order to better negotiate and represent coworking spaces’ interests in the institutional
context
o Monitoring and spreading existing good practices (i.e.: financial support for demand, not
for supply)
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IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS WEAKNESSES THAT MAY PREVENT ACHIEVING OBJECTIVES
o Identifying bottlenecks and deficiencies in legal provisions related to the opening and
the full operation (also in terms of taxation) of coworking spaces
o Providing guidelines for establishing a coworking and promoting its interactions with
territories and users (SMEs, associations, freelancers etc.)
o Creating a set of indicators for assessing the financial stability of different business
models and for evaluating the impact of coworkers’ activities (with particular reference
to cases of positive or negative self-employment paths)
o Developing or strengthening agencies and institutions (both public and private, or in
partnership) supporting individual professionals to efficiently use financial EU
instruments