Regional development strategy of high-tech industry: The case of Vojvodina

Abstract

The initial thesis in the present work is that the solution of the problem of improving the competiveness of the economy of Vojvodina indispensably should open the room for the development of high-tech industries, in the first line on the basis of dynamic entrepreneurship and development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Emphasis in the research is on the analysis of the problem of inappropriate institutional order as a factor blocking innovative entrepreneurial conduct, technological development and economic valorization of high technologies, efficient socio-economic coordination of individual development initiatives and larger orientation of financial capital to risky investments in new industries. In this context, the most important limiting factors of development and economic valorization of high technologies in Vojvodina are defined as: (1) absence of socio-economic motivation for innovative behavior and manufacturing entrepreneurship, (2) low availability of skilled and internationally competent labour, (3) poor quality of regional, subregional and local STIEOT infrastructure, (4) orientation of regional financial infrastructure to credit imports and population and (5) low efficiency of regional, sub regional and local administrative and public services in eliminating above problems. In the light of those observations the operationalization of the concrete contents of development strategy for high-tech industries in Vojvodina is defined as a measure of ability to include regional, subregional and local institutions and public services to find how to solve the following problems: 1. providing conditions for internationally competent training of entrepreneurs, managers and expert teams in the function of acquiring necessary knowledge for the implementation of modern technological, managerial and organizational solutions needed for the foundation and dynamic development of high-tech enterprises, 2. provision of technical and economic support to entrepreneurs, managers and expert teams in their concrete activities in the generation and economic valuation of new knowledge and 3. provision of technical and economic help for the implementation of contemporary solutions relating to standardization metrology, specification of quality and sustainable development in the function of providing microeconomic (global) competitiveness. The basis for functioning of the concept of development strategy for high-tech industries in Vojvodina defined that way is the activity of the public factor to advance the system of education and to develop relevant scientific-technological infrastructure. In this context, the University of Novi Sad as well as private faculties in Vojvodina, their respective specialized and multidisciplinary scientific-research institutes, innovation centers technology parks and the like (necessary to be developed and advanced as soon as possible!) should become basic factors for eliminating the consequences of actual institutional disorder and create entreprenurship oriented socio-economic environment as a basic framework for the development of the high-tech SMEs.