1. 6. Jahrgang Spezial Ausgabe II/2009
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Stability and performance of the European economy
SMEs need a unitary understanding and standard for the consistent application of IT
BestPractice-IT Special 2/2009. Supplement in the SME Magazin “Impulse” 12/2009, 100.000 Copies

2. www.bestpractice-it.deSpecial II/2009
34
The significance of small and medi-
um-sized enterprises (SME) for the
economy of the European Union (EU)
is undisputed: With over 23 million
enterprises, this sector provides more
than 75 million jobs. The stabilisation
of these enterprises by emphasizing
the significance and concrete promo-
tion of a consistent application of IT
to optimise their business processes
should have top priority for the eco-
nomic stability and competitiveness of
the EU on all levels and in all member
states.
BestPractice-IT chief editor Jürgen Bürkel
spoke with Rüdiger Gunther, director of
Azlan Midrange Division Europe at Azian
Tech Data Europe GmbH, Munich and An-
dreas R. Fischer , Vice President in Germany
of PIN-SME* , Brussels on this topic.
Rüdiger Gunther: There are many reasons
for this. It has partly to do with a younger
history, partly with politics, partly with
the mentality and mood of the people
and partly with the level of international
involvement of the respective economies.
All these factors, which have an effect on
the individual as well as on politicians and
entrepreneurs, also have effects on the
general view and overall development.
In many East European countries, the econ-
omy was still centrally regulated 20 years
ago and free entrepreneurship was not
really feasible as we know it. Through this
closed economic situation, the exchange of
knowledge and experiences could only take
place with great difficulty.
Twenty years sounds like a long time to
us. But for a political economy that had
to begin anew, it is a short time. And if
one views for example, the People’s Re-
public of China, which is still considered
an emerging nation but which has strong
international involvement, then one also
observes a steady increase in the IT support
of enterprises despite tentative liberaliza-
tion policies.
Andreas R. Fischer: But even within West-
ern Europe, there was and are vast differ-
ences, which however are gradually level-
ling out. Ireland for example has developed
out of necessity into a very IT-affine EU
member state, a development which was
also observed in Finland and still is, after its
“own” economic crisis was triggered by the
collapse of the USSR.
Estonia has also intensely followed suit
from the beginning. Even the elections
there are successfully held digitally and the
electronic tax return is a matter of course.
Policy-makers were crucial in sharing the
success with positive decision-making,
long-range information and promotional
measures as well as international integra-
tion. This obvious move in the right direc-
tion should be followed everywhere, in the
member states as well as throughout the
EU and it is a position that PIN-SME has
represented in Brussels for years now. In
particular, the extremely inconsistent level
of information available for the concrete
benefit of IT application in comparison to
the investment necessary presents a serious
problem that needs to be solved.
Do you have a specific idea on how
these problems can be solved?
Rüdiger Gunther: Essentially, the object
is to raise the awareness of entrepreneurs
to the central role, concrete benefit and
the enormous chance that the effective
Stability and performance of the European economy:
SMEs need a unitary
understanding and standard for
the consistent application of IT
Rüdiger Gunther (right), Director of Azlan Midrange Division Europe at Azlan
Tech Data Europe GmbH, at the 3rd European Expert Forum for Innovation and
Internationalisation in ICT-SME in Dialogue, with Sebastiano Toffaletti (left), General
Secretary for PIN-SME, Dieter-Michael Grohmann (2nd from left), Communication
Director Special Tasks UEAPME/Academy Avignon and Frank Früh (2nd from right),
project leader of the European Information Technology Observatory (EITO)
IN DIALOGUE
Jürgen Bürkel: Mr. Gunther, Mr.
Fischer, obviously – and we can
say this about BestPractice-IT out
of personal experience relating to
our activities – there are distinct
differences between the regions
and member states of the EU with
regard to the quality and quantity
of IT applications in SMEs. In your
opinion, what are the main reasons
for this?

3. www.bestpractice-it.deSpecial II/2009
35
implementation of information and com-
munication technology has to offer. This
ranges from IT-based quality management
and resource planning to eBusiness activi-
ties in procurement and marketing. And it
doesn’t really matter in which branch an
enterprise is active. Technology accelerates
business and the intelligent implementation
solidifies sales over time, which can make
the difference between healthy growth and
stability or stagnation and collapse. And we
are talking about middle to long-term, not
“only” for enterprises, but rather also for
economies.
How can this consciousness be
conveyed to enterprises without
remaining abstract?
Rüdiger Gunther: Indeed I believe this is a
significant aspect! It is precisely SMEs who
are especially interested in the practical ex-
perience, the feasibility of implementation
and concrete solutions. There are initia-
tives and networks in progress, which have
made the effort to document real practical
examples of the intelligent and consequent
application of IT in SMEs.
Since 2003, you yourself at BestPractice-
IT** have already identified and described
in detail several hundred such examples
from Germany and Europe. In the area of
eBusiness, the hot new project “Learning
from Peers”*** should also be mentioned
here. It originated from the European Com-
mission and the eBusiness Support Network
(eBSN) and also provides specific examples
of applications from all across Europe that
were put into practice.
So there is definitely no shortage of ex-
amples, which once again confirms the
success of IT-application and proves that it
makes sense to follow the same approach
as the forerunners. These examples, the
knowledge contained herein and above all
the attitude of the protagonists in small
and medium-sized enterprises must now be
transferred specifically to those countries
and SMEs in which there are areas in need
of information or action in terms of IT. But
this must also come from the policy-makers
and advocacy groups of SMEs.
But there is not often much interest
for a discussion on the topic of IT in
enterprises. What can and must be
done here?
Andreas R. Fischer: The key words here
are Business Skills. Here I am specifically
aiming at the promotion of the consistent
use of information and communication
technologies in all SMEs. Next we have to
reach SME entrepreneurs and later also
their employees, to show them what it’s all
about and to set an example. To do this,
we have to use channels of communica-
tion such as the media and organisations
through which we can get the message
and images of success across. Of course a
supplemental individual and professional
consultation for the enterprises will also
play a significant role.
Incidentally it is also the responsibility of
IT enterprises all across Europe to make a
contribution, from corporations right down
to IT-SMEs represented by PIN-SME. This
is another area in which we believe that
policy-makers must take supportive action.
Here I feel that it makes sense for govern-
ments and the commission to take the
decision regarding concrete measures into
their own hands.
Rüdiger Gunther: I agree. In many SMEs,
IT applications are still not thought of first
when discussing a solution for tasks and
challenges. Everyone knows that IT-based
solutions are available but often do not
believe that they are economically worth-
while in their own case. However, the
synergetic effects and future prospects are
often neglected and they are not thinking
outside of the box. But the manufacturer
and providers, in particular the IT SMEs also
play a role here. They shouldn’t just sell the
enterprises products for specific individual
problems, but rather should offer compre-
hensive consulting and expandable system
solutions, which facilitate development and
protect investments.
What concretely must be done to
be able to achieve these objectives?
Andreas R. Fischer: A much-needed
unitary base in SMEs must be provided. To
accomplish this, we need a comprehensive
exchange of Best-Practice examples, an un-
impeded exchange of knowledge and com-
pletely unrestricted access to information.
On top of this is of course the fact that in
order to guarantee the continuity of a com-
prehensive development, the level of this
development must constantly be reviewed.
Rüdiger Gunther: I fully agree. And in
order to achieve this, all SMEs must have
the possibility of affordable access to
broadband Internet connections regardless
of their location. This is also a task for na-
tional and European policy-makers.
Gentlemen, thank you for
your ­statements! n
* PIN-SME is the Brussels-based Pan European
ICT eBusiness Network for SME.
Internet: www.pin-sme.eu
Contact – Germany
a.fischer@pin-sme.eu
** The BestPractice-IT network supports SMEs
with ideas and approaches from entrepre-
neurs for entrepreneurs. Further information
and all practical examples are available on-
line:
www.bestpractice-it.de
*** You can request the flyer “Learning
from Peers - BestPractices among Euro-
pean SMEs”, with real eBusiness practical
­examples from Adetef Paris. In the Internet
at www.epme.eu or by email to ­
book@epme.eu
Andreas R. Fischer (2nd from right),
PIN-SME Vice President Germany at the
nextbusiness-IT Live-Webcast in expert
dialogue on the topic of “Mobility in
SMEs” with Martin Breul (left), divisional
director of telecommunications for
BITKOM e. V., Dirk Backofen (2nd from
left), Marketing Director for business
clients of Telekom AG, moderated by
Martin Puscher (right), managing director
of pfg GmbH in Hamburg.