A product development consortium has been established for Kainuu's product development, operational environment and customization. The goal is to progress know-how in relation to senior-field of operation in the different fields of product development, customization and also production and through that support employment in the province of Kainuu. Product development, customization and production are developed in co-operation with kainuus know-how centering Snowpolis, Measurepolis, Woodpolis, Humanpolis and Seniorpolis. Know-how is exploited and connected nation-widely with communes, corporations, institutions of learning, organizations, financiers, support organizations and expert organizations.

Consortium gathers product development, formatting and the best practices of marketing and creates representative bluebrints. By networking spreading and providement of product development- and formatting, tecnology and innovation as well as design management are supported.

The project is advancing step by step. At first, the will and interests, roles and distribution of work of possible members of the consortium were solved. Meantime the partys were provisionally committed along to the operation with letter of intents.

The operation of the consortium started in 1st of january 2006

 

 

General

Product development consortium's foresolution started in autumn 2005. Consultant corporation Synocus Oy and Seniorpolis -project solved an opportunity to found a large nation-wide joint venture for seniors to develope new products and services. The reason for founding the consortium is the defect of sales activity, where there aren't enough branded and targeted products for the future's biggest and most significant marketing potential. The purpose of the consortium is to prepare for the future changes in marketing and respond to the growing request for senior products.

Interested corporations and organizations were separated and party's know how and interests mapped out by foresolution also consortiums branch and sectors were outlined. Willing consortium partners were committed to action by aie-contract. Nation-widely there are over 50 members in the consortium and new partners are registering all the time.

By ground of foresolution, product development consortium is accoplished witch is managed by Kainuun Etu Oy and Seniorpolis is acting as a partner. The product development consortium's goal is a nation-wide "intentioned for large age classes" development and commercial product- and service-entity. Consortium's task is to create a vision of product blank development chances, to start a product- and service development also create a commercial solution along with consortium partners. The consortium also takes care of using and design related education of brand and trademarks.

The aim is to erect the exsisting consortium, establish the activity, compress and complete and also conceive the international continuation plan. Senior's living environment, fixtures, objects and products testing area will be created in the Kainuu area.

The starting phase takes nine months at first, while that the project is expanded to an international plan. The total budget of the project is 92 000 euros. In addition to salary- and common-expenses a special value is expert-and education services, which in practise means education of design and marketing domains for consortium partners. In addition expert services are used in designing trademarks.

Actions

The projects main operators are Kainuun Etu Oy and Seniorpolis Oy. These operators are responsible for the consortuims actions, goals and strategys. An executive group will be established to guide the consortiums activities. Executive group will be formed from active consortium partners and external experts. The executive group decides about consortium's guide-lines and creates the consortiums rules and more accurate standards of activities. Furthermore an action group, in which all the members of the consortium are welcome, will be established.

Different operators are divided into clusters that describe the operators know-how or product in common standards. Also product brands, that the consortium partners can use while marketing their product or service, are built around the clusters.

Education in design- and marketing-domains are offered for the consortium partners. The purpose of the education is to make the meaning of design clearer for the consortium partners, in both, product development and marketing. Through the education a pattern and a joint vision is created for marketing where the target group is senior aged customers.

During the project the current partners international connections and possible new interesting partners from the international arenas are mapped out and analysed. The goal of the continuation
project is to roll the senior consept-idea outside the borders of Finland.

Financier

The financing source in the project is TE-centers business environment support, which contains Europes
area development funds and national inner affair ministrys support. The project has also been funded
by the municipality of Ristijärvi (Seniorpolis Oy) and Kainuun Etu Oy.