TECHNOLOGY MONITORING AND INDUSTRIAL DIVERSIFICATION - A DIVERSIFICATION PROJECT OF AN ENDOGAMIC MONOCLONAL INDUSTRIAL FABRIC BY DISSEMINATING INNOVATION OPPORTUNITIES

A pilot project of diversification on a region of small companies with a high concentration on the toy manufacturing industry, is being unde rtaken by means of gathering, analysing and disseminating knowledge to raise diversifying opportunities. Once the opportunity becomes a stak e for a company, the project offers assessment and the participation o f catalysts actors to consolidate these opportunities as new business lines for the SMEs. Some conclusions after 15 months of work can be ad vanced: 1. The need of horizontal approaches, capable of cross search/ cross relate opportunities in different sectors or industries, to enla rge ways of thinking in a strongly oriented single industry manufactur ing region. 2. The validation of some diversification conditions for t he firms to reduce the risk. 3. The significance of the 'mouth to ear' communication for the motivation of the SMEs in exploring new opportu nities. In this sense, the role of 'technology difussion meetings', la tely described in this paper, were relevant to overcome mentally restr ictive attitudes for the firms.