Habit Cluster, Finland

▪Furniture companies in South Ostrobothnia

▪Pohjanmaan NikkarikeskusFurniture Industry Development Centre

▪Seinäjoki University of Applied SciencesSchool of Culture and Design

▪Projects of our area

yli 2500 työpaikkaa

357 yritystä

NIKKARIKESKUS andhabitcentre®

1. SERVICE CENTRE for ENTERPRISES

2. RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CENTRE

3. PROMOTION CENTRE

Export Exhibition

- Permanent exhibition centre for the furniture industry- Available for company use for customer visits- Facilities of company presentations and interpretation

Nikkarikeskus also serves businesses in the fields of:

* carpets and rugs * home textiles and utensils * other furnishings and fittings

The Library

The design unit of the library of Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences moved to Nikkarikeskus and the materials library is now located in the previous school library premises

New additions to the materials library will be placed in Nikkarikeskus for local professionals and visitors to see

The AuditoriumSeats 162 + 20

Exhibition quality audio-visual equipment

Space reservable for conferences, seminars and courses

User groups include colleges and institutes, companies, local and regional authorities, societies and associations, visitor groups, and other kinds of organisations

Conference Rooms

10-person and 20-person conference rooms

•Large conference room-3m wall display

•Small conference room-data projector-overhead projector-writing board-flip chart board

The Shop•Small wooden articles•Products from the ”company incubator”•Textiles•Gift articles•Books and school materials•Furniture-related requisites

The ”Handicraft route” project organised by the South Ostrobothnian Industrial Arts and Crafts Association

EU Leader+

•Cafe KÖÖKKI

•Seats about 80

•20 high extra tables of suitable dimensions for the auditorium

•A friendly service café that offers a light alternative for lunch and the possibility to order à la carte.

The Cafe

Offices

SEINÄJOKI UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES • 3 offices + classrooms

FEDERATION OF MUNICIPALITIES FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN SUUPOHJA•Economic management adviser•Town development manager•Development manager•Development planner•Information centre•”Company Incubator” rooms

VAASA UNIVERSITY•Professor of concept management

PRIVATE•Design offices

Research of Concept Management

Martti Lindman, Doctor of Science in Economics and Business Administration, from Vaasa University was elected Research Professor 1.8.2003.

The Research Professor’s duties involve research and development work in connection with business concepts, particularly in the field of the furniture industry. Professor Lindman works closely with industry and different collaborative organizations and associations. As Research Professor he is based in Nikkarikeskus in Jurva as well as in Seinäjoki.

- DESIRE ans COBUCO Research projects - Remarks on the quality of the construction of business concepts- New product development process within SMEs in the furniture sector - A quasi-experimental exploration of consumers’ furniture product

experiences in different store environments- The problem of new product fit in developing furniture- An essay on economic competence as a contributing factor of economic

growth - Formation of Customer Bases in SMEs - A Comparative Case Study of Design-Oriented Enterprises

Degree Programme in DesignThe programme forms a base for becoming a professional in the field of habitationApart from user-centred design the students learn to visualise and create concepts for future homes

Degree Programme in Cultural ManagementThe programme specialises in either media management or socio-cultural work Media studies aim at planning and implementing media productions involving electronic mediaStudents of socio-cultural work learn to support communities and groups by usingcultural methods and music, as well as to manage cultural events

Degree Programme in ConservationThe programme specialises in building conservation and restorationStudents learn to preserve Finnish built heritage and to maintain buildings, parts of buildings and their surfaces

Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences,School of Culture and Design

Organization of R&D in Habitcentre

INNOVATION

HABITDESIGN HABIT-LIVING CLUSTER

2004: SALONE SATELLITE MILANO

HABITDESIGN STAND / 20 STUDENTS

2005:STOCKHOLM FURNITURE FAIR

HABITDESIGN STAND / 25 STUDENTS

2006:STOCKHOLM FURNITURE FAIR

HABITDESIGN STAND / 30 STUDENTS

2007:COPENHAGEN FURNITURE FAIR

HABITDESIGN STAND

1998-2006: Furniture Competence Centre

2004: SMART FURNITURE COMPETITION / 90 ideas and companies

•2003-2005: HABIT5XM-CONSUMER PROFILER / 30 stud and 10 companies

• 2006-2007: HABIT-FOCUS GROUP TESTING / 8 stud and 20 companies

2006-2007: SMART & UBIQUITOUS INNOVATION ENVIRONMENT

2007: LIVING CLUSTER (HABIT-CLUSTER: LAHTI-SEINÄJOKI)

2007: SEAMK+LAMK INNOVATION NET

OBJECTIVES: IMPLEMENTATION OF KEY COMPETENCE:EDUCATION OF TEACHING STAFF AND STUDENTSWITH NEW COMPETENCE PROJECTS

08.12.2006 Vuokko Takala-Schreib

Habit5xM is a qualitative and quantitative research method in which the data is gathered by visual survey / questionnaire through internet.Consumer can play the Habit5xM-taste play at home to visualize / design (and be creative) his/her ideas about home interior. Furniture retailers and industry gets reports about the analysed data of the visual profiles of the user/consumer. With this knowledge they can set visual design briefs for their designers and written arguments for marketing.

HABIT5xM-CONSUMER PROFILERA user centred design research tool

Funded by the Finnish National Technology Agency TEKES, EU EAKR and 10 furniture companies

®

The pilot version in internet: www.habit5xm.fi

Young Skills -Cooperative • The cooperative was founded in Nikkarikeskus, Jurva, in 2005. 

• A big part of degree studies are realised as project work for the industry (product development projects, participating in design competitions etc.)

• As members of 'Young Skills' Cooperative

- the students are able to charge the companies for the project work and negotiate contracts with the companies

- the teachers can also cooperate with industry

• Both companies and individuals can place orders for design and production projects. The students can work on the projects also outside of school hours.

• Members of the cooperative are specialised in e.g. furniture design and production, interior design, exhibition design and graphic design.

Information Centre

Furniture industry information services

•Information officer services•Data banks concerning the furniture sector•Data banks concerning other related sectors•Links to libraries•Training and consultancy•Internet, extranet and intranet data transfer and search services

WWW.HUONEKALUINFO.FI

SUUPOHJA ”COMPANY INCUBATOR” PROJECT

• ACTIVITIES- Business planning- Training for owner-managers of small and medium-sized businesses- Skills analyses- Locating of sources of finance, preparation of applications for finance- Documentation for company start-ups- Profitability calculations- Product pricing- Product planning- Product realisation / production process planning- Marketing- Logistics- Follow-up and continuation guidance

• RESULTS 13 new Design enterprises

BUSINESS START-UP FEEDBACK IN THE STEERING GROUP

Thank you and Welcome to Finland !

Pohjanmaan Nikkarikeskus OyHirveläntie 266300 JURVAFinland

Development ManagerAnne Viitalatel. +358 6 2413 5452fax +358 6 2413 5451gsm +358 40-830 4291anne.viitala@nikkarikeskus.fiwww.nikkarikeskus.fi