With the creation of the “Innovation Cluster for Crafts” (IC_H), the Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Innovation, Digitalisierung und Energie (MWIDE) and the Landes-Gewerbeförderungsstelle des nordrhein-westfälischen Handwerks e.V. (LGH work together to meet the increasing challenges of demographic change for small and medium-sized craft businesses in NRW. In previous projects, the LGH, together with guilds and chambers of crafts, has introduced craft businesses to the increasingly important topics of climate change, demographic change (and now “digitalisation”). However, a transition to a more independent structure of business clusters is being made, which functions to give the cooperation of regional clusters more individual responsibility and greater creative freedom.

nexus evaluates the IC_H program formatively as well as participatively and providing scientific support. The evaluation team analyses existing secondary data of the programme and collecting primary data by means of quantitative surveys, qualitative interviews, participant observation, and participatory workshops. Finally, concrete recommendations for action will be derived from the results of the data collection, and are to be presented to those responsible for the programme.

Further information can be found here.

Duration: 10/2017 – 12/2019
Client: Landes-Gewerbeförderungsstelle des nordrhein-westfälischen Handwerks e.V.
Team: Kerstin Franzl (project management), Dr. Carina Brumme, Ansgar Düben