Variación del valor de la frecuencia de consenso

NORTHERN IRELAND (EXCLUDING BELFAST AND GREATER BELFAST)

4.2.1 CHALLENGES

Honeycomb assessed the significance of a number of challenges to the interactive media sector in the Northern Ireland eligible areas (see Figure 4.4, page 103). The highest proportion (68%) of Northern Ireland respondents agreed that access to funding was a challenge to growth over the next five years. An ability to innovate and respond to consumer and market needs emerged as the next greatest challenge, which two thirds of respondents identified. Almost half cited recruitment of skilled staff as a challenge facing growth and just over a third said access to markets was. All respondents agreed that other growth challenges existed and a range were cited including expanding their customer base, sales expertise, access to funding, the economic downturn and poor broadband. Competition was the most commonly cited other challenge to business growth.

4.2.2 MEMBERSHIP OF NETWORKS AND TRADE ASSOCIATIONS

Of those surveyed in the eligible area of Northern Ireland, 37% of respondents cited that they were a member of or affiliated to a network or trade association and 63% were not. Examples of the specific organisations were Digital Derry, Digital Circle and the Federation of Small Business.

4.2.3 COLLABORATION AND NETWORKING

Current levels of collaboration were high within the interactive media sector itself, but not across other sub sectors of the digital content industry in Northern Ireland (see Table 4.5, page 108). That said, potential for collaboration was high between interactive media and TV, film, facilities for film and TV and computer game design sectors. Also the potential for collaboration in the interactive media sector was higher than existing collaboration, signalling that companies within this sector could collaborate to a greater intensity than exists at present.

When collaboration in specific areas of work was examined between Northern Ireland’s interactive media sector and across creative industries, high current levels of collaboration did not emerge. However potential for collaboration was high in the areas of product development, research and development, joint marketing, content creation and intellectual property.

Networking also emerged as an important method of gaining services and supports for those in the Northern Ireland’s interactive media sector (see Figure 4.5, page 119). Access to the latest technological developments was indicated by over two thirds of respondents as a support they hoped to gain from networking. Also high was access to market intelligence which three fifths indicated they hoped to gain from networking. Just over half indicated that networking could help them access finance and almost half indicated that networking could assist with product or service development.

4.2.4 COLLABORATION OUTSIDE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES

Honeycomb was also interested to understand the level of interest in work outside of creative industries and overall a high interest was not found (see Table 4.7, page 110). Current work was highest in the education sector, which almost one third indicated they currently worked. Interest in work in health, education and sport was lower or equal to current levels of work. A range of other areas were cited as areas where companies currently worked and would like to work, such as food, tourism, history, culture, hospitality and finance.

4.2.5 INFRASTRUCTURAL IMPEDIMENTS

According the Ofcom Communications Market Report for Northern Ireland, the majority of SMEs in Northern Ireland rate communications services as fundamental to their business, such as fixed internet services, mobile and fixed phone line services. Most SMEs are online (78%). Looking at the type of broadband internet used by SMEs, 63% said they use ADSL broadband, 23% fibre, 13% mobile broadband and 9% cable broadband. Usage of fibre broadband was higher in Northern Ireland than the UK average of 13%.

Honeycomb asked the Northern Ireland interactive media sector about infrastructural issues facing their business (see Figure 4.6, page 119). The top infrastructural challenge that emerged from the survey was broadband, which just over one third indicated was an issue for their business. This was lower however than the other Honeycomb eligible areas. Other infrastructural impediments didn’t emerge as major issues in the Honeycomb survey of interactive media in the Northern Ireland eligible area. The Ofcom Communications Market Report for Northern Ireland has identified issues that SMES in Northern Ireland have experienced in relation to the quality and reliability of broadband. Overall one in five SMEs in Northern Ireland has experienced poor reliability in their internet connection in the last year. Satisfaction with broadband was higher in urban than rural areas. For example 92% in urban locations were satisfied with ADSL broadband, while a lower 68% were in rural areas. In a number of other areas such as the reliability of service, the speed of the connection and ability to access the speed paid for satisfaction was lower in rural than urban areas (Ofcom 2014a).

4.2.6 KEY DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES AND RECOMMENDATIONS

• Access to funding was seen as a challenge to growth over the next five years by over two thirds of Northern Ireland respondents.

• 63% were not members of, or affiliated to, a network or trade association.

• Current levels of collaboration were high within the interactive media sector itself, but not across other sub sectors of the digital content industry in Northern Ireland. However, potential for collaboration was high between interactive media and TV, film, facilities for film and TV and computer game design sectors.

• The potential for collaboration in the interactive media sector was higher than existing

collaboration, signalling that companies within this sector could collaborate to a greater intensity than exists at present.

• Collaboration in specific areas of work was not high. However potential for collaboration was high in the areas of product development, research and development, joint marketing, content creation and intellectual property.

• Networking emerged as an important method of gaining services and supports and access to the latest technological developments was indicated by over two thirds of respondents as a support they hoped to gain from networking.

• Interest in work outside of creative industries was not high. Current work was highest in the education sector, which almost one third indicated they currently worked. Interest in work in health, education and sport was lower or equal to current levels of work.

• The top infrastructural challenge that emerged from the survey was broadband capacity, which just over one third indicated was an issue for their business. This is a vital infrastructural challenge to address to facilitate the development of the interactive media sector.

4.3 DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES - BORDER