DEBUTING project – Design and Results of a Joint Needs Analysis for Policy Change and Business Development

By Marek Grzybowski

A team of researchers from Karlstad University in cooperation with DEBUTING project partners has developed the “Report on Joint Analysis of Needs for Policy Change and Business Development”. The report has already been published.

The research concerns the design of a joint analysis to assess regional genderequality needs. The report was developed by 10 European partners of the DEBUTING project. The partners provided input data obtained during the first year of the project (2023-2024).
The report reports on how the team from Karlstad University and the project partners worked together to increase gender equality in the development of small and medium-sized enterprises with the active participation of women.

Karlstad University DEBUTING Project Team informed:

The report found that the challenge we often face when trying to fulfil the key objectives in the EU Gender Equality Strategy is the lack of knowledge on how to address them in practice. Two main conclusions are obvious, based on the findings detailed in the report:

1. The key to success lies in understanding the specific needs addressed in a given context. This involves going beyond the conventional way of understanding what the problem actually is. The partners confirm the value of the project’s findings on how to increase gender equality in SMEs through a co-production method and gender transformative work involving their regional clusters. In line with this, the partners also testify to having gained knowledge and tools that will support their work within their specific context, based on their local needs analyses.

2. Even though there are differences between the 10 partners, representing the diversity of regional experiences across Europe, the joint needs analysis in the report shows the main common challenges, as summarized in the suggestions for the four focus groups. It is also clear that working together, bringing regions (and their stakeholders) together from different corners of Europe, brings new insights and inspiration to the work. Listening in on the comments given by the partners in the DEBUTING project, it is very encouraging to note that the work performed together has indeed increased both knowledge, motivation and courage to manage big steps towards the further realization of gender equality and inclusiveness for improved business development.

You can find the full report here.

More info: DEBUTING Project