5.2 GUIDING PRINCIPLES A. Because of the country’s size and limited resources, ICT should be used in a strategic way, as an enabler of growth and innovation, and as a driver of economies of scale and pools of knowledge. C. All stakeholders must aim to develop an environment that is conducive to business. Partnerships within the EU and with other countries in the region should be established to provide a platform for cooperation. B. Collaboration between the main local players in the ICT field will be fostered. User communities, ICT specialists and other professionals in ICT-enabled or supporting services will be encouraged to pool their resources to focus on generating products and services which are not just technological, but adaptive and value creating and able to serve both business and everyday needs. ICT-based R&I investment needs to be directed at niches and sectors of the economy that are already strong and areas of specialisation identified in the National Research and Innovation Strategy 2020. D. G. E. Business sustainability and growth will be facilitated, and emergent economic opportunities will be exploited. Students and young entrepreneurs will be encouraged and supported to make use of local innovation/ incubation centres. F. Local stakeholders will be supported to participate in funding programmes supportive of local incubation centres and related efforts to gain international exposure. National Digital Strategy 2014 – 2020 31