Cross-Border Relationships of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses - Landscape Modelling: Geographical Space, Transformation and Future Scenarios - page 65

needed more. Considering the current increase in interest about building cooper-
ation, additional support and available information would be of great benefit. This
would include more contributions from the relevant offices within the Euroregion
(cf. EUREK, 1999).
Financial support from different programs, such as the Structural and Community
Fund of the European Union, has been low due to a lack of information supplied to
them. Most companies consider the offer of support could provide encouragement
but this would not be seen as a reason to build entrepreneurial relationships. In
fact, such cross-border cooperation provides business owners with possible compet-
itive advantages due to the extension of their market area and a greater degree of
awareness.
Saxon companies anticipate a cost benefit as a result of the cross-border cooper-
ation due to lower labour costs (including non-wage labour costs). In contrast, the
most important reasons for Bohemian companies to build ties are the exchange of
experience and information. Other obstacles for fostering cooperation are missing
information about potential partner companies, and the language barrier.
The results, including the entrepreneurial perspectives, are evaluated by the
polled companies as “very good” or “good”. The fact that a large proportion of busi-
nesses have already developed international contacts, demonstrates that companies
consider cross-border relationships essential for their economic success.
For the business owners, inviting the Czech Republic to join the European Union
could provide advantages such as; the abolishment of obligatory customs decla-
rations, as well as simplifying collaboration and communication. The Schengen
Conventions added more areas and is a further step towards the intensification of
cross-border cooperation of companies.
Acknowledgements This publication is a further step into the long-lasting and fruitful coopera-
tion of colleges and students of the Geographical Institutes of the universities of Dresden and Ústí
nad Labem. We would also like to thank the executive directors of the Euroregion Elbe/Labe in
Pirna und Ústí nad Labem, because without cooperation this research project would not have been
possible.
References
Arnold-Palussiére, M. (1983). Die grenzüberschreitende regionale zusammenarbeit auf dem gebiet
der raumordnung . Hannover: ARL.
Breysach, B., Paszek, A., & Tölle, A. (Eds.). (2003). Grenze - Granica/Interdisziplinäre
Betrachtungen zu Barrieren, Kontinuitäten und Gedankenhorizonten aus deutsch-polnischer
Perspektive . Wissenschaftliche Reihe des Collegium Polonicum, Bd. 8 . Berlin: Europa-
Universität Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder), Uniwesytet im. Adama Mickiewicza w Poznaniu, Logos
Ve r l a g .
Bufon, M. (1998). Border and border landscapes: A theoretical assessment. In M. Koter &
K. Heffner (Eds.), Region and regionalism No. 3: Borderlands or Transborder regions -
Geographical, social and political problems (pp. 7-14). Lodz: University of Lodz and Silesian
Institut in Opole.
Bürkner, H. J. (1996). Geographische grenzraumforschung vor neuen herausforderungen
- forschungskonzeptionen vor und nach der politischen wende in Ostmitteleuropa. In