Coaches of SMEs: 5POINTS Trainings Erasmus Project

Project Title

Coaches of SMEs: 5POINTS Trainings

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for vocational education and training

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2014

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Enterprise, industry and SMEs (incl. entrepreneurship); Labour market issues incl. career guidance / youth unemployment; Open and distance learning

Project Summary

According to the report European Commission published for SMEs on 2012, SMEs played a key role in the shaping of European economy with a share of % 98. SMEs in Europe provide 2/3 of employment; and constitute significant areas of priority in terms of the development of European economy. In the same report, European Commission is committed to support their development, notably through the “Small Business Act” with its “Think Small First” principle and by facilitating, amongst other things, access to EU funding . Within this scope, it is one of the issues of priority to enable SMEs, which have a significant place in European Economy, to adopt to changing needs of business networks. When the situation of SMEs in Turkey is considered, according to the data by Ministry of Industry from the year 2013, Turkey’s SMEs constitute %78, %55, and % 65,5, %50, % 60,1, % 24 respectively of overall sales, overall investments, overall export, overall credits. These figures expose the significant role of SMEs in Turkey’s economy. With reference to statistical data belonging to SMEs in Europe, it could be argued that with a set of positive qualities they have such as ability to quickly adopt to changing market conditions, flexible manufacturing structures, balanced growth between the regions, reducing of unemployment rates and starting new areas of employment, SMEs form the building blocks in economic and social development of countries. Along with above listed significant qualities, SMEs also have some problems waiting to be solved. One of the leading issues frequently underscored in the report published by European Commission is that SMEs have too many financial problems because they are the institutions most influenced by financial developments. Therefore, regarding SMEs , which are appearently significant in terms of economy, both the goverment and the academics should deal with the issues such as solution of financial problems, marketing, R &D, management of financial tools, and the building mechanisms to raise their capacity of problem solving. Reports form the basis for determining the rationale of this project. Coaching SMEs to enable them to bring solutions to their own problems and to appopriate innovative SMEs understanding within their organization also justify project’s basic goals. Accordingly, main objectives of forming SME Coaching 5Nokta Trainings are as follow:
• The development of the skills and competencias necesary to integrate and apply Coaching techniques in organitazions
• Bringing innovative SME understanding and help them to produce solutions for their own problems.
• Helping SMEs to get trained for commercializing and transforming innovation and creativeness into economic value; so that they can advise business world about SME solutions compliant with EU standards.
• Having turned SME coaching into a business management tool, taking the lead in terms of desicion making, risk management, financial reporting corresponding to reality and developing efficient control mechanisms.
• Helping SMEs to form collaboration networks enabling the growth of unique design and innovation activities so that SMEs rank higher in global value chain with their high value added products and services; production of knowledge and innovation as well as creativeness; and developing entrepreneurship.
The participants of the project are Ondokuz Mayis University (Turkey – The coordinator of 5Points), Gazi University (Turkey), Mugla Sitki Kocman University (Turkey), Selcuk University (Turkey), FUNDACION FUNDECYT – PARQUE CIENTIFICO Y TECNOLOGICO DE EXTREMADURA-FUNDECYT PCTEX (Spain), Trusted Business Partners Kft (Hungary), RIGAS TEHNISKA UNIVERSITATE (Latvia), Pirkanmaan ammattikorkeakoulu Ltd. (Finland) and Samsun Genc Isadamlari Dernegi (Turkey).
In 5Points, there are 4 main activities. These activites are more important to reach the project’s objectives. Description of undertaken main activities:
A1 – PLANNING, MANAGEMENT AND MONITORING OF THE PROJECT: This is one of the basic activities which have been carried out from the beginning of the project to its completion. The planning, management and supervisions activities have been fulfilled by the university and other partners in order ensure that the project reaches the basic objectives as set out.
A2 – FULFILLMENT OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE WORKS OF THE PROJECT: The administrative tasks have been completed in order to contribute in the successful completion of the first activity and after task distribution to the partners, the project was checked periodically until the project completion date.
A3 – PROVIDING THE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION WITH PARTNERS AND SUBCONTRACTORS: An effective communication system has been established between partners and subcontractors in order to effectively fulfill project activities. Supervision is provided at certain periods in each stage of the project.
A4 – TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT OF THE PROJECT

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 253661,5 Eur

Project Coordinator

ONDOKUZ MAYIS UNIVERSITESI & Country: TR

Project Partners

• Trusted Business Partners Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag
• MUGLA SITKI KOCMAN UNIVERSITY
• SELCUK UNIVERSITESI
• Samsun Genc Isadamlari Dernegi
• GAZI UNIVERSITESI
• RIGAS TEHNISKA UNIVERSITATE
• FUNDACION FUNDECYT – PARQUE CIENTIFICO Y TECNOLOGICO DE EXTREMADURA