www.smeactor.eu
The Case Study of:
Silesia, Poland
dr Artur Ochojski,
Akademia Ekonomiczna w Katowicach,
24 October 2008, Bucharest
SME ACTor team in Silesia:
Marcin Baron, Michał Chojkowski, Artur Ochojski
University of Economics
in Katowice
www.smeactor.eu
1. Silesia, Poland
A glance over Upper-Silesia shows that it is a region
of:
• well-educated young people shifting their
economic potential to the Western countries,
• short-term attitude to activities in business world,
• domination of services in the industrial structure
• high diversification of business with some key
sectors
• growing local milieu and its business support
institutions
• heavy restructuring processes and substantial
investment potential
• diversified and highly urbanized territory
• growing research and development structure
University of
Economics in Katowice
www.smeactor.eu
2. The target sector
Mainly linked to IT-based SMEs and start-ups of firms
originating from various academic initiatives.
Selection made according to:
• natural link to 2nd tier facilitators already established
with companies,
• linkage to the activities of University of Economics,
• relevance of the targeted sector: the ‘quantitative’
relevance (GDP, employment, n. of companies, trends,
etc) AND the ‘qualitative’ relevance (e.g. degree of
strategic correlation towards local development,
integration with other key-sectors, etc)
Comprises of an ideal opportunity for SMEs networking as
they are mainly in a pre-mature phase of growth.
University of
Economics in Katowice
www.smeactor.eu
3. The target groups
A number of people linked to academic organisations
in Silesia representing: career advisors, promoters of
students’ activities, project managers, academic
entrepreneurship incubators etc.
Firms growing with the support of academic
entrepreneurship incubators and academic advisors.
The selection preceded by a context analysis.
A series of meetings performed to allow better needs’
recognition.
University of
Economics in Katowice
www.smeactor.eu
4. LABs for second tier facilitators: animating of
activities in universities and the region (#1)
29 Jan 2008
9 Jan 2008
4
18 Dec2007
7
12 Dec2007
5
4
4
21 Oct 2007
14 Oct 2007
Sept 2007
University of
Economics in Katowice
Jun-Aug 2007
START
we learn how to make decisions; we learn how to find
causes of problems
we inspire people and take the best of ideas; we define
challenges instead of looking at problems; we learn to
regularly analyze and draw conclusions
improving skills of how to plan activities; planning a
student’s individual development path
promoting and building an image of the START programme,
START.net and PK START; improving the skills of holding
conversations and negotiations
identifying a role of the PK START in the environment; identifying
actors in the PK START environment
outlining animation areas
recognising expectations
www.smeactor.eu
4. LABs for second tier facilitators: animating of
activities in universities and the region (#2)
Various professionals from 6 academic organisations
in Silesia representing: career advisors, promoters of
students’ activities, project managers, academic
entrepreneurship incubators etc.
The selection preceded by a comprehensive context
analysis and several meetings to allow better needs’
recognition.
Success?
The fundamentals of networking and improvement in
understanding of what facilitation is about – action
learning works…
University of
Economics in Katowice
www.smeactor.eu
5. LABs for SMEs: working with the business (#1)
…
Nov 2008
2
Jun-Nov 2008
13 May2008
3
4
3
13 May 2008
29 March 2008
March2008
University of
Economics in Katowice
Feb-March 2008
a long way ahead
towards business networking – 20 firms from
Poland/Czech
several activities performed in the region in front of SMEs
and the milieu
how to find and gain clients – 5 firms
towards business networking – 3 firms
professional development and business’ needs recognition – 3 startups
organising the meetings
recognising expectations
www.smeactor.eu
5. LABs for SMEs: working with the business (#2)
The targeted group:
• firms growing with support of academic
entrepreneurship incubators and academic advisors,
• firms ready to meet facilitators and use the time for
business improvement.
The selection based on the free choice of start-ups.
The engagement of managers from academic
entrepreneurship incubators proved successful for the
promotion and networking boost.
University of
Economics in Katowice
Success?
It is a long way to convince start-ups that facilitation
neither equals rapid profits based on direct contacts nor it
is meant as „hints on request”. New and promising ideas
observed.
www.smeactor.eu
6. Overall evaluation and lessons learnt
The facilitators’ work is:
• the skill of intriguing, encouraging to actively
participate, and attracting young people, business
champions, scientists and all those whose actions
may be profitable for each university and the region;
• being where something interesting is going on
because the key to success is information provided
and used or contact in the area of transforming ideas
into real (implementable) projects, for a student;
• constant improvement of skills and creating
opportunities to make use of resourcefulness in
activities being undertaken.
University of
Economics in Katowice
www.smeactor.eu
After SME ACTor…
One can say:
…„there is no after”…
once you really get involved in action learning in
your environment, you start using the methods
and tools on an everyday basis…
University of
Economics in Katowice