04/2008Nucleus-International.net1 The Life Cycle of Nuclei Nucleus-International.net

04/2008Nucleus-International.net2 Life Cycle of a Nucleus Time Level of Activity Foundation Shut down Continuity Evolution Crash Growth Maturity Crisis Phases of development

04/2008Nucleus-International.net3 Before the start of the Nucleus The entrepreneurs: –Having a latent wish of approximation, but no idea how to do it –Feeling isolated, nobody stimulates new ideas –Seeing another only as competitors, sometimes as personnel enemies –Never feel, that a business chamber cares for them –Without the imagination that a business chamber could be for useful for them –Being afraid to make a step towards other entrepreneurs and business chamber

04/2008Nucleus-International.net4 Life Cycle of a Nucleus Time Level of Activity Foundation Continuity Evolution Crash Maturity Crisis Phases of development : 1. Foundation

04/2008Nucleus-International.net5 1: Foundation Phase - Uncertainty The entrepreneurs: –Being content to participate – something is happening –Not trusting another –Without clearness about what is going on and to where the journey goes –Feeling themselves timidly in the chamber –Often with difficult, unrealistic, short-term expectations and wishes

04/2008Nucleus-International.net6 1: Foundation Phase - Uncertainty Objectives: –Creation of trust between the participants –Transfer of the sensation, that  isolated and alone the entrepreneur is nothing  in cooperation with others changes are possible –Short-term tiny success stories Activities –To solve small problems in a very short time through discussions, counselling, training –To ease a comparison of the the member’s enterprises with others (benchmarking)

04/2008Nucleus-International.net7 1: Foundation Phase - Uncertainty The discussions, activities and performance of the Nucleus depend –For 90 % on the the skills and the capacity of the counsellor. He / she "drives" the Nucleus –For 5% on the the informal, not elected leader / speaker. He / she gives a minimum of trust –For 5% on the members Duration of the phase : up to 6 months

04/2008Nucleus-International.net8 Life Cycle of a Nucleus Time Level of Activity Foundation Continuity Evolution Crash Growth Maturity Crisis Phases of development : 2. Growth

04/2008Nucleus-International.net9 2. Growth Phase - Euphoria The entrepreneurs: –Being happy, almost enthusiastic about their participation –Starting trust the other entrepreneurs and the counsellor –Understanding how the Nucleus works –Feeling more welcome in the business chamber –Perceiving first changes and results in their companies –Their wishes and expectations are more realistic –With a lot of short-term and ad hoc activities

04/2008Nucleus-International.net10 2. Growth Phase - Euphoria Objectives: –The entrepreneurs perceive less as competitors = personal enemies but as colleagues of the same sector with similar interests and problems –Stimulation of changes in the enterprises : technology, organization, management –First lobbying in order to improve the entrepreneurial framework conditions Activities –With “investment” character, which require more financial investments from the entrepreneurs, with medium term impact: Sequences of training modules

04/2008Nucleus-International.net11 2. Growth Phase - Euphoria The discussions, activities and performance of the Nucleus depend –For 50 % on the the skills and the capacity of the counsellor –For 30% on the the formal, elected leader / speaker –For 20% on „pushing“ members Duration of the phase : up to 1 year

04/2008Nucleus-International.net12 Life Cycle of a Nucleus Time Level of Activity Foundation Growth Maturity Phases of development: 3. Maturity

04/2008Nucleus-International.net13 3. Maturity Phase - Routine The entrepreneurs: –The participation becomes a routine –Climate of trust and proximity –Feeling as members of the business chamber – some members take over other functions in the chamber –Know to compare counsellors and request high performance from him / her –Defining positions in direction of the chamber and the political and economic framework conditions –Making yearly plans for activities and evaluations –Know that the development of the enterprises starts with knowledge, organization and management – and not with grants and loans

04/2008Nucleus-International.net14 3. Maturity Phase - Routine Objectives: –Higher organizational efficiency –Development of the human resources of the member enterprises –More impact on the organizational development of the chamber Activities –Training of the employees –Well planned lobby activities –Common activities of individual Nucleus members: exchange of products, subcontracts, common offers in order to get bigger contracts which are beyond the capacities of the individual enterprises

04/2008Nucleus-International.net15 3. Maturity Phase - Routine The discussions, activities and performance of the Nucleus depend –For 70% on the the formal, elected leader / speaker / president and some other „pushing“ members –For 30 % on the the skills of the counsellor If during this phase the counsellor does not „grow“ in accordance with the expectations of the members he / she changes rapidly from a counsellor into a pure helper and assistant. This can lead to a crisis. Duration of the phase: between 1 and 2 years

04/2008Nucleus-International.net16 Life Cycle of a Nucleus Time Level of Activity Foundation Growth Maturity Crisis Phases of development: 4. Crisis

04/2008Nucleus-International.net17 4. Crisis Phase - Frustration Possible causes of a crisis: –Tendencies for keeping newcomers out ("closed shop") –Not feeling any more a relevant impact through the participation in the Nucleus –Conflicts between individual members –The performance of the counsellor does not correspond with the expectations - especially when the chamber provides a “cheap” counsellor –The performance of the chamber, the board of directors and / or the president does not correspond with the expectations

04/2008Nucleus-International.net18 4. Crisis Phase - Frustration Indicators for a crisis: –Less meetings –Less other activities –The counsellor does not apply any more visualization techniques / METAPLAN what leads to a lower quality of the discussions –No ideas for new activities

04/2008Nucleus-International.net19 Life Cycle of a Nucleus Time Level of Activity Foundation Shut down Crash Growth Maturity Crisis Phases of development: 4. Crisis - Crash

04/2008Nucleus-International.net20 4. Crisis Phase - Crash The Nucleus dies –It is not possible to maintain a Nucleus with force –When the configuration of the Nucleus members is not any more positive – too many severe conflicts – then it is sometimes better to let it die and to start after a couple of months a new one without the conflict causing members

04/2008Nucleus-International.net21 Life Cycle of a Nucleus Time Level of Activity Foundation Continuity Growth Maturity Crisis Phases of development: 4. Crisis - Continuity

04/2008Nucleus-International.net22 4. Crisis Phase - Continuity The Nucleus continues – prolongation of the maturity phase –The problems and conflicts are solved –The expectations concerning the chamber and / or the counsellor are clarified

04/2008Nucleus-International.net23 Life Cycle of a Nucleus Time Level of Activity Foundation Evolution Growth Maturity Crisis Phases of development: 4. Crisis - Evolution

04/2008Nucleus-International.net24 4. Crisis Phase - Evolution The Nucleus continues – an evolution process starts –New Nucleus leaders –New additional members –New motivation –New ideas for activities –Eventually new counsellor

04/2008Nucleus-International.net25 4. Crisis Phase To overcome the crisis phase depends –For 25% on the counsellor –For 25% on the Nucleus leader –For 25% on the members –For 25% on the leaders of the chamber

04/2008Nucleus-International.net26 Life Cycle of a Nucleus Time Level of Activity Foundation Shut down Continuity Evolution Crash Growth Maturity Crisis Phases of development Where is our Nucleus ?

04/2008Nucleus-International.net27 Nucleus-International.net This file is part of our material to present and illustrate our activities to professional and elected officials of business associations, personnel from technical cooperation projects, and other people with an interest in this field. We are involved in a constant process of elaborating and improving this material, and targeting it to the demands of specific groups. You may use, copy, and change this file as you like (we do not insist on a copyright). We would, however, like to ask you for the following: please send us a copy (as a file or printout) and additional information if you use the file or parts of it. Thank you! The Nucleus-International.net team