Services of a Business Association for its Members Objectives Contents Structures Nucleus-International.net

The chamber's and its employees’ tasks To help the SME in the –foundation –development –modernization –expansion of his enterprise To offer support in his day-to-day activities

The structure of services

Objective of the Service “Information” To facilitate members’ access to information to everything what is important for business decisions (laws, market developments, suppliers, staff, technologies, management techniques etc.) Key question: which information is relevant for the businessmen?

Task of the business association Collect, filter and select relevant information –Negative example: distribution of the consumer rights law –Positive example: focus on the important subjects of the law to each given branch (bakeries, joiners, etc.) Information Members

Information spreading: Instruments Letters, brochures, newspapers, and magazines of the association Publications in newspapers, radio, TV Speeches and seminars Personal contacts of ACI employees and member businessmen (telephone, meeting, company visit)

Training and Counselling Objectives Stimulate thinking and learning processes of the entrepreneur to –benchmark his performance –develop new ideas –identify alternative solutions Key question: What to change / improve?

Training and Counselling Objectives To help the businessmen to introduce changes in his enterprise Key question: How to do it?

Individual Counselling : Characteristics Meeting of two persons: Businessmen + Consultant Focal point: The relationship between them Instrument: Psychology

Individual Counsellor: Tasks Create a trustful environment Start up a discussion, i. e.: using “Wh-”type questions Identify the problems –subjectively, seen by the businessmen –not objectively, seen by the consultant Adapt the “language” of the entrepreneur

Individual Counsellor: Tasks Search / elaborate alternative solutions together with the entrepreneur Eventually search on the market for the for new know how sources In the best case, the entrepreneur finds the solution on his own The decision is made by the entrepreneur

Group Counselling: Characteristics Meeting of some persons: Group of SMEs + Consultant =“ Nucleus” Focal point: Knowledge and experience exchange amongst entrepreneurs Instrument: Methodologies for working groups: - Action Learning - Metaplan - GUT and many more

Group Counselling : Tasks Initiate and manage a communication process amongst SMEs = Moderation Focal point: the group dynamic Objective: –identify common problems together –organize the activities defined by the Nucleus (courses, visits to suppliers, fairs, etc.)

Group Counsellor: Tasks Strategy: Steer the discussion to problems which the SMEs can solve on their own (internal causes -great chance of success) Avoid those problems the SMEs can not solve by themselves (external causes - poor chance of success)

Group Counsellor: Tasks At the “right” moment –actively take part in the discussion –contribute with - questions, - ideas, - experiences, - comparisons, - proposals = Consultancy

Group Counsellor: Tasks Observation: The group dynamic and the action learning / experience sharing process have priority Moderation without consultancy is ineffective for the SMEs / the group

Group - Individual Counselling: Effects

Characteristics of Training Carry out courses and seminars on key subjects for the development of the affiliated members’ enterprises

Characteristics of Support Support SMEs by services which help to save time and money Take advantage of the groups’ strong bargaining power to get advantages and discounts on purchases and services for the individual SME (e.g. health insurance plan)

Final Conclusion: an ACI is a Service Enterprise So it needs: –Orientation on members’ needs = Marketing –Business leadership and management –Qualified staff = professionals –Employees familiar with the affiliated members’ enterprises –Chairs with nails!

The difference between... A “club” of businessmen –spends 70% of its budget into social activities A “business association” –invests 70% of its resources into its service area (staff)

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