University of Economics in Katowice 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 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 1. Silesia, Poland

University of Economics in Katowice 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. 2. The target sector

University of Economics in Katowice 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. 3. The target groups

outlining animation areas 4. LABs for second tier facilitators: animating of activities in universities and the region (#1) 14 Oct Oct Dec Dec Jan Jan 2008 Jun-Aug 2007 recognising expectations Sept 2007 identifying a role of the PK START in the environment; identifying actors in the PK START environment promoting and building an image of the START programme, START.net and PK START; improving the skills of holding conversations and negotiations improving skills of how to plan activities; planning a student’s individual development path 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 we learn how to make decisions; we learn how to find causes of problems START University of Economics in Katowice

University of Economics in Katowice 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… 4. LABs for second tier facilitators: animating of activities in universities and the region (#2)

organising the meetings 5. LABs for SMEs: working with the business (#1) 29 March May 2008 Jun-Nov 2008 Nov 2008 … Feb-March 2008 recognising expectations March2008 professional development and business’ needs recognition – 3 start- ups towards business networking – 3 firms how to find and gain clients – 5 firms several activities performed in the region in front of SMEs and the milieu towards business networking – 20 firms from Poland/Czech a long way ahead University of Economics in Katowice

University of Economics in Katowice 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. 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. 5. LABs for SMEs: working with the business (#2)

University of Economics in Katowice 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. 6. Overall evaluation and lessons learnt

University of Economics in Katowice 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… After SME ACTor…