Presentation of Common Operational Mechanism

E-zavod, Ptuj, Slovenia

Darko Ferčej

Region – Lower Podravje

1 town municipality

15 small municipalities

Cca 63.000 inhabitants

3,1 % of Slovenian population

Lower Podravje – Demography & Unemployment

Gibanje prebivalstva po letih

1948

19531961

1971

1976 1981

1986

19941997 2002

2007

60.000

62.000

64.000

66.000

68.000

70.000

72.000

1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

Leta

Šte

vilo

pre

biv

alce

v

Spodnje _PodravjePeak 1986 70.000 inh

2007: 63.000 inh

Decreasing trend of 350 inh/year

0-14 years: 14%

14-65 years: 71%

65+ years: 15%

Unemployment:

2008: 3.100

2009: 5.000

Average waiting for employment 1 year 2 months

Unemployed: 48% women 52% men

36% less employment needs as in 2008

Economy

• 3 big companies: Poultry production, aluminum production & sunglasses production

• Low number of high technology companies• Low innovativeness rate of companies• Low profitability and added value• Few investments – decreasing• Not enough connections between companies• No risk capital• Low export rate• Low interest for entrepreneurship

Development problems• High unemployment (long term unemployment)• Low educational level• Slow creation of new employments• Population getting old• Brain drain to Maribor and Ljubljana• Low frequency of cultural events• Culture of wine growing – drinking problems• Not enough development funds in the region

Development opportunities

• Support to innovative (non-agricultural) companies

• Specialization & flexibility

• Tourism (Castle, spa center, active vacation)

• Culinary & wine

• Renewable energy production

Common Operational Mechanism

• Basic idea and main parts are similar as from Greek (original) version of document

• Adopted in Oct. – Dec. 2009 (SRC Bistra)• Tested in Jan-March 2010 (RDA Sinergija)• 2 types of support:

– Individual accompanying of 15-18 companies– Establishment of better economic

environment for all enterprises in lower Podravje region

COM – Individual support

• Pool of different support services:– Business idea support and evaluation– Start up support (establishment of

enterprises, enterprise contract, administration, registration…)

– Preparation of business or investment plan– Marketing plan– Searching for enterprise premises– Support to establishment of e-business

COM – Individual support

• Initial promotional package (logo, graphic design, stamp, letterhead, e-letter…)

• Advanced promotional package: web site

• Individualized business support (administrative-technical support, human resources search, subsidies…)

• Funds support search & documentation

• Support for internationalization

COM – Creating better business climate

• Business group of Lower Podravje region– Periodical meetings– Business to Business partnership search– Common tendering of small business– Making business inside region– Stronger position towards other regions– New business ideas– Mentoring of new ideas – acting as business

incubator

Following steps: selection of enterprises

CRITERIA INDICATORS:IDENTIFICATION OF BUSINESS IDEAPRESENTATION OF ENTREPRENEUR

• Identification of business ideaWHY? To answer the question what kind of support services/sources

areneeded to implement the business idea or to start up a company in theregion.Required information for identification of business idea:• Description of potential product/service solution to a existing

problem• Applicability of a product/service (identification of use and of

purpose) • Identification of competitive advantages of a product/service

Selection of enterprises

Identification of sources needed for implementation of ideaIdentification of target customers Identification of most important market competitors

2. Presentation of a Entrepreneur WHY? To assess existing knowledge and experience.

Enclosure of professional CVEntrepreneur’s competences and skills which can be identified as advantage competences on the target marketPresentation of entrepreneur’s business vision

THANK YOU FOR ATTENTION