PAXIS JOINT WORKSHOP

1. New Strategies for Innovation Support PAXIS JOINT WORKSHOP SALAMANCA, 23-24 June, 2005 PAXIS JOINT WORKSHOP

2. IMPLEMENTATION AND VALIDATION • Goals • To assess the needs for new methods of obtaining knowledge (with help of TRACTOR e-learning portal and multimedia game) • To test the concept of TRACTOR e-learning portal TRACTOR and its usefulness • To test the “Livetech MultiMedia Game” and its usefulness for making business decisions in chosen target groups • Analyze the results of e-learning portal and multimedia game concepts • To prepare of proposals for continuation of the project and its adoption according to the needs of chosen target groups and authors of the programme PAXIS JOINT WORKSHOP

3. IMPLEMENTATION AND VALIDATION • Target Groups • TG 1: Students without business idea • We refer to university students or any other students, from any other kind of learning institutions, which are potential entrepreneurs and require specific knowledge and information to create a new business. • TG 2: Students with a business idea • We refer to potential entrepreneurs – “entrepreneurial learners” who participate rarely in a training or development phase, reqiure immediate support at validating their business idea, reqiure specific the knowledge and resources to create their new business. • TG 3: Young innovative start-ups (0-5) • We refer to entrepreneurs, who have already just started a business or that run a company from 0 – 5 years. They need to improve their managerial skills and to implement management procedures in order to consolidate their business project. PAXIS JOINT WORKSHOP

4. IMPLEMENTATION AND VALIDATION Implementation Plan • Implementation plan included preparatory implementation activities and implementation phase • Preparatory implementation activities • Interviewing entrepreneurial and business advisors about the problems faced by SME’s in the field of leadership, team work and communication. The feed back obtained was a base for the preparation of the “Livetech MultiMedia Game” • Organisation and implementation of workshops (TRACTOR e-learning portal and “Livetech MultiMedia Game”) with all the three selected TGS. PAXIS JOINT WORKSHOP

5. IMPLEMENTATION AND VALIDATION Implementation Plan • Implementation activities • Testing the TRACTOR WEB PORTAL • Preparation of workshops • Interviews • Analysis of obtained answers • Testing of “Lvetech MultiMedia Game” • Preparation of workshops • Interviews • Analysis of obtained answers PAXIS JOINT WORKSHOP

6. IMPLEMENTATION AND VALIDATI Empirical Approach • The partners agreed to use a similar implementation approach, taking into account • individual operational characteristics. • Common starting points: • Animation of chosen target groups regarding TRACTOR project • Organisation and implementation of workshops about e-learning platform and multimedia game usefulness • Organization of individual discussions and presentations • Interviews with individuals from chosen target groups about regarding the e-learning and multimedia game concept with the purpose to spees –up the problem solving processes (often the most critical phase for young and innovative companies) • Analysis of answers obtained • Preparation of proposals derived from results obtained to be used for continuing upgrading PAXIS JOINT WORKSHOP

7. IMPLEMENTATION AND VALIDATION Preliminary implementation activities Purpose of preliminary activities To identify the interest and needs of the chosen target groups (students Without business idea and students with business idea) regarding e-learning And to acquire their views on TRACTOR e-learning portal. There were 96 students participating (48 without business idea and 48 with business idea), out of which 25 (26%) of them filled in the questionnaire. The questions addressed to the students without business idea were: 1 Would you be prepared to develop you own business idea with help of an expert? 2 What do you think about e-learning? 3 How do you imagine e-portal, which would help you with developing your business idea? PAXIS JOINT WORKSHOP

8. IMPLEMENTATION AND VALIDATION • The questions addressed to the students with business idea were: • 1 Have you ever tried to implement your idea to practice? • 2 What do you think about e-learning? • 3 How do you imagine e-portal, which would help you to “solve” your entrepreneurial difficulties? • Main conclusions: • The e-learning concept proved to be very useful for both target groups • E-learning contents are certainly most useful for young and innovative entrepreneurs • The most interesting think is the link with entrepreneurial information from different countries PAXIS JOINT WORKSHOP

9. IMPLEMENTATION AND VALIDATION Preliminary implementation activities In the second part of preliminary implementation activities companies, entrepreneurs and business advisors answered questions regarding leadership, team work, communications and problems young companies are usually facing. Purpose of preliminary activities The purpose is to acquire their opinion and approaches they use in solving problems related with leadership, team work and communication. 8 out of from 280 companies and entrepreneurs and 18 out of 78 business advisors filled in the questionnaire. PAXIS JOINT WORKSHOP

10. IMPLEMENTATION AND VALIDATION • The questions addressed to the chosen target groups were: 1 Which are your most common problems on the fields of leadership, teamwork and communication? 2 How do you solve them? 3 What is your opinion about e-learning and long distance learning? • Main conclusions: • Problems on this fields are basic problems that affect small and medium sized companies • Both chosen groups agree that there is a lack of this knowledge on these topics, especially the lack of practical methods and measures • They hope that e-learning platform and multimedia game will help them to overcome every day business problems PAXIS JOINT WORKSHOP

11. IMPLEMENTATION AND VALIDATION Implementation activities • Students without a business idea • Purpose • To get acquainted with the TRACTOR e-platform and multimedia game "Livetech • MultiMedia Game" - the tools that might be of a help in solving the problems of • leadership, team work and communication. • Total number of participants: 24 • Perceived usefulness of the program • E-learning platform: • Upgrading the classical method of acquiring the knowledge by using the e-learning contents and tutors is very appropriate for the students without a business idea and with little or no practical experience PAXIS JOINT WORKSHOP

12. IMPLEMENTATION AND VALIDATION • Most of the students involved are interested in constant use and upgrade of the e-learning platform • Combined method of learning (e-learning in combination with classical approach) represents a new quality, bigger autonomy and time savings for the students • Concept has a big potential, because it doesn’t deal only with new ways, methods and techniques of acquiring knowledge, information and data but it also combines contents of business support contents as being developed in different European environments. This is especially appropriate for students without idea PAXIS JOINT WORKSHOP

13. IMPLEMENTATIONAND VALIDATION Implementation activities- Students without business idea “Livetech Multimedia Game” • Multimedia game, which describes problems regarding leadership, team work and communication, is generally assessed and accepted as good. It is less important for this target group, because it solves problems, which occur in the already operating company • Learning and acquiring skills through the game and playing different roles is desired PAXIS JOINT WORKSHOP

14. IMPLEMENTATION AND VALIDATION Implementation activities- Students with business idea Purpose To get acquainted with TRACTOR e-platform and multimedia game “Livetech MultiMedia Game” – the tools that might be of a help in solving the problems of leadership, team work and communication, To check if contents are acceptable and useful. Total number of participants: 23 Perceived usefulness of the program E-learning platform E-learning concept is in comparison with preceding group, even more interesting for this target group. PAXIS JOINT WORKSHOP

15. IMPLEMENTATION AND VALIDATION • Most of the future entrepreneurs are very interested to acquire the knowledge and test their entrepreneurial skills/ideas in such a way • They also wish to have permanent tutor and contents adjusted to their needs • E-learning contents need to be permanently upgraded and need to be practical • “Livetech MultiMedia Game” • Also multimedia game is assessed very well by this target group as very well, • because future entrepreneurs are facing (with their thoughts or in practice) with • similar problems as described in the game (searching for partners, employment, • leadership, organization etc.) PAXIS JOINT WORKSHOP

16. IMPLEMENTATION AND VALIDATION Implementation activities- Young, innovative companies Purpose To get acquainted with TRACTOR e-platform and multimedia game "Livetech MultiMedia Game" – the tools that might be of a help in solving the problems of leadership, team work and communication. To check if the contents are acceptable anduseful. Total number of participants: 56 Perceived usefulness of the program E-learning platform Concept of the e-learning platform is useful, however start-ups have more annotations regarding additional contents (for example: preparation of business plan, project leading) and they suggest variety of useful links to be added as well (e.g. local entrepreneurial and EU programs PAXIS JOINT WORKSHOP

17. IMPLEMENTATION AND VALIDATION • Separately they are pointing out tutorship to be provided by qualified and experienced advisors • They are critical about the design and the contents of the web portal • “Livetech MultiMedia Game” • Recognition of the different problems through the game seems very interesting and appropriate to them • They agree that in practice it can be used only with the help of business advisors and mentors PAXIS JOINT WORKSHOP

18. IMPLEMENTATION AND VALIDATION Implementation activities Entrepreneurial advisors, mentors, representative of incubators Purpose To get acquainted with TRACTOR e-platform and multimedia game "Livetech MultiMedia Game" – the tools that might be of a help in solving the problems of leadership, team work and communication. To check if the contents are acceptable and useful. Total number of participants: 20 PAXIS JOINT WORKSHOP

19. IMPLEMENTATION AND VALIDATION • Perceived usefulness of the program • E-learning platform • Business advisors and counsellors from incubators are interested in further development of the TRACTOR e-learning platform • Updating of data needs to be assured • They pointed out international aspect • They are also mentioning variety of different contents that would need to be added on the portal • “Livetech MultiMedia Game” • Multimedia game is interesting for all, because it provides support on informal • basis to the existing and potential entrepreneurs. PAXIS JOINT WORKSHOP

20. IMPLEMENTATION AND VALIDATION Valuation General evaluation of the TRACTOR project is good, in some cases very good because idea is proved to be interesting and useful. Beside it also includes the international dimension, which is of a vital importance for the future development. Until this point advantages and disadvantages of TRACTOR e-learning platform and "Livetech MultiMedia Game" were defined in details. Evaluations of work-shop participants, individual target group presentations, business advisors and partners in the project can be summed up in the following: PAXIS JOINT WORKSHOP

21. IMPLEMENTATION AND VALIDATION • Advantages: • Constant access to information and data about entrepreneurship in four countries (later on more) • Simple usage of presented contents for all target groups • Assurance of complementary services offered by advanced technology • Usage of innovative study methods on different topics, especially about leadership, team work and communication • Prepared e-learning concept • Possibility of using forums and chat-rooms • International network scheme PAXIS JOINT WORKSHOP

22. IMPLEMENTATION AND VALIDATION • Valuation • Disadvantages: • Technical problems of the web portal • Content related differences that rise with creation of subjects and e-contents • Technical deficiencies of multimedia game that are getting annulled • Different levels of comprehending and obtaining new knowledge among users and project partners, which still stands for some conceptual disagreements PAXIS JOINT WORKSHOP

23. IMPLEMENTATION AND VALIDATION • Recommendations for further development of the program • General guidelines for further development of TRACTOR project: • Web platform needs to be technically optimized and available in all four languages • Contents (portal, e-learning and multimedia) need to be adjusted to the needs of entrepreneurs and business support infrastructure • Additional contents need to be provided and performance of TRACTOR needs to be expanded to other countries and regions • Further development of the project preservation of close cooperation among existing partners and the involvement of the new ones need to be assured PAXIS JOINT WORKSHOP

24. IMPLEMENTATION AND VALIDATION • Conclusion • Despite broad layout of the project we can assert that it fully succeeded. It • contains international web portal and the e-learning contents layout, adjusted to • the target groups and even broader. Unique multimedia game simulates the • problems solving process on innovative and entertaining way. It helps the existing • and potential entrepreneurs to cope with entrepreneurship. • On the basis of the work done until now and assistance of external and internal • evaluations the following should be taken into consideration: • Abolishment of all technical and other defect of the project • Provision of appropriate dissemination • Provision of new e-learning and informational contents • Provision of updating and transparency • In this way with the TRACTOR project deepening of cooperation among • entrepreneurs (which face different problems), counsellors, incubators and other • business support institutions will be possible. PAXIS JOINT WORKSHOP

25. IMPLEMENTATION AND VALIDATION THANK YOU! PAXIS JOINT WORKSHOP