Workshops in Minsk for members of associations gathering SMEs in Belarus
On 25-26 October 2011, in Jubilejnyj Hotel in Minsk, two days of intensive training were organized for the representatives of management, mid-level specialists and members of associations representing interests of small and medium size enterprises in Belarus.
The programme of workshops was prepared on the basis of specifically defined goals and guidelines of the project 'Associations gathering small and medium size enterprises -the initiators of the development of SME sector in Belarus' as well as the needs of Belarusian entrepreneurs surveyed during analysis of the situation of associations gathering SMEs in the territory of Belarus and in the time of September away training in Poland.
The first subject area prepared by experts from Malopolska Agency of Regional Development, Malgorzata Malek, Anna Kosiorowska and Konstanty Dudnik, had the purpose of acquainting participants in the training with the activity connected with raising funds and realization of projects financed from the fund for entrepreneurs. During a case study, undertaken during the workshops, participants analyzed the process of preparing, implementing and accounting for a project on the basis of a specific case.
The Belarusian entrepreneurs expresses a very vivid interest in the training organized by Jacek Sadowski - President of Demo Effective Launching, a company dealing with introduction of new products and strengthening the position of the products already existing on the market. The workshops contained a presentation of the tools and communication channels required for building a brand recognizable among the clients. Another thing that matters today on the market, except of strong brand, is innovation potential of the company, which more and more frequently decides about the competitiveness of the company. This issue was in the focus of attention of the training session organized by Aleksander Buczacki, Ph.D., an employee of the Department of Production Engineering at Warsaw University of Technology.
On the second day of the workshops, participants were trained in effective management of company /organization, which, as it was emphasized by the trainer Maciej Bogucki - a consultant of Cogno Medical, is based on strong and appropriately motivated management teams. The workshops in Minsk were closed by a training related to realization of joint Belarusian-Polish business projects. The possibilities, but also problems and obstacles, encountered in foreign trade and international investment projects were described by the head of the Department of Trade and Investment Promotion at the Polish Embassy in Minsk, Wieslaw Pokladek.
The training organized in Minsk for Belarussian entrepreneurs is a part of a cycle of projects, carried out for a few years by the Eastern Institute, which have the purpose of transferring Polish experience, knowledge and good practices related to promotion and support for small and medium size enterprises.
Poland as an example of changes for the better
On 4-10 September 2011, representatives of local administration, education, non-government organizations and the media from Ukraine took part in the study visit in Krakow, Nowy Sacz, Muszyna and Krynica-Zdroj. During the visit to Poland, organized by Foundation Eastern Institute within the scope of the project „Poland as an example of changes for the better", guests from Ukraine participated in seminars and trainings in public administration institutions, institutions supporting innovative regional development and concepts of the civil society, and also in the institutions safeguarding the public interest.
The training sessions were organized in Marshall Office of Malopolska Voivodeship, Malopolska Regional Development Agency, District Authority in Nowy Sacz, Nowy Sacz Municipality, NGO Support Centre, Regional Museum in Nowy Sacz and Malopolska Cultural Centre 'Sokol', among other things. The training was related to the issues of skilful and effective management of public administration units in three pier local self-government structure, ethics in the work of civil service, investment in regional development, support for organizations acting for the benefit of civil society, and also issues connected with leveraging EU funds, including funds for operation of cultural institutions, and principles governing functioning of such entities.
From 7 to 9 September 2011, participants of the study visit participated also in seminars and accompanying events of the 21st Economic Forum in Krynica-Zdroj and the 5th Forum of Regions in Muszyna, where they had the opportunity to participate in discussions related to international security, international policy, the European Union, the state and reforms, issues connected with the NGO and the society, and also regional policy and regional development.
The project 'Poland as an example of changes for the better' is co-financed, within the scope of programme Promotion of knowledge about Poland, from the resources of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland 2011.
Belarusian entrepreneurs in Malopolska
From 4 to 10 September 2011, representatives of management and medium level specialists of SME associations from Belarus took part in an away training session in Krakow, Nowy Sacz, Muszyna and Krynica-Zdroj. During the away training session organized by Eastern Institute within the scope of a project 'Associations of small and medium size enterprises as initiators of development of the SME sector in Belarus', the guests from Belarus took part in seminars and training sessions in business environment institutions that support functioning of micro, small and medium size enterprises in the area of anti-crisis actions, modern technologies and innovative companies.
Participants in the meetings, organized in Malopolska Regional Development Agency, Nowy Sacz Municipality, Malopolska Fund of Credit Guarantees and Association Multimedia and Information Systems Cluster, discussed the topics related to leveraging funds for improvement of qualifications of employees of business environment institutions, entrepreneurship support instruments, cooperation of regional authorities with organizations associating SMEs and establishing clusters for the benefit of development of entrepreneurship and innovations.
During the training, visits were organized in 'Muszynianka' company and Diary Plant „Domink", thanks to which the participants could become familiar with functioning of Malopolska-based companies that have vast experience in introducing and applying innovative technological solutions and also building the brand and image in local and national market.
Between 7 and 9 September 2011, Belarusian entrepreneurs participated also in the events of the 21st Economic Forum in Krynica-Zdroj. The goal of participation in seminars, panels, presentations and accompanying events was to increase knowledge of the attendants in the training within the scope of business and management, innovations, energy issues, macroeconomics and new economy, and also establishing international contacts and integration of associations.
The project is co-financed within the scope of programme of Polish development cooperation carried out by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland in 2011.
Poland for Ukraine
On the 17th of June this year in Lvov and on the 20th of June in Odessa, seminars under the banner of „How to use Polish reform experience in Ukraine?" were conducted within the scope of the project „Poland as an example of changes for better". The project is co-financed by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs within the scope of a cyclic programme „Promotion of knowledge about Poland", and the seminars were organized by the Institute for Eastern Studies from Warsaw. The subject matter of the meetings focused on civil society, the place of Ukraine in international politics, the Polish presidency in the EU and its importance for Eastern Partnership and the most important issue - economic reforms. In each case the current situation of Ukraine was referred to the situation in Poland, in the past and at present. The Panellists participating in the seminars represented both Poland and Ukraine. The seminars were attended mainly by professors and students of Ukrainian universities, representatives of state authorities and local self-governments, and members of non-governmental organizations. Rank and file citizens interested in social issues and politics were also present.
All topics enjoyed a lively interest among the participants, but one can say that the topic of building the civil society, with special consideration of the importance of the local self-government system and successes of the Polish economy sparked the strongest interest. The first topic was approached in a very picturesque and concrete way by an expert from Poland, Wieslawa Borczyk, the Coordinator of the Centre for NGO Support. Thanks to her lectures and emphasis of the role of local self-governments, citizens of Lvov and Odessa had a chance of not only becoming familiar with the differences between our systems of self-government, but they also received precious hints regarding the method of building foundations for the civil state. The lecture of the Polish expert made the listeners aware of the necessity to create transparent, non-corrupt structures based on bottom-up initiatives. The Polish reforms of 1991 and 1999 gave a clear picture of their operating principle. That example allowed the citizens of both cities to find and determine their place in the development of local self-governance and select the way of its further development. The Polish experience proved very attractive and absorbing for many listeners. Still a long time after the seminar, young people besieged our expert with questions.
Listening to the lecture and discussion related to building of the society, one could easily notice that for Poles the point of reference was Solidarity in 1980, preceded by earlier revolutionary impulses, and for the Ukrainians the Orange Revolution in 2004/2005. Although neither of these forces is directly at the helm now, both movements, according to experts and listeners, fuelled the desire for changes and reinforced the belief that these changes were not only necessary, but also possible. Exactly thanks to them we have currently hundreds and thousands of non-governmental organizations and they are the ones that change the reality. A sad conclusion was that social „passiveness" in Ukraine in 1991-2004 led to emergence of the oligarchs, who blocked economic and social development.
The issue of introduced and abandoned economic reforms was presented in Lvov by Prof. Maria Flejczuk from Lvov Academy of Economics and Prof. Serhij Jakubowski from the Department of Economics and International Economic Relations of the National University in Odessa. Both experts represented Ukraine and both of them clearly demonstrated the sources of successes and failures in reforming both countries. Poland's hard work on reforms met with recognition together with its consistent and consolidated aspiration to gain membership in the EU and NATO structures. Against the background of the Polish successes, the problems of Ukrainian reality are likely to be solved by following persistently the path towards the European integration. Quoting precise data, Prof. Flejczuk outlined the biggest deficiencies of the Ukrainian economy: corruption and increase of the shadow economy (the shadow sphere's share in Ukraine is estimated at 50-60% of the total economy).
The seminar reflected also on the issue of Ukraine's role in international politics. The problem whether Ukraine was a subject or an object in the system of international politics was depicted by the editor Taraz Wozniak. The role of Eastern Partnership was described by the director of the representative office of the European Commission in Poland, Ewa Synowiec, and in Odessa by Andrzej Szeptycki, Ph.D., from the Institute of International Relations at Warsaw University. According to T. Wozniak, the current unstable situation is not only the fault of the Ukrainian party. In his opinion, the place occupied by the present-day Ukraine depends to a considerable extent on the USA and Russia. Strong China caused that America needed a fence in relation to Russia in the region, and Russia in turn needed 'wood for its steam engine' - since it suffered from a drop in the birth rate and a deficit of workforce. Exactly this factor, according to Lvov's expert, besides many shortcomings of its own policy, impedes development of the country and halts its march towards Europe. A. Szeptycki indicated also that indecisive European policy brought negative effects for our neighbour. In his view, Ukraine can share the fate of Turkey and it can wait in the tunnel to nowhere for the next 20 years. Director Ewa Synowiec shared her optimism with the listeners. Her presentation of the optimistic belief that negotiations between the EU and Ukraine could be finalized in the area of the accession treaty and extension of the free trade area still during the Polish presidency met with loud applause.
Observing both events, it is safe to say that the example of Poland does not only signify an interesting reference for Ukraine but also a road sign. At the current stage, our eastern neighbours are prone to take advantage of it and traditionally they see Poland as the advocate of their interests in Europe. It is also worth to notice that currently, despite not too favourable social climate in Ukraine, the interest of citizens in the future of their country is very considerable.
Report from a seminar "Effective state administration and business management as a basis for economic development - support for small business in Belarus."
On 24-25 November in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, in hotel "Belarus", a seminar was organized within the scope of the programme: "Effective state administration and business management as a basis for economic development - support for small business in Belarus." The organizer of the seminar was the Foundation Eastern Institute, the organizer of the Economic Forum in Krynica and Minsk based Capital Association of Entrepreneurs and Employers. The seminar was held under the auspices of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and with the support of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Belarus. The seminar was attended by nearly 100 owners of small and medium size enterprises from entire Belarus.
The experience of Polish organizations representing the interests of entrepreneurs, including industry associations, was presented by Michał Konwicki - a Director of the Polish Chamber of Commerce. The participants in the seminar were very interested in foreign cooperation of Polish business associations and benefits from membership in international organizations.
Particular interest was attracted by the lecture of Wiesław Pokładka, the Head of Trade and Investment Promotion in the Polish Embassy in Minsk, entitled „Polish-Belarusian Trade exchange - export-import cooperation, export consortia". During animated discussion, the participants mentioned many times the topic of the current status of cooperation and the possibility of its fast development.
The participants in the seminar devoted also considerable attention to a very extensive presentation of the possibility of cooperation between entrepreneurs and local self-governments in Poland presented by Bernard Stawiarski, the head of Chełmiec commune, the biggest commune in Poland. The lecture „The experience of local and regional cooperation between the business sector and central and local state administration." Belarusian businessmen were very interested in how local self-governments can support small and medium size enterprises from their constituencies. And here the discussion was heated, and many questions were thoroughly explained by the commune head Mr Stawiarski, whose commune has experienced a big investment boom in recent years.
The training programme was supplemented by the lectures presented by the representatives of the Institute. Jerzy Bochyński, the President of the Eastern Institute, delivered a lecture: „Management and leadership in the company- how to manage people to make them follow the leader? Good practices and know-how." Paweł Piszczek, the Director of the Press Office, discussed the topic: „Use of modern IT technologies in the company - Internet in marketing strategy, tools and forms of telemarketing, how to establish an electronic sales branch and how does it function?"
ENPI CBC Absorption Capacity Building-Support to Retsmunebulis Aparati - Sharing Polish Know-how. GEORGIA
The overall objective of the project was to provide the potential beneficiaries of ENPI CBC BLACK SEA in Georgia with so-called project application know-how. While the project was primarily targeting Retsmunebulis Aparati i.e. the governors` offices, judged to be the weakest link within the Georgian administration chain, it embraced as well other categories of Georgia-based CBC eligible entities Sakrebulo/self-governments, NGOs, public agencies and universities. The project included a study tour to Poland (intensive trainings sessions combined with field visits to projects sites in North Eastern Poland) for selected representatives of Retsmunebulis Aparati form three Georgia`s regions - Guria, Kakheti, Kvemo Khartli and follow-up seminars in Tbilisi open to representatives of other beneficiaries. The activities were designed to offer a maximum of practical tips and hints on how to prepare a successful proposal. Drawing on Polish experiences in the filed, the project still tended to remain close to Georgian reality and needs (being duly assed beforehand). Proposal Writing Handbook (GEORGIAN VERSION TO BE DOWLOADED HERE) worked out within the project stands as a unique Georgian language publication of this type and is currently employed by RCBI during its training activities in Georgia.
The project was founded by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs within POLISH AID.
