Development of the enterprises’ competitiveness in the context of demographic challenges


Book Description

This publication relates to the subject of shaping and maintaining high competitiveness and innovation by businesses, with particular emphasis on the SME sector in the Baltic Sea Region. It is divided into three parts. The first part includes the discussion of women's economic activity and their participation in the creation and strengthening of the competitive position of companies. The second part is devoted to problems related to the ageing of population in the Baltic Sea Region countries and the potential socio-economic impact of this fast growing process. The deliberations contained in the second part refer also to the possibilities and conditions for realizing the potential of seniors in the development of competitiveness and innovation of enterprises. The third part is a fragmentary overview of achievements related to the factors of competitiveness and innovation of modern enterprises. The papers, that were presented at a international conference 2013 at the Gdansk University of Technology, are printed in English.




The Demographic Dividend


Book Description

There is long-standing debate on how population growth affects national economies. A new report from Population Matters examines the history of this debate and synthesizes current research on the topic. The authors, led by Harvard economist David Bloom, conclude that population age structure, more than size or growth per se, affects economic development, and that reducing high fertility can create opportunities for economic growth if the right kinds of educational, health, and labor-market policies are in place. The report also examines specific regions of the world and how their differing policy environments have affected the relationship between population change and economic development.




Civilizational changes and the competitiveness of modern enter-prises


Book Description

Since the mid-twentieth century, the environment in which we operate is in fact described as turbulent, i.e. characterised by an unprecedented amount, rate, intensity and complexity of changes. In such a volatile environment the survival of an enterprise, and the more so its development and maintenance of high competitive position, seem to be extremely difficult. On the one hand, changes can create opportunities and provide the enterprises with chances for the development, on the other restrict or even block the possibility of their functioning in the market. In the monograph an attempt was made at classifying the civilization changes the modern entrepreneurs have to face in the fight for maintaining high competitiveness of their enterprises. Good practices are presented, for example the economic activation of seniors for companies. This book is a scientific publication for the purpose of its drafting, a review of most recent scientific literature on enterprise competitiveness and innovation and the direction and pace of socio-economic changes, with a particular focus on demographic changes, was conducted. This publication was developed as part of the flagship project of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region “Innovative SMEs by Gender and Age (QUICK-IGA)”.




Dual Bachelor'a study courses with integral attainment of a Bachelor's degree and vocational Master qualification


Book Description

There is a strong and growing shortage of qualified entrepreneurs and managers in the SME sector, and this is the main factor hampering further development in all European countries. To meet these challenges, there is an urgent need to raise the qualification level of master craftsman training (German Meisterausbildung) as effective entrepreneurship training according to the needs of entrepreneurial activity and to introduce entrepreneurship education at academic level. The aim of the "Bachelor & Meister" project, which ran from September 2017 to August 2020, was to develop an innovative learning approach in the form of a dual integrated degree programme combining the advantages of master craftsman training and university studies. During the 3-year project duration, 2 different models of the dual integral study courses were developed: the dual integral study course "Civil Engineering" and "Electrical Engineering". The testing of the dual integral study course "Civil Engineering" in Germany was initiated. This publication contains the relevant information like curricula, examination regulations or experiences as results of the project Bachelor & Meister with the following partners: Hanse Parlament (DE), hochschule 21 (DE), Satakunta University of Applied Sciences (FI), Poznan University of Life Sciences (PL), Wielkopolska Crafts Chamber in Poznan (PL) and Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (LT).




INTACT


Book Description

There is already a great shortage of skilled workers in the EU, increasing due to demographic developments. Through smooth integration into working life, refugees and migrants can make important contributions to overcome the shortage of skilled workers. The successful integration into the job market is limited by a high level of certificate belief in most host countries. Particularly difficult is the assessment and recognition of informally acquired competences which have already been acquired in several years of professional experience. It is at this informal level that refugees would like to continue in the host country. The project pursued this innovative, promising approach of evaluating the actual competencies to achieve a promising integration of refugees into working life in the participating countries as quickly as possible by 1. Identifying competencies, skills and aptitudes through a two-stage assessment procedure. 2. Focused on this, completion of a further training programme with an official educational qualification so that a recognized professional certificate can be obtained. 3.Individual coaching with placement in permanent jobs in SMEs. The project INTACT, was dedicated to the integration of newly arrived migrants into working life. The project was carried out from 15. January 2018 to 14. January 2021 by seven partners from five countries. This publication describes the used methods and experiences of the project.




Global Trends 2040


Book Description

"The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic marks the most significant, singular global disruption since World War II, with health, economic, political, and security implications that will ripple for years to come." -Global Trends 2040 (2021) Global Trends 2040-A More Contested World (2021), released by the US National Intelligence Council, is the latest report in its series of reports starting in 1997 about megatrends and the world's future. This report, strongly influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, paints a bleak picture of the future and describes a contested, fragmented and turbulent world. It specifically discusses the four main trends that will shape tomorrow's world: - Demographics-by 2040, 1.4 billion people will be added mostly in Africa and South Asia. - Economics-increased government debt and concentrated economic power will escalate problems for the poor and middleclass. - Climate-a hotter world will increase water, food, and health insecurity. - Technology-the emergence of new technologies could both solve and cause problems for human life. Students of trends, policymakers, entrepreneurs, academics, journalists and anyone eager for a glimpse into the next decades, will find this report, with colored graphs, essential reading.




REGROW - "Recruiting the Young Generation Workforce: Innovative HR Management"


Book Description

ABOUT THIS PUBLICATION In many EU countries there is a severe shortage of young skilled workers, especially in SMEs, which has a negative impact on their growth prospects and competitiveness. Even countries such as Germany, with its dual vocational training system, which has traditional strengths in attracting young talent, are having increasing difficulties in meeting the shortage of young skilled workers. There is a need of renewing the HR-Management in many SMEs to better attract and integrate young talent and to provide owners and employees with the necessary knowledge and skills. This project has collected best practices and developed a SME centred HR-concept including digital models, as well as various training programmes with different measures for SME managers leading to the implementation of a modern and holistic human resource management. Vocational Training Providers are equipped with the necessary materials and training programs to qualify their staff and SMEs and their employees in their sphere of influence. This publication contains the relevant curricula, application notes and experiences as a result of the project REGROW with the following partners: Hanse-Parlament (DE), Berufsakademie Hamburg (DE), Chamber of Crafts Opole (PL), Chamber of Crafts Poznan(PL), Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (EE), IBC International Business College Kolding (DK) and Arbeit und Zukunft e.V. (DE).




Improvement of Skills in the Green Economy through the Advanced Training Programs on Cradle to Cradle


Book Description

Energy efficiency, climate and biodiversity protection are among the top priorities of the EU and all member states. In order to meet the challenges of growing landfills, scarcity of resources, air pollution, to name onlya few of them, new ways of thinking and of economic activites are essential. This is exactly what the Cradle to Cradle® (C2C) concept delivers:: products flow in infinite material life cycles thus being economically successful, conducive to the environment and healthy for consumers without producing any waste. Cradle to Cradle® concept, born as vision by Prof. Dr. Michael Braungart and William McDonough in 1990ies, has become real. It is well known on the world market: more than 1.500 products have been developed. Despite the advantages , the Cradle to Cradle approach has mostly been used by big companies and is hardly known in SMEs. Thus a EU funded project was started in 2014 to develop trainings for Cradle to Cradle for SMEs. This book contains the training, including train-the-trainer, experiences and presentations made at the final conference in 2016. It contains substantial contributions by authors like Michael Braungart, Thomas Straubhaar and others.




Age, Gender and Innovation – Strategy program and action plans for the Baltic Sea Region


Book Description

All countries in the Baltic Sea Region face a growing lack of skilled work force. However, the large potential of a better inclusion of females and elderly employees and managers remains often untapped. Also female and elderly employees can increase the innovation level of a company. This publication provides strategies how to better include this important group in companies. It was developed as part of the flagship project of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region “Innovative SMEs by Gender and Age (QUICK-IGA)”. The project addresses the following objectives: - levelling of equal opportunities for women south of the Baltic Sea with the ones of northern countries; - strengthening the promotion of innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises by developing working cultures that explicitly improve the equal opportunities of women; - supporting regional development in order to optimally develop human capital and competitiveness through gender and education policy. The manual containing all the project results and additional tools for the management of demographic change at enterprise level. Part I of the book incorporates the strategy programme on "Age, Gender and Innovation: Policies and Strategies to Improve Employability and Work Ability of Women and Older People in the Baltic Sea Region”, whilst part II contains action plans for the Hanse Parlament (network of business chambers) and the Baltic Sea Academy (network of academic institutions) “Promoting the employment of women and older people”.




Establishment of two-stage industry compe-tence centers of vocational education and training


Book Description

Almost all European countries face challenges in educating sufficient skilled workers. Particularly in countries with a predominantly school-based vocational training practical qualification takes mostly place only with complementary internships in companies; the relevant skills and competencies must be significantly improved and a high-quality must be achieved. The dual vocational training proved itself to be of high value in this context. Within the ICC4VET project, a sector competence centre was developed in Poland with the realisation of a dual vocational training at the Tadeusz Tanski Mechanical and Logistics School Complex. In addition, further training courses for vocational school teachers were developed and implemented. Special trainings for trainers in SMEs in countries with school-based vocational training were adapted and implemented. A further training course for technicians within the framework of a dual training course of two years with entitlement to study at a university of applied sciences was developed and implemented. In preparation for the introduction of dual Bachelor's programmes, implementation plans were drawn up for the expansion of the two-tier sector competence centres into a three-tier system of vocational training and innovation promotion. This publication contains the relevant curricula and experiences as a result of the project ICC4VET with the following partner: Baltic Sea Academy (DE), Vocational Training and Technology Centre of the Schwerin Chamber of Skilled Crafts (DE), Tadeusz Tanski Mechanical and Logistics School Complex (PL), Vilnius Builders Training Center (LT), Panevezys Chamber of Commerce Industry and Crafts (LT), Latvijas Amatniecibas kamera (LV), Võru County Vocational Training Centre (EE.)