Grants:IEG/wiki microconsulting

status: ineligible

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eligibility and selection criteria

project:

wiki microconsulting

project contact:

michele.nubilegmail.com

participants:

grantees: Michele Nubile

advisors: Manuela Coci

summary:

Create a non-governmental organization that shares practical knowledge for small businesses; carries out training for young people and insert them into the world of work

2014 round 1

Project idea

What is the problem you're trying to solve?

The recent financial crisis has brought great difficulties to the Italian production. The Italian industry is made up primarily of small and micro enterprises. International competition and the effects of the credit crunch are causing unemployment, loss of competitiveness and even bankruptcy. The classic methods of stimulus to the economy do not work anymore. An innovative way, which is specifically addressed to small and micro enterprises, is needed to support their growth and relaunch the employment rate.

What is your solution?

My solution is to create a non-governmental organization that coordinates all the academic and practical materials useful for small and micro-enterprises on a website. Subsequently, the organization will carry out educational activities by organizing training courses for young people in college campuses and by placing the trainees in the appropiate companies.

Project goals

This project has the ambition to become a benchmark for the Italian small and micro enterprises. Most of the information for business management is already available on the web; however information is not selected nor organized in such a way as to be easily used by the entrepreneurs and start-uppers. The project aims to create a web platform, specifically addressed to small and micro enterprises, that provides basic tools mainly for supply chain, change management, cost analysis, management system of quality. The project is also aiming to educate and train people on these specific issues. The project has a direct impact in economic and social aspects because it significantly promotes growth, employment and development. One of its main objectives is indeed to directly connect the young generation of workers with small and micro enterprises. In the same way as microcredit has been an innovative tool for the development of credit in the financial sector, Wiki Microconsulting wants to be the innovative tool for small businesses that are often cut off from the typical services of consulting. To achieve its ambitious goals, the project requires the collaboration of the best universities, the financing of Italian and European public institutions and the active participation of national and international companies. This project has already a website www.progettomicroconsulenza.it. in which there are detailed information on its architecture. We must actively support workers and businesses by putting them together, so that the training of the first will be of some benefit for the latter. This is a new amnd practical way to support and encourage growth in such a difficult time. Italian small business reality needs instruments and hopes of not having to further give up the economic assets of the country. This project needs the help of wiki community to grow and become a reality.

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Project plan

Scope

The scope of the project is to create and make effective a new and innovative way to support growth. All this happens with the creation of a website and the promotion of training courses in Italian universities.

Activities

My role in the project is the coordinator of activities. I will cover in particular:

• Identification of the basic content and key issues of the website
• Identification of academic and private partners
• Creation of the organization in accordance with the Italian law [ONLUS]
• Assignment of tasks and assessment of developments
• Organization of appointments between universities and companies
• Selection of trainees based on motiviation letter and CV selection
• Negotiation for lenders and promoters

Budget

Total amount requested

Estimated cost for the whole project: 600,000 € in three years. € 200,000 / year, divided as follows:

• Personnel costs: € 70,000 / year
• Overheads: 7000 € / year
• Website: 8000 € one-off
• Site Update: 2000 € / year
• Remuneration of parties involved: 40.000 € year
• Costs of training on campus: 600 € per person
• Number of trainees: 100 p / year
• Other: € 10,000 / year

The total grant request is the maximum: 30.000 USD.

Budget breakdown

1) Website development beta version: 5000 USD

2) Development management software tools: 4000 USD

3) Travel around Italy to find partners: 500 USD /each; 24 travel estimated; 12.000 USD number of visit city 8 Milan 6 Rome 3 Florence 3 Venice 2 Catania

4) Material for promoting: 2000 USD

5) Merchandising: 2000 USD

6) Project Management: 5000 USD

Intended impact

Target audience

The beneficiaries of the project are the small and micro enterprises and the new generations of workers. Enterprises would benefit by directly using the practical information on the website, which are especially targeting innovation process. The recent financial crisis has forced the closure of thousands of small and historical companies, provoking loss of know-how and competitivenes. In addition, only a minority of small and micro companies have succeeded in the generational change which consists of technological upgrade and incremental innovation. Enterprises can make gradual innovation; they can start from the application of tools offered by the website and they could finally recrute multi-faceted people trained within the wiki-microconsulting project, without resorting to expensive investment in consulting. The other beneficiaries of the project is the new generation of workers. As a matter of fact, new generations would be already able to upgrade the productive structure of the country; however, they are out of political and economical dynamics. Moreover, they have often received an education too theoretical or too specific. By getting involved in the project, young workers could receive practical knowledge and working opportunities.

Community engagement

Wiki-microconsulting project consists of three phases:

• First phase: involvement of one or more universities willing to actually synthesize the basic know-how necessary for the realization of the website; creation of a network of public and private entities interested in the implementation of the project.
• Second stage: the publication of the material on the website, accessible to the community. The website is designed for continuous update of contents and tools. Business software companies will be involved for the development of simple and effective computerized management tools, according to the feedback received by the participating companies.
• Third phase: Selection of trainees with strong attitude towards innovation process; practical training be organized in college campuses and direct connection will be created between trainees and enterprises for their future placement.

The engagment of communities involved in the project will therefore occurr at different levels during the project development. Indeed the success of wiki microconsulting will be as strong as the response of the community.

Fit with strategy

The project affects all strategic objectives to a greater or lesser extent:

• Encourage innovation
• Share and disseminate knowledge
• Use feedbacks from partners for gradual improvement
• Promote and increase participation
• Change our way of sustaining growth

Sustainability

The project will start with public and private funds, from grant to donation. Being an onlus, the organization will have some financial benefits which can reduce its costs. Once started, the project will continue with the financial supports of partners. The success of the project depends on the capacity of involving partners; therefore the starting phase is a financial investment. however, the project can grow by than offering services to the companies, accompaining them in a continous and gradual process of innovation.

Measures of success

Need target-setting tips?

I will consider the project successful if:

• At least one University in Italy will promote the project.
• At least 1 public organization will finance the project with 50.000 euro.
• At least 1 private company will finance the project with 30.000 euro.
• At least 30 people will partecipate in the on campus courses.
• At least 30 companies will partecipate in the project.
• Engage at least 5 - 10 people across all Wikisources during vision drafting.

Participant(s)

Michele Nubile's work experience.

• Jan 2008 – Nov 2013 Nubile srl, Ofena (Italy).

I have been working for five years in the small family business companies. I was involved in all the activities, from supply chain, purchasing, ordering, manufacturing, human resources and finance. I was particularly dedicated to three main fields of activities, in which I achieved specific objectives as described below: - Information technology: I implemented an IT revolution which consisted in digitalizing information, developing a software, using new tools and training people in all the manufacturing processes. Since 2009 a digital system has been placed and, with the same resources, the number of products in the manufacturing process increased by ten times. - Manufacturing process: I introduced several new key-activities like quality control, supply chain monitoring and check list. The main effort was to lead people with new activities and new responsibilities and include the new activities within the digital system. New tools have been introduced to take under control production and forecast. - Quality management: I defined and described all manufacturing procedures and all responsibilities in a written and constantly updated manual. This manual is now used to implement changes in all different areas. Responsibilities and activities are assigned based on employees experience and cost effective issues and procedures are compliant with ISO guidelines. Thanks to all things described above and team working, the Nubile srl has changed its production in a higher value added one. It has reduced its debit loan by 50% despite the financial crisis and it is experiencing a better and higher motivated working environment. My total involvement in the family business strongly convinced me about the serious lack and the consequent cricial need of actions specific for helping small business companies in the process of innovation.

Jul 05 - Sep 07 Junior quantitative analyst EurizonVita, Milan (Italy). For two years, I worked for one of the most important italian insurance companies. I was appointed as the main referent for a new and strategic financial insurance products at the early age of 26. Some of my activities were: connect legal, finance and marketing departments; report to top executives in the management; be in charge of relationships with several investment banks; prepare stochastic simulations for option pay-out; draft legal notices for final clients; supervise option bidding in Banca IMI; do quantitative analyses of competitors' products. This experience makes me particularly able to develop and implement cost effective analysis and provide basic tips as well as advanced tools for financial evaluation.

For its implementation, Wiki microconsulting project has the ambition to involve different actors, public and private, Below there is a list of possible stakeholders:

• University.

In order to share knowledge, provide training and be a stimulus to innovation, the University has the role of contents' provider and training guide for Wiki microconsulting project. One or more universities will make know-howavailable pfor the development of the web site for small business. The participation of academy is synonym of more influence and attractiveness.

• Private company.

The digital revolution has allowed several private individuals (professionals, associations, foundations and companies) to share countless content, information, and tools for small businesses. However, the practical use of this information means time for research and evaluation skills for implementation. In this respect, Wiki microconsulting project wants to represent these issues in an systematic and functional way more effective for small and micro enterprises. Companies that may be involved are both international (Microsoft Corporation, Apple, Google, Wikipedia, Telecom Italy, Vodafone Italy, eBay) and Italian companies (Aruba, Qualitiamo, TECNOS, Management Open).

Associations of management consulting. Wiki microconsulting project shares the following objectives and intents with business associations management consulting:

• Affirm the role and value of the management consultant for the economic development
• Aggregate and represent the community of professional management consultants
• Promote the professional growth and ongoing
• Define quality standards for the profession and behavioral
• Build relationships of participation, exchange and collaboration with national and international organizations in the sector and more generally with the stakeholders

In Italy there are several associations (Assoconsult - Federal Association of Company Consulting APCO - Italian Professional Association of Management Consultants, Assochange - Italian Association of Change Management) that may be involved in the project. Public sector companies and associations. The success of Wiki microconsulting project lies in the ability to transfer to companies the concepts and tools provided by the university and private entities. This is achieved with the formation of professionals that will develop services and innovations within companies. The small business and the complex system of stakeholders, close to it, are the recipients of the benefits. From this point of view, the project has a strong socio-economic potential, especially in the current particularly negative economic cycle. Public bodies and associations of undertakings, which have the role of financiers of the project, are:

• EU
• Ministry of Economic Development
• Chamber of Commerce
• Confindustria
• Confartigianato
• Regions
• Municipalities

Discussion

Community Notification

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Endorsements

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