Improving Competitive Intelligence Abilities of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises

Improving Competitive Intelligence Abilities of Small and Medium–Sized Enterprises – this is a transfer of innovation project focusing on vocational education and training, which is supported under 2013 call for proposal of EU Lifelong Learning Programme and coordinated by Istanbul Ferrous & Non-Ferrous Metals Exporters’ Association (IDDMIB). The project duration is 24 months, it started in May 2014 and will end in April, 2016.

Primary aim of the I-CIA of SMEs Project is improving the competitiveness of SMEs in Lithuania, Bulgaria, Greece, Croatia and Turkey by supporting staff in competitive intelligence and strategy. In general, the Project aims at raising awareness about the importance of CI and strategy in SMEs and increasing the number of people who are skilled in CI in the job market.

The objective of the Project is providing the target group with an educational e-based platform which reflects the practical needs of the end users and which is flexible enough to address the specific needs of the target group. So I-CIA of SMEs project will develop a vocational training course to educate staff of SMEs to increase their competitiveness and share in the global market by using open and distance learning and training methods.

The training material will be improved by further developing, localizing and contextualising the existing e-learning material meant to help audience to acquire skills necessary for CI competitiveness strategy.

Expected results of the I-CIA of SMEs project are:

Improving the competitiveness of SMEs in partner countries
Raising awareness on Competitive Intelligence
Increasing the number of people who are skilled in CI
E-based platform for e-learning (will be improved according to target groups’ specific needs)

The Project results are expected to improve SMEs that make up more than 90% of the EU market by increasing their competitiveness, achieving a growth of their export and a resillent company profile.

Project Manager

Istanbul Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Metals Exporters‘ Association

Partners

Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists (Lithuania), Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade (Spain), Bogazici University (Turkey), Multidisziplinäres Institut für Europa-Forschung Graz (Austria), Aintek Symvouloi Epicheiriseon Efarmoges Ypsilis Technologias Ekpaidefsi Anonymi Etaireia (Greece), Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vratsa (Bulgaria), Zadra Country Development Agency (Croatia).