This document summarizes the discussions from a workshop on internal organization and training. Key topics discussed include: how to organize a company, whether to pursue internal or external growth, how to build an effective business network, the differences between ability to perform tasks and ability to teach others, how to modernize software and hardware, and how to prepare an application for a professional partnership. The workshop aimed to exchange experiences and clarify these issues, with the goal of helping small- and medium-sized enterprises improve their organizations and training.

1. This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the
Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the
information contained therein.
WorkshopWorkshopWorkshopWorkshop n.n.n.n.6666:::: Internal organisation & Training 1Internal organisation & Training 1Internal organisation & Training 1Internal organisation & Training 1
18.00 – 18.30
Start of the workshop: introduction by Riccardo Sani on behalf of CLA
1921
18.30 – 20.00
The participants start the discussion about focus on the remaining
questions.
20.0020.0020.0020.00 –––– 20.3020.3020.3020.30 DDDDinnerinnerinnerinner breakbreakbreakbreak
20.30 – 22.00 Continuation of the discussion on “Internal organisation & Training 1”.
22.00 – 22.30 Closing of the session + distribution of the evaluation questionnaires
April 24April 24April 24April 24 2014201420142014 from 6from 6from 6from 6.00.00.00.00 PM to 10.30 PMPM to 10.30 PMPM to 10.30 PMPM to 10.30 PM
The 6th
PLATO workshop took place in the premises of c/o CMC Fashion Via VOLONTARI DELLA
LIBERTÀ 50053 EMPOLI (FI)
PPPParticipantsarticipantsarticipantsarticipants
Mentor/sMentor/sMentor/sMentor/s: Luca Liuni, Paolo Polverosi, Davide Cecio
For ASEVASEVASEVASEV Tiziano Cini, Giulia Rigoli, Enrico Valori
SMEsSMEsSMEsSMEs:
IDRO BAGNOLI - BAGNOLI ALBERTA
CMC FASHION - CAPEZZUOLI VINICIO
CMC FASHION - MALTINTI ALESSANDRO
GREENHOUSE – GIAN LUCA SANI
GREENHOUSE -FRANCESCO SANI
WASTE RECYCLING – MAURIZIO GIANI
SOVER - PIERI NADIA
MM INFORMATICA - RISTORI MASSIMILIANO
MMINFORMATICA – MICHELE CHITI
METALSTICK - ZARI MARCO

2. This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the
Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the
information contained therein.
ARCHIGROUP – BARONTI MARINA
ARCHIGROUP – EDOARDO CAPPELLI
COMPUTER ASSIST – BERNARDO BALLINI
PPPPurposeurposeurposeurpose of the workshopof the workshopof the workshopof the workshop:::: exchange and share experiences and clarify the Internal organisation &
Training issues defined by the participants in the teambuilding session.
Issues addressed:Issues addressed:Issues addressed:Issues addressed:
The group, leaded by the mentors, analyzes the topics related to the Internal organisation & Training
that were not discussed into the previous seminar.
Below the questions collected in the teambuilding session and the main conclusions:
1. How to organise the own company?
First of all it is necessary to surround ourselves with skillful staffs. It also occurs to schedule a good
planning in order to decide wisely investments: for instance nowadays, concerning the “freight
transport”, it is important to avoid buying means of transportation but preferably to rent them long
run. In so doing we could use vehicles with no concerns about insurance, car tax etc.
To conclude, all the staff involved, owner included, have to be addressed to the company growth,
namely we need to be champions in team-play.
2. Which way: try to grow alone (internal solution) or by means of merge & acquisition (external
solution)? / how to build an effective business network?
Attendees have observed for both strategies advantages and disadvantages: the internal growth (by
themselves) could bring about advantages as the total control of the choices and the absences of
risks related to external operations of purchase. Disadvantages are the length to reach results and
the requirement to have a lot of resources to be invested within the company business. The external
solution (merge & acquisition) could allow your company to focus on owns main competences and
to delegate the “weak points” outwards. This could combine to bring about immediate competitive
advantages referred to competence and abilities in moving toward new geographical markets.
Nevertheless there are high risks concerning the integration amongst companies so it would be
appropriate to try to define risks and solutions in a preliminary step.

3. This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the
Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the
information contained therein.
Attendees have tried to define the features to create an effective business network:
- describe yourself: Be concise. You will demonstrate consideration and expertise by conveying
your most relevant points in as short a time as possible.
- be different and ambitious.
- help others - give before you receive: Always prioritise helping and giving to others ahead of
taking and receiving for yourself. You must give in order to receive. Be helpful to others and
you will be helped in return.
- keep your integrity - build trust and reputation: We are all human; mistakes happen. If you
do make a mistake or wrong decision - whether it significantly undermines your integrity or
not - always admit it and apologise. Significantly, integrity is vital for trust to develop. Trust is
simply not possible without integrity. Building trust is essential for growing a strong business
network.
- seek relevant groups and connections.
- plan your networking - know what you want - manage it: All projects need managing.
Business networking is a project, and so it needs managing.
- be a positive influence: Be positive. Use positive language. Smile. See the good in people.
- follow up your commitments and promises.
3. Which differences between “ability to do” and “ability in teaching how to do”? / what is
the best way to deal with my personal growth as a manager?
Attendees discerned the ability to do something from the ability to teach how to do something, they
are things completely different: for instance people promoted from a role in which they do to a role
in which they have to teach how to do could obtain negative effects rather than positive if they
haven’t been supported with a professional training.
Also to grow as company’s manager would be opportune to follow up of the professional training.
This is the best way that attendees have brought out during the workshop but they have also
observed two issues: the time available to train themselves (available time to attend the courses)
and the economical cost they have to sustain (this kind of courses always have an high cost).
4. Software and hardware: how to modernize?
It is necessary to understand how the web works, therefore only experts could improve your web
activity: it is better to involve immediately someone who know about it rather than experience by
themselves.

4. This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the
Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the
information contained therein.
The second step consists in schedule very accurately how to invest the available budget: usually
Italian entrepreneurs do not estimate a big amount so the result is strongly related with the planning
you are able to create before your investment.
Once you understand what your company needs and what is your available amount you have to
figure out how to reach your purpose with the money you can invest. You need to have cleared the
connection amongst what you have and what you want to reach: thus, for the Italian entrepreneurs
the most important thing is the strategic plan before the money.
5. How to prepare an application for a professional partnership?
Attendees have brought out some points during the discussion:
• Be informed about your potential partner. Read its company’s mission; try to understand how
they make a decision.
• Try to “adjust” your company to your potential partner
• List advantages for the partnership ( you have to convince them that the cooperation will be
fruitful)
• Be simple but provide clear amounts: explain visibly what they could earn by starting a
cooperation with your company
• Relationship is everything: your first priority is to build confidence amongst you and the
potential partner. Help them to resolve some of their problems, become their friend before
offer a partnership.