The EU commerce sector comprises 5.5 million companies, employs 29 million people, 18% of those self-employed, and represents 11% of the EU’s GDP. It has a major impact on the economy of the internal market. Retailing is essentially a local business. The majority are Micro and SMEs (95,1% and 4,8%, respectively), employing over the half of the total human resources in the sector. Technological progress, blurring of borderline between sectors (addition of new products and services, financial, telecommunications, travels, etc) and consumer behaviour are currently at the heart of a profound transformation within retail and wholesale. In addition a need is observed to update the traditional business models by integrating new technologies, digitalization of commerce, as well as more sustainable business practices. RETAIL project will engage a consortium made of 7 partners from 4 EU countries: Ireland, Spain, Poland and Greece. Having different background, contexts, profiles and experiences, those partners, 2 chambers of commerce, 3 SMEs offering business support services and training, 1 university, 1 IT expert will collaborate to develop an innovative learning proposal addressed to 3 main target groups: Experiences entrepreneurs from the retail sector, in the need of changing their business model and practices Youth and unemployed, for which retail is an entrance door to the labour market, in search of opportunities in the sector and having a strong sense of new customers values and behaviours, seeking for connection and sense. VET stakeholders and other business support organisations and educational institutions, who will access to the OER and will be multipliers of the methodology and contents to be developed. Within each of the target groups, the project will rely on a participative approach engaging directly with the beneficiaries in the project. At each stage, participants, particularly retail entrepreneurs and youth and unemployed will be involved to test and comment on the training products. 16 of them will participate in an on-site blended training activity in Larissa, during which the intergenerational approach will be applied. The main project activities and outputs are dependent on peer learning and intergenerational exchange. Addressing the needs of each one of the targets, partners will develop: An entrepreneurs training package, providing entrepreneurs with knowledge on new business models and integration of change A youth training package, providing them with sectoral knowledge and how to sustain a business An intergenerational training package, offering a framework for collaboration between the 2 groups An online platform with social modules and collaborative space where users can access the OER and exchange experiences. 8 multiplier events (2 per country) to inform about the project development and foster its exploitation A learning activity in Larissa where participants will create binomas of entrepreneurs and youth to learn thanks to work based learning, searching for solutions to retail entrepreneurs barriers and challenges. The methodology of the project stands on a participative and collaborative approach. At each stage, target groups will be involved and listen to improve the materials and develop specific tailor made contents answering to the observed needs. Also, partners believe that each target has the capacity to provide new knowledge to the other (peer learning): while experienced entrepreneurs have a strong knowledge and experience of the small trade or retail and its management, youth know the customer latest trends and behaviours, are anchored in the digital world and have an increased awareness of sustainability and environment. This is why this project intends to create collaboration between those two target around defined projects, which would be focused around entrepreneurs concrete needs observed on the ground. As a result, partners have the ambition to propose an innovative educational resource and tested methodology, which shall impact positively the target groups by: Bettering entrepreneurial skills of the targets Bettering small trades competitiveness Ensuring sustainability of businesses Ease the entrance of new labour workforce generation Support the generational transition in retail human resources The project expects to have a positive impact on VET and educational stakeholder, which will, beyond the partners themselves, have access to the training packages and will be offered the opportunity to apply them and transfer them to other fields and territories. In the long term, partners expect to fully exploit this course within their own target audiences expanding the methodology of this project. During the project, recognition tools such as EUROPASS will be developed to promote and mainstream the project. 5.WORKING GROUP ON INNOVATION 2015 - EU Internal market, industry, entrepreneurship and SMEs
RETAIL project was submitted as a proposal addressing the challenges faced by SMEs during the transition of the Retail sector toward sustainable and digital models. Firstly by raising awareness with experienced retail entrepreneurs about the need for adaptation and innovation transition toward a connected long-term sustainable business model. Secondly, through the development of training aimed at: - Continuous training for experienced retail entrepreneurs, needing to renew their skills and up-skills to develop long-term sustainable practices including digital, social, environmental, and economics learnings. - training Youth, especially low-skilled youth or unemployed (but with informal digital competencies), providing the knowledge, skills, and competence in business management and business models in the retail sector to consider as a career opportunity. RETAIL was based on knowledge sharing and peer-learning for retail stakeholders with up-skilling in business model innovation, integrating channels and process innovation, cooperation and networking, digital improvement, sustainability and CSR, personal development, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit, among others.
The EU commerce sector comprises 5.5 million companies, employs 29 million people, 18% of whom are self-employed, and represent 11% of the EU’s GDP. It has a major impact on the economy of the internal market. Retailing is essentially a local business. The majority are Micro and SMEs (95.1% and 4.8%, respectively), employing over half of the total human resources in the sector. Technological progress, blurring of the borders between sectors (addition of new products and services, financial, telecommunications, travels, etc), and consumer behaviour are currently at the heart of a profound transformation within retail and wholesale. In addition, a need is observed to update the traditional business models by integrating new technologies, digitalisation of commerce, as well as more sustainable business practices. RETAIL project was designed to address the needs observed among 3 target groups: - The need observed among Retail experienced entrepreneurs to renew their practices to adapt to current market trends - The need observed among Youth to learn about the Retail sector to develop potential career opportunities in the field - The need observed among VET stakeholders and supporting organisations to access quality OER in this field
The EU commerce sector comprises 5.5 million companies, employs 29 million people, 18% of those self-employed, and represents 11% of the EU’s GDP. It has a major impact on the economy of the internal market. Retailing is essentially a local business. The majority are Micro and SMEs (95,1% and 4,8%, respectively), employing over the half of the total human resources in the sector. Technological progress, blurring of borderline between sectors (addition of new products and services, financial, telecommunications, travels, etc) and consumer behaviour are currently at the heart of a profound transformation within retail and wholesale. In addition a need is observed to update the traditional business models by integrating new technologies, digitalization of commerce, as well as more sustainable business practices. RETAIL project will engage a consortium made of 7 partners from 4 EU countries: Ireland, Spain, Poland and Greece. Having different background, contexts, profiles and experiences, those partners, 2 chambers of commerce, 3 SMEs offering business support services and training, 1 university, 1 IT expert will collaborate to develop an innovative learning proposal addressed to 3 main target groups: Experiences entrepreneurs from the retail sector, in the need of changing their business model and practices Youth and unemployed, for which retail is an entrance door to the labour market, in search of opportunities in the sector and having a strong sense of new customers values and behaviours, seeking for connection and sense. VET stakeholders and other business support organisations and educational institutions, who will access to the OER and will be multipliers of the methodology and contents to be developed. Within each of the target groups, the project will rely on a participative approach engaging directly with the beneficiaries in the project. At each stage, participants, particularly retail entrepreneurs and youth and unemployed will be involved to test and comment on the training products. 16 of them will participate in an on-site blended training activity in Larissa, during which the intergenerational approach will be applied. The main project activities and outputs are dependent on peer learning and intergenerational exchange. Addressing the needs of each one of the targets, partners will develop: An entrepreneurs training package, providing entrepreneurs with knowledge on new business models and integration of change A youth training package, providing them with sectoral knowledge and how to sustain a business An intergenerational training package, offering a framework for collaboration between the 2 groups An online platform with social modules and collaborative space where users can access the OER and exchange experiences. 8 multiplier events (2 per country) to inform about the project development and foster its exploitation A learning activity in Larissa where participants will create binomas of entrepreneurs and youth to learn thanks to work based learning, searching for solutions to retail entrepreneurs barriers and challenges. The methodology of the project stands on a participative and collaborative approach. At each stage, target groups will be involved and listen to improve the materials and develop specific tailor made contents answering to the observed needs. Also, partners believe that each target has the capacity to provide new knowledge to the other (peer learning): while experienced entrepreneurs have a strong knowledge and experience of the small trade or retail and its management, youth know the customer latest trends and behaviours, are anchored in the digital world and have an increased awareness of sustainability and environment. This is why this project intends to create collaboration between those two target around defined projects, which would be focused around entrepreneurs concrete needs observed on the ground. As a result, partners have the ambition to propose an innovative educational resource and tested methodology, which shall impact positively the target groups by: Bettering entrepreneurial skills of the targets Bettering small trades competitiveness Ensuring sustainability of businesses Ease the entrance of new labour workforce generation Support the generational transition in retail human resources The project expects to have a positive impact on VET and educational stakeholder, which will, beyond the partners themselves, have access to the training packages and will be offered the opportunity to apply them and transfer them to other fields and territories. In the long term, partners expect to fully exploit this course within their own target audiences expanding the methodology of this project. During the project, recognition tools such as EUROPASS will be developed to promote and mainstream the project. 5.WORKING GROUP ON INNOVATION 2015 - EU Internal market, industry, entrepreneurship and SMEs