The team's main objectives were to: - Develop a c-VET Curriculum and Training Programme facilitating blended learning to enhance sustainable and responsible decision-making capabilities among aspiring and potential SME business successors - Equip aspiring and potential SME business successors with strategic thinking and entrepreneurial vision skills that extend beyond technical knowledge. - Create a learning environments – online and offline - where participants can: . Learn about and explore different decision-making perspectives and theories particularly in the online learning phase (evaluated by quizzes and applied in short-term and long-term tasks) . Practice applying concepts from strategic management, innovation management, and business ethics in the online learning phase (through short-term and long-term tasks) . Experiment with non-rational forms of knowledge in the tasks during the online learning phase, the workshops, and the WiseUp Game . Gain hands-on experience through the developed case studies reflecing moral dilemmas . Develop reflection skills through peer collaboration in workshops . Gamify learning through the WiseUp Game . „Anchor“ learnings of the project in daily business practice through the WiseUp Cube
The project team identified a pressing need to address the challenge of business succession across Europe. Preliminary research revealed that a significant number of companies are facing ownership transitions, with for instance 51,500 Austrian companies expected to change hands by 2029. Moreover, data showed that successors are on average only 39 years old, lacking approx. 25 years of entrepreneurial experience compared to predecessors. While successors often have strong technical knowledge, they often lack entrepreneurial decision-making and soft skills. The predecessor’s wealth of experience can become an obstacle, as their practical wisdom and abilities are not easily transferable. To promote responsible and sustainable business practices reflected by wise decisions, the team aimed to empower the next generation of entrepreneurs with decision-making skills to navigate leading an established company. By applying for this project, the team sought to put the ubiquitous words of responsibility and sustainability into business practice. Europe needs entrepreneurs who translate wisdom into action. The projects aimed at providing opportunities to learn how to make pracically wise decision.