PROJECT: Improving Digitalization and Creativity Ecosystem in Kütahya as a member of UNESCO Creative Cities Network
Project Start Date: 2021
Project Duration: 30 Months
Project Financial Support Source: European Union
Budget of the Project: 3.707.443,52 EUR
Financial Support Rate: 100%
Applicant: Municipality of Kütahya
Project Partners: Zafer Development Agency
Application Status: Project Partner
Authorities: İsmet ÖZOTRAÇ – Salih Nafi ALIÇ
Name of the Program: Competitive Sectors Programme
Application Result: Approved
Activity Summary:
a) Establishment of a “Creativity Network”,
b) Establishment of laboratories for product design and development,
c) Establishment of a Product Certification System,
c) Marketing, Branding and Networking activities,
d) Training-consulting services
Details:
Creative industries covering many activities such as industrial design, traditional crafts, advertising, architecture, fashion, film, photography, performing arts, animation, video games, digital printing and publishing; it accounts for 7 percent of the gross national product worldwide. These industries promise much more in terms of competitiveness, productivity, sustainable growth, employment and export growth if invested.
Kütahya tiles sector is one of Turkey’s best examples of creative industries. While the art of tile was registered in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List of Humanity in 2016, Kütahya became a part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in the field of Crafts and Folk Arts as of 2017. However, the lack of institutionalization and cooperation mechanisms, the low design and standardization capacities of the enterprises, the weakness of the initiatives for branding and marketing prevent the Kütahya tile industry from reaching its great potential.
A Creativity Center is established in Kütahya in order to solve these problems and support the tile industry. With the activities to be carried out at the center, it is aimed to advance the Kütahya tile industry in design, production, standardization and marketing, and to increase the local and international market share of the products. In this way, the competitiveness of creative industries will be increased, contributing to the socioeconomic development of Kütahya.
The Creativity Center aims to increase coordination among industry stakeholders and to increase opportunities for international cooperation. In this framework, a digital inventory of existing tile designs will be prepared and SMEs will be supported in developing new models and forms. Again, SMEs will be provided to carry out R&D studies within the scope of a program within the center. Training will be provided to SMEs, taking into account the needs of the enterprises. A consultancy program will be established to develop the capacities of sector components and SMEs or institutions will be provided to submit projects to the EU Framework Programs. In addition, branding, marketing, networking and communication strategies for the needs of the sector will be developed and implemented.
In addition, by organizing B2B (business to business) events, some of them at international fairs, it will be ensured that SMEs and tile artists come together with potential buyers on a national and international scale. Finally, criteria for quality, production procedures and packaging in tile making will be determined and a guarantee mark will be created to be placed on the products. In this way, businesses will both maintain product quality and increase their branding and marketing capacities by taking advantage of these generally accepted standards.
With the Creativity Center, it is aimed to go beyond the traditional methods of the tile industry and to offer products with high added value to national and international markets with creative designs and the use of technology. In the process, it is foreseen that new businesses will be established, employment opportunities will increase in these enterprises supported by the project, and the sales and export figures of existing SMEs will increase. Furthermore, the gains in the private sector in Kütahya tiles create an example for other creative sectors in Turkey is expected to benefit their development.
2 creative industrial products will be supported within the scope of the project. With the project aimed to increase sales and exports of 50 SMEs, 10 new businesses will be established and 25 new jobs will be created in the supported businesses.
Project Owner Implementation Area Detailed Information
Municipality of Kütahya
Kütahya
https://www.kutahya.bel.tr/
Source: https://rekabetcisektorler.sanayi.gov.tr/en/cati/?projectCode=TR14C1.2.08
PROJECT: TEBD – 077 – Mediterranean Business Dialogue for SME Coaching and International Trade
Project Start Date: 01.4.2019
Project Duration: 15 Months
Project Financial Support Source: European Union
Budget of the Project: 206.213 EUR
Financial Support Rate: 73%
Financial Support Amount: 149.963,43 EUR
Applicant: Uşak Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Project Partners: Manisa Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Viterbo (Italy) Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Cáceres (Spain) Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Thessaloniki (Greece) SME Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Application Status: Project Partner
Name of the Program: Turkey-EU Business Dialogue (TEBD)
Application Result: Approved
Activity Summary:
a) Establishment of a unit consisting of 2 SME coaches;
b) employment of 1 person;
c) visits to Spain, Italy and Greece;
d) SME coaching trainings in Türkiye;
e) Coaching 10 SMEs on export
Details:
“Mediterranean Business Dialogue for SME Coaching and International Trade” is a project that has been developed and implemented by Uşak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Turkey) in partnership with Cáceres Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Spain), Viterbo Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Italy), Thessaloniki Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Greece), Kütahya Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Turkey), and Manisa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Turkey). It is one of 19 Chamber Partnership projects which is being supported by the European Union in the framework of the Turkey-EU Business Dialogue (TEBD) Project.
The “Mediterranean Business Dialogue for SME Coaching and International Trade” Project aimed to develop the capacities of coaching and foreign trade services for SMEs in common Chambers in the TR33 region and in the EU region. However, this project is more ambitious than it looks at first sight and strived to, besides increasing the capacity of SMEs in the field of commercialization and economic development support in the TR33 region, to boost opportunities of networking and exchange of best practices between Chambers from Turkey and the EU. All this whilst supporting young women entrepreneurs in the TR33 region.
To do this, the project, which took place between April 2019 and September 2020, consisted of 4 main work packages, such as: project preparation activities, selection of coaches and training activities, coaching activities and the establishment of international communication, and cooperation activities. Along with study visits to places such as Spain and Greece, some of the main activities varied from consulting services, to coaching teams for SMEs. This last one, introduced a holistic approach to the SMEs coaching, which resulted in enabling such SMEs to develop in their internal processes not depending on people, but depending on institutionalization.
Additionally, Single Spot Support Offices (SSSO) were established established in Manisa, Kütahya, and Uşak Chambers. Through these offices, SME coaches serving in a wide range from company establishments, government incentives, export/import processes to institutionalization were able to successfully complete the activity. Coaches who tried to support young female entrepreneurs, have exceeded the target of 80 companies in total at least 10 companies per month per province, which was one of the project goals.
Many are the benefits that can be taken from this project. Not only were Government supports supplied for 82 firms, but 250 units of awareness and information brochures about single spot consultancy offices and 25 units of posters for Uşak, Manisa, and Kütahya were given.
Nonetheless, as it happens with all projects, not only are the (many) benefits to be taken into consideration, but also some lessons for the future. Due to the long coaching process, the importance of Human Resources stout in coach studies and health risk factors are to bear in mind for the future.
Overall, the “Mediterranean Business Dialogue for SME Coaching and International Trade” project resulted in a major success, completing all of its goals and ensuring the capacity development of coaching and foreign trade services for SMEs in the TR33 region.
Find more information on the “Mediterranean Business Dialogue for SME Coaching and International Trade” Project.
Source: https://tebd.eu/news/taking-local-business-to-international-level/