Mentor Project

1
Mentor Project
Methods and new tools for organizational
development of human resources in Small and and
Medium Enterprises

• II transnational meeting
• Dresden 25 April 2005

• Initial results
• FIRST PHASE OF PROJECT

2
Aims of the session

• How far have we come
• Initial results of the project
• 1) The mentor figure
• 2) Legislation
• 3) SMEs in partner countries
• Organisation of the Report for 1st phase

3
How far have we come

• PHASE 0
• Start up and project management

• PHASE 1 SME survey

• PHASE 4
• Dissem-ination and public-ation of results

• PHASE 2 Training model

• PHASE 3 Training testing

4
How far have we come

• PHASE 1 - SME survey

Three tasks to complete for the survey
Mentor profile Analysis of legislation Analysis
of companies
Despatch of question-naires Data processing
(to do)
Construction of research report (to do)
5
The Mentor figure

• PHASE 1 - SME survey

Initial results
Features of SMEs
6
The Mentor figure
In GERMANY

• There are good development prospects for the
  Mentor and their task could be twofold
• 1) support the SME in outlining industrial
  strategies,
• 2) develop human resources with tools such as
  career planning and analysing strengths and
  weaknesses.

7
The Mentor figure
In GREAT BRITAIN

• The Mentor is not common in British companies
• currently the figure who usually carries out
  mentoring activities is the team-leader but it is
  important to differentiate the roles
• the main functions of the mentor could be
  1) staff consultancy,
• 2) welcoming new arrivals and helping them fit
  into the firm,
• Mentor as an advocate.

8
The Mentor figure
In GREECE

• there is no legislation on the figure of the
  Mentor
• the mentor is the ideal figure to welcome new
  recruits into the SME.
• the mentor must have a lot of work experience, be
  personable, loyal and inspiring, be a good
  communicator, wish to help others
• the mentor must learn not to keep knowledge only
  for themselves.

9
The Mentor figure
In HUNGARY

• There is no business culture on the mentor
• There is no legislation
• The Government has set aside funds for training
  the new generations
• The limits to the spread of the mentor could be
  no intellectual property right recognition, lack
  of financing for the human resources.

10
The Mentor figure
In ITALY

• There is no legislation on the mentor and there
  is still no widespread company culture of the
  mentor
• Mentoring activities are usually carried out by
  the company tutor, but it is important to
  differentiate the roles the tutor deals with
  content, the mentor offers consultancy, support
  and assistance.
• The mentor helps the mentee to grow, create value
  from their skills, enrich them, and construct a
  personal professional programme.

11
Features of SMEs
In GERMANY

• The SMEs are evenly spread and have from 9 to 80
  employees.
• Strengths SMEs are in a very competitive market
  that requires them to be continually updated and
  trained
• Weaknesses they do not have strong industrial
  strategies and have no continuous and methodical
  development of human resources

12
The features of SMEs
In GREAT BRITAIN

• SMEs generate 40 of the countrys wealth
• Small businesses have up to 50 employees, Medium
  size ones up to 250
• Strengths the sectors in which the SMEs operate
  are very active
• Weaknesses lack of specialised workers, high
  interest rates, low turnover.

13
The features of SMEs
In GREECE

• SMEs are very widespread (99 of all companies)
  and have around 10 employees
• Strengths interest in innovation and change
• Weaknesses there is no real management
  structure, workers forced to be very flexible,
  limited production resources, little attention to
  training.

14
Features of SMEs
In HUNGARY

• SMEs are very widespread (96 of all companies)
  and are almost entirely small businesses with 17
  employees on average
• Strengths managerial ability of business people
  and networks among companies
• Weaknesses little investment in human resources,
  high tax rates which leads to tax evasion.

15
Features of SMEs
In ITALY

• SMEs are very dynamic and widespread (13 medium
  sized and 63 small) and are mainly family run
• Strengths dynamism and international market
• Weaknesses the main professional skills are
  outside the firm and there is a need for a lot of
  internal training.

16
A possible conclusion.

• Ideal profile for the Mentor
• is an expert in the sector, is a good
  communicator, inspires confidence
• seeks to create value from and bring out human
  resource skills,
• accompanies and supports human resources in their
  professional development,
• All the partners report the need to disseminate
  mentoring in SMEs as a form of investment and to
  create value from human resources.

17
Work update
18
INDEX OF REPORT 1st phase(results of
questionnaires)

• 1st chapter - Mentor training needs

• 2nd chapter - Work changes key skills and needs

• 3rd chapter Features of SMEs and relation
  between businesses and the market

• Annexes Details of the SMEs interviewed

19
INDEX OF REPORT 1st phase

• 1st chapter - Mentor training needs

20
INDEX OF THE REPORT 1st phase

• 2nd chapter - Work changes key skills and needs

21
INDEX OF THE REPORT 1st phase

• 3rd chapter SME features and relation between
  companies and the market

22
INDEX OF THE REPORT 1st phase

• Annexes Details of SMEs interviewed