LdV-TOI Decipher Project

Defining the Need:

The language & culture needs of the agrifood & advanced manufacturing sectors

Final ConferenceBrussels, 21 Sep 2011

LdV-TOI Decipher Project

• The SMEs we have supported buy & sell produce internationally

• The SMEs we have supported sell equipment & expertise internationally

• The SMEs we have supported communicate with a range of staff from overseas companies

LdV-TOI Decipher Project

• Many SMEs do not know where to get the culture training they need

• They needs signposting to appropriate resources & training opportunities

• Many believe they lack detailed knowledge of their customers’ culture

• Most companies are keen to learn of the experiences of others in their sector

LdV-TOI Decipher Project

• To define the specific culture training needs of SMEs, work package 2 was dedicated to conducting a needs analysis

• A total of 200 surveys of SMEs were conducted in Finland, France, Italy, Spain & the UK

• A common survey template was developed & put online

• Different approaches were adopted by partner, depending on their strengths

LdV-TOI Decipher Project

• 13 closed questions & 1 open question were asked, including:

• Has the company received culture training? Do you require training?

• Do you know where to get the culture information you need?

• In which cultures do you require training?

• The open question was of particular importance, as it generated detail from companies

LdV-TOI Decipher Project

• There were several challenges, with partners learning from project colleagues

• The need to establish direct contact with companies for the first time

• The need to elicit data specific enough to generate a suitable response in WP4

• The need to focus on specific sectors

LdV-TOI Decipher Project

• Partners produced a detailed written report outlining:

• The key findings of the surveys

• The methodology adopted

• Anecdotes from companies

• Recommended responses

LdV-TOI Decipher Project

• The following charts show a sample results by country

• You can compare the results to see those culture skills which are common to partners (such as China, France & Germany)…

• and those which are specific (such as Saudi Arabia for UK East and Argentina for Italy)

UK, East

9

Which countries?

Other countries: Chile, Israel, Egypt, Far East, developing European Countries, Korea, South America, Turkey, Greece, Ukraine, Norway, Denmark, Croatioa. Africa

Yes85 %

No15 %

Would you like to receive culture information on these markets?

n=27

CountriesNumber of companies

Percent (n=23)

France 11 48 %

Spain 11 48 %

Germany 10 43 %

China 9 39 %

Japan 9 39 %

Middle East 9 39 %

Italy 8 35 %

India 7 30 %

Poland 7 30 %

Sweden 7 30 %

Russia 6 26 %

Finland 5 22 %

Hungary 5 22 %

Brazil 4 17 %

Argentina 3 13 %

Baltic States 3 13 %

Czech Republic 3 13 %

Mexico 3 13 %

Other 14 52 %

UK, Yorks and Humber

10

Which countries?

Yes84 %

No16 %

Would you like to receive culture information on these markets?

n=25

Other countries: USA, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Turkey, Lithuania, Thailand, Argentina, India, Mexico

CountriesNumber of companies

Percent (n=21)

China 7 33 %

Germany 6 29 %

France 5 24 %

Japan 5 24 %

Russia 5 24 %

Spain 5 24 %

Sweden 5 24 %

Finland 4 19 %

Italy 4 19 %

Gulf States 4 19 %

Baltic States 4 19 %

Norway 3 14 %

Holland 2 10 %

Portugal 2 10 %

Brazil 2 10 %

Czech Republic 2 10 %

Hungary 2 10 %

Poland 2 10 %

Other 11 52 %

Italy

11

Which countries?

Yes47 %

No53 %

Would you like to receive culture information on these markets?

n=30

CountriesNumber of companies

Percent (n=14)

Spain 5 36 %

Tunisia 5 36 %

France 4 29 %

India 4 29 %

UK 4 29 %

Morocco 4 29 %

Egypt 4 29 %

Algeria 4 29 %

Germany 3 21 %

China 3 21 %

Russia 3 21 %

Arab Emirates 2 14 %

USA 2 14 %

Romania 1 7 %

Greece 1 7 %

Malta 1 7 %

Finland

12

Which workshops?

Yes52 %

No48 %

Would you be interested in participating in a culture workshop

related to these countries?

n=29

CountriesNumber of companies

Percent (n=15)

Russia 10 67 %Sweden 8 53 %Germany 6 40 %UK 5 33 %

USA 2 13 %

Norway 1 7 %France 1 7 %Baltic States 1 7 %India 1 7 %Czech Republic 1 7 %Gulf States 1 7 %Belgium 1 7 %Holland 1 7 %

Leonardo Decipher ProjectSample Comparative Findings:

13

Had received culture training

Spain: 33 % Finland: 28 %

UK (East): 52 % UK (YH): 28 %

Would like to receive culture information

Spain: 72 % (France, Germany, China)

Finland: 45 % (Russia, Sweden, Germany)

UK (East): 85 % France, Spain, Germany)

UK (YH): 84 % (China, Germany, France)

Know were to get culture information

Spain: 25 % Finland: 62 %

UK (East): 59 % UK (YaH): 52 %

LdV-TOI Decipher Project

• Lessons learned:

• A close relationship with the target group is vital, without it a partner will need to engage business support or employer groups

• The open discussion with SME staff was as important as the closed questions

• Completing online forms meant access for several staff to data

LdV-TOI Decipher Project

• Target groups promoting the project & the survey: 18 business support organisations:

• UKTI (UK East), Medilink (UK YH), Regional Food Group (UK YH), Zaragoza Chamber of Commerce (ES), AREX (ES), AIAD (ES), Hethel Engineering Centre (UK East), ICT Enterprise (UK East), Huesca Chamber of Commerce (ES), S.Ostrabothnia Chamber of Commerce (FI), Matko (FI)

LdV-TOI Decipher Project

• Target groups promoting the project & the survey: 18 business support organisations:

• Bretagne Internationale (FR), Produits en Bretagne (FR), CompraSud (IT), Land of Sicily Consortium (IT), ConfIndustria (IT), Palermo Chamber of Commerce (IT) & Cosmed (FR).

LdV-TOI Decipher Project

Defining the Need:

The language & culture needs of the agrifood & advanced manufacturing sectors

Final ConferenceBrussels, 21 Sep 2011