1. A Knowledge InnovationTM Project Proposal for
Empowerment of Youth through Employment

2. Thank you
The following course work and project proposal was created as part of the „KEN Practitioner Certification Course“ delivered at RITSEC, Cairo in April and May 2005 in collaboration with Entovation Internation Ltd.
The Knowledge Innovation Assessment Methodology was developed and is copyrighted by Debra M. Amidon (
A special thank you for their support is given to (alphabetically listed by given name):
The Egyptian Ministry of Administrative Development
RITSEC Management
Effat El-Shooky
Hisham Sherif
Mahmood Rezk
RITSEC Staff
Amin Lotfy (Local project management and facilitation)
Ahmed Sobky (Local project management and facilitation)
Neven Noshy (Local IT support)
Sophia Korayem (Local project management)
International supporters
Debra Amidon, Entovation International Ltd (Content expert)
Oliver Schwabe, Eurofocus International Consultants Ltd, (Facilitator)
and the whole participant group

3. Participants Inji M. Amr Borai Shereen El Sabagh
Group1
Inji M. Amr Borai
Shereen El Sabagh
Rania Mohamed Aboul-Gheit
Mohammed Mahmoud Heikal

4. Employment entity charter Parliament technical office
Group1
Organizational Chart
Employment entity charter
Parliament technical office
Supervise
Employment entity
Market studies
Marketing IT HR

5. Executive Summary
Group1
Unemployment is a major problem that plagues the Egyptian economy and has severe implications on society as a whole.
A main cause of unemployment is the gap that exists between the skill-set required to fill a vacancy and those enjoyed by a university graduate.
Our project targets bridging that gap through establishing a unit that containing HR representatives from different ministries and that will conduct markets about the job market.
Moreover, the unit recruits job applicants, provide them with necessary training and matches them with the job, they are most suited for.

6. Project Description
Group1
Project: Establishing a unit (entity) responsible for conducting market studies on the labour needs of the market.
The entity / unit will conduct these studies on a frequent basis and respond accordingly creating a responsive labour market.
The unit will act as a recruiting firm, recruiting fresh graduates with great potentials and backgrounds in the desired field and direct them to vacancies in the different ministries of the government.

7. Project Description
Group1
In addition to acting as a recruiter for the government providing the youth with information concerning the available job vacancies in the government and matching the vacancy with suitable candidates.
Moreover the unit, based on its analysis of the market, will provide training courses to graduates in order to bridge the skill gap between what is taught in the basic education system and what is required in the real business world.
These courses could range from languages and computers to complicated engineering and finance.

8. Project Description
Group1
Ultimately this unit would be most successful if the results of its periodic market studies are used in order to gradually (or radically) modify the educational system (and syllabuses) in order to better suit constantly changing market requirements.
Unit could also direct youth to the opportunities open to them should they wish to start their own businesses. Providing the individuals with necessary information regarding funding sources and industries with export potential.
The entire service being provided online at a nominal fees and courses administered via e-learning.

9. Expected Financial Value
Group1
Decrease the recruitment cost such as ads, application forms ... etc.
Best allocation for the resources that provided by the government under this subject.
Income earned by employees hire through the new system

10. Expected Non-Financial Value
Group1
Increase the level of the coordination which increases the efficiency
Increase awareness and knowledge exchange between job suppliers and job applicants
Facilitate the employment process through identifying one place as an enquiry point
Unify all efforts in one place to work all together under one strategy
Unify the assessment and evaluation to one neutral place which is in this case the prime minister
Create commitments

11. Expected Non-Financial Value
Group1
Ensure the rational use of the government allocated resources.
Ensure the awareness of all governs on the narrow level and the entire Egyptian citizen on the wide range about the government employment strategy
Increase the government image and build trust between the government and the Egyptian citizen
Best allocation for time and efforts
Organize the available training centres and increase their training quality
Ensure best training quality for post graduates

12. Expected Non-Financial Value
Group1
Increase communication skills to all the employees
Knowledge of the market
Analysis of the competitors' behaviour
More efficient service
Innovative services
Create an atmosphere of friendliness and satisfaction among employees due to well defined job description (duties, responsibilities and benefits) of each one and well defined compensation system. Also avoiding overlapping and complication in job performance
Provide a technical project support

13. Measurement of non-financial value
Group1
No. of job that provided through this committee
Performance grades for the candidate or the first year work
No. of subjects that discussed within this committee
No. of meeting with the prime minister for evaluation purpose
Final exams after each course to measure the learning level before and after
Through numbers of hits to the website

14. Measurement of non-financial value
Group1
Through polls done through the intranet website
Extent to which market changes coincide with results of market study analyzing market and competition
Market feedback to the introduction of the service
It can be measured through the number of stakeholders benefit from the services presented by the entity
It will be measured through the efficiency of the communications and interactions among employees

15. Key Proposed Activities
Group1
Key Proposed Activities
Divide the targeted customers into segments
Draw career plan for each segment
Develop training package for each segment
Publish bids with specific standards
Evaluate the learning levels
Collecting learning materials related and may be unrelated to the speciality of the organization
publishing these materials through the intranet website and update those materials

16. Key Proposed Activities
Group1
Key Proposed Activities
Analyse the market as a whole, the competitors, predicting future trends, and calculating firm positioning in the market
Create a market image of the whole entity, taking into consideration the tangible and non tangible resources within the entity and the targeted objectives
Build up an advertisement campaign and policy in form of its messages to the whole community included the stakeholders, taking into consideration the current status and the future trends
Anticipatory (preventative) marketing strategies to have a future to overcome inevitable challenges
Create unique market position for the entity

17. Key Proposed Activities
Group1
Key Proposed Activities
Study the current status of the youth workforce and the expected one in a comparative manner to figure out the most required
Collect and examine detailed information about job duties
Prepare job description and job specifications of each job
Recruitment and selection of the entity staff and the leader who will be the image of the whole entity in addition to the nominated HR manger who will be represent their ministries in the entity
Ensure complete assignment of duties of each candidate
Develop compensation plan
Develop training courses

18. Key Proposed Activities
Group1
Key Proposed Activities
Gathering of IT specialists and experts to form the sub unit
Provide the technical support for the whole project and for the employees through training
Introduction of new technology to the entity
Design training courses for the applicants
Maintenance of the infrastructure

19. Resources Required Meeting room in the prime minister building
Group1
Meeting room in the prime minister building
Per diem for members of the committee
Budget for training centres
Market researchers
Legal contract consultancy
Server machine that the website will be published through
Internet connection to the server
Office space, computer equipment, LAN, software for analysis, personnel to undertake surveys and market sweeps
Costs of marketing and advertisement campaign + human resources.
Human resources (IT specialists) and equipments

20. Group1
Time Required
21 months.

21. Organizational Readiness
Group1
Organizational Readiness
Willingness for knowledge enhancement and Joint committees already exist, no reasons to believe that resistance could occur to the idea of networking
Current calls for reform within the organizations where performance measures are being considered as appropriate tools for this purpose

22. Group1
Success Criteria
Number of hired candidates with high job performance in different governmental sectors within our time frame

23. Group1
Projected Start Date
Within six months

24. Assessment Results
According to the desired status:

25. The Assessment Results
Group1
The Assessment Results
According to the modified status:

26. Current Desired Modified
Group1
The Detailed Results
Current Desired Modified
2.22
10.00
10.00
Collaborative Process:
Performance Measures:
Education / Development:
Learning Network:
Market Positioning:
Products/Services:
Market Penetration:
Market Image:
Leadership / Leverage:
Technology / Internet:
2.00
9.70
6.00
5.67
9.25
9.00
3.78
8.11
9.00
4.11
9.56
5.00
3.40
9.60
7.00
4.60
9.30
5.00
2.40
7.40
7.00
2.86
7.71
10.00
3.63
9.63
8.00

27. Activities: Collaborative Process
Group1
Urgent (address immediately)
There is cross-organizational leadership support for this contact places.
Employment market innovation process is capable of supporting the development of innovation from idea creation through commercialization.
The innovation process within the employment market is a collaborative venture involving all levels of stakeholders.
All of employment market stakeholders (applicants, vacancies providers, and career planners, training centres) are involved in the innovation process.
The criteria for measuring the success of innovations within the employment initiatives have been clearly defined.
Important (address within 3 months)
An explicit innovation process exists within employment market.
There is an identified contact places for the overall innovation process in the employment market.
The resources and tools which have been allocated to the innovation process from the government are adequate to ensure efficient operation of the process.
Employment strategies are aligned to maximize results of a successful innovation process.

28. Ideas
Group1
Establishing an employment committee with members from all the stakeholders.

29. Project
Group1
Employment Committee; a formal committee under the supervision of the prim minister. Its members are from all the stakeholders who are all the HR manager in the Egyptian ministries, HR manager from all the private companies, head of the student associations in the universities … etc. Those members join this committee as an extra work for their original one. This committee should have a clear mandate with detailed terms of reference.
This committee should work on the following:
Identify job opening in different entities.
Set plans for job opening fulfilment.
Identify capacity building areas.
Conduct contracts with training places to provide the necessary qualifications that should be acquired by job applicants.
Recruitment.

30. Activities: Performance Measures
Group1
Urgent (address immediately)
This strategy is clearly communicated within all levels of the organization.
There is a performance measures designed to gauge both tangible and intangible indices
The measurement process is perceived within the employment organizations as a learning activity.
Incentives are in place within the employment organizations which promote idea creation, responsible risk-taking, and application of inventions or concepts to increase the employment trends.
The government rewards idea creation, responsible risk-taking, and development of innovations that lead to decrease unemployment trends.
Processes are in place within the organization to measure the organization’s intangible assets.
Important (address within 3 months)
There is an identified entity which is responsible for performing the Assessment of Knowledge Innovation within the employment market.
The government employment strategy is clearly defined.
The measurement systems provide a means to promote value in the eyes of customers and stakeholders.
The instrumentation needed to ensure proper, consistent calibration over time is in place.

31. Ideas
Group1
Establishing a technical office in the prime minister office to follow up the employment committee. Technical office under the auspices on the Egyptian parliament to follow the committee work.

32. Project
Group1
Parliament Technical Office established for the follow up the work of the employment committee by setting clear employment strategy in coordination with the committee members. Also this technical office should evaluate work of this committee through clear setting standards and report to the head of the Egyptian parliament. This technical office shouldn’t work as a court but it should provide the correction actions.
This technical office will be responsible for the following:
Develop a clear employment strategy in coordination with the employment committee members.
Set clear standards for measuring performance.
Evaluate.
Set correction actions that should be taken by the committee.
Present the semi annual work of the committee in the Egyptian parliament to be discussed by the parliaments.
Set recommendations on the improvements.

33. Activities: Education / Development
Group1
Urgent (address immediately)
Educational programs and processes are learner-centered.
Systems are in place within the employment market to track the flow of knowledge.
Systems are in place to incorporate knowledge in employment planning strategy.
Important (address within 3 months)
Mechanisms exist within the organization to capture “fugitive” or “tacit” knowledge.
Mechanisms exist to evaluate the usefulness of “fugitive” / “tacit” knowledge to the job applicants.
All gradates view learning as an integral, day-to-day responsibility.
Systems are in place within the employment market to capture knowledge.
The expanding global community is utilized as a learning resource for personnel within the training centres.
Continue (keep supporting)
The location / locations where knowledge is created within the employment stakeholders has / have been identified.
Teaching strategies used in the educational programs provide for dynamic dialogue among participants.
The educational programs are designed to include a variety of teaching strategies.
Allocation of the government resources for education is seen by community as an investment in the future value of the community.

34. Ideas
Group1
The committee should target specific segments of the customers (job applicants).

35. Project
Group1
This project should be a one task force that should be done by the employment committee. The committee should start its work through identifying its customers (for example, graduate student) and divide them into different specialization (for example, economist, accountant ...etc). Then the committee should draw a carer planning for each group. To this end, the committee should develop a training package and publish it as bids with specific standards for teaching techniques.

36. Activities: Learning Network
Group1
Urgent (address immediately)
The organization has an effective worldwide presence.
The geographic centers provide opportunities for dialogue and learning.
Communication systems are in place to effectively promote cross-fertilization of knowledge between centers.
All participants in the “network” have a shared purpose.
Important (address within 3 months)
All participants in the “network” share a common vision.
There are incentives in place which encourage participation in the network.
There are mechanisms in place to document the economic wealth of the network.
Communication within the network is facilitated by computer/communications technology
Centres of Excellence which recognize and leverage complementary competencies are established within the network.

37. Ideas Instruct a learning intranet within each organization.
Group1
Instruct a learning intranet within each organization.
Cross connection between learning intranets (networks) centers.
Encourage participants to be certified and update certification

38. Project
Group1
Collecting learning materials related and may be unrelated to the speciality of the organization ; publishing these materials through the intranet website and update those materials ; to ensure the sharing of knowledge and experience between employees with compensation mechanisms. Materials for adapting the Egyptian employee for the job or the service he was responsible about .

39. Activities: Market Positioning
Group1
Activities: Market Positioning
Urgent (address immediately)
Set mechanisms and/or systems to align the internal environment with the external environment.
Integrate these mechanisms and/or systems into organizational strategies and policies.
Redefine the role of “Information Technology Manager” as “Knowledge Manager” .
Increase the sensitivity of the organization’s intelligence-gathering mechanisms to capture critical information from non-traditional sources.
Important (address within 3 months)
Developed techniques within the organization to prioritize new business opportunities within the context of current strategy.
Apply these techniques consistently so that insights can be compared and contrasted with validity in the marketplace.
Link the organization’s intelligence-gathering system to the corporate library / information system.
Integrate the data obtained by the organization’s intelligence-gathering system into the day-to-day operations of all personnel who have a need to know.
Continue (keep supporting)
Make sure the organization’s range of vision consistently and accurately captures signals from diverse competitors (both current and future).

40. Ideas Establish a sub-unit to conduct market studies.
Group1
Establish a sub-unit to conduct market studies.
Preparing periodic reports (encompassing performance measures) that outline market position.
Make results of market studies available to the entire unit.
Use results in determining strategy.

41. Project
Group1
Establish a market study unit to prepare market studies about competitors and about the market as a whole.

42. Activities: Products / Services
Group1
Urgent (address immediately)
Products and services which are currently being marketed to customers as part of the normal business sale could be either “unbundled” or “bundled,” and marketed at a premium.
Establish methods to standardize some customized services, so that the revenues can be optimized.
Follow product design principles and processes which emphasize the development of products and services which have embedded knowledge support.
Create products and services to meet the unserved needs of the marketplace.
Create products and services to meet the unserved needs of the marketplace ahead of the competition.
Set aside investment capital to fund and nurture a sufficient percentage of new ideas to stay ahead of the competition.
Develop a sufficient percentage of new products and services each year to stay ahead of the competition.
Important (address within 3 months)
Create products and services to meet the unarticulated needs of the marketplace ahead of the competition.
Create products and services to meet the unarticulated needs of the marketplace.
Continue (keep supporting)
Unrealized competencies exist within the organization (i.e., content and process) which could be used to develop unique, highly marketable products and services.

43. Ideas Set up an innovation sub-unit responsible for innovation.
Group1
Set up an innovation sub-unit responsible for innovation.
Provide funding to implement new ideas.
Integrating feedback into a process to innovate.
Provide services to customers in customisable packages.

44. Project
Group1
Using input from all the different sub-units and customers and stakeholders in order to design new and innovative services better suited to serving the employment market.

45. Activities: Market Penetration
Group1
Urgent (address immediately)
The entity should have strategies in place for capturing learning from partner interactions, in addition to reaping the traditional return on investment.
The entity should has strategies in place to monitor the strategic alliances of its partners.
The entity’s strategic alliance process defines new rules of participation.
The entity has strategies in place to monitor the strategic alliances of its competitors.
Important (address within 3 months)
The entity uses alternative channels of distribution for its products and services.
The entity’s view of the “enterprise” includes stakeholders, partners, and customers.
The entity’s strategic alliance process defines measurable activities and standards of performance.
The entity has defined its plans for future evolution.
Within its network of strategic alliances, the entity maintains a balance between cooperative and collaborative relationships.

46. Ideas Define a plan for future evolution
Group1
Define a plan for future evolution
Prepare a map of the existing network of strategic
alliance.
Formation of a network of strategic alliances.

47. Small project of Market Penetration
Group1
Formation of a network of strategic alliances in the marketplace.
Project description: The employment entity will be in need of a network of strategic alliances, such as training centres, educational institutes, universities, etc, in addition to monitoring the private sector and other governmental entity working in the same field.
Project activities:
a pre-study of the private and non private organizations working in the field of employment .
a pre- study of the educational institutes which can be a strategic alliance.
Evaluation of these studies in order to form a map of strategic alliances in the field of education and employment.
The relation between the entity and its strategic alliances can be in a formal or informal, in case it is in a formal manner, the entity will be responsible to Draft a memo of understanding between the entity and its strategic alliance. Whether the relation is informal or formal, it will be affected by the personality of the leader in terms of influences, his ability to negotiate and bargain, etc.

48. Activities: Market Image
Group1
Activities: Market Image
Urgent (address immediately)
The entity’s competencies support its marketing messages.
The entity’s advertising conveys a balanced message regarding its current position and its future direction.
Within the entity, the difference between a marketing strategy and an advertising campaign is clearly defined.
The entity has strategies in place to assess receptivity to new, untested ideas within the marketplace ahead of the competition.
The entity’s advertising messages are based upon knowledge-based competencies, instead of product attributes.
The entity’s image campaign is sufficiently multifaceted to penetrate existing markets.
The entity’s image campaign is sufficiently multifaceted to create new markets.
Important (address within 3 months)
The entity’s image campaign is based upon its inherent capabilities.
The entity’s culture supports its marketing messages.
The entity’s advertising defines its uniqueness in the marketplace.

49. Group1
Ideas: Market Image
Marketing the message or the mission of the entity through mass media , traditional and non traditional tools of exchanging and sharing information.
Study the workforce market in the targeted area in order to tackle all the current vacancies and the needs of the market (required skills and qualifications)
Forecasting studies to overcome any future challenges In the workforce market.
Establish a marketing unit which is assigned to create a convenient market image of the entity.

50. Small Project: Market Image
Group1
Project Name:
Establishment of marketing sub unit within the employment entity.
Project description:
Marketing unit is a sub unit in the employment entity, which is responsible of the market image of the whole entity, includes advertisement campaigns and policies, and anticipatory (preventative) marketing strategies.
Project activities:
-Create a market image of the whole entity, taking into consideration the tangible and non tangible resources within the entity and the targeted objectives.
-Build up an advertisement campaign and policy in form of its messages to the whole community included the stakeholders, taking into consideration the current status and the future trends.
- Anticipatory (preventative) marketing strategies to have a future to overcome inevitable challenges.
-Create unique market position for the entity.
-Study the current status of the youth workforce and the expected one in a comparative manner to figure out the most required.
Time required : 6 months before the establishment of the project .
Success criteria: It can be measured through the number of stakeholders who know about the entity activity.

51. Activities: Leadership / Leverage
Group1
Urgent (address immediately)
As an entity leader, you can define your sphere of influence across sectors (e.g., government, industry, education, or non-profit).
As an entity leader, you can define your sphere of influence within the world community.
As an entity leader, you use multiple strategies to enhance your own intellectual leadership.
As an entity leader, you have developed internal mechanisms to capture expertise in ways that enhance the entity’s business performance.
As an entity leader, you have developed internal mechanisms to codify expertise in ways that enhance the entity’s business performance.
As an entity leader, you have developed internal mechanisms to feed-forward expertise in ways that enhance the entity’s business performance.
As an entity leader, you perceive external leadership activities as integral to the business.
As an entity leader, you have put mechanisms in place to legitimize employees’ sharing of knowledge and expertise.
As an entity leader, you have put mechanisms in place to reward employees for sharing knowledge and expertise.
Important (address within 3 months)
As an entity leader, you can define your sphere of influence within the industry.
As an entity leader, you have effective strategies in place to disseminate your knowledge to the marketplace.
As an entity leader, you have effective strategies in place to apply your competencies in the marketplace.
As an entity leader, you use the knowledge gained from external leadership activities to develop new internal business strategies.
As an entity leader, you have put mechanisms in place to encourage employee’s sharing of knowledge and expertise.

52. Ideas: Leadership / Leverage
Group1
Well defined job description ( job requirements and tasks) of the leader (manager) and all the subordinates in the entity.
The leader should translate the main objective of the entity (employment of youth) into applicable measurable tasks.
The leader should form strategies, taking into consideration the competencies, recourses of the entity.
Set up rules within the entity to encourage sharing of knowledge and experience among employees with compensation mechanism.

53. Small project : Leadership / Leverage
Group1
Project name:
- The formation of HR sub unit within the entity to guideline the frame of which each candidate is working in. also , it prepares job description and job performance appraisal.
Project description :
-The establishment of a new entity requires a detailed job description and compensation tool of each candidate within the entity. These tasks cannot be undertaken except by HR unit, which can guarantee flexibility and achievement of the key activities of the entity, and as a result the achievement of the main goals of the entity.
Project activities
- Collect and examine detailed information about job duties.
- Prepare job description and job specifications of each job.
- Recruitment and selection of the entity staff and the leader who will be the image of the whole entity in addition to the nominated HR manger who will be represent their ministries in the entity.
- Ensure complete assignment of duties of each candidate. Through Performance appraisal
- Develop compensation plan.
- Develop training courses .

54. Activities: Technology / Internet
Group1
Urgent (address immediately)
The entity has sufficient flexibility to capitalize on the benefits of current information technology.
Within the entity, career paths are developed to motivate optimal innovation.
Within the entity, incentives/rewards are built into the system to motivate optimal innovation.
Within the entity, innovative ideas are well-received.
Within the entity, the locus for project initiation is clearly identified.
Technology is used within the entity to promote collaboration between employees who work in different areas.
Collaboration and interaction of employees across organizational boundaries is tracked.
Collaboration and interaction of employees across organizational boundaries is measured in terms of value-added contributions.
Important (address within 3 months)
Within the entity, there is a well-defined technical infrastructure.
Within the entity, there is a well-defined managerial infrastructure.
The most current advances in information technology are in use within the organization.
A network of expertise exists within the entity to provide assistance to employees in the areas of technology, organizational behavior, and general information about the business.
The persons comprising the network are easily identified by employees.
Within the entity, roles are clearly defined to motivate optimal innovation.
Within the entity, technology is perceived as an enabler, rather than an end in itself.
The entity uses cyberspace as a learning tool.

55. Ideas: Technology / Internet
Group1
Make sure of using all the advanced IT within the entity such as the usage of intranet as a network between all sub units within the same governorate and among governorates in Egypt to facilitate communications and interactions among them.
Creation of IT sub unit within the entity to technically support employees and to introduce any new technology.
Creation of innovation unit to gather innovative ideas within a motivating system ( in terms of compensations)

56. Small Project: Technology / Internet
Group1
Project name:
Establishment of Information Technology sub unit .
Project description:
The IT unit is a sub unit under the supervision of employment entity . it will be responsible of providing support to the employees to use the technological techniques and responsible of introducing new technology that can be used to facilitate the flow of work, communication and interactions.
Project activities:
- gathering of IT specialists and experts to form the sub unit
- Provide the technical support for the whole project and for the employees through training.
- Introduction of new technology to the entity.
- Design training courses for the applicants.
-Maintenance of the infrastructure .

57. Request
Our project is tackling an economical and social issue of vital importance and widespread implications.
We urge the different ministries to take action to implement this project.