1. Italy

2. In the school year 2005-2006 we have worked in a small enterprise.In the school year 2005-2006 we have worked in a small enterprise. During a brainstorming activity we produced some ideas.During a brainstorming activity we produced some ideas. We started asking ourselves some questions:We started asking ourselves some questions: Introduction to the project 1.What do we mean by business idea? 2.What type of business we would like to set up in Termoli? 3. What type of product should we trade? RESULTS: We needed to set up the most advantageous type of business being creative and commercialising an attractive and competitive product. Italy

3. We decided that our best customers were the students in our school: by word of mouth they could encourage their relatives and friends to buy our product!!!! We started gathering a lot of information: Internet, exploring Termoli and the surroundings. We prepared a suitable questionnaire for our target. We needed to know what product could be the best for our business idea. Xmas time was approaching so this was the questionnaire we submitted to our schoolmates.

4. QUESTIONNAIRE 1. What do you consider nice and useful as a Xmas present? (tick your best choice – no more than 3)  table-clock  potpourri  bracelet  necklace  soap  mobile phone container 2. Who would you buy it for? (tick your best choice – no more than 3)  myself  my best friend  my parents  my relatives  my boy/girl friend 3. How much are you ready to pay? € ……… 4. Do you usually buy presents for Xmas? YES  NO  The information we gathered were very positive as for question n. 4, since almost all the students interviewed said they wanted to buy presents for Xmas, for all the groups of people mentioned in question n. 2. The answer in question n.1 didn’t clearly establish a precise item, being selected almost all of them, but the amount of money, they were ready to pay – not more than € 5 – pointed out that we had to choose the most affordable and the cheapest, that is, potpourri.

5. Structure of the organization After attending a workshop on different types of business and on management and organization, held by our teachers we were able to come to the decision to set up a mini-cooperative. Why a mini- cooperative? Due to a small initial capital the most suitable form was a cooperative. We called it “mini” because the number of partners was ten. The “mini” cooperative does not need a huge amount of capital. In the “mini” cooperative each partner contributes a small amount of money. The mini cooperative has limited liability.

6. TASKS During a general meeting every partner submitted his/her own CV explaining his/her strong points to fill the position in the company. Everyone agreed to accept the positions requested realising that they fitted the person with the post. TASK Set up an effective team

7. 2. Define the tasks of the departments of the mini cooperative MANAGING DIRECTOR (Catterino Luigi) : The main function is to coordinate all the departments (purchasing, marketing,...etc.) so that the business can achieve the economic objectives. SECRETARY (Francesca Riccitelli): This is an employee who helps the director, dealing with correspondence, arranging meeting, writing reports. PUBLIC RELATIONS (Rivera Antonela): An employee who provides information to the public presenting a good image of the business. STRATEGIC PLANNING: (Catterino Luigi) : this department is strictly connected to the managing department. LEGAL SERVICE : (Rivera Antonela) in this department they take care of all the aspects related to national/international laws and regulations.

8. PURCHASING DEPARTMENT: (Gadaleta Cristina) : in this department the people in charge take care of raw materials needed for the manufacturing of the product. FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENTS: (Giantomaso Lucia e Dilorenzo Antonella): is closely involved in the planning process. It is responsible for raising the finance and for the management accounts of the business. It also oversees the payment of wages and the handling of cash. It has also to provide a financing balance. The research we developed was: What customers want, How much they are prepared to pay, When to launch the product (the approaching Xmas was a “time resource”. MARKETING AND SALES DEPARTMENT: (Capurso Francesca) : this department is involved in finding out costumers’ needs at the right price. They also take care of publicity, advertisment and the right name for the company.

9. Preparation for work TASK Define your company name and logo The team effectuated a brainstorming to find out a suitable name and logo. The final decision of the group was for the following name: F.A.L.C. Shop It is the acronym of the initials of the partners’ names ( 2 Francesca, 2 Antonella, 1 Luigi, 1 Lucia, 1 Cristina).

10. Address of the business The team worked at the premises of the Liceo Tecnico Economico “G. Boccardi” in Via De Gasperi, 30 in Termoli. The meetings took place in the computer lab on the ground floor. Mission sentence “We want to work together, to be competitive and to obtain the largest share of the local market”

11. TASK Development of a sales plan The market research showed that most of the students and families were willing to buy our product. Taking into account the school population and families we hoped to sell about 400 pieces. This number would have guaranteed a complete placement of our product. The product was formed by three elements: 1. A transparent and attractive fabric bag 2. Potpourri in 4 different essences (rose, orange, sandal, jasmine) 3. A card with a short Christmas-season message

12. After interviewing some local traders we found out that the total cost of the product was € 0.81 per each item. PRODUCT 1 Bag € 0.50 1 Part of pot- pourri (€ 2.50 / 8) € 0.30 1 Card for message (€ 5.00 / 400) € 0.0125 TOTAL€ 0.81 TOTAL COST TO BUY RAW MATERIALS € 0.81 X 400€ 324.00

13. Definition of the selling price. The market research pointed out that we had to keep our prices low and competitive. We wished to earn at least 50% on each item. In this way we would have been able to continue our enterprise with another product and expand our business in the near future. INCOME SALES € 2,00 x 400€ 800,00

14. FINANCIAL SOURCES Each student bought five shares at € 5,00 per each share. Our two teachers bought 7 x 2 = 14 shares. The total starting capital was € 595,00. The financial need would have been completely covered. PARTNERSAMOUNT The students € 25.00 x 7 € 175.00 The two teachers € 35.00 x 2 € 70.00 The school management € 350.00 TOTAL€ 595,00

15. BREAK-EVEN-POINT It is the point where the total income (variable and fixed costs) are equal to the total costs (running costs). The output of units is equal to the units sold (no units left). MONEY OUTPUT OF UNITS Break-even-point: 2x = € 80.00 + 0.81x X = € 67.23

16. (euro) 2006 PRODUCTS pot-pourri bags number of items sold400 direct cost per unit (pot-pourri bag) 0,50€ direct cost per unit (pot-pourri) 0,21€ direct cost per unit (labour) 0,10€ total direct cost per unit0,81€ price per unit2,00€ FIXING THE SELLING PRICE

17. OPERATING REVENUE (euro) 2006 Products pot-pourri bags800,00€ TOTALE800,00€ TOTAL REVENUE800,00€

20. SWOT ANALYSIS THREATS There are many shops and street markets in the Termolisian area, selling similar cheap products OPPORTUNITIES We can differentiate the products We can raise our capital WEAK POINTS Due to legal factors we can’t sell the product to the market outside the school. We are selling a single product. STRONG POINTS Our target is represented by students, their families and teachers. The product is cheap and everybody can buy it. We can make the final product. The approaching Xmas is a “time resource”

21. How beautiful would it be if we could study all the subjects in this way!!! CONCLUSIONS This experience has been very positive for us, it has shown how to do things. Now we feel we have acquired more awareness for the environment where we live as well as for the competences we own. We have learnt that when we start a business we have to find out the right ‘path’ taking advantage of all the opportunities we have, in order to obtain the information we need, when we need it. We have had the feeling that we have learnt a lot with enthusiasm, because we have had a strong motivation: to reach our goal! In addition to this, we have used the English language more than usual.