PROJECT „IMAGING GROWTH” Partner’s Meeting in Biella Polish Chamber of Commerce

PRESENTATION CONTENT Polish Chamber of Commerce (PCC) – basic information Women’s enterpreneurship – PCC experience Women’s enterpreneurship in Poland „Imaging growth” - results of initial research in Poland

Polish Chamber of Commerce 30 May, 1989 Act on Chambers of Commerce Article 2 „The chamber of commerce is an organization of business self- governance representing the economic interests of its affiliate entities within the scope of their manufacturing, commercial, construction or service activities, notably in their relations with the State autorities”

Polish Chamber of Commerce  Regional and local chambers- 48  Branch chambers- 61  Bi - and multilateral chambers- 10  Other organizations- 20 CURRENTLY: 139 MEMBERS

Polish Chamber of Commerce MEMBERS

 Creation and evaluation of economic policy in Poland (18 committees)  Foreign relations and promotion  Conferences, forums, seminars  Arbitration court  Services, for example: legalisation of documents, training courses, publications  Special projects  EU funded projects Polish Chamber of Commerce MAIN ACTIVITIES

Polish Chamber of Commerce SPECIAL PROJECTS  World Exhibition EXPO 2000 Hannover  European Economic Summit (Warsaw, April 2004)  World Exhibition EXPO 2005 Aichi

Polish Chamber of Commerce WOMEN’S ENTERPRISE ORIENTED PROJECTS „NEW QUALIFICATIONS, WORK, ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR UNEMPLOYED WOMEN” (NQW)

PROJECT NQW PROJECT LEADERS POLISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WARSAW SCHOOL OF ECONOMY

PROJECT NQW PROJECT FINANCING EUROPEAN SOCIAL FUND MINISTRY OF LABOUR POLISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

PROJECT BUGDET 12 MLN EUROS PROJECT DURATION –

PROJECT NQW AIM OF THE PROJECT Support women into employment across all of Poland (16 voievodships): Trainings for 6500 women 2000 grants for starting business activity Consultancy services start ups

PROJECT NQW PARTICIPANTS OF THE PROJECT: WOMEN over 30 years old level of education minimum secondary school unemoployed

PROJECT NQW STAGES OF THE PROJECT 12 - days trainings grant competition Consulatancy services (3 months from starting business activity)

PROJECT NQW TRAINING PROGRAMME (12 days) 1. Marketing 2. Market research 3. Sales techniques 4. Customer service 5. Tax system 6. Social security system 7. Labour law 8. Banking system 9. Business plan 10. Workshops from psychology

PROJECT NQW GRANTS: maximum 3000 EUROS to be spent during 3 months from signing agreement with PCC payment only by bank transfer

PROJECT NQW GRANTS – qualified expenses: computers, software, furniture, machinery and technical equipment materials for production servives: building, marketing, promotion, accountancy

PROJECT NQW CONSULTANCY SERVICES : duration – 3 months from starting business activity one consultant for 20 women’s enterprises forms of consultancy: direct, electronic ( ) and phone communication

PROJECT NQW PROJECT NQW IN NUMBERS: 262 trainings (12 days each) 6500 trained women (certificated) 2000 new company established Total amount of grants - 6 mln euros

WOMEN’S ENTERPRISES IN POLAND According to European Law Poland has to ensure equality of rights between women and men. That is why there is no special treatment of women’s enterprises in Poland – all kind of support activities of government, public institutions and NGOs are available for all business community on the basis of common rules.

WOMEN’S ENTERPRISES IN POLAND In year 2008 Polish Government established Office of the Plenipotentiary of the Government for Equal Treatment. The main responsibility of the office is coordination of all governmental and public institutions activities to ensure equal treatment of all group in society in all fields of social activities and to avoid discrimination of any social group in Poland (also in the area of enterpreneurship).

WOMEN’S ENTERPRISES IN POLAND Polish Agency for Enterprise Development (state agency) is planning to make special research (years ) dedicated women’s enterpreneurship in Poland. The main aim of the research is to desribe conditions which will allow women in Poland run business activity in harmony with their family duties, barriers for development of women’s enterprises in Poland (both on the start up stage and during running business activities). Thanks to results of those reserach new legislation solutions and and new state activities will be proposed to government to increase level of women’s eneterpreneurship in Poland and to increase number of successful women’s enetrprises.

WOMEN’S ENTERPRISES IN POLAND In Poland is registered about 4 mln SME eneterprises. Only half of them can be treated as active one, so it can be said that in Poland about 2 mln enterprises is active on the domestic market. Approximately 25-30% of SME in Poland is run by women, so we can say that about active companies in Poland represents women’s enterpreneurship.

WOMEN’S ENTERPRISES IN POLAND According to the PCC knowledge and experiece it can be said that after one year of running business activity about 50% of the companies survive, after 3 years % (source: results of eveluation of the project “New qualification New qualifications, employment and entrepreneurship for unemployed women” ).

WOMEN’S ENTERPRISES IN POLAND to women’s companies starting their business activities every year. Nearly the same number have to finish activity (mainly because of financial problems). Majority of women’s enterprises are micro companies.

WOMEN’S ENTERPRISES IN POLAND Women – owners of the companies: Over 45 years old (over 50%) high school education and university degree (over 55%) trade and services (over 50%)

RESULTS OF RESEARCH (FOCUS GROUP) FOCUS GROUP 40 WOMEN 2 GROUP MEETING (10 women each) – 2 regions (Warsaw, Lublin) 20 INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS – INTERVIEWS (4 regions - 5 women each): Katowice, Poznań, Białystok, Kielce)

RESULTS OF RESEARCH (FOCUS GROUP) ENTERPRENEUR OR EMPLOYEE? It is better to run business activity (over 50%) Younger women prefer to be enterprenuer (between years old – nearly 70%) Women with minimum high school education level prefer to be enterpreneur ( over 60%) Unemployed women are more active to start business activity

RESULTS OF RESEARCH (FOCUS GROUP) WHY COMPANY (BUSINESS ACTIVITY)? Independence (financial and professional) – over 60% Higher income (nearly 30%) Development of individual professional skills (15%) Negative experience from being employee (10%) Prestige, helping family (helping other people) (lower than 5%)

RESULTS OF RESEARCH (FOCUS GROUP) WHY NOT COMPANY? Problems, responsibilty, stress (over 40%) Lack of education, qualification, experience, idea for business (16%) Risk of bankruptcy (13%) Psychological barriers (lack of leadership skills) (12%) Lack of capital (money) to start and to develop company (9%)

IT IS EASIER TO START BUSINESS ACTIVITY BY: WOMEN – 5% MEN – 40% NO DIFFERENCE (THE SAME PROBLEMS) – 55%

RESULTS OF RESEARCH (FOCUS GROUP) MAIN PROBLEMS IN RUNNING BUSINESS ACTIVITY Lack of capital for development of the company (50%) or to keep market position (banking system not friendly to SME) Fear of risk (34%) Bureaucracy (25%) High taxes and company financial duties (15%) lack of information about market economy, lack of knowledge and experience how to run company (10%) lack of consultancy services dedicated to women’s enterprises (10%) many changes in private life (8%)

RESULTS OF RESEARCH (FOCUS GROUP) NEEDED SUPPORT (trainings and consultancy) Tax system b) Social security system c) Labour law d) Business plan e) Market research f) Market research g) Marketing h) Sales techniques i) Customer service j) Negotiations k) Computer skills l) European funds m) Banking system n) Languauge skills (foreign languages) o) International cooperation p) Public relations LACK OF INSTITUTIONS OFFERING SUPPORT DEDICATED TO WOMEN’S ENTERPRISES

PROJECT IMAGING GROWTH” Jacek Prześlakowski Project Department Polish Chamber of Commerce te.l. (4822)