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The objective of this
site is to ease the exchange of know how and experiences about business
chambers, associations, Nuclei and participating entrepreneurs crossing
country and language boundaries.
Since the beginning of the
development of the Nucleus Approach in 1991 in the south of Brazil, more
than 1,000 chambers and associations in Latin America, Africa and Asia
organized several thousand Nuclei with tens of thousands of
entrepreneurs.
The Nuclei provoked numerous
political and organisational changes in the chambers. In the best case,
these "entrepreneurs clubs" changed into professional institutions for
services and lobbying.
At the same time, emerged
from the Nuclei countless stimuli for change in small, medium and large
enterprises. Many of them succeeded in increasing their competitiveness
and ability to survive. In some cases, "producers" of products and
services developed into "entrepreneurs" in the sense of the word.
During these years, a broad
expertise developed, many experiences, successes and failures have been
made. There are every day new ones. They are at least partially documented through
publications, presentations, databases, etc. Some is translated, some
not.
This material - and
additional from other sources about the organizational development of
chambers and associations - should be gradually made available
here.
Everyone is invited to
contribute with documents, ideas, questions and doubts.
The authors of this site:
Amina Yoosuf, NEF, Sri Lanka
Jairo Aldo da Silva, Brazil
Jordi Castan, Brazil
Rainer Mueller-Glodde, Senegal
Simone Lehmann, Germany
Common arguments in the context of the
dissemination of the Nucleus Approach
"This may well work in your region. But here, everything is completely
different!"
Typical objection during the first presentation of the Nucleus Approach .
Answer:
"Nobody denies differences to the neighbouring town, to another
region, to another country, to another continent. But let us talk about
what the entrepreneurs and chambers have in common. This is much more
interesting!"
"Everyone has a right to his own mistakes and experiences!"
An old saying.
Answer:
"Sure. But it is not necessary to repeat all mistakes and
absurdities." |
06.02.1991
Start of the partnership project between the three Chambers of Commerce
and Entrepreneurs (ACE) of Joinville, Blumenau and Brusque in the
northeast of Santa Catarina, Brazil, and the Chamber of Crafts and Small
Industries (HWK) for Munich and Upper Bavaria.
The project is financed via GTZ by the German Federal Government (BMZ).
Beginning of a continuing sequence of partnership visits and internships
of SMEs in Bavarian companies: learning by comparison.
03.1991 First meetings of groups of bakers and carpenters.
07.1991 Project planning: The ACEs decide to change their
institutions, to open them for SMEs and to provide them with services.
On a proposal by Egon Stein, Blumenau, the sector and SME working groups
are called "Nucleus".
At the end of the year, four Nuclei with 30 entrepreneurs are
functioning.
1993 In
the context of the discussion of goals and objectives ACEs analyze their
entire organizations: services, lobby, management.
Other ACEs of the region join the chamber partnership project.
GTZ publishes the case study "Organizational development in
Brazilian business chambers".
1994
Start of the dissemination of the Nucleus Approach in Brazil and many
other countries in Latin America through international workshops and
consultancy missions.
SEQUA enters as financial promoter of the partnership project.
14 ACEs of the region with 64 Nuclei and 688 SMEs.
1996 17
ACEs with 123 Nuclei and 1.645 entrepreneurs found the Fundação
Empreender (FE) / Foundation Entrepreneur as a kind of regional
federation.
Its task is the support of the member chambers and the further
dissemination of the Nucleus Approach.
1997
FACISC, the federation of the chambers in Santa Catarina and SEBRAE SC
start the "Programa Empreender SC" / Program Entrepreneur for the
introduction of the Nucleus Approach in most ACEs of the state.
1999
CACB, the confederation of the Brazilian chambers, and SEBRAE Nacional start the "Programa
Empreender Nacional". The application of the approach occurs
gradually in all Brazilian states.
The project ProPymes - GTZ, Montevideo, Uruguay, starts to organize
Nuclei.
2001
End of the promotion of the partnership project between the HWK Munich
and the FE through the German government. The project is "ready". The
institutions continue their partnership.
2002 -
2007 Introduction of the Nucleus Approach in the Central Region of Sri
Lanka through ESSP - GTZ. Starting in 2005, the approach is also applied
by PMSME - GTZ in the costal regions damaged by the tsunami in 2004.
In mid-2007, NEF (Nucleus Entrepreneur Foundation) is founded. Ex-ESSP
staff members continue the initiated development processes on own force.
2004
Programa Empreender Nacional in Brazil: 820 chambers with 3.300 Nuclei and 45.000
enterprises. Afterwards starts a consolidation phase.
2006
AAPOP - GTZ, Algeria, starts the application of the Nucleus Approach in
chambers of arts and crafts and in chambers of commerce and industry,
which are mostly dominated by the government.
German consulting enterprises integrate the Nucleus Approach in offers
to GTZ (Mozambique, Ghana, Senegal, India).
None of them wins the contract..
HWK Munich, SEQUA, GTZ and FE sign the "Statement Regarding the Nucleus Approach and its Dissemination": Nobody defines any legal property rights on the Nucleus
Approach and every other institution or person is authorized to apply the
approach.
2007
José Maria Melim publishes his thesis about the formation of "Social Capital"
among the Nucleus enterprises.
At the 5th Congress of the World Chambers Federation in Istanbul CACB
wins in the category of "International Cooperation between chambers'
with the" Programa Capacitar Nordeste "- training program in the
northeast - in front of competitors from Germany, Spain and England.
The project bases on the Nucleus Approach and was supported by the BMZ
via SEQUA and the regional federation KHW Essen, Germany.
 "What
you are doing there with the Nuclei in the chambers in the northeast of
Santa Catarina, in fact, this is very simple - but very difficult to
understand."
Vinícius Lummertz
SEBRAE Brazil |
