Developing synergetic relationships with the market: The design, implementation, and evaluation of a

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Developing synergetic relationships with the
market The design, implementation, and
evaluation of an internship program for students
in a Department of Economics from a Greek public
university
International Conference - DECOWE Development of
Competencies in the World of Work and
Education 24-26 September 2009, University of
Ljubljana, Slovenia

• ANTIGONI PAPADIMITRIOU
• DIMITRIS MARDAS
• Department of Economics
• Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Greece

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Outline of the presentation

• Rational of an internship program
• Information from insight
• SIP Goals
• SIP Innovations
• SIP Development
• Sip Evaluation
• Conclusions

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Rational of an internship program
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Programs of study and extra curriculum have to
shaped by a new philosophy and emphasize the
creation of two-way relationships between
knowledge and practical training. Participation
of students and market stakeholders in practical
training program create a win-win synergy, in
practice and not only in theory, for the purpose
of creating interactive relationships (Gummesson,
1997). Internship programs works as a bridge
between classroom and a real world practice.
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• Internship is a useful strategy in helping secure
  a career-oriented position after graduation
  (Callanan, and Benzing, 2004)
• build social skills that are beneficial in
  employment (French, 2003 Smith 1996 Taylor,
  1988).
• internships is one of the appropriate learning
  modes for employable skills
• 
  (Teichler, 2008)

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• internships and similar programs provide a
  risk-free method for companies to evaluate
  their future employees
• students in such activities ensure an available
  pool of future talented newcomers.
• when students are satisfied, other
  fellow-students also will want to realize an
  internship in a tested company (Cocco, 2000).

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Information from insight -the Greek market
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• In 2000 research on SMEs in Greece, by Hellenic
  Foreign Trade Board, the Federation of Greek
  Industries (SEB) with McKinsey consults resulted
  in the following
• a) Only a few companies offered organized export
  departments.
• b) The companies did not follow an export
  business plan.
• c) There was a lack of specialized personnel in
  export marketing.
• d) Companies desired training in matters
  regarding exports.
• E-commerce and its application are not
  sufficiently prevalent in Greece (HEPO, 2001)
• Strategic product management has gained ground
  since 1990.
• SMEs 98 out of 76 of the total WF

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Thus the

• need to develop a
• Synergetic Internship Program (SIP), which
  emphasizes selected fields of knowledge, has
  become
• increasingly important
• in an era where the labor market changes
  continuously and the inability of Economics
  graduates to find a job is intensifying

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SIP Goals

• The systematic support of students in planning
  their occupational career bridge the transition
  from the classroom to work world
• The interface of academia with productive units,
  companies, and their associations
• Information about the availability of employment
  vacancies and the prospects of their intended
  three areas of training
• The upgrade of companies and their associations
  in the region of Thessaloniki specialties and
  the students scientific skills

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SIP INNOVATIONS

• 1st Innovation
• The whole project developed in cooperation with
• Professional Associations of the City of
  Thessaloniki
• and not through direct contact with companies.

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This approach

• is more beneficial for all stakeholders,
• because it establishes as a priority the
• development of a systematic relationship of the
  Department of Economics
• Associations and their members
• .

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• 2nd Innovation
• SIP orientation
• covered positions in field of specific
  specialization
• lack of staff in the market
• e-commerce, logistics export business
  planning
• 3rd Innovation

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Just-in-Time Seminars

• Lectures by Department Faculty member
• Outside experts and consultants

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SIP Development
Data base of the companies
Data base of students
Students Applications (academic grades,
Comments, Goals, CV)
Committee from the Dpt. Of Economics (3 members)
Supervising Faculty
Just in Time Seminars (JIT)
Evaluation Process (questionnaires, interviews,
on site visit)
Feedback report
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Project Schedule
Phase 1
Phase 2

May 2005- Sept. 2005 Defining the number of
trainees per association and per
specialization Students applications (junior
and senior year) and selection process
Oct 2005- Nov.2005 Just in Time Seminars (JIT)

Phase 6 August- October 2006 Final evaluation
(employers, students, supervising professors)
Phase 5
Phase 3
Phase 4
May2006 July 2006 16 weeks Internship
March 2006- Apr.2006 Just in Time Seminars (JIT)
Nov. 2005- Feb.2006 16 weeks Internship
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SIP EVALUATION

• Students perceptions (mid final)
• report by the supervising faculty member
• Employers perception

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Students perceptions (mid)
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Students perceptions (final)
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Employers perceptions (final)
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Expected benefits

• Directly benefited our students, who gained
  knowledge and experience in those fields.
• 2. Indirectly benefited
• The professional associations
• develop new practices, expand the scope of
  their activities and serve their members in a new
  field.
• The Department of Economics, since this action
  constitute the beginning of a systematic
  cooperation, which can be expanded to professions
  as well.

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Conclusions

• SIP ran well students perceived that they
  gained extra knowledge to close the gap between
  theory and praxis
• The style of supervision (faculty-students-employe
  rs) followed during the entire SIP placement
  demonstrated a close, working oversight by
  faculty was beneficial to deal with individual
  problems and provide solutions
• Evidence from students, faculty, and employers
  gave us a positive picture

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Conclusions-2-

• More than 25 participants hired
• We learned what changes are required to make in
  the future areas that need more attention in to
  have satisfied students employers
• - more communication with employers
• - possibility for extra practical courses as
  requirements to all students
• (business plan, e-commerce, logistics etc.)
• Define gap students expectations satisfaction
  about internships new evaluation procedures

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Relationship marketing marketing on interaction
within networks of relationships
Cummesson,
2004
Associations recourses and data
DPT. Of Economics Program Courses
Company Director
SIP
JIT Seminars
relationships
Students data
Academic Supervisors
Always there is room for improvement
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SYNERGETIC INTERNSHIP PROGRAM (SIP)
THANK YOU Questions, comments,
suggestions? antigoni_at_econ.auth.gr mardas_at_econ.au
th.gr