Action 1

In-depth qualitative research: good practices of multicultural management

Research aims:
• Create a typology of managerial discourses on diversity and work inclusion
• Identify discourses enhancing diversity and facilitating the inclusion of women immigrants
• Identify discourses constraining diversity and distracting the work inclusion of women immigrants
• Link discourses with wider cultural patterns
• Publish a good practice guide for companies and employment services

Research stages:
• Theoretical and methodological framing
• Interviews of 37 business executives/ owners in Athens & Thessaloniki
• Interview transcription
• Text coding and analysis
• Write up of research report
• Good practice guide

Research results:
The analysis conducted relied upon research tools and concepts from the discursive turn in contemporary social psychology. The final research report documents the representational linkages between the wider modern Greek cultural pragmatics and the accounts provided by our research participants, while elaborating on the interview questions. In particular our analytic emphasis has been placed on elucidating the ways in which our research participants mobilized socially accountable narratives on the marginalized position of immigrants in Greece, while, at the same time, deflecting potential inferences about a “hearable” prejudiced moral identity for them personally. Particular attention has been paid on the narrative structure of accounts which presented arguments against a “particularized” treatment of immigrants, in terms of marketing strategies and human resources management, on the basis of the moral high ground provided by a “universalistic” treatment of consumers and employees. Another important theme of our analyses concerned the identification in our participants’ discourse of an evaluatively loaded, albeit often implicit, distinction between national Others in Greece, with Western Others occupying the higher stages of a cultural hierarchy and the non-Western Others the lower ones. Our research report concludes with an outline of axes for future educational and policy interventions in combating normative societal assumptions which reproduce the marginalized position of immigrants in the modern Greek context.

Action 3

In 2006, the second study was completed entitled: “SPECIFICATION OF APPLICATIONS OF TELEWORK FOR WOMEN IMMIGRANTS”. The main objective of the endeavor was the specification of applications of new flexible forms of work in cultural differentiated groups and the “clever adjustment” of enterprises. The overall aim was to match women migrants with certain business activities and in specific to promote new flexible forms of work, such as teleworking. The study was divided into 3 phases:
The first phase was the mapping of professional opportunities of flexible forms of work (Telework) for women immigrants according to the International Rating of Occupations per every branch of economic activity. The final deliverable was a complete list of professions related to the spread of teleworking. Thus, teleworking practices, inside the Hellenic business sector, can be used mainly in banking, accounting and insurance sector, in services and commerce, in marketing, in advertising, multimedia and telecommunications, as well as in the Fine Arts, in Education and Medicine.
In the second phase a field research was conducted aiming at the recording of the dexterities, the capabilities and the needs of women immigrants, in order to be placed within the labor market and more specifically in new flexible forms of work, such as teleworking. For this purpose data were collected, processed and analyzed regarding the educational level, the digital literacy, the working experience of the specific sample (approximately 200 migrant women), as well the employment distribution of women-migrant in every branch of the economic activity, their geographical mobility and the issue of work – life balance. The analysis of the results showed that most of the women migrants participating in this survey have been socially, professionally integrated in the Hellenic society. However, women migrants have to cope with certain difficulties when entering the labor market. They have a major problem in finding work equivalent to their qualifications. Furthermore, a high percentage of the women migrants is skeptical towards the flexible forms of work (such as tele-marketing, e-commerce, etc.) regarding to the low remuneration, and the working conditions and insurance policies.
The third phase included the creation of a guide for the development of supporting actions for the women migrants and of methodology on how to interrelate the women migrants (and their products) with the enterprises and potential employers. The Guide’s purpose is to be a useful tool to Bodies or Organizations which are planning to promote teleworking and other flexible forms of work. The specific Guide presents in a documented way the planning and the development/realization of supporting and match-making activities for promoting flexible forms of work, and in specific teleworking. Furthermore, inside the Guide there is useful information about the deontology of the counsellors, the gender perspective within the counselling procedures, the supporting services for tele-workers (counselling on employment, legal services, psycho-social support), match-making procedures between the enterprise and the women and vice versa (tools, approach techniques), etc.

Actions
4.     TELEWORK PLATFORM
5. CHOICE OF PERSONNEL AND MATCHMAKING PLATFORM - BROKERAGE FOR ENTERPRISES AND INDIVIDUALS THAT PRACTISE TELEWORK
6. ELECTRONIC TRADE:  PLATFORM OF CREATION AND MANAGEMENT OF PERSONAL ELECTRONIC SHOPS (E-SHOPS)

The implementation of Actions 4, 5 and 6 took place simultaneously and it was based on the following phases:
 The functional and technical requirements of each platform were developed.
 After the finalization of the studies for technical and functional requirements the outline of the system of each platform was developed.
 Afterwards, the ‘architecture’ that was used for the platforms was developed.
In the respective period (1/1/2007 until 31/3/2007) the draft version of the system of the platforms was developed and delivered and it was presented to the members of the Development Partnership. After the presentation, the partners sent their remarks and comments for the platforms to HYPERTECH for any amendments that are required or problems they had traced. Finally, the remarks were processed and the problems were corrected and the final version of the platform was delivered. Until the present time HYPERTECH is also responsible for the technical support and service of the platformAt
The results of Actions 4, 5 and 6 are:
 A Platform for Teleworking in full operation and ready to be used.
 A Platform for personnel selection and Matchmaking – Brokerage for enterprises and people that are interested in teleworking, in full operation and ready to be used.
 A Platform for the creation and management of personal e–Shops, in full operation and ready to be used.

Action 7
Exploring the consuming patterns of culturally differentiated groups in Greece

Objectives

Market research on the consuming patterns of culturally differentiated groups seeks to identify the consumer habits of a highly cultural differentiated consuming group, which lives and works in Greece. It aims at listing the consumer habits and customs of a household. The findings of the research are expected to be used by:
enterprises in general interested in promoting their high quality products in cultural differentiated groups
enterprises which participate to the pilot application regarding e-commerce in the framework of the Project
the Multicultural and Technological Management Centre.

Research Findings
Report with the conclusions of the research
Original Data Charts
Technical Implementation Report (methodology, sampling and interview specs)

Actions 8 - 9

TRAINING OF WOMEN IMMIGRANTS

The action began in February with the preparation and organization of the training program.  More specifically, the preparation phase included the development of the content of the training program, the organization of the practical exercise in cooperation with EOMMEX as well as the selection of trainers and trainees.  At the beginning of March the training program began and by the end of the month 75 hours has been implemented (total duration of the training is 150 hours).  

Action 11

Center of Multicultural Management and Technological Adaptation – Pilot Implementation

EOMMEX S.A. houses the center of Multicultural Management and Technological Adaptation in the framework of Equal Project “Applications of New Methods of Work in Cultural Differentiated Teams: “Intelligent Adaptation” of Enterprises and Improvement of Skills of Women Immigrants”.

The main purpose of this action is to create a place where services and products will be provided to immigrant women and small and medium sized enterprises as long as information about Multicultural Management issues.

Services apply to immigrant women in order to inform, guide and help them cross the road to labour market using new technologies. On the other side, small and medium enterprises use the services to find workers, to market their products to different cultural consumers and also find products made by immigrant women.

Today, the center operates in pilot implementation, where a target group of immigrant women is training on new technologies and learning to use the matchmaking- brokerage - e shop platform which was made especially for this project purposes. EOMMEX and IEKEP are collaborating for this training.

In addition, EOMMEX provides consulting services to immigrant women related to enterprise adaptiveness, labour potential and information about European Projects related to them.

Action 15

Until today, three transnational meetings have taken place in Matera – Italy, in Leon – Spain and in Opole – Poland. The transnational partners have decided:
- The compilation of a common practice concerning the participants’ Standardization of Organization & Reception and the composition of the relevant draft with the cooperation of all Development Partnerships.
- The compilation of joint Conclusions withdrawn through the implementation of Workshops with issues of DP’s common interests within the Transnational Cooperation framework.
Ms Celia Tsekeri, as national Coordinator, is responsible for the compilation of Reports / Presentations of each DP’s project’s progress and of the results of work teams of each DP, as they are presented in the Transnational Meetings, as well as of the Reports from the Visits which take place wherever the national projects are implemented within the Transnational Cooperation framework. So far, Reports / Presentations have been composed for each DP’s project’s progress and for the results of transnational work teams of the Transnational Meetings in Matera – Italy, in Leon – Spain and in Opole – Poland.
As far as the Analysis on the innovative systems in the field of business management is concerned, it was noted that this Action refers to the Analysis of innovative systems and in particular of new technologies which must be able to be used by SMEs and was suggested that a report should be compiled by Hypertech and European Perspective with material contributed by ΕΟΜΜΕΧ and the Development Partnerships which have signed TCA.
As far as the Good Practices report is concerned, it was noted to the transnational partners that we should refer to patterns which are used for the promotion of equal job opportunities. The Greek DP will utilize the list of professions in which telework is indicated, the results from the research on women immigrants, the administrative conduct chart on cultural differentiated groups, the support measures guide for the inclusion of women immigrants in job market and the good practices guide for the promotion of diversity at work. It was asked to the Spanish Development Partnership to include the social – professional model for support to professionals who face difficulties that they have developed in order to evaluate it, and they agreed.
The transnational partners have taken the responsibility to elaborate common approaches and tools for the method to be used on the evaluation of Transnational Cooperation Actions by using a joint - evaluating the Actions of Transnational Cooperation and mainly the results of the Transnational Meetings – questionnaire.
In the Transnational Meeting in Poland was suggested the creation of a transnational link / site with the actions, the products and the results of the Transnational Cooperation under the responsibility of the Polish or the Greek Development Partnership and the cooperation of all DPs who have signed the TCA. The representatives of the Italian and the Polish DPs were positive to this proposal. The Spanish DP was reserved on the effectiveness of such a transnational product for the Dissemination of Information.