Abstract:

Previous research papers have pointed out the necessity of workplace development with social innovations in the workplaces in order to convert technological breakthroughs into productivity benefits. The ADAPTYKES project is based on the experiences from the Finnish workplace development programme (TYKES Programme). The aim of the TYKES Programme was to promote performance and the quality of working life by furthering innovation-supporting modes of operation and employee skills at Finnish workplace. In the TYKES Programme the improvements of organizational performance were monitored through the productivity of work, the quality of products and services, the quality of operations, customer service and flexibility, smoothness of the operations while improvements of the quality of work were monitored on the aspects such as the quality of team-based working at the workplace, cooperation between management and stuff, social relations at the workplace, employees’ opportunities for developing professional skills at work and mental wellbeing of employees on the organizational side.

The ADAPTYKES project analyses the adaptability of the Finnish workplace development model and methods in Hungary and Romania, and develop long and short term trainings for the local SME managers in the target countries. The concrete objective is to develop SME-related curricula by adapting LUAS education in the field of sustainable workplace development. Indirect objective is to facilitate longer engagement of the elderly in workplace making this latter more attractive with the social and organisatory innovations. The project produces impact on the training culture of the participating institutions and SMEs participating to the project and the pilot trainings during the project. In addition, the vocational training culture and on the workplace management practices develop of the target countries in the long run. The main tasks of ADAPTYKES project are following: 1) to investigate and analyze the similarities and differences between work organization models, knowledge use patterns and innovative activities of SMEs in the participating countries, 2) to train of Hungarian and Romanian future leader trainers, 3) to develop short and long term training programmes for SME managers, and 4) to develop learning materials for Hungarian and Romanian circumstances.

This paper focuses on the first results of the project, investigation and analysis the similarities and differences between work organizations. As a result of the first phase, the paper describes the similarities and differences of SME sectors in the participating countries and formulates recommendations in favor of the successful adaptation of the programme and the curriculum development. In addition to the analysis similarities and differences on the work organization models and especially the manpower and knowledge use and development practices of SMEs, the paper summarizes the main results from a questionnaire survey among the companies represented by the Budapest Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the APM Cluj-Napoca to find out the development needs and the competence shortages of the companies. The paper provides empirical basis for the re-design and reflexive adaptation of the Finnish TYKES Programme in Hungary and Romania, evidence-based inputs to the content development of the various curricula and methodological experiences for the pedagogical and didactical innovations.

Keywords:

Workplace development, SMEs, Finland, Hungary, Romania.