OBJECTIVES: This project is proposed as a structured area of knowledge and assists the exchange of information, experiences, know-how and models for the construction of:

• Information Systems in the business sphere, based on the Social Economy and related themes.
• Information Systems regarding the laws and action framework of the Social Economy and related themes.
• Queries and their resolution in regards to the specific situations of entities related to the Social Economy and Local Development.
• Management of Social Economy companies and their relationship with Local Development.
• Sections of interest for the Social Economy entrepreneur.

DESCRIPTION: The community will feed off the contribution of all its members and all of its members will feed off its contents, but the initiative will be led by CEPES-A and be located virtually on the website that belongs to the Confederation.

The companies, universities, independent professionals and the Authorities will find in the Learning Community the opportunity to interact, exchange experiences, find a meeting place for joint initiatives and, in turn, compare whether they are acting in accordance with the legal framework and spirit of the Community.

Therefore, they will find the following in the community:

• Advice. Infrastructure and promotion.
• The opportunity to collaborate and create joint initiatives.
• The opportunity to create new knowledge based on everyone’s contributions.

The Community proposes the useful exchange of experience, with the following outcome:

• To always get out more than one puts in. To contribute individually and have access to a community reality.
• Make clear cost savings.
• The progressive involvement, in the medium-term, of the universities, companies and their representative organisations, the Authorities and CEPES-A, as leader of the initiative, guarantees the diffusion and consolidation of an image of reference in the sphere of the Social Economy, its related themes and learning. All of this will result in an optimisation of information and knowledge.
• Generation of business opportunities due to the created synergies.
• Opportunities for subsidies from the Authorities.
• The University’s involvement is especially interesting due to the "network effect multiplier", which could help its students with their leap into the professional sphere.
• Winning the loyalty of former masters students who will be inserted into a learning network that directly links them to the reference confederation, CEPES-A, and its associated member organisations. Also, through this Community, the organisations that are members of CEPES-A and the confederation itself will find in this Community the opportunity for meeting a source of professionals from the Social Economy and other related areas, who are well-informed and aware of the realities in this sphere.

Thus, we consider this project as an integral knowledge management system, involving ongoing consultancy and the integration of company solutions.

PHASES:

A) Creation of a Knowledge Management System.

B) Maintenance and updating of a Knowledge Management System.

C) Encourage the participation of key agents in the Learning Community. Ex-students, professionals, social economy companies and self-employed individuals, university departments and fundamental actors of the Administration.

D) Implementation, management and coordination of the knowledge. Knowledge management and coordination generated by the Community actors.

E) Permanent Evaluation System. Status of the initial matter, continuous evaluation (phases), final evaluation and the conclusions from feedback for improving the system.

PARTICIPATING ENTITIES: FICOM S.Coop.And.

FINANCING: Department of Social Economy and Entrepreneurs of the Autonomous Government of Andalusia

COMPLETION DATE: December 2007

URL: http://www.esconocimiento.com (provisional)