Miscellaneous

In this field study project we tried to analyze the Greek and Europe market in the FinTech and ICT sectors, develop a comparative analysis for them and additionally promote the investment opportunities that the Greek market has to offer.

Our project includes a macro analysis of the Greek and the European ICT market followed up with a comparative analysis between them in an effort to identify competitive advantages that the Greek market possesses and how Greek companies can make an attempt to fill gaps in the European market. It also contains a full description of startup scenery in Europe and Greece, how they use their available resources for growing, the different ways of getting funded but also the significance of collaborating with the corporate world in order to secure their survival. For our project we constructed a map of the largest Greek IT companies and categorize them in terms of revenues, export capabilities, role/positioning, size, market, portfolio, technology and offering scope. Based on all this information we presented an analysis of the situation in the Greek market while we tried to extract ideas for investment opportunities. In the end we demonstrated the ways that we can achieve growth and the vehicles that Greek companies can utilize in order to expand and take market share from Europe. Besides that, we present investment opportunities that derive from formatting clusters and specifically the results of a series of merging scenarios.

This paper investigates the current macroeconomic environment in Greece with respect to the financial crisis, the status quo it has created and the sectors of the Greek economy that withstood said crisis and show promise for further growth. Furthermore it focuses, attempting to provide a more detailed analysis of one these promising sectors; on the agrofoods industry. This industry is examined firstly globally and secondly as it has evolved today in Greece. The comparison between global and local provides an explanation as to why it is still a viable enterprise and also illustrates successful practices that can be transferred and applied to Greece. Furthermore the most prominent sub-sectors of the agrofoods industry (Crops, Food Processing, Greek Specialty Foods and Aquaculture) are analyzed in order to understand the problems that hold them backwards as well as the potential opportunities they present.

The findings of this report support the claim that while there is much uncertainty and instability in Greece there are still certain sectors that constitute excellent investment opportunities and if the public and private sectors coordinate correctly and work together can help drive Greece out of the crisis.

The present project examines the degree to which ANT1 IT department is ready to successfully implement eventual change programs. Measuring organizational readiness for change is a relatively new research subject. Based on the existing bibliography, our team conducted the research in ANT1 IT department, aiming to assess the organizational cultural profile, the organisation’s change enabling factors and the individual attitudes towards change. It was found that ANT1 IT department’s culture will support change initiatives. Furthermore, it was also concluded that ANT1 IT department possesses organizational as well as individual characteristics that are necessary for the successful implementation of change efforts.

This field study project consisted of a the development of a business plan for Axum Emirates SA, a young and fast-growing real estate development company. The business plan concentrates on a macro-environmental analysis and market analysis regarding the overall real estate market the UAE with an emphasis on residential and tourism sectors. Building on the results of that analysis, operational and organizational plans for Axum Emirates are suggested and an in-depth financial analysis involving several scenarios and a risk assessment was conducted.

A study focused on marketing and promotional activities for the online platform “Bloode”, in order to raise awareness towards blood donation and cultivate a volunteering spirit among young people and adults.

The objectives are first, to build a strong community consisting of patients that create real-time calls for blood in case of an emergency and of volunteer blood donors that are willing not only to satisfy these ongoing calls for blood, but also to share the need to their network. The second objective is to organize blood donations in collaboration with public hospitals, in order to meet the annual need for blood in Greece. The third objective is to increase awareness and cultivate a volunteering spirit among young people and children, by introducing educational programs in schools and universities.

This study describes the marketing and promotional activities that the team designed and developed within the context of the Field Study Project, such as content marketing, social media marketing, web analytics, email marketing, community building, as well as the organization of blood donations and educational events.

The project analyzes and researches the current landscape of the “English as a Foreign Language Examinations” and “UK Professional Examinations” in relation to the British Council’s presence as an administrator in the Greek market and possibly as a developer. The dual purpose was to propose new products/ examinations to be developed by the British Council and identify new market segments for it to target, both for existing examinations and for those recommended. The results comprise proposed directions for new product development strategies in these English language examination categories.

City Tales is a private startup company, established in Athens, Greece. It operates in the industry of mobile culture and tourism, aiming to operate worldwide starting from Athens and expand to other European cities. Although the product is still under development, creating a network of qualified ambassadors and content providers around Europe as soon as possible would provide a competitive advantage for the company. Thus, the mission of the Field Study Project was to work on the internationalization strategy of City Tales and go through all necessary actions in order to come up with a collaboration agreement.

The team followed a sequence of 4 pillars to reach its goal: i. market research and cities evaluation for appropriateness of operations, ii. design of the process that will secure compliance of each market with City Tales’ value proposition and qualifications of partners, iii. communication with potential partners in 8 cities around Europe, iv. projections and sensitivity analysis of users and revenues for a 3-year period after launching the application. At the end, the team achieved not only to deliver an expansion manual to the company, but also to establish 2 partnerships with content providers in two European cities and to receive positive feedback from its communication.

This project is a business plan for the establishment of a spin-off company by the researchers of the Catalytic – Photocatalytic Processes Laboratory of the Physical-Chemistry Institute of the National Centre for Scientific Research “Demokritos”. The target is to commercially exploit the research efforts of the researchers on the technology of photocatalytic degradation of toxic waste, a technology that is both effective and absolutely “environmental-friendly”.
According to the business plan there will be toxic waste treatment units established in the installations of NCSR “Demokritos”. The company will operate in the Greek market of environmental protection and will be able to effectively treat toxic wastes that today are collected and transferred abroad for treatment. The customers of the company will be mainly the companies that offer environmental services, but also companies that produce toxic waste due to their production processes.
For the presentation of the investment proposition in a manner that shows the viability and prospect of the company, the business opportunity and the business model that will be adopted are presented by emphasizing on the competitive advantages of the company. These advantages are mainly its technological superiority, the proven experience of its personnel on the particular technology and the infrastructures of NCSR “Demokritos” that will be used.

The document constitutes the Business and Marketing Plan for dgMall, a start-up company, operating in the broad e-commerce Greek market, founded in 2015 by Dimitrios Psyllas. It includes three parts: (1) the current situation analysis, which provides in-depth insights into the venture’s internal and external environment, as well as into its market, (2) strategy formulation referring to segmentation, targeting, positioning, product, price, distribution and promotion related concerns and activities, (3) the strategic implementation and control processes needed to be established in order to ensure dgMall’s successful launch in the market and (4) the relevant financial data. This plan’s importance lies on multiple factors, such as the fact that it helps focus business resources and plan accordingly towards business growth, reach target audience, boost customer base, increase bottom line and ultimately survive and prosper. The analysis included had been based both quantitative and qualitative market research results, feedback from potential customers, online research and theoretical resources. Concluding, it aspires to give dgMall’s executive team a strategic guideline for the period 2015-2016.

The scope of this FSP is to examine and evaluate the execution of projects with respect to educational buildings (mainly dormitories) under the project finance scheme. Within the FSP it is examined how PFI/PPP projects are being executed in the United Kingdom, where the project finance scheme was first introduced, compared to the current situation in Greece and the plans of the Greek Government. The main body of the FSP contains the market research for the housing facilities of the Greek universities, which currently cover only the 2,4% of the existing market, and the development of the financial model, which will be used for the evaluation of the projects. The model has been run and the outcome for the revenue is within the range of the current market. The sensitivity analysis of the variables of the model has shown that the final outcome is quite sensitive to several variables and assumptions that have been made for the evaluation of the hypothetic scenario. Through this FSP Elliniki Technodomiki – TEV A.E. has a procedure and an evaluation tool that can be used for bidding for such projects.

The project focuses on the improvement of ELOT’s web site in order to transform it into a powerful promotional tool and ultimately improve the operations of the company. The study is based on following the first steps needed for the execution of an e-marketing plan which are a situational analysis and the ensuing SWOT and on conducting a two-face market research relative to on- line services. The first face delves into the on-line practices followed by 54 local and foreign organizations, which take action in the same business fields. This analysis results in qualitative and quantitative findings. The second face constitutes a series of 26 in-depth interviews given by ELOT online and offline customers. The interviews give an insight from a variety of angles regarding customer problems, expectations and demands as well as suggested ideas. The study continues with some straightforward proposals based on the established theory that was thoroughly investigated before any other action. Finally it describes the constraints met throughout the project methodology and reviews briefly some future directions, which will give ELOT a competitive edge. The project finishes with commentaries concerning managerial awareness of soft issues of strategic importance for the successful implementation of the new business model.

The aim of this thesis is to investigate and identify the present status of the investment environment in Iraq and therefore to suggest methods and tools that will allow Greek Companies to invest in the region.

In the first part, we briefly presenting the two countries, Iraq and Greece, while we mention the serious problems that Greek Economy is facing due to the ongoing recession. In contrast with Greece, Iraq is presented as a fast growing market full of potentials.

The thesis then includes an extensive analysis of all the factors affecting investment plans in Iraq while is indicating the problematic sectors in Greece that faced the greatest decline.

The sectors with the highest growth and opportunities are mainly related with sectors like constructions, energy and telecommunications.

In conclusion, the thesis suggests some ideas on how the Iraqi Embassy in Athens could promote the Greek investments in Iraq. With the completion of our project we hope to offer you food for thought and contribute in the promotion of Greek companies, that are seriously affected by the economic crisis, in such a rapidly developing country like Iraq.

This project aims at identifying the Legal and Regulative Framework established by EU member states regarding the electricity sector, in terms of the liberalization of the electricity market following the EC law established for this purpose. The first part is based on the study of the market liberalization progress in the EC. It deals with the progress of the transposition of the EC legislation into the respective national laws. Furthermore it explores the institutional structure and national focal points, and the detection of barriers to market liberalization. The analysis of the above-mentioned points of interest is performed on a selection of member states which are of particular interest, specifically: Germany, Sweden, Spain, Italy, France and Romania. The second part of the project seeks to identify the main concepts of the effective separation of supply and production activities from network operations, termed “unbundling”, and its potential effects on the market. Finally, a comparative analysis was conducted identifying the realised progress, the existing barriers and the future perspectives for market liberalization in Greece, together with their implications for Greek power production companies

Deregulation is slowly transforming what was once a publicly-owned utility industry into a private one full of competitors. This study of the Greek retail electricity sector aims at elucidating the legal framework and identifying opportunities for potential entry of firms in the retail market by providing a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the potential for profit.

This Project involved the analysis, categorization, evaluation and simplification of internal processes and documents of the company, mainly in the form of legal contracts and their extended technical annexes, as well as regulations, technical specifications and standards set by the Public Power Company (PPC) and the Ministry of Public Works. The first goal was to filter and transform all of the input into practical checklist forms (technical templates) regarding Civil and Electro-Mechanical Engineering Works relating to the construction of Wind Parks. The second goal was the breakdown of the Legal Contracts of the company in terms of Obligations, Rights, Deadlines and other critical stages of the construction phase as regards both the Owner of the plants (EGPH) and the Contractor (construction company or consortium). The majority of the output of this project is a basic form of quality measurement of the construction phase of Wind Parks, to be used on and off-site by the company’s assigned supervising engineers and managers, constituting an implementation of “Added-value Engineering” to the related processes and quality assurance techniques.

The project aimed at investigating the retail market for a turn-key energy solution in the shape of photovoltaic energy production units for private and business use (including all related infrastructure and interconnection facilities). Based both market and internal analysis strategic positioning and market approach were suggested, as well as financial projections and returns both for customers and the company.

Eunice Energy Group is a leading investor, developer and producer of renewable energy in Greece. The Company has successfully delivered its first two projects on time and on budget with total capacity of 46MW. Eunice has another 14 projects of different sizes in the pipeline with estimated production capacity in 2013 of 535 MW. In this Field Study Project, students developed a financial model in support of an IPO in the London Stock Exchange.

During a period that the management of water resources is getting more and more crucial globally, this project aimed at studying the stock performance of EYDAP, the biggest company in the Water Sector in Greece. The performance of the stock in the Athens Stock Exchange was recorded, compared and analyzed in comparison to the General Index of the ASE and to other similar companies of the same sector abroad. With the strong belief that the utilities sector is not a favourable field for speculation, especially in Greece where the two – by far – biggest companies are State owned, the stock performance was explained with a deep analysis of the company’s fundamentals, balance sheets and financial ratios, in contrast to its peer group. Additionally, an estimation of the hidden values that can increase the company’s attractiveness in the eyes of investors was made

The aim of this project was to propose a concrete solution of an electronic Procurement system for the to Water Company of Athens and Piraeus S.A. This study analyzes the existing system of supplies and evaluates it with the main goal to improve a range of indicators such as: Cost of Supplies, Number of Suppliers, Time of Conduct of Supplies, and Quality. The methodology was applied both for the evaluation of the existing situation and the estimation of the most optimal operation in the case of adoption of two systems of electronic supplies: a) the application of e-catalogue and b) the application of an e-marketplace. Based on the evaluation, recommendations for the company were developed.

The Athens Water Supply and Sewerage Company (EYDAP SA), is the largest company in Greece operating in the water market. Factors, such as the international development and the responsibility to supply 40% of the Greek population with potable water, render it obligatory to operate in the private sector economic standards and maintain openness to new enterprising activities. The individual objectives and the strategies of the company include: a) completion of the financial-administrative modernization, b) increase in the efficiency and competitiveness of the provided products and services, c) implementation of modern methods in HRM, d) efficient asset management, e) implementation of new information systems and expansion of the current ones, f) expansion of its jurisdiction area and acquisition of distribution networks outside its jurisdiction, g) cooperation with other foreign water supply and sewerage companies, h) development of new activities in fields that utilize the existing infrastructure and know-how of EYDAP and j) participation in business schemes to increase its turnover, such as Natural Gas Distribution.
The project focused on assisting the management of EYDAP to shape the vision and mission of the HR department, as well as to redefine the processes that will lead to the strategic alignment of HRM objectives with the strategy of the company. Moreover, current HRM practices were recorded and the optimal level of development for the HR department estimated. Finally, the team analyzed the extend to which some best practices and HRM functions can be applied to the business scheme of EYDAP. The tools and methods employed include: SWOT/PEST analysis, Porter’s 5 forces analysis, questionnaires of CRANET, organizational culture model by Cameron & Quinn, HR role assessment model by Ulrich & Conner, as well as benchmarking of successful companies.

The purpose of this Field Study Project is to analyze the current situation of the organization «Fournos Kentro gia ton Psifiako Politismo» and also the situation of the entertainment market in the area of Athens in order to propose the necessary advice and recommendations that may help the organization to achieve viability and a further future growth. For this purpose we present the analysis of the organization’s external environment, the bibliographic and scientific researches we conducted and their results and outcomes. Moreover, there is a thorough reference to the suggestions that came up through the researches and to the ways that they will be better realized. Finally there is a valuation of the importance of the suggestions and a rating of their materialization proximity.

The present Field Study Project is concerned with the feasibility study of a biodiesel production unit from “Palaiologos Biofuels SA”. At first, the study provides a detailed description of the product, its production and its beneficial properties. Then, it examines the Greek and European law framework, as well as the present situation of the market in Greece and in Europe. Next, the main sources of sales and revenues are “traced” and the initial investment cost is estimated. The investment-financing scheme is also presented in detail. The study concentrates on operational and financial aspects of the project and draws on quantitative analytical tools like scenario analysis, cost modelling and investment analysis to provide clues about the feasibility, profitability and risk of the project.

Olympic Games can have a great impact on their host city, mainly because of their size and duration.Our task in this project was to analyse and develop a method for managing the massive task of catering the Main Dining Room of the Olympic Village, which will serve Athletes, Escorts, Olympic Officials and Staff.The study covers three main areas: A plan for the delivery of raw materials, a plan for manpower management and a plan for waste management.The methodology is different for each section, but in all sections we have taken into account previous experience from past Olympic games. Our results may be used by the teams planning for this event as well as for future events for Grecotel.

The first part of this project is the study, mapping and reengineering of business processes in the operation of Grecotel S.A. hotels, as well as the identification of the changes that will be needed in the framework of an ERP (SAP R/3) system implementation. An analytical hierarchical methodology is used for the process reengineering and economic indexes are proposed in order to monitor the efficiency of various procedures in the hotel operations management. In the second part of the project a number of decision support tools are developed and used in order to help the management of the company in the decision making process. These tools aim at their integration with the ERP system in order to use the information extracted from it to give reliable solutions. In detail: A Cost-Volume Profit Analysis (structured in an electronic platform) is proposed to evaluate the efficiency of different hotel in business units. A Simulation set-up is introduced to the company to monitor the effectiveness of the font desk operation in a hotel. The Analytical Hierarchical Process is used to provide the optimal choice in multi-criteria decision making problems, such as the selection of the most suitable vendor. The concept of Economic Order Quantity is examined in the inventory control in contrast to empirical methods. Finally, a Linear Programming Optimisation model is developed to enhance the decision-making process concerning new investments (defining the optimal product mix of different room types in a new hotel).

This project consisted of a mapping and modelling of the process of issuing permits for energy production by the R.A.E. aiming to improve the speed of processing the applications and the efficiency of the procedure. The activities that comprise the process were recorded through data collection and interviews with the responsible staff members. In order to map the process, the IDEF methodology was used: IDEF3 for mapping the processes supervised by the Unit of Decision Processing and Documentation and IDEF1x for the creation of an entity-relationship model to depict data needed and the relationships between entities. The software used was BPwin for process mapping and Erwin for data modelling.
The study resulted in a detailed mapping of the process of permit issuing and an identification of potential weaknesses of the process. Propositions were developed concerning how to implement process mapping and modelling in all of RAE’s processes and functions (including data gathering related to overall resources and time considerations) aiming at the most effective implementation of its operational objectives and targets.

This project addresses the functional and technical requirements that a prototype e-Procurement Platform for Hellenic Air Force has to comply with. Its scope covers the operational and functional analysis of the HAF current purchasing process as well as the presentation of the legislation affecting public procurement. The implementation of an e-procurement system incorporates the development of a Document Management System in combination with a Workflow Application, both integrated under an e-Procurement Portal, which will serve as the central point for the exchange of all relevant documents and information. Transaction and data security, compatibility and openness, as well as business process reengineering and a calculated step approach are critical factors for the successful adoption of an e-procurement system. Besides the rapid and quantifiable benefits, e.g., increase in purchasing efficiency and reduction of operating cost, resulting from the implementation of an e-procurement application, the need for organizational, functional and cultural changes are taken into consideration.

Cultureguide, an e-magazine providing information about Greek cultural events, is a recent project of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and the Hellenic Culture Organization SA. In response to the diverse nature of the needs proposed by the site’s management, this study has been divided into three main parts.
The first part studies the interface of the site. It aims at providing practical tips, which collectively should facilitate increasing levels of attractiveness, information clarity and relevance, as well as functionality enhancement. The second part is dedicated to statistical data. It starts by analysing the information needs of the site and the numerical metrics that should be monitored by its management. Subsequently, it provides a simple recommendation with regards to the acquisition of an Off-The-Shelf software application that will best perform this function.
The third part presents a list of business models that will allow the site either to gather revenue or to exchange value-adding services with other institutions.

MOM is a Greek non-profit organisation, which is active in the field of nature conservation and especially in the conservation of the marine and coastal environment, using the Mediterranean monk seal as flag species. The growth of the organization and its intention to expand its activities in two new geographical areas, has created a need for reengineering of organizational structure and operational procedures. The project proposes a new organizational structure and elaborates operational procedures in order to introduce a flexible and functional structure for the management of the organization. Operational roles and procedures adapted to the changes of the future environment in which MOM will operate are proposed.

Ninety percent of world trade is transported by sea, and yet the technology embedded in the container has remained unchanged since 1955, when the first container was introduced in the USA. This lack of technology evolution in the container industry results, most of the time, in an under-utilization and loss of value for the stakeholders involved in the transportation chain. Under the framework of the MBA International, our team was assigned to examine the savvy and potential market capabilities of a Container Tracing System (CTS). The scope of this project is to investigate and analyze, how the container transportation works, as well as to identify all the possible stakeholders that are involved in every step of the process. Based on these results our objective is to introduce the concept of “Internet of Containers” (IoC), and trace the added value across the entire supply chain of container transportation.

This study aims at developing a marketing strategy that will help Kathimerini to attract young readers. Neither repositioning nor the relaunch of a new more attractive to young readers Kathimerini would be appropriate strategic choices because they would put other reader categories in danger. The proposal is the introduction of a new relative to Kathimerini brand that will have the element of education and sciences as the core concept element (paper and electronic edition).

This project comprises an overview and analysis of the Greek franchising market, focusing on the present conditions, the relevant trends and future prospects. The accumulated knowledge and experience were analyzed and synthesized, both, in a domestic and an international level, revealing the best practices and procedures that lead to profitability and growth. For this reason, all the available secondary data have been gathered and organized in a way that makes them easily utilizable, especially by small and medium-sized companies. In addition, the theoretical background of franchising as a business format was extensively presented, including an analysis of its various forms, the advantages and disadvantages to the parties involved and its use as a method for international business expansion. A broad analysis of the Greek franchising institutional framework was also provided, along with the practical implications to the franchisor. The application and use of the analysis, in practice, was particularly emphasized through the development of a franchising manual. The latter can be used as a consulting guide for companies that want to expand using the franchising strategy. It summarizes good practices and procedures that a prospective franchisor should follow in order to grow in an effective and profitable way. Critical success factors and common mistakes are particularly highlighted.

The main objective of this project was to present weather derivatives as tools for hedging against weather risk. This study focused on the Greek agricultural economy, which is weather-sensitive. Initially, the characteristics of weather derivatives and their market were analyzed. Then, various pricing models were presented, as there is no widely accepted model for the calculation of the fair price of weather derivatives. Agricultural associations can transfer their weather risk with the purchase of a weather derivative contract from a financial institution. The latter, in turn, can transfer that risk to investors through securitization, which effectively is a bond issuance. Furthermore, a presentation of catastrophe bonds and their actual pricing methods was carried out. The project proceeded with the design of a model to securitize climatic risk with the introduction of a case study. Moreover, a comparative analysis of the different methodologies was conducted, in order to reach a final model for hedging against weather risk. The project concluded with the construction of a model for the securitization of weather risk.

The objective of this Field Study Project is the development of a plan for the improvement of the organizational and functional procedures of the Greek Implementation Authority, so that it can manage its functions systematically, increase the effectiveness of its services and upgrade the quality of the interactions between all interested parties. The project focuses on the following subjects: Description of the responsibilities of each department as well as job descriptions; Description of the procedures followed; Description of the functional needs or problems of the departments; Development of tools and methods; Suggestions for improvement in all levels; and Description of the potentials of the current information system and suggestions for its better exploitation

The project was conducted with the objective of providing the Municipality of Spata with a wide range of information and a broad analysis supporting its effort to establish an Internet Cafe in the region. Information was collected, analyzed and presented related to the characteristics of the local market, the technology involved, comparative markets and initiatives, promotional strategy, financial analysis and legal framework. The FSP is constituted of reports based on various sources, a presentation of demographic features, some technical proposals and financial clues, shaped for the Municipality needs.

This study was implemented under a Greek national project called National Information System for Science & Technology undertaken by the National Documentation Center. NDC’s institutional role in this project involves the creation of a digital repository, which is currently under construction. The project provides NDC with an overview of good practices in the area of Digital Libraries, pointing out the issues that have long dominated this area of study as well as determining viable solutions wherever possible, since the topic at hand is still debatable in scientific societies all over the world.

NDC is the national organization providing documentation, information and support for issues concerning search, science and technology. Within the scope of its activities, the management of NDC decided to develop a new value added service that will provide exquisite information to various industries. The fish-farming sector was chosen as prototype. To this extent, NDC has assigned to AUEB the development of this new service within the scope of this field study project. The procedure that was followed is based on the existing bibliography for new service development and has led, after contacts with firms of the industry, to the specification of the needs that this new service has to accomplish and to the evaluation of the capabilities of the NDC for the development of this specific service. The final result was the creation of a newsletter that will be delivered electronically to the interested parties and covers four basic categories: Market – trends and prospects, fish cultures- currently cultured and new species-, new technologies, and funding opportunities- European programs.

The purpose of the project is the development of the Strategic and Business Plan for ODIE S.A. (Hellenic Horseracing Organization), in accordance to the Greek Law 3429/2005, which states that all State Owned Entities and Enterprises (SOE’s) should develop their respective Strategic and Business Plans until November 2007. The new Strategic and Business Plan should fully comply with the latest demand for administrative and financial information as set by the Ministry of Economics and Finance based on the instructions already communicated to State Owned Entities and Enterprises (SOE’s). The project consists of the development of a realistic plan which should include information regarding the Enterprise’s main activities, expected financial results, estates utilization, Investments as well as expected benefits for the Enterprise. Further, the team developed financial scenarios both at EBITDA and at EBT level, and provided the basis upon which forthcoming Business Plans will be set for the next six years, given that submitted Business Plans are revised annually.

The subject of this project is the development of an electronic procurement model and a prototype for Olympic Catering. During the last years, supply chain management specialists have made significant efforts in finding new techniques for improving profit margins for the companies. Especially in the catering area there has been an international trend for purchasing products and goods through the Internet. Suppliers selling products to airline catering must learn to do so through the Internet in order to survive. Catering companies should change to e-catering companies if they want to play a critical role to the market and retain their market shares. In our study we propose an efficient model for e-procurement that is relatively easy and cost effective when it comes to implementation. We prove that the model is robust and captures all the existing functionality in the supply chain management process. We believe that our work is a major contribution for introducing E-Supply Management Services in a market area that is expanding.

In the rapidly changing educational market, Omega Metropolitan College needs to analyze and develop new opportunities of penetrating new markets segments, strengthen its competitive advantage and enhance its international collaborations. The purpose of this project is to develop a work methodology and an action plan that includes a market analysis, technical and financial analysis for how the company to organize and create University level educational products. The objective is to develop programs of high professional prestige, integrating a high degree, integrating a high degree utilizing the new communication technologies, especially the Internet, e.g. E-Learning, teleconference and multimedia.

Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center is currently investigating the expansion of its functional units in a new building next to the existing. This project is a feasibility study of the expansion project including suggestions and guidelines for its implementation.

The scope of this project is to develop and propose an HRM system for the nursing and administrative personnel of Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, which is currently in a process leading to the establishment of a total quality management system for it operation. In this context, OSSC is required to review its current HRM System and elaborate a new one that will enhance organizational effectiveness and performance, reduce personnel turnover and promote the development of human capital. The project delivers an analysis of the basic HR activities such as staffing, HR development, compensation and a proposition of a new HRM system for the new medical personnel.

The aim of this Project is to set up a Business Plan that shows how PEOPLE Ltd plans to create a Dream Town in an area south of Messini.

The Business Plan consists of 4 parts.

In the first part the key-factors of this project are introduced: The company: PEOPLE Ltd; The Vision: The creation of a dream town, which will offer high quality of life for its citizens; The product: The increase of the land’s value; and finally, The Area: (2.500.000 sqm in Messini) and its competitive advantages.

In the second section presented the Market Research that proposes and proves opportunities suggested for the use of the Area. PEOPLE Ltd believes that the area is a touristic and residential hotspot, not only for Greece, but also internationally. Greece introduces at the moment, unique opportunities, which – if used in the right way- could transform the Area in a Dream Town not only for tourists, but also for residents.

In the third part, proposed the formation of an new company, the PEOPLE Development in which PEOPLE Ltd will be the initial shareholder and will have the management, for the creation of the Dream Town. Further its analysed in the business plan the structure and operation of the new venture, the functions that each member of the staff will undertake and finally the key activities necessary for the accomplishment of the goal.

In the fourth and the final part is the financial analysis of the project. The various costs and the sales projections are displayed and analysed. The outcome of the analysis reveals that the new venture has a great potential for success.

This study aims at the evaluation of the company “Sithonia Beach S.A.” and the examination of the subject whether an agreement that assigns the management of the company to an international one would be at its advantage. Currently, “Sithonia” operates both as a hotel and as a casino. However, a possible agreement would affect only the hotel. Therefore, the evaluation consists of an analysis of the two industries, a description of the global situation, a S.W.O.T analysis and an index analysis and it ends up at the conclusion that the efficiency of the company is not satisfactory. As a result, an examination of alternative modes of operation for the hotel is suggested.
Two solutions are recommended: the management contract and the franchise agreement. For their evaluation, the team has created a practical application in MS Excel. This application indicates the cash flows that the company will generate by each alternative. It, also, evaluates these cash flows by using four methods of evaluating investment projects: the Net Present Value, the Internal Rate of Return, the Pay-back Period and the Discounted Pay-back Period. The team has drawn the conclusion that both from the aspect of business strategy (meaning by using qualitative criteria) as from quantitative analysis, the franchise agreement is more efficient.

The Personnel Union of the Greek Social Insurance Institute, referred here as ΣΥΝΠΕ for brevity’s sake, owns an area that spans 682.000 m2 and consists of three distinct sub-areas, named Athena, Zeus and Prometheus, located in the beautiful outskirts of Istiaia in Northern Evia. ΣΥΝΠΕ has all the necessary approvals to built in this area and the infrastructure works, done by PROMITHEAS S.A. firm of constructors, are in a satisfactory stage already. This study aims to investigate one by one all the potent scenarios of investing in such scale’s project while taking into consideration the various parameters which are linked to this project and can influence the outcome of this massive and novel for Greece, operation.

The business plan developed within this project concerns the development of a plot area with a surface of about 150 hectares in Attica. Within the framework of this plan, the urban plan legislation and the geomorphology of the plot were examined and the imposed restrictions regarding development opportunities were prescribed. Demographic, income, commercial and other necessary elements were examined and evaluated in order to conclude to a feasible and profitable proposal. Taking into consideration the market research, the growing trends of golf in Europe, the development motives provided by the Greek state and the small presence of the sport in Greece till now, the development of a golf court with its complementary uses was selected as the most prosperous investment. The preliminary study with the basic concept characteristics of the master plan were determined and the approximate development cost, expected operating revenues, operating and financing cost were estimated.

The following field study project with the title “an analysis of online casino offerings in the European market” has been elaborated within the international MBA program of Athens University of Economics and Business for the company stoiximan.gr. During this project, there were two objectives. Our first purpose was to collect and process information and data regarding the online gambling markets of Spain, Czech Republic, United Kingdom and Austria, while the second purpose was to reach to a conclusion after multidimensional analysis of these four online gambling markets about where and whether the company could penetrate. The information we have gathered in order to achieve the second purpose were the analysis of the political, economic, social, technological environment, the legal framework, a list of the existing operators as well as software providers. In addition, historical data of the markets were exploited so as to reach the final screening.

The New Economy Development Fund (TANEO), a Greek state-controlled investment vehicle, has sponsored our FSP to study Venture Capital establishment in Greece, to analyse their scope of business, their strategies, priorities and structure as well as the limitations and opportunities of the Greek Business and Financial Environment they operate in. This would help TANEO adjust their investment policy to better address expectations and practices employed by Venture Capitals.
We contacted 14 venture capital and private equity firms operating in Greece. Those are: (1) Aias Finance, (2) Alpha Trust Innovation, (3) Alpha Ventures, (4) AVC / Marfin, (5) Commercial Capital, (6) National Bank for Industrial Development (ETEBA) and National Development Co of Northern Greece, (7) Global Finance, (8) Hellenic Business Development & Investment Co. S.A., (9) InQLab, (10) Ithaki EKES, (11) National Bank of Greece Venture Capitla (NBGVC), (12) Notos Associates, (13) Parthenon, and (14) Vectis Capital. Two major results have come out of the analysis: a) Venture Capitalists can function as a leverage for business development and economic growth through investing in fastest growing SMEs, helped also by the Government (TANEO), and b) Venture Capitalists need to build strong, interactive relationships with the political, legal, economic, social and technological environment they operate in.TANEO is confronted with big challenges in the coming years, to fill the gap where other Venture Capitalists do not go, to extend its target beyond New Economy era, to cooperate with other private Venture Capitalists and to invest in high-risk sectors. The key for TANEO to address these challenges will be to cooperate rather than to compete with Venture Capital and Equity firms.

As Greek enterprises and the State overwhelmingly engage in electronic business, concise management of information systems and particularly strategic planning of information infrastructure emerge as important issues. This study highlights the appraisal of alternative solutions concerning telecommunications infrastructure, as part of broader information infrastructure planning, by developing an appropriate methodology and by applying it in the case of Technical Olympic’s Virtual Private Network, currently in the planning phase. The developed methodology comprises business-oriented analysis of the technological function, Management Science decision-making methods, financial and multicriteria appraisal methods, in order to encompass all the multidimensional effects of business telecommunications needs along with investment and operational cost. The rationale behind the application of the methodology is to provide guidelines concerning the technological composition of Technical Olympic’s network. Having conducted a system’s feasibility analysis first, this study specifies business requirements for Technical Olympic, investigates a large number of alternative compilations from a technological perspective and generates a series of flexible solutions through the evaluation process. Regarding consequent stages of strategic technological planning, an additional executive decision making guide is provided to the company, in order to support decisions based on the application of the methodology and the use of the accompanying computation tools.

The present paper deals with the subject of forecasting the future labor demand for the different sectors of the Greek economy. After using different econometric techniques, examining multiple factors and making certain rational assumptions, we present an efficient and flexible forecasting model as well as some examples of its applications. This model was constructed as a tool to be used by persons seeking for a job or persons that wish to receive an occupational orientation that will allow them to enter those sectors of the economy with the greatest need for labor force. As a consequence, these are the categories of people that should be mainly interested in our model. In more details, our model is basically an Indirect Forecasting Method based on the equation of the future labor force to the sum of the change in the active labor force (between two consecutive time periods) and the wastage of labor force W (with the term wastage we mean the departures of people from the active labor force for any reason). Finally, at the last section of the paper we present an application of the suggested model. In other words, using the model that we have suggested as a forecasting tool, we try to estimate the number of recruitments for the following time period in each of the examined sectors of the Greek economy.