“Something is stirring in the Vicenza industrial sector”, runs the title of the special TOP 500 supplement dedicated to companies that excel in terms of turnover. Published today by the Giornale di Vicenza (Vicenza daily), it was presented yesterday afternoon at the CUOA Business School of Altavilla.
A new slant on the situation which puts the spotlight on some important players leading a solid and strategically devised economic recovery which consolidates old foundations whilst forging ahead. A financial comeback which is not only based on turnover but on an increase in the value of business activities, as shown by the EBITDA markers on the operational revenues of companies.
A study performed by the Department of Business Economics of the University of Verona and by the professional network PwC examined as many as 15,000 local companies, showing how the growth trend is around 2.7%. It is believed that three key factors are the strongest drivers for growth: high technology, industrial know-how and design, areas of innovation that are drawing more and more investments, indicating that people are more prone to take on business risks than in the past.
Another important driving force is export which is an initial phase in the corporate internationalisation process. Companies are starting to break into foreign markets, gaining a strong firm foothold (directly overseeing their business affairs via local partners/self-owned distribution firms) – a phenomenon not to be mistaken in any way for a relocation process.
Gathered around a table moderated by the journalist Marino Smiderle, the various speakers were asked to tell others about their own growth strategy and the prime factors were highlighted and balanced against each other.
FITT’s CEO Alessandro Mezzalira stressed how important it had been for the company to build up the Vision project and how many rewards were for the reaping by putting turnover temporarily on the back burner whilst a carefully planned transformation takes place – a game plan which focuses on people and new talents, involving essential links with the Academic world and the Research sector. A trailblazing future based on much forethought and on the decision to become a landmark brand on target markets.
Mauro Fanin of Cereal Docks emphasised the paramountcy of a management structure where decision-making powers are shared and where everyone knows that no single person can be in the catbird seat.
The Scientific Director of CUOA’s Business Section Paolo Gubitta brought the meeting to a close with his talk on employer branding and the need to welcome the millennial generation into the business fold, by revamping the old system and getting rid of its hierarchical mechanisms to make room for a new one which is able to fuse precious experience and the innovative skills of new recruits.
Tomorrow 21st February, the Giornale di Vicenza will be dedicating an 8-page spread to this fascinating topic.