The GEFAK implements Projects in the framework of international cooperation in transformation countries and developing countries for German and international clients.
In this way GEFAK contributes to the establishment of an ecological and social market economy and to sustainable development.
The fields of activity comprise important areas of private sector development in particular at regional level: regional economic development, development of small and medium-sized companies, self-help in cooperatives, development of value chains, qualification of entrepreneurs, technical vocational education and training, employment promotion, regional development, organization development, financial systems.
In the centre of Projects are the creation of enabling framework conditions, the building of effective institutions, the introduction of efficient instruments and the strengthening of competencies.
In several projects country-specific versions of the database system KWIS in English or Russian language were developed and installed.
With the application of the successful training program BUS for entrepreneurs the GEFAK is exclusive partner of the Andreas Hermes Academy.
Your contact person: Carl E. Krug
GEFAK supports economic promotion agencies with regard to strategic tasks of regional economic policy. The portfolio comprises location analyses, structural data analyses up to elaboration of development concepts and economic promotion concepts. GEFAK supports strategic development processes in cities and regions as a consultant, analyst and moderator. Besides, the comprehensive instruments for information management can be employed, in particular the software tool KWIS which has been tailor-made for economic development agencies.
The projects of GEFAK in general comprise an analysis of statistical data and a business survey to confront the facts with the perception of the businesses. The analyses cover general subjects (demography, employment, economic potential) as well as aspects specific for the region (e.g. analysis of specific economic sectors). On the basis of an analysis of strengths and weaknesses (SWOT) the objectives, areas of activity and focus projects are derived. GEFAK is also available for the moderation of the supportive processes, which guarantee the integration of important actors and the political acceptance of results. All relevant data from the analyses are processed for the client also in KWIS for everyday use.
Your contact person: Josef Rother
An optimal client relationship and demand oriented Services of promotion agencies can only be ensured if the wishes and requirements of the resident companies are known. The most suitable instrument for inquiry of the client requirements are regular and non-anonymous business surveys. GEFAK supports its clients with the concept and fast implementation of this instrument.
In meanwhile over 50 carried out surveys a questionnaire concept was developed with very positive results and in general more than 25% return rate. The purposes of the survey consist in determining the expectations of the enterprises on economic development, evaluation of the location, demand for commercial sites, cooperation interests or demand for employees. By integrating the survey results in KWIS the economic promotion agency can use them - e.g. through a direct and individual contact of businesses, for implementation of its economic strategies.
Your contact person: Josef Rother
Responding to the demand for skilled workers as well as training and continuing education are the most important future challenges for economic promotion. In the near future especially small and medium sized enterprises without own personnel department will need supportive measures of the economic promotion agency to avoid development bottlenecks due to the existing shortage of skilled workers.
With the municipal job market monitor KAMM GEFAK delivers answers to you with a practice oriented package of analyses, proposed action plans and measures in order to secure the supply of skilled worker in a sustainable manner. Besides, the regional actors are intensely integrated, possibly by business surveys, school student surveys, expert interviews and Delphi questionings. In addition, the cooperation between different actors can be enhanced by common access to the database KWIS.
Your contact person: Dr. Jürgen Bunde
While all activities for support of the existing business portfolio can be seen as "inward" marketing measures, the economic development agency is always asked to identify future oriented investors for the relocation from outside and to draw their attention to the location. GEFAK analyzes which target groups (sector, region of origin) complement the existing portfolio in a reasonable manner.
Often business surveys provide important clues which companies or products and services are absent in the location. Besides, a specific competence net strategy or cluster strategy can be background for a target group analysis. On this basis GEFAK develops a marketing concept.
GEFAK elaborates location profiles for individual industrial areas or properties as well as for whole cities or regions. Further, GEFAK provides the contact data of potential investors and supports the establishment of contacts with them. The information system KWIS.net can be used very efficiently for contact management and for the production of location profiles.
Your contact person: Josef Rother
Since 2005 GEFAK supports "Key Technologies in Bavaria". This database (on-line and CD-ROM) contains more than 20,000 detailed records of businesses and institutions from 22 Bavarian key industries or technologies. The database is advertised worldwide by Bavaria International, the organization of the Bavarian state government responsible for external trade promotion.
The "Key Techs" bring together potential business partners not only for foreign trade, but also for cooperations within Bavaria. GEFAK conducts the entire data management with the system KWIS and is in contact with more than 10,000 Bavarian companies. An important project target is the linkaging of the "Key Techs" with the databases of regional economic promotion agencies (links, data exchange).
Your contact person: Josef Rother
A number of projects has been initiated and carried out by GEFAK which respond to the objectives of sustainable development. They include on one side projects which are initiated in a local community or region in an interdisciplinary manner, e.g. the rural regional development or control and moderation of Agenda processes. On the other hand GEFAK works on the subject " sustainable utilization of commercial sites" especially during the last years which is presently a main focus of the sustainability strategy of the Federal Government.
The projects carried out on this subject deal with monitoring of commercial sites, establishment of reporting systems for the fallow site development and in particular with the data-related support for recycling of fallow sites.
All data-related surveys and analyses are used by the project partners on the basis of the KWIS database.
Your contact person: Josef Rother