| UNIDO Programme in continuous improvement started by training workshop for Executive Managers and Trainers and on-site installations of PHAROS - Business Navigator in enterprises of leather industry, Bogota, Colombia PHAROS - Business Navigator was successfully introduced into 8 shoe and 2 leather production factories in Bogotá within 16-23 March 2002. The installations and on-site training were the first part of the 40 enterprise programme run by the team of 7 national trainers in PHAROS applications and their coach from EPIC which arrived from Austria. The enterprises had been selected for participation in the UNIDO Integrated Programme for Colombia, coordinated by Mr. Otto Loesener, UNIDO to improve quality of production and management, productivity and competitiveness of national industry. The large training workshop in the PHAROS software application for business performance monitoring took place in the Jorge Tadeo Lozano University, Bogotá between 11-15 March 2002 before the installations. Within its 28 participants there were executives of the leather production enterprises, educational organizations and national consultants, selected for the implementation of the Programme as trainers. 
Photo: Workshop participants The workshop program consisted as follows: 1. Introduction to the UNIDO business excellence tools: PHAROS, BEST and FIT. 2. Clarifying basic concepts of continuous improvement in quality of enterprise management and performance, which were implemented in the UNIDO Business Performance Software. 3. In depth coverage of the PHAROS software package, including main concepts, features, functionality, objectives, methodology, modules, user interface and potential applications for small and middle size industrial enterprises, financial institutions working with business development and use of PHAROS software in executive education as practical aid. 4. Defining the stages and content of the preparatory work at the enterprises for collecting data required for running the software, analysis of enterprise information/ 5. Reviewing of documentation and training materials available, options in obtaining necessary assistance and instructions in identification of data entry for each PHAROS module, its potential sources, and preparation of the operational database for the sample enterprise. 6. Practical application session aimed at obtaining experience of preparing actual data sets for input, making the data input, developing the data collection and entry procedures, assisting manager in using the PHAROS software for the analysis of its business and monitoring of the company performance, developing continuous improvement techniques based on the performance information obtained, interpretation of production results and customer relations, analysis of indicators and their formulas, defining the business targets and developing best practices, making production scenarios to analyze prospective business development options and preparing the most effective decisions. 7. Options in benchmarking of the businesses by using such tools as integrated package PHAROS and Produce-IT by MDA, UK. 8. Instruction on “How to use the available additional materials” assisting trainers and end users in the software application and self-training (Data Preparation Sheets, Data Entry Instructions, sample database, on-line help). 9. Overview of the further developments and evolution of PHAROS to modular comprehensive enterprise information system and use of options in use of the key PHAROS indicators for real time monitoring of national industrial performance. 10. Discussion, questions and answers. 11. Certification tests for all the trainees participating in the course and the questionnaire for evaluation of the trainer. 13. Handling of the Certificates of Attendance to the trainees. All participants showed deep interest to learning and use of the UNIDO information tools for the managerial tasks, education and consulting in the industry. They took active part in learning of PHAROS software methodology, applications and practical work. The attendance was high and stable during the duration of the course. The EPIC trainer initiated collaborative development of the sample shoe enterprise database during the practical session using kind assistance provided by Mr. J.D.Cardona, workshop participant in obtaining the realistic sample data on shoe production factory with local content. It allowed using collective trainees experience in the given sector and facilitate transfer of know how on data collection and entry procedures. 
The software installations were made at 10 companies participating at UNIDO Programme as follows:  
The on-site installations were made by the team of national instructors which was coached by Mr. Serge Golovanov, UNIDO Expert. As all of the managers were present at the training workshop they used the opportunity to train their enterprises staff in use and application of the software.  
The list of national consultants which successfully passed the requirements to the certified trainers is presented in the Global Partnership Directory.  
The managers in each company were highly motivated in reviewing their company performance based on actual data for the last year or several latest months. They showed strong interest and enthusiasm in starting using the software routinely in their companies to monitor and continuously improve the company performance. The implementation of the on-site training proved that after-training support on-site in installation, data collection and obtaining the first hand experience in the software use are the key issues of the PHAROS acceptance by the executives. The managers recognized that simplicity, easiness of learning and operating with the software as well as availability of external consulting support is very important for the success. They acknowledged importance of the UNIDO software for developing best effective continuous improvement practices which were introduced by Mr. Oswaldo Rossi, UNIDO International Consultant for the Programme. In all companies managers were unaware of any tools similar to UNIDO PHAROS in functionality, easy of use and user friendliness. The managerial need for applying PHAROS tool to monitor company performance can be illustrated by the following observations: In most of the enterprises there were no practices of advanced planning for company business for the coming year before introduction of PHAROS which requires such practices to be established as a routine. Two of the managers purchased notebooks specially to run PHAROS for company monitoring. At least two managers found out considerable discrepancies between their planned budget and actual results, requesting cross checking the data collected by their financial assistants. Two of the managers started using PCs for the first time because they wanted to use PHAROS software. Well prepared and guided introduction of the PHAROS application into executive routine practices is required to overcome the related psychological and technical know-how issues ensuring effective start up. This support can be effectively provided by the trained and certified national consultants in several industrial sectors.
After the end of the installations in Bogotá the newly certified trainers continue installations in the other 40 enterprises in the other industrial sectors. The successful implementation of the Programme and active participation  of the industrial enterprises influenced positively the increasingly growing interest to the larger programme for small and medium enterprises involving several thousand businesses in different industrial sectors of Colombia. The proposal for such programme was forwarded to the UNIDO office in Bogotá and key national organizations involved in the development of the private sector and SMEs in Colombia. UNIDO Programme for Colombia: overview of Component II UNIDO Programme for Colombia: after one year of implementation - first results Link to UNIDOScope news bulletin for viewing the artilce "UNIDO Sofware for Colombia Leather Industry" | 
