Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Report of Internship
Report of Internship
Report of internship
STUDENT: CARMEN-BIANCA
DRASCABA MDAE
Internship tutor/Manager:
ec. Nicoleta-Victoria Clapa
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Table of Contents
Company Description ..................................................................................................................... 3
Define .......................................................................................................................................... 7
Discover ...................................................................................................................................... 8
Detail ........................................................................................................................................... 8
Deliver......................................................................................................................................... 8
Develop ....................................................................................................................................... 8
Conclusions ................................................................................................................................... 17
References ..................................................................................................................................... 19
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Company Description
AMA Structural Consult is a limited liability company, founded in 2011, located in Cluj-Napoca,
Romania. The companys main activity consists of consulting activities for businesses and
management, focusing primarily on developing and implementing projects that will be funded
from European and Structural Funds.
The company started with just its administrator, and slowly started to grow, at the time being
having 4 employees, each and one of them working with passion to achieve the companys goals
and to fulfill each clients wish developing a feasible business with the help of European and
structural funds.
Over half of EU funding is channeled through the 5 European structural and investment funds
(ESIF). They are jointly managed by the European Commission and the EU countries.
The purpose of all these funds is to invest in job creation and a sustainable and healthy European
economy and environment.
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20, these are Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary,
Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.
European agricultural fund for rural development (EAFRD) focuses on resolving the
particular challenges facing EU's rural areas.
European maritime and fisheries fund (EMFF) helps fishermen to adopt sustainable
fishing practices and coastal communities to diversify their economies, improving quality
of life along European coasts.
All these funds are managed by the EU countries themselves, by means of partnership agreements.
Each country prepares an agreement, in collaboration with the European Commission, setting out
how the funds will be used during the current funding period 2014-20.
Partnership agreements lead to a series of investment programmed channeling the funding to the
different regions and projects in policy areas concerned.
Investment areas
jobs, growth and investment
digital single market
energy union and climate
internal market
economic and monetary union
justice and fundamental rights
migration.
ESIF beneficiaries
European Regional Development Fund and Cohesion Fund
European Social Fund
European Maritime and Fisheries Fund
CAP payments (shared management).
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I started working at AMA Structural Consult in august 2015, right after I finished my bachelor
studies and enrolled for the masters. I first started as an assistant manager, slowly learning about
European structural and investments funds and about developing a business plan for a project.
As I was growing, alongside with the company, I took a course for professional qualification
resulting in my promotion to the position of European Structural and Cohesion Funds Expert. This
profession is described as the action of elaborating and implementing internal work policies, with
the purpose of making the company more efficient economical, with respecting the legislative
norms. It is about organizing or planning the activities of elaborating the specific consulting
documentation, necessary for adhering to European structural and cohesion funds, for both public
and private beneficiaries. Also, I learned how to prepare the necessary documentation in order to
complete the projects file.
Moreover, this position is about delegating tasks to the subordinated people and about setting the
deadlines to each task, altogether with the companys manager. Not only I have to assign the tasks
to my coworkers, I also offer them professional support to accomplish those tasks. All those tasks
being completed, my job is to verify and evaluate the quality of the accomplished tasks and provide
feedback in order to improve the prepared documentation.
The personal competences needed and that are constantly improved for performing inside this
company involves seriousness, sense of responsibility, loyalty, determination, adaptability, self-
control, positivity, patience, good communication skills.
Main tasks:
Planning the strategy for preparing and submitting each project, and further the strategy of
implementing the project.
Making decisions regarding each step that needs to be taken;
Finding solutions for the problems that appear (professional, personal and interpersonal);
Providing help to any other coworker.
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Professionals in the learning and development and talent management fields understand the
challenges of effectively guiding business partners to the best solution for their business unit. As
leaders of change and learning in our organizations and with our clients, the ability to support our
partners as they feel the pressure to take action is a balancing act.
Consulting is part science, part skill set, and part practical application. The consistent application
of 5 D Value Consulting Model Define, Discover, Detail, Deliver, Develop is the vehicle that
guides us to ask the key questions, probe deeper to help our clients identify the right direction, and
assess their readiness to move forward with a solution.
Each step in the model is an opportunity for our clients to ask themselves if they should move
forwardgo, or no go? Its our job as consultants to assist them in making that decision. Questions
like How could past change efforts have been more successful? and What metrics can you use
to measure results? will position our clients to be successful.
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What 21st century competencies are needed to be an effective and successful consultant? They fall
into six categories: leadership capacity, interpersonal proficiency, business acumen, organizational
knowledge, analytical skills, and organizing abilities. These competencies are each comprised of
five specific skills or actions.
Becoming competent in these areas requires us to challenge our current abilities and find ways to
test current approaches to constantly improve. That takes patience and the application of the 5-D
Consulting Model to focus us with our business partners on the steps that lead to not just any
solution, but the right solution. Its a great opportunity to educate our business partners about our
model and that we use a process to keep us focused on outcomes for them.
Here is a line from a job description for a learning and development consultant: Work with
division business and HR leaders to assess, diagnose, plan and implement strategic talent and OE
solutions to support business strategy.
5D is a unique 5-step model for Value Consulting, based on our experience of working with
organizations to assess and implement new processes. Its primary objectives are mitigating risk
and matching the level of investment made by the organization with the outcome delivered by us.
In other words, we operate a charging structure which reflects the potential value of the outcome
achieved at each of the 5 stages of the model, which will also be in line with enterprises confidence
in our capability.
With 5 distinct stages, organizations can choose exactly how far they want to progress through the
5D model, and can stop after any stage - so an organization is never tied in beyond their current
stage.
Define
stakeholder workshop;
define engagement area;
identify area focus.
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Discover
Detail
process analysis;
define target operating model;
verify savings and efficiency potential.
Deliver
Develop
agree programme for ongoing improvement;
train on improvement techniques;
build and mentor internal improvement team.
Feasibility analysis
By sharing the richness of your business experiences, a consultant can help other companies see
their operations differently and more efficiently. But operating as a free agent can have its
advantages and disadvantages, personally and professionally.
The consulting industry thrives. Welcome to the world of consulting a dynamic part of the
ever-growing service sector of our economy! Whether one will be helping to solve problems and
make decisions, to offer instruction and training to staff, or to serve as a catalyst for change (or do
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the dirty work of change), this will be providing an essential service to clients. The company has
the opportunity to add significant value to their operations and to help them be the best that they
can be.
Consultants add value. A consultant is a person considered an expert in a specified field with
a wide knowledge of the subject matter and a depth of experience who gives professional advice
and counsel to another. You can put your special knowledge and experience to work, and provide
an important service, by sharing your wisdom and expertise with others. Consulting is simply the
sharing of knowledge, wisdom and experience. And maybe one thing more a passion and
enthusiasm for the subject matter, whatever it may be.
Clients need consultants. Engaging a consultant offers the client some real added value access
to deeper levels of experience and expertise for a special, often short-term, need when it is not
feasible to accomplish a particular goal through in-house experts. It is cost-effective because the
client can purchase only as much service from the consultant as is necessary to meet the need.
Consultants add value to their clients businesses. Consultants are hired by clients to help
develop and implement solutions to their operational or organizational problems and challenges.
A consultants services can be targeted on very specific challenges: bringing a fresh perspective
to an old, nagging problem; offering objectivity in a situation where emotions and biases may run
deep; sharing special knowledge and/or experience in tackling a particular type of problem or
challenge.
Your clients will be looking to you for some particular skills such as critical thinking, problem-
solving, or project management. They will look to you for leadership and rely on your
communication skills to achieve the goals for which they seek your service.
A client will come to you because of a belief that he or she personally does not have the necessary
capacity, or the necessary capacity cannot be found within their organization, to address a
particular challenge. The client will look to you, the consultant, for wisdom and good judgment.
You may have heard the old saying, Good judgment comes from experience, and experience
comes from bad judgment. A wise client wants to learn not only from your earlier successes, but
from your earlier mistakes, too. From whatever source it comes, your client wants the benefit of
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your wisdom.
Consulting comes in many shapes and sizes. Different types of consulting exist, each with a
slightly different focus. For example, strategic consulting aims at identifying the overall direction,
goals and strategies of a company or organization within its specific industry sector. Management
consulting focuses on how an organization can achieve its stated goals through choosing and
implementing strategies, enhancing and streamlining operations, and improving information
technology. Information technology (IT) consulting, as its name suggests, pursues applications of
technology to help an organization become more efficient and achieve its goals. Industry specific
consulting focuses on an industrys special concerns, but may involve any or all the other aspects
of consulting described above.
New and different types of consulting continue to blossom and grow. Consultants are used for
training, personal coaching and team building. There are consultants for marketing, for
fundraising, and, of course, for campaigning.
In short, if there is an activity in life, and you have experience in that activity, you could become
a consultant in that field, whatever the activity may be. Consulting is simply the sharing of
knowledge, wisdom and experience. And maybe one thing more a passion and enthusiasm for
the subject matter, whatever it may be.
Running a consulting business requires more than merely providing consulting to clients. Whether
I have the competence and capability to provide a valuable service is just the first consideration.
Is my character up to the challenge of leading a business, effectively coordinating all the
responsibilities of a professional enterprise, and balancing the needs of the business and the clients
with the needs of family and personal relationships? Do I want the responsibility?
Managing a business, promoting a business, providing a service to clients, billing and collecting
fees, maintaining records, employing people and paying taxes are just a few of the responsibilities
of running a business.
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Here is a list of just a few character qualities that can be put to good use in starting and running a
consulting business: Attentiveness; boldness; dependability; determination; endurance;
enthusiasm; initiative; orderliness; resourcefulness; thoroughness; truthfulness; and wisdom.
There are many other character qualities to take into account, as well. In the same way you did an
inventory of strengths and weaknesses in your skill set, do an inventory of your strengths and
weaknesses related to these and other character qualities. Before you move ahead, be certain that
you have both the competence and the character qualities that you need to succeed.
A successful consulting business doesnt just happen. There are several, inter-related keys to
success.
First, you must have a solid base of knowledge and experience in your field that you can
effectively share with your client to add value to his or her life or business. And, as time goes on,
you must continue to grow and develop your expertise, keeping up to date in your field.
Second, you must have an existing set of relationships that can be transformed into clients or into
referrals for clients. These are the people that know you and your capabilities best. They know the
value you can add. Enlist their support.
Third, you need a dynamic plan to promote your business and yourself to your target market.
Networking will be key to growth. Take opportunities and make opportunities to expand
your network of relationships with others in your field and with potential clients.
Fourth, your ability to communicate effectively with both the spoken word and the written word
will be your strongest and most essential tool for starting, running and growing your consulting
business. After all, what is consulting but communication? Keeping clients informed,
communicating explanations and recommendations clearly, listening carefully and speaking
truthfully are all essential aspects of effective communication that will lead you to success.
Fifth, your reputation for excellence and effectiveness will be key to your ongoing success in the
consulting field. But a good reputation is only secure when built upon a foundation of good
character. Give the best that you have, and work for your clients with an attitude of service and a
passion for excellence.
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Finally, make sure you enjoy your work. Your passion and enthusiasm for work you enjoy can be
contagious. Find ways to keep the business fresh and exciting, and share your enthusiasm with
those around you.
The foundation of your consulting business is your ability to provide special knowledge and
experience in your field to your clients. A consultant must pursue continuous learning so that he
or she maintains up-to-date skills and abilities. You cannot grow a consulting business without
keeping abreast of the latest information and methods in your field.
Information is part of the lifeblood of the consulting industry. Therefore, you will want to make
sure you know and use the resources that will provide you with the best information in your field.
For consulting generally, there are many associations and institutes that support the industry with
information available on the Internet, with distance learning programs, with seminars and
conferences, and with training materials and periodicals that offer the latest information.
Competitor analysis
WHEN times are good, they are very, very good for consultants. But when they are bad, they are
horrid. As the economy stalled in 2009, the global consulting industry shrank by 9.1%. It was the
worst year since at least 1982, according to Kennedy Information, an industry monitor.
Now the kids are back in the conference rooms. Companies that shelved plans during the recession
are dusting them off and looking for help. And the work is more cheerful. When bosses did hire
consultants in 2009, 87% of projects were aimed at cutting costs rather than boosting growth, says
Kennedy. This year, just 47% of project spending will be on cutting costs. The rest will go on
growth plans, from mergers to installing new computer systems. But not all will benefit equally.
Strategy consulting, the most famous variety, is also the most controversial. I like to con people.
And I like to insult people. If you combine con and insult, you get consult, observes Dogbert,
a comic-strip character. Many firms share this harsh view of the highly paid advisers who walk in
and tell them to re-invent their businesses. Spending on strategy consulting is expected to grow by
an annual average of just 1.1% to 2014 (it currently accounts for 12% of all spending on
consulting).
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But more mundane work is booming. Kennedy forecasts that consulting on operations-
management (advice on how to do the same things better) will grow by 5.1% a year, that on IT by
3.9% and that on personnel by 4.0%, between 2010 and 2014.
North America invented the strategic consultant, but appears not to need many more. Western
Europe seems sated, too. Companies are now packed with MBA-holding bosses, many of them
former consultants. Well-run companies still know when they need outside expertise, which is why
strategy consulting is far from dead. But it is increasingly overshadowed by the less glamorous
variety.
In the past two decades, most consulting firms have attached many junior consultants to projects
with just a few senior people and partners, moving this army into the clients' offices and billing
for as many hours as possible. But increasingly, says Jenny Sutton of the Hong Kong-based RFP
Company, clients are refusing to pay for junior staff's on-the-job training. Instead, they are asking
for fewer and better consultants and setting them to work alongside their own staff.
In short, consulting is looking less like a license to print money and more like temporary labor.
Clients can bypass the big names and hire consultancies such as Eden McCallum, a British firm
that packages teams of experienced independent consultants, or Point B, an American firm that
provides only a project manager, letting the client select the team. Big consulting firms (with their
big brands) can probably coexist with smaller operators. But midsized firms, which cannot
command the same fees and loyalty as the big boys, are feeling the squeeze.
In this, consultants are following a trend that has already hit the law firms whose business model
they once copied. Clients want value for money. Consultants whose counsel is useful will still do
well. But here's a piece of advice for the rest: in a more competitive market, those who think they
can dazzle a client with PowerPoints and bill him by the hour forever will starve.
The consulting services industry in which we operate is highly competitive and significantly
fragmented. We compete with a large number of diverse service providers, including business
operations consulting firms, financial consulting firms, management consulting firms, accounting
firms, technical and economic advisory firms, regional and specialty consulting firms and internal
professional resources of existing and potential clients. In addition, since there are relatively low
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barriers to entry into the consulting services market, we expect new entrants into our operations
management consulting field to result in continued and additional future competition. Some of our
competitors have significantly greater financial resources, professional staffs, industry specific
expertise and name recognition than we do. Competitive pressures could reduce our market share
or require us to reduce the price of our services and solutions, either of which could harm our
business and results of operations. In addition, our ability to compete depends on a number of
factors outside of our control, including:
the prices at which others offer competitive services, including aggressive price
competition and discounting on individual engagements;
the ability of our competitors to undertake more extensive marketing campaigns;
the extent, if any, to which our competitors develop proprietary tools that improve their
ability to compete;
the ability of our clients and potential clients to perform the services themselves; and
the extent of our competitors responsiveness to client needs.
We may not be able to compete effectively on these or other factors. If we are unable to compete
effectively, our market position, and therefore our revenue and results of operations, could decline.
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These nine criteria are divided into three core criteria and six further criteria. The three core
criteria of Strategic Fit, Delivery and Financial & Compliance are always assessed before the
remaining six criteria.
The purpose of the three core criteria is to provide an initial challenge to the proposed operation.
Between these three criteria, all aspects of the proposed operation are assessed to a certain level of
detail, with the emphasis being placed on the strategic fit of the proposal with the relevant
Operational Programme, initial financial and compliance checks and the initial delivery plans.
Once the three core criteria have been successfully assessed, then the further six selection criteria
are applied. The order that the further six criteria are assessed is flexible and decided by the JS on
a case by case basis (as is whether they are assessed individually or in groups).
The order of assessment will be based on the information gained during the assessment of the
core criteria. For example, if during the assessment of the Delivery criteria a potentially
significant issue arises concerning the management team, then the Management of Operation
criteria will be assessed first out of the further six.
The overall aim will be to tackle as soon as possible the most significant issues that could prevent
the proposed operation being approved.
The European Commission projects should form part of, and be consistent with:
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1. The project is consistent with, and supportive of, European Commission development and
cooperation policies.
2. The project is consistent with, and supportive of, Partner Government policies and relevant
sector programmes.
3. Key stakeholders and target groups are clearly identified, equity and institutional capacity
issues analyzed, and local ownership demonstrated.
4. Problems have been appropriately analyzed.
5. Lessons learned from experience and linkages with other ongoing/planned
projects/programmes have been assessed and incorporated into strategy selection.
Feasible The project is well designed and will deliver sustainable benefits to target groups:
6. The objectives (Overall objectives, purpose and results) and the work programmes
(activities) are clear and logical, and address clearly identified needs.
7. The resource and cost implications are clear, the project is financially viable and has a
positive economic return.
8. Coordination, management and financing arrangements are clear and support institutional
strengthening and local ownership.
9. The monitoring and evaluation system and audit arrangements are clear and practical.
10. Assumptions/Risks are identified and appropriate risk management arrangements are in
place.
11. The project is environmentally, technically and socially sound and sustainable.
Effective and well managed the project is delivering the anticipated benefits and is being
well managed:
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Use clear and simple language, and make sure your explanations are easy to follow
and logical. Do not assume that the Evaluation Committee will know the context of the
project, so make sure any reference points are clear and do not use any jargon without
explaining what it means.
Do not be too ambitious. Projects should be designed to achieve feasible objectives in a
sensible way.
Do not cut and paste someone elses project design or plagiarize from previous
projects that you or some other organization has already implemented. Ensure your
project is innovative and adding value to other activities.
Do not respond to a Call for Proposal that is not in your organisations scope of work.
The project will win when it is in line with the mission of the organization.
Demonstrate strong relevance to the call for proposals priorities. Even if you present
a very innovative and well-structured proposal, it may still be rejected if demonstrates weak
relevance to that specific call for proposals.
Be realistic. Projects should address the real needs of the target groups. Do not try to
exaggerate one need in order to fit it into your project.
Involve your projects beneficiaries. Include them in project formulation process
especially when identifying the needs. This practice would help you identify the real needs,
most effective activities and ensure their participation at the implementation phase, which
is significantly valued by the Contracting Authorities and the beneficiaries.
Conclusions
Consulting can offer you incredible experiences and career prospectsbut it does also ask for a
significant investment of your time and energy. Yes, consultants travel all the time, and no, its
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not glamorous. Dont get me wrong: It can be fun at times, and theres a certain amount of self-
discovery that occurs when youre eating alone in some random town, but you have to be prepared
that your MondayThursday are no longer yours to schedule as you please. You will learn to
methodically plan your FridaySunday to squeeze in family, friends, doctors appointments,
haircuts, and any other semblance of a personal life. If youre in a relationship or have kids, it
makes it even harder to leave that physically behind every week. Of course, most firms try to
accommodate special circumstances, but travel is still a major part of the job description.
Id write myself a to-do list for the day, and more often than not, Id do just that. I enjoyed the
specific, tangible work we did and I developed a close relationship with the people I worked with
and for.
Consulting can be a great way to gain expertise in all kinds of areasbut it also means that you
have to constantly adapt and be as flexible as possible with your aptitude, time, and work style.
Consulting is really the art of making connectionsnot only in terms of the work, but perhaps
more importantly, with people. Developing solid networks, both internally at the firm and
externally at the client, is crucial. Within consulting firms and on client sites, you are constantly
convincing (and proving) to new people that you are and would be a valuable asset to a project.
The job also requires you to share ideas, explain concepts, and present findings almost on a daily
basis. Youll be working on teams of people you may have just met, but you must show clients a
united front to ensure that their projects will be executed seamlessly.
Consulting will help you develop a great number of skills (including how to use a delayed flight
to your advantage). You will be constantly challenged and asked to do things that you may never
have done before.
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References
1. The Muse, 2012. Is Consulting Right for You? [Available online at
https://www.forbes.com/sites/dailymuse/2012/11/02/is-consulting-right-for-
you/#4c504fe7600d];
2. Llywodraeth Cymru Welsh Government, 2015. Applying for EU Funding The
Business Planning Stage. [Available online at www.irelandwales.eu];
3. Zainol F. A., Wan Daud W. N., Arumugam N., Ibrahim N. A., 2015. A Feasibility Study
on Business Consulting Services to Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs). International
Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences:
Malaysia.
4. Nelson, E., 2014. Consulting Skills: A 21st Century Competency. [Available online at:
https://www.td.org/Publications/Blogs/Career-Development-Blog/2014/11/Consulting-
Skills-a-21St-Century-Competency];
5. Arneson J., Rothwell W. J., Naughton J., 2013. Training and Development
Competencies Redefined to Create Competitive Advantage. [Available online at:
https://www.td.org/Publications/Magazines/TD/TD-Archive/2013/01/Training-and-
Development-Competencies-Redefined].
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