Activity Report 1998 (synthesis)
Transylvania Business Center is a non-profit, apolitical and decentralized regional association. It was established for promoting the interests of its member companies and to implement programs for local economic development. CAT continues to fulfill its objectives and functions stated in the Statute and Rules of Functioning.
The number of associated companies increased from 820 to 980 in the ‘YEAR OF THE TRANSYLVANIAN BRANCHES’ as a result of launching and developing decentralized mechanisms. The member companies developed their activities in the frame of the following branches: industry, construction, transport, stylism, trade, and media. The branches are responsible to organize promotion information, and initiate/carry out national and international cooperation activities. This year the Transporter’s Guild achieved its independence. A horizontal cooperation among our companies was also developed.
The second priority was to implement the program INFOCAT. It consisted in the creation of the virtual business center named E-CAT. This project established the base for the first Transylvanian Electronic Market on the Internet. Shortly after its implementation, companies in the region were able to increase their communication / information. Ninety-six companies were connected to the Internet, designed their own website and communicated by electronic mail.
The CAT Training and Consulting Department designed 25 priority projects for local development on the basis of the proposals and ideas brought forward by the monthly Branches’ meetings and other projects developed in the previous years. The projects were presented to different organizations in the European Commission, United States of America, Canada, Australia and Japan, in hope of finding financial partnerships. These efforts produced no results. The decisions were postponed to 1999. The projects were presented on special pages on the Internet: http://e-cat.ro to offer accessibility to every organization and potential partners around the world interested in collaborating with the companies from our region. The website was registered on 250 search engines to ensure its promotion.
The efforts in the introduction of the new communications technologies were appreciated by the EU, which granted CAT with the privilege of being a direct representative of the Bureau du Rapprochement des Entreprises ‘ BRE 982 and connect to the Global One Network and database. The database for the cooperation opportunities of the DG XXIII was presented to our members companies. Thirty-two companies requested to be introduced in the database in hope of finding international partnerships. Thirty-five companies chose the local partnerships offered by the CAT COMMON MARKET. Thirty companies chose to be a part of the TRANSYLVANIA INVESTMENT FORUM. Twelve companies participated in the DEBLOCAT program. Three companies participated in the JOBCAT program.
The CAT Training Department organized 7 seminars for the Transylvanian Branches, 8 courses covering various topics such as perfectionning the English language, accounting, computers operations and administration. Six courses in the UK and one in Denmark were offered to member companies wishing to perfect their skills in their fields of activity. To conclude, 43 specialists from our member companies benefited from these services.
The CAT Consulting Department offered approximately 1200 hours of business consultancy through Romanian and foreign experts. The majority benefited from the NMCP (Netherlands Management Cooperation Program) consulting. A total of 82 companies benefited from the consulting services.
The CAT Development Department continues to support SPEC and LBC for the benefit of students and pupils looking for work placements. Both programs function by sponsorship and involve the students in the activities developed by CAT or other member companies. Ninety-two students and pupils participated and benefited from these services. There was a total of 72 member companies which showed their generosity by sponsoring in 1998.
The Relations Department developed the BUSINESS LINKS program and CAT TRAVEL. Through this new program, 84 member companies sent their representatives to fairs, exhibitions and conferences in the USA, Denmark, India, Mexico, Chile.
The Transylvania Business Center supported the organization of cultural events of the Romanian Opera, National Theatre, Transylvanian Philharmonic, Military Circle, Academy of Arts, Babes-Bolyai University and the Economic High School. CAT also supported the activities of the local administration for fulfilling the projects ‘International Airport ‘ Free Zone Cluj-Napoca’, and to promote other projects of public interest. The Transylvanian Salon of Tourism was organized for the first time. CAT also supported Stylism Days XII and XIII, Transylvania Fashion and Cluj Symphonic Music Festival.
The collaboration continued with the following organizations: the Romanian government, the Ministry of External Affairs, Department of External Commerce, Romanian Embassies, and foreign embassies in Bucharest. Monthly meetings, exhibitions, branches meetings and business cocktails were organized through CATCLUB to offer networking opportunities to our members. Special guests from the country and abroad were also invited at some of the meetings.
The monthly direct mail PLICURIADA was realized in time, containing useful information for our members such as business offers, promotional materials, and the following reviews: Business Ideas, Business Opportunities, Business Universe, Cluj-Napoca (magazine), and the Commodities Exchange bulletin.
The Administration Department produced the Loss and Profit Statement for 1998 and handed it to the Board of
Directors. Here are the main financial indicators:
a) Incomes from:
Economic activities 36.648 mil. lei
Subscriptions 838.823 mil. lei
Grants (NMCP) 68.442 mil. lei
Donations 66.096 mil. lei
TOTAL: 1,010.009 mil.lei = 106.000 USD
b) Expenses from:
Economic activities 49.015 mil lei
Internal activities 942.561 mil. lei
TOTAL: 991.576 mil. lei
c) A sum of 224.766 million lei was lost due to members that did not pay their monthly subscription. We intend to recuperate the sum in the first quarter of 1999.
d) The Fixed assets of the Center are estimated at 249.956 million lei, registering an increase of 1.29% compared with the previous year.
The results reflected an increase of 1.11% compared with 1997, but with 35.5 million lei less than was planned. The main cause is due to the critical economy situation, the bankruptcy of some of our member companies, and member companies that left the Center.These companies did not pay their subscription as planned.
The planned actions were fulfilled in time, mainly with our own resources but in very difficult conditions. No external assistance promised by the potential donors was received.
We want to thank all of our members, our staff, the leadership of the Transylvania Branches, the Residential Directors of CAT and the leadership of the independent CAT’s in Transylvanian towns for their support and efforts made in order to maintain our association in the top of the regional economic associations. We have achieved a wide recognition on both national and international levels.
The Report of Activities , the Loss & Profit Statement for 1998 and Report of the Auditors can be examined by CAT members at the Administration Department. They will be approved and finalized in the General Meeting of May 20, 1999.
President
Mat. Mircea Fodoca ec. Lia Chira
General Manager Treasurer
Cluj-Napoca 30th April 1999