The enterprise simulation in small business start up. The case of cooperation projects between Italy and Albania

The paper analyses and discusses the application of enterprise simulation for small businesses’ start up in the international cooperation projects carried out by Bologna University in Balkan countries and, particularly, in Albania. To face the global crisis public organizations recently developed project management activities, increasing the interest of academic communities on the organizational analysis of relational structures and networking. The paper examines the cases of KK Personal Robe in fashion sector and Elbasan Renaissance Tour in cultural tourism, both created in Albania (Shkoder and Elbasan) with the purpose of developing the managerial competencies in the participants using the distance learning. The research is focused on the organizational implications of connections between the start up of small businesses and the learning process applied by “Simulimpresa” (Enterprise simulation). The results concern the acquisition by participants of entrepreneurial competencies through the realization, in the Laboratory, of different activities for small businesses start up.