With the aim of increasing innovation and competitiveness in Calpe businesses, the Association of Calpe Businesspeople (AEMCO) has commissioned a study of the sustainability of the business fabric. Last night the association presented this project, which is called Calpe Next Solutions and will cost 16,000 euros, subsidised by Calpe Town Council. The event was organised by AEMCO, Creama-Calpe and Calpe Town Council.
This is a commitment of the new board of directors, chaired by Santiago Ferrer, who emphasised that the objective is for companies to be able to face the constant challenges posed by an ‘increasingly changing world and to have the tools to achieve this’.
This work is scheduled to be carried out over the course of eight months in 2025 by Lankoa, a company specialising in consulting and social research. To this end, the document will rely on the application of dynamic capabilities, which is the ability of companies to reconfigure and develop their internal and external resources in order to adapt to a changing competitive environment.
The study will include a compilation of data on global trends and the characteristics of the local environment, a socioeconomic diagnosis to identify the main barriers limiting the competitiveness of the Calpe business fabric and then define the intervention strategy. Finally, a presentation day will be held to present the main recommended strategies, as well as a participatory workshop to gather the impressions and contributions of the Calpe companies themselves to incorporate them into the project.
According to the mayor, Ana Sala, and the Marina Alta Observatory, Calpe has 1,295 self-employed businesses, of which 23% have employees, and 1,087 companies with other legal forms, of which 83.16% are in the service sector and 13.25% in construction. ‘This business fabric demonstrates the key role of SMEs and the self-employed in our economy,’ he said, emphasising the importance of undertaking innovative initiatives in the sector.
Santiago Ferrer pointed out that there are currently 120 companies associated with AEMCO and that his objective is to increase the number of associated companies, SMEs and freelancers ‘in order to have greater representativeness to defend their interests and have a larger budget to be able to carry out more proposals and initiatives for all the commerce, service and hospitality companies that we represent’.
ZitiZiti Platform
Last night's conference also saw the presentation of a digital platform, Calpe ZitiZiti, which will enable local businesses to sell their products and services electronically. It is a tool that will enable them to compete with large stores and e-commerce platforms, as well as increasing visibility and improving sales for local businesses. This platform, as well as providing access to a local marketplace exclusively for Calpe businesses - excluding large stores - will allow the publication of events organised by Calpe businesses as well as an employment portal and the management of appointments and reservations. ZitiZiti will be available in a few months and will be free of charge for the first year for all those who decide to use this new form of online sales.
Más información sobre Calp Next Solutions
Más información sobre Calp ZitiZiti
Más información de los acuerdos de colaboración de AEMCO