The evolution tornado of retail (B.Hallier) is mainly driven originally by Start-ups and SMEs. They reflect the life-cycle of business (A.Schumpeter).

Under the leadership of the Gdansk University of Technology /Poland in the EU-Project INNOCASE (link) the European Retail Academy, Laguna/Poland, Savonia University/Finland, Silesian University of Opava/CZ and the VIA University College/Danmark prepare e-learning case-studies especially for the segment of Start-ups and SMEs.
 

Only two hours by ferry-boat from Helsinki/Finland Estonia's capital Tallinn is becoming a new gate for the Baltics. The old town with its origin from the mediaeval Hanse-time is today an UN World Cultural Heritage.

Tallinn is also home of Prof.Dr.Hanon Barabaner (see : ERA Hall of Fame) who is not only bridging Estonia with the former Sowjet Union's scientists but who is also Vice-Chairman of the Eurasian Club of Scientists which is coordinating the annual Astana Economic Forum.
 

The 18th International Scientific Conference about Economics and Management (ICEM) was organized in 2013 by the Kaunas University of Technology/Lithuania. Prof.Dr.B.Hallier (on the photo with Dean Prof.Dr.G.Startiene and Vice Dean Prof.Dr.K.Duoba) took this opportunity to lecture about innovation-cyles in micro- and macro-economics.

"Touring Posznan-Gdansk-Marlbork-Vilnius-Kaunas-Riga-Tallinn was not only to visit partners of the European Retail Academy, but also to learn about the topography of the landscape, the historical and cultural background of the Polish/Baltic area and the progress of the EU-integration concerning infrastructure and trade" Hallier summarized. ICEM 2014 will take place in Riga.

The universities of Sofia and Varna are long-standing friends of the European Retail Academy and therefore Prof.Dr.B.Hallier used the anniversary of 60 years trade faculty at the University of National and World Economy by a speech about macro- and micro innovation cycles as a challenge for trade as an evolution tornado - comparing also the development of the former East and West. Another topic in the later discussion was the vision of a Global House of Harmony : bridging economy, ecology and ethics.

Also students in Sofia will be supported for example by an ERA-exchange to Lithuania in June 2013 ! Sofia's students are organized within the Erasmus Student Network (link : http://unwe.esnbg.org/ ) : they promote the intercultural dialogue by helping outgoing and incoming students or by visits of historical or cultural places within Bulgaria.

The Global House of Harmony tries to bridge economy, ecology and ethics. To support especially food banks which care for jobless/poor people the European Retail Academy cooperates within the EU-project FORWARD with international partners to build technical platforms. Another ambition is to develop a guideline for "food waste managers". In the ERA-team are the former trainees Sampsa Hyväri, Jani Niemelä, Valto Varaaniemi - and Alina Pukhovskaya who developed the FORWARD-logo.

In Germany the dissemination of the project-idea started with contacts to the retail association HDE, the processors association BVE, members of the Federal German Parliament, the Deutsche Welthungerhilfe, the Bundesverband Deutsche Tafel etc ( see also : www.european-retail-academy.org/AgriBusinessForum) . Prof.Hallier wants to involve also other universities of this network into the international dissemination process.