Case study – Lanificio Leo – use of Enterprise Cultural Heritage training material

The aim of this case study is to provide you with an example of Enterprise Cultural Heritage training material use by Lanificio Leo.

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Before you start…

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A factory from the past moves into the future

Established in 1873, today Lanificio Leo is one of the most significant examples of an enterprise-museum, in which design-oriented production and Enterprise Cultural Heritage (ECH) values are integrated into a management model mixing business with cultural heritage.

This original approach led the company to be among the finalists for the 2001 Guggenheim Prize for Business and Culture and to win the Management Culture Prize.

The woollen mill has been run by the Leo family since it founded in Soveria Mannelli among the Sila Mountains in Calabria, South Italy. Today Emilio Leo is the fourth generation of the family to own the mill and leads a project that is developing a new future for the family business.

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Innovation through heritage

Emilio’s 88 year old father Peppino Leo was the previous owner of the factory, he is a repository of knowledge about vintage production processes.

The old woollen mill is now a working factory, an enterprise museum visited by students, professionals, tourists and a think-tank for new product development ideas. Its plain front door leads the visitor into a high-end design showroom with a shop and shelves piled with the colours of this season’s collections. The company is still using its historical archive of 200-years-old blocks for textile printing.

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Enterprise Cultural Heritage applied

Enterprise Cultural Heritage used effectively and creatively helped the company to establish its brand in international niche markets. The Lanificio Leo strategy has been developed around the SHEEP brand that is woven in the factory. The Leo family worked extensively across generations to develop the innovative use of the factory.

“The issue that drove the change has been the quality of transformation rather than preserving tradition at any cost”.

Lanificio Leo is starting a corporate identity project aimed at the factory workers to make them aware of the success unfolding thanks to their skills and effort.

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Local actions for business development

As a company aware of the value of its ECH Lanificio Leo was one of the first enterprises approached to contribute to and test the ECH training material developed by MNEMOS.

After looking at the ECH management training material himself Emilio now plans to present the MNEMOS learning platform and training material to SME owners from the Local Action Group - Reventino, a public-private development organization of business in 15 local towns. 

Using ECH to gain competitive advantage

Emilio sees Reventino using the ECH training material as a resource for their VET activities with local SMEs.

Together with the Enterprise Cultural Heritage approach the material will be used to help local SMEs improve the quality of their products and services. It will also be used to develop their readiness for to the global market by using their heritage and the area to gain a competitive advantage.

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To find out more…

Visit Lanificio Leo at http://www.lanificioleo.it

Read more about Lanificio Leo on 3rd MNEMOS newsletter at http://www.enterpriseculturalheritage.org/images/stories/Third_Newsletter.pdf

If you would like to access the free training material and read case studies on the use of ECH visit the project website at: www.enterpriseculturaleheritage.org

The content included in this training material has been compiled by the MNEMOS project team from a variety of sources. The MNEMOS project team reserves the right to change the terms and conditions of use of this training material without notice and any time. The training material is produced for educational purposes only and does not offer legally binding advice. The training material as well as the www.enterpriseculturalheritage.org website are made available “as is” and “as available”. MNEMOS project team makes no representation and does not warrant:a) That the information selected for the training material and the website is comprehensive, complete, verified, organised and accurate;b) That it is licensed by the copyright or database right owner of any third party content to include or reproduce such content in this training material and the website;c) That the training material and the website will be uninterrupted and error-free; andd) That the server from which the training material and the website is available is free of viruses or bugs.

Disclaimer

This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

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End of Case Study in Enterprise Cultural Heritage (ECH) Management use

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