Transylvania Business Centre (CAT) Cluj-Napoca, was set up in 1992 and received during its eight years of activity the regional and international recognition for its vocation.
    Transylvania Business Centre is a grass-roots non-profit organisation (NGO) for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) providing: development opportunities, promotion, internationalisation, business links, travel, education, consulting, training, research and data base, other useful services, in assistance to the development of the global market economy mechanisms and democratisation of the social life.
    More than 1000 private companies from the Transylvanian region are associated to our organisation, their fields of activity being: industry, construction, transport, trade, banking, insurance, stylism, media and tourism. We created seven independent CATs in the Transylvanian towns to improve the level of services for the local community and SMEs, which are facing a transition period to a new economy.
    Promoting the democratic market economy mechanisms and supporting the small and medium sized enterprises, CAT contributed to the privatisation of the first companies in Transylvania, to the foundation of more than 2000 joint-ventures, to the development of different companies, banks, economic private organisms and to the design of  some important development projects in Cluj-Napoca and the Transylvania region.
    A new program has been launched after two years of intense research and preparations. In co-operation with six member companies as Codec, Brinel, TV Cablu, Transylvanian Commodities Exchange, Napoca Popular Bank, Mondokommerz, as well as with above 280 associated companies, the Transylvania Business Centre set into motion the first virtual business centre in the region , e-C@T and founded the FIRST TRANSYLVANIAN ELECTRONIC MARKET,  an unique, decentralised, transparent virtual mechanism.
    The domain www.e-bursa.ro was bought.  In January 2000 started the construction of E-BURSA, the first electronic commodities exchange, which entered into operations in April 2000. The companies has the free possibility to place on-line their offers and demands of goods and services, to inform themselves about 14 specific markets ( industry, agriculture, construction, electronics, fashion, jobs and more ) using the site http://e-cat.ro/e-bursa.html. With the help of our experts they can formulate their participation to the  bidding, identify the potential partners and negotiate directly on-line with them, using the BIDING RINGS (chat rooms). The transactions could be done easy, quickly and safety. Links to the most important business information sources (i.e. stock exchanges, commodities exchanges, e-newspapers and more) are working for  better serving the clients. E-BURSA.RO is the key tool of e-C@T and develops many facilities for the players.
    Through this on-line mechanism, CAT creates comfort and assists Cluj-Napoca and Transylvania in the development of direct business and head towards the third millennium. The companies and organisations connected to the system have the opportunity to internationalise, globalise and virtualises their activities using the services and information provided directly by  e-C@T site: http://e-cat.ro. This site has interactive pages and it can be viewed in Romanian or English and it is updated and developed daily with new opportunities.
    In only seven months, over 7500 potential clients, partners, buyers, suppliers and investors visited the First Transylvanian Electronic Market. The number of companies associated to CAT has grown substantially due to this new mechanism and the increased number of websites realised.  The Transylvania Web Factory, CAST- Students Placement Centre and the pupils from LBC-Lyceum Business Centre developed those sites. These three programs dedicated to the youth have been created and sponsored by CAT and its members. The local community and media (newspapers, radio and TV stations) are supporting us and look favourable to new ideas.
    Additional virtual services for the SMEs are in operation, connected with our research and design activities, such as: Electronic CATalogue, Business Review, Search engines, on-line Dictionaries, Investment Forum, etc.
    CAT developed together with the Transylvanian Commodities Exchange - Bursa Transilvana a complex  database comprising requests and offers of goods and services, investment projects and business opportunities. More then 6000 companies are included in this system and the database is at the disposal of local and foreign companies in search of business links and partners. Permanently new data are included and many companies are using this direct business communication channel and tool. Our member companies are also available at http://e-cat.ro/addreseutile.html . Daily are sent to them letters by post and by e-mail, locally and abroad.
    Another realisation is the Business Links Programme, in conjunction with the “Bureau de Rapprochement des Entreprises” Programme of  the European Commission. EC nominated CAT to represent it in Cluj-Napoca and the region as BRE correspondent no.982, for assisting the SMEs with experts and business links information. PHARE-Europa Programme granted CAT recently for sustaining the activities and consolidating the good results obtained. A successful interactive direct service was created at http://e-cat.ro/bre.html .
    Consulting programs such as NMCP - Netherlands Management Co-operation Programme and SES - Senior Experten Services of Germany were developed, supplying the SMEs with representative international consulting services, training, investment counselling, as well as assistance in different fields of great interest.
    Two virtual direct services were created at http://e-cat.ro/nmcp.html or http://e-cat.ro/ses.html and one for interactive training information at http://e-cat.ro/catraining.html. Other organisations and companies as ICNA-France, ACCC-Canada and more started the direct co-operation with CAT in the field of consulting and training. CIPE-Washington granted CAT for an important local development project in 1997.
       The research and data base development activities, the practical solutions designed and their successful implementation within the private companies, the constant support given for the creation of the global market mechanism of a new economy in transition, draw the interest of the international organisations. World Bank invited CAT Cluj to the Global Development Network founding Conference in Bonn-GDN99 and European Commission to the IST99 Conference in Helsinki. UNIDO nominated CAT for representing as COMFAR -contractor and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development invited our representatives to the Central European Initiative Summit and Economic Forum, Praha. Other international reunions were attended.
       When BizArcade Network or East-West Economic Network - EWEN were designed, CAT was invited by the European Commission and the Consortiums to bring its contribution and to take part of this mechanisms.
        e-C@T is promoting the new B2B “business-to-business”, 1-2-1 “one-to-one”, "from contact-to-contract" concepts successfully, making local and international business accessible, flexible and comfortable.
       CAT organised more than 200 economic missions abroad, targeted to individuals and business groups affiliated with the Centre. CAT sent business representatives to international fairs and exhibitions in Denmark, Holland, Ireland, Sweden, UK, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Finland, Spain, Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Turkey, USA, Canada, Argentina, Venezuela, Chile, Peru, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, Egypt, Israel, India, Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, Australia and more. Through this actions, our business community established direct relations in these countries and the internationalisation of CAT was accelerated. A business travel information interactive page was created at http://e-cat.ro/catravel.html, very much appreciated by our business men and partners. Orders are coming on-line and missions are quickly organised.
       As a grass root, transparent, self-supported, non-profit, apolitical and independent private economic body, the Transylvania Business Centre (CAT- Cluj) offers to the foreign business partners a unique real and virtual “first stop” in Transylvania. These services are very important for exploring diverse opportunities and resources available in the region. Researchers, marketers and promoters are using CAT research data. We are ready to co-operate with them based on link-to-link and direct exchange of  information systems.
       We are pleased to invite you to look at our co-operation proposals and to develop new ideas. CAT  will be glad to answer your questions in a professional manner. The Transylvanian SMEs thank you in advance for taking time to look at their business centre and their development programs. This program has 28 project components, designed after three years of research, reunions and seminars with the private companies from the region: http://e-cat.ro/projects.html. Your co-operation or consortium ideas will be welcome to us.
       e-C@T site is in development at http://e-cat.ro. It has two access ways: http://e-cat.ro and http://www.cat.codec.ro . The site includes all our real concrete activities and services transformed in the virtual reality. The site had over 13.400 visitors, registrated on the 20th of August 2000.  The most visited page is http://e-cat.ro/ceoferim.html concerning the on-line services offered by e-C@T.
        The Romanian version of the site is more advanced and contains additional explanation and links to different useful resources. The English version http://e-cat.ro/indexengl.html is in development and contains in that moment the following interactive services:

* CAT presentation               *  InfoCAT                       *   BY LAW                              *  CAToffer
* MEMBERS' RIGHTS        *  Member protocol          *   Observer protocol                 *  Annual Rapport
* CATexpert                         *  CATresearch                *   SearchCAT                           *  Multilingual
* CATconsulting                    *  CATrainining                 *  CATranslation                        *  CATeam
* CATpartner                        *  CATshop                      *  WHAT DO YOU WIN         *  E-market
* CATclub                            *  Useful addresses            *   Lyceum Business Centre        *  SpeCAT
* CAT Projects                     *  E-CAT Map                  *  CAT-ALOGUE                    *  TOP Ten Sites
* E-commerce                       *  Business Links               *  CAT -e-Business                   *  E-BURSA.RO

    Transylvania Business Center (CAT) is not only in the process of transforming itself from a real into a virtual center, but it has initiated the first CYBER CITY  Cluj-Napoca. The real city was established in 124 a.d. by the Romans and it is the main city and the “HEART OF TRANSYLVANIA”.  The domains were bought and the design and construction of the virtual city began on the 26th of March 2000, at two back-to-back address http://ClujNapoca.ro and http://Kolozsvar.ro. A new and a never ending story started...
 
 

       We are living a revolution of communication and information in which all of us are involved more or less. The new culture created by the Internet and the globalisation process has a direct or indirect impact on every field of activity and on every people. The advanced countries, which have the supremacy of the new information and communication technologies, are making important steps in building the Information Society, which was described thirty years ago by Alvin Toffler in it's book: the “Future Schock”.
        Our key dimensions are now: gravitation and information. Our new philosophy is: "Who owns the information, manages the situation"; the key words are: GLOBALIZATION, DIRECT COMMUNICATION, DESCENTRALIZATION, TRANSPARENCY, ACCESIBILITY, DIVERSITY, FANTEZY, CONFORT.
        E-commerce is now replacing the classic one with an incredible speed, all around the world.
        Europe joined USA and Japan in “the power of Internet” later and makes now efforts for reducing the distance;  Europe is now the fastest growing market, and in 2003 it will have 30% from the global market.
       What Cluj people have to do? How can we prepare for not “losing the train” and not to eliminate ourselves in this competition or to avoid to find ourselves to the periphery of the XXIst century civilised world
       The answer is only one: each of Cluj people has to work in the building of the Virtual Highway and to make possible that the information and communication flow to pass through Cluj-Napoca. This will surmount first the unfavourable geographical position of our bi-millenary municipality. Second it will assure the future of our community for one more century, in direct contact and harmony with the world. Third, it will guarantee our continuity in science, education and culture as well as in manufacturing and delivering our products in the future. Cluj-Napoca  was and will remain a supplier of FUTURE in the future, and its people will continue to manufacture the FUTURE in the benefit of the local and global world.
        If now, our strategic products are the education and the local intelligence, our new products will be from the ICT field. These products have to be developed through the international co-operation programs.
        Now, back to Transylvania Information Highway. This will have not only to pass through Cluj-Napoca, but more: our city have to become the CROSS ROAD for the informational roads of the region. For this we’ll have to plan and design virtually every activity, as we are doing now in the real life. The initiative, the creativity, the originality, the fantasy, the cleverness, “the talent and the sweat”, the dedicated efforts and the financing belongs to each of  our citizens, to every company of our municipality.
        The second strategic concept and key word for us is: TRAFFIC.  It is not enough to build a VIRTUAL CROSSING, but to improve and to grow to the maximum the informational traffic from and towards our companies and our city. Why?! The answer is very simple: “to make e-money work in/for Cluj-Napoca”. Never forget that the most valuable merchandise is the INFORMATION.
        It’s clear, simple and easy to say, but what “virtual tools” should we have to create for taking then in our hands and to begin to work efficiently and comfortable?
        The first is called CLUJ-NAPOCA CYBER CITY, to which will have to work for creating each virtual element and detail of our town. A site of the sites or "principal gate" is now in development at http://ClujNapoca.ro (Romanian and English) and http://Kolozsvar.ro (Hungarian and English).
       The second virtual mechanism is called THE FIRST TRANSYLVANIAN ELECTRONIC MARKET, which was launched last year and which we are developing every day, through CAT-e-C@T, the first real and virtual business center from Central-East Europe. Its effective tool is E-BURSA.RO the first electronic commodities exchange, mentioned in Part One of this concept paper http://e-cat.ro
       E-MARKET is the meeting place of the request and offer, an essential source of INFORMATION and PARTNERSHIP for each of us. Here we can find the useful information we need and the fastest way to connect to the European market - SINGLE MARKET or to the international one - GLOBAL MARKET. The First Transylvanian Electronic Market is our main business virtual access gate/portal and it is developing rapidly due to: the increasing of the companies web site's number and also due to the visitors’ number registered every day. The average passed over 4 potential partners, investors or clients per hour. This is the place where we invite you to search, work and develop e-commerce, e-banking and more: http://e-bursa.ro
       Introducing e-banking and Internet banking represent for us the 3rd mechanism in connecting directly Cluj and Transylvania region to the Global System. The 4th mechanism is designed for promotion and new services.
       It is necessary to remind that the implementation process of our concepts, research and design work had few steps. The first step was initiated by CAT together with Codec - TV Cable Co.; since 1995 we started to build the Internet infrastructure in our town based on tv cable technical support. The 2nd step was the establishment of the first ISP and IPP such as Transylvania Web Factory Ltd ., DNT Ltd., IIRUC S.A.  The 3rd phase, started in 1996 and refers to the creation of e-C@T - ELECTRONIC BUSINESS CENTER, which is developing now together with our Electronic Market. The 4th is consecrated to the VIRTUAL CITY.
      How can we accelerate the alignment process to the international standards and to improve the life quality and comfort of people which are living in Cluj?! Few ideas could be taken in consideration this year, with immediate impact for the next year:

1. Each of us has to create a site and every company has to develop its own interactive VIRTUAL SHOP (with on-line offers, orders, bills, virtual payment tools, etc.) and to add it to CAT-e-C@T.
2. Each company has to open an account to a bank having e-banking or Internet banking facilities and to make on-line banking and financial operations.
3. Each media company has to support with information, interviews, news, advertising or announcements, the new ideas and progress in the ICT field, especially those made by the local small and medium sized enterprises.
4. Each software or hardware company (PCs, cables, etc.) and also the ISP or IPP have to make discounts for their equipment and services, for facilitating the access of each ordinary people to the Internet information and communication advanced technology.
5. Each training company has to offer acceptable conditions, especially to the young, unemployed and low income people,  for PC-Internet training courses and have to introduce long-distance training.
6. School principals and university deans have to push the authorities and donors for endowing their institutions with computer networks connected to Internet, assuring this way our children’s education in ICT.
7. International organisations and programs are invited to co-finance directly the local development projects, to join and participate with know-how, assistance, training, study trips, seminars and grants to the efforts of  Transylvania Business Center and its member SMEs.

       Our hope is in the young generation!
       Transylvania Business Center launched two years ago a vocational and internship training program for high-school pupils, called LBC-Lyceum Business Center. CAT donated: 5 PCs - connected to Internet, furniture, bookcase and books, copier, printer, scanner, consumables, TV set and viderecorder, telephone line and GSM cellular. CAT's specialists held seminars and organised workshops, helping the children this way to better understand the business world and the new economy mechanisms.  The knowledge, the simulations and the practical activities were sustained also by our  member companies. This kind of program should exist in every high-school and should be supported by the local companies and the international programs.
       And now, by the end of this considerations I have the pleasure to invite you to visit my Cyber City and to click on : PHOTO GALERY, EDUCATION, CULTURE, TOURISM, MEDIA, BUSINESS, WEATHER, ENTERTAINMENT and more; to meet the VIRTUAL MAYOR or to participate to the CITY FORUM ; to find the best restaurants and hotels; to select a store for shopping or an apartment for rent; to chose the travel agency or the transportation opportunities; to find a lawyer or a doctor; to know WHO's WHO and to contact directly Clujeans and their organisations or companies; to create your own free  e-mail or to suggest new links about the city Cluj-Napoca to the webmaster and many, many more... Here it is http://ClujNapoca.ro

Should you have ideas or comments, please e-mail to cat@e-cat.ro