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Most of the
business owners' problems cannot be solved by a
limited classroom training system, because course systems normally
focus on standard and supply driven services and less on tailor made
demand driven services.
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An effective BDS system
with course and training activities has to be completed by a direct
advisory or business consultancy system on business
level.
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Direct advisory
services can give us an idea about the concrete problems of micro and
small enterprises (MSE) instead of studies and analysis that give us an
idea about sector problems in general.
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Advisory or business
consultancy systems have to be prepared by a concrete needs assessment
on individual business operators level. In
this needs assessment, operators will be encouraged in a participatory
manner to identify their main problems themselves and to formulate
proposals of solutions. Avoid proposing answers by the facilitators or
promotion agencies themselves when talking with the operators (avoid
pre-formulated questionnaires about problems which would only influence
the business operator's answers).
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Sector studies can
provide a lot of data on the MSE sector, they are useful and can give us
an idea of the main sector problems in general, but cannot replace
concrete talks and assessments on business
operator's level which finally will guide us to concrete business
services delivery.
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Individual needs
assessment and BDS deliveries are not necessarily limited in
effectiveness and sustainability. With a larger number of
facilitators or BDS providers, this system can have an outreach impact
rather wide.
-
E.g. 70 facilitators
of the Tunisian manpower agency will advise 10 enterprises each in a
three month action plan - 70x10x3 = 2100 operators per year).
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E.g. All German
chambers of trades keep a business advisor busy who gives individual
and concrete advises to the businesses on its region.
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Individual needs
assessment results can be generalized on group or sector level. But in
this case, group advisory and sector approach have been identified and
implemented bottom-up and not top-down. This will be a better way
to carry out a business services delivery system responding on the real
needs of operators.
-
BDS should be market
oriented in terms of cost sharing and cost recovery of its services.
But there will always be services that will never attempt a 100% cost
recovery but only cost sharing. So we have to accept that BDS
have to be developed not only via commercial business providers but also
by other private non-profit organisations with diversified financing
(cost sharing services plus donor funded activities) as done by private
NGO. Some services will even have to be done by governmental or
semi-governmental structures.
