Micro, Small and Medium size enterprises as the agent for Economic Development
From 09 – 13 October 2023, Mr. Andre Dellevoet, Senior Project Consultant at MSM, delivered the Short Executive Programme on Small Business Development in Emerging Economies. The programme touched upon the most important topics related to the development of private sector and discussed past and present developments both from an aid perspective as well as through local avenues of private sector development.
Mr. Saleh Abou Mansour (Lebanon) was very satisfied about the way Mr. Dellevoet delivered the content: “I am satisfied with the input given by Mr. Dellevoet especially that it is not purely what "ought to" be done from a very theoretical point of view but includes a realistic look at how things actually happen in the real world of business. His rich experience working in the context of emerging economies has made him the right person to deliver the subject and help trainees see things from a broader perspective.”
Also Mr. Hend Ghazzai (Tunisia) highly valued the course conducted by Mr. Dellevoet: “I really enjoyed Mr. Dellevoet’s course. The aim of the course was not to present theories on the development of small businesses in emerging countries. His experience on the ground in many African countries enabled him to present things in a more practical way, closer to the reality of emerging countries.”
When we asked Mr. Saleh Abou Manour why he decided to apply for the programme he answered: “I am running a company in the domain of agribusiness and needed some deeper understanding of all the factors that play a role in the development of this sector. Not only at small business level, but also at the different levels of policy making and in the context of emerging economies.”
For Mr. Ghazzai the programme perfectly matched with his needs: “I am a professor at the Mediterranean School of Business in Tunis. My school is particularly interested in accompanying young entrepreneurs in developing their business. The course is a perfect fit with my school’s mission.”
To put theory into practice, the participants worked on various group assignments throughout the week. Working and learning together with professionals coming from different countries was very enriching according to Mr. Manour: “The group and individual assignments have been helpful and have helped us consolidate our knowledge of the subject and further explore it from different angles.”
Mr. Ghazzai added: “We had interesting class discussions about some case studies Mr. Dellevoet shared with us.”
About the programme
In emerging markets, the private sector consists for more than 95% out of Small but Growing Businesses (SGB’s), also referred to as Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSME’s), that operate to a large extent in the informal sector. This is one of the reasons, why we know relatively little about them. Yet, MSME’s are the key players in local economic development. What factors have led to their growth and what factors have held them back? To what extent do local MSME’s adhere to ESG (economic, social and governance) standards?
Mr. André Dellevoet, Senior Project Consultant at MSM, designed this programme to provide participants a better understanding of how the private sector in emerging economies can be developed: “This course brings together practitioners and professionals from government, NGO’s and academia in the Global South. It provides insight and understanding of the issues that MSME’s face and provides many practical examples of policy instruments, past and present. There is much room for discussion and input from the participants themselves.”
Would you like to join the Small Business Development in Emerging Economies programme as well?
The next programme will take place from 04 – 08 November 2024. Click here for more information about the programme and how to apply.
About MSM’s Short Executive Programmes
Today’s rapidly changing societies and economies demand the most from organisations, leaders, managers and professionals. MSM’s Short Executive Programmes for emerging markets are developed to achieve a successful and sustainable transformation of both individuals and organisations to support local economic development and business management.
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