Workshop for the Development of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Tobago

Member

Leisha Mc Farlane-Andrews

Local organization

JCI Tobago

National organization

West Indies

Member

Leisha Mc Farlane-Andrews

Duration

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Target

50

Target avg age

25

People impacted

70

Objectif de développement durable

Accès à une education de qualité

Development stage

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Purpose

This workshop intended to create awareness on how Tobago Businesses’ Supply Chain Management processes can be augmented to allow competitive advantage over it rivals and become the obvious choice (offering the best value for money) to its Business-to-Business customers.

Overview

The project was a Procurement Training initiative geared towards small and medium enterprise businesses in Tobago. In Tobago there’s a new Procurement paradigm due to the newly established Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Act. This Act governs all government entities to ensure that the solicitation of its goods, services and works from Tobago businesses are executed in such a way that reflects: competitiveness, fairness, transparency, best value for money, integrity inter alia.
Public procurement refers to the purchase by governments and state-owned enterprises of goods, services and works. As public procurement accounts for a substantial portion of the taxpayers’ money, government is expected to carry it out efficiently and with high standards of conduct in order to ensure high quality of service delivery and safeguard the public’s interest.
The change in policy poses a challenge to Tobago businesses, whereby they do not have the capacity to stand out from their rivals and create the best offer that is highly probable of being selected by their Business-to-Business customers.

Results

This business knowledge gaining project had a really huge impact with over 60 entrepreneurs in attendance, these individuals were persons with both businesses and business ideas and gained a deeper knowledge to produce growth, generate greater profit within their organizations and also learn more about the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Act of 2015.

The marvellous impact from this seminar expanded the participants' thinking capacity as to create new profiting ideas to produce growth and generate profit towards building their business. Business owners/participants of the seminar became certified in gaining impactful knowledge towards making their business more successful and profit increasing. Participants would have acquired knowledge in the following topic areas:

1. Managing Finances
2. Branding your Business
3. Marketing with Limited Budget
4. Use of Technology in Business
5. Understanding the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Act 2015
6. Responding to Request for Proposal (RFP)

The project also provided awareness about 'who we are' and 'what we do' as well as promoted JCI's brand having been shared across our social media platforms. There was a significant increase in the number of visitors and prospective members at our General Assembly following the workshop. Additionally, our social media platform engagements have been very interactive in that they have been many expressions of interest to join the organization coming out of the Development workshop.

Recommendations

1. Host a longer Seminar with the inclusion of other speakers focusing on different areas of small business
management.
2. Continue executing initiatives to improve the development of Small and Medium Enterprises in Tobago.