Research and Dissemination through Seminars and Workshops

Departments

Conducted a 3-day dissemination seminar on ED related activities in Nigeria under the aegis of Nigeria Bank of Commerce & Industry (NBCI), where over 80 participants including senior officers, policy-makers and executives from Federal Government participated. The seminar highlighted the need for appropriate policies and commitment of the government for nurturing a conducive environment for indigenous entrepreneurs to emerge and survive through viable profit-making projects. Realizing the concern for the development of small industries, particularly through self-employment of educated/uneducated youth and retiring civil servants, the seminar concluded that the country must initiate EDPs on an appropriate scale.
Conducted a dissemination workshop for the benefit of Francophone African countries where 28 participants from 13 countries attended the workshop along with senior officers from African Development Bank. In the workshop, the key elements of EDP process, and the significance of replicating the same in diverse parts of various African countries were fruitfully discussed. The most positive impact was that most countries were eager to initiate EDP process and understand the pre-conditions for doing so.
An international seminar on Self-Employment & Entrepreneurship Development was conducted in Philippines under the sponsorship of Asian Development Bank & ILO (Asia Pacific Region, Bangkok). EDII sought to make a sound impact on the participants from 19 countries comprising senior policy-makers, bankers, heads of training institutions, development banks and directors of industries. EDP approach for Self-Employment and small Enterprise Development, dealing with a variety of target groups was well received. In the seminar, a great deal of interest was evinced in selection techniques and training of Entrepreneur Trainer-Motivators.
Conducted a seminar on ‘Development Banking’ in Abidjan in Ivory Coast under the sponsorship of Asian Development Bank where experience sharing was done on EDP inputs focussed on opportunity identification and selection and evaluation of entrepreneurial competencies through new technique, prior to extending financial assistance.
Organized five Regional Workshops on ‘Unleashing Entrepreneurship for Development & Trade’ in GMS Region: Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand and Yunnan (China) under the aegis of Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation (SDC). These workshops were followed by a research study on ‘Entry Barriers to Understand the Perception of Youth towards Entrepreneurship’. A dissemination workshop was held in Bangkok on November 23, 2009 to highlight the findings of the study which would lead to developing the entrepreneurial base of the GMS region.
EDII team visited three developing countries and identified conditions for conducting entrepreneurship programmes, problems and gaps at policy level, manpower requirement and possibilities of adopting Indian EDP Model. The report titled ‘Fostering Industrial Developing Countries : Efforts, Issues and Strategies’ was accepted by UNIDO and constituted as one of the key background papers for discussion at the International Conference on Small Enterprise Development which was jointly organized by Govt. of India and UNIDO. Several countries had shown interest in adopting EDI-EDP approach.
Conducted seminars in Washington to provide exposure to the officials of the World Bank and EDI-WB on EDP approach. The need for policy framework, appropriate schemes of assistance by financial institutions, decisions regarding margin money and collaterals and evaluation of inherent entrepreneurial capabilities were some of the key areas identified for introducing EDPs in developing countries.
Conducted a Feasibility Study for organizing EDPs in Senegal. The assignment involved an assessment of institutions, manpower resources, target groups, training facilities, support system and other pre-requisites for launching EDPs successfully.
Study visit to Togo was organised, where EDII team visited institutions, development banks and concerned ministries to create awareness about EDPs; assessed the country’s interest in Small Enterprise Development and selected 4 potential Trainer-Motivators for subsequent training at EDII.
Study visit to Guinea-Conakry was organised wherein the team identified 32 project opportunities with potential for new enterprises which included manufacturing, agro-based and service-based units with low investment in plant & machinery, simple technology and ease in maintenance and operation with locally available man-power skills. 8 Trainer-Motivators were selected for subsequent training at EDII.
Developing Curriculum and Guidelines for introducing Entrepreneurship in the education system in developing countries was also taken up on war-footing. The project aimed at preparing case studies on successful experiences of ED efforts in cross-cultural conditions. For this purpose, the Chief Project Officer of HRD Group of Commonwealth Secretariat, London, visited EDII and looking at the expanse of its ED activities assigned to the Institute, the task of preparing a case study on the ED process in India.
A Conference was organised in Kuala Lumpur on ‘Small Scale Enterprises and Entrepreneurship Development’. Given the diversity of member countries in terms of size, development policies and demographic characteristics, EDII was able to clear the air about the role of entrepreneurs in small scale enterprise development, the importance of EDP as a strategy for creating indigenous entrepreneurship and the criticality of an integrated approach combining selection, training and follow-up assistance was established.
The Institute participated in a 3-day workshop in Islamabad on ‘Developing Entrepreneurship for Promotion of Self-Employment in Urban Areas’. The Institute offered its assistance in setting up a Centre for Entrepreneurship Development in Pakistan, training of trainers and also in replicating EDII-EDP Model.
A comprehensive report was submitted to ILO and Sudan Government spelling out requisite policies, programmes and institutions needed to implement self-employment programmes for graduates, primarily on the lines of entrepreneurship.
Conference held in Mahe, Seychelles on ‘Entrepreneurship Development’. Indian experiences and EDII expertise in ED related activities were well received by the participating officers and the need for replicating the same in their countries was spelt out.
Policy-makers’ seminar was organised on ‘Enabling Environment for Enhancing Entrepreneurship in public & private sectors in Africa. Subsequent to EDII’s presentation, the seminar attended by about 35 participants, concluded with a decision to build national capabilities at macro policy and institutional levels for promoting entrepreneurship.
Presented a paper on ‘ED Approach: The Indian Experience’ in Kenya. In the seminar EDII Faculty shared Indian experiences in identifying a good entrepreneur and his role behind the success of the project.
The Institute was commissioned by ILO for a research study on ‘Training for Self-employment through Vocational Training Institutions (VTIs): Lessons from Experience’. The analytical report based on case studies of 3 Indian VTIs revealed better performance by the VTI run by an NGO because of its autonomy and commitment while the poor performance of government-run VTI was due to a casual approach to the task of self-employment. Subsequently, in November 1993, ILO invited the EDII expert to present the research findings at Turin.
Identified Small Business Training Needs leading to Bhutan Industrial Extension Sub-contract. Discussion with local entrepreneurs, government officials, Chamber of Commerce & Industry, bankers and representatives of international organizations led to a specific action plan which was implemented in Bhutan in collaboration with the Business Opportunity & Industrial Centre (BOIC), Ministry of Trade. EDII entered into a contract with the organization to develop business counsellors and extension officers during the 1st Phase (Jan-Mar 1995) and prepare a Performance Improvement Manual; training material for thematic programme covering finance & accounts; hold practicum on Integrated Firm Analysis for Business Counsellors and prepare plans for organizing the first Performance Improvement Programme (PIP), in the second phase.
For developing ‘Savings & Credit Scheme’ for Southern Highlands Extension and Rural Financial Services (SHERFS), Mbeya, Tanzania, a manual was prepared on credit formation, credit saving, credit lending and its administration.
International Workshop on “Entrepreneurship in Socially Responsible Business for Development in Asia and the Pacific and Young Business Leaders Programme” was conducted at EDII Campus, during 16-18 October 2013 with the objective of deliberating ways and means of promoting socially responsible business for development in Asia and the Pacific. The workshop was jointly organised by ESCAP Business Advisory Council (EBAC), United Nations Economic Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP) and EDII.

Core Activities

Women Entrepreneurship

Women entrepreneurship is one of the core areas where EDII has intervened successfully to bring women to the forefront of the economic world.

Support System Sensitization

The Support System in every country comprises several layers, and one dysfunctional tier could leave a damaging impact on the results.

Programmes for Existing Entrepreneurs

The vision for economic development for many countries is ensconced in improving the overall entrepreneurial climate for New Enterprise Creation and enhance performance of existing ones.

Institution Building for Strengthening Entrepreneurship

EDII has come forward in a big way to provide technical assistance to developing nations under the aegis of the Ministry of External Affairs, Govt. of India.

Capacity Building Programmes

In order to meet specific needs of developing countries, the Institute has been designated as a Nodal Agency of Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.

Investment Promotion and Entrepreneurship

EDII undertook projects to accelerate growth through Investment Promotion & Entrepreneurship under the aegis of Inter-Regional Centre for Entrepreneurship and Investment Training sponsored by UNIDO and Govt. of India.

Cluster Development

Cluster Development is one of EDII’s niche areas. The Institute is engaged in revitalization of industrial and artisanal clusters.

Mainstreaming Social Entrepreneurship Education project

Social Entrepreneurship in India remains on the periphery of entrepreneurial landscape.

Designing and Offering Business Courses in various languages

EDII offerd a helping hand in improving bilateral ties with developing countries by designing and imparting courses in Business Hindi at both certificate and advanced levels.

Collaborations and Associations

EDII has a strong international presence.