Complete information on the important steps facilitating of the entrepreneurial development programme

Begin with a clear understanding of the feasibility and objectives of the programme, focusing on the development of ventures with the potential for rapid growth.

i. Determine from the start whether the real focus is entrepreneurship or self- employment; then decide on the objectives accordingly.

ii. ED should be about helping people start and grow dynamic businesses.

iii.It is useful to look at potential growth sectors or geographic areas and to explore criteria for selecting beneficiaries who are entrepreneurial.

iv. A needs assessment before programme formulation is useful.

v. An analysis of high-growth economic sectors enables more focused support to entrepreneurs in the most promising sectors of the economy.

vi. To identify risks and determine the likelihood of success.

vii. Identify the factors that affect the levels of entrepreneurship in a country which include the perception of opportunity, degree of respect accorded to entrepreneurs, acceptance of wide disparities in income and a family environment which is oriented towards business.

viii. Try to think like an entrepreneur when designing ED projects, and involve private sector representatives in the design process.

Develop criteria to select the target group that is the most entrepreneurial

i. The selection of those who are most likely to succeed as entrepreneurs should be based on clear and transparent criteria.

ii. Potential entrepreneurs display initiative and ambition, have business sense and foresight, and are decisive.

iii. Promising entrepreneurs should be nurtured and helped to serve as role models am mentors for their communities.

xiii. Measures to target groups rather than individuals can mitigate income inequality an be effective in empowering disadvantaged groups, especially women, youth an minorities.

Identify the market through an intensive preparation process, searching for innovate and growth potential.

i. An EDP should help aspiring entrepreneurs to recognize and design unique, innovative business opportunities, based on an analysis of local conditions and their own spec skills.

ii. It can help the entrepreneur to diversify based on his/her basic knowledge of a prodi or skill in a certain sector without distorting the local markets.

iii. In a truly entrepreneurial approach, innovative capacity matters more than the size of the market.

iv. Diversification can be accomplished by introducing a novelty or new product feature, stressing quality or value added, anticipating a new market or- even creating a market.

v. Business opportunity surveys may provide advice to entrepreneurs, but they must be analyzed in the context of the specific market situation in each case.

vi. To determine market potential, it is useful to conduct a need assessment or demand survey before programme formulation.

Provide support through an independent, private-sector-based organizational structure.

i. Donors should identify private organizations that are well situated to implement

ii. innovative and cost-effective EDPs. A good ED sponsor is often characterized by being development oriented and having operational autonomy, business connections and flexibility for promotional, fund- raising and coordination tasks.

iii. It could be a university, NGO, a private consulting company or a specially established foundation based on public-private partnerships.

iv. A large enterprise which faces the prospect of large work-force reductions can soften the social costs of the resulting unemployment by sponsoring EDPs.

v. ED sponsors based in a private-sector setting should have easy access to business development services that already exist in the community. The sponsor does not need to possess all the expertise necessary; it can call on other available specialists in the fields of financing, counseling, marketing, quality assurance, and other support.

Decide on a basic methodology that integrates the entrepreneurship development elements with other support and follow-up

EDPs may have to include support for:

i. Entrepreneurship orientation and awareness,

The improvement of business performance for growth and competitiveness. ED training is usually more effective when linked to finance and other services such as marketing, quality assurance and productivity improvement.

ii. A balance must to be struck between overloading an EDP with numerous services needs and providing an effective, integrated package and addressed by coordination between programmes or ED providers so that each provides a different and specialized service.

iii. Programmes usually begin with developing competencies and move on to supporting the trained candidate with counselling and other business support.

iv. One mechanism for integrated support is business incubators. An incubator nurtures early-stage businesses through continuing entrepreneurship development, counseling and administrative services and by accessing external professional support and facilities all under one roof. It is particularly relevant where intensive assistance is appropriate.