SBDC host Global Value Chain Workshop
As trade across borders becomes more difficult we see countries and companies adopt different strategies to ensure a high level of competitiveness with other global parties and to explore opportunities that will lead to “Upgrading “their products or services within the “Global Value Chain”.
From 16th – 19th May, 2017, TEPA was privileged to have attended a four day workshop hosted by Saint Lucia Small Business Development Centre.
As part of the second phase of the Caribbean Small Business Development Centre Project the Global Value Chain Component was designed to assist and inform business development officers, advisors of the newly established SBDC networks and other notable stakeholders in Saint Lucia on identifying opportunities in local, regional and international value chains for the benefit of MSMEs, and to identify challenges to integration and upgrading within these values chains.
The workshop was conducted and designed to support the “Small Business Development Centre Model” initiative which began in 2013. The workshop was facilitated through the OAS by a team from the Duke Center on Globalization, Governance & Competitiveness at the Social Science Research Institute in Durham, North Carolina who executed the technical advisory work for the workshop. The team was led by Professor Gary Gereffi who is the Director of CGGC and is widely recognized as one of the founders of the GVC framework for economic development
The workshop was a fully immersive programme which interactive presentations, in depth discussion sessions in addition to individual and team practical assignments. It also incorporated tools to assess different opportunities for Caribbean firms and clusters by providing a framework through which these chains can be analyzed.
