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<table id="tablebdbg" width="95%" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#FFCC33"> <tr> <td> <div align="center"> <table width="96%" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td width="18%"><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/Logo_apex.gif" width="121" height="60" align="absmiddle"> </td> <td width="67%" height="68"> <div align="center"> <h3>Clusterkraft e-Newsletter </h3> </div></td> <td width="15%"><div align="center"> <h3 align="right">(Vol.37)</h3> </div></td> </tr> </table> </div></td> </tr> <tr> <td><table id="TablebgW" width="96%" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="FFFFFF"> <tr> <td height="8"> <div align="center"></div></td> </tr> <tr> <td><table width="99%" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td><p align="justify" class="style10"><b><strong><font size="2"><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/listsicon.gif" width="16" height="16" align="absmiddle"></font></strong> <font size="2">NATIONAL</font></b></p> <div align="left" class="style9"> <p><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"></strong></font><font size="2"> Small and medium IT firms disappointed with budget <br> </font><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"></strong></font><font size="2"> RBI asks banks to widen SME focus<br> </font><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"></strong></font><font size="2"> We do not see any limits to our SME role: SIDBI<br> </font><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"></strong></font><font size="2"> Small & medium units on a roll<br> </font><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"></strong></font><font size="2"> Indian SMEs lead IT spend growth among BRIC nations<br> </font><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"></strong></font><font size="2"> Cut interest rates and excise for SMEs: ASSOCHAM<br> </font><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"></strong></font><font size="2"> Special exchange for SMEs<br> </font><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"></strong></font><font size="2"> UN agency to map SME clusters for export push<br> </font><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"></strong></font><font size="2"> FC and Cairn India Open Enterprise Center for Local Small Businesses Development in Rajasthan</font><font size="2"> </font> <font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><br><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"></strong></font><font size="2"> BIMTECH hosts summit on SMEs</font><font size="2"> </font><br> </p> <p><font size="2"><b><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/listsicon.gif" width="16" height="16" align="absmiddle"></strong> INTERNATIONAL</b></font></p> </div> <div align="justify" class="style9"> <div align="left"> <p><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"> </strong></font><font size="2">State Bank may force banks to finance SMEs<br> </font><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"> </strong></font><font size="2"></font><font size="2"> Expanding access to finance is key to growth for smaller businesses<br> </font><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"></strong></font><font size="2"></font> <font size="2">SME service providers now available<br> </font><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"></strong></font><font size="2"></font> <font size="2">HP launches storage system for SMEs<br> </font><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"></strong></font><font size="2"></font> <font size="2">German grant boosts small, medium enterprises<br> </font><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"></strong></font><font size="2"></font> <font size="2">The SME propaganda<br> </font></p> <p><font size="2"><b><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/listsicon.gif" width="16" height="16" align="absmiddle"></strong> ARTICLES</b></font></p> </div> </div> <div align="left" class="style9"> <p><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"></strong></font> <font size="2"> Poverty focussed development and microfinance<br> </font><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"></strong></font><font size="2"> The Role of Government in SME Development in Transition Economies <br> </font><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"></strong></font><font size="2"> Creating an entrepreneurial culture in support of SMEs <br> </font><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"></font><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"></strong></font><font size="2"> E-commerce development in developing countries: Profiling change-agents for SMEs <br> </font></p> <p align="justify" class="style9"><font size="2"><b><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/listsicon.gif" width="16" height="16" align="absmiddle"></strong> EVENTS</b></font></p> <div align="left" class="style9"> <p><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"></strong></font> <font size="2"> </font><font size="2">Aahar-08 March, 2008 (Saturday) Pragati Maidan , New Delhi <br> </font><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"></strong></font><font size="2"> Delhi International Leather Fair<br> <img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"> Perspective Of Modern Weaving Technology<br> </font><font size="2"><br> </font><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"></font></p> </div> </div> <div align="left" class="style9"> <div align="justify" class="style9"></div> </div></td> </tr> <tr> <td height="8"> <div align="center"></div></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td height="8" id="TablbgD" bgcolor="FFE79D"> <div align="center"></div></td> </tr> <tr> <td><table width="99%" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td height="8"> <div align="center"></div></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p align="justify" class="style9"><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"> </strong></font> <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><strong>Small and medium IT firms disappointed with budget</strong></font></p> <p align="justify" class="style9"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Small and medium IT enterprises Friday were disappointed with the 2008-09 budget, saying it has not extended the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) scheme that offers them various exemptions and had also increased the excise duty on packaged software. "It does not have anything for the IT industry. It is disappointing for the small and medium enterprises, which had some expectation from Finance Minister P. Chidambaram," said Shakti Sagar, convenor, IT panel at Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Andhra Pradesh. The small and medium enterprises (SMEs) were expecting that the STPI scheme, which has been offering them various exemptions, including 10-year income tax exemption for exports, would be extended beyond 2009, he said. </font><font size="2" face="Verdana"><a href="http://clusters.org/result.asp?id=798"> More&#8230;</a></font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"> </strong></font> <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><strong>RBI asks banks to widen SME focus</strong></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana,">The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has directed public sector banks to set up specialised branches for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to cater to the fast-growing SME sector. This is in addition to the directive to redesignate the specialised Small Scale Industries branches as SME branches. The RBI has issued the two directives recognising the need for SMEs to secure easy access to credit and specialised service and transaction costs. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana,">"Banks have been advised to adopt cluster-based approach to SME financing and displaying instructions ô guidelines formulated by banks as well as by RBI on their websites. Banks have also been advised to identify and select clusters of SME units which share a homogeneity and critical mass. A cluster-based approach also offers possibilities of reducing transaction costs and mitigation of risks for SMEs," said Devaki Muthukrishnan, Regional Director, RBI. </font><font size="2" face="Verdana"><a href="http://clusters.org/result.asp?id=799">. More&#8230;</a> </font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"> </strong></font><font size="2" face="Verdana"><strong></strong></font> <font size="2" face="Verdana"><strong>We do not see any limits to our SME role: SIDBI </strong></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana">Having spent a large part of his career with developmental financial institutions like IDBI and IFCI, RM Malla has recently taken charge of Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) as CMD. Mr Malla speaks about his future plans for the institution. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana">Given that private banks and foreign banks are aggressive on building the micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) portfolio, how does SIDBI plan to position itself to meet competition?</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana">One of the major roles of SIDBI is to motivate banks and others to lend more to SMEs by providing them refinance which contributes above 50% of our total sanctions. We have also taken strategic steps to build the MSME portfolio to showcase that lending to this sector can be done profitably. For speedy delivery of credit with relatively smaller loans, we have leveraged technology and system for faster appraisal methodology by implementing credit appraisal and rating tool developed in-house for loans up to Rs 50 lakh. <a href="http://clusters.org/result.asp?id=800">More&#8230;</a></font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"> </strong></font><font size="2" face="Verdana"><strong></strong></font> <font size="2" face="Verdana"><strong>Small & medium units on a roll</strong><br> <br> Dun and Bradstreet, a provider of global business information, knowledge and insight recently launched the second publication in its series on SME (small and medium enterprise) clusters in the city recently. Titled &#8220;Emerging SMEs: Pune 2008'&#8221; it covers three sectors -- engineering, food processing and IT and ITeS-BPO. <br> &#8216;SSpeaking at the launch, Kaushal Sampat, chief operating officer, Dun and Bradstreet India said that driven by knowledge, skills, low cost, improved quality and demand, the three sectors covered in Emerging SMEs: Pune 2008 have witnessed tremendous growth over the last two years. For the Pune cluster, the sampled engineering SMEs expect an average revenue growth of 52 per cent in the next two years, while those from the IT and ITES-BPO segment anticipated an average revenue growth of 52 percent in the next two years. <br> The publication was released by Mukesh Malhotra, managing director, Weikfield Products Company (India) Pvt Ltd. A panel discussion which included participants like Shubra Gupta, editor, Moneywisebewise, Niranjan Pandit , program manager, IBM, Rajnish Kumar, deputy general manager, SBI, Gireenda Kasmalkar, founder-director and CEO, Verisoft InfoSystems Pvt Ltd, and Sajan John Thariyan, director, Sathyam Fasteners Pvt Ltd was also organised on the occasion. The discussion was moderated by Devna Vora of NDTV Profit. <br> Source:expressindia.com<br> <a href="http://clusters.org/result.asp?id=801">More&#8230;</a></font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"> </strong></font><font size="2" face="Verdana"><strong></strong></font> <font size="2" face="Verdana"><strong>Indian SMEs lead IT spend growth among BRIC nations</strong><br> <br> It spend by Indian small and medium enterprises (SME) is expected to continue with a robust growth of 24 %, the highest among BRIC countries, with Russia, China and Brazil following at 22.9 %, 20.4 % and 19.4 % respectively, says a Microsoft-AMI Partners report on IT adoption in Indian SMEs. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana"> The report says that the main drivers for increasing IT adoption are business growth, the need for efficiency to meet challenges of globalisation, customer push and compliance. It states that about 125 businesses cited the need to manage rapid growth, 39% saw a need for regular interaction with large Indian or international customers and 30% of respondents confirmed that standards' compliance as a reason for adoption of IT and 41% stated that IT helped them improve efficiency. </font><font size="2" face="Verdana"><a href="http://clusters.org/result.asp?id=802">More&#8230;</a></font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"> </strong></font><font size="2" face="Verdana"><strong></strong></font> <font size="2" face="Verdana"><strong>Cut interest rates and excise for SMEs: ASSOCHAM</strong></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana">The Chamber has also sought excise reduction in excise levy for SME's as most of their products fall under high excise slabs, ranging from 16% to 24% to a level of less than 12%. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana">The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) has urged the Finance Minister to relax interest rates not only for Indian Inc. but more especially so for SME's in particular as stronger rupee has already shrunk their margins and it is becoming more difficult for them to ensure their sustained survival. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana">The Chamber has also sought excise reduction in excise levy for SME's as most of their products fall under high excise slabs, ranging from 16% to 24% to a level of less than 12%. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana">In its Pre-budget note submitted to the finance ministry, the ASSOCHAM President, Venugopal N. Dhoot said that majority of SME's payments are delayed because faulty deferred payment clause which exceed even beyond six months. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana">On top of it, the SME's face sever liquidity crunch as banks and financial institutions insist on collateral and bank guarantee from them as result of which the interests cost to most SME's go beyond 15% -16%. In nutshell, the effective cost of interest to small and medium entrepreneur works out to be around 18%, said Dhoot. </font><font size="2" face="Verdana"> <a href="http://clusters.org/result.asp?id=803">More&#8230;</a></font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"> </strong></font><font size="2" face="Verdana"><strong>Special exchange for SMEs</strong></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana">The biggest challenge faced by SMEs is access to capital. Small and medium enterprises have grown to become the silent drivers of economic development in the country. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana">In India SMEs form an estimated 95% of industrial units and employ 70% of the nation's workforce. With low-cost production and a high rate of employment, SMEs form the backbone of the Indian economy. It is estimated that SMEs account for 40% of value addition in the manufacturing sector and 50% in manufacturing exports. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana">But with the opening up of the economy in 1991, SMEs have faced competition. The government has offered helping hand by passing the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act of 2006 as well as removing the surcharge on income tax on all firms and companies with the taxable income of Rs 1 crore or less. <a href="http://clusters.org/result.asp?id=804">More&#8230;</a></font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"> </strong></font><font size="2" face="Verdana"><strong>UN agency to map SME clusters for export push</strong></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana">An extensive exercise to map the large number of small & medium enterprise (SME) clusters in the country is likely to begin soon. The department of industrial policy & promotion (DIPP) has approached Unido - the UN agency for promoting economic development in developing countries - to map SME clusters in the country with the primary objective of better realisation of their export potential. Unido might turn the exercise into a more exhaustive one by roping in statistical organisations NSSO and CSO, and gathering data for other interested parties like the Small Industries Development Bank of India (Sidbi). <a href="http://clusters.org/result.asp?id=805">More&#8230;</a></font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"> </strong></font><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana">FC and Cairn India Open Enterprise Center for Local Small Businesses Development in Rajasthan</font></strong><font size="2" face="Verdana"><br> <br> </font><font size="2" face="Verdana">A central component of the IFC-Cairn development programme is the establishment of an Enterprise Centre which will help to provide information and expertise on business practices to local small and medium-sized firms in Barmer, supporting them to become potential suppliers and service providers to the oil and gas operation and other ventures in the region. IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, has reinforced its partnership with Cairn India with the opening of an enterprise centre to support community and local small businesses development initiatives in and around the Barmer area of Rajasthan, India, where Cairn has made significant oil and gas discoveries. </font><font size="2" face="Verdana"><a href="http://clusters.org/result.asp?id=806"> More&#8230;</a></font></p> <p align="justify">&nbsp;</p> <p align="justify"><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"> </strong></font><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana">BIMTECH hosts summit on SMEs</font></strong><font size="2" face="Verdana"><br> <br> The Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) sector is called the backbone of the Indian economy. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana">To bridge the knowledge gap between Indian SMEs and the government policies, Birla Institute of Management Technology (BIMTECH), Greater Noida organized SMEs Summit 2008 on the theme 'Indian SMEs In Exports' on February 2 in Delhi. The Summit was inaugurated by Ashwani Kumar, Minister of State for Industry, Govt. of India. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana">The summit highlighted the Indian SME sector about the policies, which have been formed by the government and how the SMEs can use them for their benefit. It also brought out key aspects on how to increase the capability of Indian SMEs and to provide right information to move ahead in the global arena. Inaugurating the Summit, Chief Guest, Sh. Ashwani Kumar, Minister of State for Industry said, "When the Indian economy is currently growing at 9% and the future growth expected more or less on the same line, the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) will give all thrust of development to make India the 3rd largest economic power by 2025 overtaking Germany." <a href="http://clusters.org/result.asp?id=807">More&#8230;</a></font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/listsicon.gif" width="16" height="16" align="absmiddle"> INTERNATIONAL</strong></font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"> </strong></font><font size="2" face="Verdana"><strong>State Bank may force banks to finance SMEs</strong></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana">Dr Shamshad Akhtar, Governor State Bank of Pakistan has said that the central bank might impose some kind of allocation requirements if banks do not venture into Small & Medium Enterprise (SME) lending. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana">Addressing the first meeting of the SME Credit Advisory Committee (SMECAC) held at State Bank in Karachi on Thursday, she said the State Bank is determined to ensure that ample credit is available to the SMEs. She urged the commercial banks to promote SME financing more aggressively. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana">She observed that it is in the interest of banks to diversify their credit portfolios with focus on SME financing. For this purpose, banks need to launch innovative products to meet the needs of this important sector of the economy, she added. <a href="http://clusters.org/result.asp?id=808">More&#8230;</a></font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"> </strong></font><font size="2" face="Verdana"><strong>EXPANDING ACCESS TO FINANCE IS KEY TO GROWTH FOR SMALLER BUSINESSES, SAYS IFC'S THUNELL</strong></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana">Lars Thunell, Executive Vice President and CEO of IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, today underpinned the importance of expanding access to finance to smaller businesses. Addressing the banking community in Saudi Arabia during an SME finance conference, he said, "Small and medium enterprises are major contributors to employment, yet their financial needs are underserved, which is hindering their growth." </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana">Organized by the Institute of Banking and hosted by H.E. Hamad Al-Sayari, Governor of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency, the conference discussed ways to encourage SME banking in Saudi Arabia and the region as a whole. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana">"Banks generate higher profits from their SME lending than from their other portfolios, but many banks remain wary of this sector due to its perceived risk. IFC is helping banks approach SME lending in ways that enable them to manage potential risk," Thunell said. IFC primarily finances small businesses indirectly, through financial intermediaries<a href="http://clusters.org/result.asp?id=808"> </a></font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"> </strong></font><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana">SME service providers now available</font></strong></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana">Business Development Services (BDS) that are designed to help Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) enhance their operations and competitiveness are now available in Capiz. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana">At least three private sector service providers have come forward to offer these services to local SMEs who need technical and consultancy assistance to address their varied concerns including operations product development, packaging, technology, marketing, financing, organization and management, safety and standards, and, environmental impact assessment. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana">The service providers are Capiz SME Center chaired by Lily Ong, Earth Care Consultancy managed by Maricel Jarencio, and RDO Consultancy managed by Reynaldo Orola. They formalized their intention to offer SME support services during the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and launching of BDS held last week at the Provincial Capitol here. <a href="http://clusters.org/result.asp?id=810">More&#8230;</a></font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"> </strong></font><font size="2" face="Verdana"><strong>HP launches storage system for SMEs</strong></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana">HP has launched its StorageWorks 4400 Enterprise Virtual Array, aimed at bringing enterprise-class storage to medium-sized companies with small budgets. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana">With many of the features normally associated with high-end systems such as dual-redundant hardware architecture and support for remote replication software, the EVA 4400 boasts 99.999 percent uptime for up to 96TB of data, says HP. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana">A starter system with 1TB capacity will cost about ¬ 15,000 (£11,300), said HP. <a href="http://clusters.org/result.asp?id=811">More&#8230;</a></font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"> </strong></font><font size="2" face="Verdana"><strong>German grant boosts small, medium enterprises</strong></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana">The German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) has expanded its technical assistance grant in Western Visayas on business development services (BDS), giving small and medium enterprises (SMEs) the chance to become competitive in the international market. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana">The BDS program shall provide SMEs with basic skills training in business planning, cooperative development, culinary arts and food service, food safety, processed food product development and solid waste management, among others.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana"> It will assist sectors involved in agriculture, aquaculture, food processing, loom weaving, GTH (gifts, toys and house wares), and tourism to increase business performance and market competitiveness. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"> </strong></font><font size="2" face="Verdana"><strong>The SME propaganda</strong></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana">The new buzzword in the banking industry, donor agencies, and even the government has been SME. Almost every bank in Bangladesh has an SME cell and new products and initiatives aimed at SMEs are a common feature in the business page of the newspapers. It would seem that financing these SMEs is guaranteed to pave the way for economic development in Bangladesh. What is SME and why suddenly it has become the focus? </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana">SME is an abbreviation for Small and Medium Enterprises. It is also called small and medium-sized enterprises and small and medium-sized businesses or small and medium businesses. SMEs are businesses or companies whose headcount or turnover falls below certain limits. The abbreviation SME occurs commonly in the European Union, and in international organizations, such as the World Bank (WB), the Untied Nations (UN) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). In recent years, the term small and medium enterprises or SMEs has become more standard in few countries including Bangladesh. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana">Most developed countries traditionally had their own definition of what constitutes an SME. For example, the definition in Germany had a limit of 500 employees, while in Belgium it could have been 100. But now, since the formation of the European Union (EU), the current definition categorizes companies with fewer than 50 employees as "small", and those with fewer than 250 as "medium" across EU states. By contrast, in the United States, small businesses are those with less than 100 employees, while medium-sized business often refers to those with less than 500 employees. However, the most widely used definition of micro-business or small business by the number of employees is less than 10. <a href="http://clusters.org/result.asp?id=813">More&#8230;</a></font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><b><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/listsicon.gif" width="16" height="16" align="absmiddle"></strong> ARTICLES</b></font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"> </strong></font><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong> </strong></font><font size="2" face="Verdana"><strong></strong></font> <font size="2" face="Verdana"><strong>Poverty focussed development and microfinance</strong></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana">Sri Lanka, by the 1980s, possessed substantial achievements in human development in areas such as universal primary school enrollment, a high literacy rate, gender equality, lowered infant and maternal mortality, a high life expectancy etc. largely due to the welfare-oriented development strategies followed since independence in 1948. According to the World Human Development Index, Sri Lanka ranked 99th out of 191 countries. Some of those achievements are in par with those of the middle income countries.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana"> In those development aspects, Sri Lanka has already met some of the Millennium Development Goals towards the turn of the twentieth century. But poverty remains a persistent worry. Out of the urban population, about 8 percent still remains poor. More than 23 per cent of the rural population is living in poverty. Poverty of the estate population is a staggering 30 percent. On the whole, out of the island's population of nearly 20 million, a fourth or less is still living in poverty.</font><font size="2" face="Verdana"><a href="http://clusters.org/result.asp?id=794"> More&#8230;</a></font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"> </strong></font><font size="2" face="Verdana"><strong></strong></font><font size="2" face="Verdana"><strong>The Role of Government in SME Development in Transition Economies</strong></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana">DAVID SMALLBONE IS PROFESSOR OF SMALL and Medium Enterprises and Head of the Centre for Enterprise and Economic Development Research at Middlesex University Business School. Friederike Welter is Senior Researcher, 'Crafts and SMEs' Research Group, Rhine- Westphalian Institute for Economic Research (RWI), Essen, Germany. The paper is concerned with the role of government in relation to SME development in economies at different stages of market reform. It demonstrates that, as in mature market economies, the state is a major factor influencing the nature and pace of SME development, although more through its influence on the external environment in which business activity can develop than through direct support measures or interventions. . Survey evidence from the Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova suggests that many enterprises are set up, survive and sometimes even grow despite government, because of the creativity of individuals in mobilising resources and their flexibility in adapting to hostile external environments. The problem is that in these situations the number of firms remains small and their contribution to economic development rather limited. In such a context, government still has to create the framework conditions for private sector development to become embedded and sustaining. At the same time, in countries where market reforms are at a more advanced stage (such as Poland), current priorities for government with respect to the environment for SME development include bringing legislation and regulations in line with EU standards in preparation for EU accession, encouraging the banking system to adapt and recognise the SME sector as a potential market for a range of financial products, facilitating the development of venture capital funds for that minority of SMEs that seek external equity, and working in partnership with the private sector to establish an effective support infrastructure. Although there may be a case for selective interventions in both types of circumstances, direct support measures are not the main role for government in either case. <a href="http://clusters.org/result.asp?id=795"><font color="#0000FF">More&#8230;</font></a></font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"> </strong></font><font size="2" face="Verdana"><strong></strong></font><font size="2" face="Verdana"><strong>Creating an entrepreneurial culture in support of SMEs </strong></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana"><strong>Abstract:</strong> This article focuses upon the importance of creating the 'cultural' climate for support of small enterprise development. It might well be a waste of time and resource to concentrate SME development efforts on entrepreneurs and their immediate 'support' agencies unless equal consideration is given to investing in the development of an 'enterprise culture' in the broader SME stakeholder environment. It is this environment that shapes the 'level (or skewed) playing field' for small enterprise development. In recognition of the fact that the words 'entrepreneurship' and 'enterprise culture' are frequently confused in the rhetoric that surrounds development, they are first defined. The enterprise culture derives from the 'life world' of the entrepreneur. Sensitivity to this world and its underpinning values lies at the root of creating conditions for 'effective'(as opposed to socially deviant) entrepreneurial behaviour. Entrepreneurial values and beliefs contrast sharply with those of government and corporate bureaucracy. Therein lies the root of the problem. Key SME stakeholders, and in particular donors, are likely to embrace bureaucratic cultures. Yet they are dominant 'supply side' customers for local development agencies, and as such they are capable of exercising a pervasive bureaucratic influence on the behaviours and values of such agencies, threatening their culture and more important their potential for long-term sustainability. The threat to the enterprise culture may paradoxically come from those who seek to support it. There is therefore an imperative to develop strategies for creating an enterprise culture among key stakeholders. This can only be achieved by a process of strategic partnership learning. How this might be achieved is discussed. <a href="http://clusters.org/result.asp?id=796"><font color="#0000FF">More...</font></a></font></p> <p align="justify">Author: Gibb A.<br> Source: Small Enterprise Development, Volume 10, Number 4, 1 December 1999 , pp. 27-38(12)<br> Publisher: Practical Action Publishing<br> </p> <p align="justify"><font color="666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"> </strong></font><font size="2" face="Verdana"><strong></strong></font><font size="2" face="Verdana"><strong>E-commerce development in developing countries: Profiling change-agents for SMEs </strong></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana"><strong>Abstract:</strong> Using case study evidence collected from Uganda in 2004 and the theoretical lens of change-agent theory, a framework is presented that explains how intermediaries can fulfil an effective role in assisting SMEs to benefit from e-commerce. Findings point towards the influence of multiple change-agents performing distinct roles. Primary change-agents have been identified as playing a lead role in catalysing and intermediating e-commerce, through facilitating market access due to favourable commodity chain positioning, and through solution provision that is tailored to specific SME needs. Secondary change-agents, on the other hand, provide complementary inputs such as technology, training and financial resources. It follows that competency to intervene is defined according to the differing roles that change-agents perform, and that intervention strategies for capacity building should be based upon the requirements of different categories of change-agent. This paper makes a contribution to the theory of e-commerce adoption, as well as providing an assessment framework to assist practitioners in formulating intervention strategies and helping agencies in developing countries. <a href="http://clusters.org/result.asp?id=797"><font color="#0000FF">More...</font></a></font></p> <p align="justify">Authors: Duncombe, Richard; Molla, Alemayehu<br> Source: The International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Volume 7, Number 3, August 2006 , pp. 185-196(12)<br> Publisher: IP Publishing Ltd<br> </p> <p align="justify"><font color="#666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><b><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/listsicon.gif" width="16" height="16" align="absmiddle"></strong> EVENTS</b></font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"> Aahar-08 March, 2008 (Saturday) Pragati Maidan , New Delhi </strong></font></p> <table width="90%" border="0" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2"> <tr> <td width="22%"><img src="Aahar.JPG" width="151" height="151"></td> <td width="78%"><div align="center"> <table width="71%" border="0" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2"> <tr> <td width="35%">Start Date:</td> <td width="65%">08 March, 2008 (Saturday)</td> </tr> <tr> <td>End Date:</td> <td>12 March, 2008 (Wednesday)</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Where:</td> <td>Pragati Maidan <br> New Delhi , New Delhi </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Phone:</td> <td>+(91)-(11)-23371390/23371822/23371540</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Permanent link:</td> <td>http://www.eventsinindia.com/events/9378</td> </tr> </table> </div></td> </tr> </table> <p><font size="2" face="Verdana">The Aahar fair seeks to offer a platform for facilitating growth and modernization in the processed food and hospitality sector. Its aim is there fore clearly consonance with Government's efforts and objectives to promote these vital areas of the national economy. <a href="http://clusters.org/result.asp?id=791"><font color="#0000FF">More...</font></a></font></p> <p><font color="#666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"> </strong></font> <font size="2" face="Verdana"><strong>Delhi International Leather Fair</strong></font></p> <table width="45%" border="0" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2"> <tr> <td width="30%"><font size="2"><strong>Location:</strong></font></td> <td width="70%"><font size="2">New Delhi</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td><font size="2"><strong>Start Date:</strong></font></td> <td><font size="2">05/18/07</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td><font size="2"><strong>End Date:</strong></font></td> <td><font size="2">05/20/07</font></td> </tr> </table> <p><font size="2" face="Verdana"><strong>Description:</strong> The fair focuses on a wide range of finished leather, shoes, shoe components like uppers, soles, heels, counters, lasts & synthetic lasts, Leather garments, fashion accessories, Leather Goods like travelware, belts, gloves, portfolios, handbags and wallets, saddlery and harness, Machinery and Equipments, chemicals, Publications and Consultancy Services. <a href="http://clusters.org/result.asp?id=792"><font color="#0000FF">More...</font></a> </font></p> <p><font color="#666666" size="2" face="Verdana"><strong><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/arrow.gif" width="9" height="9" align="absmiddle"> </strong></font> <font size="2" face="Verdana"><strong>Perspective Of Modern Weaving Technology</strong></font></p> <p><font size="2" face="Verdana"><strong>Description:</strong> The TAI now brings to you a seminar specially dedicated to Weaving, covering the subject of new innovation in weaving manufacturing machines, weaving preparations and related manufacturing activities. i.e. Industrial fabrics, Geo textiles and designer fabrics. In this seminar we are going to cover the following topics: Textile Market with various value added product mix and weaving technology, Innovations in weaving machines, Requirement of yarn parameters and specifications, Problems & prospects in weaving, Satisfying Government of India infrastructure to modern textile sector, Process and quality control industry, Opportunities of the Indian weaving industries in Global market. This weaving seminar will give an opportunity to the textile technologists to share their thoughts to meet the challenges and such an interaction will be highly productive.</font> <font><a href="http://clusters.org/result.asp?id=793"><font color="#0000FF">More...</font></a></font><font color="#0000FF"></font></font></p> <table width="90%" border="0" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2"> <tr> <td><strong> Venue</strong></td> <td>Hotel Fortune Park Galaxy</td> </tr> <tr> <td><strong> Contact Person</strong></td> <td> Mr. Haresh Parekh</td> </tr> <tr> <td><strong>Trade Fair City</strong></td> <td> Vapi</td> </tr> <tr> <td><strong> Participants</strong></td> <td>Fees: Members of TAI: Rs.400/-, Non Members: Rs.800/-,Students: Rs.200/-</td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td height="8"> <div align="center"></div></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td height="20" id="TablbgD" bgcolor="FFE79D"><strong><font color="#FF0000">&nbsp;<font size="2"><img src="http://www.clusters.org/clkraftnewsletter/images/i_viewsource.gif" width="16" height="16" align="absmiddle"> Disclaimer:</font></font></strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td><table width="99%" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td><p align="justify" id="bt"><em><font color="666666" size="1">This newsletter is published by <a href="http://www.clusters.org">clusters.org</a> , a portal dedicated to Cluster Development Professionals. 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