Training & Capacity Development have been one of the major component of Small Enterprises Development Division (SEDD). In this process we focus on development of attitude, skills , abilities and knowledge.
Programmes coming under this section, help young people who are looking to be entrepreneurs and Micro, Small and Medium Scale entrepreneurs (MSMEs)willing to who are improve their skills and capacities which give a value to their business.
Main objective of CDR is, make entrepreneurs strengthen enough to remain competitive in the business field and finally creating an entrepreneurial culture in Sri Lanka. As a customer-centered organization, SEDD designs and develops training modules by focusing of all aspects of entrepreneurship and business development.
Training areas
- Entrepreneurship development
- Business opportunities and Idea generation
- Technical training as group
- Marketing
- Business planning
- Service quality & customer care
- Business management
- Information technology for business
- Human resource management
- Operational management
- Financial management
- Accounting & Book keeping
- Strategic Management etc.
Availability and accessibility of market is a critical factors for Micro, Small & Medium scale enterprise (MSME) development. Therefore SEDD provides various steps to internationalization and will facilitate and support SMEs to access local and export market .This process may begin with the business selection and extend even up to international marketing with addressing followings key areas.
Key activities
- Collection and dissemination of market information
- Make readiness SMEs’ product and services to local and international market
- Enhancing new market opportunities of SMEs both local and international
- Marketing tools development
- Promoting business linkages
- Facilitate buyer-seller meetings
- Facilitate buy-back and sub-contracting
- Arranging regional, national and International trade fairs and exhibitions
- Support SMEs to participate international market through trade fairs and exhibitions
- Brand development of SMEs
- Entrepreneur evaluation and awarding etc.
Access to finance is one of the most significant challenge for the survival and advancement of SMEs. As a pioneer and responsible government organization for Entrepreneurship development in Sri Lanka, SEDD has taken several steps to strengthen the mechanisms for easy and affordable access to finance in SMEs and improving the skills and knowledge of financial literacy of Sri Lankan entrepreneurs.
Key activities
- Provide funds for business developments
- Strengthening healthy financial management of MSMEs
- Preparation of comprehensive business plan for MSMEs
- Instant loans through entrepreneurs co-operative societies
- Concessionary bank loan schemes specially for women and youth entrepreneurship
- Improve capacity and skills of accountancy and practice book keeping of MSMEs
- Strengthening the capacity and skills in IT base accountancy
- Bank clinic and bank coordination
In order to run a business successfully, MSMEs have to plan properly and know what to do and how to do it. In this context, entrepreneur should be capable enough in an each area of the business field. If not small business can’t survive against the high competition. To mitigate this problems, SMEs need advice and guidance from experienced consultants.
For addressing this inherent problem SEDD provides continuous follow up process about each individual and provide necessary business consultancy through well experienced consultants.
Key Activities
- Continuous follow up process
- Individual Business consultancy for MSMEs
- Professional business guidance for SMEs
- Address management issues
- Support for preparing strategic and organizational plans
- Professional guidance for SMEs at decision making areas of their business process
Access to appropriate and affordable modern technology is also a significant factor for growth of MSMEs. To address this gap SEDD is engaging to facilitate the acquisition and adoption of state-of the-art modern and appropriate clean technologies for MSMEs to increase quality, innovative, productive and competitive products, and improving the skills and knowledge of entrepreneurs
Key Activities
- Financial support for technology, professional and vocational training
- Improves IT driven business knowledge of entrepreneurs
- Introduce new technology and machineries for MSMEs with partnering Institutes
- Promote innovation and value-added products and services using local resource base
- Technological support to increase product quality with focusing innovation, productivity and competitiveness
Continuous research and development process on MSMEs sector is essential for creating an entrepreneurial culture in Sri Lanka with this important factor, SEDD specially focuses on research and development regarding MSMEs.
Key activities
- Maintain updated data base on SMEs
- Provides information for policy making at the national level
- Engage in research & development with government and private organizations
- Develop regional and national level plans for MSMEs and entrepreneurship development
- Develop training modules for SMEs and entrepreneurship development
Numerous policy and legal factors can erode the growth of MSMEs to create employment opportunities, foster innovation, sustain themselves and produce wealth . Without addressing the issues related to the overall business environment, interventions at the enterprise level alone do not produce optimal results to achieve entrepreneurial culture. To address this issues, SEDD involves in following ways
- Design and enforce MSME friendly laws and regulations
- Awareness to MSMEs on business laws and regulations
- Support a business registration
- Co-ordination with the government and private institute for MSME development.