Promotion and Replication of Models for Improving the Local Business and Investment Climate (BIC)
To facilitate the implementation of results oriented provincial SMED Plans, GTZ supports the DTI and respective stakeholders in promoting and replicating BIC practices which have made it easier for SMEs to grow in terms of income, number of establishments or jobs created. This involves developing, further adaptation and replicating the following models geared toward reform priorities and BIC improvement in selected local government units (LGUs):
- Simplifying Business Registration at the Local Level (BPLS): a Four Phased Approach Streamlining the business registration process makes it faster and easier for SMEs to register, encouraging more to enter the formal economy.
- NERBAC: Cutting Red Tape, Boosting Business The National Economic Research and Business Assistance Center (NERBAC) is a one stop shop action center bringing together the various national government agencies’ representatives under one roof to expedite business registration and investment procedures.
- Local and Regional Economic Development (LRED): Paving the Way to Economic Growth This practice aims to facilitate the implementation of the LRED process – a participatory planning, implementation and monitoring process involving public and private players – to identify, prioritize and take action on bottlenecks to take advantage of the economic potential of localities.
- Business Development Services (BDS): Subsector Business Service Approach The practice attempts to identify BDS requirements of SMEs in specific sectors by analyzing their constraints and promoting commercial opportunities for growth.
- SME Access to Credit: Enhancement through Upscaling To increase loans to SMEs, SMEDSEP works with financial institutions such as rural and thrift banks as well as financial training providers to develop knowledge and skills in SME loan provision.
- Accessing Markets through the Value Chain (Valuelinks®) Approach The Value Chain Approach aims to facilitate SME’s better access to markets and increased productivity and competitiveness in a given sector through the strategic analysis and focused improvement of a production process.
Throughout the implementation process, the program maintains a constant emphasis on learning, dissemination of experience and replication through a Knowledge Management Framework which includes communication strategy, information exchange, peer learning and public - private dialogue.
To learn more about these BIC models please refer to the SMEDSEP Information Briefs.
