The workshop also trains assessors to review companies in depth by assessing their management competence, export fitness and e-trade readiness, using an approach and tools developed by ITC under the E-trade Bridge Programme. On returning to their countries, assessors identify and assess around 20 enterprises, from which they select a small number to benefit from tailored support to develop and implement a short, focused e-trade initiative. Assessors follow the companies taking part in the programme and document their experiences to identify best practice, review key lessons learned and make this information available to other companies interested in developing their e-trade competence. This initiative will also help to stimulate demand for e-trade services by showing how business-oriented service providers can provide cost-effective solutions to the business community.
Usually, ITC will provide assessors’ training to representatives from countries that have already held an E-trade Bridge kick-off meeting. However, at the June meeting, a group of trade trainers from Central America who have been cooperating with ITC on other projects joined the delegates from Kenya and Viet Nam. They took part in the e-trade assessors’ training with a view to initiating the E-trade Bridge in their own countries. They also had the opportunity to consolidate their regional network; and all participants were able to make contacts with trade development professionals from other country networks.
For more information, contact Yolanda Gibb, ITC Senior Trade Training Officer, at gibb@intracen.org.
