ICEP Portugal - Investimento, Comércio e Turismo - Investments,
Trade and Tourism of Portugal - is the operational arm of
Portugal's Ministry of Commerce. The institute is a public service
and is financed principally by the state budget. ICEP is charged
with Portugal's trade promotion, foreign direct investment (FDI),
tourism and brand image.
Distinguishing features
While the area of operations and its financial resources are
typical for this sort of public institution, what is specific to
ICEP is its involvement in four different areas: trade, investment,
tourism and brand image.
The reason for this is historical: the conventional organization
for promoting external trade, established in 1949, was merged with
the Institute for Foreign Investment in the 1980s. In the 1990s,
tourism was also incorporated into the organization. More recently,
ICEP was given responsibility for external promotion and Portugal's
brand image.
But how can such a model work? Can it function as a whole,
setting aside the separate cultures of the various organizations
that merged with it?
Integration has been total in all sectors except tourism, where
the practices of a separate corporate culture remain. This is
coupled with a clear trend in conceiving and promoting the tourism
sector in a separate way from the other business areas.
Overseas offices: Towards an integrated
approach
The aim is to establish a single address for all of Portugal's
external promotion activities. This requires efficient coordination
of activities at ICEP offices abroad (dependent on the Ministry of
Commerce and heirs to a long tradition of institutional autonomy)
with the network of embassies and consulates that fall under the
Foreign Ministry.
The challenge facing ICEP is: how to ensure coherent marketing
abroad without confusing autonomously sanctioned, technical
promotional activities with diplomatic activities?
Once a certain balance between the institutions has been
achieved, how can the activities of informal networks, the
contributions of sector lobbies, the involvement of chambers of
commerce and individual business players be integrated into ICEP's
corporate culture?
Clearly, we do not have the answer to all these questions,
otherwise ICEP would be the most efficient promotion body in this
field.
Relations with the consular and diplomatic
network
After many years of parallel efforts - and as geometry shows,
parallel lines never meet - the parties involved have agreed to a
coordination plan. A Foreign Ministry representative is now part of
ICEP's board and has been tasked with coordinating the network.
This kind of cross-representation allows us to tackle more advanced
and integrated tasks.
It has also resulted in an important conclusion: it is
absolutely vital that we review our network, its current locations
and the tasks of our overseas offices. We are systematically doing
so at the moment.
We have started testing various models for covering our markets,
using a pilot programme in countries with differing levels of
development and varied interests for Portuguese business.
We believe that in less than a year we should see a markedly
different approach to external operations. This will comprise a
lighter structure that performs well, by making better use of the
competencies and merits of both ministries.
Linking to broader networks
We have also focused on improving the links between Portugal's
formal network of external, institutional representations (its
diplomatic, consular and ICEP networks) and other, informal
channels operating outside the country. These comprise:
• bilateral chambers of commerce;
• businesses among Portuguese communities abroad; and
• trainees in an ICEP-financed training project abroad.
The formula for network linkages is predominantly institutional
for chambers of commerce; consultation-focused for Portuguese
community business sectors; and totally interactive for the
informal trainees network.
Tools
To achieve these different objectives, different kinds of
instruments are used:
• Traditional annual plans, consultative councils and workshops
for the first two groups (chambers of commerce and Portuguese
business sectors).
• Research systems, on-the-job training and permanent supervision
by tutors through web-based communication and chats for the
trainees' network. Although still in an experimental stage, a
second phase is also under way. As part of enlarging network links
between tutors, central and peripheral services and training
elements, degrees of access and differentiated analysis will be
introduced, helping to integrate network proposals in an organized
and more systematic fashion.
Our assessment of the efficiency of the links between these
various parties is not equal: in short, the first two groups are as
efficient as can be expected, while the trainees' group has proved
extremely effective.
Although the effects of this interactive process are still
limited and at a trial stage, a very positive aspect for ICEP has
been the impact on people throughout the networks/delegations/head
office departments, involving them as integrated work elements in a
conservative institution such as ICEP.
Changes to the operational support for promoting Portugal abroad
will be complemented by changes to the IT system. Absolute priority
will be given to ongoing support and promotion for, and encouraging
companies in all forms of, e-commerce.
Currently, private sector involvement in individual promotional
and associative activities is very significant. We intend to extend
this involvement by:
• launching joint public-private financing mechanisms for
promotional activities by sector and under integrated management;
and
• establishing projects that can become self-supporting and
subsequently privatized.
José Vieira Branco is Vice President of ICEP,
Portugal.
This article is adapted from a presentation delivered at the third
World Conference of Trade Promotion Organizations (Marrakech, 25-27
October 2000).
Mr. Vieira Branco can be contacted at josebra@icep.pt or icep@icep.pt
National profile at a glance: ICEP Portugal -
Investimento, Comércio e Turismo
Mandate: Trade promotion; foreign direct
investment; tourism; and Portugal's brand image.
Institutional positioning: Operational arm of
the Ministry of Economy. ICEP is governed by a council with seven
members appointed by the government.
Founded: 1949
Location: Based in Lisbon, ICEP has five
domestic and 51 overseas offices.
Funding: Roughly US$ 130 million annually,
funded 95% by the national budget and 5% by charges for
services.
Staff: About 800 permanent members of staff at
head office and abroad.
Of interest:
• Portugal's new approaches to cooperation within government, with
chambers of commerce and Portuguese businesses abroad.
• Potential for synergy by bringing together trade promotion,
foreign direct investment, tourism and national image
'branding'.
Contact:
ICEP, Av. 5 de Outubro, 101, 1050-051 Lisbon, Portugal
Tel.: + 35121 790 9500; Fax: +351221 793 5028; E-mail: icep@icep.pt
Web site: http://www.icep.pt
(Portuguese) and http://www.portugalinbusiness.com
(English)