Beyond Entrepreneurship Development…..

Tradition and Trends in ED
Entrepreneurship has been the most attractive topic and the training module among many of the development interventions and projects in Sri Lanka and in South-Eastern parts of Asia at large. In Sri Lanka nearly 300 training organizations deliver different types of entrepreneurship development (ED) trainings through more than 4600 trainers with different backgrounds. Although the knowledgebase of entrepreneurship and business realities are changing rapidly, the ED practitioners in Sri Lanka are notoriously addicted to outdated and invalid traditional contents and delivery methods. Some famous training packages such as CEFE and SIYB training packages are still being delivered either with little or no modification since 1990s. As a consequence of all these there are several interesting questions often asked by many donor agencies; “To what extant these ED modules have created a change in the lives of poor people? What percentage of MSMEs has been better off? How can the general ED help effectively to sector specific businesses with special growth needs? How far these trainers and organizations have been able to contribute to MDGs”
My question, in addition is that, why the trainers are more and more curious about the training assignment rather than the productivity and the final results? So, it is time to look at ourselves and find new ways to create better results and breakthroughs in the MSME sectors in Sri Lanka. I propose following aspects as value additions to traditional ED modules.


Beyond Entrepreneurship Development…..

We replace the traditional ED with innovative content and delivery approaches and improved methodologies of training delivery.

Pre-delivery value additions
With our experience we have make following modifications to the common and cheap ED modules delivered by most trainers.
Simple baseline assessment and training need assessment (TNA) of the target group.
Content and Methodological modifications based on the TNA of the target group.
Sector specific alterations of the module based on special needs of homogeneous sub-groups within the target group.
Trainers pre-study in to five forces of each sub business sector.
Interactive training delivery based on advanced adult learning techniques.
Value chain focus.
Effective use of advanced training aids.
Attention on gender and poverty aspects.

During the delivery
Individual focus and touch.
Support to market access-new markets, new products, expanded volumes.
Integration of Green entrepreneurship components.
Product innovation-eco products and services (as a follow-up).
Facilitation of technology transfer (as a follow-up)
Special attention to make enabling environment against business related Red Tapes (as a follow-up).
Reduction of dependency and attitude change.
Attention on gender, equity and poverty aspects.
Real life entrepreneurial case learning and exposure visits.

After training support
Follow-up advices and business clinics (when there is sequential groups).
Linkages to raw material markets and suppliers.
Linkages to business support services and business associations and nucleus hubs.
Linkages to machinery and technology providers.
Access to quality and standards specifications.
Facilitation of access to capital, business partnerships, external investment (as a follow-up).Submission of short report on training outcomes (first three months).

Another Innovation-Paddy husk fuelled furnace

We the Institute of Growth Concepts, developed and introduced a cost effective paddy/rice husk fuelled furnace for pot producers in Sri Lanka. The furnace is an alternative energy solution for clay pottery producers in Kuunegala Sri Lanka. We are proud to be able to contribute with a new creation to Sri Lankan industrial sector. During the course of the experiment the technology failed more than hundred times but the colleagues in the team were always courageous enough to step in to next stage by learning the new lesson from each failure.

This interesting experimental initiative was fully funded by the two institutions, Swisscontact and Infrasure, Switzerland. Swisscontact as a long standing development facilitator to Sri Lanka, extended the proactive and enthusiastic assistance to support this experiment. So, Swisscontact initiated a new project 2008 in order to carry forward this technology to the pottery industry in Kurunegala. Infrasure as one of the highly socially responsible business organization in Switzerland, supported this project financially to through Swiscontact, hoping to uplift the lives of pottery people in Sri Lanka.

The furnace technology is well used by the pot producers in Kurunegala, Sri Lanka and as a result the production cost of pots and the rate of damaged pot in each batch burnt are reduced tremendously. In addition usage or the burnings of firewood (collected from forests) and coconut husk (important natural fiber source/material) are also being reduced. Due to high efficiency the furnace it does not produce high smoke like in the traditional kiln, so the pollution levels and smoke breathe-in (of pot makers) levels are very low in the new design.

So., many., many thanks, Swisscontact and Infrasure!!!

People who changed my life and helped me to become a professional..

Jay Senevirathne-Most Enthusiastic and Kind Hearted Leader who help me to grow with Swisscontact-2007-2010

Gemunu Wijesena-Former boss who took me in to ILO-SIYB Project. He became the role model in my Trainer Career-2003-2004

Susantha Katukurunda-Wonderful person who trust my skill and introduced me to ILO-2003

Premasiri Gamage-Former boss who offered me first Development Job and he is the one who put me in Trainer path-2002-2003

B A Maheepala-One of the most respected business leader who put me in HR in charge position in his factory-2001

Lionel Gunarathne-My second farther who always loved me, encouraged me and help me to beat the challenges and worst situations in my life-1988-2010

Sudath Chandrakumara-The teacher, very kind gentleman who helped me a lot at my O/Ls-1987

TH Piyadasa-My teacher and the 1st person who appreciate my work and who taught me that I was a smart student-1982

Introduction of Institute of Growth Concepts

Introduction of Institute of Growth Concepts (IGC)

Institute of Growth Concepts (IGC) is established in 2008 as a sustainable entity and an offspring of Local Economic Development Project of Swisscontact Sri Lanka. IGC is a Business Development Services institution that operates in ten Districts. IGC caters the growth needs of micro, small and medium scale enterprises (MSMEs), rural farmers, unemployed youth and women entrepreneurs of these districts.

IGC offers a range of result oriented training, consultancy, advisory and counseling services. These services either be management or technology oriented and has network of clients from business, industries, government and development sectors.

IGC team is highly pedagogic and experienced on different disciplines in the field of enterprise development. Team so far and has contributed to improve more than 15000 MSMEs island wide. The team has been working in the fields of MSME Development, Local Economic Development, Value-Chain Development, Youth Development, Agri-Business Development, Entrepreneurship Promotion and Women Enterprise Development; for more than twelve years and holds national and international qualifications.

Green Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship is a great concept. But in practice it has exceeded its limits by becoming harmful and irresponsible towards the society and to the ecosystem by just being opportunistic to maximize profits. Why not we talk about Green Entrepreneurship? Now it is the time for a paradigm shift of traditional entrepreneurship concept? Let’s build a new entrepreneurial culture that ensures the social and ecological protection and conservation in maximizing profits. Dearest entrepreneurs, please start to think of not only financial profit but the also social and environmental profits that make you a perfect entrepreneur as well as a responsible human being. So remember, tomorrow it is not just Entrepreneurship but Green Entrepreneurship!!!!!!

A Green Entrepreneur is someone who is truly passionate and visionary to optimize financial profit while maximizing social and environmental profits through intended innovations and investments.