Activities
SME working group

„High impact entrepreneurship in BiH”, 16 November, 2013

 

Seminar „ High impact entrepreneurship in BiH“, was created and organized by Jozo Bejic, member of the Managing Board of our Association, and it was held in Mostar, 16 November, 2013. There were over 30 representatives of various institutions that deal with this issue. All of them largely contributed to this seminar with their expertise, experience and knowledge.
The main goal was to give directions for policy creation which will in an adequate way induce establishment of new and improvement of existing fast growing companies (Gazelles) in BiH and raise of awareness in relevant players on importance of fast growing entrepreneurship.
The topic of this seminar was closely related to emergence of Gazelles (fast-growing companies) which achieve average annual growth or turnover from 20% or more over three-year period, and which, due to their stable operation and high growth exceptionally positive impact a country’s economy and new job creation. Gazelles companies are not common in all countries, but their impacts are exceeding the average figures. According to the research of Endeavor Centre for high-impact entrepreneurship and GEM (Global Entrepreneurship Monitor) project, Gazelles companies make only 4% of all companies but they created around 40% of all employment in the researched period.
The lecturers were eminent experts in this field: Prof. Bahrija Umihanic from Tuzla Jasmin Helebic, PhD from Zenica and Nevzet Sefo from Mostar, and the following topics were discussed:
• High-impact entrepreneurship in the development role in BiH
• Analysis of value GAP chain and analysis of tourism sector with development recommendations
• Possible way of financing of high-impact entrepreneurship in BiH

 


MA. Sci Jozo Bejic

 

WORKSHOP
„SME PROMOTION – INOVATIVE BUSINESS IDEAS“,
Held on 8 December 2012 in Mostar, Hotel Ero

The workshop was held in the above mentioned period and representatives from various BiH institutions joined: state level, entity, and cantonal ministries, city and municipal institutions, NGO's and representatives of academic communities in BiH.
The following topics were covered in the workshop:
1. Role of the state in the entrepreneurship development and employment increase;
2. Development of sustainable tourism in BiH through SME support;
3. Alternatives and possible SME financing.

After these presentations a very dynamic discussion related to these topics started, in which all participants took part refering to fields under their responsibilities within the institutions they work at.
Some Japanese models in local communities economic development were presented (for example: The development of tourism on Kimito road 21), and some positive solutions about economy development in rural areas in Japan were mentioned.
The following conclusions were made at the workshops, giving directions in which economic activities should go, with the most significant measures and elements that should be contained in strategic documents in the future period for entrepreneurship and SME development in BiH:

1. Securing financial and technical support of foreign donors in order to give support to accomplishing the priority tasks in SME sector development: establishment of stimulative legal and administrative business environment for SME sector, enabling new micro-credit lines and professional help to banks for development of services directed to SME sector, increase of agencies and centers giving the support to SME sector and program developments aimed at enhancement of companies' competitiveness,
2. Decrease of „grey economy“ level at the same time improving the ambience in which registered companies and private entrepreneurs operate, and enhanced cooperation of all relevant services,
3. Encouraging products sale and SME services on domestic and foreign market, better linkage of big companies with SME activities such as subcontracting, creation of conditions for larger share of SME in public procurement and better penetration of consumer goods from SME sector,
4. Adjusting of SME in BiH for use of new technologies and infrastructure in business operation with a focus on mode and technology of communication in the environment in which it functions and on socially responsible behavior,
5. SME sector competitiveness enhancement through programs of companies' management development, by introducing a system of quality and innovations, as well as strengthening the bondage between educational and research system and SME sector. Educational and research systems has to be more market-oriented.
The workshop organized by
Mr.sc.Jozo Bejić, Management Board member


Workshop „SME promotion and development – innovative ideas“
(Banja Luka, 10 February 2012)

Workshop „SME promotion and development“ was held at Innovation centre in Banja Luka, on 10 February 2012. So far JICA organized a large number of seminar related to promotion of small and medium enterprises (SME) for participants from Bosnia and Herzegovina, so the Managing Board of our association decided to start with workshops in this field in order to activate the members of the association to use the acquired knowledge and experience for the purpose of creating certain activities which could contribute to the economic development of our country.

The main goal of this workshop was to analyze importance and roles of innovations in BiH, which are the basis of efficacy and competitiveness of businesses, with a special focus on small and medium enterprises. The workshop gathered representatives of academic community, public and private sector from this field. The presenters and lecturers talked about the following themes:
• Milan Cvijic, Phd, talked about „Politics of SME promotion and entrepreneurship in Japan – Japanese good management as a role model for innovations“.
• Zijad Dzafic, PhD, professor at the Faculty of Economics in Tuzla, held a presentation „SME innovations in function of economy competitiveness enhancement in Bosnia and Herzegovina“.
• Jasmin Halebic PhD, Faculty of Economics in Zenica, talked about „Possibilities of seventh research framework program (FP7) and other programs for SME innovation promotion“.
• Miroslav Tesic, from „Turbina IPD“ enterprise, presented their experience of an innovative SME

Discussion started after the presentations and proved to be very interesting with active contribution of all participants. The main remarks and comments could be summarized as follows:
• Cooperation and coordination between institutions and support to small and medium enterprises is not adequate, both horizontally (within the same hierarchy level) and vertically (between the same government levels, that is in the chain local community/canton/entity/state)
• It is important to work on strengthening relations between scientific-research institutions, such as universities and other organizations
• The problem of adequate patent value evaluation is obvious (intellectual capital), as a part of primary property of the enterprise, which disable them to serve like collateral for loan application or the enterprise to gather needed funds through capital market (going to the stock market). Because of this many innovative and qualitative patents can’t start with commercialization phase.
• It is needed that the state and entity authorities increase the funds for research activities which are on the lowest level in Europe.

Workshop coordinator

Marko Tutnjevic, president of the Association