Craft enterprises upgrade project and investment promotion: response strategy
Introduction
The Tunisian-Italian cooperation technical program under the Technical Cooperation Protocol between the Governments of the Tunisian Republic and the Italian Republic (signed in Tunis on October 5th, 2001); intends to support Tunisia in capacity building of SMEs support structures and the establishment of technical and financial tools which promote the emergence of new companies, especially in innovative sectors that can absorb a skilled workforce and within priority development regions.
As such, a private sector support program has been developed; it comes from the government’s policy to promote the private sector as a catalyst of development in the country.
The upgrade project of small businesses follows the same logic; it is presented as a tool to help improve the competitiveness of craft businesses.
Upgrading craft businesses is of great importance, considering the economic liberalization process according to which Tunisian companies will be called to confront a globalized market.
Project beneficiaries
The direct beneficiaries
The direct beneficiaries of the project will, in a first phase, the National Handicrafts Office as an innovative and essential tool for coaching and assistance in craft businesses upgrading, and consultants in the upgrading field belonging to public and private organizations that will receive a one-time training.
In a second phase, the beneficiaries will be two craft companies in the ceramics sector, which will be a pilot project to support these companies’ upgrade.
The indirect beneficiaries
The indirect beneficiaries are the Tunisian craft businesses who will, in the future, benefit from support actions developed by the National Handicrafts Office in this project.
The project objectives
General objective
The overall objective is to improve the Tunisian craft enterprises competitiveness .
Specific Objective
The specific objective is to contribute to the implementation of the national Program of craft business upgrading.
Expected Results
The capacity of the National Handicrafts Office are reinforced
In order for the National Handicrafts Office to be an effective structure that operates as vis-à-vis of craft enterprises, by offering a complete consultancy, we continue to build the office’s capacity for the upgrade craft businesses that exists within it.
Strengthening formulation capacities of Tunisian consultants upgrading projects
In this context, it will improve the capacity of experts in the diagnosis, investment plan, and schedule for implementing specific craft enterprises and how to support companies in the implementation of upgrade plans.
Development of an upgrade model
This will be a pilot project that will allow the validation process for the craft enterprises upgrading. In particular, the project will focus on the ceramic field, financing the diagnostic study, training and technical assistance to two companies that would have chosen to join the national program for craft enterprises upgrading.
Activities
Activities by outcome
- Training of the executives of the Crafts Upgrading Office (BMNA) within the National Handicraft Office (ONA ) (Task Force).
- Technical assistance in the development and implementation of operational procedures of BMNA. This activity will be structured as follows:
- Acquisition of office equipment for BMNA.
- Organizing a training seminar for Tunisian experts in Tunis.
- Study for the creation of a consortium system (supply of raw materials, export, media campaign, networking consortia, etc …).
- Realization of paper and digital catalogs, communication actions / advertising, creation of a website (b to b and b to c) and e-commerce portal.
- Development of upgrading studies (diagnosis, investment plan and implementation schedule) of 4 companies.
- Technical assistance in the implementation of upgrading studies through experts in the production process, quality control, and design for new models creation inspired by the Tunisian craft heritage.
