Structure of the Course

The structure of the five-weeks course (not including the field study) reflects the above methodological approach. At the beginning of the course an atmosphere should be created in which the participants feel responsible for what they get out of the training by playing an active role. The managerial and technical training is not intended to give the participants concrete solutions to the varied problems they will face but to offer them information and to stimulate their ability to use the information and skills for effective problem solving.

Entrepreneurial awareness training is integrated into management skills training. In order to make the learning situation resemble a real life situation the training is built up around the so-called "Enterprise Experience". Each participant is asked to establish and run a real micro business on the site, for at least the first three weeks of the training programme. In these "Enterprise Experience" businesses participants can apply and improve the newly learned skills and recognize their strengths and weaknesses. The "Enterprise Experience" is introduced during the first week of the course and is followed the same week by a section on technology options. This section aims at enabling the participants to identify the range of technology choices and possible products. It examines the opportunities and constraints of different products and processes for small-scale entrepreneurs from a technical viewpoint (e.g. type of preservation, hygiene needs, facilities and equipment required).

The second and third week are assigned to training in management skills. All sessions are closely linked to the "Enterprise Experience" and the respective micro-businesses are used as models to illustrate different topics. Towards the end of the third week the management and technology trainers should jointly prepare the participants for their field studies.

The two to three week field study will be carried out by each participant at her home location and should be used to research up-to-date and relevant local information which is needed to start a business. Such information includes marketing and distribution aspects, raw material and equipment costs, competitors, and production costs.

During the field study, the participants should make their technology choice and report back to the instructor and the organizing institution so that in their absence the equipment necessary to facilitate the practical technical skills training can be obtained.

The week following the individual field studies aims at enabling participants to prepare a production plan for their technology choice. The development of technology skills, applied to the participants' individual food commodities, provides a detailed knowledge of processing technology, quality control, work organization and a preliminary financial evaluation of production procedures. It is an experiental component in which participants operate their production processes and assume managerial responsibility.

During the last week of the course, participants synthesize the managerial and technical aspects of the course in the preparation of a planning document - a business plan. This plan becomes a tool which can be used as a basis for establishing their future business. The plans should be presented to a panel of invited bankers and representatives from other institutions.

A summary of the course structure is given below.

STRUCTURE OF THE COURSE