THE 4TH SMEs IN A GLOBAL ECONOMY CONFERENCE 2007

Shah Alam, Malaysia - To provide a platform where entrepreneurs, practitioners, academicians and policy makers can discuss and analyze the prospects and challenges faced by the regional SMEs in the wake of globalization.

The recent financial and economic crisis that has affected East Asian economies has prompted the need for a more balanced approach to economic and business development in those economies. In other words, efforts of recovery should focus on the development of both domestic and external markets, placing greater emphasis on developing intra regional trade and restructuring of the regional business sector with reduced emphasis on large enterprises. As a result, there seems to be tremendous business opportunities for the development and roles of SMEs to propel the economic development of the respected economies in the years to come.

Parallel to the potential development of SMEs, the supply of resilient, creative and innovative entrepreneurs should be in tandem with the growth and development of the SMEs. Therefore, entrepreneurship development should be part and parcel of the overall strategies to develop and sustain growth of regional SMEs in lieu of the challenges and opportunities posed by the liberalization of trade in a borderless economy.

According to the 9th Malaysian Plan, the economic participation of SMEs must be increased. Although SMEs represent more than 90 percent of commercial establishments, SMEs only contribute 46 percent to national output. With proper support, SMEs will be able to increase their economic participation more effectively. Initiatives that will be implemented by the government include improving access to funding through SME Bank and providing seeding funding for newly established SMEs. Specific programmes will be introduced to strengthen cooperation and linkages between SMEs and large domestic companies as well as multinational corporations (MNCs). Efforts will also be concentrated on enhancing entrepreneurial and technical capabilities of SMEs.

Objectives

To provide a platform where entrepreneurs, practitioners, academicians and policy makers can discuss and analyze the prospects and challenges faced by the regional SMEs in the wake of globalization.

Participants
The conference is open to entrepreneurs, SMEs owners, policy-makers, financial institutions, government agencies, consultants and practitioners and scholars from all over the world.

For further inquiries
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Za'faran Hassan
[email protected]
Tel: 603 - 5544 4673 Fax: 603 - 5544 4693

Dr. Sarminah Samad
[email protected] or [email protected]
Tel: 603 - 5544 4791 Fax: 603 - 5544 4693

Contact:

Faculty of Business Management,
Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM)
40450 Shah Alam
Selangor, Malaysia
Phone: 603-5544-4673
Fax: 603-5544-4693
E-mail: [email protected]

http://www.uitm.edu.my/news/4th_SMEs/

From 09 Jul 2007
Until 10 Jul 2007
Shah Alam, Malaysia
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